PercyLavender, seashells. Also written for the Gemstone Competition under 'Ruby,' and the Titles Set Boot with 'The Youth of Today.'
Waking up for the first time was the worst of it, probably. Staring at a white ceiling, in a state of inexplicable pain, unable to move even her head. A loud beeping sound interrupted the oppressive silence, and then oppressive noise assaulted her ears and she screamed and screamed until firm hands soothed her.
A doctor came and talked to her in a scratchy, nasally voice about her memories, about what had happened. She had fallen off a balcony in a duel with a Death Eater during what they were calling 'The Battle of Hogwarts.' She had four crushed vertebra, two werewolf bites, and other various injuries, so they had put her in a state of paralysis until her bones could heal and her infections could be treated and/or cured, so no, Ms. Brown, you cannot move. She started screaming again and he left.
Time passed in slow, immeasurable waves, and she spent the time in uncertainty and worry. Mum came and hung a seashell wind chime above her bed, and she passed the days, hours, minutes with trying to make them move without her wand. The music it finally played was sweet and calming, but it was cut off by the sound of her curtains opening. Something was dragged, and then she heard a loud thump. "Brown," a voice acknowledged, and she huffed in exasperation at the silence that followed.
"Have some courtesy and tell the paralyzed chick who you are!" she snapped.
"Oh. Uh, Percy. Percy Weasley," a surprised voice told her. Her ex-flame's older brother. What the hell? "My bed's right next to yours. Wanna hear all the dead?" And he started reading. His voice cracked on "Fred Weasley," but he didn't talk about it so neither did she. She wondered how Ron was doing, and was surprised to find she held no animosity towards him, only worry. Percy told her what had happened after she went into her coma. He answered all her questions. He held her hand quietly while she cried.
A nurse came and shooed him back to his bed, and the lights shut off.
Beep.
Beep.
Beep.
"Percy?"
"Mm?"
"Thanks."
"Don't mention it."
He cried, late that night when no one was supposed to be awake, and she never mentioned it. She cried too.
