Dedicated to Anna; get well soon dearie. I hope you have friends as lovely as Ben and Felicity to help you along.

I'm thinking of you <3

Chapter Ten

Suffocating

    The hair was white and long, covering Dom’s arms and legs; it wasn’t thick, but sporadic.

Stretching her arms out in front of her, Dom studied them; why was the hair there? Had someone slipped her a potion? She couldn’t walk around with hair all over! Luckily it wasn’t on her face.

Class would be starting in half an hour and she hurriedly pulled on some tights and a long sleeve shirt to cover it up. ‘I hate wearing tights’ she thought, grabbing a jumper from the side of the tub. ‘They make legs look fatter then they already do.’

“Dom, hurry up!” Felicity pounded on the door “We’re going to be late!”

“Coming!” Dom shouted, and she opened the bathroom door.

Looking her up and down, Felicity gave Dom a funny look “Won’t you be hot? It’s getting warm out, and Trelawney’s class is always stuffy.”

Shrugging, Dom slung her book bag over her shoulder and they left the dorm “I’m cold, that’s all.”

“Do you at least want to wear a short sleeve shirt under that jumper?”

“No, Felicity. I’m fine.”

“I just thought-”

“Well you thought wrong.” Snapped Dom, speeding up and frowning.

“Good morning!” Ben said, sidling up to them “How’re we this fine day?”

“Fine.” Grumbled Dom, not looking him in the eye-she hadn’t once in the two weeks since they’d got back from Easter break.

“Won’t you be hot in that jumper?” Ben asked “Trelawney’s class is always-”

“Don’t you start!” Dom spat, huffing and walking faster, leaving them behind.

Looking over at Felicity, Ben raised an eyebrow “What’s up with her?”

“I already went there this morning.” Felicity said with a sigh “And what’s going on with you two, anyway? Dom doesn’t look at you anymore.”

“You tell me.” He said, wondering if keeping their kiss from Felicity-their best friend-was really the right thing to do. “But if you can get her to say more than three words to me, then you really are a miracle worker.”

            There was a fire burning in Dom’s stomach, churning unpleasantly and painfully-every time she moved pain shot through her. The room was still dark, since the girls were prone to shutting the curtains when the sun rose earlier and earlier each day as the year came to a close-only a short six weeks away.

Dom let out a loud groan, and Felicity stumbled out of her own bed and over to Dom’s “Hey, you okay?” she said sleepily, rubbing her eyes.

“Stomach.” Said Dom through gritted teeth.

“Is D okay?” Maisy said, sitting up in her own bed.

“I don’t know,” Felicity said, crouching down to look Dom in the eye “Where does it hurt?”

“Everywhere.”

“A little more specific, please.” Placing a hand to Dom’s forehead, she frowned “You’re not hot at all-in fact you’re freezing.”

“I’m getting Madam Pomfrey.” Maisy said, getting out of bed.

“No!” Dom cried, sitting up “I’m fine. Just…just go back to sleep. It’s probably just really bad cramps or something.”

The other girls in their dorm began to stir as Maisy and Felicity looked at Dom worriedly.

“What’s going on?” Nancy Wheeler groaned, followed by Una Levy, who fumbled about and fell out of bed whilst looking for her glasses.

“Is it morning yet?” Una mumbled from the floor.

“Dom’s sick.” Felicity said, turning back to her friend “Please Dominique let Maisy go get Madam Pomfrey.”

“I’ll be fine.” Dom said again, squeezing her eyes shut and breathing deeply “Just go back to sleep, all of you-I’ll be fine.”

Looking distraught, Felicity sighed, but nodded “Okay, but let me get you a glass of water.”

Dom closed her eyes, and as the minutes ticked past, she heard her dorm mates breathing slow-except Felicity. She sat beside Dom’s bed, forcing her to drink some water every now and then and wiping her forehead with a damp cloth.

“Fellie?” she whispered, reaching out into the darkness-Felicity’s small gripped hers tightly.

“Yeah, Dom?”

“I love you, you know.” Sniffing, Dom tried to let her best friend know she really did care-even if she was sometimes mean or short tempered.

Leaning her head against the bed frame, Felicity squeezed Dom’s hand “I know, and I love you, too.”

“I just wanted you to know.”

“You never need to tell me, its part of my job to know.”

As Dom’s breathing grew heavier, Felicity wondered if she was a good friend at all-her best friend was in danger, she just knew it. And what was she doing? The exact opposite of what would help her friend.

Felicity’s mother had married a Muggle names Thomas, the son of a Pastor in a Christian Church and although she had never really taken with the religion, she felt a need to reach out.

Her Grandfather would be proud, and although he’d never liked that Thomas had raised his daughter and son with no specific religion, he always made Felicity and her brothers go to Church over Christmas and when they stayed with him.

“Please God,” Felicity whispered, not daring to let go of Dom’s hand “I know I never pay attention to Grandpa’s sermons and that I recite my potions table during meal prayers, but…help me with this. I beg of you, help me do the right thing.”

Letting out a deep breathe, Felicity added a hurried ‘amen’ and let her eyes drop shut, sleep taking over.

            Dom was suffocating. Trelawney’s classroom was so stuffy, and the fire that constantly burned gave off a heavy, sickly sort of perfume as it heated a large copper kettle. Dom sat at one of the twenty or so small, circular tables in a chintz arm chair beside Felicity and a Hufflepuff named Vivien.

Her teacup was now empty, the leaves in a unrecognizable mess at the bottom. This may have been it’s true form, or because Dom’s sight seemed to be slightly blurry and tilted as she took a sharp intake of breathe as a sharp and shooting pain coursed through her.

“Are you okay?” Vivien said “You didn’t read that you’re going to die a horrible death or something, did you?”

“No!” gasped Dom, clutching her stomach.

“Dom, please let me take you to Madam Pomfrey.” Begged Felicity, rising slightly out of her seat.

“I’m fine, really-” letting out a strangled cry, causing the class to turn and look at them, Dom stumbled out of the room.

“Is Ms. Weasley ill?” Trelawney said “Someone follow her, Mr Wood could you-?”

Ben had already bolted out of his seat, Felicity following suit. The two scrambled down the ladder, turning the sharp corner.

Felicity let out a scream as they saw Dom, on her knees on the cold floor. Blood flecked the stone ground and soaked Dom’s shaking hands; her lips were smeared red.

“Help…” whimpered Dom, body trembling as she choked, blood trickling down the side of her mouth.

“Oh Merlin.” Ben said, dropping to his own knees beside her as Felicity began to sob “Dominique, I…oh Merlin.”

Dom’s bloodied hands reached for Ben, smearing his robes red “Ben…” her voice was strangled and she sagged into his arms “Help me.”

A/N: I found this chapter hard to write. It was very...emotionally taxing. Do you know what I mean? And when I went to 'my works' to upload this chapter I nearly deleted the whole story! Can you believe it!? I am so dimwitted sometimes, I'll never be so careless ever again!

Question: What is your favourite CMP quote? I was wondering the other day, and I'd love to know yours! Oh, quote and moment.

Rose<3