Chapter 37
It had possibly been one of the worst nights sleep Hermione Granger had ever had. Had this been an ordinary day she would be waking up and getting ready for a day at work, it was, after all Monday morning and she was due at the Ministry of Magic at nine o'clock. However today was no ordinary day.
Last night Harry had written a brief note to Kingsley Shacklebolt telling him that Hermione and himself had been struck down by a bout of food poisoning, which had apparently come from the muggle pizza place down the road. Hermione had felt this was a reasonable excuse and one that wouldn't warrant any further investigation into its genuineness by their tutors.
One of the reasons why she didn't sleep was the fact that Draco Malfoy had used their sofa as a bed for the night, something she wouldn't even contemplate in her wildest dreams ever happening. But happen it did, and as much as she didn't think he would desert them, there was always the possibility he would, something she didn't want to think about.
It was apparent however, that he had decided to stay true to his word when they were stood outside St. Mungo's hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries at five to eleven, about to enter the building. Malfoy was under Harry's invisibility cloak although he had had trouble putting it on, his injuries not quite healed from the previous days run in with an Auror. Ginny's Healing and potions had done their job, and Malfoy had felt well enough to come to the hospital and try and revive Ron with Harry and Hermione.
'Ready Malfoy?' Harry asked the space between himself and Hermione.
'Yes Potter, I am.'
'Good, now don't faint or anything because we won't be able to see you if you do, and I don't want you being discovered by someone tripping over your invisible fallen body all right?'
'Yes, thank you Potter, I don't intend on fainting so there's no need to worry yourself.'
'Please can we just go in?' Hermione asked.
'Yes, after you Hermione. Malfoy, follow her and I'll be right behind you.'
Hermione spoke quietly to the dummy in the window and she nodded her head a fraction like Hermione had seen her do hundreds of times.
When they stepped through the glass they were shocked to see a lot of trainee Healers dawdling around the reception area. Apparently the organisation of their ward visits had gone to pot and they were delayed. Ginny was nowhere to be seen. She had asked to visit Ron's ward today and had been granted her request. The fact that she wasn't stood waiting in reception was a good indication that her group was already upstairs in the ward.
'Straight upstairs,' Harry mumbled so Malfoy could hear him.
'Fine,' Malfoy replied. It was one of the conditions of giving Malfoy his invisibility cloak that Harry had insisted on; Malfoy had to reply to everything Harry said so he had a fair idea of where Malfoy was in his invisible state. It wasn't perfect, but only the Imperius curse could ensure Malfoy would go where he was told, and Harry refused to use such drastic, and illegal, measures.
Hermione made her way through the crowd of trainee Healers carefully, and miraculously, so did Malfoy, not that Harry could see him; but none of the people around them seemed to be bumped into by an unseen force. Harry followed Hermione up the stairs where, thankfully, there were less people.
Hermione stopped outside the double doors to the ward where Ron lay. She peered in through the window and looked into the ward. There was a group of five trainee Healers, Ginny instantly recognisable from the back by her long red hair, following a Healer in a white coat down the ward. She looked around the rest of the ward and spotted Healer Thompson looking at a chart at the foot of the bed closest to the door on the right hand side.
'I'll go and talk to him. I'll be back in a minute.'
She slipped through the doors and walked the few steps to Healer Thompson.
'Healer Thompson, I'm sorry to disturb you.'
'Hermione, what are you doing here?'
'Well, I was wondering if you would let me see Ron for a few minutes,' she could see Healer Thompson was about to protest so carried on before he had the chance. 'I know, it's early for visitors but me and Harry can't make it this afternoon and we really need to see him today. You see…I know it sounds silly but today is the anniversary of the day that the three of us became really good friends and it's a special day for all three of us. It wouldn't feel right if we didn't get to see him.'
She looked at the floor and willed herself to look upset and for once was actually willing herself to cry. Healer Thompson looked at her and Hermione could see his initial argument was being forgotten.
'Are you sure you can't see him this afternoon?'
'No, we can't, we have to be to at Auror training all afternoon and most of the evening, all of the trainee Aurors do. I know it's asking a lot but it would mean so much to me and Harry if you could let us have a few minutes with him.'
Hermione knew she had got her way when Healer Thompson smiled at her.
'Of course Hermione, go ahead.'
'Thank you. You don't mind if we close the curtains around his bed do you?'
'No, I don't mind at all, I'll make sure our visiting party don't disturb you either.'
'Thank you very much Healer Thompson.'
She turned and smiled at Harry through the glass. Harry pushed on the door and felt his invisibility cloak brush past his arm as Malfoy moved through the door. The three of them walked up the ward and to Ron's bedside. Ginny gave Hermione and Harry a quick half smile as they walked past her, and continued to pretend to listen to what she was being told. In truth she hadn't taken in a word of what had been said to her since she had set foot in the ward.
When the curtains had been closed Hermione moved to the right hand side of Ron's bed and Harry and Malfoy moved to the left side. Malfoy had made himself visible to the world by removing the cloak and laid it down at the foot of the bed. He lowered his hood and took out his wand. Hermione took a shaky breath and did the same, although it was Ron's wand that she was holding, not her own. Malfoy had told them that his wand core was Dragon Heartstring so Ginny had Flooed home to retrieve Ron's wand, once Harry had reconnected the fireplace to the Floo network – another precaution he took when it was obvious Malfoy would be staying the night.
Eventually Harry did the same and removed his wand from his cloak but instinctively aimed it at Malfoy.
'There'll be no need for that Potter. As much as I don't really care if the Weasel wakes up again, I'm not going to go back on my word, and besides, I can't afford to either. I thought you'd started to trust me?' he said bitterly.
'Started being the operative word Malfoy,' he replied, but still pointed his wand at the floor.
'Are we going to get on with this then?' Malfoy asked irritably.
'It was definitely this spell he was hit with, wasn't it Malfoy? You are sure?'
'How many times do I have to tell you Grange? Yes, he was definitely hit with the endless sleep spell and considering I'm here, this should work.'
'Fine!' Hermione spat.
'Just concentrate on your spell, that's all. After three?' Malfoy asked.
Harry and Hermione nodded and placed their wand tips above Ron's heart like Malfoy had told them to. Malfoy did the same so all three wand tips touched. Hermione sighed deeply, hoping against all hope this would wake Ron up. Hoping against all hope that this one act would end her nightmare.
She closed her eyes and concentrated on the two words she had to say. From what seemed like a long way away she heard Malfoy count out loud.
'One – Two – Three.'
'Pretiritus Memor,' she said and she heard Harry and Malfoy say their spells too.
She felt the wand in her hand grow warm and she opened her eyes. The wand tip was glowing a bright white, Harry's a deep red and Malfoy's a striking green. Ron's wand grew hot, levelling out in temperature before it started to hurt her hand. Suddenly the colours vanished and her wand grew cold.
'That's it,' Malfoy said quietly, 'it's done.'
Hermione perched on the side of the bed and put her hand on Ron's cheek, stroking it with her thumb.
'Ron,' she said in barely a whisper, she cleared her throat, 'Ron, can you hear me?'
Nothing happened. She felt like her heart was breaking. No, she thought, this can't be happening, he has to wake up.
'Please Ron, open your eyes for me,' she said, her voice shaking as she did so.
'There's no point in redoing the spell, if it didn't work the first time then…' Malfoy paused, not wanting to state the obvious. As much as he hated to admit it, half of him was hoping that Ron would wake up; he suppressed this thought however, and became his usual arrogant self. 'Well, as heart wrenching as this is, I think I'll take my leave. Potter, we have things to discuss.'
Harry snapped out of his thoughts. He had been watching Hermione; his heart sank when he saw her shoulders drop and her head fall when she got no response from Ron. He knew what this meant; they had just run out of options. Somehow he was ignoring the pain that was creeping into his chest as he watched Hermione and his lifeless best friend.
'Fine!' he snapped, 'Hermione, I'll be back in a few minutes.'
Out of the corner of her eye she saw Malfoy cover himself with the invisibility cloak and then Harry leave the cubicle.
She leant forward and kissed Ron, straightening his fringe when she pulled back. Sighing, she slid off the bed and onto the chair next to the bed. Tears filled her eyes. She had begged herself not to get her hopes up about the spells working, but she had. It just seemed like it would, it was the most logical thing to happen. She felt numb; her mind was refusing to believe that this was it, that this was the last chance they had.
She perched her chin on the bed and held Ron's hand in hers. She stroked the back of it and closed her eyes; one solitary tear escaped from her eye and made it's way down her cheek.
'What will it take Ron?' she asked, 'I'll do anything to help you, but I don't know what else I can do,' her voice broke and another tear escaped her eye.
She squeezed Ron's hand. With her eyes still closed she heard shuffling; she guessed it was from the group outside the cubicle. She felt waves of sleep pass over her and didn't resist it.
She imagined what she would be doing if he had woken up. She would be holding him and not letting go.
'Hermione wake up.'
No, I'm sleeping, she thought. She heard someone chuckling.
'Come on Hermione wake up, I need to talk to you.'
'What about?' she mumbled.
'Well I'd like a couple of questions answered if you don't mind.'
She snapped her eyes open. Her head was facing the opposite direction she remembered it being in before she closed her eyes. She sat up and yawned, stretching her arms to the ceiling as she did so, her eyes still closed, trying to clear her head. Hermione, she thought, you need to stop falling asleep at the hospital, you know you have weird dreams when you do!'
'That's more like it.'
She opened her eyes and turned her head towards where she thought the noise was coming from. What awaited her eyes when they found the source of the words was something she had been imagining for weeks on end: Ron with his head raised off his pillows and his eyes looking directly into hers. She felt like all the air had been sucked out of her lungs.
She took a deep breath but didn't move her eyes off him. She watched as he pushed himself into a sitting position.
'Hermione please say something.'
Eventually she found her voice.
'I must be dreaming,' she whispered.
'Well if you are, then I am too. How about we check.'
He reached over and took her hand in his. She started to tingle where his hand touched hers.
'Ron, is that really you?'
'Is it really you Hermione?'
He pulled her towards him and she stood up, moving so she could sit next to him on the bed.
'I think it's me. I'm not sure if I believe I'm awake though.'
'Come here.'
Ron pulled her into a hug, a hug like she remembered, strong and comforting. She wrapped her arms around him, frightened of letting go. She started to cry again, he felt her shaking in his arms.
'Why are you crying Hermione? I don't want you to be upset.'
'I'm…I'm afraid if I let go I'll wake up and this will all have been a dream. I can't let go of you Ron, I can't. I love you too much.'
'Hermione, I love you too. You have to trust me; I've been having a lot of dreams and none of them felt like this. This is real. I promise if you let go things will be exactly the same, I promise.'
He loosened his hold on her, instinctively she tightened hers, but a few seconds later she let her arms relax a little and slowly she pulled back from him. She looked into his eyes and she saw them sparkle.
'You see, I told you it would be ok.'
When realisation that her dreams had come true hit her, Hermione smiled a beaming smile that Ron mirrored. She started to laugh and cry at the same time. The frustration and anger that had been living in her for weeks and weeks was leaving her, she could feel it, and she was being flooded with relief, and a happiness beyond all measure.
She hugged him again, her tears falling onto his shoulder.
'Hermione,' Ron said quietly, but with a trace of fear filling his voice.
She pulled back trying to control her breathing better than she was.
'Please, I need to know what happened that night…I thought, I thought you were dead when I found you. But you're here. What happened to everyone else? My family? Harry? What happened?'
She saw the look of panic cross his face.
'Calm down Ron. Every single one of your family survived, we don't know how they got that lucky, but they did.'
'Everyone's alive?' Ron asked, disbelievingly.
'All the Weasleys, you were the only one who got seriously hurt, and now,' her voice broke, 'and now you're awake. I can't believe it!' she finished in a whisper.
'Neither can I! What about Harry, Hermione? Please don't tell me You-Know-Who killed him, please.'
'Harry's fine,' a voice said from the corner of the cubicle. Harry stepped up to the bed, closing the curtain as he did so. He turned to look at Hermione.
'Hermione, do my eyes deceive me or is my lazy arse of a best mate sat up and talking?'
'Hey!' Ron exclaimed, a smile sliding across his face.
Hermione laughed through a fresh wave of tears.
'Yes Harry, he is!'
Harry turned to look at Ron and then walked over to the top of the bed and pulled Ron into a hug, in which the two of them slapped each other on the back. When they pulled apart, Hermione glimpsed tears in Harry's eyes. He blinked too quickly though, and managed to get rid of them before she could have a proper look.
'About bloody time and all!' Harry said grinning.
Ron's smile faltered, 'Why? How long have I been in here? What date is it?'
'It's the twelfth of September, and it's been about two months,' Harry replied.
Ron whitened slightly as the information sank in.
'Bloody hell! What have I missed?'
'We can fill you in later. You need to be checked over by a Healer first, just to make sure there was no lasting damage from the everlasting sleep spell.' Harry said sensibly.
'Oh Merlin! I totally forgot about that!' Hermione exclaimed as she stood up, 'that should have been the first thing I did! I'll go and get Healer Thompson!' She hurried out of the cubicle.
'Harry, seriously, you have to tell me what I've missed,' Ron pleaded to his best friend.
'Ron I swear I will tell you everything after you've been checked over and after we've told your family you're awake. They need to know.'
Ron looked down at his quilt.
'Yeah, ok then. But you promise you'll tell me everything that's been going on?'
'Every last detail.'
'But wait! Just answer me one thing Harry.'
'What's that mate?'
'He is gone isn't he…V…V…Voldemort is dead.'
Harry smiled, acknowledging Ron's first use of the name.
'Yes Ron, he's definitely dead, we won!'
Ron smiled.
'Good,' he replied, 'I'm glad about that.'
Hope you like the way he woke up peeps! I enjoyed writing it ;D
Picking up on what WheezlyGirl said in her review, (ta!) I didn't specifically use 11th September as the date he woke up. As it is I've changed it to be acurate to their birthdays and the timeline, the date he actually woke up was 12th September 1999, the 11th was the Sunday and he woke up on the Monday after, so it was actually a timing mistake on my part more than anything. I hope I didn't offend anyone, or come across as insensitive for using it, sorry if I did. :S
If ever there was a time that would make me very happyif youreviewed it would be now :D
Cheers
Step XxXxX ;)
