Games Are Afoot Chapter 26
Reunion
DISCLAIMER: JKR OWNS IT ALL; I AM JUST HERE FOR THE FUN OF IT.
Bill winced at Charlie's loud verbal assault. "Calm down Charlie, it's nothing bad, it's just…"
"What! It's just what?"
"You aren't the only one suffering." Bill suggested quietly. Charlie glared at him wondering what he was alluding to.
"Are you going to leave it there or are you going to explain yourself?" Charlie asked sharply.
"I told you already Tonks was in St. Mungos. And Remus—"
"Oh." Charlie responded more humbly. What an idiot he was to assume he was the only one not able to be where he needed to be.
"We finally got him in to see her. But he's having a hard time. He was there when Sirius…well, when it happened and he had to restrain Harry and then Harry ran off and he saw Tonks on the floor and, well…it's been a long day." Bill finally finished with a sigh as he slumped into a chair at the table. "I am going to get you to Hogwarts—that's where they are." He added wearily. Charlie nodded his head and sat back down in his chair waiting for Bill to continue.
"Dumbledore is back and he is going to open his floo so we can get there directly. Mum and Dad are there now." Charlie nodded but remained silent. Bill rubbed his hands over his face. "I was so excited to be a part of the Order. I wanted to help and make a difference." He began quietly. Charlie was watching and waiting patiently for him to go on. "I just didn't realize how worried I would be, you know?"
This Charlie could completely understand. "Yeah, I know. Fleur was great. Thanks for sending her." Bill smiled coyly.
"She's something else all right. Brave as all get out. She actually volunteered." Charlie's eyes widened in surprise.
"Really?"
"There was a reason she was chosen as a champion. She is…well…a lot of things."
Charlie chuckled at the sappy looked plastered on Bill's face. "I guess I am not the only one that far gone." He commented wryly.
Bill smiled back, his face relaxing some with the thoughts of the beautiful French woman. The brothers sat basking in the warmth of the moment.
A faint pop was followed by a piece of parchment drifting to the table. Bill reached for it and after reading it quickly handed it to Charlie. "It's time."
Charlie joined Bill in Professor Dumbledore's office mere minutes after receiving the parchment. As he dusted off his clothes, he surveyed the room. Not much had changed in the last five years. Not that he had been here all that much, but occasionally for the odd prank. He smiled as he remembered the conversation after the all night Quidditch game.
"Come on Charlie. Let's go to the hospital wing." Bill said as he led the way out the door and down the spiraling staircase. The halls were darkened with only the occasional torch or candle lit. It was obviously past curfew. It felt natural to be back here; it was familiar and comfortable like a favorite pair of pajamas. Charlie felt calmer than he had in days.
Bill stopped him just outside the door. "Ron's arms look pretty messed up and he gets nervous if anyone stares at them. The curse affected his mind a little, but he will come out of it…Madame Pompfrey said it was like having a really bad concussion. You ought to understand that well enough."
Charlie chuckled as he remembered how many times he had been here for that very reason; stray bludgers, falling off the broom doing a tricky maneuver, getting hexed into a wall after ticking off a big slytherin. Bill chuckled too.
"How does Ginny look?"
"Her leg is bunged up and she's got scratches and bruises, but she doesn't look too bad."
Charlie and Bill both hesitated knowing that Hermione was the last one they needed to discuss. Charlie couldn't form the words. His stomach began to clench again and he didn't want to wait anymore, but he was torn between that and wanting to be prepared for what he was about to face. He opted to go in blind and let the chips fall where they may. Bill opened the door and Madame Pompfrey rushed over.
"Visiting hours are over!" She hissed.
"This isn't strictly a visit," Bill spoke low and calmly. "This is more security who happens to also be a Weasley."
Madame Pompfrey's eyes widened and she smiled broadly when she recognized Charlie. She threw her arms in the air. "Oh my! Charlie Weasley."
He smiled as he warmly shook her hand with both of his. "How are you?"
"Oh I am fine. It's my patients that I worry about." She said like always. She excused herself as the brothers made their way down the center of the ward. There were beds lining both sides spaced about three feet apart with end tables between each. Most of the beds were empty. The first one on the left held a slightly frumpy looking woman who was snoring softly and mumbling in her sleep. From the looks of her, Charlie assumed this was the infamous Professor Umbridge. Her bed was several beds away from the next patient who turned out to be Ron. Mrs. Weasley was sitting next to his bed with her back to them and she was rubbing a salve onto Ron's arms and talking to him quietly as if he were awake.
Charlie fondly remembered back to his childhood as his mother would sit and nurse him from an injury or illness. Sometimes he would pretend to be asleep, because she would always sing to him. She would wait to sing until after they were asleep because she sang the songs from their childhood that she thought they had outgrown. Charlie loved it. Her soft voice was very comforting even now. He rested his hands on her shoulders and she jumped with a start.
"Don't stop, mum. I have always loved how you sing to us." Mrs. Weasley looked stunned and then a single happy tear rolled down her flushed cheek. She allowed Charlie to pull her into a tight embrace.
"Charlie! Charlie! I didn't expect…I didn't hope…I am so glad you are here." She finally sputtered.
Charlie just held her close and rubbed her back gently. Finally, he pulled away and sniffed slightly. "How is he?"
"Coming along. They have him sedated, but the confusion is gone and now we are working on his arms. Poppy said thoughts can cut deeper than most knives so it'll take a bit, but the scars will fade. He is going to be all right. He's a good boy."
Charlie nodded and let his mother steer him to the next bed. Ginny. She opened her eyes and whispered groggily, "Charlie, you're here!"
"Yep, had to come make sure you troublemakers were all right." He teased gently. She chuckled quietly and then faded back into sleep. She wasn't little anymore, but with her face bathed in the soft flicker of candlelight and her hair tousled on the pillow, she looked young and sweet and innocent.
Across the aisle from Ron and Ginny were two students that Charlie didn't recognize.
"Bill, were they there too?" He nodded towards the two.
"Yeah, that's Neville Longbottom." Bill paused as the name registered with Charlie. "And Luna Lovegood."
"Xenophilius Lovegood's daughter?" Charlie asked. The Lovegood's lived not far from the Burrow and Charlie hadn't realized the daughter was as old as Ginny.
Charlie finally allowed himself to gaze at the bed two down from Ginny. Mr. Weasley was watching his sons as they approached. He stood and moved to Charlie enveloping him in a warm embrace.
"Son. I can't tell you how much it means to me that you are here." His voice cracked at the end and Charlie hugged him more fiercely.
"Dad," Bill interrupted, "Can I have a quick word?" He asked as he led his father to the other end of the hospital ward. Charlie conveyed his gratitude to his brother through his eyes as he moved towards the bed he had clamored to get to for so long.
She looked so weak and fragile. Her face was ghostly pale. He felt his mothers arm come around his waist as he stood looking at her.
"She hasn't woken up yet." She said quietly. Charlie merely nodded, not trusting his voice to say anything. "I can see it in your eyes Charles Fabian Weasley."
Charlie turned to his mother with his eyes wide. "You can see what?"
"I'm not blind Charlie. I saw the way you looked at her at Christmas time." She uttered softly so only he could hear. "She's has called out a few times and it's always the same word…Charlie." She squeezed his hand and left him alone with Hermione. Charlie drew up the closest chair and sat beside her bed. His tired eyes were stinging with tears he did not want to shed.
He stroked her hair that was splayed across her pillow trying to quell the well of emotion running through him before it started overflowing. She twitched and the cover fell back revealing her hand. It was placed gingerly on her chest that was wrapped in heavy bandages. In her sleep her hand was tugging at them and she began to moan and squirm as if she were going to thrash around. Instinctively, Charlie reached for her battered and scratched hand and held it on the side of the bed tenderly in his own. With his other hand he readjusted her blanket so she was covered again and then continued to caress her hair.
After a time he began to talk quietly. He told her about Matilda and Shadow and the other hatchlings. He told her how much he enjoyed her letters and how much he worried about her. He told her about Fleur coming and trying to get to her. He didn't know if she could even hear him, but he didn't know what else to do. Suddenly, he found himself humming the tune his mum had been singing a short time ago to Ron. No one disturbed him and so there he sat keeping vigil through the night.
As the morning light crept through the windows and lit up the room, Madame Pompfrey found Charlie asleep at Hermione's bedside with his head resting on the arm of the hand that still tenderly held hers. She used her wand to check Hermione's vital signs and satisfied that she was stable, she left so as not to disturb them. She conjured a divider to give them some privacy as the rest of the ward was beginning to stir.
Charlie could vaguely hear the hum of conversation floating around him, and was painfully aware of his stiffened muscles. He slowly sat up remembering where he was. Hermione did not look as if she had moved a single hair. He looked over his shoulder as he stretched and noticed the subtle partition that now blocked them from the rest of the room. He returned his gaze to Hermione. She looked slightly less pale in the sunlight.
He started to slip his hand away from hers when she tightened her grip. Charlie froze. He waited a moment and then moved his hand again. Again she tightened her hold. Charlie leaned over the bed so he could whisper in her ear.
"Come back to me Bookworm."
She squeezed his hand and he gripped hers right back.
"That's it. Fight it. Come back."
Charlie stroked her hair and whispered soothing encouragement into her ear. After a few moments, her eyelids began to flutter and then they finally opened.
"Charlie?" Her voice was hoarse and cracked.
"I'm right here." He cooed into her ear and then kissed her forehead softly.
She sighed. "It hurts. I thought you were a dream." Charlie chuckled.
"I am a nightmare, but you are awake."
She smiled feebly. "What happened?"
"How much do you remember?"
Hermione swallowed and tried to sit up.
"No, lie back. Don't try to get up yet."
"Charlie, I…Harry…the prophecy…." She was getting agitated.
"Hermione, should I get Madame Pompfey?" She shook her head weakly.
"Harry? Ron? Ginny?"
"They are all fine. Neville and Luna too. You are the one we've all been worried about."
She nodded and relaxed into her pillow.
"The Order came. They got some of the death eaters." Charlie whispered to her and she smiled a small delicate smile. "They got Malfoy." He declared as her eyes shot open wide.
"They did?" She whispered hoarsely.
"They did." He nodded watching her eyes for further reaction. A look of fear and then pain shot through.
"What about…about…Dolohov?" She asked so that Charlie barely heard her.
"I don't know. I can ask Bill. Is he—" Charlie stopped not knowing if he should continue.
"Yes." She said barely making a sound. Charlie just reached up and kissed her forehead again.
Charlie wanted to chase the hollow look from her eyes. "He can't hurt you anymore. You are safe. You are at Hogwarts." Hermione's chuckle quickly turned to a cough.
"I thought the ceiling looked familiar." She tried to joke.
"Well," a new voice startled them, "Glad to have back with us Miss Granger." Madame Pompfrey said loudly as she came around the curtain. She was grinning happily at the two of them. Charlie reluctantly let go of her hand and stood back as the medi-witch did her job.
"Mr. Weasley, if you will excuse us for a few moments." Hermione tried to reach for him.
"I won't be far." He assured her as he stepped around the curtain.
Mrs. Weasley looked at the sparkle in her son's eyes and the less furrowed brow and smiled.
"She's awake." Charlie said simply. Everyone sighed. Harry was not here, but Ron, Ginny, Luna and Neville were sitting up in bed having breakfast. His stomach rumbled loudly.
"Let's get you something to eat as well." Mrs. Weasley said shifting around to fix a plate from the table loaded with food that the house elves had provided. She was still sniffling, but it was from joy that ALL those she considered her children were safe.
"Thanks Mum." Charlie said as he balanced his plate on his lap and took a healthy bite of eggs. "I can't remember the last time I ate." She kissed the top of his head as she passed.
Charlie refused to leave, so he was assigned the bed next to Hermione and promptly fell asleep. Hermione watched his chest rise and fall as glimmers of his voice returned to her mind. She felt drowsy but she didn't want to sleep because she worried he would be gone when she woke up. Eventually, she could no longer fight it and she drifted into slumber.
She felt someone holding her down and she was fighting as hard as she could. She was losing the fight and it was hard to draw a breath. Her chest was constricting so tightly and waves of pain rolled over her. And then she heard it. His voice. He was calling to her.
Charlie gripped her tightly and held her to the bed so she wouldn't hurt herself. Madame Pompfrey said she needed to stay calm so that the deep wounds from the curses could heal. She was putting up a huge fight and she was much stronger than she looked. It was a good thing he was used to wrestling dragons. He began to talk to her, willing her to hear him and respond. Suddenly, she stopped. He kept talking and soon she opened her eyes.
"Welcome back. Dragons have nothing on you when you are trying to fight." He chuckled. She blushed and placed her hands on his.
"I guess I was dreaming about…it." She finished lamely.
"It's ok." Charlie soothed. Her breathing slowed to a more regular rhythm. "Madame Pompfrey said that I could take you for a walk tonight if you felt up to it." Charlie said to distract her from the bad dream.
Hermione's eyes lit up. "Really?" Charlie nodded.
Charlie adopted his best imitation of her caretaker, "You will have to wait until after curfew because it isn't necessary for you to have to deal with other students and their curiosity." Hermione laughed.
Later that evening they strolled slowly through the darkened hallways. It was unexpectedly more pleasant than Charlie had imagined. It was familiar and to be here with her was simply wonderful. Charlie carefully had his arm around her waist to support her and he tugged her gently to the left.
"Why Mr. Weasley, where are you taking me?" Hermione teased as she let herself be led behind a tapestry.
"I want to show you something." Charlie grinned.
Hermione played along, "Now where have I heard that before? Is there some mistletoe lingering around here?" She glanced around. He stopped in front of a picture she had never seen before. It was obviously a Chinese fireball, but Charlie kept looking from her to the picture expectantly.
Finally, it clicked. "OH! Is that Matilda?" She asked. Charlie nodded.
"I took it when I first got to the reserve and sent it to Professor Dumbledore for writing my letter of recommendation." Charlie smiled and touched the picture softly. Hermione loved the expression on his face. She leaned into his chest and rested her head.
"Are you tired? Should we head back?" Charlie inquired nervously.
"No, I just am so glad you are here." She sighed contentedly as Charlie wrapped his muscle-hardened arms around her and pulled her closer.
"Me too." He murmured into her hair. His lips moved down to her jaw as he gently kissed her along her jawline. She turned toward him and found his lips. Gently he moved his lips with hers savoring the feeling he had been dreaming about for nearly five months. Reluctantly he pulled back and hugged her. She sighed again into his chest.
Gradually they made their way back towards the hospital wing, but just before they arrived Hermione pulled him into a dark alcove. She looked up at him expectantly, her eyes shining in anticipation. He lowered his head and gently captured her lips once again with his own.
"Bloody Hell!" Ron yelled as they sprang apart.