Chapter 29 – A Gathering in the Infirmary
(Harry's Pov)
Fawkes flamed us into the infirmary within a couple feet of Madam Pomfrey's closed office door and I let go of his tail feathers. I readjusted my hold on Ginny and laid her carefully down on the first bed I saw. I said thanks to Fawkes and asked him to please fetch Dumbledore. Fawkes flamed out as quickly as we had flamed in.
Madame Pomfrey came out of the door as she heard Fawkes leave and was astonished to see us. I was holding on to Ginny's hand as I knelt beside her. The healer pulled her wand as she asked me what happened to Ginny. "She got hit by a couple of spells in Lockhart's class. One was a stunner but I don't know what the other was."
"Calm down Mr. Potter. You did well to get her here as fast as you could; we'll take a good look at her now." Madame Pomfrey looked closely at the bruise on Ginny's head and felt for her pulse. I was very scared; I couldn't 'sense' Ginny at all.
"Mr. Potter, you need to let go of Ginny's hand." I stared up into Madame Pomfrey's face; what she said hadn't made any sense. I needed to be here; I should be helping Ginny heal up.
Madame Pomfrey spoke again. "Mr. P… Harry, I need to examine Ginny and treat her in private. Let me do my job please."
I stood up and reluctantly let go of Ginny's hand. I was suddenly very tired and I felt cold somehow; very cold. I took a couple of steps and collapsed on a bed a couple down from where Madame Pomfrey was working over Ginny.
Madame Pomfrey waved her wand and a screen moved from across the room to set itself up around Ginny's bed. I didn't hear anything but the words to a diagnostic spell that Madame Pomfrey said. It was a few minutes more when I heard familiar voices coming into the room. I stood up wearily and saw most of my housemates coming in with worried faces. I held up my hands and stopped any of them from coming closer and disturbing what Madame Pomfrey was doing.
I was herding everyone back out through the doors when Dumbledore suddenly appeared. He looked at me with some concern but I just pointed at the screened-off bed near the front of the room. He nodded and went to the front of the room to talk to Madame Pomfrey.
"Madame Pomfrey is running some scans on Ginny" I told my housemates. "That's all I know for now."
Ron and Neville came running up then and I stopped them from going inside the infirmary. "She's unconscious Ron. She had a big bruise on the side of her face but she was breathing ok the last I saw of her."
"Mum's going to kill me when she finds out. I'm supposed to be watching out for her." Ron was really upset and I hoped that everything would turn out ok.
I was tapped on the shoulder and whirled to see Hermione standing there with a grim expression on her face. She was holding on to Professor Lockhart's wand but I couldn't tell what she was thinking. She reached down with her free hand to touch me and I saw a look of surprise cross her face. I knew she had just tried sending me a mental message but there was something wrong. We couldn't communicate at all! We had been able to before when Ginny wasn't around but this was a total washout. I started feeling even more tired as I tried to understand.
I looked around at all the faces. "Why don't you head back to the dorm? Let the twins and Percy know what has happened – they'll send an owl out to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. That's all we can do for now."
Everyone grumbled a bit as they didn't want to leave Ginny alone but I told them I would let them know about her recovery when I found out. A few of the girls gave Hermione and Ron gentle hugs in sympathy but I guess the look on my face kept them away from me.
I looked at Ron and Hermione. "Let's go in and see what's going on." Ron led the way through the doors and Hermione reached for my hand as we went into the infirmary. The three of us had almost reached the front of the room when Madame Pomfrey and Dumbledore came out from behind the screen at Ginny's bed.
Dumbledore didn't have the usual twinkle in his eyes and I feared the worse. I couldn't lose Ginny. I sat down hard on the nearest chair just as Fred and George came running through the door. "What's going on with our sister?"
Professor Dumbledore made a calming motion with his hands and everyone settled down a little. He pointed to the other end of the infirmary and we all trudged down there although we had to pull Ron along. He had been just staring at the screen that was set up around his sister's bed.
We all had settled down on a group of beds when Percy came flying through the doors. He was followed by Professor Lockhart who was walking at a casual pace. Dumbledore just pointed to our group and then a couple of nearby chairs. Percy grabbed his and sat down next to Ron. Lockhart remained standing however.
"Miss Granger, if I may take my wand…" Whatever Professor Lockhart was going to say got cut off as I stood up and took two steps toward him. The look on my face must have very surprising to him. It was all his fault that Ginny was here. I wanted to murder him with my bare hands.
Hermione grabbed me and pulled me around to look at her. "This isn't helping Ginny" she said. I closed my eyes but let Hermione lead me back to the bed where I had been sitting. She held my hand tightly as she sat next to me but I felt her trembling. I put one arm around her and said that Ginny would be ok. My voice had more conviction that I really felt. Ginny just couldn't be hurt. It was unthinkable.
Dumbledore look around at all of us gathered there before he spoke. "Madame Pomfrey thinks that Miss Weasley will be fine and will recover her senses in a little bit. The bruise on her face has been healed and she is sleeping peacefully now."
Those words brought a big sense of relief to everyone and I saw all Ginny's brothers relax a bit. George's next words brought the shock right back to me and Hermione. "What happened?" was all he said.
I looked to Dumbledore and gave a small nod of my chin toward 'Professor' Lockhart. Dumbledore went over to speak quietly to Lockhart and then the two of them disappeared into Madame Pomfrey's office.
I looked at the rest of the group around me but didn't feel like talking. Hermione looked at the wand she was holding in her hand and stood up. I watched her walk up to Madame Pomfrey's door and knock on it. When it was opened, Hermione handed the wand to someone with a short couple of words. She came back down and sat next to me. She looked like I felt – totally shocked and discouraged.
Ron however had been telling his brothers about what happened in Lockhart's classroom. They all smiled when he told them about the cage full of blue pixies but were horrified when they found out how Ginny had been hit with two different spells.
"Pixies…"
"…fired some sort of spell on our sister?" Fred and George sat back in disbelief. They had wanted to go get Professor Lockhart right there and then but Harry said everyone should be concerned about Ginny.
Ron finished up by retelling his brothers about my intervention between Ginny and the wall and her quick transport to the infirmary. Even Percy was affected enough to offer his thanks and gratitude. I really didn't care about that. I just wanted to see Ginny again and make sure that she was going to be ok.
Madame Pomfrey's door opened again and Dumbledore, Lockhart and Madame Pomfrey walked out. She stopped at Ginny's bed and the other two came down to where we were all sitting.
Professor Lockhart stopped in front of us and seemed to search for something to say. "I apologize for the accident that happened in my class today and hope that Miss Weasley will also accept my apology when she awakens. Good work Harry on rescuing Miss Weasley." Lockhart couldn't find anything else to say but just exited the infirmary instead.
I looked up to Dumbledore. "His wand?"
Everyone looked at me like I was crazy. "It was Lockhart's wand that fired that green spell that hit Ginny."
Dumbledore nodded his head. "I cast a 'Prior Incantato' spell on Professor Lockhart's wand. Only a minor memory charm was evident; so I am not sure if the pixies are exempt somehow from the discovery spell. The memory spell should not have been powerful to affect Miss Weasley in such a manner."
Fifteen minutes later a force of nature blew into the infirmary. I flinched as Mrs. Weasley's large voice accosted everyone. "Where's my daughter?" We all turned to look at her but she just walked by us to go toward Madame Pomfrey's office. Dumbledore hurried to catch up to her and the rest of us just looked at each other trying to figure out what to do. Ron reluctantly stood and walked toward Ginny's bed. The rest of all followed in a slow shuffle as if we were all responsible for Ginny's injury. At least I did, if only I had been quicker.
We got to Ginny's bed in time to hear Madame Pomfrey's report to her mother. She seemed really relieved to find out that Ginny was only unconscious and was just sleeping.
Mrs. Weasley asked the question that was on all our minds. "When is she going to wake up?"
Madame Pomfrey shook her head as she answered. "With what I've done to her, she should have woken up already. So I don't know; there's nothing physically wrong with her now and Harry told me that she didn't hit her head when she was blown off her bench. I'm sorry Molly, I don't have an answer. If she isn't awake by this time tomorrow, I'll have to call in a specialist from St. Mungo's."
Mrs. Weasley nodded once and then noticed the group of us standing just out of reach. She stood up from Ginny's bed side and held out her arms. Percy, George, Fred, George and Ron never hesitated a second in reaching for and hugging their mother. I pulled back a step or two with Hermione and let the Weasley family have a moment of privacy.
Hermione clutched my hand and we took a moment for a hug ourselves, right in the midst of the infirmary. She held onto me so tight and our faces ended up side by side. I couldn't tell where her tears started or mine ended. I was surprised to feel another pair of arms encircle us and a teary voice try to comfort us. We both blinked back our tears as Hermione and I tried to find something to say to Ginny's mother.
I don't know how long the three of us stood there all together until we felt other pats and arms thrown around us. I looked up to see Fred and George first and then Ron. They were trying to help Hermione and me also. I broke out of Hermione's and Mrs. Weasley's embrace and tried smiling.
"Ginny would probably laugh at a picture of us all like this."
"You're right Harry" Hermione said wiping her eyes. "It would amuse her no end to see us crying when all she is doing is sleeping."
Mrs. Weasley brightened up a little at our statements. "Poppy told me that you caught Ginny and saved her from hitting her head on the wall. And that you summoned Fawkes to bring her here quickly. Thank you Harry!"
I almost started crying again then. "Don't thank me. I'm sorry I couldn't save her from the spells."
Mrs. Weasley shook her head. "We've gone over this before young man. You are not responsible for everything that happens in the world. I do believe Arthur and I will have a few words to say to Professor Lockhart later."
That got a smile out of me and I wondered if I should break out my invisibility cloak to watch that particular encounter. Watching Mrs. Weasley tear into the person she felt had really hurt her daughter ought to good.
"I'm going to be staying here until Ginny comes to. Madame Pomfrey says that she can have two guests at a time at her bedside. You want first turn with me, Harry?"
"No thanks Mrs. Weasley. Her brothers should have that privilege."
"They will all get a turn - until curfew anyway. Ginny would want you to be here when she wakes up."
"I'll take my turn but I think Hermione would like to keep you company in watching Ginny." I heard a protest behind me but I turned to look at Hermione. "You are just as close to her as I am, Hermione. Take a turn and have a little woman to woman time now."
Hermione nodded as fresh tears ran down her cheeks and I gathered her up in another hug. "She'll be ok Hermione" I whispered. "She would fight to come back to us."
I got a small kiss to me cheek and watched as Hermione found another chair to sit across from Mrs. Weasley at Ginny's bedside. They started talking quietly to each other or to Ginny as the rest of us left the infirmary for an early supper. None of the Weasleys or I talked much as we walked slowly away from the place where a very important part of our lives lay sleeping. I had lost the connection to the two most important people in my life and I felt very lonely.
(end Harry's pov)
Xxxx xxx
Hermione entered the Gryffindor common room after supper and was immediately mobbed by everyone who had found out about Ginny's accident. Harry had to fight his way through a few people and then just held up his hands. Everyone watched hopefully but Hermione just shook her head. "There's no change. Mr. Weasley arrived just a bit ago to stand watch with his wife. They'd like to see you Harry. It's your turn."
Harry turned away from Hermione and just pointed at Ron. "You take my turn Ron; I just can't go face them right now."
Ron started to protest but the twins pushed him toward the exit. He looked at everyone but just nodded and hurried through the portal.
Harry went back to his customary seat before the fireplace. Hermione came over and sat by him. Harry stopped her before she started speaking and brought a tray up from the hearth and uncovered it. The tray was full of food.
"You saved me some supper. Thanks Harry." Hermione started digging into the meal but just stopped after a few bites. "This was yours, wasn't it?" Harry nodded but brought the forkful of food up to Hermione's mouth for her.
"I have no appetite – maybe I'll go down later. The twins promised to show me the way into the kitchens."
Hermione shifted over so she was sitting right next to Harry. "I'm not going to eat any more unless you agree to share this with me Harry."
Harry smiled at Hermione's attempt at blackmail. "OK, we'll share. How did the wait with Mrs. Weasley go?"
"Not too bad. We ended up talking more to Ginny than each other. Telling stories about the Burrow or, for my part, going over the shopping trips that Ginny and I have gone on together."
"Sort of what you all did for me while I was in my coma."
"Yes, hopefully with the same outcome soon."
Harry choked on a swallow and had to wait for Hermione to pound on his back for a few seconds. He covered up his face with his hands and felt Hermione move the tray of food aside. "I'm sorry we can't mentally talk to each other Harry."
"It's been a long, long time since neither you or Gin wasn't in my head in some way or the other. It's been a comforting presence that helped me get through the day."
"You can always talk to me Harry until Ginny comes back to consciousness."
"I can't feel either of you Hermione. What if we've lost the connection somehow?"
"Correct me if I'm wrong Harry but you and Ginny have lost your connection a couple of time and it always came back."
"You're perfectly right Miss Granger. So how are you really feeling about todays' events?"
"For the first time in my life, I want to do physical harm to a professor. What happened today was even worse than anything Professor Snape ever tried; Ginny got taken from us. I hope she comes back soon. I miss her and you Harry."
"I'm here for you until you don't want me around anymore Hermione. Maybe Ginny will wake up tomorrow."
Hermione turned and looked up at Harry with a few tears in her eyes. "Could you hold me for a while Harry? I'm not feeling very brave at the moment."
Harry shifted a little on the couch and drew Hermione closer to his side. Hermione drew her feet up under her and just joined Harry in silently watching the fire flicker in front of them. The both fell asleep in that position a while later and Fred was the one to carefully cover them with a blanket.
Xxxx xxxx
Hermione was woken after midnight by the screaming and thrashing of the green-eyed boy that was holding her. She held Harry and gently rocked him back to sleep.
Harry's nightmares started again that night as Ginny's parents took turns watching her sleep in the infirmary.
