When Hermione and Fred flooed through to St Mungo's the Medi-witch went and checked Fred in and then told them that his healer would be along soon. Within a few minutes a young witch wearing healer robes approached them, Hermione noted that she was extremely pretty and slender. "Good morning Mr. Weasley, my name is Ellie. I will be the healer helping you through your physio and aftercare. Should we head to the exam room?" Ellie said with a blinding smile on her face.
Hermione stood and pushed Fred's wheelchair down the corridor following Ellie.
When they had entered the exam room Ellie summoned Fred's medical file and sat in a chair behind the desk in front of Fred, she had yet to greet or even acknowledge Hermione. Ellie was about to continue talking to Fred when Hermione cleared her throat. "oh I am ever so sorry dear. Are you staying for Mr. Weasley's appointment?"
"yes, is that okay"
"of course that's okay it will be quite boring though, do you want to go and get a coffee or wait outside?"
"no thanks Ellie, I'm sure I will be fine. Fred, am I okay to stay?" Hermione said a little too sweetly for her own liking.
"Mione, please stay." Fred had started to panic as soon as they arrived at the hospital about Hermione seeing him weak and in pain but at the thought of the pain and the memories of the wall collapsing that it may bring back Fred didn't want to be on his own.
"Okay, so now that's settled Mr. Weasley I'm going to assist you to stand. You are going to have to remove your trousers so that I can get a look at the damage, I will then help you up onto the bed. Then we are going to start with some simple muscle-building stretches that you will need to do before we even think about getting you walking. Some of these you will need help with and after you've done them you will be in pain I will give you some pain potion that you can rub on your legs and then I will show your lovely girlfriend how best to help with this as the massage can help it to reach the deeper parts of the muscles and for them to relax quicker. Is that okay?"
Fred went bright red, "erm that's fine, Mione is not my girlfriend though. Mione sorry you're going to see me in my pants and rub my legs. When we get home feel free to show George or dad how to do it then you won't have to." Hermione could tell how bothered he was as his smile didn't reach his eyes.
"Fred I agreed to help you and I've seen you in swim shorts it's not that different. Come on stop worrying."
Fred nodded and then proceeded to wheel himself over to the table where Ellie was waiting to help Fred stand.
When Fred had stood and removed his trousers Ellie assisted him onto the bed and then instructed him to lie back on the bed. Hermione then noticed the bruising and magical damage that had been done to Fred's legs, schooling her face and stepping up beside Fred's head she made eye contact with him. "I know it's a mess," Fred said taking a deep breath the lump in his throat making him swallow before continuing. "even mums not seen how bad it is, they said that some of the curse that hit the wall kind of absorbed into it when it hit and when it all landed on me bits of the dark magic lingered. My chest and back are just as bad but they don't hurt as bad"
Hermione grabbed his hand, rolled her sleeve back, and proceeded to rub his fingers over her scarred arm reminding him it was there. "We're all a bit damaged after everything aren't we?" Fred gripped her hand tightly as Ellie began moving her hands down his legs and examining the damage to his legs.
"well, Mr. Weasley it looks like there isn't too much damage to the muscles and ligaments. Meaning that we can get you up and walking fast. However the dark magic will make it harder and your exercises, standing, and walking are going to take a lot of focus and will cause pain as the dark magic until it leeches out and tries to stop you from making progress. This pain is going to last a while and be worse on the days you have and just after you have physio, these are the days that your going to need the pain potion massaged in okay." Fred nodded he knew it was going to be hard but that had not stopped him before. "okay Mr. Weasley, let's get this started, shall we. I'm going to stretch your legs out start manipulation of the muscles and ligaments. After I've got you beginning to loosen up I will show your friend how to help you do the stretches and then how to massage the pain potion in for when it starts to hurt."
Fred nodded again "can you please call me Fred, I keep looking around for my dad when you call me Mr. Weasley"
Ellie laughed "of course I can. Fred am I okay to start this is going to hurt, Hermione may need to keep your shoulders flat if it hurts to much squeeze your hands together or squeeze Hermione's hands for me when it starts to hurt I need for you not to tense your muscles against me too much okay"
Fred nodded again and gritted his teeth Hermione offered him her other hand as she was still clutching the one closest to him.
By the time Ellie had stretched Fred's muscles out and shown Hermione how to do it and how to massage the pain potion so that it will stop the dark magic that is clinging to Fred's wounds ruining the work, they had done today Fred was soaked with sweat and exhausted. Ellie helped him get his trousers back on and he flopped into the wheelchair. Ellie had given Hermione a small piece of material with runes on it that meant that she could side along apparate Fred home and the wheelchair would stay with them as they went as long as Fred was wearing a matching piece of the material which he had tied around his wrist when they had told him how it worked. Hermione squeezed his shoulder and maintained contact "come on then Fred, let's get you home. Thanks, Ellie, we will see you on Monday" Hermione said Before apparating them both back to the burrow.