Disclaimer: All recognizable person, places and things are credited to JK Rowling and I'm making no $$$ is made from this fanfic. DH spoilers abound!!
Chapter 10- Love In Progress
It was after lunch at the Burrow and Harry was wondering why Ron hadn't made an appearance. Ron would never miss a meal. An owl arrived and dropped a parcel on the dining table.
"Hey, our NEWT results!" Harry said.
"Come on then, let's see," Molly said.
Harry opened his and saw that he got an 'O' in Charms and Transfiguration and 'E' in Care of Magical Creatures and Astronomy. He also got 'O' credit for Defense Against the Dark Arts and an 'E' in Potions. He had been waiting for the results. So were the Aurors. They were pleased that Harry wanted to join the ranks. Finally just before dinner, Ron came home. He sank into a chair with a desolate look.
"Hermione still mad at you?" Ginny asked and a second later wholeheartedly regretted asked it. By the look on Ron's face, something serious had happened with Hermione.
"Sh-she's in the hospital, some hospital in Surrey," Ron said. "She was visiting a cousin in Portsmouth and there was an accident on the motorway."
The room was silent for a few seconds. "Well, how is she? Is she going to be all right?" Molly asked, wringing a dishcloth.
"They don't know much yet, she's still unconscious from the head injury. Her leg and some ribs are broken too."
Harry felt like throwing something. After all we've been through, for her to end up in the hospital because of a car!
"Where's this hospital? We'll go at once," Molly said.
"Can't. Visiting hours are over."
"Visiting hours? What kind of a hospital is this?"
"A Muggle one, mum."
The next morning, Harry and the Weasleys went to the Grangers. Molly hugged Elizabeth as soon as they got in the door.
"How are you?"
"We're fine, but worried for our girl. We're on our way to the hospital now."
They arrived a few minutes before visiting time started, so Harry got a cup of coffee from a vending machine. Hermione got him hooked on coffee after hearing her repeatedly declare that "sometimes it's the only thing that keeps my eyelids in the up position." He discovered how true that was on the horcrux hunt. At eight a.m. The wards opened for visitors. Hermione had been moved to a small but private room and had not woken overnight. After the doctor gave them an update on her condition, they approached her bed. She was stable and the monitoring devices were no longer attached. The bruising on her face had lessened and there was a smaller bandage on her head covering the sutures.
"Good morning pumpkin, the whole gang's here," Elizabeth said and kissed her forehead. "The doctor said you're doing well."
Hermione lips pursed and her eyelids fluttered. Her eyes slowly opened and looked unfocused at the ceiling. Everyone gave a sigh of relief. Ian quickly left the room to get a doctor and a few minutes later, Ian returned with him.
"Well, good morning Hermione, it's good to finally see those pretty eyes your mother keeps boasting about."
Hermione looked curiously at the doctor.
"You're in Beechcroft hospital, and have been for two days. You were in an accident on the motorway. How do you feel?" he asked clearly.
She breathed out the word "hurt" and tears fell from the corner of her eyes.
"The poor dear," Molly said softly.
"Why won't the git get her something for the pain?!" Ron hissed in Harry's ear as the doctor shined a light in her eyes and examined her ribs, head and cast.
"I'll return shortly," the doctor said and left.
"Leave," Hermione murmured.
"You want us to leave?" Ian asked.
In a painful effort, Hermione shook her head. "Me...leave..St. Mungo's."
Harry took charge and wasted no time. Whatever Hermione wanted, he would do. He owed her that much. His best mate wasn't going to suffer if he could help it; getting her to St. Mungo's would be no trouble at all. When the doctor and nurse returned, he obliviated them from behind Molly and took all the papers from Hermione's stay.
"Ron, both of us will apparate with her, it's safer that way. Molly, can you follow with the Grangers? Ginny, can you make it look as if no one was ever here?"
"Of course."
He and Ron cast a silencing charm so the crack of apparition wouldn't be heard. Minutes later, there was no indication that Hermione Granger, 18, of Surrey had ever been a patient at Beechcroft Hospital.
An orderly at St. Mungo's was surprised at the unusual arrival of none other than Harry Potter with a pained, casted, bandaged young woman on a flimsy mattress and a red headed young man holding the casted leg of said young woman. A second later, Molly appeared with the Grangers, then minutes later, Ginny. Harry winked at her.
"I'm Harry Potter, get a healer please," Harry told the orderly. What was the point of being famous if you couldn't use it every once in a while?
In less than a minute, a healer aproached the group. Harry spoke. "This is my friend, Hermione Granger, and those are her parents. She was in an accident and we just took her out of a Muggle hospital. She's in pain," Harry said and gave the healer Hermione's hospital papers. The healer read the papers, wondered what "MVA" meant but got to the important part about her injuries.
"Not to worry, we'll have her on her on her feet in no time at all," the healer said kindly. He saw Ron talking softly to Hermione and smiled. So, that's the kissing couple from the paper!
Two orderlies levitated Hermione and the mattress to a treatment ward and got to work. She was given a non-drowsy pain draught immediately so the healer could speak to her. She explained that 'M-V-A' meant motor vehicle accident and tried as best she could to explain the various treatments and drugs the Muggle doctors gave her.
"Ask my parents, they know this stuff better," she said. The Grangers explained the paperwork from Bechcroft Hospital, prompting the healer to remark "barbaric indeed."
"We need to revise St. Mungo's policies to assist the families of Muggleborns for situations like this," the healer said. "It's appalling for a witch to have to endure this," he said, waving the papers.
An hour later, Hermione walked out of the ward straight into Ron's waiting arms. "I'm sorry," they said at the same time.
Her parents examined her, declaring that if their world caught wind of this treatment, that they'd be out of business. "After only an hour, it's as if you'd never been seriously hurt," Elizabeth said. "Amazing, simply amazing," Ian said.
Everyone went back to the Grangers. Elizabeth and Hermione prepared lunch, urging Molly from the kitchen while she protested.
"Guests don't lift a finger in this house," Elizabeth said. "Good Lord, what would my mum think?"
However much Harry loved the sight of Hermione sweeping into the dining room with a serving tray of large sandwiches, Ron loved the sight even more. Her bright eyes and easy smile actually took his breath away. It was as if he was suddenly seeing her with new eyes. Her eyes found his and she mouthed "I love you" with a wink before going back into the kitchen.
"Pumpkin, this arrived this morning," Ian said and walked into the living room with a letter, giving it to Hermione.
"It's the test results," she said.
"We got ours," Harry said.
"All O's and E's," Ron said.
"Really love? That's great, I knew you could," she said and opened her own letter with shaking hands. Her eyes scanned the letter and she let out the breath she was holding. She gave the letter to Ron for him to see.
"Let's see...Charms, O, no surprise there, Transfiguration, O, Potions, O, Herbology, O, Arithmancy, O and Ancient Runes, O. You got O DADA credit too, like we did. Last but not least, Care of Magical Creatures, E," he read.
July 31st
Harry knew something was up at breakfast. Ginny arrived at Grimmauld Place that morning and casually made him a large fry-up of all his favorite breakfast foods with a nonchalant "Happy birthday" and peck on the cheek. Yep, something was up.
"I thought you were a little more subtle than that," he teased.
"Huh?" she asked. "Are your eggs alright?"
He took a deliberate bite of the cheesy scrambled eggs. "Yes, my eggs are fine. How are you today?"
Ginny looked at him curiously. "I'm good, thanks."
He sighed. "Okay Gin, what's up?"
"What do you mean?"
"I hope the lot of you aren't planning something today."
Ginny rolled her eyes and ruffled his already messy hair. "We know you don't want anything big, so we're just having a small get-together at the Burrow. Cake and presents at the most."
He narrowed his eyes at her in jest.
"Would I lie to you?" she asked a little too innocently.
Yes, she would, as he later found out. His two best mates were in on the plan too. Ginny kept him company all day, distracting him with snogging and talking about her upcoming school year as Head Girl and hopeful Quidditch captain. At sunset, she excused herself from the sitting room to refill their Butterbeers. He heard a door open and shut, then caught a whiff of Hermione's strawberry scented shampoo. He heard footsteps at the sitting room door and before he could turn around, he felt himself being bound snugly with soft silky cords. Had he heard the spell, he would have stopped it. Leave it to Hermione to learn silent spellcasting!
"What the-" he said but was interrupted by Ron saying "silencio." He moved his lips but nothing came out.
"Sorry mate, it's their idea," Ron said apologetically.
Before he could glare at Hermione and/or Ginny, his eyes were covered with silky black material. He felt Ginny's lips (at least he hoped they were Ginny's lips) caress his cheek.
"Happy birthday," she whispered.
"Hang on to him tight, with the blindfold he might be unsteady when we get there," Hermione said.
Seconds later, he felt himself land on grass and smelled food. He heard stifled laughs and whispering. The blindfold was whipped from his face. It took seconds for him to focus, and when he did, dozens of people shouted "HAPPY BIRTHDAY HARRY!"
Startled, he looked in astonishment at the front yard of the Burrow. It looked like Bill and Fleur's wedding, without the tent. Tables, balloons, streamers, floating lamps, barrels full of ice were chilling Butterbeer and Elderberry Wine. One table was piled high with gifts.
"I don't know what to say," he said.
"Then don't say anything, just enjoy your party," Ginny said and squezed his hand.
Hermione gazed at him with tears in her eyes. "Harry, if anyone deserves a smashing birthday party, it's you!"
He looked around the gathering. Everyone he knew was there, beaming at him. The Weasleys, The Grangers, Kingsley Shacklebolt, the Hogwarts' staff, Neville, Luna, Seamus, Dean, everybody! Ginny turned on the massive wireless she recently bought and the party started. Everyone brought a dish for the party and Molly made a another large cake, larger than the snitch cake last year. He thought briefly of this time last year, when he was being questioned rather snidely by Scrimegour over items from Dumbleodore's will and how Ginny kissed him. She winked at him and he knew he would be kissed like that again tonight, but this time he wouldn't be leaving and fighting for his life. Hours later, after much wine and butterbeer, people started saying their goodbyes, thanked him for a fine party and gave final birthday wishes. Some couples danced to the music from the wireless, Ron and Hermione included. Ginny finally joined him. She had been helping her mother most of the night with the party.
"Aren't they a sweet couple?" Ginny asked, nodding at Ron and Hermione, who were holding each other and swaying to soft music, oblivious to everyone and everything around them.
Harry grinned and laughed. "What's the joke?" Ginny asked.
"Did you know, and would you believe, that Hermione made the first move?" he asked.
"And I wasn't there, damn, I would have given a hundred galleons to see that!" she said in mock indignation.
"Well, I was, and it shocked me down to my socks. There we were, in that room, you know that room at Hogwarts right before the battle, and I told you come back? That's where she made her move."
"If there was a better time than any, I suppose that would have been it."
"That's what Ron said."
Harry told her what happened that led to the kiss. Ginny laughed and clapped in appreciation of the story. "I'm so glad you told me that! How sweet!"
They looked at the two. "Now look at them," she said with a sigh.
Like the story? Makes you want to sing its praises? Tell me, then tell your friends.
Hate the story? Stinks like last week's dirty socks? Tell me that too, then tell your friends.
But above all, tell me! I'm a big girl, I can take it!