Harry yawned widely, squinting at the early morning sun streaming throught the bedroom window.
In the bed next to him, Ron was still fast asleep, snoring loudly. Hedwig was asleep on the end of his bed, so was Pig, Ron's owl.
Harry put on his glasses, and looked at the clock, it was 6am.
He knew why he couldn't sleep however, Hermione's letter bothered him, he had never seen her that upset.
He had wanted to hold her and tell her that everything was going to be fine that previous evening.
He lay there, the thoughts tumbling through his mind, could it have been a letter from Viktor Krum?
His thoughts were interrupted by Ron waking up.
'Morning Harry', Ron yawned, stretching himself, 'what's the matter, still worried about Hermione?'
'Yes, I am', Harry's face was grim.
'Oh, she'll be fine', Ron got out of bed, and padded to the bathroom, ' we've seen her looking upset loads of times.'
'Not as upset as last night', Harry punched his pillows hard, waking up the owls, ' if Krum has hurt her, i'll...'
'I'll help you', Ron shouted from the bathroom.
They went down to breakfast. Mrs Weasley, Ginny, Fred and George were there.
'Mrs Weasley, is Hermione ok?', Harry asked.
Mrs Weasley handed Harry and Ron a plate each of breakfast.
'She had to go home, a family problem, Mr Weasley has taken her. She still looked upset.'
They all ate in silence.
______________
Hermione Granger got out of the black cab in front of the hospital, and paid the driver.
She looked up at the imposing looking building and shuddered.
She looked at the letter again.
'Right Hermione, it's now or never', she composed herself then walked in throught the main entrance.
She'd been in a muggle hospital a few times when she was younger, so she was prepared.
She went to the Reception desk. A nurse looked up as she approached.
'May i help you', the Nurse asked.
'Yes, I'm looking for the private room for Stewart Anderson', Hermione said, 'He sent for me, i'm an old friend.'
'Certainly, a porter will show you up', the Nurse guestured to a white uniformed porter.
A few minutes later, Hermione arrived at room 62, she knocked on the door, a nurse opened the door.
'Miss Granger?, come in, Mr Anderson has been asking for you.'
She moved closer to the bed and saw a sunken figure, connected to loads of machines.
'Stewart?', she whispered.
A weak voice croaked her name, 'I'm glad you came, i missed you'.
Hermione smiled, 'I haven't seen you since the last day of primary school'.
She got a chair and sat down next to the bed, taking his hand tenderly.
She looked at Stewart's face, he was still a good looking boy. She remembered that all the girls at the Muggle school had a crush on him.
But he looked so ill.
'I'm sorry i didn't get here sooner, but I'm at boarding school, so i didn't get your letter until yesterday', she fought back tears.
'So, what have you been up to?', Stewart wheezed, 'I do remember that you used to help me with my homework'.
Hermione smiled, 'I do the same at my current school'.
'You were a great friend to me Hermione, especially after Mum died', he squeezed her hand, 'thank you.'
'What happened to you, Stew?, you were our top football player, so fit and active', Hermione looked at him remembering how he used to look, tall forr his age, unruly black hair, and piercing blue eyes, very handsome, a bit like Harry.
She blushed at the thought.
Stewart looked at her, ' What's wrong?'
She looked at him, 'Oh nothing, I was just thinking about a boy at my school, he reminded me of you.'
'Really?'
Hermione desperately changed the subject, ' How did you get so ill?'
Stewart swallowed and started to speak, his voice full of emotion, 'I started playing for the Arsenal junior team, I did so well. I was tipped to play for the senior squad when I was older.'
Hermione leaned in closer, her eyes betraying her emotions.
Stewart continued, 'Then two years ago, I got pains. I was sent for lots of tests, and was diagnosed with incurable bowel cancer. My career was finished. My body has slowly deteriated, so much so I've ended up in here.
Hermione started to cry softly, burying her head into the bedclothes.
'Hermione, don't cry please, it isn't your fault', Stewart's voice cracked with emotion, 'you coming to see me has made me feel better and prepared me for the end, whenever that is.
The Nurse opened the door.
'Visiting time is over, Stewart, time for your friend to go.'
Hermione got up and dried her eyes, then leaned forward and kissed Stewart on the cheek.
'I'll be back to see you tomorrow, ok?', Hermione smiled weakly., then she left the room.
End of chapter 2, please r/r
p.s. football=soccer for any American readers.
In the bed next to him, Ron was still fast asleep, snoring loudly. Hedwig was asleep on the end of his bed, so was Pig, Ron's owl.
Harry put on his glasses, and looked at the clock, it was 6am.
He knew why he couldn't sleep however, Hermione's letter bothered him, he had never seen her that upset.
He had wanted to hold her and tell her that everything was going to be fine that previous evening.
He lay there, the thoughts tumbling through his mind, could it have been a letter from Viktor Krum?
His thoughts were interrupted by Ron waking up.
'Morning Harry', Ron yawned, stretching himself, 'what's the matter, still worried about Hermione?'
'Yes, I am', Harry's face was grim.
'Oh, she'll be fine', Ron got out of bed, and padded to the bathroom, ' we've seen her looking upset loads of times.'
'Not as upset as last night', Harry punched his pillows hard, waking up the owls, ' if Krum has hurt her, i'll...'
'I'll help you', Ron shouted from the bathroom.
They went down to breakfast. Mrs Weasley, Ginny, Fred and George were there.
'Mrs Weasley, is Hermione ok?', Harry asked.
Mrs Weasley handed Harry and Ron a plate each of breakfast.
'She had to go home, a family problem, Mr Weasley has taken her. She still looked upset.'
They all ate in silence.
______________
Hermione Granger got out of the black cab in front of the hospital, and paid the driver.
She looked up at the imposing looking building and shuddered.
She looked at the letter again.
'Right Hermione, it's now or never', she composed herself then walked in throught the main entrance.
She'd been in a muggle hospital a few times when she was younger, so she was prepared.
She went to the Reception desk. A nurse looked up as she approached.
'May i help you', the Nurse asked.
'Yes, I'm looking for the private room for Stewart Anderson', Hermione said, 'He sent for me, i'm an old friend.'
'Certainly, a porter will show you up', the Nurse guestured to a white uniformed porter.
A few minutes later, Hermione arrived at room 62, she knocked on the door, a nurse opened the door.
'Miss Granger?, come in, Mr Anderson has been asking for you.'
She moved closer to the bed and saw a sunken figure, connected to loads of machines.
'Stewart?', she whispered.
A weak voice croaked her name, 'I'm glad you came, i missed you'.
Hermione smiled, 'I haven't seen you since the last day of primary school'.
She got a chair and sat down next to the bed, taking his hand tenderly.
She looked at Stewart's face, he was still a good looking boy. She remembered that all the girls at the Muggle school had a crush on him.
But he looked so ill.
'I'm sorry i didn't get here sooner, but I'm at boarding school, so i didn't get your letter until yesterday', she fought back tears.
'So, what have you been up to?', Stewart wheezed, 'I do remember that you used to help me with my homework'.
Hermione smiled, 'I do the same at my current school'.
'You were a great friend to me Hermione, especially after Mum died', he squeezed her hand, 'thank you.'
'What happened to you, Stew?, you were our top football player, so fit and active', Hermione looked at him remembering how he used to look, tall forr his age, unruly black hair, and piercing blue eyes, very handsome, a bit like Harry.
She blushed at the thought.
Stewart looked at her, ' What's wrong?'
She looked at him, 'Oh nothing, I was just thinking about a boy at my school, he reminded me of you.'
'Really?'
Hermione desperately changed the subject, ' How did you get so ill?'
Stewart swallowed and started to speak, his voice full of emotion, 'I started playing for the Arsenal junior team, I did so well. I was tipped to play for the senior squad when I was older.'
Hermione leaned in closer, her eyes betraying her emotions.
Stewart continued, 'Then two years ago, I got pains. I was sent for lots of tests, and was diagnosed with incurable bowel cancer. My career was finished. My body has slowly deteriated, so much so I've ended up in here.
Hermione started to cry softly, burying her head into the bedclothes.
'Hermione, don't cry please, it isn't your fault', Stewart's voice cracked with emotion, 'you coming to see me has made me feel better and prepared me for the end, whenever that is.
The Nurse opened the door.
'Visiting time is over, Stewart, time for your friend to go.'
Hermione got up and dried her eyes, then leaned forward and kissed Stewart on the cheek.
'I'll be back to see you tomorrow, ok?', Hermione smiled weakly., then she left the room.
End of chapter 2, please r/r
p.s. football=soccer for any American readers.