Chapter 11: Other Lovers
Harry and Ron stood in the courtyard for a long time before the door opened again. It was Michelle.
She handed Ron a roll of parchment and a quill. "Ron, I need your written permission to perform the other procedures."
Ron looked at the top of the parchment, but the words blurred. He turned around and looked at her. "What other procedures?"
"I want her heart, lungs and liver checked. Considering the proclivities of her youth and the amount of damage she's already suffered, I think it a wise precaution."
Ron shook his head. "Proclivities. You don't have to say it like that."
"Ron," Michelle said, her voice a clear warning.
"She was young," Ron continued, ignoring her. "She was hurting. She made some bad decisions. We all did." It seemed to Harry like Ron was talking more to himself than to Michelle.
"Yes, well, speaking as one of your bad decisions, let me assure you how little I care.
She's my patient. How she got in the state she's in is of no concern to me aside from its relevance to treatment. So can I treat her?"
Ron looked at her with an odd expression, as if the answer had been obvious all along. "Yeah, of course."
"Then sign that."
Ron scrawled his name across the parchment and handed it to her.
Michelle turned on her heal and left in a huff.
"Fiery, that one," Harry commented.
Ron looked after her. "You've no idea."
"Let's go back in, yeah?" Harry said. "They'll start to worry, we've been gone so long."
Ron nodded and followed Harry back to the waiting area. They took seats facing Hermione's room and watched what seemed like an endless stream of healers walk in and out for an hour. Finally, Michelle came back over to the waiting area.
"We've done all we can," she said. "The rest is up to her. You can go back in if you like."
Harry watched as Ron walked to her room. He was back a few minutes later.
"Look," Ron said, addressing the group. "I appreciate you being here, but go home. She's still unconscious. There's nothing any of us can do. I swear I'll owl everyone the minute she's awake."
People began to stand up and mill about in preparation for leaving. Art walked over to Ron. "Dad, I should stay."
Ron shook his head and put his hand on Art's shoulder. "No, you should go back to school. You've got schoolwork and Head Boy duties tonight. I promise, you'll be the first to know when she wakes up."
"Art?"
Harry turned to see Emma Silsbury standing in the hallway behind them. She was blushing furiously.
"Emma," Art said, turning toward her.
"I'm sorry I'm late, Mum and Dad were being impossible. Is everything all right?"
"The procedure went well," Art said, "but Mum is still unconscious."
"Emma," Ron acknowledged her.
Harry noticed the poor girl's blush deepened.
"Mr. Weasley," she said.
"Take Art back to school," Ron continued.
Emma looked at Art. "Yeah," he said. "But I'm coming back tomorrow after class."
Ron nodded. "Fine."
"And if she wakes up before then, you'll send someone to fetch me."
Ron nodded again. "Of course." He put his arm around Art's shoulders and walked with him and Emma over to the fireplace. For the next twenty minutes, Harry watched as Ron stood by the fireplace, saying good-bye to everyone as they took the Floo. Finally, it was down to Viktor, Harry and Ginny. Gabrielle had just stepped into the fire with her daughter, when Viktor turned to Ron.
"Do you mind if I see her for a few minutes?"
Ron blew out a slow breath. "Go ahead."
Harry looked at him as Viktor walked away. "Are you sure you're okay with that?"
Ron snorted. "I let him have her for three years, I think I can give him ten more minutes."
"I guess we should be going then," Harry said, taking Ginny's hand.
"Actually," Ron stopped him, "I was wondering if you two might go to the house and get her some pajamas. She's not going to be happy if she wakes up and doesn't have any clothes on."
Ginny nodded. "Of course."
"Thanks," Ron said.
Viktor entered Hermione's room cautiously. He knew she wasn't awake, but it still felt wrong to just walk in. She looked like she was just napping. He frowned at her.
"I'm tired of keeping your secrets," he started. "Why can't you just tell him? Are you still so ashamed after all these years? He knows the worst of it already, why keep him in the dark about the rest? You are stubborn and impossible and you always were. This damn job of yours, I told you to quit years ago, but no, now you're right back at it and look where it landed you. Even cats only get nine lives, Hermione. You're pushing your luck."
Viktor scrubbed a hand down his face and turned to leave, he stopped at the door and turned back to her. "You never asked, but I'm telling you, that article was a lie. I never cheated on you, which is more than I can say for you. You loved him the whole time we were together. At least I tried to love you. For you, it was all about any port in a storm. It could have been anyone in that market Christmas Eve. You just didn't want to go home alone. As far as I'm concerned, the only decent thing you ever did for me was introduce me to Gabrielle." Viktor looked up at the ceiling and took a deep breath, surprised by his own anger. He blew out the breath, and looked down at her. "Don't die," he said. "Ron doesn't deserve that." He opened the door and walked back to the fireplace. Suddenly, he couldn't get home fast enough.
Viktor only nodded to Ron on his way back to the fireplace. Harry and Ginny had left to pick up clothes for Hermione, so Ron was alone as he made his way back to her room. He sat down heavily in the now familiar chair next to her bed. He picked up her hand and kissed the back of it. "Just you and me again, luv."