St. Mungo's Hospital
It was all a dream I repeated in my head. I felt so relieved until I realized, how long had I been sleeping? At that moment so many questions rushed through me. Neurons speeding uncontrollably causing myself to panic for a moment. What happened in the war? Who survived? Should I even be happy to be awake? The questions had been cut off by muffled voices.
"Well, maybe if we put a book under her nose she'll wake up?"
"Okay, let's just get a book and shove the pages up her nose. Thickhead! How are we even related? "
"Hey! Muggle nurses do it with salt. Hermione would appreciate me remembering that!"
I smiled. My eyelids felt so heavy they would barely open. Everything was too bright for me to see clearly. I obviously had been in the darkness for too long.
"Hermione, can you hear me?" Someone started to whisper. I turn my head still not able to see as clearly as I wanted to.
"Fred?" I said in a hoarse voice.
"Aww, come on Granger! It was a 50/50 shot. You have one more guess. If you get it wrong we might need to have the nurse re-examine your head" George said in a joking tone.
"George!" I said correcting my mistake. Everything started to come into focus and I finally could see the faces around me.
"Hermione! You gave us a right good scare, I will run and get Harry. We've been stressing for weeks." Ron said before running out the door.
"Weeks?" I said as soon as he let the door slam shut.
"Weeks! When you decided to be a lazy sod, my sleeping beauty. Not saying I don't respect your choice of action, I admire it actually. But, you were starting to scare me Granger. His eyes lingered on me for a moment and then he smiled. No worries though, I handled everything as I'm sure you assumed already" said George reaching for a glass of water. "Here drink this, you'll feel better."
"What happened?" I said weakly taking a sip of water. Before George could reply I seen Harry burst through the door.
"Hermione" Harry said looking so relieved.
"Harry Potter? What an honor!" I said smirking while sitting my glass on the table. Harry walked in front of my bed and reached down to hug me. He was squeezing so tight it was hard to breathe but I didn't mind. His shaggy black hair tickled my nose and I started to smile until I seen his arms. It looked as through a whip had been slashing him repeatedly to no end.
"I've been so worried about you. I'm so sorry" Harry said dreadfully.
He was worried for me? How could I have been lost in my head all this time? His battle scars seemed to fade when I looked into his bright green eyes. They made me feel the safest I've ever felt. He was my best friend and I started to get tears in my eyes.
"You saved my life Harry. You have no reason to tell me sorry. Worrying means you have suffered more than I would ever want you too" I said smiling at his concern for my well-being. I grab his hand to say thank you but then a shaggy hair red-head burst through the door making the butterflies flutter.
"GRANGER! Finally! I knew you would be great in bed, you sleep for weeks! I relinquish my crown to you my lady!" Fred said putting an invisible crown on my hair and then bowing. He started pulling a chair up to the side of my bed. I started to chuckle softly and went to sit up but fell back instantly into my pillow.
"You probably should take it easy for a bit Hermione." Harry said reaching to adjust my pillow behind my head. "I thought I go to your house and reverse the memory charm on your parents for you. You're awake now and this war has had a huge toll on all of us. Seeing their faces probably would do you some good. I'll run and get the nurse for you and then I'll be back in the morning" Harry started to walk away before I grabbed his hand.
"Is he gone?" I said staring intently into his eyes.
"He's gone" Harry said smiling down at me. Fred and George had then in unison got on their knees praising at Harry feet breaking the silence.
"We're not worthy, We're not worthy!" Fred and George repeated until everyone started laughing and the air quickly felt warm. To some maybe it wasn't a joking matter but a wise wizard once told me to dwell on the past and forgetting to live was not how one should go through life. I'm so glad my family and friends were okay and I realized how lucky I was to be alive at this moment in time. I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.
Nox
The day had swept by so fast and I now could see the moonlight reflecting off the pale white walls in front of my bed. The only sound I could hear was the hospital equipment telling me my heart was beating just fine. I hate hospitals and I always have since I was a little girl. They're creepy and just the air feels uncomfortably thick. Whenever I would get sick I would just try to wait it out until my parents forced me to finally go. The way it smells is probably the worst for me. Everything is clean but to me it's a repulsive stench. To some bleach has a clean and refreshing smell like, when they do laundry. But another use of it is to scrub blood off the floor and erase the aftermath of death. So, to me bleach smells of death and it makes my stomach turn.
I was tossing and turning in my bed feeling anxious and relieved that I get to leave in the morning. I feel that even though everyone has caught me up on so much I also feel as if I still have missed so much. I finally sat up and ripped the covers off of me to step onto the floor. I started to walk to the table against my only window and it was filled with all sorts of goodies. Mrs. Weasley had sent over a beautiful vase of colorful flowers from the Burrow along with an assortment of pastries. Ron had left one of my favorite story books Dumbledore gave me titled, "The Tales of Beedle the Bard." I seen a card from Fred next to a bottle of his bruise removal paste and opened it, "For when I'm not around to save you from harm. With love, Fred." My mouth was starting to hurt from the smile he gave me and then I pressed the letter to my chest. The number of cards was endless from my family and friends sharing their love and concern of me getting better. I go to pick up a card from Harry and then I heard a tap at the window causing me to look out of it.
"George?" I said with a puzzled tone. He was on his broomstick with a huge grin on his face.
"No, it's Ron! Stop being thick and unlock the window!" George said sarcastically.
"What on earth are you doing?" I said unlocking the window and pushing it open.
"I'm breaking you out of this mental hospital" reaching his hand out for me.
"No other girls to break out?" I said moving the rest of the cards off the table.
"Not really, I'm pretty sure a mental hospital isn't the best place to hook up. Unless it's you Granger now get on" he said resting his hand on the window sill.
"You realize I can just use the door?" I said laughing not yet taking his hand.
"What kind of adventure is that? Just grab your robe and come on I'll bring you back to get your things later I promise" he said anxiously while reaching for my hand again.
"Okay, okay, just give me one moment. I'm not wearing any shoes!"
"Just come on" he said impatiently. I walked over to grab my robe and stuck my wand in my pocket. I walked back over to the window and moved the table to get outside.
"Calm down, I'm here!" I said getting on the back of his broom.
"Hold on!" He said and took off into the beautiful night.
"Where are we going?" I said rather loudly trying to talk over the wind.
"It's a surprise. We'll be there soon, just hold on" he said zooming through the sky.
The air felt relaxing and I honestly was so happy to be out of the hospital. The moon was full and bright making our shadow visible against the trees. I start to remember where we were when I seen our reflection in a familiar lake. I looked ahead of George to see my one true home, Hogwarts. I've never seen such a beautiful landscape. It sends chills down your spine from how alluring it is. I hadn't been here since the war and from the looks of it everyone had come to help return it to it's natural beauty. I'm glad to get the image of it crumbling down, burning out of my head. George sways off to the roof next to the Astronomy tower and slowly lowers me down onto the pavement.
"Ta-da!" George said whimsically.
"I definitely missed this place." I said walking around the tower looking out into the school yards.
"I figured as much, you're completely batty but I figure you deserved a night out." Said George reaching into a bag he had around his shoulder.
"Where is your other half? I figured if you guys were separated any longer than a moment you would fall apart instantly" I said jokingly but curious on where Fred was.
"A real comedian you are. But anyway he's on a date with Angelina" George said still looking through his bag. My heart sank to my toes. I shook my head trying to remain calm and not seem gut stricken.
"Oh, when did that happen?" I said walking over to a stone bench sitting down.
"About a week or so after the war ended. She's mental obviously to put up with Fred. But, the heart wants what it wants I suppose" walking over to where I was and sitting down next to me. He put something small and colorful in my hand.
"What is this?" I said examining it.
"Wildfire Whiz-bangs. I figured we could look at the stars and light some fireworks?" He said waiting for my approval. "What do you say Granger?"
I smiled standing up walking to the edge of the balcony. With a wave of my wand I sent off the first firework filling the sky with wild colorful lights.
"Bombarda!"