Early dawn, an entire day later, Harry woke thinking he had only napped. On his bedside table a bouquet of large blossoms sat. A light perfume came off of them and he was eased by the scent. Something akin to peonies and ginger. An odd combination to be sure, but they reminded him of Mrs. Weasley's kitchen.

That thought roused him and he sat up slowly, resting his spinning head in one hand. He pulled a small card from the vase of blooms and squinted at the writing. A smile curled onto his face and he felt a great wave of ease wash him. They were from the Weasley's. They had all signed it, every single one of them.

Harry nestled back into his pillows, a smile bordering on dopy still on his face. He fell asleep again, happy dreams driving away the nightmares for a while.

Quiet voices in Harry's room roused him from his slumber. From the amount of light in his room when he opened his eyes he guessed it was a little past noon.

Flaming red hair caught his attention and he struggled to sit up quickly, catching the attention of the two visitors that were talking. Ron Weasley rushed to him, helping him sit and smiled gently at him, eyes filled with worry.

Harry beamed at him, about to tell him how great it was to see him but the words caught in his throat. Ron looked like Ron, or at least the left side of his face did. Freckles across his cheek on pale skin. The right side of his face was not what Harry remembered of his best friend. Raw pink scar tissue, unnaturally smooth across his cheek and forehead. The eyebrow was entirely missing, thankfully the young wizard's eyelids had remained intact. Whatever had done the damage had missed his ear and hairline, almost as though it was meant only to attack his face.

"Ron," Harry gaped, trying his best not too. His friend dropped his eyes, unconsciously turning his face slightly away.

"Mr. Potter, glad to see you're awake." A cool voice reached him. Harry didn't turn away from Ron but he saw the relief for the change of topic cross his friend's face.

Slowly, Harry peeled his eyes away and looked at Severus Snape, his green eyes now and then glancing back to Ron.

"Drink this." Snape held out a glass, half full of something that looked like melted chocolate. Unfortunately it tasted nothing like it. Harry started to cough as the sludge slowly went down. Severus had a glass of water in his hand and he offered it to him. Harry took it gratefully and drank most of it before giving it back.

Snape nodded and looked carefully between the two of them. "If you'll excuse me then, I'm needed in Lupin's rooms." He turned and exited in a flourish, his robes billowing.

"He's awfully busy isn't he?" Ron asked.

Harry nodded. "He's been here almost every time I wake up. I think he must sleep in the hospital."

An odd emotion moved across Ron's face, his eyes flicking to the doorway where the Professor had been. "I don't think he does sleep." Harry furrowed his brows in confusion. Ron shrugged. "He's always running about. He's even popping into our house every other night to make sure we're all okay."

"Weird." Harry grinned. "Who would have ever thought we'd see a friendly Snape?"

Ron laughed, "I certainly didn't." His face paled and a small shiver raced up his spine. "Hermione must have though. She always did take up for him."

Confused, Harry shifted. "Where is Hermione?"

Ron seemed to choke, eyes wide as he looked at Harry for a moment before looking away quickly.

"You really don't remember, do you Harry?"

Harry looked at his lap, fingers fumbling the hem of his blankets.

The two sat in uncomfortable silence. Finally Harry could take it no longer and sighed. "What happened, Ron?"

The redhead turned his face back to Harry, eyes still downcast. "I don't remember much. A lot of panic mostly." He tried to smile, failed and continued. "I was by the Slytherin stands and a bunch of first years were huddled together on the pitch. They were supposed to stay there, where we could protect them. One of them panicked, a Ravenclaw I think, and as soon as she started running all the rest of them went with her."

Panic flooded Ron's face at the memory and Harry reached out a comforting hand but Ron shied away from it.

"The wards around the field fell and Death Eaters started coming in, picking off the teachers first and then coming for the prefects. I followed a group of the first years, they were hiding under one of the stands...don't remember which. A Death Eater followed, screaming some curse I've never heard of and his wand started to spark. I rushed him, caught him by surprise I think and flames started to pour from it but they weren't going toward the first years anymore."

Ron blinked, growing quiet. His eyes finally met Harry's. "They're all alive, you know. Treat me like a hero." The redhead tried to grin but it never reached his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Ron." Harry spoke softly.

Ron shrugged. "Hey." The young wizard shifted in his chair and rested his face in his palms for a second before dragging them down his face and looking at Harry with deeply saddened eyes. "Hermione..."

Cold dread washed across Harry, he leaned forward and pulled his knees to his chest. When he spoke, it was in a whisper.

"What happened to her, Ron?" Green eyes pleaded, wanting to know the truth but begging not to be told it.

Ron choked, coughed and ground the heels of his hands into his eyes. "Sheshe's gone Harry. Has been for some time."

The world stopped turning. All the air in the room was sucked away and Harry was left with lungs aching and eyes dry. In the doorway, Harry could vaguely make out the semi-worried look of Professor Snape as the man returned. The world started again and the air rushed back in. Harry gasped, sputtered like a drowning man and felt a flood of tears race up his throat and close it off again.

Ron was beside him, sharing his bed and hugging him so tight the bones of his back ached. Harry sobbed brokenly against Ron's shirt. "I'm sorry, Harry. I should've put it better." Ron floundered, tears streaking his face as he rocked them both on the bed.

Time sped; the sun was setting when Ron finally left, face still puffy and eyes raw. Harry lay, detached from the world and floating in a void; all of his emotions had been spent hours ago. He didn't notice that Snape made him drink yet another potion; didn't feel the man's hands on him as he straightened him onto his bed and covered him neatly with the blanket; failed to recognize the look of anger and worry on the usually dour face.

Harry fell asleep in the same position he was laid, torturous dreams of Hermione dying over and over haunting his dreams.

His eyes were sticky when he opened them next. Crying in his sleep had left flaking trails down his cheeks. Harry rubbed at his face to scrape the mess off and rolled over onto his side. He was met with the smiling face of Remus Lupin as the werewolf sat at his bedside.

A walking cane was leaning against the wall beside Remus, Harry noticed it without much thinking and his eyes went automatically to the man's legs. One of them was bandaged tightly from midcalf to the hip, a long wizards robe draped carefully across it.

"Remus." Harry smiled. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and sat up. The lycanthrope slid the chair closer and patted Harry's hand.

"How are you feeling, Harry?" The wolf's amber eyes blinked.

"Sleepy." Harry yawned, as if to prove his point. "I've only been out of bed once and I'm still exhausted."

Lupin looked at him levelly. "I know. You shouldn't have been out of bed so soon. You could have set back your health quite a bit you know."

Harry nodded sheepishly. "How are you, Remus? I...I heard you the other night."

Amber eyes closed and a shaggy head nodded. "I'm doing better." Remus smiled again and Harry hated to see the new lines on the man's face, how tired and aged he looked since he had seen him last.

"Snape told me you were shot with silver." Harry looked down at the injured leg again.

"He told me he'd spoken to you." Lupin smiled lightly, only a curling of the lips. "Yes, I was. It's a very painful experience I can assure you."

Harry sympathized and remembered only too clearly the grimacing face and silver tears. "Ron visited me yesterday." He said quietly. "He told me about Hermione."

Remus looked at him carefully and nodded his head very slowly. "I know."

Anger boiled in Harry's skin and before he could stop himself he was yelling at the ex-DADA professor. "Is that all you can say? Why not show some emotion? People are hurt! And dead, Remus! Dead!"

Remus sat still and spoke calmly. "What do you want me to say, Harry?"

Jade eyes were swimming in unshed tears when he looked back at Lupin. "Tell me it's a dream. A nightmare. That all of this isn't real..."

The lycan stood and hobbled the two steps toward the bed. Harry made room for him and Remus sat on the edge, guiding the raven haired head to his good leg and pet the unruly hair there.

"I can't tell you that, Harry."

Harry sniffed, trying not to cry again and nodded. "I know." His voice was defeated. He lay on Remus' lap for a while, calmed by the petting and knowledge that someone he loved and who loved him was still alive and well.

"You won't die, will you Remus?"

The hand on his head paused a moment before continuing. "Not today, Harry."

Remus began to hum softly, his hand rhythmically moving through Harry's hair. A single, hot tear fell from Harry's closed eyes and he fell into a light slumber.