Chapter 7.
Within the next hour Ginny's bedside became rather busy and crowded. Dumbledore had been sent for by Madam Pomfrey and then he in turn had sent for Professor McGonagall. She had sent for both Professors Sprout and Snape. And of course Hermione never left her friend's side.
Oh my, I can't believe this. Ginny's going to be a mom. Hermione shifted in her chair uncomfortably as the room was beginning to get a bit warm and stuffy with the amount of people in it. She cleared her throat in hopes of catching someones attention, in order to have them alter the temperature, but to no avail. So she compromised with herself by peeling off her robes and sweater and sat holding Ginny's hand in only a collared t-shirt and pleated skirt. Her bandage was obvious to everyone as were the dark bruises on the inside of her elbow.
Professor Sprout noticed first and nudged Professor McGonagall who started enough in her facial reaction to alert the others that something was out of place. They glanced over and immediately Dumbledore knew what was happening. He sighed and closed his eyes. She's been working too hard. She's going to kill herself. How often have I told myself that. I should have spent more time with her. I should have helped her more with the transition this summer. But I didn't. I helped Harry train and I left her to fend for herself. I did this to her. Sudden shouting grabbed Dumbledore's attention and he opened his eyes to find Poppy trying to force a glass of Bruise-A-Way down Hermione's throat as she tried to undo the bandage on the girl's arm at the same time.
"No, no, it's fine. I promise. I can take care of it."
"Miss Granger, you are not a medi-witch. I am. Now. Let. Me. See."
Finally after a vicious game of tug of war the gauze loosened and slid some. All of the teachers gasped at the bloody mess of old and fresh scars that appeared from beneath the bandage. Hermione swallowed hastily and averted her gaze from the Professors' as she grabbed her bag and ran out of the hospital wing with no real destination in mind.
Back in the hospital wing Ginny woke up from her nap to find her friend gone, horrified looks on the Professors' faces and Snape storming out of the room.
"What did I miss?" the red-head asked uncertainly.
The medi-witch immediately went to soothe what she thought was the girl's fear associated with the pregancy.
"Nothing, nothing. Miss Granger decided to go back to class and Professor Snape realized he had a class about to start. That's all. Now be nice and still so I can check the baby's heartbeat alright."
Ginny nodded even though she knew she was being lied to. I'll ask Hermione about it later. She waited patiently while Pomfrey finished the exam and then pronounced her and the baby to be in perfect health. Ginny smiled and hopped off the bed and started for the door intending to head off to her next class.
"Miss Weasley, please wait a moment." Dumbledore's voice rang out from behind her.
Ginny nodded and sat back down, "Yes sir?"
"You are going to be given your own suite for convenience. Originally I had decided to forgo letting the heads have thier own rooms and common rooms this year considering the chaos of the world outside. However, after a few minutes of consideration I have changed my mind. You will share a common room with the head boy and girl. You will have your own bathroom and a bedroom with a connecting nursery. This way if something should happen to place the school in danger you and your child will be safe with the two most experienced students to protect you."
Ginny nodded and then frowned, "Who are the head boy and girl this year sir? I don't remember them having been announced yesterday at the feast."
Dumbledore's usually twinkling eyes seemed subdoed for a moment. As if a shadow had passed over his world. "They are to be announced at dinner tonight. Head boy is Draco Malfoy and Hermione is the Head girl."
Ginny smiled, "She'll be thrilled! That's what she has been working for ever since first year!"
"Yes" The headmaster said quietly. "But now I'm afraid this may do more harm than good." he muttered to himself unaware that Ginny was listening intently. Her brow furrowed. What does he mean?
Meanwhile Hermione had stopped running and collapsed against a wall somewhere down in the dungeons. No one will look for me here, she thought as her body was racked with sobs. Shaking she pulled the box from her bag and took out a needle. Quickly she pushed it into the waiting vein and emptied the contents of the syringe insde just as someone came striding around the corner. Hastily she put the needle back into the box and then suffed the box in her bag in hopes that whoever was coming wouldn't care or notice what she was doing. However, this just didn't seem to be her lucky day. Oh Bloody Hell.
"Hermione. Give it to me now." Snape's voice thrundered from behind her. Meanwhile an open classroom door nearby had the entire waiting class listneing intently to every word that was said.
"No. It's none of your business."
"The bloody hell it isn't You're going to end up killing yourself."
"So what! Why should you care? You never have before. All this is is letting me go and you've perfected that down to an art Severus."
"I did not want to leave you! Dammit! I have a right to tell you what you can and can't do! Now give me that damn box!"
"No! You gave up your rights to anything surrounding me seventeen years ago!"
Almost the entire class averted their eyes as the angry girl stormed in followed closely by the irate Professor.
"We'll talk about this later." he said as she sat in the first available chair and he walked past her to the front of the class.
"Whatever." she muttered as she got out a quill and parchment not noticing that she had never fixed the gauze bandage that was now only covering about half of her injuries. Bloody hell, he blew my high.
"The wolfsbane potion is one of the most complex potions known to wizards..."
Continued in Chapter 8...