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Chapter Fourteen: The Hospital Wing
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The walls bled in the light of the dying day, and Harry glared into the sunset with dry eyes. He could shed no more tears. Hermione and Ginny still knelt by the bed, creating small puddles on the sheets. Mr and Mrs Weasley had been owled and were due to arrive any time now.
Sure enough, Harry heard slow footfalls coming up the hallway. Mrs Weasley's audible tears reverberated through the room. Mr Weasley was first to enter. Pain was etched on his face.
"Dad?" said Ginny weakly. Both parents rushed over to their daughter and flung their arms around her. Hermione went over to Harry, leaving the Weasleys to their private moment.
"How did it happen?" asked Mr Weasley at last.
"We were in the forest," began Harry.
"No," said Hermione. "I was in the forest. He died saving me."
"From what?" Ginny inquired sharply.
"Slytherins."
"They took Hermione into the forest to kill her. Ron stepped in."
Mrs Weasley looked shocked. "Why couldn't you-"
"Harry was under the Full Body-Bind," Hermione interrupted, quick to defend her boyfriend.
"But what possessed him to take the curse?" Mr Weasley was confused. The family were setting their grief aside to hear how Ron's death had come to pass.
"Oh," Ginny piped up airily, "he's fancied Hermione for ages."
"WHAT?" cried Harry and Hermione simultaneously. Just then, Madam Pomfrey came in.
"Is there any hope at all?" asked Mrs Weasley desperately.
"Not without some sort of miracle," Madam Pomfrey replied sadly. "No spell can reawaken the dead." Mrs Weasley grabbed her shoulders in urgency.
"But Ginny - Ginny came back!"
"Mum," said Ginny softly, "I never went to - to the other side. I nearly did, though."
"Maybe Ron hasn't!" screamed the miserable matriarch. "My son can't be dead! He's only sixteen, for God's sake! His whole life is before him!" Her voice broke and dissolved into tears. Mr Weasley comforted his wife.
"Mum?" said a weak voice. Ron was stirring. "Dad? What's going on?"
"Ron!" chorused the occupants of the room, hastening to his bed.
"Malfoy attacked me," he breathed.
"It's all right, Ron," soothed his mother, eyes full of joyous tears. "It's okay now."
"Harry, Hermione," said Ron. "You're all right! How did you get out?"
"Never mind that now, Ron," said Harry. "We'll tell you later."
"We thought you were dead," added Hermione.
It was time for another family moment, so Harry and Hermione left their friend and went for a walk.
Chapter Fourteen: The Hospital Wing
::::::--------------
The walls bled in the light of the dying day, and Harry glared into the sunset with dry eyes. He could shed no more tears. Hermione and Ginny still knelt by the bed, creating small puddles on the sheets. Mr and Mrs Weasley had been owled and were due to arrive any time now.
Sure enough, Harry heard slow footfalls coming up the hallway. Mrs Weasley's audible tears reverberated through the room. Mr Weasley was first to enter. Pain was etched on his face.
"Dad?" said Ginny weakly. Both parents rushed over to their daughter and flung their arms around her. Hermione went over to Harry, leaving the Weasleys to their private moment.
"How did it happen?" asked Mr Weasley at last.
"We were in the forest," began Harry.
"No," said Hermione. "I was in the forest. He died saving me."
"From what?" Ginny inquired sharply.
"Slytherins."
"They took Hermione into the forest to kill her. Ron stepped in."
Mrs Weasley looked shocked. "Why couldn't you-"
"Harry was under the Full Body-Bind," Hermione interrupted, quick to defend her boyfriend.
"But what possessed him to take the curse?" Mr Weasley was confused. The family were setting their grief aside to hear how Ron's death had come to pass.
"Oh," Ginny piped up airily, "he's fancied Hermione for ages."
"WHAT?" cried Harry and Hermione simultaneously. Just then, Madam Pomfrey came in.
"Is there any hope at all?" asked Mrs Weasley desperately.
"Not without some sort of miracle," Madam Pomfrey replied sadly. "No spell can reawaken the dead." Mrs Weasley grabbed her shoulders in urgency.
"But Ginny - Ginny came back!"
"Mum," said Ginny softly, "I never went to - to the other side. I nearly did, though."
"Maybe Ron hasn't!" screamed the miserable matriarch. "My son can't be dead! He's only sixteen, for God's sake! His whole life is before him!" Her voice broke and dissolved into tears. Mr Weasley comforted his wife.
"Mum?" said a weak voice. Ron was stirring. "Dad? What's going on?"
"Ron!" chorused the occupants of the room, hastening to his bed.
"Malfoy attacked me," he breathed.
"It's all right, Ron," soothed his mother, eyes full of joyous tears. "It's okay now."
"Harry, Hermione," said Ron. "You're all right! How did you get out?"
"Never mind that now, Ron," said Harry. "We'll tell you later."
"We thought you were dead," added Hermione.
It was time for another family moment, so Harry and Hermione left their friend and went for a walk.