"Welcome back to the living."
"Er…thanks." Harry responded. His voice cracked from lack of use.
Hermione burst into tears and threw herself on Harry and Mrs. Weasley, already crying, busied herself with helping Harry sit up, fluffing his pillows, and smoothing his covers unnecessarily. Harry was a little bewildered by everyone's presence.
Harry, in an attempt to comfort Hermione, patted her on the back and said quietly, "Shh…Hermione, it's okay…"
Hermione looked up and glared at Harry. "It's okay? It's OKAY?" Harry, terrified of Hermione's glower and wondering what he could have possibly said wrong, tried to sink further into the bed to escape her look. "Do you know what I've been through?" She shrieked. "It's been four days, Harry, four days since we left Go–"
Ron cleared his throat loudly and looked Hermione pointedly. Harry, on the other hand, lay gaping at Hermione, silently mouthing the words, "Four days? Four days?"
"I will go make some soup, 'arry. Molly, would you pleaz 'elp me? I would love to learn ze recipe you made on Christmas." She looked meaningfully at Mrs. Weasley as she said this.
Mrs. Weasley, standing protectively next to Harry, looked between Harry and Fleur, finally exclaiming, "Oh, all right!" and marching out of the room with the bright orb trailing after her.
Bill, refusing to take the hint, stared stoically at Ron until Lupin clapped him on the shoulder and said, "It's really quite fortunate I'm here, Bill. I've been meaning to come for a few days already; I have some information for you from the Order." Bill shot one more menacing look at Ron before following Lupin out of the room.
Ron let out a huge sigh in relief as he watched Bill's ponytail whip out of sight, turned to Harry and asked, "So, how do you feel, mate?"
Harry rubbed his chest gingerly, and grinned. "Like I got stepped on by a troll. How did I get this, anyway?" Harry asked, touching the scabbed-over wound on his chest.
"It was the Horcrux. Apparently it got stuck to your chest and Hermione had to use a Severing Charm to get it off you. The snake bit you too." Ron finished, motioning to Harry's arm. Harry pulled away his sweaty T-shirt and saw the half-healed puncture marks to his forearm.
He turned to ask Hermione for a full account of the past four days, but the words died on his lips as he saw Hermione's stony face with her arms and legs crossed so tightly it seemed unlikely that she would unravel them for several years. Harry turned hastily back to Ron.
"Er…Harry…I'm sorry," Ron started in a thick voice. "I'm sorry I left. I know I was a – a –"
Hermione laughed, a high-pitched, out-of-control sound; Ron looked at Harry for help, but Harry merely grimaced his helplessness.
"Oh, you're sorry!" she said viciously. "You come back after weeks – weeks – and you think it's all going to be all right if you just say sorry?"
"Hermione!" said Harry. "Calm –"
"I will not calm down!" she screamed. Never before had he seen her lose control like this; she looked quite demented. "I came running after you! I called you! I begged you to come back!Weeks and weeks passed, we could have been dead for all he knew –"
"I –." Ron stopped, lowering his eyes to the ground.
Harry pleaded, "Hermione, will you please –"
Hermione rounded on Harry, "And YOU! Don't you tell me what to do, Harry Potter! Don't you dare! I watched you, day and night, for four days! I watched you shout and moan and cry out, so delirious, you didn't even know who you were!" Hermione buried her face in her hands, dry, racking sobs coursing through her body. "I thought you were going to die…and I sat there…useless…watching you die." Hermione finished so quietly that Harry and Ron barely heard.
Harry and Ron remained silent. Slowly, tentatively, Harry reached out a hand and placed it comfortingly on Hermione's shoulder. He took it as a good sign that she did not throw it off.
The three of them sat there in silence. Finally, Hermione lifted her head up and said, sniffling, "All right, I'm done."