On the morning of Hermione's transplant, the waiting room at the private hospital was full of concerned family. Earlier that morning Severus had been admitted and he was currently being prepped to donate his kidney to his younger sister. With the procedure taking place on a Saturday, both Harry and Draco were at the hospital alongside Beth and Voldemort. Lucius and Narcissa were also present and everyone was pleased to see that Narcissa was recovering well from her own hospital stay. And of course, Rosmerta was also present. Rosmerta had visited Hermione a few times over the last couple of weeks, and of course she was now there to support her fiancé as well as his sister.
Even though the procedure wasn't deemed too risky, there was still an air of tension in the waiting room as they waited for news. Harry and Draco were by far the most nervous, as they'd looked up the procedure in the Hogwarts library the day before and they knew exactly what it entailed. Although the book they found the procedure detailed in also gave details of the equivalent surgery in the muggle world, and both boys were pleased that magic would be involved in Hermione's procedure. At least with magic, Hermione wouldn't have a scar and a potion could ensure that the transplant took and they didn't have to worry about her body rejecting the organ Severus was going to donate to her.
In order to help the time pass quicker, Beth and Narcissa got Rosmerta talking about her wedding plans with Severus. Harry wasn't surprised to hear that his father and his fiancée were planning on getting married over the summer in a small ceremony. Of course with recent events they hadn't managed to set a date, but Rosmerta was confident they could make some plans over the next couple of weeks while Severus was at home recuperating.
"It sounds like Severus will be well looked after when he goes home," Draco remarked to Harry.
"I'm sure he'll be very happy being waited on hand and foot by Rosmerta," Harry chuckled. "Although, I'm not too sure Hermione will be as pleased to be laid up for the next few weeks."
While Severus would be off work for a couple of weeks at the most, Hermione would be laid up for several more weeks as the procedure was more intrusive for her. However, by the Easter holidays in a few weeks they were hoping she would be back and up on her feet so that she could return to school after the break.
"No doubt she'll be complaining bitterly the entire time," Draco agreed with a fond smile.
"Just as long as she's okay," Harry said quietly.
"Yeah, that's the most important thing," Draco said, equally as quiet as his best friend as his thoughts turned back to his girlfriend and the procedure she was undergoing.
Harry's thoughts also returned to Hermione, and while the adults continued to talk quietly, he and Draco lapsed into silence as they waited for news. Finally, news came in the shape of one of the specialists, Healer Blake, who'd been taking part in the procedure.
"It's all over," Healer Blake announced as she entered the room and gave everyone a reassuring smile. "Both Hermione and Severus are in recovery."
"But it worked?" Beth asked anxiously.
"The procedure went as planned," Healer Blake reassured the family. "Severus should be awake in an hour or so, and aside from some soreness he'll be completely fine. We'll keep him in overnight, just to monitor him, but he should be able to be discharged tomorrow morning."
"Thank Merlin," Rosmerta muttered as Beth and Voldemort shared a relieved look at the news Severus was fine.
"And Hermione?" Voldemort checked.
"She'll be asleep for a few more hours, but she should be awake by this evening," Healer Blake answered. "Once we've checked the transplant has taken, we'll give her a potion to ensure her body doesn't reject the kidney. She'll have to take the potion for three months, and she'll need a check-up every year where we'll give her a booster jab just to make sure everything is fine."
"When will she be able to come home?" Beth asked eagerly.
"It all depends on how she fares from the procedure," Healer Blake replied. "But given how tough she's been these last few weeks, I'd say she should be home by the end of the week providing she's on bed rest. It will still be a few months before she's back to her normal self."
"Don't worry, she'll get plenty of rest," Voldemort vowed.
"Someone will be in to inform you when Severus and then Hermione wakes up," Healer Blake said with one final smile before she exited the room.
"She's going to be alright," Beth declared happily as she threw her arms around Voldemort's neck and hugged her husband.
"Thanks to Severus," Voldemort replied as he hugged his wife back.
"Of course," Beth agreed with a smile. "What would we do without him? We're really lucky, aren't we? We've got the perfect family."
"Yes, we have," Voldemort replied as he bent his head and connected his lips with his wife's.
"Do you have to?" Harry complained loudly as Draco chuckled beside him. "Honestly, it's bad enough when Dad and Rosmerta get snogging, now I have to watch my grandparents drooling all over each other."
"We don't drool," Voldemort shot over his shoulder as he gave his grandson a wicked smirk.
"Even so, can you please save the sloppy stuff for the privacy of your own home," Harry pleaded.
"We could always celebrate tonight," Beth stage whispered to her husband. "Make the most of the empty house before Hermione gets home."
Harry groaned at Beth's implications as he hung his head into his hands. Thankfully, it wasn't very long until one of the healer's poked their head into the room and announced that Severus was waking up. Even though there was a long line of people wanting to see Severus, Voldemort decided that Rosmerta and Harry should be the first to go and see him. When they entered the room Severus was in, he was just coming around
"Hermione?" He croaked the second he found his voice.
"She's still sleeping, but it all went well," Rosmerta reassured her fiancé. "You're a hero."
"I was just doing what anyone would do," Severus replied as relief washed over his face at the news the transplant would be successful.
"You're still my hero," Rosmerta said, smiling at Severus as she leant down and brushed his hair out of his eyes.
"Not again," Harry whined as his father and Rosmerta shared a kiss.
Turning away, he waited until the pair had parted before settling down in the chair beside his father. Rosmerta settled down beside Harry and the three of them spoke for a few minutes, before Rosmerta suggested they let the others visit. Beth and Voldemort were the first ones to visit Severus once Harry and Rosmerta left him alone, followed by the Malfoys. Once Lucius and Narcissa left Severus's bedside, Rosmerta went back in with her fiancé while they were waiting for Hermione to wake up.
Hermione woke up over an hour after her brother, and her parents were the first ones to see her. Harry and Draco were then allowed in to see her, before Lucius and Narcissa paid her a quick visit. Of course Hermione soon wanted to see her brother, but the healers were insistent that neither of them were allowed to leave their rooms. They could see each other in the morning, but for the time being they needed to rest. Especially Hermione who had several weeks recovery in her before she was fit enough to go back to Hogwarts after Easter.
C.O.T.D.
Ginny was less than thrilled to be back at Hogwarts, but she'd been left with no choice. True to his word, her father had insisted she returned to school after Ron's funeral. All in all Ginny had been back at home for well over a fortnight, but now she was back at Hogwarts with only three weeks to go before the Easter holidays. Before she'd returned to school, she'd had to promise not to cause trouble, but Ginny had a plan. For the time being she was happy to obey Arthur and stay out of trouble, but all she would really be doing was waiting for the opportune time to strike. When the time came she would be ready to move and help her brothers take out Harry, Hermione and their family.
Ginny arrived back at Hogwarts in McGonagall's office, and after reassuring her head of house she was fine to be back, she headed off to Gryffindor Tower. As she went, she wondered if Hermione was back yet. McGonagall had visited The Burrow a couple of times following Ron's death, and she'd attended the funeral, and Ginny had heard her talking to her parents so she knew that Hermione had needed some sort of medical procedure.
Ginny's thoughts of Hermione soon vanished when she re-entered Gryffindor Tower and found herself the centre of attention. A few people gave her sympathetic looks, and a few offered their condolences. However, Ginny noticed that a fair few people just turned away from her as though she was a pariah. There certainly wasn't the outpouring of grief she'd expected to be confronted with upon her return. Even Ron's friends, Neville, Dean and Seamus, didn't look overly broken up over his death.
"We're so sorry, Ginny," Neville said sympathetically as the redheaded witch approached them.
"Yeah, we all liked Ron," Seamus added.
"Not everyone," Ginny muttered darkly as her eyes darted around the room looking for Harry and Hermione.
"They're not here," Dean said, easily working out who Ginny was looking for.
"Where are they?" Ginny asked.
"Hermione won't be back until after Easter and Harry's either down with the Slytherins or he's been home," Seamus answered.
"He was going home to see Hermione," Neville supplied. "Apparently she's improving daily."
"You seem well informed," Ginny remarked snappishly.
"Harry and I talk," Neville replied with a shrug. "Besides, Hermione is my friend. I like to keep up to date with how she's doing."
"The only update I need to hear is a one to say she's popped her clogs," Ginny snarled.
"Ginny," Seamus hissed disapprovingly. "After what's happened with Ron, you should know better than to wish death on someone."
"The difference is, Ron didn't deserve what happened to him," Ginny snapped as she got to her feet. "He was innocent, unlike that cow and her whole horrid family."
Bubbling with anger, Ginny turned on her heel and stalked out of Gryffindor Tower. However, she'd barely barged out of the door when she ran directly into Harry. Harry automatically reached out to steady Ginny, but when he realised just who had bumped into him, he removed his hands as quickly as he could.
"You're back," He remarked coldly.
"Surprised, are you?" Ginny taunted. "I bet you thought I was gone for good."
"I'm not stupid, Ginny," Harry chuckled. "I knew you would be back. Unlike that brother of yours."
"Don't you dare mention Ron," Ginny snarled.
"Why? Touchy subject is it?" Harry retorted.
"I know you lot killed him, we all do," Ginny replied in a low voice. "You won't get away with this."
Before Ginny could react, Harry had advanced on her and he had her pinned against the wall. Ginny looked around for help, but found no-one was around to witness Harry's act of aggression.
"Be careful who you threaten, Ginny," Harry whispered menacingly as he held his arm over her throat and pressed against her, choking her slightly. "It's already been discovered that Weasels can't swim, so you don't want to end up in deep water with me."
"I knew it," Ginny whispered. "You did kill him."
"I did nothing to Ron," Harry replied truthfully. "After what he did to Hermione, I wish I had done something, but I didn't have the opportunity. Fate took care of him for us, and if you're not careful it'll take care of you in the same way."
"You don't frighten me," Ginny said defiantly.
"Really?" Harry gave Ginny an evil grin as he pressed closer to her and felt her shiver in fear. "You look scared to me."
"I'm not," Ginny replied shakily.
"You keep telling yourself that, Ginny," Harry chuckled evilly as he stepped back from the shaking redhead. "Think of this as a friendly warning, Ginny. Stay away from me, and stay away from Hermione. If you don't, you'll regret it."
Leaving Ginny to mull over his warning, Harry headed towards Gryffindor Tower. Ginny watched him go, her face a mask of fury. One day she would get him, and his precious aunt, for all the trouble they'd caused. However, she would bide her time and let them think they had the upper hand. Just when they thought she was out of their lives, she would strike and they would never see her coming.
