Harry's actions saved Ron's life. Currently, Cortney, Hermione, Harry, and Ginny were in the Hospital Wing. Surrounding Ron's bed. Hermione and Ginny were on both sides of the bed. Hermione held Ron's hand. Snape, Slughorn, McGonagall, and Dumbledore walked in.

" Quick thinking on your part Harry using a bezoar. You must be very proud of your student Horace," Dumbledore congratulated.

" Oh yes, very proud," Slughorn breathed. Harry noticed Slughorn holding the bottle of liquid that poisoned Ron.

" I think we can agree Potter's actions were heroic, the question is...why were they necessary? " McGonagall questioned.

" Why indeed," Dumbledore agreed. Slughorn held up the poisoned bottle of liquid. Dumbledore took it from him. " This appears to be a gift, Horace. You don't remember who gave you this bottle? " Dumbledore asked. Slughorn shook his head. Dumbledore sniffed the bottle. " By the way possesses of remarkably subtle hints of licorice and cherry, but not polluted with poison".

" Actually I intended to give it as a gift myself," Slughorn admitted.

" To whom I might ask? " Dumbledore questioned.

"....To you Headmaster," Slughorn said reluctantly. The doors of the Hospital Wing flew open and Lavender Brown rushed in looking panicked.

" Where is he? Where's my Won Won !? Has he been asking for me? " She panicked, before looking at Hermione. " What is she doing here? "

" I might ask you the same question," Hermione stood up.

" I happened to be his girlfriend," Lavender hissed.

" I am happened to be his...friend," Hermione spoke.

" Don't make me laugh. You haven't spoken in weeks. I suppose you want me to break up with now that he is suddenly all interesting," Lavender accused.

" He's been poisoned, you daft bimbo! " Hermione exploded. " And for the recorded, I always found him interesting! " Ron began to stir, he took in a breath of air.

" Ah see, he senses my presence," Lavender breathed. She leaned closer to him. " Don't worry Won Won. I'm here. I'm here".

" He-mio-ne," he breathed. " Her-mione. Hermione". Lavender ran out of the room in tears. Hermione sat down grabbing his hand in shock. 

" Oh to be young, and feel loves keen sting," Dumbledore said. " Well come away everybody. Mr. Weasley is well-tended". Everyone left the room in a huddle.

" It's about time, don't you think? " Ginny mentioned to Harry.

" Shut up," Hermione grumbled trying to hide a smile.

**********

The next day Ron was let out of the Hospital Wong before they went down to the Great Hall for breakfast. Cortney decided to sit with them that morning. Harry told them that he saw Draco walking suspiciously down the hall. AS they walked into the Great Hall, Harry told them, that he followed Draco. Till he disappeared into the Room of Requirements.

"Why would he be going to the Room of Requirement? " Hermione asked. Harry shrugged his shoulders, not wanting to let go of the topic.

" Any ideas Cortney? " Harry interrogated.

" No, " Cortney answered. " Draco has been quite secretive lately and won't tell me. I am quite worried actually.

" Any ideas Ron? " Harry asked.  Ron didn't hear him, he was looking behind Harry and Hermione intensely. They turned and saw Lavender looking back intensely. It started to snow above their heads.

" Stop it, Ron, you're making it snow again," Hermione instructed. Ron's face relaxed, making it stop snowing.

" Tell me how I broke up with Lavender again," Ron pleaded. Harry and Cortney looked away not wanting to explain.

" Well um...She came to visit you in the hospital...and you talked. I don't believe it was a particularly long conversation.

 " Don't get me wrong. I'm bloody thrilled to be short of her it's just she seems a bit angry now" Ron said. They turned and saw Lavender clutching a spoon tightly. They turned back around.

" Yes, she does, doesn't she," Hermione agreed. "You're saying you don't remember anything from last night from that night at all? " 

" There is something..." Ron said thinking hard. " But it can't be, I was completely boggled wasn't I".

" Boggled," Hermione huffed, her eyes wandering around the room. She spotted Katie Bell, her arm was as in bandages. Hermione nudged Harry. Cortney saw her cousin, he looked awful. She got up and walked over to him.

" Harry, it's Katie," Hermione pointed out. Harry got up, grabbed the potions book, and walked over to Katie.

" Katie, how are you? " Harry asked.

" Harry, I know why you're here. But I don't know who cursed me," Katie answered. " I'm trying to remember...honestly...But I just can't".

" Right," Harry sighed. She looked over his shoulder, he turned and made eye contact with Draco. He looked absolutely terrified. Malfoy quickly walked out of the Great Hall.

" Draco! " Cortney whispered following him out. Shortly followed by Harry.

" Harry? " Hermione called after him, but he ignored her and broke into a run.  Cortney followed Draco into the boy's bathroom, not really caring if she got caught. Draco looked at himself in the mirror. He ripped off his sweater frustrated and grabbed the sink. He began to Draco. Cortney rubbed his back, trying to comfort him. He ran the water for a bit, before splashing some into his face.

" I know what you did Malfoy ! " a familiar voice called out. They turned and saw Harry. " you hexed her didn't you? " All of a sudden Draco threw a spell at Harry, and wand fight broke out. Hitting the bathrooms, water squirting everywhere. the sink overflowing. Cortney tried to take cover. They stood on opposite sides from each other. Wands pointed at each other fiercely.

" Sectumsepra! " Harry shouted. The spell hit Draco, he fell onto the group and had trouble breathing. With horror, Cortney saw blood coming out of Draco. Harry walked over as Cortney crawled to her cousin in tears.

" Draco," Cortney cried touching him as blood seeped through the front of his shirt. "N-no, you're going to be okay". More tears flowed out of her eyes. " Please be okay". Draco began crying as if this was hurting him. Which probably was. Cortney looked up at Harry and he saw the horror he has done. Snape came running in, he looked at Draco before his eyes met Harry's eyes. Harry then turned around and walked out. Snape pulled Cortney away from Draco and began to perform a spell. All his blood going back into his body. Draco was brought to the hospital wing.

" Is he going to be okay? " Cortney asked sitting in the chair next to his bed.

"Let's hope he'll make it through," Snape said leaving the room.  Cortney wasn't seen, most of the day. She stayed by her cousin's bed holding his hand. 

******

In the Gryffindor common room, Harry sat on the couch staring blankly at the fire. He couldn't believe what he did, clutching the ' Half-Blood Prince' textbook. He didn't know the spell would harm Draco in the way it did.

" Harry? " Ginny asked, he snapped out of his gaze. He told them what happened in the boy's bathroom. Ginny looked at the book in Harry's hands. " You have to get rid of that book. Today," Ginny said. Harry nodded.

************

Later that day Harry and Ginny went to go hide the book. Cortney was still in the hospital wing.

" You are not going to pass your classes like this? " Seamus said walking over to her with Neville and Dean. She didn't respond.

" Cortney? " Dean questioned.

" I can't leave his side," Cortney breathed weakly.

" Is that Nott? " Neville groaned.

" No," Cortney cried. They walked over and saw Draco.

" What happened? " Seamus asked. 

" I don't know," Cortney answered. " All I know is something bad happened. Pansy and the others have been by already".

" He's going to be fine," Dean assured.

" I hope so, he means a lot to me," Cortney admitted.

" Why? " Neville demanded.

" He's the first biological family member I've really met. He took the time to explain the wizarding the world to me. He's been there for me when I went through the breakup. He is overprotective, but I love him," Cortney explained as she rubbed her cousin's hand.