#side quest

When you finally came to, the stark white ceiling of the hospital wing slowly blurred into focus, accompanied by the immediate sound of dull thuds and hushed, aggressive whispering.

Pansy was repeatedly hitting Theodore over the head with a rolled-up copy of the Daily Prophet. "I said shut up! You're breathing too loudly, idiot!"

"Ow! Pans, stop—oh, she’s awake!" Theodore called out, instantly cutting off the squabble.

In a fraction of a second, a sea of worried faces swarmed your bedside. The sudden movement made your head swim, and your face contorted into a sharp wince as you instinctively clenched your abdomen. A wave agonizing pain bloomed across your stomach, forcing a quiet groan from your lips.

Seeing you writhe, Draco didn't waste a single syllable. He turned on his heel and hurried away, returning a moment later with a highly exasperated Madam Pomfrey trailing behind him.

"I said only one visitor is allowed at a time!" the Matron scolded, adjusting her apron as she marched toward the crowd. "Do I need to report this blatant disregard for rules to your respective House Heads?"

Mattheo didn't even blink, crossing his arms and rolling his eyes with supreme indifference. "Take points, I don't care. Just check her already."

"Like I have told you all for the umpteenth time," Madam Pomfrey sighed flatly, shining a diagnostic light over you. "She is perfectly fine. She has severe pain due to her cramps, and she passed out because of low iron. There is absolutely nothing fundamentally wrong with her, and she simply needs rest—which, with all of you towering over her like a flock of gargoyles, she cannot get." She fixed the boys with a lethal glare.

"Okay, but what if she needs us? What if she passes out again the moment we leave?" Theodore frowned, his brow furrowing with genuine, stubborn anxiety.

"She is in the hospital wing, Mr. Nott," Pomfrey reminded him with agonizing slowness. "I am quite literally paid to ensure she doesn't."

Recognizing that the Matron was a second away from calling the Headmaster, Pansy stepped into action, using her elbows to shove the boys backward. "Just get out, guys. Go on, clear out."

"That includes you, Miss Parkinson," Madam Pomfrey added strictly.

The utter horror that flashed in Pansy’s eyes was almost comical. She stopped mid-shove, her jaw dropping. She looked at the sterile, quiet ward, then down at you looking pale and miserable under the sheets, and firmly crossed her arms.

"That's it. She's not staying here. We're taking care of her ourselves," Pansy declared, her pureblood stubbornness taking full control. She turned back to the boys with a sharp nod. "Go carry her, guys. Let's go."

"She will not be leaving this—"

"I apologize, Madam Pomfrey," Tom's voice cut through the brewing argument, smooth, velvet, and dripping with his usual polite charm. He stepped forward, offering the Matron a disarming smile. "But I think it would be best if she were left in our care. We will ensure she adheres strictly to her bed rest and dietary needs in the privacy of our quarters."

Everyone froze. Even the Slytherins, who were entirely accustomed to Tom's nature, stared at him in slight shock. Hearing Tom Riddle use his terrifyingly polite 'prefect voice' to negotiate a prison break from the hospital wing for a girl with period cramps was a historical event.

Before Madam Pomfrey could even process her bewilderment, Lorenzo cleared his throat, stepping right past her. He carefully slid his arms under your back and knees, lifting you out of the cot in one fluid, surprisingly gentle motion.

You had absolutely no complaints. Everything from your head to your toes ached in deep, and honestly, you knew this possessive crowd would never let you get a second of peace anyway if you didn't just let them take over. You let your head rest against Lorenzo’s shoulder with a tired sigh.

"Would you like to eat something, darling?" Lorenzo murmured softly, looking down at you as he carried you down the stone corridor.

You gave a small, weak nod.

"I'll bring a tray of food down to our common room," Blaise offered smoothly, already mapping out the quickest route to the kitchens.

"No..." you pouted, your voice small but stubborn. "I wanna eat at the Great Hall."

The boys all stopped walking, exchanging a series of weary, reluctant looks. Lorenzo took a step toward the heavy double doors of the Great Hall, and that was when you suddenly remembered a very crucial detail: you were currently being cradled like a toddler in front of the entire student body.

"Wait, let me walk!" you protested, beginning to struggle weakly against Lorenzo's chest.

"And have you pass out cold on the flagstones again? No way, absolutely not," Theodore huffed, walking right alongside you to ensure you didn't try to dive out of Lorenzo's arms.

"I am not going into the Great Hall whilst being carried," you hissed, glaring at them with all the fierce dignity you could muster.

Tom let out a soft, amused chuckle. He stepped forward, placing a firm, grounding hand on Lorenzo's shoulder. "Put her down, Berkshire."

Lorenzo reluctantly complied, carefully lowering your feet to the floor. The second your boots hit the ground, a wave of nausea hit you, and a sharp wince crossed your face as your lower back ached in heavy, painful folds. You slumped slightly, unable to stand up fully straight.

"Stubborn girl," Tom murmured. Without a hint of hesitation, he wrapped a strong, unyielding arm around your waist, pulling your side firmly against his hip to bear the majority of your weight. With his support holding you steady, he anchored you as he helped you walk through the doors and into the Great Hall.

The second you reached the Slytherin table, Draco and Pansy practically sprinted toward the buffet platters. They returned a minute later, piling your plate high with an absurd, mountain-sized assortment of spinach, lean beef, dark chocolate, and every single high-iron food item available on the tables.

"That looks weird," Theodore chimed in, leaning over your shoulder and poking a stray piece of steak with his fork. "Can I taste a bit of it?"

"I'll shove your face directly into your own plate if you keep trying to eat her food, Nott," Mattheo glared, his voice dropping into a dark, venomous warning that made Theodore instantly pull his hand back.

You ate slowly, your stomach turning uncomfortably. Not even halfway through the plate, you sighed and pushed it away. Almost instantly, the human garbage disposal known as Theodore Nott eagerly leaned over and ate everything left on the plate in a matter of seconds, earning a look of profound disgust from Draco.

Once dinner was cut short, the entire group formed a tight, impenetrable perimeter around you, escorting you safely down into the Slytherin dungeons. Back in the cozy warmth of the dorms, Lorenzo sat you down and gave your aching lower back a remarkably skilled, relaxing massage, while Pansy brought over warm damp cloths, cleaned you up, and tucked you into a nest of heated blankets with a fresh hot water bottle.

By your second day, despite the fact that you woke up feeling significantly better, the overprotective crowd still tailed you like a personal royal guard. They were completely relentless, turning the entire castle into a no-fly zone around you.

During Charms, the professor calls for you. "Y/N, can you demonstrate to me the—"

"No, she cannot," Tom interjected smoothly from the seat beside you, not even looking up from his parchment. The sheer, icy authority in his voice made Professor Flitwick visibly flinch at the front of the classroom.

The Professor cleared his throat nervously, adjusting his spectacles. "U-uhm, quite alright! Anyone else care to demonstrate the banishing charm?"

Later that afternoon, the group accompanied you to Care of Magical Creatures. The class was crowded, and Professor Kettleburn, scanning the students, pointed a blunt finger directly at you. "You there! Hufflepuff girl, tell the class—"

"Who the hell do you think you're talking to?" Mattheo spit out, stepping directly in front of you. His dark eyes narrowed into a dangerous, lethal squint that made Professor Kettleburn stop mid-sentence, thoroughly shocked by the student's sheer audacity.

"And she has a name. Use it," Draco added, his voice dripping with cold, aristocratic disdain as he stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Mattheo, completely shielding you from the professor's gaze. Kettleburn blinked, completely flabbergasted, but wisely chose to call on a terrified Gryffindor instead.

Between classes, you were walking down the corridor when a stressed-looking Ravenclaw girl started jogging toward you. "Y/N, can you help me with the Ancient Runes translation? I'm completely stuck on—"

The girl stopped dead in her tracks, the words dying in her throat. Theodore and Lorenzo had seamlessly stepped out in front of you, both of them fixing the poor girl with identical, unblinking, terrifying glares.

"N-nevermind! I can handle it myself!" she squeaked, spinning on her heel and practically sprinting in the opposite direction.

When lunchtime rolled around, a brave Hufflepuff boy actually managed to sit across from you at the table before the boys could block it off. He smiled, pointing at your dessert. "Ohh, what are you eating? It looks really—"

A heavy silver plate slammed onto the table right beside him with a deafening ring. Blaise smoothly slid into the seat directly to your left, while Pansy aggressively took the seat to your right, effectively boxing you in. Blaise slowly turned his dark eyes to the Hufflepuff, raising a single, smooth eyebrow, while Pansy twirled her wand between her fingers with a wicked smile.

The guy didn't say another word, grabbing his goblet and leaving the table without looking back.

"Guys..." you sighed, hiding your burning face in your hands. "I think you're doing entirely too much. People are terrified to look at me."

"You're still fragile, love. We're just making sure you don't overwork yourself," Theodore smiled brightly, his previous terrifying glare completely vanishing into a warm, boyish grin as he handed you a fresh goblet of pumpkin juice.

"And ensuring that you are eating properly. We can't have your iron dropping again," Blaise nodded smoothly, cutting up a piece of chicken on your plate with meticulous care.

By the third day, you were profoundly thankful that your cycle was on its very last day. The absolute lockdown the Slytherins had placed on your social life was impenetrable; literally no one other than your specific group of boys and Pansy had come within a five-foot radius of you for the entire week.

Masterlist

Another one of those I had no idea how to write I'm sorry :(

I didnt like how it turned out but it wasn't super bad I guess

My period usually lasts for 3 days and my cramps is only intolerable on the first day i get used to it on 2nd and third (usually) so I put this down for my usual cycle

even after your period they didnt leave you alone until they made sure youre good so you were boxes out for a week

I was gonna add a moment about the usual cravings and mood swings that comes with periods but I didnt feel like adding them as i had no idea how to

I just dont see puffy getting mad at them even if shes on her period

hope you liked this anyway ily all <3

-kookiedough

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