Harry must have blacked out at some point because the next thing he knew he was in what looked like the hospital wing...sort of.
"Harry, mate, how are you feeling?" Ron probed and Harry turned to see Ron and Hermione perched on a couch side by side.
"Tired, a little sore, but good." Harry offered with a slight smile.
When neither of them said anything he continued, "Where are we?" Harry questioned looking around again curiously.
"The Room of Requirement; we're in a stalemate right now, for an hour." Hermione explained, but Harry, even in his drugged state, could tell she was leaving something out. Riddle wasn't that likely to call a stalemate in the middle of a battle when the deatheaters were doing ok.
"What aren't you telling me?" Harry implored and Ron looked away while Hermione winced.
"She's not telling you that you-know-who threatened to kill all of us if you don't let him kill you." Lavendar spat sitting beside a very badly scarred Seamus Finnegan.
Harry closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them back up; Ron was already half way across the room and in Lavendar's face.
"Don't you ever talk to him like that again; that's my brother you're slandering." Ron shouted and Lavendar jumped up back in his face.
"And it's my boyfriend that has second degree burns because of the war he brought here!" Lavendar screeched back and Ron made to scream again when he was pulled back from behind.
"That is enough, Ms. Brown. This is not Harry's fault; if it hadn't been for him we wouldn't have even known Riddle was coming this way." Minerva growled and Lavendar shrunk back and sat down beside Seamus.
"Ron, why don't you go check on your Mom and see if she needs help?" Minerva suggested and Ron nodded in understanding leaving.
"Hermione, how about you go check on your significant other?" Minerva continued and Hermione stood, gave Harry a hug, and was gone. Minerva moved over to Harry and cast a privacy ward around his bed.
"Harry, how are you feeling?" Minerva inquired sitting down on the bed beside him.
"I'm ok, is what Lavendar said true though? Riddle has declared it to be the final battle if I don't go?" Harry pressed and Minerva closed her eyes.
"Yes, but we're going to fight Riddle, Harry. There is no reason for you to any longer play the martyr for the cause. You're a child and while Albus may not have noticed battles shouldn't be fought by children. What you did today was more than enough...you saved Fred's life and..." Minerva trailed off not sure how to break the news to the young man.
Harry smiled at her in sympathy, "It's ok Professor, I've already realized I can't move my legs." Harry assured and Minerva couldn't stop the tears that were trickling down her face. She stood to leave and Harry grabbed her wrist. As she turned back she bent and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "I should have tried harder to protect you. I should have made Albus bring you here when you were a baby. I'm so sorry." Minerva sobbed and Harry gently rubbed her back. He laid his head against her chest and continued to rub her back reassuringly.
"It's not your fault, you've taken care of me ever since I came here. I've always known that you cared even if you couldn't really show a lot of favortisim. I mean you let me join the Quidditch team, you tried to make sure I didn't go down the trap door in the third floor corridor, you didn't expel Ron or me, you've...you've always been there when I needed you, Professor." Harry reminded her and Minerva sat back down and held him close.
"I..." Minerva began and was cut off by someone needing her assistance.
"I'll be back later, rest, and Mr. Potter do not even think for a moment about going to fight Riddle...or I'll have to stick you to that bed." Minerva threatened hugging him close again before walking away.
