The Day after Rescue

Early dawn crept across the dark floorboards, inching ever closer from the window pane toward the figures on the bed. When at last it touched their faces, the boy frowned in his sleep and turned from the annoyance. As the soft light danced across his face to the girl's, it found her eyes already open, staring out the window.

Ever so slowly, she removed herself from Harry's grasp, inching little by little to the edge of the bed, wincing at the pain that stabbed numbly at her ribs. Breathing slowly, she cut off her body's response as she had trained herself so long ago in her cell. Moving her legs slowly, she dangled them over the edge of the mattress, a snore from Harry causing her to freeze in panic.

Forcing air into her bruised lungs, she lightly pressed her toes to the floor, followed by her feet. Fire lanced its way through her veins, shattering the walls around her mind. Biting back a moan, a soft hiss whistled through her teeth as she continued to watch the sunlight intently.

Yawning, Harry blinked his eyes owlishly and turned his head toward her. Noticing her position, he jumped in his seat, worried about her still-healing body. It was then that he spotted the twin stains discoloring her feet.

"Hermione," he whispered gently, wrapping an arm around her, "Did you try to stand? The bandages are all red."

Oblivious to her friend, she watched the sunlight outside the window, struck by the sheer beauty of it. Tears started in her eyes and ran silently down her face. Worried, Harry turned her head to him, and took her hands in his own.

"What's wrong, Hermione?" he asked, his voice soft.

Shaking her head, she looked at him ruefully, sorrow beneath her comfort.

"I don't feel it that much, Harry. I see it spread..."

She raised her hands to eye level and pinched the center of her palm before he could top her, her eyes sad. They both watched as red blossomed in the center of the bandage, staining the material dark crimson.

"I see it, but I've grown used to the little pains."

Harry drew himself up suddenly, crossing his arms across his chest and glowering at her.

"You should rest yourself, Miss Granger. As you no doubt believe yourself invincible, I can most assuredly attest that that is not the case."

He watched as a slight smile grew on her lips at his mocking voice and stiffly raised eyebrow. A soft snort sounded somewhere off to his right, throwing him off. Swiftly turning his head, he looked around for its source. Laughing quietly, his friend placed a hand on his arm:

"It's only Professor McGonagall," she said hoarsely. Relaxing, he leaned against the bed frame. Long minutes passed in silence, with each taking comfort in the other.

An hour later, Professor McGonagall snorted again in her sleep, and groggily raised her head. /Half the night in this damned chair!/ she groaned in her head, then looked to the bed where her favorite student lay entwined in her friend's arms.

They both watched, amused, as their venerable Head of House shook her head, groggy from sleep. Their formidable Professor was most definitely not a morning person.

Later that day Harry took a self-made Portkey to his late godfather's library and cast a spell to catalogue its entire contents; when he returned later that night, he laid the list at her feet and told her to check off the ones she had read, that he would bring her the ones she hadn't, so she wouldn't be bored.

In silence, his friend crooked a finger in his direction, telling him in no uncertain terms to come here. When he reached her side, she threw her arms around him as best she could, and hugged him, kissing his cheeks, her tears salting his lips. Smiling, he held her, both oblivious to the dark figure once again in the shadow of the continually burning fire.

"You are certain, Poppy? This will undoubtedly cause her an inordinate amount of pain."

"Yes, Albus; there has simply been too much damage done to her bones. If I tried to set them all by magic, all that would result would be a backfire of my intent, and it's too dangerous to set them all the Muggle way, there are too many fragments. It would risk damage to her nerves as well."

Albus sighed, placing a hand to his eyes, nodding to the mediwitch. His eyes opened again, focusing on his friend.

"You are certain removing her bones and re-growing them will not cause interference from the curse she is suffering?"

Poppy irritably nodded her head once more, then turned to him.

"Why is it that everyone in this castle seems to concern themselves with how I cure my patients? Severus, Mister Potter, Mister Malfoy, and now you. Is it not enough that I have been employed in this castle nearly as long as you, Albus?

"That I have faithfully Healed any and all manner of persons to have passed through those doors? I know my medicines, Albus, and my cures. If you do not trust me to care for Miss Granger, why do you place her in my care?!"

Albus immediately began to sooth her ruffled feathers, and after a few moments, Poppy settled her feelings and walked through the painting, tray in tow. When he looked at Miss Granger a second time, he saw the numerous splints holding her broken bones together, the bandages that had to go underneath those splints on account of the wounds along her arms and legs.

For once, Albus realized the distress Poppy felt when caring for this bright young girl they all had had such hopes for. He remembered suddenly that they had become close the previous year, with Poppy coming to him, asking if it were hypothetically possible for a sixth-year to begin an apprenticeship early.

It troubled him even more now that he realized Poppy's affection for the girl and her current condition.

"I am sorry, Miss Granger," said the mediwitch, her voice trembling, "But the only way to reset the bones that were broken without causing a backlash from the curse is to remove them and administer a very large dosage of Skele-Grow."

Silence reigned for long moments, the crackling of the fire place made thunderous by the intense quiet. Harry and Draco stood in shock, bordering somewhere along anger and alarm, when a hoarse voice said:

"Harry said re-growing his broken arm was very painful. How long would I need to take it?"

All of the men present had to force themselves to remain still as Hermione asked Professor McGonagall to restrain her.

"I don't know what I'll do," she said, her voice so hollow it brought tears to her Head's eyes, "I don't know if I'll be able to cut off the pain."

Minerva merely nodded her head, brushing aside her tears as she placed her hands loosely on her student's.

Poppy raised her wand:

"Brackium Emendo."

The entire room seemed to gasp in shock as the girl's arms and legs went limp, and they knew the spell had so far worked. Gently, the mediwitch brought a large vial of Skele-Grow to Hermione's lips and helped her drink it, though the poor girl nearly spit it out at first.

"Harry," said Dumbledore softly, drawing all eyes to him, "It is time for you to return to the Dursleys."

"No!" cried Hermione, grabbing for her friend.

"Please, let me talk to her," said Harry quietly, surprising everyone. As one, Madame Pomfrey, Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Malfoy stepped back; Snape having remained in his seat the entire ordeal.

Tears in his eyes, Harry wrapped his arms around Hermione gently.

"You know I have to: the spell, remember?" he whispered, "Aunt Petunia won't be around this summer, so I have to spend this break with them. I'll be back; I promised I would never leave you, and I won't."

As he gestured the group of people, a soft sob escaped from her throat as she buried her head into his shoulder.

"You have Malfoy; you told me he saved you, but I think, as does he, that you saved him. Let him be here for you now."

Wiping tears from her eyes, she clutched him tighter and asked softly:

"Since when have you tolerated Draco's existence, much less allow him within ten feet of me?"

He chuckled, sending aftershocks all along her body. He held her close, then kissed her head.

"Since I looked at the spoiled little ferret who insulted one of my best friends my first day at Hogwarts, and found the man who saved my other best friend. He earned a second chance when he brought you back to me."

For a few moments they merely held each other. Finally though, Harry pulled himself from her limp arms and kissed her cheek.

"I'll write as often as Hedwig can fly here and back, all right?"

Her throat constricting, all she could do was nod as her best friend gave her another quick hug, leaving her alone with Snape in his corner and Draco, who tentatively placed his arms around her. Grateful for him, Hermione clutched him close to her, pulling him onto the bed and tucking her head under his chin.

It struck both Slytherins at the same time: they would die for her.

The night before term began, Draco angrily stormed into her room and stomped to her window. Glaring at the corner where he knew his Head of House was watching, he drew his wand and cast a silencing spell. Turning to Hermione, he began to speak:

"Professor Dumbledore has ordered me to return to my Head Boy rooms as soon as classes start."

Unceremoniously, he plopped onto her bed, arms crossed sulkily. All at once, his brow furrowed, and when he looked at her again, it was with worry.

"If I can't come, you can bet Potter won't be allowed up here as well."

He watched as she slowly drew her chin to her knees and began to rock slightly. Unbeknownst to the two young people, a muffled Finite Incantatum was spoken by their protective audience, allowing him to hear every word spoken. Unknowing of Snape's action, Draco continued as if the spell was still in place.

"I won't be here, Granger. I'll have to think of some lie for the other Slytherins, and I don't think I'll be able to get away from them too much. That damned candy-crazed old coot!"

He wrapped an arm around her, tilting her head onto his chest and held her as he had watched Potter do.

"I'm afraid," she whispered, her harsh voice rising as she clutched at his shirt, "I'm afraid he'll come for me, that my dreams will help him come. Don't let him take me!"

Her voice was desperate as she sobbed quietly into his chest, finding comfort as he gently rocked her, thankful for at least one more night to hold her in his arms.

A week after the start of term, Hermione had finished all of her late course work, having thrown herself into her work in a desperate attempt to keep the dreams at bay; it worked, for the most part. She didn't have the fully-fledged nightmares, but she did have the lesser of the two evils.

Instead of the fully-fledged monster clawing its way at her brain, she had disturbing recollections, bits and pieces of images and feelings keeping her awake whenever she closed her eyes.

She took to drawing on spare parchment; whenever Madame Pomfrey checked on her and one of the returned staff sat with her at night, it was reported that she repeatedly sketched the same design over and over. At length, Headmaster Dumbledore asked all her parchments to be sent to Madame Pince, who had agreed to research the drawing's significance.

Eventually, the formidable librarian was forced to admit defeat; there was absolutely no reference to any such symbol in any of the tomes in the Hogwarts Library. Worried, Albus called Harry in to his office one month after her rescue.

"Do you know what this drawing is, Harry?"

It was a good thing he was watching the boy's face so carefully, else he would have missed the slight start in his eyes.

"Where did you get this, Professor?" asked the boy.

Albus sighed, placing the parchment in front of Harry.

"It has come to my attention that Miss Granger has taken to drawing this design in every spare moment. Do you know why?"

Harry squirmed slightly in his seat, uncomfortable with the Headmaster's penetrating look. At length, he sighed exasperatedly:

"Yes, Professor, I do; however, it's not my place to tell you what it means. Hermione discovered it, she deserves to be able to tell you."

He watched as the aged wizard nodded, relaxing slightly into his chair, looking thoughtful. Suddenly, he was pierced again by those sharp eyes, then released as quickly as he had been held.

"Please bring Miss Granger here, Mister Potter. I believe she has quite a story to tell me."

"Yes, Professor. Good night."

"Good night, young Harry."

A.N.:

The Brackium Emendo spell was the one used by Lockhart in HP: COS to "repair" Harry's broken arm after the Rogue Bludger incident. At least, that's how the movie spelled it. At 3 in the morning, I do no have the will to find my copy at the moment.