Previously in Chapter 6
We saw the death eater raise his wand and point it at Harry's back and we saw a red jet hit Harry. Ginny, Molly and I all screamed Harry's name at the same time but it was just too late. After Harry got hit, he fell forward and lay motionless on the floor. The death eater just laughed and then apparated away. All the Weasley clan ran towards Harry's body and I know for a fact that I was in tears as was Ginny. Arthur reached and slowly turned Harry so that we could see his face and he checked his pulse.
"It is weak but it is there." Arthur announced. "I'm going to apparate him to St. Mungo's." He added.
"We are coming too." Ron says while holding onto me.
So Arthur apparated with Harry's body. Charlie makes sure the young witch is ok before saying "Let's go."
Chapter 7
St. Mungo's- Hermione's Point of View
Ron and I apparated to St Mungo's along with the rest of the Weasley's. Once we had all walked through the doors, Ron and I walked straight up to the reception desk and asked the mediwitch what room Harry J. Potter was in. The mediwitch couldn't believe her eyes because she didn't answer us for several seconds. She finally regained herself and answered with, "He is being examined by the Healers at the moment. You will have to wait here for some news. I'm sure someone will be out to see you on a few minutes."
Just as Ron and I were about to walk away Arthur walks through the doors and gives us a look and walks over to the rest of the family. The mediwitch then asked, "So it's true then?"
Ron and I looked at her completely confused. "Is what true?" Ron asked slightly angry and I linked my hand with his again and put my other hand on his chest and I felt him calm down.
The mediwitch watched my actions and said, "That two of the hero's that defeated Voldermort are together."
Ron just turned away from the desk and gently pulled me over towards his family that were sitting on the chairs in the waiting room. Molly was sitting with Arthur and Charlie on either side of her and George was next to Charlie and Percy was next to Arthur. Ginny sat a couple of seats away from her parents and brothers. Ron and I walked up to Ginny and we sat either side of her. I took her hand in mine and asked, "Gin, you ok?"
Ginny looked at me before saying rather angrily, "No 'Moine I'm not fine. My boyfriend has just been attacked by some death eater and we have no idea how he is. How would you feel if it was Ron who had been attacked?"
I then let go of Ginny's hand and walk out of the doors and away from the Weasleys.
End Hermione's Point of View
Ron's Point of View
I see Hermione rise from the chair on the other side of Ginny and even though she is trying to hide the fact that she is crying I know her too well and I know that she is. I look between my sister and where my girlfriend has just disappeared.
After a minute I say rather harshly to Ginny, "Ginny, that was uncalled for and you know it. You know that Hermione loves Harry like a brother and that she is worried sick. Harry has been in worse situations than this before and he has come out of it, so why would this be any different. Look I know you are worried we all are but you can't lash out at the people you love or the people that love Harry. You may be my sister Gin, but Harry is my best mate and brother, so just remember that." I then get up and follow the same route that Hermione took minutes earlier.
Outside St. Mungo's
I walked out the doors of St. Mungo's and I found Hermione sitting on a bench with her armed wrapped around her knees. She was crying a lot harder now. I sat down beside her and I put my arm around her shoulders and gently pulled her towards my body. I felt her body shake from her crying and it broke my heart to see her in so much pain. Now I Ronald Billius Weasley never cried in front of anyone but this time I had to and in a way I am glad that it is in front of Hermione.
We both sat there crying, I have no idea for how long, and however it felt like hours to us. Once we had both stopped crying, Hermione pulled out of our embrace a little and looked at me before saying, "I'm scared Ron."
Hearing her voice sound so scared and small, made my heart break all over again. "I know you are love. I'm scared too." I confess.
"I know we have been through a lot worse than this last year but I feel just like I did at Godric's Hollow in Bathilda Bagshot's house. I feel like this could be the end of everything that we have ever known." Hermione explains.
"'Moine please don't remind me that I wasn't there to protect you at Godric's Hollow or Harry for that matter. I know that I can't imagine how that night must have felt for you but I do know that I don't want you to ever have to feel that way again, ever. Harry knows full well that he has a lot of people that love him unconditionally like my family and Ginny. He also had better know by now that he will always have you and me by his side and that we won't be going anywhere anytime soon." I state.
"Ron, you know that I never meant to mention Godric's Hollow for you to feel bad, it was just that, that night I was terrified that I would never see you again. Come to think of it, that night does not compare in any way to when we thought that Harry was dead." Hermione admits.
"I know love. Also I think that you will know this, but I need to say it as Gin is my sister. She never meant what she said. She is just hurt, scared and confused." I say.
"Love, I know she is. I know that your family loves Harry and think of him as a brother and a son, however this affects Ginny and us a lot differently to them. She is right though, if it had been you that had been attacked I would be in pieces right now." I hear Hermione say.
I shake my head before saying, "No you wouldn't. Harry would never let you and you know it. He would have been the same with me had you been injured. I guess that Harry is the one that keeps both of us together at times." I say chuckling.
I then hear Hermione chuckle too, and then saying, "Yeah, I guess you are right. And all this time I thought that Harry was just the brave idiot that didn't know when to accept help and the one to stop you and me from biting each other's heads off." I chuckle too at what she said. We both just sit in silence in each other's arms.
I then hear the doors open and I see my Dad come over to us and say, "I think you guys had better come back inside. The Healers are about to tell us about Harry's condition." So I gently pull Hermione off the bench and we both walk back into the waiting room with our hands entwined and we sit down with only a seat between Ginny and I and I put my arm around Hermione's shoulders while she leans her head on my shoulder.. My Dad then goes and sits next to my Mum. I then notice that George has moved and it sitting next to Ginny.
The Healer then comes across to us and says, "I take it you are the Weasleys?" We nod.
The Healer then says, "Well I can tell you that Harry has no permanent damage from the spell that was cast. At first we thought that Harry have suffered from amnesia as he kept saying the same thing over and over again."
"What did he say?" Percy asked.
"He kept asking if Ron and Hermione were safe." The Healer explained. I then looked down at Hermione and we both smiled a little.
The Healer then continued with, "We know that he doesn't because we asked him questions ranging from his school days to the brief knowledge that we have of what happened last year. However, to confirm that he has no brain damage we need someone or some people who know about Harry's childhood to ask him questions about it."
I then felt that my whole family was looking at both Hermione and I. I then decide to answer with, "I know what you are all thinking but to be honest neither Hermione or I know a lot about Harry's childhood or what really went on when he went back to Private Drive for the summer, as he never really spoke about it. We just knew not to talk to about it because we knew he didn't like to talk about it."
"How the hell can you two call yourselves his best friends if you don't even know about his childhood?" Ginny exclaimed looking at Hermione and I.
"Do you Ginny?" Hermione challenged and she raised her head to look her in the eyes.
"No, but you three go on about the bond you share and you don't know about his childhood." Ginny fumed.
"Ginny, Ron and Harry know nothing about my childhood and Harry and I know very little about yours and Ron's." Hermione explained.
The Healer then asked, "Is there anyone you can think of that would know about Harry's childhood?"
I look at Hermione and we both just look at each other for a minute before she slowly nods her head. She then explained while looking at the Healer, "There is one person that we might be able to persuade to help us. However this person is a Muggle."
"Who are you thinking of Hermione, dear?" I hear my Mum ask.
"Ron and I were thinking of Dudley." Hermione answers with.
"Hang on; I thought that Harry put a memory charm on them so that they forgot about him?" Charlie asked.
"He did. However Harry has never said this but Hermione and I have a sneaky suspicion that Harry only used a small charm on Dudley." I explain.
"Why do you think that?" Percy asked.
"Just do. Can't explain it. Just a feeling." I say.
"Are Harry and the Muggle related?" The Healer asked
"Yes, they are cousins. They lived together from when Harry was just over one year old to a year ago." My Dad answered.
"Is someone able to go and get this Muggle?" The Healer asks.
"I think that maybe Hermione should be the one to go and get Dudley." George says.
"No way in hell is Hermione going anywhere near those horrible Muggles who as good as near tortured Harry for years on her own, I will go with her." I exclaim.
"Ronald as much as I admire what you have said, I think that what George is saying is that I will be the person that is most likely to be able to get Dudley to agree to come here and help Harry." Hermione reasons.
"He is only saying that because of the fact that you grew up with Muggles. You have never met them 'Mione. They aren't nice like your parents; they had his bedroom window with iron bars in front of it." I explain.
"Ron, I know that not all Muggles are nice like my parents. However I doubt that the Dursley's are going to like it a large group of wizards turning up on their doorstep. I shouldn't be long." Hermione says looking at me.
"What if something goes wrong?" I ask worriedly. Ever since the battle I haven't been able to let Hermione or Harry out of my sight for very long.
"Look here is my mobile phone." Hermione says as she pulls out a phone from her bag. "If it rings just press the green phone here and talk into it." She instructs me. She then starts to walk away from me but I hold onto her arm and stop her.
I then whisper in her ear, "Be careful love." She then looks into my eyes and nods her head slightly. I then see her walk out the doors and I just sit down in the nearest chair.
End Ron's Point of View
Hermione's Point of View
I walked back out of St. Mungo's hospital and I found a quiet alley that I was able to apparate from. So I spun in a circle and in the blink of an eye I was in Little Whinging. I knew that house that Harry had lived at for years. I walked up the very neat pathway and noticed that the house was practically perfect.
As I approached the door, I gathered my thoughts before I knocked on the door. After about a minute of waiting on the doorstep, the front door opened and a boy my age that was large but if I'm honest he didn't look that big, so he must have lost some weight. I smiled at him and said, "Are you Dudley Dursley?"
"Yes I am." Dudley answered. "Who are you?" He asked.
"I'm someone who needs to ask you a favour but if possible away from your house. Are we able to go for a walk?" I ask.
"Yeah sure." Dudley says as he walks through the open door and closed it behind him. He then walked next to me and we walked down the path and into the street. "We can go to the park; no one will bother us there." He adds.
We walk in silence as we walk to the park. Once we arrive Dudley walks towards one of the two swings and sits on it and I sit on the other. I look up at him for a while, and then I decide I had better break the silence as Harry needs the help as soon as possible. "Dudley, do you know of a relative of yours by the name of Harry?" I asked him.
Dudley looks at me with an open mouth, before answering with, "Yeah. Harry is my cousin. He moved out about a month ago now. My parents don't mention him, not that they ever did."
"Hang on. You remember him completely?" I ask stunned.
"Yes. He came back a month ago and just packed up all his belongings and said that as he was of age in the Wizarding world that he was moving out. He also mentioned that he doubted he would ever see us again. My parents were thrilled that he left. I on the other hand wasn't as happy." Dudley explained. "Are you a friend of Harry's?" He asked.
"Yes. I'm one of Harry's best friends. I'm Hermione Granger." I answer smiling.
"Do you know where he is? As I would love for him to know that if he ever needs to he can talk to me and I that want to make up for being a prat of a cousin to him when we were growing up. Hang on why are you here? Is he alright" Dudley asked worriedly.
"To be honest Dudley I'm not sure if Harry is alright. Basically Harry was attacked by a bad wizard and our doctors aren't sure if he has amnesia. He is able to remember events from the last year and our school years. However we need someone to ask him questions about his childhood. You may be thinking that as one of Harry's best friends I would be able to ask him questions about it, but I along with Harry's other best friend Ron, who also happens to be my boyfriend, aren't able to as we know nothing about his childhood or about the summers he spent here before he came to stay with Ron's family. Ron and I knew not to talk about it with Harry so we never did." I explain.
"So in other words you would like me to ask Harry questions about how awful his childhood was because of my parents and me?" Dudley asks.
"Yes." I reply.
"Great. I'm sure he will love me for doing that." Dudley says rather sarcastically.
"Dudley I know it won't be pleasant to talk about. Believe me when I say that having to talk about the events that Harry, Ron and I went through this past year was awful but in a way it has been good for the three of us as we have got it off our chests. If you really want to show Harry that you have changed then this would be the way to do it." I tell him.
"Can I tell you something?" Dudley asked me.
"Of course you can." I answer and wait for Dudley to continue,
"Well I don't know how much Harry said about my parents and me, but when he left our house last year and we went into hiding, I learnt a lot about him. I know my parents weren't too thrilled about being around witches and wizards but I didn't mind it that much. In fact the witches and wizards that were with us were only too glad to tell me everything about Harry. They told me how his parents we killed by an awfully bad wizard and that Harry was out saving the Wizarding World. They also mentioned you and Ron and your adventures at Hogwarts and if I'm honest I was really proud of him. I never had any idea that Harry was idolised in such a way and that the fate of a complete race of people was in the hands of my cousin. When the news reached us that Voldermort was dead and that Harry was alive, I was so pleased. My parents and I were allowed back home about a week after the news had been given to us. Once we got back, I went into Harry's room and just wondered what he was doing and if he was happy about having the threat out of his life. A couple of days after we arrived back he came back and well he looked really down and I had never really seen him that kind of depressed. I spoke with him but I never told him what I have just told you and I wish he knew it." Dudley confessed.
"I know Harry and though it may take some time I hope that Harry will find it in his heart to forgive you or at least put the past behind and be able to start a fresh. However you have to understand that at the moment Harry is carrying a lot of guilt on his shoulders and he probably always will knowing him, but if you really mean what you say about making amends for your past actions then I just hope that Harry is willing to meet you half way." I say.
"Hermione what did you mean by that Harry is carrying a lot of guilt on his shoulders?" Dudley asked.
"Well in the Battle that killed Voldermort, a great number of lives were lost. Many of them were people that Harry knew. One was the last of his father's best friends, another had just become a mother and her son will grow up with no parents- in a way similar to Harry and Ron lost one of his brothers who in reality was a brother to both Harry and I. So as you can see the people that lost their lives were very close to Harry and he feels responsible for their deaths even though no-one else blames him apart from himself." I state.
"I'm sorry if I'm asking a lot of questions but as you can tell I know nothing of Harry's other life. How was it that your boyfriend's brother was like a brother to both you and Harry?" Dudley asked with a slightly confused look on his face.
"Basically to start with Ron and I were first and foremost best friends before we both gave in and admitted that we did in fact have feelings for one another." I start to say. Dudley looks even more confused and is about to say something when I continue by saying, "That is another story for another time or I might even let Harry tell you that one. However all you need to know is that Ron's mother near enough has adopted Harry and me as her own children and we are thought of as family by the Weasleys and I know that both Harry and I think of the Weasley's as family too."
"That is fine. I'm glad that Harry has a family that love him the way that my parents and I should have. He is happy right? What exactly do I have to do to help?" Dudley asks.
I smile and chuckle before answering with, "Yes, Harry is happy. Or rather will be now that he has Ginny by his side and Ron and I of course. What you need to do is come to our hospital and talk to Harry."
"Ok. How do we get to your hospital? Where is it?" Dudley says.
"Are you able to drive?" I ask. Dudley nods his head to say yes. "Great. The hospital is in London." I add.
"Really? Give me a couple of minutes and I'll go back and get my car and I'll drive us to it." Dudley says. "Err...will you be alright here on your own for a bit?" He adds slightly nervously.
I can't help but laugh. "Yes Dudley, I'll be fine. This is why I came to talk to you not the Weasleys, because I am a Muggleborn." I inform him.
"A what?" Dudley asked completely surprised.
"Sorry. What I mean is that my parents are non-magical. So I have grown up around non-magical people and will be fine. However I do feel like we need to hurry." I say. Dudley then turns and runs slightly out of the park and back towards his house to get his car.
In Dudley's Car
"Dudley, I feel that I should possibly warn you a little about the Weasley's." I start off by saying and Dudley nods his head. "You have to remember that the Weasley's don't know that you have had a change of heart about your attitude towards Harry. I would expect Ron and Ginny won't be best pleased to see you but they are just worried about Harry so I wouldn't take it personally. Ron's dad, Arthur loves all things that are related to Muggles so if he starts to make you uncomfortable just say that you would rather not talk about it just now." I explain.
I then hear Dudley ask, "Are you sure the Weasley's aren't going to kill me for all the awful things that I have done to Harry in the past?"
"If I'm honest no-one knows what has gone on between you, Harry and your parents." I confess.
"So he never mentioned us at all?" Dudley asked.
"Well he did to Ron and me, just not that much to the rest of the Weasley family. It is like I said before Ron and I knew that Harry didn't like to mention it so we made sure that it never really came up." I explain.
"When I was in hiding the witches and wizards mentioned that when Harry was fifteen his Godfather was murdered and Harry witnessed it. Is that true?" Dudley asked.
"Unfortunately yes it is. Sirius was murdered by his cousin. I guess you will have gathered from what you heard that many of the people that Harry has loved over the years have been killed." I say.
"Yes. I got that impression. Can I ask you a rather personal question?" Dudley asks and briefly takes his eyes of the road to turn to me and I nod my head. He then continues by asking, "What made you and Ron go on the run last year with Harry? I mean as far as I could gather, this fight wasn't yours to fight but Harry's."
"No it is fine Dudley. Harry is my best mate and a brother to me. I couldn't have watched him go off and fight Voldermort on his own and not know if he was alive or dead. As for it not being Ron and my fight, that isn't true as we were with Harry when he first fought Voldermort at age 11. So we have been there the whole way and we had to see it through to the end. Even if the end was Harry's death. I can't explain what the bond is that Harry, Ron and I all share but it is what makes us who we are. We know each other better than I think we would like to admit at times, but it has come in handy over the years." I try to explain.
"Yeah, I got told about the Golden Trio as the three of you were known as. Did you know that?" Dudley asked rather amused.
"We heard faint whispers of it around the halls of Hogwarts. However none of us really paid any attention to it." I say. "Turn right up ahead." I instruct him.
"You mean at that boarded up building?" Dudley asked completely confused.
"Yes. That is the entrance to the hospital." I state. Once Dudley has parked the car. We both get out and we walk towards the building. I then say, "Just walk straight at the glass doors and just keep walking." Dudley looks at me before he starts to walk towards the doors and I follow him.
In a matter of minutes we are standing in the waiting area of St. Mungo's hospital.
Inside St. Mungo's
"'Mione!!" I hear someone nearly shout from behind me. As I turn around I am engulfed in the arms of my rather relieved boyfriend.
"Ron." I say but he doesn't let me go. "Ronald!!" I say a bit louder. This time he does and he looks me up and down.
"What took you so long? I was worried sick not only about Harry but about you too." Ron confesses.
"Sorry. We just got talking that was all." I say. I then walk out of Ron's embrace and over to Dudley. I turn back to Ron and I can see that his face has changed from one of relief to one of pure hatred. "Ron, this is Harry's cousin Dudley." I say while giving him a look to behave.
Ron then walks over towards Dudley and he holds out his hand for Dudley to shake which he does.
Dudley says, "Nice to meet you Ron. I know from Hermione here that you are the other third of the Golden Trio and Harry's best mate and brother." Dudley smiles at me and I smile back. Ron then puts his arm around my waist, which although I am not pleased by the action I do find it slightly odd behaviour.
An eerie silence then overcomes us. So I ask the one question that I am dying to know, "How is Harry, love?"
"We don't know. The Healers won't let any of us in the room until HE has said if Harry remembers his childhood." Ron explains and he points towards Dudley when he says he.
"Ok. Let me know where I need to go and I'll get this over with." Dudley says trying to make light of the situation.
Unfortunately it was at the point that the Weasley's decided to come over and Ginny heard the comment made by Dudley and said, "Is this a joke to you? Harry being in here? Because it isn't for us, for us this is far from a joke, this is serious."
"I take it you are Harry's girlfriend Ginny. I know full well that this isn't a joke for you and your family. I know what you have all been through and I'm sorry that you had to go through that, I really am. Harry is my cousin and even though I may never have shown him it in the past but he is family and I am here to help. Hermione has filled me in on what has happened and what I have to do. Before I go and make Harry relive things that I am sure he would much rather forget, I want you all to know something." Dudley explains.
"What is it?" Ron asks harshly.
"That I am here to make amends with Harry over the past. When I was in hiding I learnt all about the Harry that you know. I am so proud of what he did and I know that I really have no right in saying this but I think that his parents- my aunt and uncle- would be so proud of him too. I can't even imagine what he, along with Ron and Hermione had to go through last year to eventually defeat Voldermort but I know that what they achieved has made both the magical and Muggle worlds better places to live in." Dudley states looking each of the Weasley's in the eye at some point during his speech.
Charlie then turns to me, as do the rest of the Weasley's, and asks, "Hermione, is he being real?"
"Yes he is. Dudley really is here to try and make amends for the way he treated Harry in the past." I confirm.
"He does realise that Harry isn't going to forgive him just like that, right?" Ginny asks.
"I do Ginny. I am willing to wait for Harry to be ready to listen to me. Hermione filled me in on the fact that at the moment Harry is dealing with a lot of grief. I hope that maybe if he didn't feel he was able to talk to any of you, then he would be able to talk to me." Dudley says.
"Why, wouldn't Harry be able to talk to any of us?" Ron asks accusingly.
"I just meant that I know that Harry is blaming himself for all the deaths that have happened recently and that it is very close to home for you all. So even though I know none of you would judge him, he may feel that you might. Whereas I am an outsider in it all, I might even be able to make Harry see that this isn't his fault." Dudley explains. I can't help but smile at Dudley for what he had just said.
If I'm honest, I do think that is what Harry needs. He needs someone that isn't in the wizarding world and isn't in some way connected to someone who lost their life in the Battle. So if Harry and Dudley are able to make amends I think it will be very good for Harry as well as Dudley.
Then the Healer that spoke to us about Harry came up and asked me, "Is Harry's Cousin here?"
"Yes." I reply while pointing to Dudley.
"Fantastic." The Healer says. "Please follow me." He adds. So Dudley then follows the Healer and they walk through the double doors that Arthur walked through earlier are out of sight.
End of Hermione's Point of View
A.N:- Here is the next chapter for you. I am slightly concerned that no-one is reading this story and I have had no reviews for the last chapter. So all I am going to ask is for 1 review and I will try and update as soon as I can.
This will be my last update for 2009. So I would like to wish everyone at FanFiction a very happy and safe 2010.
Please read and review
Vikki xoxo