Author Note
This is back to the emotional genre. Harry gets hurt and Hermione sits with him.
Dennis UD: Dammit Jim! I'm givin it all I can I canne be any more creative cap'an. She canna take much more o this! Lololol. I'll see what I can do. My mind sometimes gets stuck in a pattern and the only way out is through or to have a psychotic break. I don't recommend those while the vacation from reality is fun the jackets you have to wear are not very comfortable...
Captain Granger of the Battle Cruiser Agamemnon stood on the wing bridge running her hand over the railing. The salt spray blew back her long brown hair as the ship charged towards the horizon. The swells of the ocean barely impeding the magnificent vessel.
Her Executive Officer stepped out of the command center and saluted her. "Captain the lookouts have detected German ships low on the north horizon."
"Thank you exec. Prepare all crew for battle stations."
"Aye Captain, What the hell is that?"
Hermione turned as she saw a door open over the waves. Though it stepped her friend Luna Lovegood who walked nimbly over the waves up the side of the ship and then onto the wing bridge beside her. "Hello Hermione. Are you enjoying your war?"
The executive looked at Luna and was about to say something when Hermione called out "Room pause program."
Everything stopped, the smoke billowing from the funnels, the swells of the oceans the wind and the people besides Hermione and Luna. "Luna I have the Room booked for the rest of the hour. You can't just come barging in like this. Especially in such a manner as to break the reality of the scenario."
"My apologies Hermione. However the headmistress needs to speak with you. She sent me to find you and bring you to her."
"Why didn't you say that first?"
"Neville says I need to begin my conversations with more appropriate small talk instead of just leaping into the primary reason."
Hermione shook her head, "Room end program."
The room returned to being an empty stone room with runes glowing on the walls. The true look of the Room of Requirement. Hermione had managed to convince the room to act like a Holodeck from her dad's tv show. It let her feel more like she was still around him.
Transfiguring her uniform into normal clothes she headed for the door.
Luna followed her as they walked.
"I noticed your executive officer has messy black hair and green eyes."
"So do a lot of people Luna."
"Statistically the fact that the crew of your ship consists of 100% black haired green eyed males is rather improbable"
"It must be a glitch in the Room."
Luna just smiled.
=====xxxxx====
Arriving at the Headmistresses office Hermione found Ginny waiting as well.
"Thank you Miss Lovegood that will be all."
"Yes ma'am. I'll be in the library if you want to talk later." She said as she walked out looking sad.
All three of the others in the room just blinked and shook their head. Then Minerva cleared her throat. "I have some rather unfortunate news for the both of you that involves your respective boyfriends."
"What happened is Ron alright?" Hermione asked sitting up.
"No I am sorry to say that Mister Weasley has. Well I'm not sure how to put this."
"Just spit it out what has the prat done now." Ginny said.
Raising her eyebrow the Scots woman said something in Gaelic then in English ,"Mister Weasley is dead. He took his own life rather than be arrested.
Both teen girls stared at the professor unblinking, uncomprehending her words. Hermione was the first to recover, "Why was he going to be arrested."
Looking grim McGonnegal said, "For the attempted murder of Mr Potter."
"What?" Hermione asked in a breathless gasp. Ginny looked like she couldn't believe what she was hearing then screeched out a "WHAT!"
"They are investigating what happened. It seems that Mr Potter and Mr Weasley were at the training academy when for whatever reason Mr Weasley shot Mr Potter in the chest with a Bombarda at close range. He has been taken to Saint Mungo's in critical condition. That is all I know."
"Can we see harry?"
"Yes actually the healer in charge has requested you Miss Granger."
"Me? They requested me?"
"Yes apparently Mr Potter had named you as his familial contact in case of emergency."
"Wait a second I'm the one dating him. I'm the one he loves."
"Yes Miss Weasley however that is what is on his paperwork I am told. They have asked for Miss Granger. I will give the two of you a pass to the hospital and you may use my Floo. You may sort it out with the healer in charge. A Healer Madison."
=====xxxxx=====
Arriving at the hospital it took several minutes to find the right ward, the right station.
"Hello I'm Hermione Granger. A Healer Madison was calling for me?"
"Yes please have a seat."
"I'm Ginny Weasley Harry Potter's girlfriend can I see him?"
"Mr Potter is only being allowed family right now. Please have a seat."
"But we're going to get married."
"Miss please sit down."
Hermione tugged Ginny over to a row of hard wooden benches. They sat quietly for a few moments before Ginny asked the question Hermione knew would be coming, "Why did he make you his contact and not me or mom?"
"I don't know Ginny. At least I don't know for certain. I'll have to talk to Harry when I see him."
"Why won't they let me see him?"
"I don't know."
"So much for being the most brilliant witch."
Hermione ignored Ginny as a Healer came walking towards them.
"Miss Granger?"
"Yes. I'm Hermione Granger."
"Very well I'm Healer Madison. Could you please come with me?"
"Uh yes sir?"
"What about Harry is he okay?" Ginny leaped up and begged for information.
"He's resting comfortably but I can't discus the matter without family approval. And my condolences on the loss of your brother Miss Weasley."
Ginny seemed to realize that Ron had died. Hearing it from the mouth of a stranger made it all the more real. She sat back down with a shocked expression before she stood up again and shook her head, "Mia? Can you tell Professor McGonnegal that I'll be at the Burrow. I need to be with my family."
"Okay."
They hugged and then parted ways.
=====xxxxx====
In the Healer's office he offered Hermione tea or coffee which she took neither.
"Tell how is Harry. What happened?"
"Well you have to understand there is an investigation on going so I can;t tell you much. All I know is that there was a fight, Mr Potter was shot in the chest at point blank range with a Bombarda spell and a charmed amulet he was wearing took the brunt of the blast."
She smiled, "I made that amulet for him. He promised he'd keep it."
"Well good thing you did. Although if he wishes to keep it there isn't much left of it."
"I can make him another. You said it bore the brunt, how badly was he injured."
"Well we'll have to regrow most of his rib-cage and chest muscles. One of his lungs had collapsed. He uh. He coded twice."
"Coded, that means stopped breathing?"
"No that means stopped everything. His heart stopped beating. He was able to be resuscitated. He's in critical but stable condition now."
"Can I see him?"
"As you are the only family he listed yes. I will need to discus with you some of his medical history to make sure of a few things but that shouldn't take too long."
Hermione gave a grim smile, "Don't bet on it."
=====xxxxx=====
A couple of hours later a shocked and disturbed Healer Madison had taken Hermione to a critical care ward room. He had been amazed that Harry was alive this long but understood how a Bombarda to the chest was not lethal now.
The room was quiet except for the beeping of a monitoring charm, the scratch of a set of quills writing out his heart rate and other data. It was odd seeing the magical equivalents of the muggle devices.
Harry himself was laying in a bed with an oxygen mask over his face. His chest encased in a thaumic chamber. Healer Madison had excused himself after reminding Hermione she could take as much time as she needed.
She sat beside Harry and took his hand. "Well looks like the tables have turned. I remember you visiting me for my times under Madam Pomfrey's care. Fortunately not as many as your turn there. She has kept the bed. She was talking of putting a plaque on it This bed the frequent residence of Harry Potter."
She waited for his laugh or chuckle. All she heard was the sigh of his breathing augmented by the thaumic chamber. Sighing she continued.
"I guess Ron saw what we did in the Forest of Dean. How you and I made love. I'm not sure how I feel right now. He killed himself. So I suppose I should be sad or upset but all I feel is fear that you won't wake up and I'll have lost both of you. How I pushed you away to focus on the hunt then pretended the forest never happened when Ron returned. Oh Harry I was so scared of what I did. How I felt for you there. I felt so confused and unsure. I should have confessed to Ron and told him. He told me he loved me and wanted to be with me and he was so earnest and I felt like I was kicking a puppy every time I tried to break up with him. So I went to make a go of it. That was a mistake. Now Ginny is mad at me and I'm rambling and I hate that but you break my emotional equilibrium Harry. You always have."
She paused to wipe her eyes as she felt her emotions well up. She felt all alone and scared more than she had at any point in her life. She didn't know what else to say. How to say how she felt. She wasn't even sure what she felt. She rambled on about how much she wanted to hug him and how she would even be gentle with his new ribs until he got used to them. She talked until her mouth got dry.
Nurses came and checked on harry, took notes. Talked to Hermione a few moments and got her some water. She had dinner then feel asleep in the chair. She barely left his room as she continued to talk to him. About her childhood and how she dreamed of a castle like in hr fantasy books and living in it with a prince. How that was her little child fantasies but then she came to Hogwarts and it was home. Although the prince took longer to show up. He came charging to her rescue against a troll. He was there when she got turned into a cat girl, and again when she was petrified.
She talked of how sorry she was that she ahd hurt him over the years. The fallout over the broom hurt her but she had been worried about him after what happened in first year. How his flying always scared her. How she would hide her face as she dived and weaved and evaded but she would always cheer loudest when she heard them say he caught the Snitch.
She talked of the future and how she hoped to find her parents then have a career and a family with a man that loved her and treated her like an equal.
She had finally run out of things to talk about it felt like on the fourth day. She was just sitting there half asleep when she felt her hand get squeezed. She leapt to her feet and stared into the brilliant green eyes of Harry. He looked up at her with a smile.
"Hey beautiful."
"Hey yourself."