Chapter 52: Chapter 52: A Hospital Encounter
No matter what the situation, there are always two sides to every story.
When something happens, someone is bound to be happy while someone else is disappointed.
Hogwarts Hospital Wing
Draco Malfoy, who had received timely medical attention, was currently lying on a bed, staring idly at the ceiling. There wasn't much else he could do, wrapped up like a mummy, with only his eyes, nose, and mouth left uncovered.
Madam Pomfrey had diagnosed him with extensive frostbite, requiring at least a night of rest to start recovering.
As he lay there, Malfoy replayed the incident in his mind. He had just opened the door to his dormitory, and the next thing he knew, he was in the hospital wing.
"What on earth is Ino up to… such a nuisance!" he thought, still fixated on the matter of Harry and Hagrid's illegal dragon.
---
Time passed.
While some were excited all night, others enjoyed a good night's sleep.
In the morning, Ino woke up, stretched, and felt a profound sense of relaxation and comfort from a deep sleep.
"I need to check on Malfoy, but what should I bring…" he thought.
Realizing he had no classes in the morning, Ino decided to visit Malfoy. After all, the whole incident was his fault, and Malfoy was just collateral damage.
The problem was, he didn't know what to bring for the visit. Bringing something when visiting a patient was a deeply ingrained tradition.
Rummaging through his room, Ino found only a bag of Galleons and a few frostbitten, slightly rotten berries.
The berries were out of the question, as that would be akin to poisoning him. As for the Galleons, they were meaningless to Malfoy, who wasn't a Weasley. Giving Malfoy money was like pouring a cup of water into the sea—pointless.
"Forget it, I'll bring flowers," Ino sighed, looking at his empty trunk.
He drew his wand and slowly conjured five crystalline ice arrows in mid-air. Just as they were about to form, they merged, stretched, and reshaped like clay being molded.
A minute later, five ice-blue lilies appeared in his hand.
This was a new ability Ino had developed from practicing his ice arrow spell the previous night, transforming their shape while maintaining the same volume.
He also noticed that frequent use of magic was gradually enhancing his control over ice and snow, making it almost instinctual.
These five lilies were proof of his newfound skill.
But ultimately, it was a makeshift solution. Compared to his clumsy Transfiguration skills and the withered plants in the Forbidden Forest during winter, this was the best option he had for obtaining fresh flowers.
At least in winter, ice would last longer than anything conjured by Transfiguration.
---
Hogwarts Hospital Wing
Harry and Hermione paced back and forth in the hallway, as if waiting for someone.
After a while, Hermione, growing impatient, tossed her bushy hair and looked at Harry with a peculiar tone.
"Harry, you must never do what he did! Playing with a dragon like a puppy, it's no wonder he got bitten—serves him right!"
Harry nodded wearily.
That morning, Ron had woken him up early, saying they needed to share the good news with Hagrid about Malfoy being in the hospital. The result was… the news was shared, but Ron ended up in the hospital wing himself.
Reflecting on the absurd and dramatic outcome, Harry couldn't help but sigh. Ron had been so engrossed in his tale that he mistook Norbert's head for Scabbers and reached out to pat it. Naturally, Norbert bit him, causing Ron's hand to swell to twice its normal size. Luckily, Hagrid had intervened in time; otherwise, Ron's injury would have been much worse.
Thinking further, Harry also pondered Malfoy's situation. Despite the animosity, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of sympathy for him, lying injured in the same hospital wing.
"I never thought Malfoy would end up like this. I hear they're in the same dormitory. Slytherins are just beyond understanding," he remarked.
Harry's casual observation annoyed Hermione.
"Don't say that! Ino must have had a reason to teach Malfoy a lesson. I believe in him!" she responded firmly.
Her strong defense of Ino piqued Harry's curiosity.
"Ino? So, you know him?" he asked.
"Yes, we met in London. We're good friends," Hermione replied without hesitation, then added for emphasis, "Oh right! We're very good friends."
"Alright," Harry shrugged. It wasn't surprising that Hermione had friends from other houses, even if they were Slytherins.
Time ticked by, and just when they were growing impatient, footsteps echoed down the hallway.
Curious, Harry turned to look. The hospital wing's hallway was usually as deserted as Filch's office, with hardly anyone passing through.
However, this curiosity quickly turned into shock, as if he had been frozen in time.
On the other hand, Hermione's eyes lit up with surprise, and she quickly ran forward.
At the end of the hallway, Ino was equally surprised to see Harry and Hermione. Before he could react, a brown-haired bundle of energy was already rushing towards him.
"Are you alright? They said you attacked Malfoy, but I believe you! By the way, why are you here now? Do you need any help?" Hermione asked with concern.
Ino was touched by her concern. For this former Divination customer and library friend, he had a soft spot. Although Hermione could be a bit stubborn, like Pansy's haughtiness, these traits were directed at specific people. To him, she was always polite.
Smiling, Ino replied, "Don't worry, I'm fine! As for Malfoy, it was just an accident. I'm here to visit him, actually. But what about you two?"
He looked over at Harry, who gave him a strained smile.
Hermione, relieved by Ino's explanation, was now overjoyed.
"I knew it, you wouldn't attack anyone. We're waiting for our friend who also got hurt."
As her tension eased, Hermione noticed the lilies in Ino's hand. Their ice-blue petals were crystal clear and elegant, their leaves crisp and delicate—hard not to admire.
Women naturally liked shiny things, and Hermione, after a glance, found herself repeatedly drawn to the flowers.
Such obvious glances didn't escape Ino's notice. Amused, he said, "Do you like them? Here, Miss Granger, take one."
With that, he handed one of the ice lilies to Hermione.
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