A/N: Look at that! Two chapters in one day! I was definitely feeling inspired. Actually, I was more in the mood to write than I usually am. I hope you enjoyed the last chapter and that you'll enjoy this one too!
Disclaimer: I don't own them.
Chapter 33: I'm Right Here
Lavender continued moaning helplessly, as well as moving about wildly in the bed.
"You think she's like that in bed?" Malfoy observed.
The Gryffindors' faces turned beat red.
"You're sick, Malfoy," Ron muttered under his breath.
Madame Pomfrey darted into the room then. "What is going on in here?" she asked sharply. Her eyes were narrowed as she peered at the four awake people and then she saw the thrashing Lavender.
She scurried to Lavender's bedside. "Ms. Brown?" she whispered not unkindly. "Ms. Brown, please calm down," she requested in the softest of voices. It seemed to have a calming effect on the wild Lavender, whose moaning stopped as well as the wild thrashing.
Hermione finally looked to her boyfriend, who nodded, and she knew what she had to do. She fairly ran out of the hospital wing and the entire way to the Gryffindor Tower, where she collided with a skittish Collin Creevy.
Collin yelped but Hermione didn't apologize. She had far too many things going on in her mind at that time. Not the least of which was Seamus Finnigan and Parvati Patil; both who would like to be there for when Lavender was awake. Both who would like to be for Lavender period.
Seamus looked up from the game of Exploding Snap he was playing with Dean. "What is it Hermione?"
She skidded to a halt. "It's Lav—
Seamus was already heading out the portal.
Hermione skipped steps on the way up to her dormitory. Parvati was still sleeping. Hermione nearly jumped on her roommate.
"What?!" Parvati shouted confused. She looked to the face of her perpetrator then and fell back to the bed. "Dear Merlin, what is it Hermione?"
Hermione grinned like a fool. "It's Lavender, Parvati. She's waking up."
***
They found Seamus standing in front of the door to the Infirmary. He was looking at intently, studying it.
"Seamus?" Hermione asked apprehensively.
That broke him out of his reverie. He looked at them and smiled sheepishly. "I can't go in there," he admitted.
Hermione smiled quietly. His shyness when it came to Lavender Brown was a rather endearing quality, she thought.
Parvati must not have held the same sentiment though because she plowed into her friend, grabbed his arm and swung open the door to the hospital. Seamus couldn't have resisted even if he had wanted to.
Hermione was helpless to do anything but follow.
Madame Pomfrey hadn't even noticed them entering because if she had she would have kicked them out.
Lavender had quieted considerably but not enough for the other awake patients to look on with rapt interest.
They all looked to the door when they heard it creak open. Malfoy was the only one who didn't acknowledge them politely. He silently sneered.
The three non-patients waited quietly and hopefully discreetly by the door. Madame Pomfrey was still talking quietly to Lavender. Her eyes by now had fluttered open and although her chest was heaving rapidly she seemed calm.
She said something in barely a whisper.
"What did you say Ms. Brown?" Madame Pomfrey asked. She too had apparently not heard Lavender.
"Seamus," she repeated. The single name was said louder but her voice was hoarse after not being used for quite some time.
Madame Pomfrey's eyes widened in surprise.
"Seamus," Lavender said again.
Seamus stepped forward, away from the safety net of safe feelings. He wrung his hands together. "I'm right 'ere, Lav," he said quietly.
Lavender's pale face turned to look in the direction the accented voice came from. Her eyes crinkled in a smile when she saw Seamus Finnigan standing a while away.
"I right here too," she replied even more quietly.
***
It had been a week since Lavender had woken from her coma. A week and they trio, or rather quarto, was no further in helping any of the others in the hospital. Least of all Pansy. They hadn't even attempted telling Malfoy about her. They all doubted he would listen anyhow.
The twins were keeping them regularly updated on Natalie, who was laughing and laughing more at their stories that involved Lee. They all took that as a good sign.
With the awakening of Lavender though, Parvati had become more subdued, more introverted.
"Can I ask what's wrong Parvati?" Harry asked as they "studied" in the back of the library.
She sighed. "It's…nothing, I suppose. I'm just a little worried about Padma. I don't know what to do. I don't even know who to ask…or how to find out who she liked. This how damn curse is so ridiculous!" she said. She was obviously frustrated. Harry could understand that.
"And then," she continued, "I'm upset with myself because I should have been better friends with her. You know we hardly even talked at all over the summer. It's ridiculous, I know. And at the time it wasn't a big deal but now it is. It's a big deal because know I need to know something about her and I can't!" she cried out.
She clapped her hands over her mouth. "Dammit!" she swore again.
If she hadn't been so upset, Harry might have laughed. She was kind of cute when she swore.
Parvati helplessly put her forehead on the table in front of her and sighed heavily. Her sigh said everything.
***
September 4.
And yet the "Gossip Train" has already left the station, as Angelina, Alicia and I so fondly call the Patil twins, Lavender Brown, and Charlotte Canning. They are honestly so annoying sometimes! Lee's right (of course, when is he not right—wink, wink) they do need to get a life! As if I care that Padma Patil likes Mitch Reed! I could not care less, so why that Canning girl even told me is a complete mystery!
Mitch shut the diary quickly. His face was heating up quickly. Padma Patil liked him? Was he the reason she was in the Infirmary? His heart was thudding in his chest.
He had heard about why those people were in the Infirmary and he also heard about how Lavender had woken up…or rather why she had woken up. Quite miraculous, he thought. But what did that mean if the person Padma fancied didn't like her like that? He didn't like her like that, that was for sure.
Mitch's fingers traced over the smooth cover of the diary. He didn't feel like reading anymore for the day. He had learned one too many things already.
So, this chapter was shorter than the other one, but that's OK, right? Well, what do you think? I worked hard to make this chapter make sense, so I would appreciate it if you guys could leave feedback! Thanks so much! OH, and can I put in a shameless plug? Like I said, I was feeling inspired today and at approximately nine o'clock this evening I'm starting a short (4-5 chapters) fiction (angst/romance, R/Hr) and could you guys please read that too? Thanks for everything!
*** As a side note, please pray/light a candle/meditate/whatever-it-is-you-do for the Allied forces in light of the war…and not only for the Allied soldiers but also the innocent Iraqi lives that will be lost. Remember, it is not Iraq we are against, but Saddam Hussein. I apologize if this request has offended you.
It's times like this that you crave the strange. It helps make the world make more sense. It makes the crazy normal and the unreal, real. Because, the unthinkable, without it... all you've got left is reality.
