Chapter two: not yet
"Hermione?" Ron jumped up, standing over his wife. A tentative hand reached out to brush sweaty hair out of face. Brown eyes blinked, looked up, and fixed upon blue.
"Ro-" Her voice was weak, but she seemed responsive. Harry let out a long sigh of relief. No one would die because of him- this time. "I was afraid I lost you." Making her voice audible was obviously costing her. Ron hushed her lovingly.
As she looked up at him Ron's hand instinctively moved to her cheek, stroking it lovingly. Harry, now, felt out of place. As the couple continued to stare deeply into one another's eyes Harry came to the quick conclusion that the couple needed to be alone.
Closing the door, quietly, behind him Harry nearly ran into someone who had been walking dreamily down the hall holding a picnic basket. "Luna?" The exclamation came out as a grating whisper. "What are you doing?"
"Oh- I'm sorry." The girl's dreamy demeanor evaporated rather quickly as she looked at him, startled.
Harry gave an inward sigh; he had not meant to be so rude. Why was she here anyway? "Apologies Luna." He finally added, giving a brief nod of the head. "Hermione just came around, and I think they need some time alone." Luna gave a knowing nod.
"I just brought some cookies." Luna replied raising the picnic basket, obviously quickly shrugging off any offense she might have taken.
"Oh- right. I should probably go tell Ginny." Harry replied after a few minutes silence.
"She was asleep when I passed through." Luna replied factually.
"Uh, right. See you around." Harry hastily retraced his steps back to the waiting room, passing the head healer, looking rather flustered. How did Luna get past him? Harry did not hold onto the thought for very long. Frankly, he didn't care. Taking the final steps Harry shook Ginny by the shoulder; it was time to wake up.
"What is it dear?" Ginny asked, blinking up at him blearily. Harry's heart shrunk slightly at the endearment.
"Hermione woke up." Harry replied simply, falling back into his seat, and running a hand absently through his hair.
"Is she all right?" Ginny sat up quickly, her eyes glancing quickly at the door, and then back to my face.
"She seems like she'll be ok. She seems like she's all there." Harry replied, he could hardly believe it himself.
"That's good." Ginny replied, her head leaning on his shoulder again. "We should swing by before we go home." She added, giving a sigh, gathering strength, and standing, Harry's hand in hers.
"Yeah." Harry hadn't been thinking about leaving. He didn't want to be intrusive, but there was nowhere he had to be, and he thought he might want to at least spend the night… Ginny began to walk forward, and Harry was jerked out of his inner contemplations to follow her.
As they walked down the sterile white hospital hall, Harry's feelings began to even out again; there was nothing. The holding of hands became the interlocking of arms, and soon she was walking skin to skin with him.
The room he had so hastily reached before was not too hard to spot. A woman with long blond hair sat on the floor, leaning on the wall, her fingers playing with a string of beads that had been entwined around her neck.
"Luna?" it was Ginny's turn to be surprised. Disconnecting herself she hugged her friend, now standing.
"A guy who called himself a healer is in there with them." Luna explained. "He looked like King Arthur, personally." She added absently. Harry couldn't help but let a slight smile flash across his face as the healer exited the room; casting a disapproving look at the, once again, dreamy young women.
"Ron?" Ginny stepped inside tentatively.
"Ginny." Ron stood up, a grin quickly spreading across his face. "They say it might take a while but she'll be all right." He continued engulfing his little sister into a bear hug. Joy was brimming over. Hermione, now sitting upright with the help of a few gargantuan pillows, offered a slow smile.
"I brought some cookies." Luna offered Ron the picnic basket, her face deadly serious.
"Oh, thanks." Ron loosed his sister, immediately falling upon the basket. "You are awesome Luna." He added as he pulled out a large chocolate chip cookie, and quickly digging in. Harry distinctly heard a short laugh from the bed.
"Me and Harry are going to head back now. Since everything's ok here." Ginny commented, taking Harry's hand. "Goodbye."
"Goodbye then." Ron glanced to Harry, who gave an apologetic wince as he was directed out of the room.
A/N: I hope that that wasn't too disappointing as it wasn't /as/ sad, or dramatic, or anything really… Thank-you lunafan and past-the-point, I nearly had a heart attack as I've never had such quick and enthusiastic response for a Harry Potter fanfic.
