Disclaimer: Harry Potter is a property of J.K. Rowling…

WARNING: Violence ahead...

WHITE LILIES

CHAPTER TEN: BANDAGES AND APOLOGIES

The girl beside me screamed. I was about to collapse but then she cheered and clapped with the rest of the Gryffindors. I heard the commentator announcing that Gryffindor won the match. I lifted my face from my hand and blinked. Harry was still in the air, clutching a glinting object in his hand, and beaming at the crowd.

Am I seeing things again? Is Harry really okay?

I looked over to the spot where he was supposed to crash onto. There were two deep holes on the ground where the two bludgers sat motionlessly. It was the bludgers who crashed, not Harry.

My lips curved into a smile and my face brightened up. I hurried towards the field and ran towards Harry to congratulate him.

He mounted of his broom and landed gently on the ground. His teammates moved towards him and squashed him into a group hug. They were still laughing when they broke the hug and Harry found me.

"Hermione!" he shouted as he scampered towards me. "We won! We won!"

"You did it again!" I exclaimed. He wrapped his arms around me and lifted me up. I squealed as he turned around and around until we were dizzy. Someone whistled at us and we both blushed. Harry placed me back on the ground.

"I thought it was you who crashed," I told him, tears of joy flooding my eyes. "The first year beside me screamed and I thought something bad happened to you. Oh, Harry!" I flung my arms around his neck.

"Get a room, will you?"

Draco Malfoy was standing with his goons near from us. He was no longer smiling and sniggering like he was doing earlier. "You're lucky those bludgers didn't pulverize you, Potter. Once again, you won by luck."

Harry frowned and was about to retort when I held up a hand to stop him. "You know what?" I said, taking a step closer to Malfoy. "You're right. Harry's very lucky indeed. Lucky because he was gifted with great talents in Quidditch unlike you who're gifted on bewitching bludgers to chase after him."

"How dare you accuse me!" he drawled. "You freakin' geek! You mudblood –"

Then I saw Harry lunged at Malfoy. "Don't – call – her – that!" he bellowed as he punched every part of Malfoy that he could reach.

Crabbe and Goyle immediately moved and they grabbed Harry by his robes. They threw him against the wall and Goyle pinned him against it. Crabbe took the bat from the Ravenclaw Beater who was standing nearby and whacked it fiercely at the back of Harry's head. I heard a loud 'crack' and Harry fell on his knees, his eyes unfocused, and fell on the ground.

"No! Don't!" I screamed, a look of horror painted across my face. "Please, stop it! You're going to kill him! Stop it!"

Crabbe raised his bat once more and was about to beat him up again, but someone jumped on him. They staggered and landed on the ground. I saw a bunch of red hair scrambling to his feet and knew it was Ron. He drew his wand and pointed it at Goyle, but then, Crabbe swung his bat at Ron's leg and he fell. Goyle launched himself off the ground and landed on Ron's arm and an ear-splitting cry rang in my ear.

"Stand aside, please, or I'll give a detention," said Professor McGonagall who was trying to move from the crowd. "Will anyone please tell me what's going on?"

People around us stood aside to let her pass. She spotted the riot before her and her jaw dropped. She didn't see Harry because Goyle blocked him from her view.

"Wha – What happened here?" she asked when she saw me. "Another after-match riot?"

I nodded, unable to speak because I was shaking badly.

"Don't tell me you weren't able to stop it, Miss Granger!" she said hysterically. "You're a Head Girl! For Merlin's sake why didn't you –"

"Professor, H-Harry's hurt badly!" I sobbed, unable to stop my self even though it means I have to answer a teacher. "He – he needs the Hospital Wing immediately."

"What?" asked Professor McGonagall.

At that moment, Goyle grunted and rolled off Ron who was whimpering and holding his arm. There was a puddle of blood on the ground and lying face down on it was Harry.

"Is he going to be alright, Madam Pomfrey?"

I was sitting between Ron and Harry's bed with the rest of the Gryffindor team inside the Hospital Wing. Harry obtained a cracked scull and a broken neck. In Ron's case, a broken arm and leg. Ron had his back turned to us but I know he's awake.

"He lost a lot of blood but he'll be alright," she said as she wrapped bandages around Harry's head. "I gave him a blood replenishing potion. But he should spend the night here for a fast recovery and the same goes to Mr. Weasley. They'll be out of here tomorrow afternoon if we're lucky."

Professor McGonagall panicked when she saw Harry sprawled on the ground. She sent him and Ron to the Hospital Wing at that precise moment. Draco only received bruises and a bloody lip but he's okay. Crabbe and Goyle were suspended for about a month because of beating a student.

They should have been expelled! They almost kill Harry! I said to myself.

"You lot better leave now," Madam Pomfrey told us. "The feast is going to start. Besides, my patients need some rest. Go." And she disappeared behind her office.

One by one, the Gryffindors started to leave. Ginny stood up with Dean then asked me if I was coming.

"No, you go on," I said, smiling weakly at her. "I'm going to stay here for a while. I'm not hungry."

Ginny nodded and she left with Dean. I turned to Ron who was still pretending to be asleep.

"Ron?"

He remained silent. I took a deep breath and continued. "I just wanted to tell you, thank you for helping Harry a while ago. They could have killed him if you didn't jump in."

Still he didn't answer.

"Look, stop isolating yourself from Harry and me," I said in a strict tone. "If you think we're mad at you for whatever reason you can come up with, you're wrong. But if you're still mad at me because – because I couldn't love you the way you want me to, I'm sorry. Its not that I don't love you, because I do! Its just – well, you're just my friend. And I will always be your friend no matter what happens.

"I miss those arguments we have about even the smallest things. I miss those times when you're trying to copy essays from me. I miss those times when you and Harry play tricks on me. I miss those funny stories and the expression on your face when you tell them. I – I miss you, Ron and I know Harry feels the same way."

Silence. I gave up and stood from my chair. I kissed Harry on his forehead and was about to leave when I heard Ron.

"I'm sorry."

I turned around and I saw him, looking guiltily at me. "I didn't know. I was being selfish. I didn't care about how you feel. I'm sorry."

I smiled at him. "Apology accepted."

"Thank you," he said and smiled.

"Now, you better take a nap and I'll be seeing you and Harry tomorrow," I said and he nodded. He pulled his blanket closer to him with one hand and closed his eyes. Seconds after, his snores filled the room.

I left the Hospital Wing, feeling better because I have my best friend back again.