Secrets

The Waiting Game

Hermione felt as if she was dreaming. She was conscious, but didn't really see anything. She felt Harry's arms around her, supporting her, and heard people talking to her, but it sounded as if their voices were coming from far away. She felt the room start to spin, and then everything went black.

When she awoke, she looked around the room and it was several full moments before she figured out that she wasn't at the Burrow anymore, but rather at St. Mungo's. The door to her room opened and Molly Weasley walked in.

"I'm glad to see you are awake, Hermione," Molly said, going over to her bedside and sitting on the edge of her bed, "You gave us quite a scare."

"What happened? Do Harry and Ron know?" Hermione said, looking at Molly with concern evident in her pale face.

"You passed out, Hermione," Molly said, sighing, "Harry and Ron don't know, not yet anyway. They just think that you were in shock. But of course I had to tell the healer in charge of your case."

Hermione's eyes filled with tears, she wished now that she had told her parents everything. Maybe they would have been better prepared.

As if reading her mind, Molly took her hand, "Hermione, you must not blame yourself for what happened. Even if they had known about the dark side of our world, there is not much that could have been done."

"Yes, but they wouldn't have been in danger if I wasn't a witch, if I hadn't gone to Hogwarts!" Fresh tears flowed down Hermione's face and soaked the bedsheets and sobs wracked her body.

"Hermione, listen to me. First of all, your parents were very proud of you. I had the pleasure of spending some time with them, and they talked about you with glowing reports," She said, a smile upon her face, "Several times during the year either your parents would come over here for dinner, or they would invite us over there. Quite honestly, I think Arthur enjoyed it more when we went there for dinner because of all the muggle gadgets your parents had. But I know that they loved you and were very proud of you. After all, you are the top of your year at Hogwarts."

Just then Arthur came into the room. Going to Hermione's bedside, he looked at her and smiled sadly, "Hermione, I want you to know that your parents didn't suffer. There are no signs of the cruciatus curse or anything like that. I know that this is a small consolation, but I thought you should know.

Out in the waiting room, Harry paced the floor, impatiently waiting to hear of news of Hermione's condition. He had been so worried about her when he saw her faint into his arms, and judging by the reaction of Mrs. Weasley and Ginny they had been too. He had been a bit surprised that Mrs. Weasley had insisted bringing Hermione to St. Mungo's but apparently it had been a good idea since she had been in a great deal of shock.

"When are they going to tell us something?" He said, checking the clock on the wall for the fourth time that hour.

"Harry, as soon as they know something, they will come and get us," Ginny said, getting worried herself. She knew how worried Ron and Harry would be if they knew the whole truth as she did. She knew what a shock this had been to Hermione and goodness only knew what it did to her already fragile state of health.

The three looked up as they saw a healer walk into Hermione's room.

"Maybe we'll get some answers soon, mate," Ron said, standing and clapping Harry on the back in a brotherly fashion.

"I hope so. I just found her, Ron. I can't lose her."

Ron was surprised to see tears in the green eyes behind the glasses that Harry wore. He had never seen his friend so distraught since the night Sirius died.

Hermione looked up as she heard the door open for a third time and saw a kind looking mediwitch enter. She was about her height with brown curly hair and hazel colored eyes.

"Well, Miss Granger, I heard that you were awake. My name is Healer Lowe and I have been put in charge of your case. How are you feeling?"

"I'm not sure. I am very tired, and I feel rather weak," Hermione said quietly.

"Mrs. Weasley told me that that you have been having some problems over the summer. Can you tell me about that?" She said, consulting her chart, "I see here in your records that you were back at the end of June following an incident at the Ministry of Magic."

Hermione nodded, "Yes, I was hit with an unknown spell in the chest during the fight. They thought that I had healed, but during the summer I started having terrible pain in my chest and sometimes it feels as if ice water is being poured over my heart."

"I see, Miss Granger. Those are very serious symptoms indeed. Why didn't you have someone bring you here to be looked at? You could have made the damage to your body worse by not being treated right away."

"My parents are...were muggles, Healer Lowe," Hermione said sadly, "I was afraid that if I told them, they wouldn't allow me to return to Hogwarts. Since I was underage, I couldn't apparate here. In fact, no one knew until I told my friend Ginny. But I only told her because I passed out at Florean's ice cream parlor."

Healer Lowe nodded her head grimly, "Well, we need to keep you here a day or two and run some tests so we know how extensive the damage is and decide on a course of treatment. Meanwhile, I saw some young people out in the waiting room who I am sure are anxious to see you. But I want you to keep your visits to a minimum for now, because you need your rest."

Arthur looked at Hermione, then at his wife, "You knew, didn't you?"

Molly reluctantly nodded, "Yes, I knew. But she only told me today."

Looking wearily at Molly, Hermione said, "Please, don't tell Harry. Not yet, not til we know what exactly we are dealing with. Just let's tell him that they are keeping me to help me rest and get over the shock."

Molly and Arthur reluctantly agreed, and then went out to get Ron, Ginny and Harry.

Harry stood as he saw Arthur and Molly coming out of Hermione's room, "How is she? Is she going to be okay?"

"Nurse Lowe wants to keep her here a day or two so that she can get some rest. She's had quite a shock and they want to make sure that she is okay before they release her," Molly's voice caught on her words and she hoped that he didn't notice.

"Can I see her?"

"You have to go in one at a time, and they don't want you to stay too long because she needs to rest," Arthur said, looking first at Harry, then at Ron and Ginny.

"Harry, you go ahead," Ron said, and Ginny nodded in agreement.

"We'll stop in and see her before we leave."

Harry opened the door to Hermione's room quietly, and looked in on her before actually entering. He was shocked by the pallor of her face and his breath caught in his throat.

Taking a moment to regain his composure, he walked to the side of her bed and gently took her hand.

"Hi sweetheart," He said, bending down and giving her a gentle kiss on the lips.

"Hi Harry."

It broke his heart to hear her sound so weak and tired and it was all he could do not to take her in his arms and hold her.

"I'm so sorry about your parents, Hermione," He said softly, his voice choked with emotion, "I wish I had gotten to know them better."

"I wish you had too, Harry. They would have really liked you, I know they would have."

"Listen, they don't want me to stay too long, but I promise I will come back tomorrow, okay? Ron and Ginny want to look in on you before we go home."

Harry took Hermione's hand and kissed it, "I love you, Hermione."

"I love you too, Harry," She said, softly, her eyes beginning to close.

With one last look at his girlfriend, Harry reluctantly left her room and went back out to the waiting room.

Ginny could see that he was visibly shaken by Hermione's condition, "Are you alright, Harry?"

Sitting in one of the chairs, Harry put his head in his hands and stared at the floor, "I have never felt so helpless in all my life. My girlfriend has lost her parents and I don't know how to help her. She looks so weak and tired in there."

Ron sat next to Harry while Ginny went and talked with her Mum.

"Mum, what did the healer say about Hermione?" She said quietly, not wanting Harry to overhear.

Leading Ginny further away from Harry, Molly turned to her daughter and put her hand on her shoulder, "They don't know, Ginny. They have to run some tests and find out what damage has been done. I just don't know..."

"Could she die?" Ginny said, afraid of her mother's answer.

"They don't know that either, Ginny. They won't know anything until they get the test results," Molly said, sadly.

A very sad and worried group left St. Mungo's, although only three of those in the group knew that there was a possibility that Hermione Granger might die.