"Draco—"

He slid out from under her, crawling away, panting and heaving. Hermione scrambled up, quickly clasping her bra and straightening her dress.

She turned back in time to see him vomiting onto the stones, his hand braced on the wall. She started toward him, then froze.

Reaching for his wand, she banished the sick without looking.

"You did so well, Draco." She bit her lip. "It was… I don't blame you for any of this—"

He retched again. Hermione turned to stare at the cauldron, her hand pressing into her trembling lips as she listened to him heave.

She banished the mess again, and before she could say anything, he called out, "Mippy!"

The elf popped into the laboratory. "Master Draco!"

"Take Granger to her room."

She blinked at his back. He still leaned against the wall, facing away from her.

Mippy tottered over to her, and Hermione drew back her hand. "No. Mippy. Take Master Draco to his room. He is unwell. He needs fluids and a quarter vial of this potion once he can keep anything down—"

"I'm fine, Mippy. I need her out of here."

"Well, I can walk on my own! Which is more than I can say for him!"

Mippy's green eyes bounced between the two of them like tennis balls. "Mippy is not knowing—"

"Get her to her room—"

"Look at his diagnostic scan, Mippy. He's dehydrated and recovering from a dangerous fever—"

"Mippy thinks maybe we all go upstairs?" the elf squeaked.

The door banged open, and Narcissa Malfoy flew into the room. "There you are." She quickly halted, taking in the scene. "What happened?"

"Draco is ill! He needs fluids and rest—"

"I need her out of here. I need to be away from her right now—"

"Mippy was called, Mippy waits for missus to tell her what to—"

"Look!" Hermione gestured to the diagnostic. "He was poisoned, and we managed to get him an antidote just in time." She took a rattling breath. "He Occluded himself into a coma, and his fever was life-threatening a few minutes ago. He needs rest and monitoring and he needs to listen to me."

She looked wildly between Narcissa and Draco.

"Mother—"

"Hush." Narcissa was pale, staring down at Hermione's hand.

Hermione looked down. Draco's wand was still in her hand. The hawthorn humming.

"Did anyone see you used a wand this evening, Hermione?"

She shook her head. "No. He dropped it, and I helped him through the Floo—"

"The same fireplace we arrived in?" asked Narcissa.

"Yes, but…" Hermione's eyes widened, and her hand slapped over her mouth. "The portraits," she whispered. "In the entry hall. I summoned the Floo powder in front of them."

Hermione quickly dropped the wand on the table, her heart pounding wildly again. How could she have been so foolish?

"Don't fret, Hermione," said Narcissa quickly. "Rabastan and Marcus are preoccupied. I encountered them when I was looking for you two." She looked nauseous at the memory.

"But Bellatrix—"