A/N: This chapter has been beta read by Super MKatR. Thanks.
Chapter 7 – The Hospital Wing
After Madam Pomfrey retreated to her office, leaving them by themselves, Ginny moved closer to Harry's bed and grabbed his hand again.
'I was so worried about you.' She said with a choked voice. 'When they told me that you could die I… got really scared.'
Harry held her hand tighter when he saw Ginny's eyes glittering with tears. 'It's ok, Gin. I'm fine now.'
The girl quickly dried her eyes with her blouse sleeve. 'Sorry.'
'Sorry for what? For worrying about me?'
'For being a whiny little girl.'
'It's ok, I like whiny little girls.'
Ginny laughed. 'Sorry, but I can't believe that.'
'Ok, I confess. I like one whiny little girl.'
Ginny giggled, which sounded like music to Harry's hears. 'That's easier to believe.' She joked.
'I heard you.' Suddenly, Harry confessed and then fiercely blushed. 'Um, I heard your voice…' He tried to explain. 'Sometimes, while I was sleeping, I mean… I think it was you.'
'You heard me?' Ginny sounded surprised.
'Yes. I couldn't understand what you're saying most of the time, but I remember your voice.'
A shy silence fell between them for a while until Ginny broke it. 'Harry, do you remember how you fell?'
'Yes, suddenly, my broom lost control and tried to overthrow me. I don't know why it happened.' He hesitated for a second, trying to remember the details. 'I could hold it for most of the time, even when it bucked me off, I ended holding it with my two hands. But then the snitch came closer to me, I had to drop one hand and stretch to catch it. That was when I slipped… I caught the snitch, didn't I?'
The answer that Harry received was a cold look.
'Stupid boy!' Ginny exclaimed, angry. 'Are you crazy? How could you drop yourself from a jinxed broom due to a stupid little golden ball? You almost died! You almost killed me with sadness! And all because of a stupid snitch.'
'Hey! Calm down! It was an accident. I wasn't trying to kill myself. What was that about a jinxed broom?'
Ginny took a few deep breaths to calm down.
'It seems that someone tried to jinx your broom during the game, that's why it lost control. We think it was professor Snape, because of… you know… everything. But professor Dumbledore ensures that it wasn't him and that Snape even tried to protect you by murmuring a counter-jinx.'
Harry shook his head, confused. 'Why would Snape try to protect me?'
'I don't know, but the Headmaster said Snape had personal reasons to want to protect you.'
'What personal reasons?'
'I don't know.'
'Well, he didn't help much anyway.'
'Not really.' Ginny agreed. 'Harry, what you did when you fell, was actually accidental magic or was it related to your extracurricular research?'
'A bit of both, I think.'
Now that he was thinking about the matter, Harry realized that he had consciously tried to, well, brake the fall. It had been a really stupid idea.
'I remember trying to slow down the fall. Actually, it was tiring. For a moment, I thought I did it, but I guess I blacked out after that, because I don't remember hitting the ground.'
'Harry, you didn't just slow down the fall. The twins said that you stopped in mid-air.'
Harry's astonished face amused Ginny a lot.
'They said that you floated for a few seconds before starting to fall again. I'm not surprised that you blacked out after that, you must have used a lot of magical energy to fight against gravity.'
Harry grimaced. 'I'm not very anxious to try that again.'
If he knew it would be so much fun to stay in the hospital wing, maybe he would have thrown himself from his broom earlier. Harry mused about that for some days later when he returned to his normal activities.
It was with a little of despondency that he wore his uniform and went to Gryffindor's common room. That was the first day, since he woke up from his coma, which Ginny did not visit him and Harry was sad, because he would not see his friend for a long time.
Harry discovered during his period of convalescence that Ginny had a special authorization from the Headmaster to see him. Ginny would always arrive by the floo network from Madam Pomfrey's office and would spend the most part of the day with him.
She was a wonderful companion. She would talk to him so that he would not get bored, would tell him jokes to make him laugh, would sing for him…
No. Lie.
Ginny only sang once, because he had dared her. Then, he discovered that Ginny Weasley was a terrible singer. Harry found the situation extremely amusing and he laughed a lot. He stopped when he saw the murderous glare that Ginny had been sending to him. He was deeply grateful that she did not have a wand yet. Otherwise, he would have been cursed at that precise moment.
Harry also received visits from some classmates from Gryffindor and from his Quidditch team during his stay in the hospital wing. Those visits were always tumultuous and noisy, so maybe that was why Harry noticed so quickly how Ginny would become retracted and silent close to the other students.
To help her not feel so strange for being there, Harry soon started to present her and introduce her in every conversation. With that small push, Ginny soon began to be herself close to other people too.
It was surprising how Ginny easily became popular amongst Harry's friends. Katie, Alicia and Angelina were delighted for finally meet the Weasley girl. When accidentally Harry let it slip how Ginny was a talented flyer, Oliver Wood's eyes shinned in interest and immediately started to interview her.
Ginny had already answered for how long she was flying, what moves she knew, what it was her favourite position, her favourite Quidditch team and in which great player she was inspired by, when Harry needed to remember Oliver that Ginny was not even in first year yet. Gryffindor's captain blushed slightly, but it did not stop him from telling Ginny to come look for him when she finally was in Hogwarts.
Gred and Forge showed up some times to pick on the two about the "secret relationship" they had hidden from all, which would always leave both red as a chili pepper.
Hermione also showed up many times throughout the week, as she had as personal mission to keep Harry updated about all lessons he had missed, so that he would not fall behind in classes.
Still, Ron never showed up and Harry knew exactly why. He could not blame his friend for being upset.
When Harry finally arrived to Fat Lady's portrait, he faced the secret passage for a while, because he knew that soon he had a score to settle.
He was not the least bit anxious.
Harry only understood how much time he had stayed lost in thoughts when a voice took him from his reverie.
'You know, she never liked waiting so much.'
Harry was startled with the unexpected companionship. Professor Dumbledore was standing at his side, calm, contemplating the annoyed face of the Fat Lady, who was waiting for Harry to say the password to get in.
'Oh… Hello, Professor Dumbledore.' Harry greeted and, still gawky, turned to the portrait. 'Sorry, ma'am.'
'It's Miss, boy!' Fat Lady corrected, looking even more irritated.
Dumbledore giggled. 'Well, well… While our Lady calms down, what do you think of accompanying an old man to his office, Harry?'
'Yes, sir.'
A/N: Hello! The next chapter is Headmaster's office. We need to visit Dumbledore before facing Ron's reaction, which comes in chapter 9.
scrappy8: Thanks! I'm happy you like and I hope you like this chapter too!
Guest: Thanks! I'm glad you like it. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
