Look at All the Fan Girls
Harry's birthday arrived and the sweltering summer sun was relentless. Ginny had reserved the outdoor deck of a restaurant in town that was owned by a local wizard several weeks before the actual day to make sure it was free. Considering today was excruciatingly hot it proved to be a good plan. The restaurant overlooked the river and the large party deck was covered by striped awnings giving the guests shade from the blistering sun. Ginny reserved the entire deck for his party allowing the guests plenty of room to mingle and dance. Party lights strung under the awnings lit the area with a festive glow. The party was well under way as the sun slowly sank into the horizon.
Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny sat at a table near the water. "Well Harry what do you think?" Hermione said.
"I think it would be a great job for you. It is something you're interested in 'Assistant to the Minister of Elfish Relations' that would make it 'A.M.E.R.' not as catchy as 'S.P.E.W.' but what the heck, at least it pays well." Harry reasoned.
"Well the pay isn't the deal any more mate, not with the book money and the Cannons contract I just signed," Ron explained. "And you need to reconsider the book money, we get two thirds and you only get one third. It's not fair."
"Ron, get off it. You were two thirds of the trio so it's fine. I'm pretty sure I'm not going hungry." He shook his head smiling. "You signed your contracts already?"
"Yeah, it was pretty straight forward, same as last year, thirty percent increase, signing bonus, same endorsements as last year but with percentage increases. Hermione and Percy checked it over for me," Ron said.
"I kept getting headaches when I tried to sort mine. There were about fifty pages of words I couldn't read. I gave up and hired a lawyer." Harry's body involuntarily shuddered at the thought.
"This is one of those times I'm glad I'm not the famous Harry Potter." Ron laughed at his friend's predicament. "Blimey, fifty pages, that's awful."
Harry saw Teddy walking across the floor looking for him. "Teddy, over here buddy!" Teddy ran to Harry and climbed into his lap until he saw Ginny and climbed over to sit with her.
"Uh-oh, Harry, look out he's moving in on your girl." The deep voice behind him could only belong to Kingsley Shacklebolt.
"Hello Kingsley, how are you? Still have time to partake in our little party I see." Harry offered the man a chair.
"Never too busy for a party. I haven't seen you in a while Harry, is life treating you well?" the Minister asked.
"Its really good, I've never been better." He squeezed Ginny's hand where it rested on his thigh.
The Minister of Magic focused his gaze on Hermione. "So, Mrs. Weasley, have you given due consideration to our most recent offer?"
"Yes I have. The position offered intrigues me, but I have a question or two… May I finish the last installments of our books?" She motioned to the trio. "And, will I be able to keep traveling with my husband?"
"Well, Hermione, the books are your endeavor, so long as the time required does not interfere with your job performance then it is up to you to manage your affairs. As for the traveling, you will have an office at the ministry, and if you can arrange ministry business to meet your travel times then I see no issue." Kingsley clarified the ministry's expectations. "Do I have a new associate?"
Hermione looked to Ron, he nodded. "Yes sir you do." She offered her hand to Kingsley to seal the deal.
Kingsley took her hand and the pair shook hands. "Well then drinks are on me." Kingsley waved his wand. Small glasses filled with a russet colored liquid appeared for the friends. Each took a sip of the cinnamon flavored liqueur.
"Mr. Weasley what about your offer?" Kingsley turned to focus his eyes on Ron. Ron flustered.
"Well sir I haven't really talked to anyone about it yet, I was focusing on Hermione's offer and my Cannons contract," Ron explained.
"Well, you know how to contact me; I would like you to seriously consider it." The Minister of Magic stood and swept from the table to meet other guests. "I'll see you four again before I leave."
"What offer Ron?" Ginny asked. Teddy climbed down and ran over to Molly.
"They still want me to be an Auror." He shrugged his shoulders. "Not sure about it, I like playing for the Cannons. I'm going to do that as long as I can, maybe later I'll take him up on his offer. Kingsley also wanted me to mention it to Harry." Ron paused. "So…Harry, if you want to be an Auror go talk to Kingsley."
Harry looked at Ginny; she looked back to him with nervousness in her eyes. "Nope, I've had my share. The ministry can handle it for a while…I need to meet some other guests." He stood to go mingle with well wishers. Ginny followed and steered him to the railing looking out over the water.
"Harry…" she began.
"Gin, I'm not changing jobs. I'm enjoying a life that is for the most part dark wizard free. My sole focus it to get you to the altar." He squeezed her hand.
"Thanks." She sighed and stared out over the river blankly. "Harry, when you do decide to become an Auror, promise me we'll talk a lot about it first."
He cupped her chin and gently turned his fiancée's face up to his. "If, and that's a big if, I ever consider it, I will talk to you first. I promise." He kissed her forehead and then went to visit friends.
Ginny stood at the railing and watched a fishing boat troll down the river. 'If,' she chuckled to herself. 'No more like when.' She smiled knowingly; eventually he would go back to fighting evil, defending those that needed help. It was too big a part of who he was. For now he was happy playing quidditch, and she was happy for him. She left the rail and mingled with guests.
Ginny gathered the guests and started the chorus of 'Happy Birthday'. When they finished singing, restaurant staff served the cakes and ice cream. Harry opened the various small gifts setting on the table; he noticed that there were no gifts from the immediate family which puzzled him a bit.
"Well, for our last gift we need to step out to the front of the building," Ginny called to the partygoers. The crowd followed her to the front steps of the restaurant.
"Shush please." Everyone quieted "Despite my best efforts, my fiancé is determined to keep some portions of his muggle life intact. I have to put up with a computer in the study, a telephone, and a microwave that I have no clue how to use… But I digress… To get Harry's gift I had to resort to desperate measures. I asked a muggle raised witch to help me." She smiled to Hermione. Hermione bowed to the crowd. "In any case, happy birthday Harry." She stepped to the side and flicked her wand.
To her left, a black nylon car cover slid to the ground revealing an older sports car. The car was sleek and low, the long bonnet sloped gracefully to a rounded nose with an oval grille opening. The parking lot lighting reflected in the glossy silver paint. The black convertible top was down showing off the worn but cared for leather interior.
"Wow, a 1970 Jaguar, it's beautiful…" Harry gushed. "Who's idea?" Everyone pointed to Ginny who was beaming in pride.
"I remembered the night we took Teddy out on Valentines Day and you saw one. I memorized the name of it, but I didn't know how to get one so I had Hermione look it up on her computer, using the big net inside it," Ginny explained.
Harry chuckled. "Well the internet isn't really inside the computer…" he stopped the explanation. "Thank you, it is my favorite style car from when I was a boy. Dudley had a toy one. He never let me play with it." He motioned Ginny over to get a hug.
"Harry, we love you." Ginny motioned to all of them. "Everyone pitched in what they could, and then I covered the rest. So, from all of us, happy birthday." She leaned up and kissed him.
Guests milled about the car admiring it for several minutes before Harry and Ron pulled the cover over it and went back into the restaurant.
"I'm hittin' the restroom," Ron said.
"Me too." They walked down a hall to their left; Harry held the door for the men behind him.
"Thanks," the man muttered. Ron stepped behind the divider of a stall at the end of the restroom. Harry picked a urinal halfway down the row. The other men took a spots on either side of him. They all did their best not to look at each other.
Harry noticed the two men glance at each other. 'Odd, why would they…' from the corner of his eye he saw the man on the left flinch. Instinctively Harry stepped back about a foot.
"Crucio!" the spell missed, shattering the white ceramic wall tiles in front of Harry. Harry pulled his wand as he dove across the dirty floor. He rolled to his back.
"Sanguis Aconitum!" The curse caught Harry's left arm, he writhed in pain. An icy cold sensation flowed through his arm.
"Ron!" he screamed. "Expelliarmus!" Harry's disarming spell made contact with his attacker causing the man to break the curse, but the wizard retained his wand. "Stupefy!" he hit the dark wizard in the body freezing the man. Ron stepped warily from the end stall.
"Imperio! " the second wizard's spell connected with the red head's chest. The man jerked his wand quickly towards the wall. Ron blindly flung himself at the wall, completely under the man's control. His head bounced off the metal paper towel dispenser and his legs gave out. Harry's only help fell to the floor, motionless.
The second attacker released the curse on Ron and jumped into the other empty stall for protection from Harry's spells.
Harry jumped up, left arm still useless from the previous curse. He reached over the top of the divider wall with his right hand, pointing his wand blindly into the stall. "Petrificus Totalis!" the toilet exploded in a shower of water and porcelain. A bat flew from the stall, Harry wheeled around. "Engorgio!" The spell missed the bat and blasted a hole in the plaster ceiling, raining paint and plaster onto the combatants.
The bat swooped back around and dove down on Harry. As it got close to him it transformed back into its human form. Harry rolled to the side; the man fell to the hard tile floor with a thud. Harry punched him in the face confusing him. Just as quickly the other wizard kneed Harry in the kidney. The sharp pain knifed through his body, he involuntarily coiled into a fetal position. The wizard hopped to his feet and pointed his wand at Harry.
'Expelliarmus!' Harry nonverbally cast the disarming spell, catching his opponent off guard. The man flew back from the force of the spell. His out of control body slammed into the large plate glass mirror over the sinks. With a sharp crack the mirror shattered. As the dark wizard slid to the floor, a wide trail of crimson blood stains glistened on the wall. The puddle forming on the floor kept creeping outwards from the man's broken skull.
Harry rushed back to Ron. "Ennervate!" Ron blinked in confusion. Harry explained the circumstances of the moment. The two of them stood. The water from the broken toilet still flooded the floor. Scarlet swirls patterned across the floor as the rushing water mixed with blood.
The friends staggered out of the restroom, Ron stepping unsteadily, Harry clutching his useless arm. The icy feeling was beginning to spread through his chest.
"I can't even use the toilet anymore, this is nuts," Harry exasperated as they tried to find the minister's bodyguards. "Kingsley, Ginny!" Harry blurted out as they stumbled to the party deck. Ginny and others ran to their aid. "Two wizards in the men's room, go get them."
Kingsley called his protection detail to watch the assailants and sent his lynx patronus to The Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
Soon the Senior Auror's detail was on scene. Harry and Ron gave their account of the attack. Hermione was tending to Ron; Ginny was tending to Harry's cuts and scrapes. His left arm still felt dead from the curse, the rest of his body was succumbing to the cold sensation stemming from his arm.
"Dawlish," Harry called to the head Auror. "What's going on, how'd these guys get in while the minister is here? Where was security?"
"Security is provided for the Minister of Magic, not private citizens," Dawlish clarified.
"They damn near got me. Who the hell are they? I want to know," Harry demanded.
"Harry, I don't know. When I get back to the office and we all debrief, then I'll know. And it will be classified so I will not be sending you the report." The senior Auror spoke evenly so Harry would not misunderstand.
One of the younger Aurors stepped up and whispered something to Dawlish. "One of them is dead. One or both of you two may need to come to the ministry for interrogation." The senior Auror motioned towards Harry and Ron.
"Dead?" Harry felt his stomach turn, nearly retching. The sickly feel in his arm seemed to be spreading through his body, little by little.
"The bastards attacked me, I want the report," Harry said loudly.
"Mr. Potter, your celebrity does not give you the authority to receive classified reports. My reports are for Aurors and department personnel only." Dawlish turned and stalked away leaving his crew to finish sanitizing the site and altering muggle memories.
"Well from where I stand the security detail doesn't appear to be Aurors either, so don't send them the report." Harry retorted.
"Come sit." Ginny forcefully led Harry to a secluded table away from the remaining guests. He staggered clumsily alongside her. "Do we need to get you to St. Mungo's?"
"Not St. Mungo's, the press will eat us up, but I have to see Meredith pretty quick. I don't know what that curse was, but its spreading inside me I can feel it." Harry vomited as he finished speaking.
"Mum! Dad! Close this up I need to get Harry out of here!" Ginny shouted to her parents as she started to take charge.
Ron and Hermione came over to him. "Hermione can you shrink the car for me and take it home for tonight?" she asked her friend.
"Sure Ginny."
"Let's go." She took Harry in her arms and apparated them to the loft.
'Pop' the couple felt their feet land on the concrete floor. It took nearly all her strength to help him up the steps and into the loft. Harry looked pale and stepped unsteadily to the fireplace. He tossed a pinch of powder into the firebox. "Meredith, its Harry, I need help. Now!" He retched again. Ginny helped him to the couch.
"I'm coming, how do I call the floo? Are the wards set to let me in?" Meredith called back.
Harry adjusted the wards. Ginny spoke to Meredith, "Call it as Potter Carriage House, Meredith."
With a whoosh an older blond healer stepped from the fireplace carrying a large medical bag. "I'm Meredith. What happened Harry?" She went to his side. Ginny walked over to the side of the sofa.
"Ginny, we need to get him into a bed, that curse got him pretty bad." Meredith appraised her patient. "Harry…Harry what curse was it?"
"San.. Sangui- anconitum? Or something like that." Harry shuddered.
"Let's use the spare room so we don't have to deal with the stairs," Ginny offered. Together they levitated Harry into the spare bed. Meredith went back to work using a variety of counter curses and potions.
"What can I do?" Ginny questioned while Harry thrashed about on the bed in pain.
"Ginny, talk to him and try to hold him down. Put these gloves on; don't make contact with his skin in any way," Meredith commanded, pointing towards a set of latex gloves in her bag.
Ginny shoved her hands into the gloves. "It's alright Harry, we're at home…" she calmly spoke to Harry as she held him in place. He responded to her voice and he settled down.
Meredith completed the complicated counter curse after about half an hour. She set out eight potions on the side table. "He needs one bottle every thirty minutes exactly to keep the concentration of the medicine at the right level." Ginny nodded. Meredith took five more potions out of her bag. "He gets one of these every other hour." Ginny nodded again.
"What do you think?" Ginny asked looking at the woman she was trusting with Harry's life.
"I don't know. He has to get these potions at the right times to recover properly." Meredith saw Ginny staring at Harry. "Ginny, I've heard Harry talk about you and I know you have some healer training, but you look tired. Can you do this? It is imperative that he get these potions correctly."
"I can do it," Ginny agreed through very tired, yet determined eyes. Meredith studied Ginny's state before deciding on her actions.
"Ginny go up to bed and sleep, I'll stay with him…"
"I'm not going upstairs. I'm staying down here with him," Ginny said plainly.
Meredith got comfortable in the overstuffed arm chair by the bed. "I mean it, upstairs now and sleep." Meredith's tone left no room for argument. "Ginny, if he wakes I'll come get you. He won't, I gave him enough sleeping draught to put down a man twice his size." The elder witch said in a soothing voice. "Please sleep, he'll need you tomorrow."
Ginny reluctantly went up the spiral stairs to the loft and plopped onto the bed. The gravity of the situation sank in; she forced herself to hold off the coming tears. 'I want to stay by Harry! Who is she to order me upstairs?' Ginny stood up, ready to head back downstairs to confront the healer. 'I don't even know what the curse was. What am I thinking?' She sat back on the bed, gathering her emotions. Ginny took a deep breath, stood from the bed for a second time and slid her dress to the floor. She pulled on a pair of shorts and rummaged through her dresser looking for her favorite old practice jersey. She found it buried under some other clothes she'd nicked from him and slid it over her head. Now that she and Harry were together nearly every night she didn't wear the jersey as much as she used to. Tonight she wanted it, the jersey calmed her, it was familiar, it was him when he wasn't there.
'I have to sleep, so I can help him tomorrow.' Ginny climbed into bed. She lay awake staring at the ceiling. Unable to sleep she slid to his side of the bed and rested her head on his pillow, relishing in his scent.
'It's no use, I can't sleep.' Fifteen minutes later she gave up, pulled herself from the bed and went back downstairs to Harry's side.
"Welcome back." Meredith smiled.
Ginny curled up in the other arm chair feeling more at ease now that she was closer. "What curse did they get him with?" Ginny inquired.
"Sanguis Aconitum, it's a dreadfully potent poisoning curse. It poisons the victim's blood, then as the blood is pumped though the victim's body it poisons their heart, lungs, kidneys and eventually all their organs. Once the organs are infected, those organs will produce poisoned fluids as well, including tears, saliva, any fluid produced by the body." The healer explained.
Ginny blinked at the harsh reality. "How much of him was poisoned, will he recover fully?"
"I'm not sure Ginny, he should, but it depends on several factors. How strong the cursing wizard was, where the curse hit him, how fast we got the potions into him. For now he's steady, if he worsens then we'll need to transfer him to a hospital, media ruckus or not." Meredith stood and tipped one of the potions to Harry's mouth making him swallow it roughly.
Meredith continued, "It's a nasty curse, only wizards who truly intend to kill use it. The ministry thought about making it an unforgivable, but since it can be cured if treated early, they didn't."
Ginny reached to brush the hair off Harry's forehead. "Stop!" Meredith warned "The poison could be in his skin by now, no direct contact." Ginny hung her head and slumped into her chair. She fought to stay awake, before succumbing to sleep involuntarily; she woke so often it wasn't fair to classify it as sleep.
"Ginny, wake up we need to go!" the healer's words dragged Ginny from sleep. "Ginny he's stopped responding to the potions, we need to get him to Sister Elizabeth's."
"St. Mungo's is closer," Ginny replied as she shook herself awake. When Ginny focused her eyes on Harry she noticed the cloak wrapped around his body tightly, binding him snugly. "Accio sweats!" A pair of grey sweatpants floated to her. She quickly pulled the soft pants over her shorts and donned her shoes.
"Ginny we're flooing to Sister Elizabeth's; I'll explain when we get there." The blond witch levitated Harry to the fireplace, threw a large handful of powder and called them through the flames, "Sister Elizabeth's!" Ginny followed.
The two women guided Harry though the lobby. "We need to get him up to the fourth floor," Meredith spoke quickly to a young brunette receptionist.
"Patient name?" asked the receptionist.
"Harry Weasley," Ginny answered quickly.
"Very well, we trust you Meredith; go on up, room four twelve," the dark haired girl advised.
Meredith led Ginny to the magical lifts, levitating Harry alongside. "We came here because they have some experimental blood purifiers. The machines are currently under development for victims of werewolf attacks. I think they can help sanitize Harry's blood."
"I've seen them," Ginny replied to Meredith's surprise. Meredith and Ginny placed Harry's prone body softly into the bed. Meredith went to the healer's station to set up the care rotations and procure one of the purifiers.
Soon Harry Weasley's room was a flurry of activity. Meredith explained the curse and the treatment so far. The healers' gloved hands removed Harry's clothing and dressed him in an ugly green hospital gown. One of the healers connected the magical blood purifier to Harry's torso on his left side just above his kidney. She performed the charms to begin the sanitization process. The purifier whirred softly; slowly the clear plastic tubes circulated Harry's fouled blood through the filters before returning it to his body.
Ginny pulled a chair over beside the bed and rested her head in her hands as the healers finished setting up Harry's treatment. As the healing team finished the preparations Ginny stood, introduced herself, and memorized each of their names. She and Meredith went over Harry's healing schedule. With that task completed she sent a patronus to her parents. A second silvery horse soon galloped off to Ron and Hermione's with the news of Harry's condition.
Knowing Harry would be under the influence of the sleeping draught for at least another six hours Ginny curled up in a brown vinyl recliner with a hospital blanket and attempted to sleep. It was a fitful sleep, she stirred at any noise, but some sleep was better than none.
Bright sunlight cascaded over Ginny's face the next morning, waking her fully. She rubbed her eyes and shuffled over to check on Harry. Meredith was standing near his bed administering a potion.
"How is he?" Ginny asked as she crouched by the bed. She made to sweep Harry's hair back from his eyes when Meredith pulled her hand back gently.
"No touching, not yet. He's stabilized, the poison is weakening, but it's now spread throughout his body." She looked to see a crestfallen Ginny.
"His whole body is poisoned now?" Ginny croaked softly.
"Well yes, it's to be expected. His blood circulates through his entire body. Ginny the key is the poison didn't increase in strength. So as it spreads it is getting weaker. Yes more parts are affected, but the poison isn't as strong so his body can fight it better. Understand?" Meredith consoled the young redhead. Ginny nodded.
"Do we have any idea when he might wake?"
"At least another six hours. I just gave him another large dose of sleeping draught." Meredith patted Ginny's shoulder. "Your parents and friends are outside waiting for news, go fill them in."
Ginny exited the room for the waiting area.
"Hi Mum, Dad, everyone." She faced her entire family minus Charlie, Percy and Fleur. Ginny explained the curse and its effects to the gathered family. She answered the questions she could to ease their worries. Ginny sat next to her mother and let Molly comfort her as they waited. At least the press was nowhere to be found. Ginny's quick thinking with the alias kept anyone from knowing the real identity of the patient in room four twelve.
As day slipped into night most of the family left for home. Harry wasn't awake yet and Ginny doubted whether or not the healers would let him wake. Paige, the lead healer on the case, besides Meredith, administered another sleeping draught to Harry just a couple hours ago so Ginny knew the possibility of him stirring in the next four hours was nil. The orderlies brought a second bed into the room for Ginny to use. She thanked them and slept lightly, stirring any time somebody checked on Harry.
"Ginny… Ginny…Ginny." Hearing her name repeated jostled Ginny's mind enough to wake her. The healer's voice continued, "Hi, it's Paige. We're going to wake Harry in about fifteen minutes. Go clean up bit and get some food. We have pastries at the healer's station so you don't have to go all the way to the cafeteria. We can wait till you're here."
Ginny nodded her understanding then hastened to the bathroom to wash up. At the healer's station she all but swallowed a full cream cheese danish in two bites, washing it down with a few gulps of water from the fountain. "Scourgify!" she cleaned her mouth as best she could with the charm. She quickly sent her patronus to her Mum at the Burrow. After only ten minutes she was again by Harry's bedside.
Paige and another healer poured the rejuvenating potion down Harry's throat, then all three waited for him to rouse from the draught induced slumber. Meredith arrived as they waited.
Harry's eyes fluttered open taking in the four female faces before him. "Wow, look at all the fan girls…" he smiled at his little joke. "I feel horrible, what happened? I was in the loft, now I'm… where am I?"
"Sister Elizabeth's, in Wales," Ginny answered. Harry nodded in understanding.
"What was the curse that got me?" Meredith explained the curse, how it worked and why he was hooked to the blood purifier. Harry took it all in, processing the information carefully. "So, I'm the guinea pig?" Harry teased weakly.
"For this particular use, yes. For its intended use the first was a boy named Daniel," Paige answered. "It has seemed to speed up your recovery. From the files on this curse in the archives the normal range of time for recovery in full was between ten and fourteen days. You are approximately five days ahead of that timetable."
Harry reached to hold Ginny's hand. His move was abruptly stopped by Paige. "Mr. Weasley you can't hold her hand, the curse affects all the body's organs. The skin is actually the largest organ and is affected as well. If you touch bare skin to bare skin the poison could transfer to the person you contact. Sorry, no touching." Paige let the warning sink in. "We can all wear gloves to protect us, but try to watch your mannerisms Mr. Weasley." Harry nodded.
"Can I be alone with Ginny for a while?" he asked.
"Sure, we'll let you alone. Family is waiting outside for you, when you're ready you can let them in for a visit." Meredith replied. The trio of healers exited the room.
"Hi seeker boy." Ginny brushed the hair from his forehead with her gloved hand.
"So, I'm a Weasley? I thought you wanted to be a Potter?" Harry kidded her.
"I got tired of waiting on you. While you were unconscious I had Kingsley marry us and you took my name." Ginny grinned. "Nothing can stop true love."
"True love is marrying while I'm comatose?" he questioned.
"Well it's not the way it's done in the fairy tales, but I'm a modern witch. I play by my own rules." Ginny's face glowed at the friendly banter. Quickly her face showed a more serious appearance, she rubbed his arm. "I'm glad you're awake."
"I am too. We better let in the rest of the family before they drive the healers barmy." Harry said. Ginny went to the door to beckon the waiting family members.
On the morning of the fourth day of treatment Harry was feeling better, but his mood was getting sour. The healers kept recording his vitals and other pertinent information to use as a baseline for future cases, interrupting his sleep and his privacy. The lack of sleep wasn't the true reason for his surliness. The true reason was the lack of human contact. Ginny and the healers touched him of course, and Ginny rubbed his arms or held his hand, but the contact was always muted by the latex barrier provided by the gloves. He didn't like it.
The last few days were the first time he noticed just how much he enjoyed human touch. In the past it certainly wasn't the case. Touch at the Dursleys meant balled fists, kicks or rough shoves into the closet. But after being around Ginny for so long he was used to the familiar feel of her running her fingers along his shoulder when she walked by, or resting a hand on his leg as they talked. Little touches, always friendly and soothing, little touches that individually didn't mean much but when combined spoke volumes about how intimate the pair had become. Now he gravitated to her touch willingly, and returned the favors as often as he received. Truth be known, he missed it now, he longed for it, and that was why his mood was testy at best and downright surly at worst. Being cooped up in the small hospital room did nothing but make his mood darker.
Ginny arrived later in the morning after leaving to purchase some items needed at home for his pending return. His release was not definite yet, but was expected some time in the next two or three days. "Hi honey, I'm back." She smiled and donned the gloves on the cabinet by the bed. "I invited some friends of yours to visit."
"Great, lets all come gawk at the helpless Harry Potter," he mumbled.
Ginny shot him a look to kill. "Stop right now. I don't need you wallowing around in self pity. Get over your arrogant self and realize that at least you are going to walk out of here cured. Many people on this ward won't, so stuff it." She stood, arms crossed, staring at him with a look scarier than an enraged hippogriff. "Are you going to lighten up or am I leaving?"
Harry's attitude deflated under her verbal assault. "Sorry, I don't mean to get like that. I'm just tired of being here."
"I know you you're getting stir crazy, just keep your chin up." Ginny's voice softened. "Hopefully your friends will cheer you up." She smiled widely at him making him wonder what she was up to. A knock at his door diverted his thoughts away from Ginny.
"Come in," Harry called out.
"Hi Harry!" Daniel Warrington ran into the room followed by his sister and their parents. The excited boy stopped before he touched Harry; remembering Ginny's warnings when he saw her with her hands up. "Ginny said you needed cheering so, here we are," Daniel offered.
Harry mouthed 'thank you' to Ginny. She winked back to him. "Hi Daniel, my gosh you've grown. Hello Lynette, Imelda, Ralph. It's nice to see you all."
"Hello," they returned in unison, but it was obvious this was Daniel's show.
"Harry, since you visited me, I have to visit you. Ginny told us about you on Wednesday, but it took us till today to get here." He looked around before whispering to Harry, "She's pretty. I bet you're glad I said she could be your girlfriend, huh."
Harry nodded. "You know it." At this they all laughed.
Daniel went on, "I brought you gifts." He opened his duffel bag and handed Harry a small, garishly bright, green jersey. "This is my jersey from junior dragon league this year, I play seeker." Harry held it up. The boy then passed Harry a larger than normal snitch. It wiggled slowly in his hand. "I caught this in our game against Wilby Hills Primary School. You can have it too." Daniel grinned as he finished presenting Harry with his game items.
Harry charmed the jersey so it grew to almost three times its normal size and pulled it on over his white t-shirt being careful not to upset the hoses running to the blood purifier. The movement also gave him a chance to blink back the tears building up in his eyes.
"What do you think?" Harry modeled his new jersey. The family plus Ginny clapped. "Daniel, I'm not always real good at saying thank you, but this was really nice of you. Thank you so much. Do you have any more games?"
"No, not this year, next year I'll be a full dragon, not a junior," the boy said proudly.
"Well, when you get a schedule you let me know and I'll come see a game," Harry promised the youngster.
The family's visit was ended by the healers. "Hi Daniel. Nice to see you lot but Harry needs his rest, so everyone out please, except for Ginny." Paige herded the guests from the room.
Once the well wishers left Ginny passed Harry a letter. "This arrived by owl some day this week. Not sure what day since I've been here so much; at least a day, maybe more. The owl was pretty upset at waiting outside.
Dear Mr. Potter,
The Department of Magical Law Enforcement requests you contact us in regards to the recent attack on you and Mr. Weasley. In the interest of justice we would appreciate any insights into the evening's events.
Please contact Senior Auror Dawlish when you are well enough to make an appointment.
Sincerely,
Helena T. Kirkendell
The Department of Magical Law Enforcement
Ministry of Magic
"So after all his spouting off, Dawlish needs some help," Harry sniggered. "How long should I make him stew?"
"How about not at all?" Ginny remarked evenly. "I know he pissed you off, but we need facts and he has them. Play nice."
Harry mulled it over in his head. "Fine, not at all. Send him an owl telling him I'll stop by next week. Don't tell him where I am," Harry replied.
"There was also an owl from Bernard asking how you were." Ginny rubbed his leg through the blankets.
"Not about the contracts? Harry questioned.
"No, just checking on you. He heard from Kingsley. They play cards once a week, so that's how he knew to ask," Ginny explained. "He also wrote that Kingsely was not visiting on purpose so the press wouldn't find you."
"Makes sense," Harry added.
"If you're good here I need to get home to take care of some things," Ginny offered.
"Yeah, I'm fine. And I know you'll sleep better at the carriage house. Goodnight, love you." Harry blew her a kiss.
Ginny grabbed the air to mimic catching the kiss. "Bye, love you more."
The next morning Harry was sitting up when Paige came in for a final set of tests.
"Morning," he called cheerfully. "I'm ready for my tests, revised all night for them." He smiled. Paige groaned and rubbed her face at the corny pun.
"Come here." Paige motioned him to sit up on the edge of the bed. She quickly took a saliva sample and a sweat sample. Both samples were dropped into phials with white liquid in them, both turned pink. She then used a long needle to pull a sample of blood from his forearm. This sample was pipeted into a phial of black liquid. The mixture changed to a medium blue color.
"Harry, you're good to go; three tests, three negatives. You don't have a germ in you right now." Paige signed off on his charts. "You are free to go when Ginny gets here. Now lay down and I'll get this unhooked from you. She set about disconnecting the blood purifier. She passed her wand over the entrance points for the hoses healing them instantly. Harry winced at the brief pain caused by the removal of the hoses. Paige gathered the equipment and levitated it from the room leaving Harry alone.
Once free of the equipment Harry stood and walked around the room unencumbered stretching his legs. His mood improved drastically, not because he was free of the machines, but because today there would be no gloves to mask Ginny's touch.
It was nearing ten o'clock when Ginny stepped into the modest hospital room and fixed her gaze on Harry's tall form standing by the window, free of the medical devices. The corners of her mouth turned up into a smile. "Good to go?"
"Yes." Harry smiled.
"He has a clean bill of health," Paige added as she walked through the open door.
Ginny ran towards him, throwing her handbag on the bed, and skidding to a stop in front of him. She looked towards the healer. Paige gave her a slight nod. Ginny draped her arms around his neck in as big a hug as she could give. Harry reciprocated by wrapping his hands around her waist. His hands fumbled as he pulled her t-shirt free of her shorts.
"Not here!" she scolded softly in his ear.
He moved his hands under her shirt, keeping them near her waist. "That's not what I was thinking." He sniggered. "I just wanted to feel your skin."
Ginny held him for a minute, then took Harry's hands in hers and tilted her head up to his. "I've wanted to do this for six days now." Ginny slipped one arm around his neck and stood on her toes to reach his lips. "Happy Birthday." She pulled him into a series of belated, but passionate birthday kisses.
She broke the kisses reluctantly and pulled him tightly to her. "That was too close." She sighed in relief knowing he was healthy again. Harry gathered her in his arms hugging her so strongly that her feet left the floor. He nuzzled her cheek; then kissed his way back to her lips for a second round of snogging. After retrieving her bag and Harry's stash of items the couple bid farewell to the healing staff and flooed home; eager to catch up on their touching.