Ch 9: The Hospital Wing
Harry, Ginny and Neville walked slowly to the Gryffindor common room contemplating Hermione's absence at dinner.
They walked through the portrait hole and Ginny, holding a sleeping Emma said, "I wonder what happened to...OH MY GOD! HERMIONE!" she screamed as she noticed her friend's lifeless form in the middle of the room. Ginny hastily handed the sleeping baby in her arms to Harry. Emma was not pleased with the sudden awakening and began to cry hysterically. Ginny ran to Hermione's side and tried to wake her as Harry was left to comfor the screaming baby.
Hermione saw a blurred face looking worriedly at her. "Ginny," she practically mouthed, before returning to darkness...
Hermione woke the next morning in the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey was scurrying about and when she noticed Hermione trying to sit up, she went to her side.
"Ah, you're awake." she said, "Gave us quite a scare, you did."
Hermione then realized that her entire body ached and she had a pounding headache. She touched her hand to the newly reopened cut on the side of her face. "What...what happened?" she asked, still a little bit out of it.
"It seems that you fainted and hit your head on the corner of the fireplace. You must have overworked yourself somehow Miss Granger. I recall you being here for almost the exact same reason years ago..." she drifted off in thought.
Suddenly, Hermione felt worried. Where was Emma? Was she ok? Hermione hadn't even given her any thought the night before.
"Where...where's my daughter?" she choked out.
"I believe Miss Weasley was going to care for her. She's quite precious. You must be so proud to have such a lovely little girl"
"Yeah," Hermione said as Madam Pomfrey went into her office and went to filing paper work.
Hermione began to feel relaxed and quite comfortable, but then she saw a figure emerge from the shadows. . . .
Ch 10: Th Figure Lurking in the Shadows
Hermione gasped for breath as Ron's hand enclosed around her neck. OH MY GOD she thought I was afraid of this His eyes were cold and full of anger and hatred. His normally warm face was rock solid and a glint of something flashed in his eyes. The only word that came to Hermione's mind to describe it was evil
"YOU DIDN'T SHOW UP!" he screamed as she could feel the life leaving her body. "YOU MADE ME LOOK LIKE A FUCKING FOOL, ALL SO YOU COULD GO PLAY WITH MALFOY!"
Hermione used what little strength she had left to wriggle away from his grasp. She fell to the floor and attempted to stand and run, but her legs would not work. She looked down to see that she had none and heard a distant voice calling her name...
"Hermione!" Madam Pomfrey yelled. "Hermione, dear, wake up! It's just a dream!"
Hermione opened her eyes to find that she was on the ground next to her bed covered in a mound of blankets. Cold sweat mixed with tears were streaming down her face. Madam Pomfrey, with the help of Ginny, who had come to visit, placed Hermione in her bed.
"Mione, are you alright?" Ginny asked worriedly.
"I don't know...it...it all seemed so real..."Hermione's voice trailed of and she began to cry softly.
She only faintly heard the sound of Ginny's comforting as she slipped farther and farther back into sleep.
Ch 11: Back to Reality
That night, Hermione only faintly remembered Ginny leaving. She had drifted into another fitfull sleep, continually dreaming of Ron and what he might do to her when they finally met once again. When she awoke the next morning, she was even more exausted than she had been the night before. Madam Pomfrey came to the side of her bed and took her temperature, blood pressure and heart rate. Then after about 20 minutes of examining the information gained, decided that Hermione was well enough to leave the hospital wing. She changed back into her regular robes and headed off to the Gryffindor tower.
Once she arrived in the common room, she looked happily at Harry sleeping in his usual arm chair while Ginny was playing on the floor with Emma. Hermione walked over to where Emma and Ginny play and scooped up her little girl.
"Hey sweetie," she said in a mock baby voice. Emma simply smiled at her mother and let out a small giggle. "Sorry about just kind of dumping her on you like that." Hermione said, now facing Ginny.
"Hey, it was no problem. I enjoyed it a lot. After all, I am her god-mother." Ginny responded and then said in a less light-hearted tone. "Are you sure that you're ok, Hermione?"
"Yeah, I'm fine, why?"
"Well, it's just that you've been acting strange lately and you never told me that you were having nightmares. When I walked in and found you like that, I was terrified. Frankly, I'd never seen you so vulnerable, so helpless."
Hermione swallowed hard and said, "Look Gin, I appreciate your concern, but I'm dealing with this. Just give me time. This whole thing with Ron really set me back quite a ways. I just need the time to heal...to feel safe again, that's all."
Ginny looked sadly at Hermione and said, "He's really sorry you know-Ron is"
"I don't give a shit if he's sorry, Gin. I gave him more than enough chances to prove that he truly was sorry, but every time ended up the same way. ME passed out on the livingroom floor!"
"Hermione, I truly am sorry for what he did to you. You know that right?"
"Of course I do. I just, I need to get back on track, you know."
"Yeah. Just remember that Harry and I are always there for you. You and Emma are always welcomed to stay. I know that you don't want to keep staying in those shabby motels until you sort things out. So, come live with us, at least until you get back on your feet. We have plenty of room."
"I don't know, Ginny, just let me think about it. Ok?"
"Yeah, ok."
Hermione then left Ginny standing in the center of the common room and headed upstairs with Emma in her arms. Looking into her child's eyes, she thought, How can I love you so much, yet hate the man who brought you into my life? Emma seemed to sense her mother's anguish and wrapped her small arms around Hermione's neck in a hug. A silent tear rolled down Hermione's cheek.
She entered the dormitory and placed Emma in a playpen that had been set up for her. She then took a shower and changed into some clean robes. She walked over to the mirror by her bedside table and, looking at her reflection, thought to herself. God, I look miserable. How am I ever going to get back on track feeling like this? She then pulled her dark brown curls into a pony-tail and went over to the playpen. Emma had fallen asleep and so Hermione carefully picked her up and placed her gently into the bassinet by her bed. She placed a few protectiona nd monitoring spells around the cradle before heading back down the stairs to the common room.
When she arrived, she found that Harry had woken up and he and Ginny were making outl ike school children in his armchair.
"Hmm-hmm" Hermione cleared her throat and smiled as the couple looked at her seemingly afraid.
"My god, Hermione, I thought that you were McGonagall." Harry said, glancing and Ginny and smiling. Hermione saw it in his eyes that he truly loved her more than anything. "She used to tear us apart all of the time during my last year here" He chuckled and his eyes brightened as Ginny said, "Yeah, she was a regular old, party pooper that one."
The trio sat remembering old times for quite a while before the ring on Ginny's finger caught Hermione's eye.
"Ginny!" she squeeled. "I see that you have some new jewelery"
"Harry and I are getting married!" she said joyfully. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you automatically, but we were somewhat distracted."
"Congratulations, you two. I'm so happy for you. You were definately meant to be together."
"Thanks, Hemione." Harry said, giving her a quick hug.
Then suddenly, Hermione felt as if she was invading a private moment. "Um, I'm going to go get some fresh air. Emma's sleeping, so you guys should have some time to be alone together before dinner."
Harry and Ginny nodded as Hermione left through the portrait hole and headed out to the lake. once there, her mind immidiately drifted to the photograph Draco had sent her. . .
