A Long Summer

Disclaimer: Harry Potter isn't mine.

Authors Note: I just had quick read through of the first few chapters, and oh my gosh I am so mean to Harry. Sorry for a late update, I had planned to write a new chapter when I got back from my holiday but things were so hectic. Thanks to all my reviewers, whom I'm afraid I don't think I've responded to personally this time because FF when a bit funny, so big thank you to you all and to the great number of you who have put my story on alert and saved it in your favourites. Enjoy chapter 10, my longest chapter so far, it's as long as my anti-Semitism coursework which I am proud to say I got 92 out of 100, beating my friends, it was a B, I wonder what an A is if 92 is a B, I'll be more than a little annoyed if an A is 93….going off at a slight tangent. I decided to split the chapter in the end and chapter 11 will be posted tomorrow.

A Long Summer
By Eve

Chapter Ten
Waking Again

What's all that noise? Harry thought. Wait, where was he? He was lying on his back on a soft mattress, he wasn't at the Dursleys, there were no springs sticking into his body.

The blur of noise that Harry had been hearing began to sound more solid.

Beeping.

Machines.

Hospital.

Harry opened his eyes briefly to confirm his thoughts.

White.

Defiantly a hospital, but why was he here?

As he strained his thoughts he heard something that sounded like his name.

"Harry?" There is was again, it was definitely his name. Who was it? Was it that Lucy, no, Laura?

"Harry? Can you hear me?"

'Yes,' he recognised the voice.

"Harry?"

Remus.

"Can you open your eyes again for me?"

Harry opened his eyes and saw the fuzzy figure of his ex professor. He heard footsteps as he looked up at Remus.

Remus saw Harry squinting and looked to the table next to him. "Here you go," he said as he placed the glasses onto Harrys face after the oxygen mask was slipped off, "Your glasses are pretty versatile, aren't they?" he smiled.

Harry was confused, why was Remus here?

He cleared his throat, "R-Remus," he whispered hoarsely still looking up at him; thankfully he wasn't as blurry, though he was still not quite fuzzy free.

The footsteps belonged to a nurse who leaned over Harry and began to speak, "Hi there Harry, I'm Mark another nurse here, are you any pain?"

"No," Harry's reply was barely a whisper.

"Good. Can you remember waking up earlier?"

Forgetting about the previous time he had attempted to nod Harry tried but again found he could not move his neck, "Yeah," it came out as another whisper.

"That's great; can you tell me where you are then?" Mark continued.

"Hospital," his voice was gradually getting clearer.

"Good, and can you remember why you're here?"

Harry sighed, "N-no." Why couldn't he remember?

"That's fine, you hurt your head so you may not remember yet, you were hit by a car. What's the last thing you can remember?"

He couldn't remember the car, he could however remember the incident in the bathroom, 'Oh, God,' did everyone know?

"I-I dunno," Harry realised it may have sounded like a lie, it was a lie the last thing he remember was the morning after the bathroom incident, but right now he couldn't care less.

"You'll be moving into your on room in a few hours, Harry, so just get some rest and call me if you are in any pain, ok?" Mark left.

Remus smiled down at Harry, "How are you feeling, Harry?"

"Dunno, kinda sore, I'spose."

"I'm not surprised, you were hit by a car," It slipped out of Remus' mouth before he thought.

"S'ry."

"No, it's not your fault."

After a few moments of silence Harry asked, "Wha' day's it?"

"Tuesday," Remus replied, "Lunchtime."

"I'm tired," Harry slurred.

"Close your eyes and sleep then, are you warm enough?"

"Mmm," Harry closed his eyes and was asleep within a minute.

Remus slipped the oxygen mask over Harry's face, careful not to disturb him, sighed and sat back in his chair, seeing his best friends son hurt like this was awful; lying on the hospital bed he looked so vulnerable, so small. There was a pit of dread in Remus' stomach; he knew Harry would be questioned about the unexplained injuries very soon now that he was going to be moved out of the recovery room.

Unexplained injuries.

His sleep deprived irrational mind had assumed the worse; that Harry had been hit by his relatives. His uncle, his cousin? His aunt? Remus now hoped that perhaps Harry had hurt himself, fallen over or gotten into a fight but he knew it was unlikely, he had been informed that there were large hand shaped bruises covered by the neck brace, there were bruises on his back from kicks, from someone much bigger than himself. Remus wanted it to be someone else, not his relatives, not just because of Harry but selfishly himself, how could he have let this happen to Harry?

Becoming aware of the world once more Harry blearily opened his eyes. From his position on the bed he could only see the ceiling and the tops of the two adjacent walls. He was in a different room.

He shifted a little on his bed.

"Harry?" it was Remus.

Harry smiled; he was now looking up into Remus tired face. Harry moved his arm to remove the obstruction from his mouth and nose. He found his right wrist Heavy and once he's brought it into his line of sight he saw it was covered in white plaster.

Remus saw what Harry was trying to do, "Here let me," he removed the oxygen mask, "there you go." Having been advised what to do when Harry woke Remus continued, "How are you feeling? Do you remember-"

"Hospital. Car," came Harrys quite voice.

"You're getting good," Remus smiled and gave Harry his glasses.

Harry smiled unenthusiastically back at his ex-professor as his glasses were slipped on. His vision was no longer blurry.

"W-when can I go ho-get out of here?"

"I don't know, Harry."

"Shouldn't I be at, like, St. Mungos or something?"

"I can speak to Dumbledore but do really want to be there?"

Harry thought about and realising that the press would most likely find him there, "No, s'pose I don't," he said dejectedly, "but I would be better quicker though." And no one would think he was as weak.

"Yeah you would, like I said, I will speak to Dumbledore, I'm sure he's going to want a meeting anyway."

"Oh, of course, you can all just sit around talking about me over tea," Harry said through gritted teeth, his chest was starting to hurt. Why did he feel so angry? He knew he shouldn't have said it, they were just going to help him but he didn't want people knowing that he was weak. So weak that his Muggle of an uncle could beat him and induce fear when he thought of him, but know one knew that yet and if he was careful he would make sure no one would ever know. His chest was rising up and down rapidly.

Remus noticed Harrys breathing had become laboured. "Harry you know it's not like that," he responded calmly, "It's to help you."

"Well-well, I don't need your help," his chest felt like it was going to burst.

"Harry, you need calm down," Remus stated as he called for a nurse, "you need to calm down and breathe." Harry was coughing, his chest was heaving up and down.

A nurse walked into the room at a quick pace, "He's having trouble breathing, his chest was…" Remus trailed off, he felt useless, there was nothing he could do as he watched the nurse calm Harry down.

The nurse moved away from the bed and Harry was again in Remus' view. The oxygen mask was on and his eyes were closed, shielding him from the hospital room.

He looked towards the nurse for reassurance, "He's fine, he just had a bit of a panic."

"Harry?" Remus asked as the nurse left the room, "Come on Harry, I know you're awake," Remus tried to add some light into his voice; he wanted Harry to know he wasn't upset at his outburst. It was a lie though, he was upset, not at Harry but at the situation, Harry had been hurt again and he hadn't been able to stop it.

Harry opened his eyes, "Much better." Harry didn't appear to acknowledge his presence. "Do you need anything? Want anything?" Sensing Harry's answer to what he ideally wants Remus quickly added, "Drink? Magazine? Book?"

Removing the mask again with his bandaged left hand he said, looking up at Remus, "I'm sorry, I don't why I-I said what said," The corner of his lips moved to smile slightly, "I don't mind not leaving right now, I just-I-I-I don't know."

Remus tried to help Harry out, "It's confusing, all of this, you've been hurt, you can't remember just yet what happened, I'm feeling confused, I don't know what I should do, or say for that matter," he smiled down at Harry hoping that in admitting his feelings Harry might do the same.

In Harrys mind there was a conflicting battle going on, should he tell Remus what had happened with his uncle? No, he never wanted anyone to know, he didn't want to be weak, or show people that he was but everyone must have seen the hand and foot shaped bruises. Maybe he could just say that he had had an accident, tripped up, fallen down the stairs or gotten into a fight with some teenagers? There was bound to still be bruises around his neck, though with relief Harry thought no one might have noticed because of the brace that he could feel uncomfortably around his neck, were his eyes still bloodshot? Though he imagined that could be explained by hitting his head. If he did say something about getting hurt before anything was mentioned about those bruises they would be much more likely to believe him than if he lied after the bruises were mentioned. He would need to get his story straight.

Harry was silent and thinking now as a better time than any, he'd have to mention sometime in the next couple of hours anyway, he began gently, "Harry," he didn't know how to say it, "w-when you got here, when they were checking your injuries they found-some bruises and cuts were found that weren't caused by the accident can you remember how you got them?"

He was too late, Remus wouldn't believe him no; he was an awful liar.

He had an idea, "T-that's why I was so confused, when I woke up here," Remus frowned down at him, Harry thought he should be congratulated at his much improved lying abilities and to have come up with it so quickly, "I didn't think I'd hurt myself that bad to be in hospital 'cause I'd only tripped over, Aunt Petunia said I was fine, that' the last thing I could remember when I woke up here." A silent applause went off in Harry's head only silencing when Remus didn't look so sure.

Wanting to believe Harry Remus smiled down at him, "Ok, well, because you're classed as a child," Remus had chosen his words well not wanting Harry to become angry again, "a social worker has got to talk to you; I'm told it's purely procedure."

Panic rose in Harry's voice as the words sped out, "But I just said what happened and a social worker means that people think-and I only tripped over, I just tripped," they knew, why else would he have to talk to a social worker, 'purely procedure,' no, they knew.

"Harry, no one thinks anything; they just need to make sure you're ok, ok?" Harry's explanation had definitely been a lie, why would he panic so much if it weren't? "They will be coming to see you later today and the police will also want to speak to you about the accident in the next few days." Remus thought he might as well give Harry all the bad news at once.

"There's not much point in that is there?" Harry's voice was back to normal now, "I can't remember what happened."

"No, well, like a said it they'll be here in the next few days, so we'll just see how you then. Now, do want anything? You've missed lunch but I'm sure we can get you something to eat if you want."

"I'm not hungry," it was true he wasn't, Harry assumed it was because he was probably being given enough nutrition through one of the various tubes that were attached to him. His throat was a bit sore, "can I just have a drink, please?"

"Yeah, sure, water ok?"

"Mmm."

There was a jug of water, plastic cup and straw on a table in the room, Remus stood up and walked over, Harry could only hear his footsteps and the sound of the water pouring into the cup then a clank as the jug was placed back down on the surface as he was still lying on his back.

"Here you go," Harry felt blood rush to his cheeks; he was embarrassed, he must look like an idiot. Remus held to the cup of water to Harry and moved the straw so that Harry could drink. He coughed when the water hit his throat and coughed again when he tried to keep to water in his mouth, water dribbled down his chin as pain laced through his chest.

Harry pulled away; he didn't want to drink like this. "Can-can I sit up?"

When Harry had been moved to this new room the Doctor Wyld had said that Remus could move the bed up slightly if Harry asked but she also said that she didn't want him to move too much.

"Ok, I'll move the bed up, ok?"

Harry could now see his room more clearly, he could also see the view out of the window, he could see the other wings of the hospital and he decided the room must be at the back of the hospital as he could only see the tops of a few high rise buildings or any roads, the window was looking out onto some grass, where there were some trees scattered and some plants had been planted.

"Better?" his ex-professor questioned.

"Mmm." It had been uncomfortable lying on his back and he hadn't like not being able to see what was going on around him.

"D'you want some more water?"

"Kay," the water was passed to him and he took it with his left hand before he put it up to his mouth to drink he stared at the cup of water suddenly thankful it wasn't glass.

Remus noticed Harry starring at the cup. He frowned, "Ok, Harry?"

"Hmm," his eyes moved to Remus, "Yeah," and he placed the cup closer to his mouth and drank a few sips out of the straw.

Seeing that Harry had finished Remus took the cup off him and put in on the bedside table.

After a few moments of silence Harry asked, "When can this come off? It's not very comfortable." He indicated to the white neck brace.

"I don't know but you can ask the nurse when she comes to check on you."

"Kay."

Harry began to inspect his injuries now that he could see his body; he moved his hands as he looked at them, his left was wrapped in a bandage. He remembered the glass shards from the bathroom incident, but he thought to himself that the doctors could have put it down to broken glass from the car, the windscreen perhaps, he hoped they had. His right wrist was in plaster and there were bruises and grazes covering nearly all the skin he could see, he must have looked like a mess. Harry brought his un-plastered hand up to his face to feel the damage done there; he could feel another bandage over his temple and left hand side of his forehead and again his skin felt bruised, graze and cut. He definitely looked like a mess. His chest felt tight and his breaths were short.

"What's wrong with me? What's wrong with my chest?"

"You've broken a couple of your ribs and you had surgery to fix your lung," Remus explained.

"My lung?"

"Yeah, your left, it was punctured by one of your ribs when it broke," remembering he hadn't asked when Harry woke Remus suddenly sped on, "Why? Does it hurt? Are you in any pain?"

"No, I'm fine," Harry coughed again and his face grimaced as his chest roared in protest, "It's just a bit sore I s'pose."

"Ok, but let me know if you are in any pain and I'll get a nurse."

Remus picked up a magazine, "Do want to have a flip through?" he said offering it to Harry.

"Nah, I'll just rest," Harry's voice was tired.

"Ok, do you want the bed down?"

"Nah," his reply was just above a whisper as he closed his eyes and fell asleep within minutes.

To Be Continued

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