CHAPTER 24
I came out of the room with the cloak and saw Amy on the floor. My first thought was that she was dead but then I saw her chest move as she took in a breath. I didn't hesitate though, I shoved the cloak in my pocket, not caring that we could get caught, and picked Amy up. I didn't think about the fact that I had no idea where we were. I just let my feet guide me as I ran through the maze of passage ways.
When I saw a place I knew I ran even faster to get to the Hospital Wing. I burst through the doors and sat Amy down on a bed. I was about to shout for Madam Pomfrey, but at that moment she came from her office.
"What on earth is the matter Mr. Potter?" she screeched, before she noticed Amy.
"I dunno what happened," I admitted, "I left her for one second and when I came back she had collapsed on the floor."
"It's alright Mr. Potter, I am going to need you to leave for a little while. I guarentee you she will not be waking up tonight, come back in the morning," she added because I had started to protest.
"I'll be fine here," I protested.
"No, go straight to bed now. You'll be of no help to her when she does wake up if you don't go to bed now. Out with you," she said shooing me out of the room and closing the door behind me.
I thought about waiting in the hallway but then decided she was probably right so I walked over to the common room. I didn't want to go to the Room of Requirement.
I made it there only to find Hermione and Ron, snogging again. I just went straight up to the dorm I used to live in. I didn't hear them surface so I could only assume that they weren't aware my presence. I didn't want to talk though so I was thankful that I could just lay in my old bed and fall asleep. I didn't get much sleep though with thoughts of Amy dying on me.
It was still barely getting light out when I got out of bed, deciding it was time to stop the tossing and turning. I had heard Ron come in a little while after I did, but I didn't respond when he asked if I was awake.
I walked down the stairs to find the last remaining embers dying from the fire, but I didn't stop. I continued walking until I reached the Great Hall. I stopped and sat down by the doors and when they opened I walked in and ate a small, rushed breakfast.
By the time I was exiting the Great Hall Hermione was coming down to breakfast.
"Why are you here so early?" Hermione asked.
"I could ask you the same thing," I replied.
"Couldn't sleep," she answered simply, "Where's Amy and why were you sleeping in your dorm last night?" she asked.
"How'd you know? You didn't notice me when I went in there last night."
"Yeah I did I just didn't want to, umm, interrupt what I was doing," she looked away as she turned red.
"Well, Amy's in the Hospital Wing, she passed out last night for what seemed to be no apparent reason. I have to go check on her. I'll talk to you later," I said and started off for the Hospital Wing.
"Harry," Hermione said and I turned, "I hope she's okay."
I didn't have a chance to reply because Hermione went into the Great Hall. I only stood there, looking at the doors, for a moment before turning and continung on my way. I realized I had grown apart from my friends lately.
It had been nobody's fault but my own though because I was the one who had decided to avoid them. Amy had encouraged me every day that we should have gone and talked to them, but I just pushed them away. I decided that I needed to stop doing that.
I broke out of my reverie and entered the Hospital Wing. I noticed Amy was still asleep, but Madam Pomfrey was hovering over her at the moment.
"What's wrong with her? Has she woken up yet?" I asked as I walked over.
"Stay calm, Mr. Potter, she's going to be fine. She just collapsed because of dehydration. She should wake up within a day or two. It might be worse though, because she's pregnant. Let her have rest and don't you think of waking her up!" Madam Pomfrey said.
"I don't want to wake her up. What do you mean it can be worse because she's pregnant? She won't lose the baby, will she?"
"No, she won't. Now if you don't mind I have work to do. Let her rest as long as she needs it. I'll be back later," she said before disappearing into her office. I closed the curtains aroung Amy's bed and climbed into her bed with her, being careful not to disturb her. I immediately drifted off into sleep and it was a better sleep than I had had last night because I was next to Amy.
I woke up a few hours later to hear voices outside.
"Are you sure we should be here?" I heard Ron ask.
"Yes, Ronald, Madam Pomfrey said she is in here," I heard Hermione reply and I hurridly rolled out of the bed. It wasn't a moment to soon because the next second the curtain flew upen and Hermione and Ron walked in.
"What are you doing on the floor Harry?" Ron asked as he sniggered.
"Oh, I dunno Ron, I just felt like it," I said sarcastically as I got up.
"How's she doing?" Hermione asked.
"Madam Pomfrey said she'll be okay. She should wake up in a day or two. Which means she might miss our potions NEWT tomorrow, lucky," I said as I sat next to her and took her hand.
"She'll still have to take it, especially if she wants to be an Auror," Hermione replied.
"Yeah," I replied not taking my eyes off her, willing her to wake up.
"What was wrong with her though? Why did she collapse?" Ron asked.
"Dehydration, Madam Pomfrey said it was worse for her because she's pregnant. I don't get why she hadn't been affected before that though," I said thoughtfully.
Hermione and Ron sat with me and talked until dinner. They encouraged me to go with them but I stayed next to Amy while they left. Then Madam Pomfrey came in.
"I want you to go eat dinner now Mr. Potter. You can come back later. I have to do some tests anyway," Madam Pomfrey said, shooing me out.
"No, I want to stay with her. I don't need to eat. What if she wakes up?" I protested, standing my ground.
"Go Mr. Potter, don't make me force you. You can come back after you've had a decent meal. Now go eat!" she commanded.
I decided it was best not to argue with her so I left the Hospital Wing, but I did not go to the Great Hall. I went back to the Room of Requirement.
When I entered the Room of Requirement I found Isabella and Jake on a couch, reading.
"Hey," Isabella said, looking up, "Where's Amy?" she asked.
"Hospital Wing," I said shortly, sitting down on a chair.
"What? Why? I wanna go see her," Isabella said, putting her book down completely. Jake also set his book aside, looking just as eager.
I sighed, "Have you eaten yet?" I asked.
"Yes, is she awake? What happened to her?" Jake spoke up.
"She's not awake so I'm not sure I see much point in taking you to her. She was dehydrated and she fainted last night. It was worse for her because she's pregnant. She should wake up within a day or two. Depends on how much rest she needs," Madam Pomfrey hadn't said the last part, but I figured just as much. She hadn't really been breathing all that well so I figured she wouldn't wake up until tomorrow.
"I don't care whether she's awake or not. I want to go see her. I'll go alone for all I care. I want to see her," Isabella said forcefully as she stood.
I sighed, knowing that Isabella would not give up until she saw her so I stood as well, "I guess, just let me change clothes, maybe take a quick shower," I said and she looked at me for a while, as if to decide if I was telling the truth, before finally nodding and sitting down.
I walked to mine and Amy's side of the room and dug through my trunk for some clean clothes. As I took a shower I thought about the the following two weeks, past the testing, to when term ended and Amy and I would be moving into Grimmauld Place together. Then I thought further into the future, to when I would become a father. I found myself smiling at the thought.
At this point I decided to get out of the shower. I dried off and put on different robes, switching my thoughts to how I was going to get Isabella to the Hospital Wing without being seen. It didn't take me tlong to realize that she could use the invisibility cloak. Once I came out of the bathroom I took it out of the pocket of the robes I had just took off and threw it to Isabella.
"Put it on," I told her because she was looking at me confused, "It's not for the cold, it's so no one sees you. Will you just put it on so we can leave," I added because she was still looking at me wierd.
She finally did and Jake looked at her in shock, or I should say, the place when she had just disappeared from.
"Where'd she go?" he asked me.
"What are you talking about? I'm right here," she responded.
"It's an invisibility cloak, she's invisible. Now, can we go?" I asked the spot where her voice had come from.
I assumed she was looking at herself in amazement as I had done when I first tried it on so I waited, trying to be patient, for her to reply. Finally she said yes and I told her to follow me. I left the room and heard her close the door, "Stay cloase and try to be as quiet as possible, don't talk at all," I whispered after checking that no one was around.
I imagined she nodded and started walking, briskly, to the Hospital Wong, when I got there and was sure she was in I closed the curtains around Amy's bed.
Isabella didn't need to be told to remove the cloak, she threw it off and sat down next to Amy. I sat down on the opposite side and took the hand that Isabella had not taken. I listened to see if I could hear any of her thoughts, but she wasn't thinking, she was in too deep a sleep for that.
I just sat there, holding her hand and thinking to her, though it didn't matter, spoken or thought, I knewshe could hear no words. It made me feel better though, to know that she might possibly hear me.
It was finally getting late and I had heard Isabella yawn many times so I asked if she remembered her way back.
She nodded, "Aren't you going to bed though?" she asked.
"I might, later, not now though," I replied, my eyes not leaving Amy's face.
She didn't say anything else but I heard her put the cloak back on and leave the room. I sat, just holding her hand and talking to her, until I was starting to fall asleep. It was then I decided to get in bed with her. If Madam Pomfrey didn't like it , too bad. She said I needed sleep and I slept the best when I was near Amy. I also knew Amy would sleep better, too.
It wasn't long before I fell asleep. I dreamt of, well, good things. I didn't want to wake up when I did, but I knew I had to get out of bed before Madam Pomfrey came in. I also heard Hermione and Ron's voices so I hurried out of bed, without falling this time, and sat in the chair I had sat in last night.
I started talking to Amy as if I had been for a while, "Good Morning love, please wake up. I know you can do it, I know you can come back to me," I said, but stopped when Hermione and Ron opened the curtains again.
"Not awake yet, is she?" Hermione asked and I shook my head.
"She's going to wake up soon, though, I know it," I said. It was true, I had a feeling she was close to waking up.
"Yeah, Madam Pomfrey told us that, too. She was coming out of here when we came in," Ron replied.
"Oh," I said as calmly as I could. That meant Madam Pomfrey knew I slept in here. I swallowed and asked them what time it was.
"We haveover an hour before we have to head down to the dungeons," Hermione replied.
"Oh, I think Amy will be awake by then, the question is, will Madam Pomfrey let her out to take the NEWT?" I said.
I woke up to the sound of Harry's voice, but decided not to open my eyes. I heard Hermione and Ron speaking, too so I just listened.
"Yeah, Madam Pomfrey told us that, too. She was coming out of here when we came in," I heard Ron reply to something Hary said.
"Oh," I heard Harry say. I knew he didn't say anything else because he was thinking the same thing I was: that meant Madam Pomfrey knew he had slept in here. I knew I hadn't been conscious, but I still was aware that Harry had slept with me. I heard Harry swallow before asking Hermione what time it was.
"We have over an hour before we have to head down to the dungeons," Hermione replied and I figured it was time for me to open my eyes. No one was looking at me though.
"Oh, I think Amy will be awake by then, the question is, will Madam Pomfrey let her out to take the NEWT?" I heard Harry say and I decided it was my time to speak.
"She better," I said, sitting up and reaching for my glasses that were on the bedside table. I put them on before continung, "I didn't study and review this long just to not take the NEWT."
"Good Morning love, how are you feeling?" Harry asked.
"I better go get Madam Pomfrey, she said she wanted to be alerted when you woke up," Ron said at the smae time before going to Madam Pomfrey's office.
"I'm fine, I swear," I said as I tried to get up.
Harry rested his hand on my shoulder though, keeping me in place. "Obviously you're not fine if you collapse out of nowhere. Let Madam Pomfrey check you, if she says you can't get out of bed you're stuck here," he said to me. I sighed and sat back realizing it was no good to argue.
Madam Pomfrey swooped over and raised her wand over me, muttering a few incantations. When she finished she stepped back, "I guess you can go, but don't over work yourself. If you start feeling woozy come back here. Don't go a long time without drinking or eating either."
"Okay," I agreed, getting up. Harry helped me off the bed and he put his arm around me as we walked out of the Hospital Wing. I rested my head on his shoulder as we walked. Hermione and Ron were walking a little ways ahead and I decided I had something to say to Hermione. I pulled away from Harry and called Hermione's name.
She turned around and looked at me expectantly.
"Can I have a word with you?" I asked hesitantly.
"Yeah sure," she responded without hesitation.
She walked over to me and I watched Harry catch up with Ron and they both started walking. I figured Harry had alot to talk about Ron with as well.
"Well, I just want to say I've been acting like a bloody prat lately. Harry and I both have. We've been avoiding you guys because we didn't want to talk about," I paused, "well, the Blaise incident. It was stupid. You're our friends and we should have talked to you guys about it. I'm sorry Hermione," I said and she pulled me into a hug.
"It's okay," she said.
"Really? You're forgiving me that easily? I don't deserve it," I said skeptically.
"You're right, you don't, but what are friends for?" she replied, "We better go though, you need to eat."
"Yeah," I agreed, but didn't move, "Hermione," she turned and once more looked at me expectantly, "Thank you," I said softly but I knew she heard me.
"What on earth for?" she asked curious.
"For being such a good friend. For coming to the Hospital Wing even though I had been avoiding you. For not giving up on me. I don't really deserve it right now," I said.
"Well, friends are supposed to be there for their friends. Even if their friends are being prats. I guess I understand why," she said taking my arm as we walked to the Great Hall.
"I think I'll go to the Room of Requirement. I can get breakfast there after I take a shower," I smiled when she looked at me curiously, "I promise I'll eat. I just need a shower. I'll ask Holly for food," I said.
"Alright fine," she finally replied after looking at me long and hard, "I'll see you in the dungeons."
"See you," I replied.
'Are you done yet?' I heard Harry ask in my head.
'Yeah,' I replied, 'I'm going to go to the Room of Requirement and take a shower first though before I eat. I'll see you in the dungeons. I love you babe,' I replied and I found myself smiling for no aparantreason.
'I love you, too, more than anything,' he replied.
I got out of the shower some time later and dried my hair with a drying spell. I put on my clean robes and left the bathroom to eat my breakfast.
I had spent too much time in the shower, so I ate a large, but rushed breakfast before going to take my potions NEWT. I got there just as Snape let us in to take it.
"I'm glad that's over," I sighed as I sat down next to Amy on the couch in the Room of Requirement. Jake, Isabella, Ron, Hermione, Amy and Iwere all in the Room of Requirement after Ron, Hermione, Amy and I had finished our last NEWT. We had told Hermione and Ron at the beginning of the week about Jake and Isabella and Isabella's house.
"Yeah and on Friday we leave for good," Amy said, "I'm gonna miss this castle." I took her hand and she leaned over and rested her head on my shoulder. Amy and I were on the couch with Hermione and Ron and Jake and Isabella were sitting on the loveseat.
"We all will, it's all going to change," Hermione stated.
Amy suddenly stood, "I think I'm going to go for a walk," she said.
"You want me to come?" I asked, reluctant to let go of her hand. She hadn't collapsed again, but I was still worried for her. I didn't want to lose her.
She seemed to read my thoughts and squeezed my hand, "I'll be fine," she replied.
"Alright," I said, watching her leave. I knew we were leaving in two days and she probably wanted to be alone to think about things, but I wanted to be with her all the same.
I got up and decided there was someplace I needed to see myself, "I'll be back. I need to visit someplace," I said to everyone before grabbing my broom and exiting the room.
I walked out to the Quidditch pitch and got onto my broom for the last time at Hogwarts, pushing off of the ground. I flew around for a while, just feeling the wind blow through my hair, before stopping at the same spot where Amy had first told me she loved me.
I remembered it vividly. We had been playing Quidditch all day and I had to let Amy beat me because she wouldn't give up uuntil she did and everyone wanted to go to bed. 'She looks so cute when she's determined,' I thought to myself.
I flew away while everyone congratulated her like it was such a big thing that she beat me. I heard everyone fly to the ground, including her.
I heard her fly back up and I knew she was going to try to talk to me, but I kept turning away from her. Finally she just gave up, "Fine be a baby if you want to, I don't care," she said and I didn't hear her fly closer.
I turned to look at her and saw that she had her arms crossed. I realized that I might have hurt her feelings, which I had not meant to do at all, so I flew closer.
"You weren't supposed to beat me," I said.
She turned away, "I see how it is. Are you saying I'm not good enough to beat you?" she asked and I realized I had said the wrong thing.
I flew closer still, "No, you're very good. I was just going easy on you," I said but I don't think that was right either. Right or wrong, she still had her back turned to me.
"Are you saying you let me win?" she asked.
"Well, yeah, but you're a damn good flyer," I knew a compliment would be good if she was going to take my offer, but it was also true, "I want you on my Quidditch team, as chaser. Will you do it?" I asked because her back was still to me and I didn't know if she was considering it or not. I did know that the light refecting off of her hair made it goregous though.
She did turn and look at me though, she even flew closer, "Are you serious?" she asked skeptically.
"Dead serious,"I replied solemnly, trying not to smile like I usually did when I looked at her.
"Hell yes I'll take that position. It'll be an honor to fly with Harry Potter," she said and she smiled at me. I didn't mean to blush but I couldn't help it, her smile did that to me.
I flew to the ground, hoping she didn't see that I blushed. I heard her follow and land next to me.
I stopped and turned to her when I felt her hand on my arm, "Yeah."
"Harry," I loved the way it sounded when she said my name, "I have to tell you something," she said, swallowing.
"Shoot," I replied casually.
"Harry, I love you," she said quickly and I felt my breath catch.
After I had thought for a moment I decided to go back. I landed and walked back to the castle. I had got as far as the Entrance Hall before I heard her voice.
"I've come to say goodbye, please don't make this harder than it is by crying. I know we haven't spoken to each other in a long time, but know this, you're special to me. We just weren't meant to be. I love Harry now, more than I think even he knows. There was a time when I thought we were supposed to be together, but that ended before I came to school this year," I heard her say.
I looked in and saw that she had the two-way mirror. I couldn't see who had the other one though.
"I'll always love you Amy," I heard a recognizable voice say.
"I care for you, I have to go though. I'll see you. We can still see each other, just in a totally 'just friends' way," she replied before standing and stowing the mirror in her pocket.
I moved out of the doorway before she turned and saw me and I turned around to make it look like I had just come from outside.
"There you are, love," I heard Amy say.
"Hey," I replied walking up to her. I pulled her into my arms and kissed her forehead.
"I'm going to miss this place so much. Do you want to take a walk around the grounds with me?" she asked.
"Yeah sure," I replied.
I left the room so I could walk around the lake. I had just got to the Entrance Hall when Ifelt Brian call me on the two-way mirror, like he had done so many times lately. I found the nearest open classroom, and just in time too because a minute later I head Harry walk past. I knew it was Harry because I could tell by the way he walked. I'm not sure how but I just could. I sat for a while before I answered the two-way mirror.
"What do you want?" I asked Brian.
"I wanted to talk to you. I've been calling you for a while now," he said.
"Yeah, I know, but there just hsn't been a good time to answer until now," I replied then continued with a softer tone, "Sorry I had to be so, for lack of a better word, secluded when I saw you at your house. I just didn't want Harry to know that we had once been in love because I didn't want him jealous. He did find out that we used to date though."
"How?" Brian interrupted me.
"He could tell. He asked if we had once dated and I couldn't lie to him. I was able to keep the fact from him that I had once loved you though and that you still love me. He could tell you were jealous though," I paused to give him a scolding look, "but I told him it didn't matter because I love him more than anything now and it's true."
"I remember when we were together, you used to look at me the way you look at him now," Brian said thoughtfully, as the tears left his eyes.
"I've come to say goodbye, please don't make this harder than it is by crying. I know we haven't spoken to each other in a long time, but know this, you're special to me. We just weren't meant to be. I love Harry now, more than I think even he knows. There was a time when I thought we were supposed to be together, but that ended before I came to school this year," I said, trying to keep the tears away from my eyes.
"I'll always love you Amy," he replied.
"I care for you, I have to go though. I'll see you. We can still see each other, just in a totally 'just friends' way," I said and I sat a minute before standing and putting the morrir in my pocket.
I heard a movement by the door, but when I turned to look saw no one there. I guessed I just had been hearing things so I walked out of the room. When I got to the hallway I saw Harry coming in from outside.
"There you are, love," I said.
"Hey," he replied as he walked over to me. He pulled me into his arms and kissed my forehead. I remembered the first time we had kissed and felt the connection. It was then that it really hit me that we were going to leave the castle for good.
"I'm going to miss this place so much. Do you want to take a walk around the grounds with me?" I asked.
"Yeah sure," he replied and I rested my head on his shoulder after he put his arm around me and we started walking. We made it around the lake before reaching the Quidditch pitch.
I sighed and looked up at him, "Do you remember the first time I told you I loved you?" I asked.
"How could I forget?" he replied, "It was right over there," he pointed, "I can't believe it was only a few months ago," he said, trailing off into thought.
"Harry, do you think we got married too soon?" I asked. He looked at me, startled, "I mean I know we're in love and it was going to happen anyway, but do you think we moved to fast?"
"Amy, I love you and I want to be with you forever. You're not having doubts now are you?"
I realized why he was so startled, "Oh no, it's nothing like that," I laughed in spite of myself,"I always want to be with you, from now until the end of time, nothing's going to change that. I was just wondering if you think we rushed into things. We weren't together long before we got married, that's all," I said.
"I think the reason we did it so fast is because we don't want to lose each other. Not because of an arguement or anything like that, but because of death. I was so worried before I had found you on our wedding day Amy. For a moment I had thought I lost you and I don't ever want to have that feeling again. I felt it the other night when you collapsed and it's such a horriblefeeling.I love you so much. I need you with me," he looked away and blinked away the tears I knew were forming in his eyes.
"You know I feel the same way, don't you? I don't think I would be able to bear it if you died. I love you so much. More than anything. You know that right?" I asked, not caring that my tears were falling down my face, "If something were to happen to you or if Voldemort were to...," I paused and swallowed because of the lump forming in my throat, "if he killed you I don't know what I'd do. I think the agony of you not being there would kill me. You know that right?"
"I know that you love me, I just don't know why," he said. "I mean, who could love me?"
"Don't say that, I love you, so so so much. I think because you grew up in the place where you did you think you're not worthy of love, but you are Harry, you really are. You have to believe that. I know I sometimes wonder the same thing, how could anybody like you love me?"
"How could anybody not love you?" he interrupted.
"Exactly Harry, that's exactly what I think of you. Do you get it now?"
"Yeah, I think I do," he replied and I kissed him, long and passionately.
When I broke away I said we should go back and he agreed, but then we kissed again, and again and we ended up sleeping underneath the big Oak that we usually sit under.
I know I said this was going to be the last chapter and I know I said Amy and Hermione were going to have their babies in this ch, but once again I had to break it into to pieces. I really didn't expect the chapter to be this long, but I wrote what I felt was necessary. I'm positive that the next one will be the last...I think. Please review, it helps a whole lot.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the stuff that you recoginise, though I wish I did, I just use it.