Using the prompt 'On the floor'


Chapter Forty-Nine

The following morning, Madam Pomfrey gave Hugo the okay to leave the hospital wing. He was more than happy to comply.

"Just be careful, and rest easy for a few days, young man," she warned him as he almost skipped from the room. "You took a nasty hit to the head, and potions can relieve the symptoms, but not cure them.

Hugo nodded. "I will," he assured her lazily.

Madam Pomfrey looked far from impressed. "I am being serious, Mr Weasley, I don't want you attending any classes until Monday, just to be sure. I've spoken to the headmaster, he has agreed to allow you to have today off so you can rest over the weekend. Any signs of dizziness or headaches, come straight back to me, okay?"

Hugo nodded again. Pomfrey was overreacting, he thought. Yes, his head still hurt a bit, but it was only because Albus' spell had sent him flying a good five feet across the courtyard. People had suffered worse injuries than he had, and still survived.

"You're free to go." Pomfrey still didn't seem convinced, but Hugo left before she could change her mind. Just as he swung open the door, Rose's face appeared in front of him, smiling.

"Hey!" she said, "I was just coming to see you."

"Well, I'm leaving now," Hugo answered, closing the door to the hospital wing behind him. "Shouldn't you be in class?" They began walking along the corridor that led away from the hospital.

"Nev – I mean Professor Longbottom said I could come and get you. Something about you being stubborn and thinking you're alright."

Hugo scowled at how fast word travelled around here. He was fine. People needed to stop worrying.

"It's an excuse to get out of there, though. I don't even like Herbology. I can't wait to finish it this year."

"But Professor Longbottom is so nice!" Hugo exclaimed. He loved Herbology, even if it was only for the fact that he enjoyed his teacher. He didn't actually find the subject all that interesting, but the students knew that if they misbehaved, they probably weren't going to get a detention.

Rose shrugged.

"Anyway, don't you want to be a Healer? I'm pretty sure you need to do Herbology for that," he added.

Rose shrugged, then sighed. "Yeah, I guess," she said. "But plants really don't interest me."

They continued to walk in silence after that, no one speaking until they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, who, today, was lounging on a chair.

"Flobberworms," Rose stated. The portrait didn't move. The Fat Lady appeared not to have heard. "Er… Flobberworms," she said again, this time a little more loudly.

The Fat Lady waved her away. "Password's changed, m'dear," she mumbled, yawning.

Rose sighed. "But it was Flobberworms this morning!" she accused.

The Fat Lady gave another big yawn. "New password."

"Now what do we do?" Rose insisted. "Everyone else is in class, or inside the common room."

Hugo stepped forward, and tapped gently on the portrait, much to the half-hearted protests of the Fat Lady. "Someone let us in!" he called to the other side. As expected, no one appeared.

"I beg your pardon, young man!" the Fat Lady snapped, getting to her feet, and brushing herself off. "It is very rude of you to touch a lady like that. I should be speaking to your headmaster!" She gave an indignant huff.

"Well, if you warned people before you changed the bloody password, we wouldn't have this problem!" Rose snapped in return.

"No password, no entry!" The Fat Lady was furious now, causing both Rose and Hugo to take a step back.

"Come on," Rose said after a minute, "Let's go." She grabbed his hand, and dragged him away. To where, Hugo didn't know, but he was sure he would find out eventually.

OOO

It turned out Rose felt like a visit to Hagrid. Hugo couldn't remember the last time he had been to Hagrid's other than the meeting spot for Care of Magical Creatures. He hadn't found the time, nor the motivation, to do so this year, and he had spent most of last year away from Hogwarts.

But Hagrid was delighted to see them, ushering them both in to his tiny hut.

"I can on'y talk fer a little while," he explained. "Got a class shortly."

They both nodded as the half-giant poured them each a very large mug of tea. They accepted out of courtesy more than anything else. Hagrid never served the best of anything.

"So, I heard about yer nasty accident, Hugo," Hagrid started, settling into a chair. "Can't be pleasant."

Hugo shrugged, instinctively touching the sore spot on his head where he had hit. There was a lump there – one apparently Madam Pomfrey didn't seem fit to cure. He winced. "Yeah, it's not, really," he said, "Though, I'm okay."

Hagrid smiled. "Good ter hear," he said, taking a large, nosiy sip.

Hugo exchanged a look with his sister.

"So, what brings the two of yer down here when you both should be in class? I should give yer both detention, but considering young Hugo's accident, I will let it pass." He gave them another smile.

"Professor Gimp gave Hugo and I the rest of the day off," Rose explained. "Madam Pomfrey seems to think Hugo's worse than he actually is. And the Fat Lady decided to change the password on us, and everyone who knows it, is in class. So we had nowhere to go, really."

"Ah, well, I can say I'm pleased your first thought was ter come here," Hagrid said. "It's been so long. I saw yer a few weeks ago, Rosie, when you were heading to the Lake, and you, Hugo, in class, but other than that…."

"Yeah, we've just been busy," Hugo explained. "Sorry."

Hagrid waved him away. "Don' be sorry!" he said. "I understand. The two of yer have bin through a rough patch, alrigh'. It's amazin' yer still have yer head up."

Hugo noticed the pained smile Rose gave Hagrid. "But, we're getting there," she said softly, staring into the steaming mug.

Hagrid nodded. "Of course yer are. After all, yer parents were two of the strongest people I ever knew. It's only fittin' their children take after them."

"So, how've you been, Hagrid?" Hugo asked, changing the subject. He really didn't feel like talking about his parents – not with someone who had known them so well. It was like taking a step backwards.

"Good, Hugo, good. Though, I mus' admit, age is creepin' up on me."

They all laughed at that, but Hugo had to admit, Hagrid was looking a lot less healthy than he had this time last year. Hagrid seemed to read the concern on his face.

"Ah, don' worry 'bout me," he said. "I'm alrigh'!"

They stayed with Hagrid for half an hour or so, but eventually, he had to prepare for his class. Rose and Hugo said farewell and promised to visit him more often, and then left, making their way back up to the castle.

Hugo wasn't sure what had happened, but after leaving Hagrid's place, he began to feel rather dizzy. Rose must have noticed, because she looked at him as they walked, concerned.

"Everything okay?" she asked.

Hugo nodded.

"Hu… Hu, you don't look so well."

His head was spinning now – an after effect of concussion, he supposed – and he stumbled along the way, feeling Rose's hands close around his arm. He knew that he had fallen, but that was all he knew. After that, everything went black.

OOO

When Hugo came round again, he was lying on the ground in exactly the same place he had fallen. He could hear voices, but he wasn't sure where they were coming from, or who they belonged to. As he blinked, he saw the face of Rose and Hagrid.

"Ou' of the way!" Hagrid was saying ushering curious students away.

"Hu, are you okay?" Rose asked. "Hagrid's sent someone to get Madam Pomfrey. I think you should go back to the hospital. You're obviously not better. Maybe the spell did more damage than we thought."

Hugo reached for his head. It was throbbing. He'd never felt so much pain before. He tried to sit up, but Rose pushed him back down.

"Just lie still," she instructed.

Hugo shook his head, his stomach churning. "I'm going to be sick!" he said. There was barely time for Rose to move out of the way before he threw up all over the grass.

If Hagrid hadn't managed to get the students away, then that certainly had.

Rose stroked his hair. "It's okay, Hu," she said soothingly. "Madam Pomfrey will be here soon."

As if on cue, the Hogwarts matron appeared in front of him, her wand lit up again, and looking into his eyes. Hugo tried to move his head, the light blinding him, but couldn't.

"I told you to rest," she tutted. "Professor Hagrid should have known better."

"The common room password changed," Rose answered defensively. "We had nowhere else to go."

"Miss Weasley, you of all people, I thought would know that every teacher – including myself – has the password, or answer, or knowledge for getting into the common rooms. If you had just come to me, I could have given it to you."

Even though he was half blinded, Hugo noticed his sister blushed, confirming that she had known that.

"Alright, Mr Weasley, let's get you back to the hospital. If you're not going to listen to my instructions when I say to rest, then you'll be staying with me until I say it's okay for you to leave."

Hugo made to protest, but Pomfrey wouldn't hear of it. He felt himself being lifted up by magic, and was escorted, with Rose by his side, back to the hospital wing, where he was laid down on a bed, and the curtains were drawn.

Madam Pomfrey went about settling him, muttering that no one ever listened to her, when she was a trained Healer.

"Drink this," she instructed bluntly, putting a potion into his hand. "It's a sleeping draught, and will help you rest."

Hugo didn't want to drink it, but he realised he'd have no choice.

"Once you're asleep, Miss Weasley, I'd appreciate if you left."

"But –"

"No buts, your brother needs rest. He's taken a nasty head injury, which, might I remind you, would not have occurred if you had not seen fit to draw wands with another student."

Rose pouted.

After drinking the potion, Hugo felt his body gradually tire, until he was no longer able to keep his eyes open. He didn't really know what happened after that, except that he woke in the afternoon of the following day, his head heavy, but feeling much better.

But, there was no one else in sight. He was alone.


Again, a big thank you to Sunny Lighter for beta-ing. We are almost at the end! Stay tuned for chapter 50 (the final one) and please don't forget to review if you read this. Would be much appreciated :)