"Oh yes. Came back with his arms full of you. You were delirious." Sprout confessed. She set the tray down on the nightstand next to the double bed Ginny occupied.
"I can't really… it's all so fuzzy." she admitted.
"Well, just eat your soup. There is a bathroom though that door if you'd like a bath. Someone will be by to check on you in a while." Sprout said and bustled out. Ginny, still utterly confused, picked up the bowl of chicken soup and ate it quickly. She was hungry. She drank the tea as well and felt a bit better. A bath sounded simply delightful. Someone had taken off her clothes and left her in her tank top and underpants. She got up slowly and made her way to the bathroom. It was small – a sink, a toilet, and a claw foot tub but there was a bar of soap and a clean towel so she was happy.
The hot water exhausted her and she realized she had nothing to wear and no idea where her want was. The towel was green and big enough so that she could wrap it around her twice. She was skin and bones. She left the steam filled bathroom and sat wearily on the bed. She looked around. There was a closet that had only empty hangers. In the dresser, she found a robe, green and terrycloth and she put it on and lay back on the bed. It wasn't long before there was a rapping on the door. She made sure she was covered by the robe – it was way too long for her – and called for them to enter.
"Oh, Professor Snape!" she said, shocked to see him so soon. She figured he'd be busy. She realized she had no idea what he did outside Hogwarts or why he had come to rescue her.
"I heard you had finally awoken." Snape said.
"Thank you for… I mean, Professor Sprout said that you rescued me." She said, feeling intensely uncomfortable under his dark, penetrating gaze.
"There are others here who would be glad to lend you something to wear." he said, eyeing her robe.
"Others?" Ginny asked.
"Survivors. Hogwarts students. Order members. Sympathizers." he said. "They come here, get back on their feet, and go. Mr. Potter even spent a night here." Snape sneered but it didn't have the heart it used to when they were in school. Harry had pretty muched saved the wizarding world, after all.
"I – my wand is still at the burrow." she said, feeling helpless suddenly. He shook his head and pulled it from his robes.
"No," he said and handed it to her.
"Thank you." she said, staring at it. "I feel like… if there is any way I can help –" she said.
"Tomorrow." he said. "Today you stay here and you rest." She did feel tired. She climbed back into the bed and he watched with a tiny smile. She'd never seen him smile before. "I am glad you are well." he said. Then, he was gone.
In the morning of the next day, Luna Lovegood came in with clothing for her.
"I'm leaving today, so I won't need these." she said, setting them at the foot of the bed.
"Thank you. Wait, before you go, what is it like, here?" she said. "I've not left this room." Luna cocked her head to one side – her blonde hair like a curtain behind her.
"I thought at first that it would be bad." Luna said. "I couldn't walk – I had to re-grow the bones in both of my legs." she said. Ginny shuddered in sympathy. "But there are always people willing to help and take care of you."
"How man people are here?" Ginny asked.
"Oh, about 30 at any given time." she said. "There are always people coming and going." Luna shrugged. "I came five days ago and today I leave."
"How big is this place?" Ginny wondered. 30 people were a lot of house guests.
"Big. Snape is from an old, wealthy wizarding family. It's the family mansion but right now it is a hospital and make-shift headquarters for something. I'm not sure for what." Luna admitted.
"How kind of Snape." Ginny murmured.
"I was afraid at first. I was never any good at potions. But then, no one ever sees Snape." Luna said. Ginny was confused.
"What do you mean no one ever sees him?" She asked.
"H's hardly here and has never shown himself to any of the patients here. McGonagall's in charge. She's in a wheelchair, but she's in charge." Ginny was relieved to hear that McGonagall had made it through that last battle.
"Snape saw me yesterday morning. He came in and said he was glad I was well." Ginny said. Luna smiled.
"Snape always did like you, though. Bye, Ginny." she said and left. Ginny stared after her. Snape liking her? She was a Gryffindor and a Weasley. She highly doubted she even registered on his radar. Then why did he come see her if what Luna said was true? She pulled on the pair of jeans. They fit around the waist but were too long. She was used to hand-me-downs. The sweater fit fine and was a pretty lavender color.
She tucked her wand in her pocket and opened the door. There was a huge balcony that went all the way around. She walked to the banister and looked down. There was a huge foyer. Above her was a crystal chandelier and she could see the marble staircase that led upstairs to where she was. All around her were doors like the one she came out of. Some were open and some closed. She could hear people talking quietly. She wandered down the hall, peering into doorways and looking for someone that she recognized. She saw Hogwarts students chatting but they were young and she had graduated four years. Finally, she saw McGonagall in her chair, having breakfast. She knocked lightly.
"Professor?" she said.
"Oh! Ginny, you look better." McGonagall said. "Come in, come in. Have you eaten? There is plenty here for two." She sat across from her former transfiguration professor.
"Thank you, I feel better. It's nice to see some familiar faces." Ginny said, remembering the lonely hours after the battle and then seeing the burrow devoid of life.
"It's hard now, but the manor is not a bad place to recover." McGonagall soothed. "Have some tea and this scone." she said and Ginny took the food gratefully.
"Luna told me a bit about here." Ginny said. "About helping people get well. Professor Snape said that if I wanted to help, I could. So anything you need me to do just let me know." Ginny said.
"You saw Severus?"" McGonagall asked, looking surprised.
"Yes, he came in yesterday morning. He had my wand. He kept it when he fetched me at the burrow." Ginny said.
"He came back and brought you to a bed himself. You looked as small as a kitten. Eat up, you're dreadfully thin."
"Luna said Professor Snape usually stays away from his… guests." Ginny said.
"Yes, it's unusual that she saw you but if he had your want, well, he probably just forgot it give it to someone else."
"Perhaps." Ginny said. She couldn't remember him ever giving her detention or treating her the way he treated Ron or Harry. She had always hated him because her brothers did but now that she thought about it, she didn't dislike him at all. "Well, I should get to work. Point me to how I can help."
"You can make rounds with Sprout." She said. "Get to know who is here. And Ginny, dear, I'm so sorry about your family. And Ron." Ginny swallowed hard.
"Thank you."