Chapter 27
"Ella can you hear me?" A voice said, sounding distant. Everything sounded like it was a long way away and nothing was really fitting into place. "Where the hell is Madame Pomfrey?!" He snapped.
"She's on her way, please try and stay calm Mr Weasley," An older and wiser voice now spoke. Ella was now becoming conscious of the fact she was lying on hard surface, and that the voices she could here, were indeed right next to her. She slowly tried to prise her eyes open, however they just fluttered slightly before shutting once again, not that Fred hadn't noticed this slight movement.
"Professor, she's coming round!" He announced, still leaning over her head, refusing to tear his intense gaze from her face. "Ella, hun, can you hear me?"
The voice of her boyfriend brought back some memories, giving her a vague recollection of what had happened. She opened her eyes once again, this time, despite struggling, she kept them open.
"She's awake!" He announced to his professor once more, this time with a higher urgency. "How you feeling?" He asked her, stroking her wet, warm, dark brunette hair. She smiled weakly in response, as the words got caught in her throat. Fred, however, thought it sufficient and leant down, kissing her forehead. "You gave me a right old scare. Madame Pomfrey's on her way," He told her.
Just as the words left his mouth, he heard the school nurse scolding the crowds of students, in an effort to get through to the injured girl. She promptly kneeled beside her, waving her wand in various patterns, muttering incantations under her breath.
"Blood pressure's good, as is her heart beat, her blood oxygen level's a bit on the low side but that's to be expected really seen as she nearly drowned." The nurse rattled, "How are you feeling, dear?" She asked more gently, talking directly to Ella now.
"Better," Ella wheezed in a breathy whisper, which was all she could manage.
"That's a lie," Madame Pomfrey replied bluntly, "come on, let's get you up to the hospital." She conjured a stretcher so as Fred could lift her onto it as she drifted in and out of consciousness.
She woke again several hours later, this time in a clean white room. Her head was now pounding and her body ached all over. She rolled over and opened to her eyes, to see her boyfriend clutching her hand tightly, peering intently at her.
"Where am I?" She questioned cautiously, still obviously dazed.
"You're in the hospital wing. How you feeling?" He asked, squeezing her hand gently.
"Like shit to be honest," She replied, causing Fred to laugh.
"Well, at least you're still the same, blunt Ella we all know and love," Ella couldn't help but laugh at this remark, causing her to wince in pain. "I'll go notify Madame Pomfrey you've woken, she said she wanted to speak to you when you woke," Her stood to leave, carefully kissing her forehead.
Fred returned moments later followed by Madame Pomfrey.
"Thank you, Mr Weasley. Now can I ask you to step outside for a minute or two whilst I talk to Miss Potter privately," She requested politely. Fred looked thoroughly confused, exchanging a glance with Ella who just look worried, before nodding and proceeding out of the hospital wing.
"How are you feeling, Miss Potter?" Ella was getting sick to the back teeth of being asked this, however this time she replied a bit more politely,
"Rough," Madame Pomfrey nodded before pressing on.
"Now may I ask you a few questions?" She asked cautiously. Ella nodded, starting to guess what the mediwitch wanted.
"Have you recently been experiencing any nausea?" She asked, as Ella, unable to answer verbally nodded. "Have you had any tenderness in your breasts? Or any irregularity in menstruation?" She questioned.
"You can stop there, I know I'm pregnant," Ella said shortly, looking to the floor.
"Ah, indeed you are Miss Potter. May I ask how far along you think you might be? Or how long you've known?" She said, giving the younger girl a pitiful look.
"I'll be about 2 and a half months now, and I kind of guessed when I started to get the symptoms, but I just thought if I didn't find out either way then it might go away," She mumbled, ashamed of her naivety.
"Very well, and the father? Does he know? Or is he on the scene?" She asked, concerned.
"He is around but he doesn't have a clue and I'm not sure whether I should tell him," Ella replied, looking the nurse in the eyes for the first time.
"That only leaves one last question then, are you going to keep it?"
"I…I don't know," She stuttered, as a solitude tear rolled down her cheek.
"This is a very large decision to make on your own, Miss Potter. It is for anyone, but especially for a girl as young as yourself. I could arrange for you to talk to your head of house, as she will have to be informed of your predicament anyway as she is responsible for your pastoral care," She suggested.
Ella shook her head, embarrassed at the thought of admitting to her highly respected transfiguration teacher that she had been stupid enough to get herself knocked up when she hadn't even taken her O. yet. Hell, she was 16 years old, with little family and nowhere to live away from school. How on earth was she going to cope?
"She might surprise you, you know. She's not there to judge, but to help, and she's mighty good at it as well," Madame placed a reassuring hand on the young girls shoulder.
"Okay," She nodded slowly, "But would you be able to ask Fred to come back later as I need some time to think." The mediwitch nodded, before exiting the room, leaving Ella to mull over all her possible options. A thought which was so consuming, not long after the nurse had come back through and announced that her boyfriend was coming back at dinner time, sleep had engulfed her into darkness once more.
Ooo, you probably weren't expecting, or maybe I'm just predictable and you were :p let us know what you think and review! Sorry it was slightly shorter than usual but the last one was long so we'll compromise :3 The next update won't be until after next week as I'm on another DofE expedition, enjoy reading and remember that reviews make the pen flow faster
xoxo C