Avenging The Past: Chapter 25
All rights are JK's, not mine, so don't go thinking I'm stealing anything:)
Rose had another nightmare that night, very similar to the one the night before. Ron and Hermione had ended up falling asleep in Rose's bed, not having the energy to make the trek back to their room.
Ron winced as his back twinged painfully while he tried to roll out of Rose's toddler bed. He had slept with his knees crunched up to his chest, and back twisted awkwardly to allow room for a pregnant Hermione and Rose on the miniature mattress. He rolled onto his knees and slowly got up. Hermione looked just as uncomfortable as he had been. Ron knew her back was already a bit achy, and sleeping awkwardly was probably not the best thing for her.
Ron carefully picked Hermione up off Rose's bed, and carried her back to their room. A bit of light was shining through the curtains, and Ron knew that it was almost dawn. He deposited her on the bed and tucked her under the covers. Dropping a light kiss on her forehead, he climbed in beside her as well. He figured that they still had a few hours left to sleep before they had to be up and ready to go to Rose and Hermione's appointments at ten.
Rose had a physical examination first, then she was going to accompany Hermione to her appointment to start getting her trained in occulemency. Ron was a bit worried because Hermione was yet to master it, which meant it would be even harder for Rose.
He closed his eyes and allowed Hermione's slow deep breathing to help him forget about the events that would take place in the awaiting day, and he fell to sleep in sync with her.
"Ron!" shouted Hermione, waking Ron up with a start.
"What? What?" he asked, frantically looking around the room.
"We are going to be late!" she said pulling on his arm and dragging him out of bed. "Now go get ready, and I will get Rose dressed," she instructed leaving the room briskly.
Ron got changed in a hurry, and met Hermione downstairs with a tired Rose propped up on her hip as she popped some toast out of the toaster.
"Good morning sweetiepie," greeted Ron, taking Rose from Hermione so she could have two free hands to make breakfast.
"Me tired daddy," complained Rose burrying her face in his neck.
"I know baby, but you can have a nap when we get home," he assured. Ron was starting to really worry about the lack of sleep that everyone in the house was getting.
"Eat, quickly," ordered Hermione, placing plates with eggs and toast on them in front of Ron and Rose's spots at the table.
"And what about you?" asked Ron raising an eyebrow. "Here, let me fix you a plate," he offered getting up and kissing her cheek. She accepted his offer and sat down at the table.
Ten minutes later, the small family stood in front of the fireplace, Hermione reading the password to the St. Mungo's patient floo network. It took several trys before all three of them walked out of the fireplace, and into the waiting room.
"So how have you been feeling Rose?" asked Dr. Ian when they were all seated in his office.
"Awright," Rose said uncertainly.
"She's been walking and moving around better," informed Hermione.
"That's good to hear, it's important for your muscles to develop correctly," he said encouragingly.
"But, she has been having nightmares, and she is losing a lot of sleep," Hermione added as well.
"She's not the only one," mumbled Ron, who shut up when he received a kick in the shin from Hermione.
"Yes well we did expect that," sighed Dr. Ian. Ron and Hermione nodded solemnly in understanding. "But that is why we have her going to see Celeste today."
"Yes we hope that will be some help," Hermione agreed.
"Now just let me do some simple tests, then you can be on your way," Dr. Ian said getting up from his chair and pulling his wand out of his pocket.
Rose, who had been perched on Hermione's lap, was placed on the white examination bed, Hermione and Ron standing on either side of it.
"Hurt?" asked Rose weakly.
"No it shouldn't, it just will feel funny," he assured. Rose gave a little nod, and gripped Ron's sweater in her tiny hand.
Dr. Ian mumbled a few things under his breath, and waved his wand over Rose in different patterns. At one point, Rose's stomach glowed yellow briefly, which caused her to giggle in amusement.
"Alright, everything seems to be functioning fine," he announced pocketing his wand. "You are almost all better!" he told Rose encouragingly.
"That's really good news Rosie!" cheered Hermione kissing her daughters forehead.
"So just bring her back in say... five days or so, just to make sure nothing unexpected pops up," he said before bidding good-bye to the small family.
"Downstairs we go then," said Ron hoisting Rose into his arms and leaving the room behind Hermione.
Hermione knocked on the wooden door to Celeste's office, and it was opened moments later by her secretary.
"Weasley correct?" she asked looking down at the clipboard in her arm.
"Yes."
"Well right in here then," she said opening the door all the way and allowing them to enter the room.
"Mr. and Mrs. Weasley!" exclaimed Celeste when she spotted them by the doorway. "And this must be little Rose," she cooed crouching down a bit to look at Rose who was cradled in Ron's arms.
"Yes this would be her," answered Hermione.
"Well come on in and take a seat," she offered moving to sit back in her chair behind the desk.
Hermione and Ron took their usual seats on the red couches with Rose sandwiched between them.
"Okay," started Celeste picking up a pen and fiddling with it. "I am going to try to use the same process we used on you, Mrs. Weasley, on Rose," she explained. "I know she won't pick it up as easily as you did," she told Hermione, "but in the end, it will be worth it, and she can use it the rest of her life."
"Okay, when do we start?" asked Ron.
"Right now," Celeste said getting up and leading them to the stool in the corner that Hermione usually sat on.
"Now Mrs. Weasley, would you like to go first?" she asked.
"Um sure," Hermione said taking a seat on the stool. Ron held Rose and paced the room a bit to get her attention away from Hermione who had her eyes scrunched up as she prepared herself.
Flashback
She sat up in bed breathing heavily. A sharp, searing pain ripped through her chest at the sudden movement.
"Hermione!" exclaimed a voice from somewhere beside her. Upon hearing the voice, she got her bearings. She was in the hospital wing and it was the middle of the night, the bandage across her chest reminding her why she was there in the first place. They had narrowly escaped the battle at the ministry of magic two days ago, and the voice beside her belonged to none other than her best friend Ron Weasley, who was also here for recovery.
"Ron?" she called back into the darkness.
"You okay, you were whimpering or something," he said. She could hear shuffling coming from his bed, and she knew he was getting out of bed.
"Ron don't hurt yourself," she warned afraid that he would injure himself further.
"My legs aren't broken Hermione," he chimed, "just got a couple bumps on my arms."
"A couple bumps," scoffed Hermione, "You have massive welts covering your arms!"
"Yeah but you got it worse," he told her quietly, arriving at her bedside.
She didn't answer, but moved herself over the best she could to allow him to sit on the edge.
"Did you have a nightmare?" he asked gently.
Surprised by his gentleness, she took a few seconds to respond.
"Yeah, but it's okay," she assured him.
"Well are you in pain?" he asked, switching topics because he knew she probably wouldn't share any details about her nightmare, no matter how hard he tried to get it out of her.
"Just a bit," she said trying to brush it off.
"Do you need me to get Madame Pomfrey?"
"No, no, let's just talk," she somewhat pleaded, grabbing his sleeve. He raised his eyes at her, and she let go immediately. Ron shook his head as if scolding himself, and he placed a hand gently on her shin overtop of the blanket.
"Okay, let's just talk," he agreed.
"I'm worried about Harry," she rushed out as if she had been bottling it up for hours. "Sirius was his last trace of family," she said, tears filling up in her eyes.
"Hey, hey, he always get's through this kinda stuff," he comforted rubbing her shin softly.
"But this is different," she argued, frustrated tears rolling down her cheeks.
"Shh, shh, he still has us, and the order, he will be fine. We will all be fine. Now why don't you get some sleep" he soothed letting the hand that was on her shin, glide up along the blanket so he could take her hand in his.
Hermione's breath caught in her throat, and she looked down at her tiny hand cradled in his large freckly one. She felt like all of the air was sucked out of her lunges when Ron leaned down towards her face. She was for sure that he was going to kiss her, but was mildly disappointed when he just laid his forehead against hers. Of course she wanted him to kiss her, but this action was almost as good.
"Night," he breathed, pulling away from her after a few moments, and allowing the tip of his nose to brush hers gently.
"Night," she gasped with her laboured breathing.
He smiled and squeezed her hand one last time before retreating back to his bed. She settled back into her bed and allowed Ron's reassurances to sooth her to sleep.
End of Flashback
"Excellent job!" you are getting better and better each time. I tried to recover a bad memory, but you turned the situation around, and replaced the bad memory with a good one!" Celeste exclaimed.
"What was it about love?" asked Ron curiously.
"It was after the department of mysteries, I assume the bad part was supposed to be my injury, but I remembered a good thing instead about the incident," she explained, not entirely believing she did it herself.
"Good job mummy," squeaked Rose. She really had no idea what her mum was being praised for but everyone was making a big deal so she figured it must have been good.
"Thank you sweetheart," smiled Hermione, taking Rose from Ron and kissing her cheek.
"Rose, it's your turn now," said Celeste.
"Okay," Rose answered nervously.
"Mummy and daddy will be here the whole time alright?" Ron comforted, taking her little hand in his as Hermione sat on the stool with Rose in her lap.
"Ready Rose?"
"Ready."
Ron and Hermione held their breath as Celeste pointed her wand at Rose and muttered the incantation.
There we are! A nice long chapter. I really loved writing the flashback, and I hope you enjoyed reading it just as much. I would also just like to give all of my reviewers massive thank you's because this story has now reached over 100 reviews! YAYYY all thanks to you guys. So keep up the lovely feedback and check out my other current story Their 19 Years if you haven't yet. Thanks for reading:)
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