6

St. Mungo's

Harry could see several healers working desperately trying to stop Ginny's bleeding. He could not believe the amount of blood there was on the floor. Could someone bleed that much and still be alive? Harry did not want to know the answer to this question. He stared blankly as the Healers kept trying to stop Ginny's bleeding.

Harry heard several pops that and knew that the rest of his friends had arrived. Soon after he felt the Hermione place her hand on his shoulder in an attempt to comfort him. Ron was next to Hermione clenching his fist. The worse thing for Harry was hearing Mrs. Wesley's anguished cries. This was not fair! Harry cried to himself, they had just lost Fred.

He could see that Ginny was fighting for her life. He also knew by her pale blue skin that she was losing the battle. He had seen her like this in the Chamber of secrets, when she was to be sacrificed by Tom Riddle so he could return to life.

Mr. Weasley took Harry by the shoulder

"Come on Harry there is nothing we can do here."

Harry tried pushing Mr. Weasley away; However Mr. Weasley would not back away and soon led Harry to a nearby waiting area. As Harry left he heard one of the healers state

"We are losing her."

Over the next fifteen minutes the small waiting area began to get crowded as the rest of the Weasley family arrived. Harry sat with Ron and Hermione trying hard to not show how terrified he was. He could not believe Ginny was gone. He needed to remain strong for Mrs. Weasley. Harry was not sure how long they had been in the waiting area when Mrs. Weasley came to him. She hugged him as a mother would hug a son.

"I know how much you love her." Mrs. Weasley whispered to him.

"She is a strong girl and she will pull through this"

Harry wished he could be comforted by Mrs. Wesley's statement. He wished he had not seen Ginny Pale blue face. More than anything he wished that they had stayed at the burrow and not gone for an evening stroll. He looked to Ron and could see Ron was fighting back his own tears. Hermione's face was also streaked with tears. Luna Kneeling by them doing the best she could to console them. The waiting room had the atmosphere of those waiting to hear a terrible truth.

Five minutes later a healer that had been working on Ginny came into the waiting room grim faced. He spoke quietly "Can I have a few minutes with the immediate family." Luna and Neville gave Harry a comforting squeeze on his shoulders as they left the room. Hermione got up to leave with Luna; Mrs. Weasley stopped her by grabbing her hand.

"Hermione," She said gently "You and Harry have been a part of this family for years. Your place is here."

She hugged Mrs. Weasley gratefully and sat back down. Everyone looked at the Healer.

"We have been able to stop her bleeding" the healer spoke gently, the way someone spoke when they knew they were about to deliver terrible news. "I wish I could tell you that this meant we will be able to save Ginny."

Harry felt a lump form in his throat.

"With her being unconscious we cannot give her any blood replenishing potion. If we could have gotten to her within a minute or two after she had been cursed we could have done more."

The healer looked around the room and then focused on Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.

"There is nothing more we can do. Your daughter is not going to make it. I am so sorry Mr. and Mrs. Weasley."

Molly Weasley buried her head in Arthur's shoulders. Harry felt his legs buckle and found himself sitting in a chair. He could no longer hold back his tears.

***

Hermione stared at the healer. She did not understand! The healer said they had stopped Ginny's bleeding. Harry's collapsing into the chair with tears streaking his face was too much for her. She stood up and angrily jabbed the Healer in the chest as she shrieked.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN DO!!"

She felt Ron and Fleur try and pull her away from the healer.

"You stopped her bleeding!"

She stared at the Healer as she felt the sting of tears in her eyes

"NOW YOU'RE JUST GIVING UP? HOW CAN YOU JUST GIVE UP!"

She could not believe one of her best friends was going to die. She wanted to look at things logically. If she could just take a few minutes to go over the problem she would be able to come up with a solution. All she needed to do that was just a little more time.

The Healer did not flinch. He had unfortunately over his years had to deliver the worse news a family would ever hear many times. Some families took the news with grace. Others blamed the healers, as the young lady that was speaking to him. He had done this way too many times over the years.

"Ms. Granger"

He knew who was in his waiting room. How could anyone not recognize Harry Potter and his friends, after all they had defeated the dark lord?

"We are not giving up. Ms. Weasley has simply lost too much blood. We will be able to give her some support however with this much blood loss her heart will fail. There is nothing we can do"

Hermione started to sit down. The healer was, of course, right. With the amount of blood Ginny had lost there would be nothing they could do for Ginny. She had been afraid Ginny was losing too much blood at the park and the healer just confirmed her fears. Unless they could replace the blood Ginny had lost, she would die. Wait a minute! She thought excitedly.

Hermione immediately stood up. That was it! She could not believe the Healers had missed this. She could not believe she was about to let her friend die. Especially when the answer was as simple as just replacing the blood Ginny had lost. She knew that Muggle Doctor's routinely gave their patients blood.

She thought back to the vision of the healers working on Ginny. She remembered them feverishly casting healing spells as well as casting spells to reverse the curse that Ginny had been hit with. She did not remember seeing any bags hanging over her bed.

She thought back to one of the few times she had been at a muggle emergency room. She remembered patients with Bags hanging by there beds, tubes in there arms. Some of the bags had clear liquids and some had blood! The Healers at St Mungo's had not given Ginny any blood while they had worked on her.

"Did you give Ginny any blood while you were working on her?" Hermione asked.

She was sure that the Healer would be offended by her question. After all this was basic Muggle medicine and the Healers at St Mungo's were the best in the Wizarding world. How could Muggle medicine be better than the finest the Wizarding world had to offer?

The healer looked at Hermione as if she was insane.

"How would you expect us to give her blood?" He asked her angrily "We cannot just conjure up blood young lady."

Hermione could not believe she was hearing this; the healers had not done everything they could after all. She also could see the Healer was also appalled by the suggestion to give Ginny blood. Of course! The healers had been taught magical healing. This involved the use of spells, healing potions, and the use of magical plants. They had been taught the art of healing but not the science of healing.

Muggle doctors went through another eight years of school learning about healing from a scientific point of view, studying things such as anatomy and Bio Chemistry and even psychology. Hermione knew most witches and wizards looked at magic as an art and so many times they missed out on the science.

"When Muggles are injured and bleed as much as Ginny has" she began to explain, "They are able to replace the blood that has been lost by injecting it directly into the veins."

The healer looked at Hermione as if she was insane. "We are healers Ms. Granger. Not Vampires!"

He looked around the room and saw that everyone was watching the two of them. He needed to get this under control. "Besides where would we get the blood to give her".

He was satisfied that would put an end to this.

To his surprise it did not. Hermione now remembering a little more about the Muggles knew they did blood drives around the holidays. The asked other Muggles to donate their blood so that it would be available for those that needed it. They stored the blood in Blood Banks at muggle hospitals. All they needed to do was contact a Muggle hospital and they would be able to get the blood Ginny needed.

"The Muggles have blood banks." She answered the healer as a matter of factly. "They are able to use the blood from the blood banks and give it to their patients."

The healer's jaw dropped as she said this.

"And where do these blood banks get there blood!" he asked angrily "I suppose they just ask anyone to give them the blood they need?"

Hermione smiled "Yes as a matter of fact that is exactly what they do."

"The patients getting the blood have no Idea where the blood comes from!" The healer looked at Hermione as if she was telling him the most incredible lie he had ever heard. "I find it hard to believe. Muggles do not care where the blood comes from. However we are wizards and it does matter to us!"

"But she does not have to die!" Hermione spat back bitterly. She could not believe the healer was arguing with her.

Mr. Weasley stood up and asked "Is what Hermione is saying possible?"

The Healer glared at Mr. Weasley, "Yes it is possible. We have heard of this practice by the Muggles but I have a hard time believing they would risk of giving someone a total strangers blood."

The healer shook his head "You would have no Idea if the blood you were getting is pure blood or of questionable heritage. I have trouble believing that even the muggles would be so cavalier about their bloodlines"

Hermione could not believe what she was hearing. She was not naïve enough to believe all of the pure blood prejudice would completely disappear after Voldemort's defeat. She was surprised that St. Mungo's would let someone practice healing with these views.

"Perhaps if you were not so narrow minded…" Hermione spat angrily, Mr. Weasley put his hand up to stop her from finishing her statement. Hermione scowled at the healer wanting to finish her comments.

She heard Mr. Weasley say to the Healer "I do not care about Pure-blood or Half blood. I do not want to lose another child."

Mr. Weasley looked at Hermione as he continued speaking to the healer. "It seems Hermione has an idea that could prevent my daughter from dying. I think under the circumstance we should try everything we can rather than just simply letting my daughter die."

The healer could not believe that Mr. Weasley was considering something so irresponsible. He looked around the room and could see that he was in the minority. He had to put a stop to this madness, he just did not know how at the moment. As he looked around the waiting room to his relief the acting Minister of Magic stepped into the room. As Kingsley put his arms around Mrs. Weasley the Healer saw a chance to put an end to this nonsense the Granger girl had started.

"How is she" Kinglsey asked,

Before anyone else could answer the minister with irresponsible far fetched Ideas the healer started speaking. "There is not much we can do for her Minister. It is just a matter of time…"

Hermione Granger interrupted the healer. To say she was angry was like saying that that Dumbledore was just another head master of Hogwarts. "That is not true Kingsley!"

The healer could not believe his ears. Who did the mudblood think she was addressing the Minister of Magic by his first name and not by his proper title? This was the last straw. He could tolerate no more of this and more importantly this mudblood had to be put in her place.

"HOW DARE YOU!" He roared, "YOU HAVE GONE TO FAR YOU FILTHY MUDBLOOD. YOU WILL ADDRESS THE MINISTER WITH THE RESPECT THAT HE DESERVES!"

The room fell silent as he finished. Hermione just stared at the Healer shocked. She had been fighting back the tears that had been threatening to start since the attack earlier. Hermione was a strong woman but even the strongest person in the world had there breaking point. The healer last out burst was hers. She burst into tears.

Seeing Hermione breakdown was too much for Ron. He bolted out his chair and lunged for the Healer, wand in hand. Harry grabbed his wand and the curse Ron cast fired into the ceiling. Kingsley had his hands full keeping Arthur Weasley and Ron's brothers from attacking the healer as well.

The load crack of Mrs. Weasley slapping the healer's face shocked everyone into silence. Mrs. Weasley spoke in chilly tone

"You will not insult members of my family. Not with my daughter fighting for her life and what they have sacrificed for the Wizarding world"

The healer stared at stone faced. He spoke to Kinglsey. He had to put an end to this madness. "Minister, I am glad you are here. You can put an end to this madness."

Kingsley spoke coldly "What madness is that?"

Kinglsey looked at Hermione, Ron was trying to calm her down however nothing he had said could eliminate the vicious verbal attack the healer had made.

"The fact that you have just called the brightest witch of our age a filthy mudblood?"

"She is suggesting we just give my patient blood from someone she does not know like a common muggle." He stared at the minister with contempt as is finished "My patient is a pureblood and I will not just let her bloodline be spoiled…"

Mr. Weasley interrupted "Kingsley. Ginny is going to die if something is not done. Hermione has suggested a treatment that can save her life…"

"You cannot be seriously considering…"

Arthur cut the healer off "I will consider anything that will keep my daughter alive!"

Arthur Wesley's face was bright red and he again stepped towards the healer.

Kingsley once again kept Arthur from attacking the Healer. This was getting nowhere, he needed to diffuse this situation before it got out of hand. Looking at the others in the room he knew Arthur was not the only one ready to kill the healer.

The one thing Kingsley had learned about the Wesley's is you did not insult a member of the family. The healer had not only given up the Weasley's only daughter for dead, he had made the mistake of insulting Hermione Granger. He knew that Hermione was like a second daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and insulting her would be the same as insulting one of their children.

"I think you need to leave now." The tone of his voice left no room for argument from the healer. The Healer looked coldly at the Minister and left the room.

Ten minutes later Ginny's mother and father and Harry, Hermione and Ron were in the office of the Head of St Mungo's. Hermione had just finished explaining to everyone about blood transfusions. The Head of 's a healer named Trapper listened intently to Hermione and was fascinated by what Hermione had told him. The only problem was no one at St. Mungo's knew how to give a blood transfusion.

"Minister, I think what Mrs. Granger is suggesting will work. The problem is no one here knows how to give a blood transfusion."

Kingsley was afraid of this. He spoke to Hermione

"Hermione, do you know someone we can trust to help with this."

Hermione shook her head, "No I don't but I am sure my mother and father would be able to help."

She was relieved that Trapper was listening to her.

Trapper shook his head. "We do not have the time to hunt your parents down Ms. Granger. If we are going to keep Ginny Weasley alive we need to act quickly."

Hermione had been surprised to find out her parents were not at home. Kinglsey had sent Aurors to there house as well as the Dursley's once he had received word of the attack. The Aurors had reported that Mr. and Mrs. Granger were not home and had no idea where they were. A fact that everyone in the room had been made aware of, Kingsley was worried that whomever had tried to kill the four of them would had also attacked Hermione's parents. He did not share this concern with Hermione and hoped that the Aurors he had searching for the Granger's would report in soon.

He again asked Hermione "You are sure you do not know where your parents are tonight?"

"No I don't" Hermione had racked her brains trying to think of where her parents could be. They normally did not go out on week nights.

"Why don't you call them on your cell phone?" Ron asked

Hermione had forgotten about the cell phone her mother had given her. How could she have been so thick! She reached into her purse and took out her phone and dialed her mother's number. Thankfully her mother answered on the second ring.

"This had better be good." Her mother answered, "Your father has taken me out on a date for the first time in ages."

Hermione could not help but feel a little guilty. "Mum I am sorry to break in on your evening."

She explained to her mother about the events of the evening. She overheard her mother say to her father something like

"That was no gas explosion at that park earlier."

After reassuring her parents that she was fine and unhurt she told them about Ginny Weasley's condition. Her father took the phone from her mother and after asking Hermione a few more questions about Ginny he told Hermione he was good friends with the head of Emergency Medicine for the National Hospital in London. He said he would call him immediately. He asked where Ginny was being treated. She handed the phone to Kingsley who made arrangements for her parents to be bought to St Mungo's

****

Mr. Granger and his friend Dr. George Smythe walked into the room after examining Ginny. Dr. Smythe still seemed a little shocked as he walked up to Mr. Weasley. Until about 10 minutes ago he was not aware that there were witches and wizards in London. After he finished here at St. Mungo's he would go back to the comfort of not knowing there was no Wizarding world as he would certainly have his memory altered by the Ministry of magic.

He spoke to all of them "Ms Weasley for know is stable however she will need blood." He paused then continued. "I will not be able to provide blood from a blood bank."

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley looked downcast as he finished that statement. "I will however be able to give her a blood transfusion. I will need someone the volunteer to donate blood for her."

Ron and Harry immediately stepped forward.

Dr. Smythe spoke to Harry gently. "Son I am sorry but I will need the donor to be from her immediate family." With that he led Ron from the waiting room,

An hour passed before Dr, Smythe returned to the rest of the family and announced that the blood transfusion had been completed and Ginny should make a full recovery from her injuries. The relief in the room was immediate as Mr. and Mrs. Weasley shook Dr. Smythe's hand and thanked him. When they were finished with Dr. Smythe Mrs. Weasley hugged Hermione fiercely. "Thank you" she sounded relieved "You saved her"