Every step that he took caused great pain to Harry's leg as he inched along the garden floor trying to go as easy as possible. It was Summer time, his least favorite time of the year, the time that he had to spend with the Dursley's. This summer was particularly bad for recently he had lost someone dear to him; someone who would lie in his memory forever. The only family that he had left was taken from him at the end of the school term last year. His godfather Sirius had been the only thing that he had left and now nothing. He never told the Dursley's of his hardship in fear that they would make his life worse now knowing that he did not have a "mass murderer" as a godfather. The pain increased as he finally reached the end of the garden. Last night as he lied awake in bed a vision of Ron and Hermione lying motionless had come to him. Leaping out of bed he had sprang from his window with no idea of what he was doing. Luckily he had landed on a bed of shrubs that cushioned his fall. The bad part was that he had landed half on the shrubs and half off. That part that had landed half off was his legs and hip. Pain now seared along his legs and up his spine. Cuts lined his forehead and his side was bleeding from a sharp stick stabbing him. Knowing that the Dursley's would have not helped he was going to crawl out of the bushes and up to his room.
It took him around forty-five minutes to reach the top of the stairs and another five to get into his bed. The pain was now so intense that he was going in and out of consciousness. His last ounce of strength was used when he dialed 911 on the cordless phone that he had snuck up here the night before to call Ron. The next time his eyes opened he was lying in a hospital room with several faces protruding staring at him with their eyes wide. "He is awake." Several sighs escaped the lips of the anxious people whom Harry all recognized. Ron stood to the left with Hermione to his right along with Mrs. Weasley and Mr. Weasley, Fred, George, and strangely enough Cho. Straining he sat up in the bed his head still dizzy and reeling with the images of Ron and Hermione who Harry took a second glance at. Ron spoke his voice shaking, "should we tell him dad?" Harry sat up straighter now that the conversation was getting interesting.
"Should you tell me what exactly?" His voice shook as he was fed up with bad news and was hoping for good. Hermione was shaking her head fervently. Noticing this Ron nudged her in the ribs showing her that she was not being subtle.
Hermione regained her composure and spoke, "Harry has just been through a terribly painful ordeal…." She paused and raised her hand to her head in confusion. "Harry you never did tell us how you ended up on the ground."
Trying to change the subject Harry questioned Ron about the issue that they were debating telling him. Mr. Weasley was passing on his left with Mrs. Weasley bouncing up and down on her toes. "He is still weak maybe we should wait until he recovers more. This might make him angry you know." Mrs. Weasley held her breath as she waited for the reply of her husband. Hermione was now nodding her head up and down off and on saying I agree with Mrs. Weasley, or yes she is right.
"We will tell him tomorrow. For right now Harry should get some rest." Mr. Weasley patted Harry on the shoulder and ushered the rest of the group out of the room each muttering their goodbyes. Mrs. Weasley hugged Harry before following her husband out of the room. The door slammed behind them with his room now deserted. Harry now laid in complete silence his mind reeling in confusion. How could they just leave him with out any information?
Dozing off into another fitful sleep he dreamt a dream similar to the one that had caused him to be in the hospital except for this time the people lying unconscious on the ground were Ginny, Fred ,and George. Leaping out of bed completely unaware of what was going on he ran out into the hall of St. Mungos and started to scream, "NO! NO! They are all I have left." Lupin who had been sitting on guard of Harry quickly grabbed him and half carried half dragged him into the hospital room. Once Harry was safely on the bed Lupin shook him gently arousing him from his slumber. "What…." A firm hand on his shoulder Harry waited for the world to stop spinning before he continued. "What happened?"
Lupin shook his head sadly and said, "I think I should be asking you the same question." Harry inched up onto his pillows and absentmindedly rubbed his forehead where his scar was tingling now. "I do not believe you told us all of the truth." Harry looked away and focused on the moving picture of a nurse on the wall.
"In my dream yesterday Hermione and Ron were…they were dead." He took a deep breath and grabbed onto Lupin's arm for support as his world started to spin. Regaining his composure he continued, "Today in my dream it was Ginny, Fred, and George" he stopped and laid back down on his pillow his head now throbbing with pain.
"Easy Harry, relax." Patting Harry on the shoulders he slowly walked out of the room his feet slightly dragging. He stopped a nurse outside and asked for a sleeping potion for Harry. With that done now all he had to do was report to Dumbledore even though a strange feeling came over Lupin that some how he already knew.
Harry received visitors again the next night. Hermione and Ron were there along with Ginny and again to Harry's surprise Cho. "There is one question that I have been meaning to ask." He started slowly his world still slightly spinning. "right before I passed out I called 911 and normally that would have taken me to a normal hospital. How come I arrived at St. Mungo's?"
Hermione had the answer to that question. "The truth is that since the end of last year Dumbledore has had the feeling that Lord Voldermort was going to come and get you. At the end of last year he put a tap on your phone. I really have no idea how he could do that magically though he did, and when you called the hospital he knew something was wrong." Ron and Ginny were in fast agreement for usually Hermione was right. Cho on the other hand was strangely pale. Hermione followed Harry's gazed, which was a lucky thing, for Cho feinted at that exact moment. Propping her up on a pillow Ginny went to retrieve a nurse. Cho was taken to the room next to theirs which was empty at the time.
"What was that all about?" Harry asked once he was back in his bed.
"She has been a little on edge after what happened over the summer." Again Ron and Ginny were shaking their head in agreement.
"What happened over the summer?" Harry's eyes were staring accusingly at them. "Do not even try to leave." He told them when he saw Ron and the rest inching toward the door.
"We're not really suppose to tell you Harry." Ginny began her hands trembling. "Our dad swore that if we told we would not be able to come and visit you again. "I am sorry." Trembling now Hermione grabbed hold of Ginny and swiftly took her from the room.
"Did I do something?" Harry was not completely perplexed.
"She cares about you a bunch you know. She says that she does not but she does." Turning around Ron was about to walk out of the room but Harry stopped him.
"Ron what about Hermione," Ron's face blushed in embarrassment. "Do not think that I could not see you sneaking glances at her." Ron was now a crimson red.
"I have got to go." Turning on heal Ron rushed from the room leaving Harry once along again with his thoughts about what they were not telling him.
