Hey! First of all, I would like to apologize everyone for being so late in my update, but it's been pretty tough getting some free time lately... Anyway, here it is, and I hope you like it! Let me know what you think, OK?
Fred: Sorry for the long wait... and thanks for reviewing!
JarodParker82: I know what you mean, I think many portrait Ron in a way I don't see him. I don't think he's heartless, he's just too prone on acting based on emotions rather than stopping and thinking about things. Anyway, thanks for reviewing!
Cheers!
"Shhh! She's waking up!" Hermione heard someone say, but didn't recognize who. The sound seemed to come from a great distance.
She tried to move but her body ached terribly.
More voices, but still no face to relate them to.
Slowly she opened her eyes, her whole sight blurred, and blinked. A long, white beard came into focus just in front of her.
"How are you feeling?" a deep but sweet tone asked.
She tried to speak but as she opened her mouth it seemed to feel as dry as a desert. With some effort she managed to let out a grunt.
"Don't worry, it will be over soon. You'll feel better in a few hours."
"Where am I?" her voice came raspy and almost incomprehensible.
"The same place you have been for the last days"
Like a gigantic wave, all of the happenings of the last days struck her at the same time, making her jump in bed and cry 'Harry!' with all her lungs. The world came into focus in an instant and she now had full conscience of everything, including her burning throat.
Everyone around her jumped, startled with the sudden outburst. Only Dumbledore remained still, a big smile plastered on his face. "I see your recovery has been quite fast."
Hermione sat up straight and looked around. Lupin, Tonks, McGonagall and Ginny were already smiling at her. Snape just stood there beside them, his face expressionless. Ron, on the other hand, was still having a hard time recovering from the shock, breathing heavily, one of his hands as if grabbing his heart, the other grabbing Luna's.
Dumbledore had a –
Ron's hand grabbing Luna's?
How did that happen?
"Welcome back, Hermione" said Luna, wearing a big smile and a dreamy expression, but not taking her eyes off the newest edition of the Quibbler.
"Th-Thanks?" Hermione was quite shocked, to say the least. She was so surprised that she jumped a good six feet in the air the moment she felt something on her shoulder. It was only Dumbledore's hand but she only noticed that after falling to the bed again. She took a few deep breaths and forced herself calm. "What happened?Why was I sleeping?"
Dumbledore chuckled. "Sleeping? Well, if you like to call it that way… it seems you have slept for the last four days, Ms Granger."
"Four days?"
Too much shock at once can take its toll on someone.
"Welcome back again, Hermione."
This time Hermione recognized the voice at once. It was Ronald Weasley.
"How are you feeling?" he asked.
"Like I've been run over by a dragon…" She opened her eyes and passed her hand by her aching forehead. She felt like a total train wreck.
"Well, I'm not surprised" he shrugged.
"I am… what happened?"
"You fainted. Again" he stated naturally. He sat on a chair beside her bed.
"No, not that. Before that."
"Well, I can't say much, because I don't know much. Dumbledore only told me you passed out four days ago. I've been paying you and Harry regular visits ever since, although Dumbledore said that you would only wake up today."
"Hence the gathering around me earlier today…" Hermione said.
"You just can't help it, can you?" Ron smiled.
"Help what?"
"To be the smartest witch ever. To think. To come to logical conclusions in less than a heartbeat. Right conclusions, I might add."
Hermione was speechless for a few moments, too traumatized to say anything. "Who are you and what have you done with Ron?"
"Oh, don't give me that. I'm starting to see the world with new eyes, but I didn't change that much. I still don't miss your constant nagging and bragging, and your know-it-all attitude" Ron spoke confidently, trying to defend his position as a very manly person "As a matter of fact, it was good not having anyone to murder me with work…" He paused and thought for a second "Although I did miss you being there…" The redhead blushed so much his cheeks matched his hair.
This was more like the Ron she knew. Not quite, but closer nonetheless. Hermione smiled. And then she remembered: "Why were you holding hands with Luna?"
Against all odds, Ron's cheeks turned an even stronger shade of red. "Well… we're sort of… uhm… dating."
"You're dating Luna Lovegood?"
"Yes." Ron seemed to find the floor tiles very interesting all of a sudden.
Hermione was rendered speechless once again. And once again, after a few seconds when she found it impossible to speak, something struck her. "Where's Harry?" It came out more like an obligatory demand and not so much as a regular question, but the matter was of utmost importance.
"He's still sleeping…" Ron couldn't hide some disappointment in his voice, although Hermione was sure it wasn't directed at her but more at the situation itself.
She felt as if she was falling into a bottomless pit. All that had happened… all that time being there at his side, trying evetrything to bring him back into the world of the living… all in vain…
Please, let this be a bad dream…
How come have I failed again?
But… it felt so right! It was the way to do it! The white light, the tears, the kiss… It was supposed to work!
Darn it! How am I ever going to bring him back now?
A door to her left opened and from behind it appeared professor McGonagall. She strided towards her bed and halted just a few inches from it, not aknowledging Ron. "Ms Granger, I see you have awaken. You have been granted permission to resume your classes. And yes, you may start reading again. I shall expect you tomorrow in my classroom as usual." Her voice was stern and sharp. For a few seconds, no one said anything. "Until then, get some rest" she said with a sweeter tone, and winked, turning back to exit the same way she had entered the Hospital Wing in the first place.
"Professor?" Hermione called out, before the teacher reached the door.
McGonagall turned around and faced her. "Don't worry about Harry, dear. He will be alright" the teacher said with a forced smile. "I hope…" she added to herself, as she turned again and left, leaving a puzzled Hermione staring after her.
"McGonagall has been acting very strangely lately…" Ron said, as soon as McGonagall had closed the door behind her.
"Why?"
"Don't know for sure… Must have something to do with not having you around, and with Harry's situation, I guess… She almost goes bonkers in class, I tell you!"
Hermione couldn't supress a giggle or two. "How come? Did she turn any of you into a pink flamingo?"
Ron looked at her like she had suddenly grown cabbages in her forehead. "How do you know that?"
Hermione shot her eyebrows up "It happened?"
"Yeah…" was Ron's answer, as quiet as a whisper "Poor Seamus…"
"Why Seamus?"
"Well…" Ron seemed to think about it but then just shrugged it off. "It's a long story. I'll tell you some other time. But I think not having her best student in class is making her very nervous… sometimes she can't get a grip and just starts shouting at everyone"
Hermione sighed. The next day was going to be a long one.
The longest one in her life.
