Chapter 2: Discovery

When she again opened her eyes, Ginny saw streaming sunlight, coming through her window. She turned her head to see him sitting there once more, but how could that be; he was dead – wasn't he?

He recognised the look of panic within her eyes, he attempted to calm her but to no avail. Finally she seemed to regain the power of speech, even if her words were still slightly slurred.

"You! But you- you're dead! Am I dead? I died didn't I?" she became quite panicked.

"Shh, Gin it's alright. I'm not dead and neither are you, please calm down, I can explain. I'm sorry." He kept trying to calm her and finally his attempts began to pay off. Slowly she quieted under his comforting hands and his soft murmuring.

"But, why Harry? Why are you here? Why didn't you come back?"

"I wanted to come back, but I guess I just never got around to it."

"I've missed you, I've missed you so much." Tears began to well in her eyes out of happiness for her returned love.

"I've missed you to Gin, you and everyone, more than you could know." He added on everyone else out of habit and also now that he was back he began to realise he really had missed everyone.

Ginny sank back into her pillow, her exhaustion evident, she did not want to admit it but she was weak, weaker than she had ever been.

"Shh Gin, sleep now, we'll talk later." Harry murmured, holding her hand.

Ginny smiled gratefully, he had always understood her like no other, she let her eyes drift shut as she fell into a peaceful sleep. Just as Ginny fell asleep Georgie returned from her daily duties, to see Harry before she left for the day.

"Hi Jack, how are you today?"

"I'm good, but please now that Ginny has woken please don't call me Jack, call me Harry."

Georgie nodded looking confused. "Ok Harry, so how's Gin today?"

"She woke up again this afternoon, in fact you only just missed it, she fell asleep only moments before you walked in."

"That's excellent! I'll come by about lunchtime tomorrow to take her to x-ray and run a few tests. Well I've got to go so I'll see you tomorrow Jack- I mean Harry." Georgie left the room.

The sun dawned; Harry was awake with it. He waited patiently for Ginny to wake up. It wasn't until mid-morning that she woke up, at first she was groggy but soon she was alert and aware of her surroundings.

"Hey, Gin, how are you feeling this morning?"

"Sore, but better than when I last woke. How long was I out anyway?"

"Well you were in the coma for two weeks, then you woke twice yesterday, in the early morning and late afternoon."

Before Ginny could ask any more questions, Georgie entered the room.

"Good morning, how are you this morning, Miss Weasley?"

"Miss Weasley, now there's a name I haven't been called for a while." She mused, before deciding to answer the doctor's question. "Well better than I have been lately, I guess."

"That is excellent, now this morning I must run a few tests on you. Are you up to that?"

Already Ginny was beginning to tire, she nodded to Georgie, as Harry caressed her hand, giving her strength.

"Well let's get to it. I think we should start with x-rays, that's pretty much all actually. Are you coming Harry?"

Harry nodded and assisted Georgie as she shifted Ginny from her bed into a waiting wheel chair. The three of them headed to the elevator and down three floors to the x-ray room.

"Nurse, I need x-rays of Miss Weasley's back." Georgie instructed the middle-aged woman at the desk.

The nurse nodded and moved out from behind the desk, she came forward to collect Ginny from Harry and Georgie. Harry looked as though he were about to follow then thought better of it; instead he turned to the nurse.

"Excuse me nurse, but will you need help lifting Ginny onto the table? Because as yet she is untried on her feet."

The nurse smiled at Harry, "I'm grateful for your offer, but I have a team of good helpers through there who can help me lift her onto the table."

Harry nodded, allowing her to take Ginny through the double doors to the x-ray room. Harry and Georgie sat in the waiting room, to wait for Ginny.

Almost twenty minutes later the nurse came back pushing Ginny in front of her. Turning to Georgie she said; " I'll have the x-rays sent to you by the end of the day, Dr Harron."

Georgie nodded as she thanked the nurse, then allowing Harry to push Ginny, she lead the way back to the intensive care ward where Ginny had been staying. Once Ginny was settled back into her bed and Harry seated in his chair, Georgie faced the two of them. "Ginny, providing your x-rays show nothing too serious you may move out of intensive care tomorrow and into a general ward."

"Really? That's great!" Ginny said, but it seemed her efforts had tired her out and she slumped back onto her pillows.

"Only if you're well enough, and exhausting yourself is hardly helping."

"Don't worry, I wont let her do much only little talks." Harry put in.

"Good, now both of you get some rest and I'll be back this afternoon with Ginny's x-rays." Georgie left the room to see her other patients.

Harry looked across at Ginny to find her eyes shut, she was fast asleep, today was the longest period she had been awake for since coming out of her coma. Harry stared at Ginny for a long time before he to drifted off to sleep.

Harry awoke in the late afternoon, Ginny was still asleep, he resumed his watching, it was about half an hour later that Georgie re-entered the room.

"Harry, can I see you outside for a moment?" she asked worriedly.

"Sure," Harry replied as he followed Georgie into the corridor outside.

"Um well I got Ginny's x-rays back and well, it seems that she has damaged one of her vertebrae in her middle back. It may have no effect but there is a chance that the fracture may have damaged her spinal column."

"I don't understand."

"Well if it has damaged her spinal column she may never walk again."

"Oh."

"But we don't know for sure yet, so let's not assume the worst until it's confirmed, if it's confirmed."

"Good idea, is that all you had to tell me?"

"Yes, well no, but Ginny should here this news herself."

"Well then I do believe we should go back inside as Gin is just starting to wake and will panic if she's alone."

"You really understand her so completely don't you?"

"Well before I left we barely even used words we spoke silently without meaning to at times. While I was gone she changed a lot on the outside but on the inside she is still the same sixteen year old that I left behind."

"Well I'm glad you're here for her now, she'll need you over the next few months."

"Only fair after the amount I depended on her for the two years before I left." Before Georgie could ask what he meant he disappeared into Ginny's room, she had no choice but to follow.

Harry was holding Ginny's hand as she slowly woke; she turned her head so that her first sight as she woke was his face.

Georgie was almost sorry to interrupt, but she knew she had to. "Ginny, there was something suspicious on one of your x-rays, so I just need to do a couple of quick tests if you don't mind?"

"Not at all, what do you need to do?"

"Well I need you to push against my hand with your foot, ok?"

"Sure, just say when."

"Go, come on really try, you have to really push."

"I can't." she finished puffing slightly.

"Ok then, tell me can you feel this?" Georgie asked as she massaged Ginny's foot.

"No." Ginny shook her head.

"I'm so sorry Ginny but it seems our fears are being realised, you have damaged your spinal column in your middle back." Seeing Ginny's confused expression she continued. "Ginny, you may never walk again."

Ginny said nothing, what was there to say? She looked at Harry; he said nothing, only held her close. Georgie sensed that they needed to be alone, so she quietly said her goodbyes and left.

"Harry, she just said I'm basically a paraplegic didn't she?"

"I wish I could say that she didn't Gin but I couldn't lie to you."

"But Harry I don't want to never walk again."

"She didn't say that you would definitely never walk only that you may never walk again. There's still a chance you can do it babe, and where there's a will there's a way."

"Thank you Harry that was exactly what I needed to hear, you always know exactly what to say."

Harry smiled and hugged her closer, shifting so he sat beside her on her bed. "Shh it's been an eventful few minutes, get some rest. We'll talk tomorrow."

Ginny gratefully snuggled into his chest, "I'm so glad you're back Harry." She murmured before se fell asleep.

"So am I Gin, so am I" and soon he to was fast asleep.