Disclaimer: Sadly, none of this is my creation. It all belongs to J.K. Rowling.

Chapter 1. Laughter is the best medicine.

"Hermione! Hermione!"

I could hear him calling my name. I tried to call back to him, but my throat was closed. I couldn't make a sound. My skin was on fire, it hurt almost more than when Bellatrix crucioed me. But not quite.

I was lying on the floor. My legs tangled underneath rocks. My arms to my side and my hair spilled behind me.

"Hermione!"

I wanted to shout, scream, yell, cry, smile, laugh, give any sign that I was still alive. Even just open my eyes. But nothing was happening.

"Ron. I found her. She's right here."

"Oh, thank Merlin, Harry. Let me see her."

"No, Ron. You don't want to."

"Of course I do. It's Hermi-"

I felt his hand on my face. Caressing the skin. I felt something wet hit my face, and I knew it was his tears. I tried so hard to respond, to give some recognition that I knew he was with me. But my body was burning. I felt darkness beckoning to me. Calling me down. I fought to stay conscious, but the darkness was so sweet. So suave. So I complied. I let him take me down.


"She'll be fine. She'll be fine. She'll be fine."

"We all know she will be, Ron. She's a fighter."

"Of course. She'll be fine."

"Mate, you need to get some sleep. You've been awake for almost twenty four hours."

"I'll sleep when she wakes up."

"That could be days from now."

"Then I'm going to have to get comfortable, aren't I?"

"Sleep. As soon as she wakes up, I'll wake you up, alright?"

"I suppose. As soon as she wakes up, promise?"

"Yeah. I promise, mate."

"Okay, well then I guess I'll sleep. Thanks for everything Harry. It's been hard, especially on Mum, with….F….with Fr…..with Fred and all."

"I know. I'm not going anywhere. I promise."

"Good. Goodnight."

"Night."

I could hear them talking. But I couldn't move, or open my eyes. I couldn't do anything. I wanted him to hold me, and listen to my thoughts and concerns, remind me that he was still there. I wanted to pull him into a hug and tell him it's going to be alright. But my body wouldn't do what my mind wanted it to. So I laid there. My skin was still on fire, but it was bearable, I could still breathe. I felt the itchy sheets below me, the pillows behind my head, and I knew that I was in some kind of bed. But where I was? I had no idea. I tried to think about what had happened that put me here, and all of a sudden all the memories came flooding back. Remus, Tonks, Fred, Voldemort, Lavender, Fenrir, the other Death Eaters, the kiss, Voldemort, Neville, the snake, Hagrid, Ginny, Voldemort, the sorting hat, the Battle, Snape, Percy, Voldemort, Harry, Ron, my parents, the Chamber, Voldemort, Voldemort, Voldemort.

What happened to him? More memories came back. Harry was dead. Hagrid was crying. Neville killed the snake. I was crying and screaming into Ron's body and he was in shock. McGonagall looked heartbroken. Draco went. Then Harry was gone. Mrs. Weasley killed Bellatrix. Harry killed Voldemort. Harry killed Tom Riddle. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. You-Know-Who. The Dark Lord. The man who caused us all this suffering, all the deaths, the torture, the fear. That man was dead. My body wanted to react to these thoughts. My body wanted to cry. But my eyes wouldn't. No tears came. And all of a sudden I was overwhelmed. I felt myself shake. The first sign of life in who-knows how long.

"She's shaking! What's wrong! Help! Help! Someone! Ron! Ron! Wake up!"

"Wha-? What's going on Harry?"

"She's shaking. I don't know what's wrong. Help!"

They were both screaming. Hands were all over me, suddenly. I could hear people saying spells, as well as Harry and Ron in the background screaming still. My mouth was forced open and something poured down it. My good friend came back. Darkness was seducing me. Calling me under, reminding me of what I was missing. He persuaded me too quickly, and I was gone in an instant.


I woke up for the second time, but it was quiet. No voices. Just a strange vibration to my right. I still felt the itchy sheets and the pillows behind my head but now I was comfortable. My skin was normal, I was in no pain. My mind was also more active. I could feel every part of my body waiting to respond to the first command. So I tried to open my eyes. At first, I felt my eyebrows lift, but it was still dark. So I tried again. This time, my eyes opened. The light hurt my eyes, but they adjusted quickly. I could only see a tiled ceiling, pure white, but my eyes were dry. I blinked, and my eyes were moist.

I looked down and saw my body on the bed I was in. I was thin. Too thin. My arms were like toothpicks and you could barely see my body below the bed sheets, which were surprisingly thin. The bed sheets were also white. I looked straight ahead and saw a white wall. To my left was a table, with flowers. Red roses. My favourite. Cards surrounded the flowers, all saying get well. But they weren't white.

I looked to my right and saw a redheaded boy, asleep, snoring in a chair. Next to him, a black haired boy, sleeping silently. I smiled, remembering that they were my two best friends. Are. They are my best friends.

I saw a door behind them, with a window to it's right. The blinds were closed and I couldn't hear any noise behind them. My throat felt dry and I knew I needed something to quench this thirst. I saw no water.

I tried to clear my throat, but it came out as an awkward, raspy noise. It was quiet, but it woke the boys up. The redhead rubbed his eyes and yawned. The black haired boy blinked and looked at the other. They looked at me simultaneously, and shot out of their chairs. Their mouths were hanging wide open and they blinked too many times, as if they didn't believe what they were seeing.

I mouthed the word water and they started running around like madmen. Not knowing which way to go, tripping over their chairs and bumping into each other. Eventually, they found a cup in a cupboard, and made water appear inside.

"Aguamenti," said the black haired boy. Harry. Said Harry.

He handed me the cup, warily. I took it, but my hand wouldn't clasp around the cup, I was too weak. He let go too early, and the cup dropped and spilled on me. He started apologizing, and muttered a cleaning spell. I smiled, and lifted my hand to take in his. I touched his hand, and he jumped away. Clearly startled by my action. He turned around and walked to the other side of the room, with his head hanging low.

The redheaded boy, Ron, came over to me, and sat on the edge of my bed.

"'Mione? "

I nodded my head, my throat still unwilling to produce any sound. I mouthed the word water again, and he snatched the cup up and refilled it quickly. He held it out to me, and I looked up at him. He knew what I was thinking, as he took the cup, placed it in my hand, with his hand covering mine, and held it to my lips. I sipped slowly, and the water flowed freely down my throat. It felt like heaven, and I kept drinking, forgetting to breathe through my nose, but I didn't care. I drank the entire cup, and Ron smiled down at me.

Behind him, Harry turned around and walked back. He smiled, apologetically, and I nodded. He whispered something to Ron, and Ron nodded. Harry turned around, and left through the white door. I heard noise for an instant, and then it was quiet.

I patted the bed, next to my hip, and Ron sat down. He sighed and placed his hand on mine. Just as I started to smile, pain ripped through my body. I gasped, and felt tears start pouring down my cheeks. I tried to touch Ron, but the pain refused to let me win.

I heard that all familiar voice, calling out my name once again, trying to get me to stay conscious. I fought to stay with him, to reach out and touch him. My eyes were squeezed shut, and my body was writhing on the bed. It hurt, but I needed to stay with the man in the room. He would keep me safe. But my other friend came back. He whispered about taking the pain away, I just needed to go to him. Darkness found me, and I agreed.