Forgotten Girl

Matrons and Mum Friends

Draco slowly opened the compartment door once the train began moving again. He looked back at the Weasley twins, mustering his best glare as he left. He hadn't been scared. Really, he hadn't. It was just better to be behind a closed door when a Dementor was near. 

Questions filled the air as to what had just happened and Draco groaned. Honestly, it was quite obvious that it had been a Dementor. The sudden cold, the lights going out, it was self-explanatory. He could understand the first years, maybe the seconds, but anyone older was just a bloody idiot. Draco tried making his way back to his compartment when he noticed a commotion a few doors down. As he edged his way through the crowd, he caught sight of red hair on the floor.

It was Lilli, lying unconscious on the floor. Draco forced the rest of the people out of the way, kneeling beside his friend. He found her pulse and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Simmons, wake up," Draco murmured, shaking her shoulder. When she didn't, he repeated himself, louder, and shook her harder.

"What are you all standing around for? It's over, now get back to your compartments," A voice commanded, making its way through the crowd. Draco glanced up, seeing the professor who was in Potter's compartment. The man paused when he saw Lilli on the floor.

"She won't wake up, Professor," a bystander said, "Been like that since the lights came on." The professor's lips pressed together, and he noticed Draco beside Lilli. He scooped up the girl, and began walking away. Draco followed, grabbing his friend's satchel. A frown formed as he professor looked over his shoulder as they approached the front of the train.

"Open that door for me, will you?" Draco slid it open, allowing the man to enter and lay Lilli on a cot inside, "Would you mind waiting with her? I need to talk to the driver." Draco nodded, sitting across from the girl and watching as he closed the door.

~

It wasn't much later that Lilli woke up. Not in the hallway on the train, nor in the compartment she sat in with her godfather, but in another compartment. It was almost identical to the others, but instead of a row of benches on either side of the door, it had one on one side, with the other taken up by a cot on which she lay. She turned her head to the side, looking at the row of seats. Draco sat there, flipping through a book. Lilli realised it was her copy of A Wrinkle In Time. Every now and again, he'd glance at the door. She pushed herself into a sitting position, rubbing her head where an ache was beginning to form.

"Lilli!" Draco shot up from his seat, "How are you feeling?" He set the book down, looking at his friend with concern in his grey eyes.

"Well, I've got a splitting headache."

"I'm going to get Professor Lupin. He wanted to know as soon as you woke up," Draco slipped from the compartment, and Lilli leaned against the wall. She tried to piece together what happened, remembering up until the... the thing touched her cheek. After that, she had no idea oh she got to be here, inside a compartment she'd never seen before.

Her godfather came in a few minutes later, carrying some snacks from the trolley. He smiled at her and closed the door, giving her a tight hug before he sat down.

"How are you feeling?" Remus asked, handing her a bar of chocolate.

"Besides a bad headache, I'm alright," she said, and, seeing the concerned look in his eyes, continued, "Really, Uncle Remus. I'm fine. A bit dizzy and discombobulated, but I'm fine."

Her word choice drew a smile from Remus, and he nodded to the bar of chocolate in her hand.

"I want you to eat all of that before you try and get up, Ellie. Now, what happened? I'm sure the dementor had something to do with it."