I own nothing.
CHAPTER 8.
When she awoke, she was stiff and ached all over. Groaning she sat up, only to hiss and wrap her left arm protectively around her torso. Looking around, she saw Ginny gently snoring in the bed next to hers, and she realised she must have slept through the remainder of the day, and the whole night, judging by the early morning sky visible through the window.
She decided to shower, hoping it would help relax her muscules, and nobody else would be up yet anyway, grabbing her things she moved gingerly, hoping not to aggravate he side, to the en suite that she and Ginny shared.
She examined her side, the bruises had come out in full, but what was worse, the swelling hadn't gone down yet, and this seriously restricted her movement, she had to remove her clothes with magic.
As soon as she got in the shower she realised that this was going to be a slow and painful process. She couldn't lift her left arm without squeaking in pain, neither could she lean forwards, or backwards for that matter. Needless to say, washing her ample hair took nearly thirty minutes, thirty painful minutes. With the water saturating her new hair, the curls fell straight, from thr waters weight, and her hair now reached the top of her bum, and was inky black. Hermione grumbled as she finally climbed from the shower, wrapping herself in a towel.
Using her wand, she quickly dried her hair and body, charming her hair into a bun on the back of her head, with a few stray curls lose, thanking circe for magic as she did so.
She then went to get dressed, there was no way she would be able to fight with trousers, not with only on arm. She instead pulled on a pair of pajama shorts, they were silk and a pale cream colour, barley reaching mid thigh, but she honestly shouldn't find it within her self to care at the moment.
She then reached a slight snag, she realised that a bra would be out of the question until her bruises had healed some, but she hadn't though about a top. All the ones she owned either needed to go over her head, something she refused point blank to subject herself to again this morning, were extreemly taylored and therefore wouldn't fit over her swollen side, or, really required a bra.
Sighing she looked around, as if hoping inspiration might dive at her from under the bed. Then she saw a pile of freshly washed clothes on the chest of droors that Ginny must have brought in whilst she was asleep.
On top of the pile was a light blue, man's shirt, she suddenly realised, that someone had foreseen her current predicament, and supplied for her a salutation. She grinned stupidly and the shirt, secretly hoping that it belonged to Charlie.
Pulling it on, she buttoned it awkwardly, rolling the sleeves up to her elbows, it fell to the bottom of her sleep shorts, affording her more cover, then with her left arm wrapped secularly around her waist once more, she made her way downstairs.
When she finally reached the bottom floor, Hermione was In some serious discomfort, her left arm hugging her side, her right hand was balled into a fist, irritating the briuises she had on It. When she reached the kitchen door, she was breathing slightly heavily. Walking in, she was not surprised to see that Mrs Weasley as already Up, however, she was surprised to see that she was not alone.
At the table sat an extremely tired looking Sirius, who was cradleing a mug of black coffee as if it where his first born. Hermione went and gingerly sat in the chair next to him, cringing as her weight shifted.
"How are you Kitten?" Sirius asked gently, his voice still rough from sleep.
Hermione merely pulled a face at him, one that accuratlley described her current situation, Sirius chuckled In response.
"Yeah, i'm not Surprised, that was nasty Kitten, really nasty." He admitted, his face setting into grim lines. Hermione was going to shrug, but thought better of It, just giving a non committal rise of her good shoulder instead.
"Morning mrs Weasley," she greeted the red headed matriarch.
"Good morning dear," she replied, concern brushing her features, "How are you this morning?"
"Im fine." Hermione replied, lying through her teeth, causing Sirius to smirk into his coffee.
"Are you sure dear?" she questioned, clearly not convinced.
"I'm fine, really, just a little sore." Hermione admitted, a lot sore, she corrected mentally.
Keen to change the subject, she turned to Sirius, "How come you're up so early?" She asked. It was a well known fact that you never got Sirus out of bed before noon, for your own sake.
"Harry's coming today." Was his simple reply. Shock coursed through Hermione.
"Already, we're only two weeks Into the holiday?" she questioned, normally Harry had to endure much longer with those terrible excuses for people.
"Yeah, I reckon Dumbledore felt bad about last summer, so he's bringing harry today, should be here in a few hours." Sirius exclaimed happily.
Hermione smiled, happy that the others where happy, and that harry would soon be with them.
They ate In silence for a while, Hermione struggling to eat her cereal one handed, but managing well enough. When Ms Weasley left to wake the others for breakfast, she turned to Sirius. "What happened last night, after I left?" she questioned quickly. A grim sort of mirth entered Sirius' eyes, as he gazed into the distance, remembering.
"Well, after you went to bed, the twins and Bill brought young Ron back into the kitchen, he looked like he's shat himself," he said coarsely, chuckling darkly at the memory.
"I'm not sure what they said or did to him, but it left an impact, that's for sure. Then Molly came back." Hermione cringed, Mrs Weaseley could be terrifying when she wanted. "She went mental, yelled at him about control, and before you say anything," Sirius cut her off, saying she had been about to interrupt.
"It is his fault, partly at least, the rest of us are managing fine without attacking you." he pointed out bluntly, Hermione just nodded sadly, the thought had occurred to her too.
"But It was Charlie who made the biggest difference, I think." Sirius mused. Hermione's blood ran cold.
"Charlie?" she asked In a high pitched voice.
"Yeah." Sirius replied, "I've never seen the bloke so angry, you cold feel the Power coming off him." Sirius said, his voice now low. "I thought young Ron would faint, Charlie didn't even shout, he just went over to his brother, and whispered something into his ear, no idea what. It was even more terrifying, if you can believe it, than molly's shouting." He finished, shaking his head.
"He can be ruddy scary that dragon tamer of yours." Sirius said, causing hermione to blush scarlet, if she told herself the truth, she rather liked the thought of him being her dragon tamer. She was just opening her mouth to say that Charlie wasn't her anything, when Mrs Weasley entered the kitchen again, followed by a sleepy looking Ginny.
"How are you feeling Mi?" she asked through a yawn.
"Ok, sore, showering was a pain though, so was changing, and moving actually...", she broke off, noticing the concerned looks she was getting. "I have muggle pain tablets upstairs, i'll take some later." she assured them, secretly thinking that Voldemort himself couldn't make her climb those stairs again.
Ginny flopped into the vacant seat opposite Hermione, and began scarfing down her breakfast, only to pause comically with her fork half way to her mouth, staring at hermione.
"What, is there something on my face?" Hermone asked, running her hand over her mouth, nothing.
"Who's shirt is that mi?" She asked, a glint in her eye, that made her want to run for cover.
"I don't know...it was in our room, and I couldn't get anything else on." she said uncertainly.
"Hmmmm", was Ginny's only reply. Hermione looked at Sirius, who seemed just as confused as she was, he shrugged at her, as if saying to let it go.
Hermione quickly changed the subject, "Hey Gin, Harry will be here soon." she said, watching her friend closley.
"Really? That's soon." was her only reply, no blush, nervous giggling, nothing, had she finally gotten used to the 'boy who refused to die'? Hermione made a mental not to talk to her later.
Ginny went back to eating, just as the twins walked in, both bending to kiss Hermione on the cheek.
"How are you Mya?" Fred asked, sitting In the empty chair on Hermiones other side. "We're sorry about our prat of a Brother." finished George, as he fell into the seat next to Ginny, who was nodding in agreement.
"No problem, i'm sure he's gonna come of much worse than me, if the look on both your faces is anything to go by." Hermione snickerd, she loved that the twins where like brothers to her, it shocked many that the three of them where so close, being so different, but they had a mutual respect for each other, which, after the DA, had blossomed into an iron cased friendship.
"Anything for you Mya." They said together, smirking evilly, it was almost enough to make Hermione feel sorry for Ron, almost.
"And there was me thinking you would be a positive influence on these two, and they've only corrupted you." Came the voice of mrs Weasely, who was wearing a teasing expression. Hermione's head dropped in embarrassment and mock shame, everyone around the table laughed.
The twins turned to each other in mock outage. "Us?" began one, "Corrupt her?" Finished the other. "Never." they said together, eliciting more laughter from the table.
Over the next fifteen minutes the kitchen filled steadily, everyone who arrived asked Hermione how she was Feeling, to which she replied "fine".
Everything was going well, that is, until hermione was pulled into a hug, by an over excited Tonks, causing Hermione to gasp In pain, and fold herself protectively around her injured side. By this point, Mrs Weasly refused to accept Hermione's reassurances.
"Show me the bruise dear, we may be able to bandage it for support." she finally exclaimed.
Hermione closed her eyes briefly, then gave in, and used her good arm to lift the still buttoned shirt to expose her side, which was now completely purple, with tinges of yellow and black, the swelling having reached a nasty level, making her side look puffy and shapeless.
Many of the occupants in the kitchen winced sympathetically, whilst Fleur and Molly gasped. Ginny swore under her breath, anger evident on her face, as It was also on those of the twins. Charlie however seemed to have frozen, his hands curled into fists, knuckles white, he didn't calm until Bill placed a hand on his shoulder, and they exchanged loaded scowls.
"Ermione?" came Fleurs gentle voice, "I cannot make eet go away, but I can make eat eel faster. Eet will 'urt though." she finished, her face sympathetic.
Hermione chuckled, hurt? That would be novel.
Sighing, she nodded to fleur, who pointed her wand at her injured side and said something in French, she the jabbed the tip Into her flesh, causing Hermione to let lose a strangled cry of pain, and the rest of the room to cringe in empathy.
"Yebat!" She swore fluently in russian, a habbit she had learnt from an old uncle of hers, who had been a merchant navy seaman. She had learnt to swear in a language that those around her probably wouldn't know, that way she wouldn't offend.
"Yazyk , printsessa!" Charlie chided Hermione teasingly about her language, grinning delightedly down at her. She hadn't known he spoke russian, but it wasn't surprising when she thought about it, he did work on an international dragon reserve, in the old eastern block.
"Was that Russian?" Sirius asked, sounding equal parts dissbelieving and impressed.
"Ya znayu dostatochno, chtoby proyti, ne vladeyet khotya." She grunted to Sirius, who was struck dumb, staring at her, bemused.
(I know enough to get by, not quite fluent though.)
"Thanks fleur." She managed to gasp, tears streaming down her face, shooting a grim mile to the beautiful french woman. Since this whole veela business, Hermione had grown closer to fleur, and now considered her second best girlfriend, after Ginny.
"You will need to stay steel for za next few hours, but after zat, it should feel better, the bruis weel still be zere, but you wont feel eet, I sink."
"I can't move at all?" she asked desperately looking around the kitchen, would she have to stand here for the rest of the day?
"Don't worry about that, we'll help you Into the living room." said Bill, as he and Charlie both came forward, after a moment of silent comunication between the two, Charlie nodded, then swiftly lifted Hermione into his arms, cradling her against his broad chest, and trying to avoid touching her injured side.
Despite this, the change in poisson was enough to make her whimper, and bite viciously into her bottom lip, in an attempt to stop herself from crying.
"I've got you sweetness." he murmured into her hair, as he carried her into the living room, on the first floor.
As he climbed the stairs, he leaned down to whisper teasingly in her ear, "You look good in my clothes!" His rumbly tone, and flirtations words made Hermione laugh, and coupled with his large hand on her bare legg, she was sure that as she rested her forehead against the side of Charlie's neck, tucking herself under his chin, he could feel the heat of her blush where their skins touched.
They had made it to he landing before their destination when charlie abruptly stopped. There in front of them stood a purple faced Ron.
He glared at them, his gaze going from Hermione in Charlie's arms, to the way she had curled herself into him, and finally the shirt she was wearing. To him it mused have looked as if it were the only thing she was wearing. He smirked, his expression turning ugly, cruel, it made Hermione slightly weary of him.
Ron glared at his second oldest brother, then smirked, "Oh, I get it. Fine, if that's how It is, good to know where I stand." He spat, then pushed his was roughly passed the two of them, causing Charlie to almost stumble slightly and Hermione to shut her eyes tightly.
When he had passed, the two looked at each other, confusion clear on both their faces. Sighing, Charlie proceeded into the living room, he was just setting Hermione down, when they heard;
"What the hell is your problem?" yelled by Ginny from the hallway, they both froze, Charlie still holding her i his arms, his face inches from her own.
"She's my problem." Came the angry reply, followed by loud footfalls, and the noise of a door slamming.
It was what Hermione had feared would happen, she'd lost her friend, because of this veela rubbish, and with a feeling like ice water being tipped over her, she realised that Harry would side with Ron. Like he always did, and she would be alone.
Charlie set her gently on the sofa, and kneeled in front of her, whiping away the tears that she didn't realise had spilled from their eyes, onto her cheeks. His warm palm resting on her jaw, using his thum to stroak the soft skin of her cheek bone.
She just sat there for an immeasurable moment, gazing into Charlie's eyes, noticing that they had laugh lines framing them, and that his lashes where dark, despite his flaming hair.
Her musing where cut short by the arrival of Ginny, who seeing her friend Upset, carefully climbed onto the sofa next to her, and wrapped her in a gentle hug. That was It for Hermione, who's tears mow started to fall in earnest. She sobbed brokenly into her friends shoulder.
"I've lost them haven't I?" She managed to question through her shallow breaths, "They'll never speak to me again!"
Charlie and now Bill, who had followed his Sister Into the room both looked perplexed, not understanding what was happening. Ginny on the other hand Understood perfectly.
"No Mi, Rons a prat, you know this, he'll get over himself, and Harry will form his own opinions, you'll see." she Said kindly, although secretly questioning weather what she said was true.
Understanding seemed to hit both men at once, and they both scrambled to reassure the weeping girl, though they exchanged worried glances with their sister over her head. If it was one thing, however, that they all could agree on, it was that Hermione didn't deserve to be treated like thise by anyone, least of all someone who proclaimed to be her friend.
Fleur arrived shortly after Hermione's breakdown began, and sat with her and Ginny on the sofa, murmering reasurances while holding her close, rubbing her back carefully, mindefull for the bruises.
Bill took advantage of the brief time Charlie left Hermione's side. Catching his brother on the first floor landing, and pulling him into a dark alcove.
"Erm, Bill?" Charlie began teasingly, but Bill just punched him in the shoulder.
"So, nice shirt Mione's waring." Bill said pointedly. Charlie was suddenly very glad it was dark, not wanting to give his brother further amunition to tease him with, by openly blushing like a school girl.
"Yeah, I figured she'd need something lose..." He trailed off lamely, his hand rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly, and halfheartedly elbowing a snickering Bill in the stomach.
Once Bill had calmed down, he servayed his younger brother seriously. "She's perfect for you, you know. When she came back with that broken hand...and the kick boxing, a real spitfire." Bill shook his head, lost for words.
Charlie was grinning happily, "She is a bit of a handfull isn't she?" He asked, a goofy smile on his face. Bill didn't have it in him to mock the poor love sick sod.
"You'll never be board, Charlie-boy. That's for sure." Bill clapped his younger brother on the back, before vacating the alcove, wondering about the special young witch who had managed to tame his wildest brother, without even knowing it.