Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. J.K.Rowling does. :(
Chapter 4: A Helping Hand
Hermione sat awake late at night listening to all of the sounds around her. She heard nurses chatting a little way down the hall, all of the monitors hooked up to Draco, and of course, his light but constant breathing. Listening to him breathing, it had a comforting effect on her.
She had been working for weeks on her toes and two days ago had succeeded in moving all of them. Now she was working on the ankles, which seemed to be coming along a lot better than the toes. She was already beginning to move them from left to right. She stared at them with disbelief in her eyes. 'I can get my ankles to move left and right but they still won't rotate in a complete circle yet? What kind of crap is that?' She thought to herself.
Every night, the nurse came in around 2:00 a.m. to empty Hermione's garbage can. She stressed herself out every night by two and this was becoming a bad habit. Still, the nurses had no idea what she was doing, which was her goal. They couldn't find out. Then they would tell the doctor and he would probably come back and tell her that she could die from the stress. 'Well that's just bull. Whoever heard of dying because you wanted to rotate your ankles?'
One morning, Hermione believed it to be a Friday, Fred and George stopped by. "'Ello Hermione. 'Ow you doing, ole chap?"
"Oh. I didn't expect to see you two today. I'm fine, thank you George. And yourself?"
The twin that had greeted her looked very offended. "I'm Fred!"
"Oh I'm sorry. I thought I had gotten it down by now. I guess I still need to work on it then, don't I?"
"I was just joshing. I AM George. Sorry but I couldn't resist. You're the only one in the entire world that can tell us apart and I just wanted to make you second guess that. Sorry, Hermione."
"That's perfectly all right, George. All is forgiven. So how have you two been? How's the shop?"
"We're doing great. The shop has really picked up. We've been getting a lot of business from even the adults! Down right funny it was when last weekend Old McGonagall came in asking for some extendable ears."
Hermione laughed. "I can only imagine."
"Sorry we couldn't get here sooner. The shop's just kept us so busy."
"I understand. It's okay. I'm not that bored sitting here all day. I have some books to read. You know me. Read, read, read. Then I get Harry and Ron's DAILY letters. I told them they didn't have to keep writing every day, but they insisted. In fact, nine times out of ten, they write two. One in the morning to tell me what happened last night when they finished writing their last letter and then one at night filling me in on all of the days activities. It's beginning to get very old very quickly. If you two see them, please inform them that I am not a charity case and I do not need their pity!"
"I think they just want to make sure you know that they care for you."
"Tell them I got the point and that they better start to keep their promise or else they'll be in this hospital bed instead of me."
"I think that they would do that for you." Fred said sheepishly. "I think we all would. No one wants to see you like this. It hurts us to see you like this. I don't know about George and me, we aren't really noble or anything like that, but Ron and Harry, they wish every night that they could take the pain INSTEAD of you. That they could have taken your place. That this had happened to them and not you."
"You know what I wish?" Hermione asked.
"What?" The both said with curiousity in their voices.
"FOR THE WORLD TO STOP THINKING I NEED PITY! I'M NOT A BLOODY RETARD WHO CAN'T DO ANYTHING FOR HERSELF! I DON'T NEED THEIR HELP NOR THEIR PITY! TELL THEM TO KEEP BOTH!"
A nurse immediately ran into the room with a bucket in hand. She handed it to a suddenly very tired looking Hermione. When Hermione was finished she handed the bowl back to the nurse.
"Miss. Granger, really! Please stop working yourself up like that. If these two are causing you any more stress than you already put on yourself then..."
"NO! They're staying. Don't even think about kicking them out. Harry and Ron can't visit any longer and I need someone to talk to. Fred and George aren't in school any more so they can visit when Harry and Ron can't. They get to stay. If you have a problem with that, I won't aim for the bowl next time. YOU will be my target. Is that clear?"
She gave Hermione a very disapproving look and then left the room, sighing with frustration. "WOAH!" Fred exclaimed. "Telling off the nurses? Defying the authorities? That doesn't sound like the Hermione Granger we used to know back at Hogwarts."
"Well I've changed. Whether for the better or the worse, I do not know. But I am not the same as I once was. Things that used to matter, hold no value to me any longer."
"You make me sad just talking to you." George said glumly.
"NO! Don't be sad. I didn't mean it like that, honestly. I'm happy with my life and I wouldn't change a thing."
"What about who you have to share a room with?" Fred said with a laugh.
"Actually, I wouldn't change that either. I don't know, you guys. There's something about him when I see him like that. I just know that he's changed. I mean, he fought for OUR side, and he killed his own dad. Look at him. He just looks so peaceful and innocent. I can't say I hate him anymore."
They talked for hours, avoiding the subject of Malfoy anymore. When it came time for lunch, they left and she was grateful. "NURSE BETTY!" She yelled. The nurse came in quickly.
"Yes dear?"
"I'm hungry. Could you bring me my lunch now please?"
"Yes of course." The nurse brought in her lunch and when she turned to leave she stopped. "Anything else?"
"No. But I would appreciate if you made sure no one came in my room for a while, until I call again. I need my privacy and I never get that with you nurses always coming and checking on me."
"No problem dear." The nurse left Hermione alone and as soon as she was gone, Hermione fell asleep. She was so exhausted from working every night until two a.m.
When she woke up again, it was late into the evening, 11:30 p.m. 'How could I have slept that I long? I didn't realize I was that sleep deprived. Now I'll never get to sleep tonight.'
She pushed back her blankets and began working with her ankles. After thirty minutes and much to her surprise, they were rotating in circles both clockwise and counterclockwise. 'This is it. Tonight, I walk.' She used her arms and pushed her legs over the edge of the bed. When they hit the floor she was stunned to feel the coldness.
Slowly, she shifted off of the bed and onto her feet. 'I'M STANDING!! I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT I'M ACTUALLY STANDING!' She was so happy at the thought. 'Now here comes the hardest part of all. I need to walk.' She used her hands to grab her right leg and push it forward. She half expected to collapse she was so tired after she succeeded in that. But she stayed standing. 'On to the left leg.' She grabbed her left leg and pushed it forward. 'YES! Still standing!' She thought for a few seconds before deciding on her next move. 'Walking without pushing my legs with my hands.' She tried for a few minutes but nothing was happening. 'Come on... WORK!'
Hours passed and she still hadn't moved from that position. She decided to make one final effort. With all of her might, she stepped forwards. She tried to keep going but she couldn't. The nausea was too much for her to handle and she collapsed.
Hermione thought she would just sit there until a nurse came but then remembered that she had told them to leave her in privacy. 'Damn it all to hell! I'm so stupid. How could I do that to myself?' She began to cry and couldn't stop. For the first time since she had been hit with the curse, she pitied herself. She would lie there until someone came in to check on her in the morning on the cold hard floor in her nightgown. She continued to cry for what felt like another hour until she felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her waste and life her up. When she looked into the mans eyes to see who he was, she saw a pair of gray eyes staring straight back into hers.
"Don't cry, Hermione. It hurts me to see you so sad."
"This can't be. This must be a dream. I... I must have fallen asleep and now I'm dreaming of you again." She pinched herself to wake up but nothing happened. "Is it really you, Draco?"
A/N... SO it took me HOURS to write this. I was up all last night just planning it out. Thank you guys soo much for your reviews. I would love you to keep reviewing. Tell me what you thought of this chapter. I really loved seeing all the great responses. It's so great seeing all the reviews. The more reviews I get, the quicker I'll update. You guys are like my muse. Keep inspiring me!
REVIEW!!!!!!
Chapter 4: A Helping Hand
Hermione sat awake late at night listening to all of the sounds around her. She heard nurses chatting a little way down the hall, all of the monitors hooked up to Draco, and of course, his light but constant breathing. Listening to him breathing, it had a comforting effect on her.
She had been working for weeks on her toes and two days ago had succeeded in moving all of them. Now she was working on the ankles, which seemed to be coming along a lot better than the toes. She was already beginning to move them from left to right. She stared at them with disbelief in her eyes. 'I can get my ankles to move left and right but they still won't rotate in a complete circle yet? What kind of crap is that?' She thought to herself.
Every night, the nurse came in around 2:00 a.m. to empty Hermione's garbage can. She stressed herself out every night by two and this was becoming a bad habit. Still, the nurses had no idea what she was doing, which was her goal. They couldn't find out. Then they would tell the doctor and he would probably come back and tell her that she could die from the stress. 'Well that's just bull. Whoever heard of dying because you wanted to rotate your ankles?'
One morning, Hermione believed it to be a Friday, Fred and George stopped by. "'Ello Hermione. 'Ow you doing, ole chap?"
"Oh. I didn't expect to see you two today. I'm fine, thank you George. And yourself?"
The twin that had greeted her looked very offended. "I'm Fred!"
"Oh I'm sorry. I thought I had gotten it down by now. I guess I still need to work on it then, don't I?"
"I was just joshing. I AM George. Sorry but I couldn't resist. You're the only one in the entire world that can tell us apart and I just wanted to make you second guess that. Sorry, Hermione."
"That's perfectly all right, George. All is forgiven. So how have you two been? How's the shop?"
"We're doing great. The shop has really picked up. We've been getting a lot of business from even the adults! Down right funny it was when last weekend Old McGonagall came in asking for some extendable ears."
Hermione laughed. "I can only imagine."
"Sorry we couldn't get here sooner. The shop's just kept us so busy."
"I understand. It's okay. I'm not that bored sitting here all day. I have some books to read. You know me. Read, read, read. Then I get Harry and Ron's DAILY letters. I told them they didn't have to keep writing every day, but they insisted. In fact, nine times out of ten, they write two. One in the morning to tell me what happened last night when they finished writing their last letter and then one at night filling me in on all of the days activities. It's beginning to get very old very quickly. If you two see them, please inform them that I am not a charity case and I do not need their pity!"
"I think they just want to make sure you know that they care for you."
"Tell them I got the point and that they better start to keep their promise or else they'll be in this hospital bed instead of me."
"I think that they would do that for you." Fred said sheepishly. "I think we all would. No one wants to see you like this. It hurts us to see you like this. I don't know about George and me, we aren't really noble or anything like that, but Ron and Harry, they wish every night that they could take the pain INSTEAD of you. That they could have taken your place. That this had happened to them and not you."
"You know what I wish?" Hermione asked.
"What?" The both said with curiousity in their voices.
"FOR THE WORLD TO STOP THINKING I NEED PITY! I'M NOT A BLOODY RETARD WHO CAN'T DO ANYTHING FOR HERSELF! I DON'T NEED THEIR HELP NOR THEIR PITY! TELL THEM TO KEEP BOTH!"
A nurse immediately ran into the room with a bucket in hand. She handed it to a suddenly very tired looking Hermione. When Hermione was finished she handed the bowl back to the nurse.
"Miss. Granger, really! Please stop working yourself up like that. If these two are causing you any more stress than you already put on yourself then..."
"NO! They're staying. Don't even think about kicking them out. Harry and Ron can't visit any longer and I need someone to talk to. Fred and George aren't in school any more so they can visit when Harry and Ron can't. They get to stay. If you have a problem with that, I won't aim for the bowl next time. YOU will be my target. Is that clear?"
She gave Hermione a very disapproving look and then left the room, sighing with frustration. "WOAH!" Fred exclaimed. "Telling off the nurses? Defying the authorities? That doesn't sound like the Hermione Granger we used to know back at Hogwarts."
"Well I've changed. Whether for the better or the worse, I do not know. But I am not the same as I once was. Things that used to matter, hold no value to me any longer."
"You make me sad just talking to you." George said glumly.
"NO! Don't be sad. I didn't mean it like that, honestly. I'm happy with my life and I wouldn't change a thing."
"What about who you have to share a room with?" Fred said with a laugh.
"Actually, I wouldn't change that either. I don't know, you guys. There's something about him when I see him like that. I just know that he's changed. I mean, he fought for OUR side, and he killed his own dad. Look at him. He just looks so peaceful and innocent. I can't say I hate him anymore."
They talked for hours, avoiding the subject of Malfoy anymore. When it came time for lunch, they left and she was grateful. "NURSE BETTY!" She yelled. The nurse came in quickly.
"Yes dear?"
"I'm hungry. Could you bring me my lunch now please?"
"Yes of course." The nurse brought in her lunch and when she turned to leave she stopped. "Anything else?"
"No. But I would appreciate if you made sure no one came in my room for a while, until I call again. I need my privacy and I never get that with you nurses always coming and checking on me."
"No problem dear." The nurse left Hermione alone and as soon as she was gone, Hermione fell asleep. She was so exhausted from working every night until two a.m.
When she woke up again, it was late into the evening, 11:30 p.m. 'How could I have slept that I long? I didn't realize I was that sleep deprived. Now I'll never get to sleep tonight.'
She pushed back her blankets and began working with her ankles. After thirty minutes and much to her surprise, they were rotating in circles both clockwise and counterclockwise. 'This is it. Tonight, I walk.' She used her arms and pushed her legs over the edge of the bed. When they hit the floor she was stunned to feel the coldness.
Slowly, she shifted off of the bed and onto her feet. 'I'M STANDING!! I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT I'M ACTUALLY STANDING!' She was so happy at the thought. 'Now here comes the hardest part of all. I need to walk.' She used her hands to grab her right leg and push it forward. She half expected to collapse she was so tired after she succeeded in that. But she stayed standing. 'On to the left leg.' She grabbed her left leg and pushed it forward. 'YES! Still standing!' She thought for a few seconds before deciding on her next move. 'Walking without pushing my legs with my hands.' She tried for a few minutes but nothing was happening. 'Come on... WORK!'
Hours passed and she still hadn't moved from that position. She decided to make one final effort. With all of her might, she stepped forwards. She tried to keep going but she couldn't. The nausea was too much for her to handle and she collapsed.
Hermione thought she would just sit there until a nurse came but then remembered that she had told them to leave her in privacy. 'Damn it all to hell! I'm so stupid. How could I do that to myself?' She began to cry and couldn't stop. For the first time since she had been hit with the curse, she pitied herself. She would lie there until someone came in to check on her in the morning on the cold hard floor in her nightgown. She continued to cry for what felt like another hour until she felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her waste and life her up. When she looked into the mans eyes to see who he was, she saw a pair of gray eyes staring straight back into hers.
"Don't cry, Hermione. It hurts me to see you so sad."
"This can't be. This must be a dream. I... I must have fallen asleep and now I'm dreaming of you again." She pinched herself to wake up but nothing happened. "Is it really you, Draco?"
A/N... SO it took me HOURS to write this. I was up all last night just planning it out. Thank you guys soo much for your reviews. I would love you to keep reviewing. Tell me what you thought of this chapter. I really loved seeing all the great responses. It's so great seeing all the reviews. The more reviews I get, the quicker I'll update. You guys are like my muse. Keep inspiring me!
REVIEW!!!!!!