Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters and anything else associated with the Harry Potter books and movies are property of JK Rowling, the books' publishers, and Warner Bros. Inc. The storyline and plot for this fic are mine.
Ginny Weasley visits the hospital wing after the final battle between Harry and Voldemort. Harry Potter may have won, but not all is well. Every rose has its thorns…
A/N: This is a one-shot, but I do have a sequel in mind. If you want me to write a sequel, please tell me so. Thanks! Hope you enjoy this!
What She Saw
Ginny walked down the corridor, her hands trembling slightly as she tried desperately not to think about what lay ahead of her.
She didn't know why she just had to immediately jump at the chance to go to the hospital wing – where some of the survivors were being treated. It was mostly Hogwarts students who were sent here. Back to Hogwarts where surely they had seen better days. Ginny herself remembered her largely happy time at Hogwarts before it was mercilessly cut short last year.
The war with Voldemort quieted the laughter, the smiles, the flighty yet exciting gossip…now all the gossip that was heard was somber whispers of what had happened.
What had happened after Harry Potter defeated Voldemort for good.
How many had died? Who had died? Did he survive? Did she? Did they? Who was going to live another day? Who were the lucky ones?
Ginny sighed as these thoughts kept her mind occupied. At least this way, she wouldn't have to think about what she was dreading.
She had seen Bill, Charlie, and - though still not at best terms with the family – Percy as they were taken to be buried. Somewhere nice. Peaceful, perhaps.
And if Ron…
…hopefully he was as lucky as Fred and George were…as their parents were.
She was at the hospital wing door. After taking a deep, calming breath, she opened the door hearing it creak a little as she did so.
She heard his voice before she was able to get a good look at him.
"I don't care! Shut up! I'm fine, okay? Help her! For the love…can't you all see……Ginny! Is that you?" He had caught sight of her before she could fully register what was going on.
Ginny smiled slightly and gave her ex-boyfriend a nod as she went to sit beside him. There was a chair placed to the left of his bed.
Harry simply looked at her, and Ginny had a hard time looking back at him. She wondered what injuries he had sustained as her eyes curiously looked up to take in his appearance.
What was striking was how wilder his hair looked. Even more so than ever before. And his eyes seemed darker somehow, not as bright as they were before – before, well, before the wizarding world had turned a new leaf. If it were for better or for worse, it was too soon to tell at this point.
Still though, there was that steady light behind his darker eyes. And the light blazed with anger and a hint of frustration as he glared at the Healers near him.
Hermione was to his immediate right. She looked remarkably pale just lying in her bed, her eyes closed, and a slight grimace on her face. Ginny felt bad for her since it was clear she was not doing so well. She only hoped that she was getting the help she needed, and that the pain she was feeling was not as dreadful as Ginny was imagining it to be. In times like these, it was unfortunately too easy to conjure up the worst possible scenarios. Hope seemed to be rationed, and quite rare; although of course it was what people needed the most now.
Madam Pomfrey's voice took Ginny out of her thoughts, "Miss Weasley dear, I think you should be aware --"
Harry sharply interrupted her, "Excuse me, I was talking with her. Can't I talk with anyone anymore? Honestly, if you so-called Healers simply just did your jobs then Hermione would be awake by now! Leave me alone, and let me talk with Ginny."
Pomfrey sighed, and relented, "Alright, Mr. Potter. You may have won this one, but you must be aware that your condition is not --"
"Do I look delicate to you!" He shot back at her, annoyed, "Get the hell away from me. I'm fine. I feel great. I don't want to discuss this anymore!"
The Hogwarts nurse came to a quick decision, and headed to check on her other patients without saying another word.
A small group of Healers, most likely sent over from St. Mungo's, were talking in fervent whispers with each other a few feet away from Harry and Ginny.
"Harry…you didn't have to be so…difficult with Pomfrey. She was only trying to help you get better," Ginny began, unsure of what else to say to him.
Harry looked at her with idle interest as he fidgeted with his hands.
"Difficult? That has nothing to do with it." He said as if he were just discussing the weather.
"But--" She tried to get him to understand her point.
Harry spoke softly before she could say anything further, "I heard you weren't allowed to help us fight out there. Funny," And he looked directly into her eyes.
It was quite overwhelming to say the least. To be stared at like that by someone who had not too long ago killed the darkest wizard their generation had ever known.
"I tried, Harry! Really I did try to get into the fight. To help, to be there. But my parents, my mum…you know her. She was adamant that I stay out of it." She defended.
He looked incredulously at her, "And you let her? I thought you had more – you know what – forget it," He turned his head to where Hermione was.
Ginny sighed, connecting the dots, "It's her, isn't it? You've finally realized--"
Harry faced her now with a resolute expression, "You have to understand, Ginny. We were broken up. We are still broken up. You yourself…you can't possibly?"
Ginny shook her head and half-smiled at him in, what she hoped, was a reassuring manner, "I suppose I fell in love with the hero you, not the other side of you. The one that Hermione knows so well. I came to accept that maybe you're not the one for me. I honestly don't know if I could handle the real you. I hope you aren't offended. I'm not sure how else to say it."
"I'm not offended, and I would be glad if we could stay good friends. I've always been very grateful of your family, Ginny. And I appreciated the time we had together, but now things have changed, you know? You see it that way, too. People change. I hardly feel like the hero that people think of me. What I had to do," He shuddered briefly, "It's not something I wish upon anyone."
Ginny put her hand over his, and squeezed it briefly. She hoped in some small way that he would be comforted by her touch.
He smiled fleetingly at her before he heard the commotion to his right.
He turned to see what was going on. There were two Healers closing the curtains on the four-poster bed where Hermione was lying.
"Why are you closing her curtains?" He inquired sharply.
One of the Healers, a blond female, looked at him and answered, "Madam Pomfrey's instructions. It's simply proper procedure. Now if you please rest, Mr. Potter, everything should be fine."
Harry wasn't done yet, "What were her instructions exactly? You're being very vague about this. I'd like to know what's going on."
"I am not allowed to tell you that. You aren't family. Just because you saved the wizarding world doesn't give you permission to boss people around," She said firmly.
"You try being in my shoes for a day, Healer Lewis! You see how you like it. And I don't care a fuck about the rules right now. I'm sure Hermione would vouch for me when I say that I should have permission to know what is going on with her! No one has told me a darn thing."
"What do you think you have that gives you the right--?"
Ginny saw that Harry seemed to be debating with himself before he looked straight into the Healer's eyes, and said, "I proposed to her and she said yes. We're going to get married,"
Healer Lewis gasped in shock. She had not known this, heck; Ginny herself had no clue about this apparently recent development. It must have happened while Harry, Hermione, and her brother were researching and destroying Horcruxes (she had found out about this through persistent questions to her parents).
"We kept it secret," Harry continued on, "It wasn't the time to announce this sort of news in the midst of a war. Hermione had found a spell to keep her ring invisible to anyone but ourselves as long as it was on her finger. She's my fiancé, please would you tell me what is happening with her? I can't stand the wait any longer,"
The other Healer, a middle-aged male with dark and curly hair, that had been with Healer Lewis spoke up, "We will have to discuss this with Madam Pomfrey. We only have your words to go on, and you must know that that may not be enough,"
Harry grumbled, "Whatever. Go ahead. I'll be here, not going anywhere,"
The two Healers finished closing the curtains on Hermione's bed, and walked away.
Ginny stood up and whispered to Harry, "I'm going to go check on Ron, alright? I'm glad that we settled things between us, Harry. I hope you get better. And I hope you and Hermione have a good life together. You two deserve it,"
"Thanks, Ginny." He replied, giving her a small smile.
Ginny said goodbye to him, and walked over to Ron's bed. It was two beds away to the right from Hermione's. Her brother's bed was near a window alcove where the cursed sunlight was shining brightly. The light seemed to be rather ignorant of the dreary mood inside. Ginny spared a glare at the sunlit window as she made her way to sit on the chair next to Ron's bed.
Ron was awake luckily, and was looking up at the ceiling until he noticed his sister's presence near him. He looked at her. Ginny could see that he had been crying because his eyes were all red and tired-looking.
"How are you doing, Ron? Mum came to visit?"
"Yes," he answered, "She found out how badly I was injured. The Healers apparently didn't want to tell me myself what was going on. I mean, I'm an adult now, right? Why do I still need to have my mum to find what the heck is wrong with me? Have they any sense? --"
"I'm sure they know you're capable of knowing your condition without mum. It's different now though. They may have been unsure of how you'd handle it…"
Ron rolled his eyes, a slightly peeved expression on his face, "Yeah, whatever. I suppose you're here to hear about my injuries? You could ask any old Healer if you like. I don't much feel like discussing it. It's a sore subject. But thanks for visiting."
Ginny grabbed his arm suddenly and leaned toward him, an exasperated look on her face, "Ron, I want to hear what you have to say. I didn't even let mum tell me what was going on with you because I wanted to hear it from you. Mum probably would have given me some sort of watered down version that I don't care for."
"Ginny…I told you,"
She leaned back into the chair and crossed her arms indignantly, "No, tell me what is really going on. I'm your sister, we're family here. There is no pretending here. There will be no pretending. What happened, Ron?"
After a brief glance at Ginny, Ron looked straight ahead as he said, "A Healer told me that I may never walk again. I feel pain in my legs. No one exactly knows what sort of curse caused this injury. It may have been some sort of very advanced Dark curse because whatever they give me, it doesn't help much truthfully."
Ginny gasped as she listened to Ron's words.
"The pain…is it very strong?" She asked softly.
"I suppose so. I've gotten used to it by now. One Healer told me how to use my mind to block out most of the pain, so I only feel a dull throbbing pain every so often. I think I'm doing okay for the most part. I see you talked with Harry? Is Hermione looking better?"
"Yes, I did. Hermione's – well, I'm not certain what's wrong with her. She looked very pale and seemed to be in pain. Her eyes were closed; she's still resting apparently,"
"Oh okay," Ron said, but then he leaned a little toward Ginny and whispered into her ear, "I overheard some Healers talking about Hermione. She's not doing so well. Harry may have heard also, but I'm not sure how he's taking it."
"What do you mean?"
"They said that Hermione may not survive. It's about as close to a miracle that she lasted this long. Harry's been very upset ever since he saw Hermione…in her condition. I don't blame him all that much--"
"Ron," Ginny interrupted, "Did you know about the two of them?"
Ron had a look of disbelief on his face, "Of course I knew about their engagement. They tried to keep the news a secret even from me, but I managed to find out. We were together so much that it was near impossible for them to hide it from me. But besides me, they didn't dare reveal it to anyone else. It wasn't my business, so I didn't pry. There was the war after all…"
Ginny smiled conspiratorially, "Did either of them tell you how it happened? The proposal?"
Ron shrugged, "It was simple. There's not much to tell honestly. Harry just proposed to her on the night of a full moon. We had set up camp in a forest earlier that day, and well" He smiled as he remembered; "…there were rumors that the forest had a werewolf infestation. And of course it was a bit foolish of us to stay there, but it wasn't for long. Only for a day or two. Anyway, Harry said that the both of them almost were bitten by a werewolf who was nearby while he proposed. They managed to escape fortunately. Hermione threw a large rock at the werewolf, who caught it in its mouth and broke its tooth with it since it was howling in pain. Forgot all about them too. They ran back to where we had our camp. I was still awake at the time, and I asked them what was going on since they looked all happy and about to start laughing. But they just told me to go to sleep and that they'll tell me in the morning possibly.
Ginny wondered aloud, "Where'd Harry get the ring though?"
"Godric's Hollow maybe. Although I think Harry only knows for sure. Hermione and I believed he found some things at his parents' old house, but he never confirmed or denied our suspicions," He said.
"So, that's it then?"
"Yeah. Harry Potter is officially taken. The Daily Prophet will have a field day with this news," Ron chuckled lightly before he scratched the back of his head and thought for a second.
"What is it?" Ginny asked, looking at him with concern.
Ron looked over at the wall where, Ginny now saw, there was a long piece of parchment pinned on it.
"Uh…would you mind checking if Luna's on there, Gin?" He asked in a poor attempt at a disinterested tone.
Ginny was startled a bit, "Luna Lovegood, you mean? The girl in my year? I didn't think she would --"
Ron said, a bit angrily this time, "Well she was in the battle. I saw her. Just see if she's on there. There should be two columns; one for the survivors and the other for…the losses."
Ginny acquiesced, "Alright, alright. Calm down, will you?"
She went over to where the parchment was, and read quietly.
Ron was right. There were two columns. Ginny scanned the survivors' list, which was by alphabetical order by surname. She hit the L's, no Lovegood.
Her hands were shaking as she turned to the losses column.
There it was.
Lovegood, Luna; 17: Hit by Avada Kedavra by Nott, Theodore D.E.
"No!" Ginny exclaimed quietly in shock. She couldn't believe that Luna, of all people, had not survived. She would never come back.
She would never come back. She was gone.
"Ginny…Ginny? Is she on there? Tell me, would you?" Ron called.
Ginny slowly made her way back to Ron, and seated herself stiffly in her chair.
It was one thing to see family dead, but another to see that a friend of yours that you had thought would always be around – wasn't any longer. Surely Luna would never get killed, she was smarter than that. Despite her eccentric ways, she was never the type of person who would just die – just get hit by the Killing Curse and not…be here anymore.
It didn't make sense. Why her?
Ron was looking expectantly at her, and she knew she had to give him an answer soon.
"Yes, she's on there. Ron…have you seen Luna here? Did you see her being brought in?" She asked.
"No…I've asked Pomfrey if anyone found her. She told me she was still missing. That list updates every time there is new information and I was hoping that it would say where she was."
"Ron, it's only a list; there's no mention of location."
He gave her an irritated look, "I know it only lists the person's name and all, but I just meant in the vague sense – if the person was still here or the place you go to when you pass away. Just tell me where's Luna?"
"So no one has told you what happened to Luna? I would have thought it would be old news by now…"
Ron glared at her, and raised his hands up in frustration, "Alright! Fine, I saw her get hit! I know what curse it was and what S.O.B. did it! I just thought that – that"
Ginny saw that he was trying very hard not to start tearing up. He rubbed at his eyes hurriedly.
"I was able to get a Healer to show me the list earlier, and I saw her name there. I yelled at the Healer that the list had to be faulty, but it wasn't. The Healer said it was tamper-proof and it had proven its accuracy in the past. And then later on, when mum came in, she told me the news about Bill and Charlie and Percy. And I knew she wasn't lying – the list proved it. Mum would never lie about this; and it hit that she was gone. But I suppose this is the sort of thing that happens during a battle…"
"Ron…is there something you're not telling me?" Ginny asked softly.
"What? No…I told you everything. Really," He didn't quite look into his sister's eyes.
"Ronald…"
"I'm exhausted," He gave a big yawn, "It was nice to see you, little sis…thanks for visiting. Tell the others I said hello,"
Ginny stood up and decided she might as well leave. She didn't feel like trying to interrogate her brother further if he was being this stubborn. And he did look fairly tired; maybe he was telling the truth. Half-truth at best, more like.
"I'll see you later, Ron. Get some rest. I'm sure Fred and George will visit soon."
But he already had his eyes closed and had fallen asleep.
As Ginny made her way to the door to leave the infirmary, a familiar voice called out to her.
It was Neville.
She sighed, and waved at him. He beckoned her over.
She went over to sit beside his bed, where he seemed to be reading some book.
He set aside his book on the bedside table before he directed his attention to Ginny.
"Hello Ginny. How are you doing?"
"How am I doing? What about you? You're the injured one here,"
"That's true. I was only asking. I heard about your brothers. How are you handling it? I'm sorry that that had to happen," He said sincerely.
Ginny almost hesitated at answering, but figured she should just go ahead with it.
"I'm doing as well as can be expected considering the situation. How are you though? You don't look too bad. Lucky, were you?"
Neville did look pretty well considering. Physically, he looked okay, and he didn't wince from any sort of pain.
He smiled weakly, "I suppose I'm doing better than some of the others. I did get hit with a curse though – it's giving me these really awful headaches. One of the Healers gave me a pain relief potion, but he told me that the headaches were chronic. I may never be rid of them. Unfortunately, those pain relief potions can only do so much. Funny how magic has limitations when you need it the most."
Ginny didn't know what to say. She placed her hand on top of his, and squeezed it lightly.
"Are you having a headache now, Neville?"
He shook his head, "I took some potion not too long ago. It helps well enough,"
He looked into her eyes, and then, before she realized what he was doing…he had her hand in his and had briefly kissed the top of her hand all the while looking at her to see her reaction.
Ginny quickly pulled her hand away and said, "Neville…I told you before. You're a good friend to me, but not anything more,"
He grabbed her arm abruptly and pulled her close to him. He spoke in a whisper, "You wouldn't have kissed me back if that was the case. I remember what happened at the wedding, Ginny. Don't play games…"
Ginny tried to think of something clever to say back, but was at a loss.
But fortunately, something did come to mind.
"What if I was simply using you? I was on the rebound after all. Harry was there and --"
"I'm not buying it. He never noticed you, not until he felt like it. I shared a dorm with him for years, Ginny. He talked about Hermione as if she could do no wrong. And this was before he even had more than friendly thoughts of her. It started around our first year, I believe. Didn't you notice at your brother's wedding how the both of them couldn't stop touching each other? I almost felt the need to tell them to get a room!"
"That's beside the point!" Ginny exclaimed, but then took a few breaths to calm down, "I'm over Harry anyway. I just don't see the reason to rush headlong into another relationship especially with half of my family gone because of Voldemort. That's how it is…"
Neville sighed, "If that's what you want, I won't push. I do truly like you, Ginny. I'm willing to wait if you need the time."
She smiled gratefully at him, "Thanks Neville. I appreciate it,"
All of a sudden, he leaned forward and kissed her softly on the lips.
"You're welcome. Goodbye, Ginny."
She had little time to react from the shock of the kiss when Neville coolly picked up the book he was reading before from his bedside table.
She quickly composed herself, and stood up to leave.
Neville seemed to pay her no mind as he went back to reading his book.
Curiously, she glanced at the book's cover to see what book it was. It looked like some muggle book she had never heard of.
The Dark Is Rising was the book's title. She wondered why Neville would read such a book after what he'd been through. It didn't seem like it'd be a very cheery book.
She left his side quietly, and headed to the door, opened it and exited the infirmary.
She walked down the dark and eerily silent corridors deep in thought about everything and nothing. Neville just had to bring up the wedding, she muttered, frustrated at the predicament this put her in.
She came to a decision that she would think about her confusing love life after she had come to terms with the events post-battle. Honestly, she just wasn't sure how to deal with the fact that three of her brothers were gone, and Ron not being able to walk anymore if worst came to worst.
Soon she was at the entrance to Headmistress McGonagall's office, once Dumbledore's, but not anymore. Only his portrait was there as was tradition with past heads of Hogwarts.
After she gave the password to the stone gargoyle, she made her way up the revolving staircase.
Headmistress McGonagall was discussing something or other with her parents, and her brothers, Fred and George, were chatting with a few of the portraits for some unfathomable reason.
Ginny coughed once to make the others aware of her presence.
"Oh Ginny! You were there quite a while." Her mother commented, ushering her daughter toward her.
She allowed herself to be directed to where her parents were; seated before McGonagall's desk.
Her father smiled lightly at her and said, "Minerva was just telling us that Ron will be well enough to be moved back home in a few days. Did he tell you about what happened?"
"More or less. Glad to know he'll be back home soon. He didn't much like being in the hospital wing. No one would, I suppose." Ginny replied with a shrug.
"This battle has been hard on many people. Madam Pomfrey has told me that Mr. Weasley does have a good chance at a full recovery. We are trying the best we can; here and at St. Mungo's." The headmistress informed all of them.
Ginny couldn't help but mutter, "Not hard enough."
There was a knock on the door. McGonagall told the person to come in.
It was Madam Pomfrey who looked very much like she was in a rush. She went right up to McGonagall and asked that she simply had to speak to her privately on a critical matter.
"I'm sorry Arthur, Molly…I'm afraid that I have to cut this visit short." Headmistress McGonagall said.
The Hogwarts nurse then noticed who else was in the room, and quickly made herself clear, "Oh no! That's alright if Arthur and Molly stay to hear this. The children have to go though."
Ginny, Fred, and George all exclaimed at once, "We're not children!"
"There's no point in arguing this time. Your father and I will tell you if we deem it important for all of you to know. Fred, George – why don't you two take Ginny somewhere?" Mrs. Weasley told them firmly.
The three of them groaned, frustrated at having to face defeat.
Ginny and her brothers left the Headmistress's office to the last minute yell of their mother, "And mind you all stay inside the castle!"
Once they had made their way down staircase and out into the corridor; Fred and George grinned at Ginny in a far too suspicious manner.
"What?" She asked. Those two…sometimes…
The two of them each went on either side of her taking hold of her hand.
"Did you ever see The Wizard of Oz, Ginny?" Fred asked, still smiling a bit ridiculously.
"Of course she hasn't seen it! She hasn't got her red shoes on!" George answered before Ginny could possibly get a word in edgewise.
"Honestly, do I look like someone who watches muggle movies to you?" Ginny retorted.
"Ah, but at least you do know it is a muggle movie."
"Yeah, maybe I do. I hear things. There are muggleborns at Hogwarts after all. What's your point anyway?"
"We're off to see the Wizard…" George started in a sing-song voice.
"…the wonderful Wizard of Oz!" Fred continued with a flourish.
"Ow…stop swinging my arms!"
"Someone's not playing along…" George commented as they stopped swinging her arms.
"I know what we should do. You two still haven't visited Ron in the hospital wing! Let's go there."
"But you were just there!" Fred noted.
"I told him you two would visit," She said, sticking her tongue out.
"You horrible little…" They both started, although it was clear in their tone that they were only teasing her.
"Come on you two…"
Before she realized what was happening, Fred and George had started up singing again and had taken to swinging her arms yet again.
"We're off to see the Wizard…" Fred started this time.
"…the most ickliest Wizard of Oz!" George was inspired apparently. They always seemed to be fond of the nickname, "ickle Ronniekins." Ginny was glad that at least she hadn't had an annoying nickname like that from them.
"Sing along, sis…everyone's doing it!"
"Sometimes I wonder about you two," She commented wryly before she started softly humming the tune.
Fred and George, clearly without any sense of embarrassment, enthusiastically sang the rest of the song alternating after each verse.
We hear he is a whiz of a Wiz
If ever a Wiz there was
If ever oh ever a Wiz there was,
The Wizard of Oz
Is one because
Because, because, because, because, because
Because of the wonderful things he does.
We're off to see the Wizard
The most ickliest Wizard of Oz!
And no matter how inconceivable it seemed, Ginny could almost forget the conflicts of her thoughts and heart.
At least for a few blessed minutes.