Hi all!

I apologise. So so much! I've just had such a stressful time, with uni and started my new course, PGCE Primary Teaching on Monday so everything is shabang!

Please enjoy the new chapter. It's a bit short as a filler for the aftermath of the battle, and thanks so much for all the lovely reviews. You're all stars!

Chapter 10: Aftermath and Telling Sirius.

Darkness.

Darkness surrounding him, enticing and engulfing him, pulling him in, pulling him under… until he heard her. He could hear her tearful voice… quivering as she tried to be brave, as she pleaded for him to open his eyes, for him to come back to her… the occasional sob and sniffle.

He tried to open his eyes, but they felt like lead. He was floating in and out… He could feel her soft hands caressing his rough ones. He tried to smell but the signature vanilla scent of hers didn't reach his nose.

But the darkness welcomed him with open arms and he sunk back, releasing his awareness of the world around him.

HPATSOL… HPATSOL… HPATSOL

Hermione sniffled back a sob for what felt like the hundreth time, willing herself to be brave as she held Harry's hand.

She felt the rough callouses of his battles with the Dursleys and Voldemort himself. She reminded herself that if he could survive them, he could recover from the magical coma he was in now. But his pale face was a stark contrast against his jet back, normally messy hair, which was lying flat on his head as he recovered from the magical exhaustion and enormous amount of injuries he sustained when facing Voldemort in the Hall.

"Oh Harry, I hope you can hear me, I read in a book that coma patients are aware of their surroundings but that they cannot respond, but I know you can. You, who has faced battles you shouldn't have, can pull through this. So baby, give me a sign. Open your eyes. Anything...", Hermione trailed off, wiping away the stray tear as she bent down to kiss his cheek tenderly. The only consolation was that he was warm despite his pale appearance.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Lily and Alice, with the Marauders entering the Hospital Wing with a plate of food for her and a goblet of pumpkin juice.

"How is he?" James asked, as they settled in their usual chairs for the past two weeks around Harry's bed.

"No idea, I've been talking to him but not so much as a twitch or flutter of eyelids," Hermione said as she robotically picked up a piece of chicken on her fork and nibbled it. She didn't have much of an appetite but she needed to be strong. Harry could wake up any second and she was adamant that she be there when he did.

So adamant that when Madam Pomfrey had told her, with various threats of on numerous occasions to leave the Wing, she had gone to Dumbledore and the Board of Governors to make them sign a magical contract that as long as Harry, her fiance, was in the Hospital Wing, she would be too.

Hence she had a bed next to his, and the Marauders, Lily and Alice visited the both of them everyday to bring her food. When offering to bring her homework, she had outright refused, leaving everyone gobsmacked at what the normally studious witch had said, but instead asked them to get library books so she could research if there was anything that could be done to speed up Harry's recovery.

Lily bent down and hugged Hermione tightly.

"It'll be alright, you'll see. Harry's a strong person from what I've observed and he'll make it through this."

"Yeah, the way he faced off against Voldyshorts and his Death Munchers… Amazing!" Sirius said in awe.

"Remus..." James gestured and Remus complied, smacking Sirius' on the back of the head a few times.

"Oww! Remmy!" Sirius said, falling from his chair with a SMASH and clutching his paining head.

"Black! How can you be so insensitive?!" Lily raged, advancing on a scared Sirius, who yelped and ran to hide behind James.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry," Sirius yelped hastily, his eyes widening comically when Lily brought out her wand to hex him, spark flying out of them.

"Save me Hermione!" Sirius cried and ran to Hermione, a bit too fast as he couldn't stop in time, skidding and crashing into Hermione, both falling onto the floor in a tangle of limbs.

Everyone froze, staring at Sirius, who they were sure that he was going to have it from Hermione, when they head laughter and they watched, with a slight smile, as Hermione shook with giggles and laughter for the first time since the Battle.

"Thank you," Hermione said after calming down and beaming at everyone.

"Group hug!" Alice yelled and pulled Hermione, Sirius and Lily into a hug. James grinned and grabbing Remus, and Peter, they all laughed and joined in.

HPATSOL… HPATSOL… HPATSOL

Later that night, when everyone had calmed down and left for dinner, Hermione rummaged through her trunk, which the elves had kindly brought down to her from the Gryffindor tower, looking for a pair of pyjamas, when she heard a whisper coming from below her clothes.

Taking out her wand cautiously, she moved away the clothes until she spied a small brown package, suddenly remembering that Remus had given it to her before she had taken the potion to come to this era.

Trusting that Remus would not have given her something harmful, she popped her wand back in her arm holster, and unwrapped the package. Out on her bed duvet fell out a small square mirror with a wooden handle, that had roses and lilys intricately carved into them. A small H adorned the bottom of the handle, and as she picked it up and peered into it, she saw not her own reflecting but… Sirius?

"Thank Merlin you answered Hermione, we kept on calling forever," Sirius said with a frown.

"Sirius? What… but how?" Hermione spluttered in an un-Hermione like way.

Sirius smirked and tapped his nose.

"Sirius!"

"Alright, alright. They used to be mine and James, Harry's dad, when we were in Hogwarts. We used them during separate detentions. Obviously, we modified it and personalised it so that you and Harry can have one," Sirius said reminiscing.

Hermione nodded.

"Now," Sirius said, clearing his throat, "where's Harry? Did you find him? Is he OK?"

Hermione glanced over to the comatose form of Harry and her eyes because watery. She wiped them away discreetly.

"Hermione? What's wrong? Why are you crying? Did something happen?" Sirius voice came concerned. So he had seen her. Damn.

"Um, Sirius. There's something you should know. Vol-Voldemort, he… he came to Hogwarts and… and..." Hermione said, her voice breaking.

"Go on," Sirius said softly, albeit concerned.

"He… oh Sirius, he battled with Harry, and Harry got hurt… but he got Voldemort with a poisoned dart… but now he's in a coma… and there was nothing I could do! He cast the Cruciatus on Harry again… and… and..." Hermione said and started to sob quietly.

"Hermione, look at me," Sirius said firmly and Hermione lifted her head to him and he saw her red eyes and smiled sadly.

"Harry will be fine, he's a tough kid, and you know he's sometimes a noble prat like James used to be. So maybe he's hurt and in a coma, but you know what? He's gonna pull through, because he's got you. So trust your love and Harry and you'll see, it'll be fine."

"Thanks Sirius," Hermione said, wiping her eyes on her sleeve of her night shirt.

"Now get some rest, and I'll go speak to Dumbledore. I'll call you in the morning," Sirius said and with a smile he disappeared from view of the mirror.

Hermione glanced once more at Harry and with a small smile, she walked over, brushed his bangs out of his eyes and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Come on Harry, you got this," Hermione whispered.

So that's it for now. Please read and leave a review.