Disclaimer: He doesn't belong to me…no-oh…he was never mine…no-oh…um, Harry Potter, that is…
Chapter Sixteen: The Bloody Couch
The chair eventually stopped spinning. Harry's head didn't. He knew he was in Malfoy's study, but it…wouldn't…stay…still…kept… turning…
Hermione and Ron grimly descended the main staircase. Hermione leaned into her husband's arms and took a shaky breath.
"That was so horrible, some of the stuff he had."
Ron nodded. "Yeah. I can't believe it. I mean, I knew he was a bastard, but that one room…" He sighed. "I'm glad nothing too horrible happened to anyone. I hate that bastard, if he'd done anything…"
A sudden thump from the direction of Malfoy's study caught their attention. They hurried down the stairs.
Percy beat them to it. He threw open the doors and gave a yell. Ron broke into a run, Hermione right behind him.
They stopped dead in their tracks at the sight that greeted them. Harry, slumped over in a chair covered with ice, was bleeding his lifeblood away. A frantic Percy was trying to discover his wound. Hermione, even standing in the door, could tell, just by the way he clutched at his wrist.
"His hand…" she whispered, wordless horror spread across her face. "Oh, God, his hand…"
Percy slowly, gently curled Harry's other hand away from his wrist.
Hermione let out a cry. Her hand fluttered to her mouth. "Oh no…"
Ron stepped behind her, his face white, each freckle standing out.
"Harry, can you hear me? C'mon, Harry, aw, hell, Harry, wake up…" He crouched next to Percy, taking his best friend's good arm and giving it a little shake. "Harry?" he asked again, with a greater sense of urgency now. Panic began to creep into his face.
Hermione knelt also, tears bright in her eyes. Hesitantly, she placed her fingers on Harry's neck. For a moment, no one moved. Then she jumped back.
"He has a pulse, he's alive, oh hurry, we've got to do something, Ron, Percy, anyone!"
Percy strode out into the hallway, shouting urgently.
Ron stared at his friend, plucking uselessly at his sleeve, wishing there was something he could do-wasn't there something?
Bill and Charlie now hurried into the room.
"What's happened-oh god…"
Luke also appeared in the doorway. His eye flicked briefly to Harry, and widened. He went straight to Ron. "You okay, mate? You know, Ron, with Harry…down…that makes you leader…I can take over if you want…"
Ron was sitting on the floor next to Harry holding his and Hermione's hands. He looked up, eyes dull. "No." His eyes became sharper, more alive. "I'll take charge." He stood. "Get Aurora in here, she's a semi-healer. I want a message sent out, get Andrew in the fireplace. I want this place swarming with Aurors. We usually just sit around scratching our arses all day, anyway, they could all use a bit of excitement."
Luke pointed his wand in the air, and something red jumped from it and whisked away. Seconds later Aurora arrived. Ron just pointed at his friend and partner, and her eyes hardened. She hurried over, pulling out her wand and muttering spells.
Hermione was holding Harry's head when it happened. He suddenly jerked violently and threw up everywhere. Hermione let out a squeal of surprise, but otherwise did not flinch. Covered in Harry's blood and vomit, she held him steady while Aurora spelled a bandage onto his wrist, and a tourniquet.
He was so pale. His famous red scar stood out harshly against his alarmingly milk white skin. Then his eyes snapped open.
Ron was standing over the fireplace conversing hurriedly and urgently with Andrew. Andrew looked calm, a huge contrast to his hands, which were frantically gesturing. He was directing his troops to the location. A medi crew was on the way.
"Ron!"
Ron turned. And he saw two familiar green eyes staring at him. He couldn't help it. He felt the tears of relief creep to his eyes. Furiously he rubbed his hand across his eyes.
"Harry!"
But Harry stared right past him.
"Dad?"
Ron started. "What?"
Now Harry looked at him. "Did you see him?"
Hermione held his head to her chest. "Shh, Harry. You're safe now." But Ron could see the fear for him- their brother, their best friend. What had happened to him?
Harry's eyes fluttered. "Ginny brought me back, Ginny and I did. But it wasn't us. It was Mum…and Dad."
Hermione gasped, and tears sprang to her eyes again. "Ron-he saw-he saw his parents. He thought it was him and Ginny."
Harry smiled slowly through his pain. "But it wasn't."
"That's right," whispered Hermione. "That's right Harry. Can I talk to you for a little while?" Aurora was making motions to 'keep him talking' behind Harry, where he couldn't see.
"Yeah, I guess. I'm just so…tired, and the room is spinning…"
"Harry, don't go to sleep. Let's talk. OK?"
Ron quickly said goodbye to Andrew. He had given him all the information he needed. Now he had to be there for his best friend. Being an Auror came second to Harry.
Ron joined Hermione and Harry on the sofa. "Hey."
Hermione smiled weakly. Ron could always make her feel better no matter what.
Harry closed his eyes again. "I'm not going to …sleep…'Mione. Just resting my eyes." They opened again a second later. "See?"
Hermione was silent. Then she said, "Remember how we were?"
Ron snorted gently. "When?"
Hermione sighed. "I don't know. At Hogwarts."
Harry smiled lightly. "Yeah."
Ron nodded. "Just think, Nick will be there in ten years."
"Ginny's baby will be there too." That was Hermione, brushing Harry's sweaty hair away from his eyes.
"I love her, you know."
Ron stopped. "What?"
Harry's eyes opened. "I love her, Ron. I want to…marry her…someday. It was her...I was going to give up, out there, after I killed Malfoy. But then something Andrew told me…he said…Ginny needed me…and I needed her…and he was the only one with enough…balls…to tell me…"
"What took you so long?"
Harry shrugged. "Andrew had to talk to me. Not about the mission," Harry added, seeing Ron's ears, perk up. "Personal stuff."
"Ron!"
Andrew strode in, closely followed by the promised medi squad.
Andrew almost stopped when he saw the trio huddled, soaked with Harry's blood and vomit, on a bloodstained couch.
"Hey, Andrew." Harry opened his mouth with effort.
"Hi, Harry. We're going to get you out of here, okay? It's fine. You'll be fine."
Harry nodded. "My hand."
Andrew looked sad and tired. "Yeah."
Harry smiled bravely. "I'd prefer copper over silver." And he closed his eyes. Aurora, who had given the three a distance after helping set the bandages, came over. "He's fine," she said, seeing Hermione's worried expression. "It's a natural sleep. Perfect timing, too. We're gonna get him out of here now."
Hermione brushed Harry's cheek with a kiss, and turned into her husband's arms, finally letting all her tears pour out. Ron stroked her hair and held her.
Andrew looked away. He finally noticed everyone in the room, crying or just sitting there, lost. Percy was at a window, his shoulders shaking.
Bill slumped and Charlie sat ramrod straight in two chairs.
Luke was briefing the backup Aurors, who looked ready to kill. Malfoy was lucky Harry had gotten to him first. When someone hurt a fellow Auror, these men and women did not take kindly to the guilty party.
Andrew did not see Fred, George, or Jack.
"Ron, where are-"
The twins and Jack made their entrance just then, holding a shaking and scared girl. Andrew knew who she was.
Andrew looked at Adie, thin as a rail, with scars all over her body. She was wearing nothing but Fred's shirt. He was bare-chested. And she had other scars, emotional ones that would never fully heal. Her eyes, dull and frightened were somehow determined. She had seen things no one should have to see, done things no one should ever have to do, felt things no one should ever have to feel. She was hardened by it all. Although she could not walk due to weakness, she stood on her own when George set her down. Holding onto the back of the bloodstained couch, she braced herself. And looked at Andrew.
And for the first time in years, even with all he had seen, all he had been through, for the first time in years, Andrew cried.
A/N: Hereby dedicated to Kay, as a late birthday present. Love ya, girl!
OK. Now down to business.
I hope this chapter worked all right. It seems kinda disjointed, but then I realized that the story is all disjointed at this point-I mean, Harry's bleeding and throwing up everywhere, and stuff, and the characters are scared, and crying, and it's just confusing and I guess without meaning to I captured that. I think.
And as for the fact that it seems Luke Skywalker-ish with his ahnd, I totally didn't even realize that until I read it for like the third time. I was like, "Oh. I see a teensy similarity."
But it wasn't intentional, I SWEAR! I haven't even seen the movies for like a year and a half…I'm gonna have to refresh my memory and have a Star Wars marathon before Episode III comes out…
And for those of you who asked, my muse is back! It has a wicked sunburn though…
So yeah. You guys know what to do now. Push the little button…review…review…
