Chapter 24

Luna.

It was Luna who reached them first in the dungeon. It was Luna who held her back as she screamed for Snape as Healers pushed him off to the emergency room in St Mungo's. It was Luna who embraced her as she collapsed on the floor gasping for oxygen. And it was Luna who sat by her side as a Healer inspected the damage done to her head, body and feet.

Hermione lay on the hospital bed staring at her friend while she slept in the chair nearby. She wasn't sure how long had passed since she arrived, but she could hear the chaos on the other side of the door. She couldn't get herself to ask the questions she wanted answers too in case the response was as bad as she feared.

She didn't remember seeing Ron in the group of Auror's that rescued her. She heard no talk of Harry or Vic. Nothing. Absolutely nothing about Professor Snape.

She pushed herself into a sitting position, immediately clamping her eyes shut from the pain that warmed the back of her head. After taking in a few quick breaths, she threw off the thin sheet and glanced at her feet. The cuts were healed, however faint scars littered the sole of her feet where stones and rubble had pierced her flesh too much.

She reached up her shaking hand to push her hair away from her face.

The noises coming from beyond the white door put her on edge, and it made her wonder how many casualties there had been. Their group had been small to begin with, but Hermione knew that McGonagall had the ability to be very persuasive during a time of need, so she wouldn't be surprised if the remaining Order had reformed.

Hermione dangled her legs over the side of the bed and prodded her toes against the cold floor. I need to check if everyone is all right. She hissed in pain as she stood up on her tender feet. The pain was bearable but still uncomfortable when she walked. She made it to the door with ease and slowly opened it up.

She used the wall to aid her as she moved down the busy hall in her hospital gown. The Healers were too busy rushing around to notice her escaping her room. She passed the doorways of many private rooms and wards, and at each one she paused to see if she could see anyone she knew. A few of them were ex-ministry workers who had offered to help them restore order to the wizarding world, and others were clad in black Death Eater robes that proved their loyalty to Lucius Malfoy.

The noise got louder as she made it to the stairs that led down to the main reception of St Mungo's. Cameras flashed all around while loud voices screamed out questions. She saw McGonagall in the centre of it all looking tired and bruised.

Even though McGonagall had been cruel towards Snape, Hermione still found herself walking over to guard her from the spotlight. The Headmistress was too old to be under so much stress, especially while she was in such a state. The energetic voices paused at the sight of her, then their questions were directed towards her.

"What's your relationship with the Ex-Death Eater, Severus Snape?"

"Do you know who killed Draco Malfoy?"

"What happened to Harry Potter?

"Just shut up!" she yelled, and McGonagall placed a gentle hand on her back. "Have some respect! There are people fighting for their lives here, and you think it's OK to come barging in here causing such a disruption! You'll get the answers you want once everyone is stable!"

"Let's get you back to bed," McGonagall helped her up the stairs, but she paused at the yell from one of the reporters.

"Did you kill Draco Malfoy?!"

Hermione took in a staggered breath, and McGonagall told her that she didn't need to answer their questions, but she looked over her shoulder with anger flooding her eyes.

"Yes! I killed that filthy, little rapist, and I'd do it again if given the chance!"

An uproar followed, so McGonagall quickly took her away from the crowd of flashing cameras. They made their way down the corridor and towards her room.

"Where is everyone?" Hermione asked. "Ron? Harry? Vic? Professor Snape?!"

"Calm down, my dear," she whispered. "They are being treated."

"Treated? Are they all right?"

"I'll explain once you get some rest."

"I don't need rest! Just tell me where they are!"

The door to her room opened and a worried Luna raced out. She relaxed at the sight of them and helped Hermione back to her bed.

"Can someone just tell me what happened?" Hermione refused to lay down much to the pairs persistent hands.

McGonagall sighed. "Ron is doing fine."

"And what about the others?"

Luna placed a gentle hand on her shoulder which caused Hermione's lip to waver in worry. "N-No one's dead?"

"No...not yet."

Hermione sobbed. "Yet?!"

"Harry, Vic and Severus are in critical condition, along with Richard."

"Richard? Why is he hurt?" Hermione wiped her tears from her cheeks.

"He was the one who spotted you leaving with Professor Snape, so he came to tell me something was wrong," she explained. "He was hurt protecting Luna."

Hermione glanced her way and saw the sad smile on her face. "How critical?"

"They're all being monitored carefully. Harry and Vic have lost a lot of blood and the knife used contained a lot of dark magic. Severus...well nobody seems to know what spells were used on him, and he's slipped into a coma."

She buried her face in her hands to cry. She'd tried her hardest to save him, but what if she hadn't tried hard enough. He's going to die because of me!

It was Luna who offered her words of comfort. "Professor Snape is a strong man; he'll make it through this."

"How can you be so sure?" Hermione lay down and stared at the ceiling. "This is all my fault."

"Don't be so silly!" McGonagall hovered over her. "None of this is your fault. The Malfoys are to blame for all this chaos."

Hermione knew that she was right, but she still couldn't get rid of the voice in her head saying otherwise. She just hoped that he made it through it alive, because she needed to speak to him again. Especially about that kiss. She wasn't stupid or naive; it had been a kiss from a man so close to death, and perhaps it meant nothing to him, yet it meant everything to her.

We kissed. She could hardly believe it.

Suddenly, she realised who hadn't been mentioned.

"Penny! Where is she?"

"She is with Professor Snape," Luna said. "She's a bit dishevelled but safe."

"Good," Hermione relaxed slightly. "That's good."

"Yes it is, my dear, now get some rest," McGonagall pulled the blanket over her. "I'll let the Healer know that you are up and moving."

"Can I go and see Professor Snape?"

"Not right now," McGonagall tutted at her like she was a child, and Hermione glared through her pounding headache.

"I have no parents, therefore you don't have a say in my actions," Hermione tossed back the bedding.

"I am your Headmistress, Hermione, and you will speak to me with respect."

"Aren't you supposed to have respect for you colleagues? I bet Professor Snape would have a lot to say about you mistreatment of him," she got to her feet and kept her hand on the bed to steady herself.

McGonagall had no right to talk about respect. She'd witnessed the woman speak ill of Snape whenever the opportunity arose, and she couldn't let it happen any longer. He may have an attitude problem of his own, but even she knew that Snape would happily lay down his life to protect the Headmistress.

"I'm aware of the way I've treated him," she sighed. "And I hope to make amends if he recovers — when he recovers."

Hermione wasn't sure what she could do to make things right with him. The man had grown accustomed to being bullied his whole life — even though he did it to others — and McGonagall had been one of the few that he least expected it from.

"How?"

"I'll be running as temporary Minister of Magic, and if I am voted in by everyone I wish to stay in that position," McGonagall explained. "Hogwarts will be needing a new leader, and I would be willing to give Professor Snape my thoughtful recommendation for the role."

Hermione's eyes widened slightly. To anyone else it would sound like the greatest offer, but Snape would, undoubtedly, hold some form of negativity about the role of Headmaster after his first chance at trying it.

I would be friends with the Headmaster of Hogwarts. For some reason she smiled. "I think he might like that."

I would've kissed the Headmaster of Hogwarts.

Her eyes widened.

"What's wrong?" Luna asked.

"Nothing."

And so they waited.

Healers came in and out to check her over, none of them responded to her queries about her friends. She wanted to shout at them but she understood that everyone of them were busy dealing with the large wave of patients.

Hermione tried to stop herself from thinking about them. She really tried. However, as the hours went by her mind drifted back to the idea that they were all going to die.

Luna was no longer in her room, and she assumed that she'd gone to visit the injured. I'm not even that hurt! She just wanted to see them all; it only had to be a brief look-in.

When the last Healer left and the sun had started to set, Hermione came up with a plan to escape. She'd spent two hours devising her complex plan: she was going to walk out the door.

There was now silence throughout the ward she was on. The occasional chatter came from nearby rooms, so she quickly ran passed the doorways so she wasn't spotted by one of her Healers. Her feet curled as she stared up at the signage for the building, and she searched for the intensive care ward.

Fifth floor.

A herd of voices came from around the corner, so she quickened her pace muttering her pained protests under her breath. She came to the stairwell, deciding to use the stairs instead of the busy lift that carried visitors and patients.

I'm on the second floor, she stared up the stairs, this should be easy.

She used the banister to help her ascent to the fifth floor, and she arrived panting for air and gripping the back of her neck. All right, perhaps I'm not entirely fine.

The hallway the stairway led to was dimly lit yet there was a grey cast to it. She couldn't see or hear any Healers, and the dull silence caused her throat to swell up. Tears stung her wide eyes as she thought about her fallen friends laying bleary eyed on an uncomfortable bed.

The first door she came to had a round window on it, and she glanced inside to see Luna fast asleep at Richard's bedside. She frowned at the sight of his cut forehead. He shouldn't have got involved in this. How close is it now until the Valentine's Day Festival? Close. And he might be turning up black and blue.

Hermione carried on down the corridor using the wall for support. She passed a few more people, none of which were a part of their group, until she came to a stop at a small ward with three beds. Two of which were on display to those passing by and another was covered by a screen.

She took in a staggered breath when she saw the pale faces of Harry and Vic. They lay side by side fast asleep, and their chests almost moved in sync. Her bottom lip quivered as she stared at the black silhouette behind the blue curtain.

It didn't take a genius to work out who was behind it.

Although she wished to rush to his side, she decided to stand in between Vic and Harry's beds. The pair were shirtless with the blankets rolled down to their waists, leaving their patched wounds on show. She grabbed Harry's hand in her shaking one, then leaned over to kiss his sweaty forehead.

The more she looked at them both, the more she knew they were going to be all right. They have to be. They have the same injuries so it made sense that if one of them made it then the other would.

Hermione moved to Vic's side and smiled at him sadly. "You'll get to tell him how much you love him soon."

She reluctantly glanced over at the blue screen. The sound of charmed beeps that measured his heart rate passed by slowly. It hadn't been a daunting sound to hear before but she couldn't think of anything worse than listening to his irregular heartbeat.

Her fingers curled around the rough fabric and she took a few moments to compose herself, then she pushed it aside and stepped inside.

There isn't a set way to react to seeing the man you...well...love, laying in a coma.

Hermione took in a deep breath and walked over to his bedside. His chest was exposed to her and she bit her quivering lip to stop herself from sobbing. Nasty, unhealed gashes covered his upper body. Some of them had black tendrils of magic leaking into them, and others still throbbed open.

She released her bottom lip and cried loudly. There wasn't much else she could do but sit on his bed and cry.

With her wand far away back at Hogwarts, Hermione had no idea how to tell the time when a Healer nudged her awake. She became aware of the feline presence by Snape's head and she wondered where Penny had been since she arrived.

Hermione's back cried out in pain as she sat up straight. She'd slept awkwardly by his side hoping to experience the familiar warmth he brought to her body, but his skin was ice cold against hers.

"You shouldn't be here," the woman said.

"I know," Hermione rubbed her eyes with a sad smile. "Is he going to be all right?"

The Healer sighed. "I'm not supposed to disclose such information."

"Please," she said. "I...I just want to know that he's going to make it."

"Although he's in a coma he is stable," the Healer rested her wand against his forehead. "I'm not sure how long it will take for him to recover. Nobody can identify what curses were used on him though."

Hermione took his hand in hers. "What happened to Lucius?"

The woman's face tensed up and her eyes lowered to the floor. "Nobody knows."

"What?!" Her hold tightened on Snape's hand. "H-How? I knocked him unconscious — this can't be happening."

"Calm down," the Healer placed a hand on her shoulder. Hermione looked up at her gasping for oxygen. "I know it's not useful information, but he's the only one that hasn't been found. Everyone that has been helping him is either dead or being heavily guarded here."

It was useful information because it meant that he had no one to turn to for help. I'm safe with everyone around me.

"There's a lot going on at the Ministry, but finding Lucius is everyone's number one priority."

"Good," whispered Hermione. "I hope they catch him."

"They will," the Healer removed her hand from Hermione's shoulder. "You should return to your bed."

She didn't want to. The feeling stirring inside her stomach told her to stay by his side. Would he do the same for me? Does he even care that we kissed? What am I going to do when he wakes up?

"I can get you a bed set up here if you like?"

Hermione smiled slightly. "I would like that."

"I'll go and get things sorted."

Hermione watched her leave then returned her attention to Snape. Penny wasn't willing to talk to her and she could see that she was worried about her master. I wonder how she is feeling?

"Are you all right?" she asked taking hold of Snape's hand again.

"I'm just hoping that he'll recover well."

Her tone of voice was tired and uncertain. Hermione frowned because that meant even his familiar didn't have hope that he would make it.

Suddenly a loud screaming sound came from behind the curtain. Before Hermione could pull them aside to see what was happening, numerous Healers came rushing into the room. Hermione threw the curtain aside and spotted Vic convulsing on the bed, his head thrown back while screams ripped apart his throat.

Hermione went to ask what was happening, but Vic was soon being pushed away on his bed. Silence settled on the small ward and her heart thudded along with Snape's heart monitor.

AN:/ Sorry for the wait, over the Christmas holidays I got a puppy, so I've been pretty busy looking after her! The next chapter is almost finished and Hermione will be in for a scary surprise when it's discovered that she has a...