Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters (I do own Sebastian Corax)
A/N: Hermione's thoughts will be in bold
I Want to Know You
Chapter 7
Tuesday
Throughout the course of the evening Ginny had worked her way onto the foot of Hermione's bed. As the morning sun beamed into her eyes, she woke up and stretched out her sore muscles. She looked down at her long time friend and was pleased to see her still sleeping. Ginny checked Hermione's vitals and she was still stable, the sleeping potion Ginny had given her was still working through her system. Ginny was awake for a good portion of the night thinking of what and how to tell Hermione, she knew she had too but was still worried that she'd be angry with her despite the encouragement from her friends. There was so much to think about
Meanwhile at the Ministry Harry received an owl from Draco requesting that he meet him for lunch at the café around the corner. Harry walked in and Draco waved him over to his table
"Hey Potter" Draco gestured for Harry to sit
"What's on your mind Malfoy?" Harry said in a friendly tone. The use of their surnames has changed over the years from a venomous jab to a friendly rapport between the two of them.
"I need a favor" Draco stated sipping his tea
Harry smiled "What can I do for the great Draco Malfoy?"
Draco leaned in close "The dagger…the one weasel used…I need to see it" Draco said in an almost hush tone
"Its evidence, that won't be easy….can I ask why?"
"If it's what I think it is…I could remove the scars from Hermione's back"
"What? How? What do you think it is?" Harry asked excitedly
Draco leaned back as the waiter brought Harry tea and a sandwich, "Ages ago when the wizards first existed they were few but all of them were purebloods, each pureblood family created an enchanted dagger. This enchantment would allow the family to mark their property so no other pureblood family could acquire it. This dagger could mark anything it touched; wood, stone, metal even flesh."
"Flesh?" Harry looked at him confused
"Some families were in the habit of marking their houselves" Draco continued "it's quite possible weasel didn't know what he was using and thought it just to be a family heirloom"
"How can you tell if this is the right type of dagger?" Harry asked
"There is a spell and the family crest is on the hilt."
"If this is the dagger you think it is…how can it help Hermione?"
"Any pureblood, from another family, with another dagger could trace the original mark and erase it….but it's a painful process. I've seen it done when houselves were given to a son or daughter as a wedding gift. The new owners would mark them with their own symbol"
Harry thought this over before speaking
"But if the original mark can be removed….couldn't you claim the property as your own?"
"Good question Potter and there in lies the rub; let me use the current situation as an example. Once Hermione is marked by weasel I can take the Malfoy dagger and remove the mark…however I cannot mark Hermione myself with the Malfoy dagger, but another pureblood dagger…say Lovegood or Longbottom could mark Hermione. The Lovegood or Longbottom dagger could also be used to remove the scars"
Harry nodded his head in understanding
"So what you're saying is if this is the right dagger, then you…."
"I'd be willing to use the Malfoy dagger or perhaps Luna or Neville, if they still have theirs, to remove the scars from her if she wants them removed. I'm sure it won't be difficult to find a pureblood to help her."
"Well Malfoy I'm sure Hermione wouldn't want anyone else but you, I'm surprised to say it but she really does hold you in a different light, as do we all, but…"
"But I tormented her more then anyone, and I'm as shocked as you are. Hermione has always impressed me; she was someone I could not aspire to be until my father was gone. I think the person I am now is who I was supposed to be."
"I say better late then never, how's Hermione's illness setting back her position at Malfoy Industries?"
"Oh it'll be there when she recovers, I had her office moved closer to mine…I didn't want her going back to the other one…it's a file room now."
"You are one of a kind Malfoy"
"And to be honest …if Mione wasn't so head over heels for Ginny…I would have asked her out ages ago…she's challenging and loyal, all the other women only wanted the money and the name such as it is now. Hermione never wanted anything from me."
"Well its how she is, and your name will survive, you've done so much good already"
"Thanks Potter" Draco checks his watch "well I have a meeting, let me know if you can arrange for me to see the dagger."
"Will do; come for supper some night this week…" Harry offered his hand
"Let me check my schedule and get back to you" they shake and both apparate back to their offices
Later that day at St. Mungo's Hermione hadn't woken up yet so Ginny had Sebastian bring her a change of clothes and she showered at the hospital. When she was finished, with her hair still damp, she made her way back to Hermione's room to see Sebastian standing over her bed with a solemn expression on his face. He looked up when she entered the room
"You just missed Charlie and the twins, they left flowers…I don't think they explode, Bill and Percy sent cards and your mom and dad are coming up in a little while." He looks back down at Hermione "she looks so still, have you decided what you're going to do?"
Hermione's mind was slowly bringing events into focus. Everything seemed to be moving in a slow motion fog. She remembered Ron and Draco and she felt pain. She tried to speak, open her eyes or move but her mind wouldn't let her go that far yet, so when the voices in her room at the foot of her bed began to talk and she recognized them as Sebastian and Ginny she decided to listen and try to understand what had happened. Sebastian just asked Ginny if she decided something.
"Well I can't leave things like this, I have to tell her and risk the friendship. She has a right to know and if she's mad that I've deceived her then it's my own fault for doing it" Ginny sighed.
'What risk? Ginny would never deceive me. Would she?'
"Well luv I tink tat's best. Unless yuir gonna jess let 'Poe' drop outta site an I tink tat'll hurt her even more"
'Poe? Is Ginny Poe?'
"I know, I need more time to sort this out" Ginny stuttered
"Ye dinnae 'ave the time Gin, tis it, she be wakin' soon"
"What do you want me to do?" Ginny demands in a loud whisper
"Jess tell her you love her, that you've always loved her, tell her you want to be wit her…and you wrote the letters." Sebastian urged
"And if I get my heart ripped out?"
"Ye still have me…but 'Mione's smart…she'll always be yuir friend, yuir makin' a big deal out of nuthin, suck it up and deal?"
"Not funny, I'm scared…I've never been so scared"
"Scared? Ye fought and killed death eaters, you've done some crazy shit even experienced wizards wouldn't do, you've been personally Crucioed by Voldemort himself and your mind has been violated by Tom Riddle when you were a wee lass, and telling Hermione you love her has got you runnin for the hills? Yuir daft"
'Ginny is Poe, Oh my god how did not see it. Wait am I hallucinating? I don't know, I could be dreaming, there's no way to tell. Damn it why can't I wake up?'
"You're right, everyone's right…but everyone doesn't know how difficult it is and how guilty I feel. It's my fault she's laying there. Ron went after the bird I sent, he was in a rage because of the letters I wrote. " Ginny begins to cry as Sebastian pulls her into a hug
"We will never know what you're feeling and everyone is sympathetic…no one blames you for this"
"She might…"
"Ye dinnae make Ron do this. Let's go out and wait for Molly an Arthur"
A few hours later after Molly and Arthur left, molly in tears at the cruelty of her own child, Ginny finished her rounds and as she was making her way back to Hermione's room she heard screaming. Ginny ran down the hall and burst through Hermione's door to find Hermione thrashing around in her bed. In a flash Ginny was at her side bracing the older girl to prevent her from falling to the floor.
"RON, NO!" Hermione screamed again as Ginny yelled at her
"MIONE, WAKE UP!" the words were barely out of her mouth when Hermione sat straight up in bed and scrambled towards the headboard pulling her kneeing up to her chest shaking and breathing as if she'd run a marathon. Ginny approached her slowly and spoke softly and calmly.
"Mione, it's Ginny, you were having a dream…Ron is not here. Breathe slowly and deeply."
Hermione looked around her room, she saw a table full of flowers and cards and she turned her eyes and focused on Ginny. Her breathing slowed down and her body loosened only slightly. Ginny moved to the side of the bed close to the headboard and put her hand out slowly to Hermione. When Hermione's eyes fell on Ginny they quickly assessed the situation and her breathing became erratic again as she reached for Ginny's outstretched hand. Once the connection was made Hermione leaped towards Ginny and buried her face in Ginny's chest. Ginny climbed on the bed behind her and gently began to rock her as she stroked her hair. Soon after Hermione's breathing fell into synch with Ginny's and she was visibly calmer. Once Ginny was sure Hermione was calm she slid out from behind her and propped up the pillows for Hermione to lean back on. Once she was settled Hermione searched out for Ginny's hand again. Ginny sat on the edge of the bed holding her hands as the older witch tried to speak.
"Take it slow Mione." Ginny urged quietly
"Where's Ron?" Hermione whispered so softly as if he name would conjure him to the spot
"He's in Azkaban"
"I'm safe here?" It was a question and a statement
"Yes you're in St Mungo's, in a secure private room, you've been here since yesterday morning."
"I hurt, am I ok?"
Ginny released her hands and used her wand to check Hermione's condition
"You'll be sore for a while; you've been through a lot." Ginny said
"What happened? Everything is a bit foggy."
"Mione I'll tell you everything and you can tell me what you remember but I do need to call Harry and Draco first."
"Um..Why?" Hermione was trying to understand
"Well Harry as an Auror needs to make a report, and Draco…well Draco…found you. I wouldn't ask you to do this but I don't want you to have to tell this over and over…but it's really up to you…I won't do anything unless you say."
"Will you stay here with me?"
"If that's what you want"
Hermione thought for a moment and nodded her head. Ginny made her way to the fireplace and called for harry and Draco.
"I'm going to meet them in the reception hall, this room is protected I'll be right back" Ginny assured her and Hermione looked nervously around but nodded again in approval
Out at the reception area Ginny found Harry and Draco.
"She's awake?" Harry said excitedly
"Yes she is but sit down for a minute, we need to talk"
Draco and Harry looked nervously at each other as they joined Ginny on the sofa as she told them what had just transpired in Hermione's room
"It's good that you called us I don't want her to have to explain this again" said Draco
"yeah she sounds bad enough already, lets go then, I don't want her to feel anymore alone then she has been" said harry rising from his seat
"Just approach her slowly and calmly, and don't try to touch her unless she lets you" Ginny instructed and the two men nodded
When the door to Hermione's room opened she jumped a little but as soon as she saw Ginny a calm feeling overcame her and she knew she was safe. Ginny went straight to her bedside as Draco and harry walked in slower. Hermione reached for Ginny's hand again and Ginny held it tight
"Mione, Harry and Draco are here to see you"
Harry joined Ginny slowly on her side of the bed while Draco flanked the opposite side, both moving very casually. Hermione's eyes shifted rapidly to the movement as she gripped Ginny's hand tighter.
"It's ok Mione, you're safe. No one is gonna hurt you I swear." Ginny's soothing words caused Hermione to loosen her grip again
"Hermione, its ok, Draco and I just want to see how you are and get a statement if you're up for that. Do you remember what happened?"
Hermione looked into the cool green eyes of her best friend and nodded
"Harry, I don't recall everything…I mean some things are so….ghastly…they don't seem real"
"It's ok luv, tell us what you remember and we can help you fill in the rest" assured Draco
"Well I remember walking into my office and it was a mess…all those pictures." Hermione goes red knowing everyone in the room saw them; she shifts uncomfortably in her bed
"Don't feel embarrassed…things happened so fast none of us really saw them, and after the scene was documented I had them taken down" assured Draco
"Thank you Draco….."
"What happened after you entered the room?" Harry asked
"I was pushed from behind and I fell into the desk, I think I hit my head" Hermione moves her hand to her head and feels that she did indeed hit her head. "And there was stuff all over my hands…..oh Strix" Hermione's eyes welled with tears as Ginny hugged her confirming another memory. This was going to be a long day Ginny thought to herself.
When Hermione finished her recollection with some of the blanks filled in cautiously by Draco she was emotionally drained. She had cried quite a bit when some of the more graphic acts were confirmed. Ginny also explained the extent of her injuries. Hermione took some comfort in the fact that she was still alive and had no lasting damage, at least physically. With the myriad of emotions she was feeling this was the one thing she was clear on.
"Well I'm grateful that there was no permanent damage, things could have been much worse, right Gin?" Hermione asked
"Oh yes, much worse…If Draco hadn't gotten there when he did who knows how far that bastard would have gone." Ginny's pent up anger and guilt were surfacing.
Hermione turns to Draco and raises herself to him with her arms out; Draco leans in to receive her hug as she wells up again and begins to sob.
"Oh Draco, thanks you so much, I can't tell you how grateful I am…you saved my life" she pulled away and looked at him
"It's ok luv, I did what anyone would have done….I protected my most valuable asset." The Malfoy smirk made Hermione smile as well and Draco thought to himself 'it's too bad she loves Ginny'
"We're gonna go now Mione, I'm gonna file my report and get the wheels moving so you can start to recover." Harry said
"I don't want him to get the Kiss Harry" Hermione grabbed his sleeve
"I do" Ginny spat unable to hold it in
"Gin…: Hermione started but was cut off
"I'm sorry Mione, but her deserves it…he used an unforgivable on you…if this was anyone but Ron you'd agree with me."
"I think he needs help, right now I don't ever want to see him again but he doesn't deserve to die." Hermione was almost pleading
"Mione we have Sebastian working on that right now" Draco interjected
"We will do our best, I'll share your sympathies with the Ministry" said Harry
"Thank you…all of you"
The two men grasped her hand and left the room. Hermione turned her attention back to Ginny
"Umm...Ginny?" Hermione called to her
"Yeah?"
"Are you leaving too?"
"I was gonna go home and shower, now that you're awake"
"Oh." Hermione looked down at her lap. Ginny didn't have to be psychic to know what Hermione wasn't saying, but stubborn as she was she wanted to hear it
"Oh, What?" Ginny asked with a hint of concern
"It's nothing, its silly" Hermione looked up at her and Ginny crawled onto the bed facing her
"It's not nothing…talk to me" Ginny probed
With Ginny so close to her Hermione's all too familiar feelings of safeness and warmth came flooding in along with the confusing thoughts that Ginny was Poe. Hermione decided not to ask her just yet because she wasn't even sure of what she heard.
"It's really nothing…I was just going to ask you to stay with me tonight" the last few words were barley audible
"Even though I haven't showered?" Ginny's answer was casual but inside she was feeling the bats flying around in her stomach. It was only made worse when she saw the smile on Hermione's face
"Yes even though you haven't showered" Hermione answered with a smile
"Yes, of course I'll stay, that's not silly at all"
"Thank you, I always sleep better when you're next to me."
"Well don't spread that around." Ginny took off her healer robes and kicked her shoes to the floor as she crawled into bed behind Hermione, wrapping her arms securely around her friend. "Then I'll have to sleep with all my patients."
Hermione laughed and Ginny smiled, she toyed with the idea of telling Hermione she was Poe but made up her mind to tell her after she was released.