Moving On

A/N: Not much to say but as always thanks for your reviews, I appreciate your reviews whether they are good or bad. Please do review as it would help to write better as well as serves as an incentive to write more :)

Chapter - 5

In the Infirmary

Harry woke up, finding himself in the infirmary again, he could not help but think that he is waking up here too much, even by his standards. He felt bad as he noticed the bushy-haired witch sleeping in the bed next to him, she would not have been attacked if she was not with him. He saw that his right thigh wrapped in bandage soaked with some kind of bluish potion. He could not help to not to chuckle as he thought that Hermione would have said what potion it is with the methods to prepare it. At the same time, Madam Pomfrey came into the Hospital Wing. Finding her patient awake, she went near Harry.

"Awake already, ?" she asked, only then Harry noticed her as he was busy staring at his leg. Before he could form a reply, she started "Your thigh suffered quite a heavy injury, so it would be some time before it gets normal. The vampire drank quite a large amount of your blood, so you will need some blood-replenishing potions and as for your thigh you won't feel any pain but there might be a slight numbness. You can leave tomorrow, and I am holding you here today for you to take rest so please do it." Only then she remembered about the shrapnels. "And there was something in your pocket, we could not identify it but it was destroyed due to the curse. Please rest , Professor McGonagall wanted to see you, she will be here in a moment." She started to walk away before Harry interrupted her.

"Madam Pomfrey!" When she stopped, Harry asked the question that was troubling him. "Is Hermione alright?". Madam Pomfrey could not help but smile at seeing Harry worried about his best friend. She could see that they both have a crush on each other, but still they both chose people who are completely unfit to be their partners. It was only then, she got an idea. She knew that these two liked each other and are in a one-sided love. She did not think that as very professional but if she could help two good souls get together, why not? She also realized that it would need some nudging in the right directions but nobody except her friends from school knew the real Poppy, the then cupid of Hogwarts. It's time that Poppy is back on the show! Contemplating all these, she decided to have a chat with some of her like-minded colleagues to get this show on the road. But what's a better time than now, She acted like contemplating and replied "She's Ok . Luckily the cruciatus lasted only for a short time, but it did a number on her, so it would be good if you can look after your friend." As she thought, Harry panicked and considered himself to be the cause of her problem, alas it would take some time to remove the self-blaming trait of his. He asked "What can I do, Mam?" she again acted like contemplating and replied "Nothing big . Just keep her happy, and it would be nice if you can make her not think of anything stress full" Harry nodded, Madam Pomfrey could not help but smile at the determination in those green orbs. She would have jumped in joy if not for the young patients here. She moved to her office for a cup of coffee and also to hide her happiness. She knew about the youngest male Weasley, the way he eyed wanted her to throw up. That boy should have been a Slytherin. She could see out of her experience as the match-maker of her days that he wants her only for the brains. Last time when she saw that Weasley's eyes, she could not see love, only lust. She had half a mind to do something but decided not to, as she had a feeling that the two won't last long as a couple. Sipping her cup of coffee, she thought about Harry, his case was completely different from 's, it was completely evident that they both had not much love for each other and their actions completely guided by hormones. Young sees the Harry Potter she read from her fantasy books not the real man Harry is. She could only hope that her plan succeeds. She got up to floo call her partner-in-crime in her school days for some help here, knowing very little of the complications that are about to rise in her plan.

Harry wanted to be near her when she woke up, but again after a look at his leg, he knew it was not possible. He decided after a few seconds that he would risk Madam Pomfrey's ire to be near Hermione. He slowly got up. He balanced most of his weight on the left leg and went near her. He silently moved the chair next to her bed and settled in it. He started thinking about everything that happened that year. He could see one thing, only she supported him throughout his near-impossible mission. Even Ron abandoned them at some point. He wanted to ask her to be his girlfriend but he could not risk his friendship and he was sure that neither of them was ready for that. Thinking about all these, he could not help but remember the fight with Ginny after leaving the Hospital Wing last time.

Corridor near Room of Requirement

Harry was walking without any destination in mind, thinking about the happenings in the Shrieking Shack, well as said as happened by Ron. It was then he heard his name being called by a familiar voice - "Hey Harry", he could not help but smile at seeing his love and replied "Hello Ginny!".

"Can I join you?" asked Ginny.

"Sure, but I am not going anywhere, in particular, maybe can you lead?"

"Sure, I was just going back to the dorms. I seriously don't know what I am going to do... I wanted to go for Qudditch but I don't know... "

A group of people passed him, he could not identify the faces but they looked familiar. They looked too tired and yet were clutching their wands as if they are going to be attacked at the next turn. But he could not blame them, the war was at its peak just before a few days, and most of these people would have died if Voldemort was not killed. This led to a series of thoughts, as Harry was contemplating whether he wanted to be an Auror or not, he could feel someone gripping his arm.

"Did you even listen to what I said?"

"Um.. Ginny..." tried Harry

"DID YOU EVEN LISTEN TO WHAT I SAID, HARRY!"

That drew some crowd.

"What do you think of me?" she asked silently

"As my girlfriend. Why do you ask such questions, Ginny?" Harry asked

"Do you? I understood that you were distraught the last time we met in the Burrow, I understood that you left me as you had something important to do. But why are you still acting like this! Do you love me?"

He decided that he really could not understand women, so he went with the idea from Twelve Fail-Safe Ways to Charm Witches. Little did he know that the comment by the youngest Weasley had much behind it

"Yes! I am sorry Ginny! I am sorry! I was thinking of something and it was wrong on my part to ignore you. But I love you. Yeah, I made some mistakes and I should not have ignored you like that Ginny. Please, Can we try again?" pleaded Harry, wondering why on earth someone would break up for just not listening!

The brown eyes swelled with tears, as she said "I am sorry Harry, you are too good for me..." and ran away crying. Harry felt like being hit with a bludger on his stomach. He could not see why she would leave him. He tried to think what he did wrong, but could find nothing. He realized that they both did not talk much, not just now but even in school, there had to be something else. He was sure that he messed up again but for the life of him, he could not see what he did. Deciding to ask her, he followed her, when he saw it, his brain could not digest the fact, it tried to think of any possibilities to explain what he was seeing but the next action on their part made sure to rip his heart out. When Michael Corner held a crying Ginny in his arms, he tried to think of him comforting his friend, blaming the jealous part of his brain for misjudging but on seeing her kissing him, to put it bluntly just killed him. Too weak to confront he just started to walk back, only then Ginny noticed him.

In the Infirmary

Harry felt a little movement from Hermione's hand, only then he noticed that sub-consciously he held her hand, not that he minded it. She started to move, Harry said quietly "Easy there, 'Mione. We don't want Madam Pomfrey to beat me with a beater's bat, do we?" he joked. She sat upright, comfortably as Harry queried "How do you feel?".

"I am Ok. And for your previous question, why not? You are going to return here anyway, so why leave?" and chuckled.

Harry could not help but laugh and stick out his tongue.

"How are you? And please reply without hiding -oh sorry, 'forgetting' anything important" asked Hermione seeing his color drained face.

"Yeah, I am fine, except for the leg, and Madam Pomfrey said that the vampire drank quite a lot of blood so, I am now on a blood-replenishing potion diet"

Only then Hermione noticed Harry's leg, "Harry James Potter!" Harry could feel the anger and concern from her " why would you even get out of your bed with that leg? I know you like danger but this is too much"

"Hey! I just came here to see how you are! And it's not paining or anything and she said I could leave tomorrow!" planning to finish playfully he ended "Don't hurt me like that." followed by a wink and a pout.

Looking at that pout, Hermione broke into a fit of laughter which was joined by one Harry Potter.

"Ok, just go back to your bed Harry. Take some rest, at least I can leave" she said to taunt him.

"Ah! Miss. Granger, I am sorry to say that you are stuck in the bed next to me for today. You too can leave only tomorrow!" he replied with a smirk.

Poppy and Minerva could hear the playful banter between them and decided to start their mission from here. They approached them and Poppy coughed a little, causing the two to turn and look at them. Harry could only feel like a kid caught while stealing cookies.

Madam Pomfrey started "May I know what you are doing out of your bed ? Ah Miss. Granger woke up already? , the curse did not have any lasting effects on you but I still want you to spend the night here, so to observe you and , can you please return to your bed?" The last comment had Harry to move to his bed with a sheepish smile.

Minerva started to speak " and , as the ministry is having too much on their hands right now, it will be some time before they call you both to ask about the incident." Harry had a doubt but knew better than to interrupt McGonagall. "As for the ones who attacked you it was Bellatrix Lestrange and a vampire called Sanguini" that answered Harry's question, leaving him to wonder whether McConagall performed legilimency "Bellatrix was killed on the spot as the ministry had a kill on sight order for her and Sanguini was beheaded on the spot by an angry former potion's professor, not that I call it wrong. Please take rest for today." She looked at Hermione and said "As Madam Pomfrey has volunteered to help 's she will be leaving in a while. As you are here only for monitoring, Can I ask you to take care of yourself and here?" When Hermione nodded, she continued "The door to the Hospital Wing will be locked and you only can be opened from inside, so that will make sure that you both are safe. Food will be given by house-elves and Madam Pomfrey will return by 8. Is it Ok?" When they both replied in a chorus of "Yes Professor!" she could not help but smile on the success of her plan's first step.

A/N: I can feel some of you cursing me for finishing the chapter abruptly, but as the saying goes "Too much good thing is bad", Please don't think bad about Ginny for doing that, the next chapter will cover on why she did it. I'll try to get the next chapter as soon as possible.

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With love,

Blueycat