The next few days passed in the same way. Ron and Harry had been excused from their classes for the week so that they may spend their day at the hospital with Hermione and Ginny. They'd go there in the morning, spend their time sitting quietly or talking to the two girls, and then they'd be brought back to Hogwarts where they'd eat, go to bed, and repeat everything the next day. Every day that Ginny and Hermione remained unconscious caused Ron and Harry's panic to rise.
Ron's family came by every day to see the girls and Angelina and Katie came with Fred and George a couple of times. Flowers came every day from family members and the students from Hogwarts, making the hospital room seem less bare. Mr. and Mrs. Granger had come as well but they weren't able to stay as long as they would have liked. Living in the muggle world gave them more restrictions than the others had.
The despair that hung in the room was briefly lifted on the fourth day when Harry and Ron heard a very familiar voice in the hallway outside, "Who do you theenk you are!? I demand to be let into zis room at once!" Harry's eyes widened as he looked at Ron who was staring at the closed door with his mouth hanging open.
"Bill, tell zis woman who I am!"
"I'm sorry miss, but only family is allowed in right now. I had to get special permission for Mr. Potter to be in there," Harry and Ron heard who they assumed was a nurse answering the young woman's demands.
"Zat is ridiculous! These girls are like my sisters, I will hear no more of zis!" Seconds later Fleur Delacour swept into the room in a flurry of silvery hair and angry french.
"'Arry, Ron, do not worry! These girls will be just fine, you will see!" Fleur declared with finality.
Ron looked at her with hope, "Do you really think so?"
Fleur gave a soft but radiant smile, "Of course I do! When you find your soulmate you are meant to be kept together, just like me and Bill." As Fleur finished speaking, Bill came and draped an arm around her shoulders.
"Now, you boys get out and let me take care of my sisters," Fleur shoved them out of the room and promptly shut the door in their faces.
Ron gaped at Bill, "How do girls do that? They tell you to do something while they're already making you do it!"
Bill laughed, "Don't bother trying to figure it out, I gave up a long time ago."
"I wish I could have seen that nurse's face when Fleur ignored her and came in," Ron grinned.
"Well, she wasn't too happy. I'm hoping we can avoid her on our way out," Bill answered seconds before the hospital room door flew open and the three boys were ushered in.
"There, zat is much better!" She'd only been in the room alone for five minutes but Fleur had managed to put a fresh hospital gown on each girl and comb out their hair, allowing Hermione's curls to spread out over her pillow and Ginny's to hang in soft waves over her shoulders.
The four talked for a few more minutes before Bill told Fleur that they needed to get going. As they started to leave Harry called out, "Thanks, Fleur...for everything."
"But of course, 'Arry. We are all family, are we not? Now, I would like to 'ave a word with that nurse, I theenk." Fleur glided out of the room, Bill following behind her with a look of half amusement, half apprehension on his face.
Harry grinned as Ron snorted, both of them feeling considerably better after Fleur and Bill's visit. Maybe it was because Fleur had given them what no one else dared to give voice to: hope. The boys lapsed back into silence and Harry chanced a look at his best friend. Something had been bothering Harry and he was gathering the courage to ask Ron about it.
"Ron?"
"Yeah?" Ron looked over at him.
"Do you blame me? For Ginny getting taken and now Hermione being hurt?"
Ron looked at him like he was mad, "Of course not, why would I?"
"I don't know, it's just that if Ginny hadn't heard me lose my temper with Cho then she wouldn't have run off."
"I already knew what happened."
Harry's brow furrowed in confusion, "How did you know? You weren't even there."
"But Seamus and Lavender were and they told me and Hermione what happened. That's why we got to the alley a little after you. I never blamed you, Harry, and you shouldn't either. We all know how much Ginny means to you."
"Thanks, Ron." Harry smiled as he turned back to Ginny, suddenly very tired. He leaned his head down to rest on Ginny's bed and fell asleep.
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
The next afternoon found Harry and Ron in much the same situation. Having been there for hours, the boys fell asleep leaning against the hospital beds. Ron was having a dream about the night of the Yule Ball when he felt someone tugging on his hair.
"Harry, quit pulling my hair," Ron grumbled out. When he felt his hair being pulled again, he reached up to push whatever it was away but his fingers closed around a very familiar hand. Ron stilled then slowly lifted his head up to look at the figure in the bed.
"Hermione?" he whispered. When no response came, his heart deflated and he went to lean back in his chair when Hermione's hand gave his a gentle squeeze. "Hermione?" he asked again, this time receiving a stronger squeeze than before.
"Harry!" Ron shouted.
Harry's head jerked up from its resting place on Ginny's bed and he rubbed his eyes sleepily, "What? What happened?"
"Hermione, she squeezed my hand! I think she's waking up!"
Harry hurried over to stand next to Ron and they both watched Hermione expectantly. What felt like hours but was really only a few seconds passed, the boys' hopes going down as Hermione stayed immobile. Ron hung his head in disappointment.
"Why do you both look like someone died?" croaked a voice. Ron and Harry's heads whipped around to see Hermione peeking at them from half-closed eyelids.
Harry flew from the room calling for a doctor and Ron jumped from his seat, wrapping his arms around Hermione, "You're awake!"
Hermione began coughing forcefully and Ron released her but stayed close, looking at her with anxious eyes. When the coughing subsided, she leaned back against her pillows and winced in pain.
"Are you alright? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you," Ron thought he might be sick at the thought that he'd made Hermione worse but she just grabbed his hand and gripped it tightly. Harry came back moments later, followed by the doctor who proceeded to examine Hermione. Ron opened his mouth several times to interrupt the doctor when he did something that made Hermione flinch in pain but Harry grabbed his arm each time.
When he was done the doctor wrote a few things on his clipboard and then smiled down at Hermione, "Well, Miss Granger, I am pleased to say that it appears all of the bleeding has stopped. That doesn't mean you can go hop on a broomstick anytime soon, but you are on the mend."
"She didn't have much to do with a broom beforehand, so that's not a problem," Ron smiled, his grin growing even bigger when Hermione shot him a glare. That look was the most beautiful thing he'd seen in a while.
Hermione looked up at the doctor and cleared her throat, "What exactly did happen to me, doctor?"
"Basically, you were hit with a curse that causes internal bleeding and you fell unconscious. Normally this would have killed you but you had a charm on you that deflected some of the curse. I have to go check on my other patients but I'll be back soon and the nurses will be coming in more often now," the doctor gave one last smile before he turned and left the room.
"What charm did I have?" Hermione looked confused.
Ron dug around in his pocket and pulled out the necklace that Bill had given her. Hermione's eyes widened and then she smiled, "Remind me to thank Bill."
"You actually missed him, he came with Fleur yesterday," Harry smiled at Hermione, his heart lightening a little knowing that his best friend was going to be alright.
"Fleur came, too?" Hermione's eyebrows rose.
Ron snorted, "I wish you had seen it. The nurse tried to tell her that she couldn't visit since she wasn't technically family and she yelled at her. Told her that the rules were ridiculous and that you and Ginny were like her sisters, then she shoved past her and came in anyway."
Hermione's mouth had dropped open in disbelief during the story, "She really said all that?"
The boys nodded and Hermione smiled again, "Then I hope she visits again soon." The grin gave way to a frown and she looked warily at the boys, "What happened at the Shrieking Shack? Where's Ginny?"
Harry bit his lip and looked down sadly, "She's still unconscious." He gestured to the right of Hermione's bed and she leaned up with a lot of effort to see Ginny in the next bed over. Her eyes filled with tears and she laid back, "I don't remember everything."
"What do you remember?" Ron moved to sit on the edge of her bed.
Scrunching her brow, Hermione reached into her memories to the last things she saw before she blacked out, "Bellatrix came into the room and started fighting with Harry. Dolohov had his arm around your neck and you had a cut above your eye. I think I jumped on Dolohov and then there was a red light. That's all I remember."
"After you knocked Dolohov over you went for your wand but he got to his first and…" Ron swallowed and gestured to Hermione laying in the hospital bed. They were all silent for a second before Ron jumped from his seat and began pacing in front of the bed, "Why did you do that!" Ron turned and glared at Hermione, whose eyes widened in surprise.
"Ron, I—"
"No, there's nothing you can say. Do you know how scared I was? How could you do that to yourself? To me?" Ron choked out.
Hermione sat with wide, shocked eyes. She'd never seen Ron so emotional before and it made tears roll down her cheeks. Harry had ducked out of the room as soon as Ron had started getting upset and Hermione was grateful. Ron was still looking at her with fury in his eyes and she reached her arms out to him. His face crumpled in an instant and he went to Hermione, wrapping his arms around her and holding on tighter than he ever had before.
"I'm sorry I scared you but I don't regret it. I'd do it again if I had to," Hermione told him.
Ron pulled back, "I wouldn't let you, it was stupid."
Rolling her eyes, Hermione smirked at him, "Do you honestly think you could stop me? If it had been me who Dolohov was pointing his wand at, you would have done the same thing."
Ron pursed his lips but didn't say anything. He knew Hermione was right and arguing wouldn't get him anywhere, but he also knew that they'd be having this discussion again considering how often they found themselves in these types of situations.
Hermione nodded her head towards the door and smirked, "Now go tell Harry it's safe to come back in."
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
Harry was going to go mad. It'd been two days since Hermione had woken up and Ginny still hadn't shown any signs of waking. After his happiness about Hermione regaining consciousness had come, he'd been hit by a wave of jealousy. Ron was able to sit with her, talk with her, and laugh while Harry just sat beside Ginny and watched for any sign of movement. He didn't begrudge Ron and Hermione being together again, he just wished he could have that too.
"Harry? Harry? Harry!"
Hearing his name being shouted, Harry whipped his head in the direction the voice had come from to see Ron and Hermione watching him, "What's wrong? Are you okay?"
Harry looked to Hermione who gave him a small smile, "I'm fine, just worried about you."
Rubbing his hands over his face, Harry looked at them dejectedly, "I just wish she'd move or lift her hand. Anything, so that I'd know she was getting better."
"Why don't you try talking to her again? You haven't done that for a while."
Harry frowned, "I know, I just get so frustrated that she can't answer back that I run out of things to say."
"Well, why don't we all talk to each other? That way if one of us doesn't have anything to say then the others can come up with something," Ron grinned proudly at his idea.
Hermione smirked at the look on his face and Harry was willing to try anything. An hour later they had covered a dozen topics and Hermione was currently having a great time messing with Ron. At some point Ron had jokingly asked who the best looking guy at Hogwarts was, expecting Hermione to say it was him, but his mouth had dropped open when she'd said a completely different name.
"Cormac McLaggen!" Ron's face was slowly turning bright red and his eyes were narrowed.
"Yes, what's wrong with that?" Hermione asked innocently.
"Wh-what's wrong with that?" Ron sputtered. "He's a prat! And I'm your boyfriend!"
Harry was laughing for the first time in days and Hermione was biting her lip to keep from joining in, "Oh come on, Ron. If you asked Ginny that same question, what do you think she'd say?"
"Dean."
Outraged, Harry stopped laughing and sat up straight, "What do you mean, 'Dean'? What–" Harry suddenly stopped talking and looked down at Ginny, who was slowly opening her eyes.
"Ginny!" Hermione and Ron yelled happily and Hermione shoved Ron off her bed and told him to get the doctor.
Harry's heart was hammering in his chest and he was desperately trying not to get his hopes up, but the proof in front of him was quickly squashing that attempt. He had just opened his mouth to say something when the doctor strode into the room with Ron.
He walked to Ginny's bed and beamed at her, "Hello, I'm Dr. Wilson. I've been taking care of you and your friend since you got here. I know you're tired, but do you mind if I give you a quick examination?"
Ginny nodded sluggishly and the doctor began checking her wounds. He started to push on her arms to see if she could move them when Ginny let out a cry of pain. Before he could think, Harry's hand shot out and grabbed the doctor's wrist, holding it steady. Dr. Wilson looked at him in surprise but his face quickly changed to a look of understanding.
"I know you're trying to protect her, but I need to do this. It's the only way to find out if she'll heal fully."
Harry still looked unsure but nodded, releasing the doctor's wrist. He kept his eyes trained on him, though, as he continued with his examination of Ginny. Several minutes later the doctor looked at Harry and Ron, "I'd like you two to step out into the hallway while I finish."
The boys began protesting but the doctor held his hand up, "I'm afraid I must insist, but rest assured that Miss Granger can stay and she is free to scream the hospital down if she doesn't like what I'm doing." He looked at Hermione, "Miss Granger?"
Hermione smiled and looked at Ron and Harry, "Go on. I'll call you when you can come back in."
The boys grudgingly left the room and closed the door behind them. Ron leaned against the wall while Harry paced back and forth, anger flaring up and his heart aching when he heard a cry of pain come from the room. He quickened his pace in the hopes of distracting himself but he knew it was futile when another yell came from the room, freezing him in his tracks. He clenched his fists at his sides and continued walking, cringing every time he heard a scream. Ron just stared straight ahead, his face pale.
A few minutes later they heard a faint call from inside the room, "You can come back in, now!"
Harry yanked the door open and practically ran to Ginny's bed. He looked at the doctor in panic when he saw tears rolling down Ginny's cheeks, "What's wrong with her?"
"You must remember went through hours of the Cruciatus Curse not to mention her other injuries. She's going to be in pain for a couple of weeks at least." Dr. Wilson looked down at Ginny, "Miss Weasley, are you able to listen for a few more minutes? You can go back to sleep after."
Ginny gave a small nod of her head, "Yes."
"I want you to stay in bed for at least two more days. You're going to be very weak and you'll need all of your strength when we get you up and walking. I'm hopeful that you can be moved to the infirmary at your school in another week or so and you can finish recovering there."
Harry could tell that Ginny was being pulled into sleep, but she forced her eyes open, "Too long. Want...to go back...sooner."
"I'm afraid that's not possible. Just try to get some rest and I'll be back later." Ginny was asleep before the doctor had moved from her bed. He quietly made his way to the door and was just leaving when Ron spoke up.
"Doctor, could you let my parents know about Ginny?" Dr. Wilson smiled and nodded before he shut the door behind him.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione stayed as quiet as possible and spoke in hushed tones so they wouldn't disturb Ginny. Lupin came to collect Harry and Ron shortly before dinner, hiding a smile at the boys' obvious dislike at being forced to leave. They were surrounded by their close friends, as usual, when they got back to school and the news quickly spread that Ginny had woken up. Harry was beyond delighted that Ginny had woken up, but he was also haunted by a cloud of worry. Ginny still didn't know about what really happened between him and Cho and Harry could only hope that she'd believe him when he told her.
