Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters.

Chapter Twenty

The Hospital Wing

She could hear soft mumbling, though she had no idea what was being said. She tried to open her eyes but nothing happened. However, being that she never was one to give up she just keep trying, even after the mumbling stopped, after she was force feed the most awful thing she's ever tasted, the liquid burning her throat. When she final did open her eyes it was to find herself in a dark room and she could hardly tell her eyes were open at all. She just sat there, trying to let her eyes adjust to the darkest until she noticed that there was someone sitting next to her. Her eyes widen when she saw the red hair of the sleeping boy next to her.

"Ro…" she tried to say but her throat was dried and burned and all she could do was cough.

Ron, however, sat up and smiled at her, his eyes looking relieved and concerned. "Hermione!" he said in relief, and stood up and handed her a glass, "you're supposed to drink this when you got up."

Hermione nodded her head, a pain shot through her chest, and she tried not to move at all as Ron kept a hold on the glass. It seem like he thought it would be best if he helped her drink it, and she had to admit it probably was, she was very weak. "Ron…" she said after she took some of the potion, it really did make her throat feel a lot better, but that didn't make the rest of her hurt any less. "Tell me what happened."

Ron flinched at that, his eyes getting grave. It had been three days since they went to the Ministry and he's been so worried about her. He refused to leave her side, and was rather pleased that the stupid brain had attacked him, because it gave him an excuse for being able to stay there. When he had woken up the morning after everything Dumbledore had come into the hospital wing and explained to him, Ginny, Neville and Luna (all of whom were made to stay in the hospital that day too) about what had happen.

"Ron?" Hermione asked, noticing his look and knowing that it meant nothing good. "What is it? Did… did someone d… get hurt…" her voice trailed off at the end and her heart pounded painfully in her chest (from both emotion and actual physical pain). "How did we get out?"

"The Order of the Phoenix came of course," Ron said sitting down taking her hand, knowing what he had to say was going to be difficult… for the both of them. "I'm not really sure when they came either, I was kind of knocked out at the time…"

"What happened?" Hermione said worried.

"I was attacked by one of the brains," Ron muttered, he felt so weak for letting that stop him from helping Harry.

"What?" Hermione exclaimed and then quickly wished that she hadn't because her chest felt like she was stabled with a blunt instrument.

"Hermione," Ron groaned and stood up looking worried.

"I'm okay," Hermione said taking in shallow breaths. "Tell me what happened."

Ron was chewing his bottom lip, looking like he wasn't sure if she could handle what he had to say right now, but she was giving him a look that say quite plainly, tell me now or I will hurt you. "The brain wasn't anything; it just knocked me out, but…"

"Are the others okay, too?" Hermione eyes were pleading now, though it looked like she was bracing herself for the worst.

"Harry, Ginny, Neville and Luna are fine," Ron said his voice a little tight now. "Tonks, you meet her…"

"I remember," Hermione softly, worried now for the hyperactive woman that was only a little older than them.

"She was hurt pretty badly," Ron went on. "She's in St. Mungo, but they think she's going to be okay in a few weeks. And Em…"

"Ron," Hermione asked her voice soft and she reached out for his hand. She could tell by his expression that he was trying not to say something.

"It's Sirius," Ron chocked out his expression grave and she gasped, tear starting to leak down her eyes. "I… he was… no one knows what happened to…"

"What?" Hermione said, her voice shaky, but she couldn't understand what he was saying.

"Dumbledore said that he won't wake up," Ron said in barely a whisper. "Bellatrix Lestrange hit him with a curse that… something about cruor proditor curse…"

"No," Hermione gasped.

"What is it?" Ron asked, his expression was indescribable, though she could see the faintest trace of amusement there.

"It's… well, those curse… they're very ancient," Hermione said. "It's something that pureblood families would use on member of their family that was a… er… a blood traitor…"

Ron grimaced at that his eyes becoming hard. "Stupid gits… Do you know how bad it is? Dumbledore wouldn't say…"

"I don't know Ron," Hermione frown, she was starting to cry about Sirius fate. All cruor proditor curses are bad, but she had a feeling that the one that Bellatrix Lestrange used on him would have to be the worst of all of them. "But his fate is now tied to her…"

"What does that mean?" a voice from the door said. They both looked up to see Harry standing there looking grim. His expression was a lot darker than Hermione has ever seen it and his eyes were filled with both anger and pain that she couldn't even begin to fathom.

"Harry!" they both exclaimed and his expression soften a little when he looked at them.

"It's good to see you're finally awake," Harry said.

"Yeah, it really is," Ron grumbled, he really should have said that earlier.

"Now, what is this about Si…" Harry said but he couldn't seem to be able to say his godfather's name, "about their fates."

Hermione bit her lip, she didn't think there could be anything gained by Harry knowing this, but there wasn't anything she could do. She couldn't lie to him and she knew how angry he got when things were kept from him. "I don't know what curse was used but most of the cruor proditor curses use blood magic (Harry winch at that, probably thinking about his own blood magic that had saved his life a few times) that will tie the two together. As long as she lives, I would imagine the curse would be in effect."

"So, you mean if she dies… Sirius would get better," Harry said slowly and his eyes had become cold. He wasn't opposed to that evil witch dying in the least.

"I believe so," Hermione said looking at him closely, she was afraid that this would just make him want to go after her, become reckless and colder and what she saw in him didn't help that thought.

"Well, that's good, we're just going to have to get that bitch," Ron said, his voice was as cold as Harry looked.

"Yeah," Harry almost smile, but it looked odd on his face… it definitely wasn't his normal smile. Then he shook his head and looked at him, "but first, you two are going to have to heal up."

"I'll get right on…" Hermione started but it was in that moment that Madam Pomfrey walked in and she reprimanded them all for not telling her that Hermione was wake. The rest of the morning Hermione was poked and prodded with all sorts of spells, and given at least fifteen different potions, all of which made her want to gag. Harry stayed there most of the time, talking to Ron, though his eyes were on her a lot, and she could see only guilt in them. She really wished she could talk with him about this, but he became evasive when she tied to bring it up and quickly left.

"He's been like that for the last few days," Ron frowned as he watched his best friend leave. "I don't know what to do."

"I supposed all we can do is give him some time," Hermione sighed. "And be there for him when he needs it."

"Like he will ever just open up," Ron muttered under his breath but she heard him all the same.

"On, I never thought he would come to us," Hermione smiled. "But he's not quite ready for us to force ourselves on him."

"I notice how you keep saying us," Ron said turning to her. "Isn't this the point where you're supposed to tell me 'Ron, only you can help him now,'" he said doing a pretty good imitation of Hermione's voice.

"I would say that, but I think this time it might help if more people told him," Hermione said and then started to laugh… which didn't last long, it hurt to laugh.

"You okay?" Ron said looking worried again.

"I'm fine Ron, you don't have to worry about me," Hermione said, wishing she hadn't said that.

"Right," Ron looked away. "Madam Pomfrey said you should get some sleep."

"Right," Hermione sighed and he stalked off to his bed and she turned, slowly and painfully to her side.

O

It was now four days later and she was feeling a lot better, but it was still hard for her to move. Ginny and Neville came to visit her and Ron all the time, in fact they were in the hospital wing almost as much as she was. Harry would come and visit them too, though he would only stay there for a few minutes before leaving them again. He must have visited them ten times the other day, but he just couldn't handle being with them for a long time.

Luna would come a lot, seeming to draft in at unexpected times, but they were all glad to see her.

"I think I owe you an apology," Hermione said to the dreamy girl.

Luna furrowed her eyebrows, "is this about you calling the Quibbler rubbish."

"Er… no," Hermione said looking confused too.

"That's too bad," Luna sighed. "But I don't know what else you would have to be sorry for."

"I… er… for not trying to understand you better," Hermione said. "For thinking that you were weird…"

"That's okay, I am weird," Luna said, "and hardly anyone ever tries to understand me… except for Ginny… she's always been very understand," she added smiling.

"Yes, Ginny's like that," Hermione smiled. "I hope we could be friends Luna."

"Friends," Luna said her dreamy eyes focusing on Hermione intently and she smiled. "I think I would like that."

"Good," Hermione smiled back at her. "It was really brave of you to come with us, you know."

Luna shrugged and Hermione really wanted to ask her why the other girl had come, but she thought it would be rude (not that Luna would have minded, but it still would have been rude).

Luna left shortly after that and Ron and Hermione were left alone again. They hadn't talked that much these last few days, both lost in their own thoughts and worry. She felt a little foolish wondering about him again, especially with everything that was going one (ranging from her grief for Sirius, who wasn't likely to be waking up anytime soon, to the Wizarding world finally open their eyes and admitting that Voldemort was back), but she couldn't get him out of her head. The concern in his eyes when she first woke was so intense that she was filled with so much hope, but she was wary of him too. She had been down that road before, and it just crushed her. So, she did the only thing that was natural to her, she avoided her problem, which meant that she didn't speak to Ron at all.

Ron was doing much the same, he kept wondering why she had jumped in front of the curse for him in the beginning. He knew that she was brave and caring, and that she would probably do that for anyone, but he couldn't help but hope that it was something more. And then there was the voice in his head when he was fighting the brains. Her voice, telling him that he could do anything if he just put his mind to it… That thought would always make him simultaneously feel light head and grumpy. He still cared about her and that wasn't going to change anything soon, but it also made him think that maybe she might really care too…

O

"There you are Harry," Hermione said coming out of the castle and finding him at a breach tree looking at the lake moodily.

"You're out of the hospital," Harry said looking almost happy.

"Yeah, but I still can't walk around too well," Hermione sitting down next to him, "so you better not try to run from be again."

"Run from you," Harry said trying to sound puzzled but she just gave him a look and he sighed. "I'll try not to."

"What were you just thinking about?" Hermione asked. He had a pained and helpless look on his face when she came to him.

"I just got this," Harry said handing her a letter from St. Mungo's. Hermione read it and the only thing she could get out of it was that they had declared that Sirius was incapacitated and there was nothing that they could do to help him and that he would be placed in the permanent spell damage ward.

"I'm so sorry," Hermione said tears starting to stream down her face. It was minutes later before she asked, "Why did they send this to you…?"

"You don't think I should know this," Harry snapped at her, his angry flashing but it faded when he saw her flinch. "Sorry," he sighed. "I just can't stand that no one thinks I can handle things like this… that it would be better to just not tell me…"

"That's not what I meant Harry," Hermione said in a soft and soothing voice.

"Oh," Harry said, and then he looked away from her, back to the lake, "I was listed as his next to kin. It's my decision what they should do with him… I…" his voice trembled and she put her hand on his shoulder. He wanted to shake her off and run again, but he remembered his promise to her. He knew that she wasn't going to let him just go this time, and she really wasn't in shape to go chasing after him but she would anyways. As he thought this, he moved to her unconsciously and rested his head on her shoulder, her hand then moved to wrap around his waist.

"Thanks," Harry said some time later, he felt like a weak baby for losing control like this but he couldn't help but feel better now.

"Anytime Harry," Hermione said. "And if there's anything else that's bothering…"

"Do I need any other reason to be down?" Harry tried to chuckled, but he avoided her eyes, however, it wasn't before she saw the guilty look in them.

"Apparently you do," Hermione said sharply, "you're either going to tell me or I'm going to have to force it out of you."

"Hm…" Harry said thoughtfully and then his face crumbled. "It's all my fault! I should have known better than going there. I should have listened to you… but no, I had to act the hero…"

"It's not your fault, Harry," Hermione said in the same soothing voice she used before, but it didn't seem to have any effect on him this time. "And you weren't acting the hero…"

"Yes I was… what was I think going there?" Harry hissed at himself. "What could I have accomplished even if I was bloody right about the vision?"

"Harry, stop! It's not your fault!" Hermione repeated. "We were all tricked. We all acted rashly. And we all rushed into danger without thinking…"

"Because of me," Harry grumbled.

"Because it was the right thing to do," Hermione hissed back at him. "And we made the choice just like you did to go there! Harry you can't blame anyone but him… Voldemort. He's the one that did this! Him and his stupid followers!"

"Sirius only went there to save me," Harry said bitterly. "If I never…"

"Would you have blamed Sirius if you got cursed?" Hermione asked trying to use some logic on him.

"Of course not!" Harry scoffed and then rolled his eyes. "It's not the same…"

"It's exactly the same," Hermione smirked at him. "It's not your fault Harry…"

"He would have blamed himself…" Harry muttered glumly but he did look a little better. She knew this wasn't going to stop him from blaming himself but she hoped it would help.

"I think it's almost time for the dinner… are you coming?" Hermione said looking back at the castle.

"I guess," Harry said, standing up and holding a hand out to Hermione, she winched when she got up and didn't move for a few seconds. Harry frowned at her, his eyes going guilty again, and she rolled her eyes, so it looks like this talk didn't do a thing after all.

O

The train ride home was peaceful, it seem that everyone came up with the conclusion that they should enjoy these last few hours together while they could, for soon the war was really going to start and who knew what was going to happen then. When they got off the train, it indeed felt like everything was going to change very soon and she was sure that she wasn't going to like it.

Of course she hugged her parents when she saw them, Merlin she had real missed them, and she couldn't believe that it had almost been a year since she's seen them. However, when she noticed that Moody, Lupin, Tonks, and Mr. Weasley were going over to talk to Harry's relatives she just had to go with them. She had to show Harry that she was always going to be on his side. Besides, it was rather funny to see how Mr. Dursley reacted to Moody's eye. She had a feeling that Harry was going to be okay, but still didn't like that he would have weeks, maybe months by himself brooding over everything that had just happened. And then she was hugging him, she didn't even realize what she was doing until she was doing it. He smiled at her awkward when she let him go and they wished each other a happy break.

All too soon she was walking to her parents' car, her father dragging her trunk behind him. "So did you have a good year?" her mum asked looking at her curiously, like she knew that something terrible had happened.

"Yeah, do you think you passed all those bird's of your?" her dad asked.

"O.W.L.'s Dad," Hermione rolled her eyes, she then lean down to help her dad put her trunk in the back of the car and she winched.

"Are you okay?" both her parents asked.

"It's a long story," Hermione sighed. "Perhaps we should wait until we're home…"

"Are you really going to tell us this time?" her dad looked at her suspiciously, but she couldn't blame him this time. She had never told them about all of the dangerous things she's been through. And even though she knew that she wasn't going to tell them everything she was going to have to tell them a lot of it (especially since she still had to take several potions to keep her strength up).

"Yeah, when we get home," Hermione said, that should give her enough time to come up with the best way to tell them all she had been through this year without terrifying them… too much.

A/N: Okay, so I really didn't want Sirius to be killed off in this story, but I didn't know how he would work in to the last book, so I put him in a coma, I hope that's okay.