Don't Forget
A/N: Alas, Harry Potter is not mine but I would love to receive it as a bday gift. Haha. To You Know Who - I would try to minimize the tragic episode as I'm not really into dramatic fare. Happy reading!
Chapter 2 – The Missing Man
She could feel the air whooshing around, her hair flying about her face. Above, a couple of lightnings struck followed by the loud booming of thunderclaps signaling the descent of rain that has been threatening to come down all afternoon. It felt like hours but she was still falling, making her wonder how high she really was when she was knocked off her broom because touching the ground would certainly have taken only seconds.
She blinked fast as drops of moisture collected on her eyes. For sure it was the rain. Vaguely, she could hear someone saying "Go on mate. The loo's on the next corridor, first door on the right. Go on, she's fine. Healer says she's stable" to which a second voice reluctantly responded "O-okay".
She flailed around, looking for the source of the whispering voices but to no avail. There were only dark clouds and rain and colors swirling around.
"Ginny? Wake up, sweetheart. Mum's here," a familiar voice said while a gentle hand soothingly caressed her hair.
She blinked a few times, feeling how heavy her eyes were. After a few moments, she opened them and saw the face of her mum, hovering above her, looking a little worn out but smiling down at her. "Hey, Mum."
"Oh, thank heavens," she cried, bending down to kiss her forehead and trying valiantly not to cry and failing miserably. "I thought you weren't going to wake up."
"Mum, I'm fine. At least, I think so," she said, feeling sore all over.
"Right! You're fine. You fell about sixty feet, you stupid prat," Ron said to which he received a death glare and a stomping on the foot from Hermione.
She looked around and saw her father, six brothers, Fleur and Hermione all huddled around her bed.
"Thanks, Ron. That's really what I wanted to hear on my sickbed," Ginny said.
The guys laughed again. "Well, at least now you can brag to Harry how much more bones you broke on a Quidditch match while still managing to catch the snitch," Fred said.
"Harry?" Ginny asked.
"Yeah. He was probably the only bloke who saw you fall. I mean, Dormer just did an amazing save and everything was chaotic but you know Harry. He doesn't look at anyone else during your games," George explained.
"I wondered where he went because one minute he was at my right and the next he was gone and then I saw him at the field doing some incredible magic transfiguring the ground so it bounced when you landed. He checked your pulses, carried you and he was gone the next second," an anxious Hermione said.
"Lucky he had his Auror Emergency Apparition License with him or he wouldn't have been able to directly bring you to St. Mungo's immediately," Ron said. "We all had to go the normal way and it took us almost thirty minutes getting here. Good thing Harry sent his Patronus as we were on the way to tell us you've been healed ok and transferred to Recovery or we'd have been worried sick."
"Harry?" Ginny asked again, confused.
"Yes, dear," Mrs. Weasley replied. "He just went to the loo but he'll be back in a moment, don't worry."
Just then, the door opened, revealing a tall, dark-haired man. "Ginny? Is she awake?"
Her family suddenly parted, making way for the inquiring man who quickly ran to her bedside, enveloping her in a delicate embrace her reclining position can afford. "God, Ginny. I thought I lost you," he cried, burying his face in her hair. He continued on doing so for a minute before letting go and sitting by her bedside. "I'm glad you're okay."
She just stared at him, trying to figure out who he is. Surely, she knew him. Her family obviously did or they wouldn't have let him inside her room. She racked her brains some more, the insistent prodding giving her a slight headache. She winced.
"Gin, is there something wrong?" the man asked, moving closer to her.
She shook her head and closed her eyes, tears starting to fall on her cheeks. "I think so…because I can't remember who you are," she cried.