If I Should Die Before I Wake

Chapter 6

Recovery then Relapse

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from JK Rowling's books! Only the characters I created are mine.

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Over the weeks in St. Mungo's, Harry was adjusting to the world he had woken into, and was making a slow but sure recovery. All the news had been broken to Harry. He now could remember all of his memories of Voldemort from every year, including his 7th, when the great battle occurred. The last week before the battle was still a blur to him, however.

Hermione informed him proudly that he had done quite well on his NEWTS. Hermione, of course, had gotten top marks in every subject. Ron had done slightly worse than Harry, but still pretty good. Only Harry got better marks than Hermione in DADA.

Harry struggled to remember something more that had happened during that fateful week… he knew there was something important somewhere in his memories, but he could not find it. He became frustrated with himself because he knew that it was something truly wonderful. Finally he decided to ask Ginny about it, because he had a hunch that it had to do with her.

"Ginny, may I ask you something? It's just… I can't remember something important, and I think that it has to do with you," he said questioningly.

"Sure, go ahead," Ginny said, trying to contain the eagerness in her voice. Was he about to remember her love for him?

"Well, before the battle, I think something wonderful happened, and all I can recall is the wonderful, swept off my feet feeling. Do you have any clue what that could mean?"

Ginny smiled. "Oh, Harry! I know just what you mean! What happened was-"

Harry cut her off. "It's better for me to remember on my own. Please, Ginny, describe some of it to me, and maybe it will come back."

Ginny could hardly keep from bursting out. "In the Hogwarts courtyard, Harry. Just you and me, taking a walk toward the meadows, with the spring flowers beginning to bloom…"

Harry strained his thoughts. "I'm getting an image… continue Ginny, please. I can feel it coming now."

Ginny spoke confidently. "Sitting in a meadow with the butterflies around us… holding hands-" she watched his face hopefully.

Suddenly a smile too big for his face appeared on Harry's face. He remembered everything perfectly now.

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Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione all had a free period, and it was a beautiful spring day outside. The snow had melted quickly, and little drops of water were falling off of the trees. The trees were in bloom, the leaves their greenest color with little pink flowers bursting with brilliance. They walked down a path and stopped in front of a meadow. Suddenly Harry realized that Ron and Hermione weren't behind them anymore. He grinned.

"Looks like Hermione and your brother decided to run off somewhere," Harry said slyly.

"Guess so," Ginny said with a grin.

"Would you like to sit down here?" Harry asked as he spotted a perfect spot in the meadow.

"Sure," Ginny said shyly. They sat down on a hill, then laid down on their backs with the sun on their faces. The meadow grasses around them shielded some of the harsh sunrays, and also made the ground more comfortable. Little lavender and yellow flowers bloomed everywhere, and smelled wonderfully like honey.

This was perfect, Harry thought. It was so beautiful here. Before he could stop himself, he began staring at Ginny. The sun lit up her freckled face like a buttercup. Her red hair fell neatly past her shoulders, and her pale yellow shirt fit her slender figure perfectly.

She looked up at him, and they both quickly looked away, embarrassed. Then, Harry began to speak.

"Ginny, I want to tell you something I've wanted to tell you for a long time. Ever since the end of my 2nd year, I've been in love with you. I know Ron might have a fit, but I can't contain my feelings anymore. I love you, Ginny."

She was shocked. Ginny had been in love with Harry ever since she first laid eyes on him. Could it be true?

Harry's face fell at her expression. "Look, forget it. It was wrong of me to pressure you like that."

Ginny shook her head. Suddenly she reached over to him, and put her lips on his. To say Harry was shocked was an understatement. But Harry put his arm around her and ran his fingers through her hair. Then, this kiss became more passionate, and they grew closer and closer. Soon, they broke away for air. But they weren't done yet. Harry kissed Ginny again, and they snuggled up against each other. Then they began to roll down the hill, laughing all the way down. At the bottom, they kissed all over again; Harry stroking Ginny's face; Ginny wrapping her arms around Harry's neck lovingly. They had to break away for air again, and Ginny sighed in content, then stood up.

"We'd better get back, Harry," she said glumly. She could've stayed in his arms all day. "Free period ended 5 minutes ago, and Ron and Hermione will wonder where we went."

Harry nodded. They walked back to the castle, hand in hand.

"Erm, Ginny? I just want to make it official, I guess, so… Ginny, will you be my girlfriend?"

Ginny smiled. "Of course, Harry. I love you."

"I love you too, Ginny."

They reached the castle doors and saw Ron and Hermione. They both looked a bit frazzled, but were grinning broadly. Ron winked at them.

"Looks like you two had just a good a time as we did, eh?"

Ginny blushed. Harry laughed.

"So you two sneaks set us up, did you? Well, it sure worked. Ginny and I are going out."

Hermione beamed. "Congratulations."

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"Oh, Ginny!" Harry said joyously. "I love you so much. I will always love you as much as I did that day."

"I love you too, Harry. I've been waiting for you to remember all these days! I've been waiting for you."

Harry sat up and pulled Ginny to him and kissed her sweetly. It felt so good. They were finally back together.

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Anne was working with Harry to get his muscles working fully again after all the time he hadn't used them. He was often light headed when he abruptly stood up out of bed, so they would have him get out slowly.

First he would sit up in bed, then he would sit on the edge of the bed, then stand up, and pause before walking around. Harry grumbled about these instructions, and once he actually fainted from suddenly jumping out of bed. Needless to say, after that experience, Harry didn't need a telling twice to take his time.

Every day Anne took Harry to the workout center, where she would start him walking on the treadmill. Slowly, she would increase the speed, to where eventually Harry was at a fast jog. His endurance was very short though, so she soon had to decrease the speed again. Every day, she would keep the fast jog pace up for 5 more seconds. Harry was making his recovery run!

He also lifted weights and worked out on machines. The muscles that Harry had not used for 3 years now become more defined.

Anne had informed Harry that swimming was great therapy. After swimming a couple slow laps, Harry would go and relax in the hot tub while the jets massaged his sore muscles. Life was good!

But assimilating himself into this new time in age was tough. Everything was different than he remembered it to be. Although Draco was a great guy, Harry was still having a hard time adjusting to the new 'Malfoy'. He was so… different. Though the change was good.

Hagrid had come by to see Harry. Harry couldn't help but think that Hagrid was the last person who was like family to him, a father in place of the one he lost. The Weasleys, of course, were his family now. But Harry wanted to see Hagrid still. The Weasleys agreed happily.

Hagrid was tearing up, and so was Harry. It was in happiness though, for Harry was relieved to have Hagrid still with him.

Hermione, Ron, and Ginny had stayed with him while he opened all the presents that had been left over the years. He noticed that he didn't even recognize some of the people they were from.

"You're famous, Harry," Hermione said when Harry asked her. "Everyone knows who you are."

There was a tiny Christmas tree set up in the corner of his room, and it was practically blocked from view from the massive pile of presents around it.

"Not all of them are Christmas presents, mate," Ron said, "but there wasn't much room anywhere else. See the table there? Those are the presents that came after you woke up. There is some mail there too."

First Harry went through the pile of presents by the Christmas tree. Hermione, of course, organized the presents by year so that everything was in order.

Harry eagerly dug into the first year's presents. Hermione gave him an enchanted picture of the four of them. She smiled with tears in her eyes.

"You haven't been moving in that picture for over 3 years now, Harry. Now we can finally see you again."

It was a beautiful picture. They were sitting by a creek in the woods, and the sunlight shone on them from a crack in the trees above.

"Thanks Hermione, it's wonderful," Harry said truthfully.

Next, he went for Ron's present. Hermione rolled her eyes. Harry grinned.

"So how did those Chudley Cannons do while I was sleeping?" Harry asked with a laugh as he opened the package to reveal a Chudley Cannons sweater, along with some Bernie Botts Every Flavor Beans.

"Erm, they did alright, I suppose. Lost about as many as they won. Oh, and Harry? You might not er, want to eat the candy. It's nearly 4 years old."

Harry realized this as he had already stuffed his mouth with 3 beans. He grimaced as he tried to chew the stale candy, then gagged.

"That's not the only problem! This is spinach, liver, and cauliflower!" Harry cried in dismay and spit out the candy across the room as his friends rolled on the floor with laughter. The door opened to his room.

"What's all the ruckus in here?" Anne asked suspiciously, then spotted the jelly bean mush on the floor.

"Don't you be trashing this hospital, Mr. Potter!" she chastised him playfully. She magicked the remains of the candy into the garbage can, then left the room.

Next was Ginny's gift. He noticed she was not laughing as he opened it. He opened the green tissue paper to reveal a snowglobe. He pushed a button and the globe darkened. Then, bursts of purple, red, green, and blue shot across the globe. Suddenly a big burst of yellow filled the glass, then it grew dark again and began to glimmer. A voice spoke:

Now I lay me down to sleep
I pray the Lord my soul to keep
If I should die before I wake
I pray the Lord my soul to take
Keep me safely through the night
And wake me up with morning light.

Ginny had tears in her eyes. "I'm so glad you're awake, Harry."

Harry forced himself not to cry. "So am I."

He pulled her into a hug, and they embraced warmly for a moment, and then broke away. Something under the tree caught his eye.

A red envelope was lying under the tree, and it read:

From a friend of your father.

Harry reached for it in shock. There weren't any other friends of his father left alive… or were there?

He opened it, and then a howl echoed throughout the room.

"I'LL KILL YOU IF IT'S THE LAST THING I DO, POTTER! MARK MY WORDS, IF I HELPED MURDER YOUR FATHER, THEN I CAN MURDER HIS SON! TREAD CAREFULLY, YOU HALFBLOOD SCUM!!!"

Harry cried out in pain as the letter exploded and scorched his hand with red finger-like strands. They spread up his arms, wrapping around his neck… he was losing consciousness… his whole body burned, and the red fingers were choking him.

Ron shouted, Ginny lunged toward Harry to try to save him, and Hermione grabbed her wand. The red strands glowed before his eyes, then pressed over his eyelids and closed them. The horrible burning sensation came over his eyes… and then the red-hotness faded into a black nothingness.

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The next thing he knew he was lying in the hospital bed, and everything in his vision was tinted red. He groaned. He felt awfully hot under all the blankets, and the hot rag on his face was torturing him…

Harry ripped off the hot rag and took off all the blankets, but then he felt even warmer than before. He cried out in agony, and Anne hurried in.

"Harry, no! You must keep the cold rag on your face! And the sheets were magicked cold, so they must stay too!"

He groaned painfully, making his inflamed throat sting. Anne held out an ice cube to him in her palm.

"Here, suck on this, Harry. It might make you feel better."

He took the ice cube gratefully, only to fine that it seemed lukewarm to his mouth. Everywhere on his body felt like it was on fire except his feet and hands. He soon realized that his feet were in a bucket of ice water, and each hand was too. They just felt numb, which was a great relief to Harry. He hardly noticed Anne leave the room, because everything was blurred red and he could hardly see anything.

He heard footsteps coming into the room again, and heard Anne's voice. "Harry, you need to drink this potion," she said indicating to a large container with pink potion inside, "and then this Dreamless Sleep Potion," gesturing toward the smaller potion.

"Okay," Harry said tiredly. He quickly drank the foul tasting pink potion, and as it slid down his enflamed throat, it felt strangely icy. Then, he drank the Dreamless Sleep Potion, and it fell from his grasp before he could finish the last gulp, and his head fell back onto the pillow in exhaustion.

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Harry woke to loud voices outside. His eyelids felt very heavy, so he kept them shut and listened to the conversation.

"We cannot let this happen again!" a shrill voice said.

"Minerva, it wasn't out fault! He just grabbed the envelope and opened it without a word!" That was Hermione.

"I don't care what he did… the fact is, we can't allow him to open any presents he doesn't know who they're from."

A different voice cut in. "There may even be some presents that say they're from friends, but aren't. I once got mail that said it was from a friend, and it turned out to be a torturous spell from my father as punishment for… well, I'd rather not discuss it."

The next voice he recognized. "I'll open everything for him, unless I remember sending it. That way, whatever it is inside of it will harm me, not him," Ginny said.

Harry finally found his voice. "No!" he spoke loudly, though his throat was still slightly sore.

The group outside turned in surprise to face him. Anne rushed in.

"How are you feeling, Harry? I took off all the cold sheets because you looked pretty decent. Would you like to take a cold bath?"

"Sure. But Ginny will not be putting herself in danger for my presents! I will either throw away ones that look suspicious, or open them myself."

Anne sighed. "Well… alright. But just take a cold bath and relax for a while." She turned on the cold water and left the room to give him privacy.

Once in the tub, Harry sighed contentedly. The cold water felt good on his hot and enflamed muscles. There were scorch marks on his arms too. Who could've sent that horrid letter? There weren't any of his father's friends left alive… Prongs, Moony, and Padfoot were dead.

Then, he realized. There was one other Marauder that could still be alive. And the puzzle pieces seemed to fit perfectly.

Peter Pettigrew.

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Finally, some action! The next chapter will be the last with Harry in the hospital, I promise! Please review! Luv ya!

Kelsey