Ch. 21

Hermione knew as soon as Ginny sat down next to her in Potions that something had gone wrong. She had come in late without Blaise, muttering a quick excuse to Professor Slughorn before avoiding everyone's eyes and sitting down quietly.

She was able to join Hermione and Draco for their potion since Blaise hadn't come to the class, but Draco didn't say anything about his friend's noticeable absence and the group worked in silence. But as soon as Draco left to get more ingredients, Hermione immediately asked, "What happened?"

"Did you know Blaise was a Veela?" Ginny asked her almost accusingly.

Hermione was caught off guard by Ginny snapping and she blinked before saying, "I had my suspicions after talking to Draco but I couldn't be sure. And even if he was, it wouldn't have been my place to tell you."

"So you lied to me at breakfast?" Ginny went on, her anger growing.

"Ginny, whatever anger you have at Blaise, please don't direct it at me," Hermione said quietly. "I didn't want to lie to you, and you should know that I wouldn't unless I felt it was necessary, and in this case I did. I'm sorry but it truly would not have been my place to tell you."

Ginny took a deep breath and processed her friend's words. Then she let out a frustrated sigh and dropped her head. "I'm sorry, Hermione, I'm just very confused right now. This was a huge bomb that was dropped on me, and I don't know what to do."

Hermione reached over to put a hand on Ginny's arm. "Do whatever makes you happy. That's all that Blaise wants for you."

Draco then came back with the needed ingredients, ending their conversation. Hermione gave him a grateful glance, knowing that he had held off coming back until Hermione had finished talking to Ginny. They continued brewing their potion in silence, and it didn't go unnoticed that Ginny kept looking back towards the door to see if Blaise was going to come walking through it.

Draco was starting to become distressed on Blaise's behalf. It had been four days since he had told Ginny the truth, and she still had not said a word to him. He missed the four of them spending time together and because Hermione was helping Ginny research Veelas, he rarely got to see his mate.

Blaise had become distraught. He barely spoke a word and stopped showing up to classes. Draco worried about him, trying to coax him out of his dorm unsuccessfully every day.

Friday morning, he knocked on Blaise's door again. "Blaise, come on. It's Friday, you need to come out today at least. I can't keep making excuses for you in classes, mate."

There was silence, and then the sound of a glass breaking. Draco immediately rushed in, searching the room for his friend. When he ran to the other side of the bed, he found Blaise convulsing on the floor, his eyes rolled back into his head.

"Fuck!" Draco yelled. He grabbed his wand and pointed it at Blaise. ""

Blaise immediately froze and Draco was able to levitate him out of the dorm, rushing him to the Hospital Wing. "Madam Pomfrey!"

The Matron quickly ran out of her office, gasping when she saw Blaise. "What happened to him? Here, set him on this bed!"

Draco levitated his friend onto the nearby empty bed and explained, "I went to get him from his dorm and I found him convulsing on the floor. I used the charm on him."

Madam Pomfrey nodded and began to run some tests on him. "The Headmistress has informed me of both his and your heritages; has he found his mate?"

Draco nodded sadly. "They haven't talked since Monday though, after he told her about him. She didn't seem to take it well."

"Oh, dear." Madam Pomfrey rushed away and returned shortly after with a tray of different colored potions. "I need you to go fetch her immediately!"

Draco nodded without question and ran off, searching through the halls for Ginny. He found her walking out of the Great Hall with Hermione and immediately raced to her.

"Ginny, you have to come with me right now!" He rushed as he stopped in front of them.

"What? Why?" Ginny asked.

"It's Blaise, he's in the hospital wing!"

Ginny immediately panicked and the three of them took off through the hallways, dread filling the redhead. She couldn't help but think the worst as she saw him lying on the crisp white sheets, motionless. He was still frozen in the position Draco had immobilized him in, and her heart broke when she saw the pained expression that his face was held in.

She sat down next to him as sadness and guilt washed over her. Was this her fault?

Madam Pomfrey quickly made her way over to the group and said, "Which one of you is his mate?"

Ginny nodded her head silently and Madam Pomfrey gave her a slight frown. "Have you rejected him?"

"What?" Ginny asked in confusion.

"Did you tell him you did not want to be his mate?"

"No," She answered, her panic rising. "I just told him that I needed time to think about everything he had told me and..."

"And you hadn't spoken to him since?" The Matron asked.

She nodded her head sadly in response. Madam Pomfrey sighed and went on. "My dear, when a Veela is rejected by his mate, his Veela slowly starts to die of heartbreak. Because you didn't accept him and didn't speak to him over an extended period of time, his Veela must have taken that as rejection."

Tears began to well up in Ginny's eyes as she looked down at Blaise. Then she looked back up and asked, "Am I too late? Is there a chance to save him?"

"We may have just caught it in time," Madam Pomfrey sighed. "The only solution that I have to give you is for you to stay by his side until he wakes up. I've given him potions that will stop the convulsions, so as soon as I release him from the charm he should no longer be thrashing around if his Veela senses your presence. I suspect though his body will be in a coma while his body and soul heals."

Ginny nodded and immediately took his hand. Madam Pomfrey raised her eyebrows at this but didn't say anything as she pulled out her wand and released Blaise from the immobilization. His body immediately relaxed into the bed, but he didn't move. Ginny's stomach flipped slightly, knowing that he must have subconsciously known she was there and she squeezed his hand.

"Now, I will notify your professors that you will not be able to attend until he wakes up; they are all aware of Mister Zabini's heritage as well." Then she turned to Draco and Hermione. "I can allow Miss Weasley to stay, but unfortunately you two must head back to class. I will be sure to notify you if he wakes before lunch, but if that doesn't happen then you may visit during the lunch hour."

The two of them nodded and Hermione put a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Everything's going to be alright, Gin. It's not your fault."

"It is my fault," Ginny argued sadly. "This is all my fault because I didn't want to talk to him for a few days. I'm such an idiot."

"Blaise would disagree and you know that," Draco said. "But what matters is that you're here with him now and he should be alright. Don't worry about this; I know Blaise, he'll forgive you as soon as he wakes up."