Spinach-soup for the Soul

Hermione woke in a very visible hospital wing.

Or at least in a partly visible hospital wing. When blinking repeatedly didn't clear away the obstruction, she remembered the eye patch. Then she noticed the visitor sitting on her left. The window behind him was open. A breeze stirred the curtains and the air smelt of morning – tart, very fresh.

"Hullo, Harry," Hermione said and discovered that she could smile. "Did it always feel like that to wake up here? Sort of unreal?"

"Very," he replied, relief deepening his voice. "Severus is in the dungeons, torturing Second Years, then Fifth Years, then First Years, I think. But if you need him, I'll go get him."

Hermione shook her head. Belatedly, she realised that Harry couldn't see the gesture. "No, no, it's okay. I'm okay."

"You're not. You know it, and I know it," Harry disagreed. "And Severus does, too." Then he bent forwards and extended his hand. She met him halfway, entwining the fingers of her left hand with his. "You should have told him about that incident. And you shouldn't have gone to Ollivander's alone."

Hermione knew he was right. Still she bridled at being patronised.

"You're the one to talk," she complained. "Never have gone haring off on hare-brained adventures all alone, have you? Never have kept something important from the ones most dear to you, hmm?"

Harry squeezed her hand before leaning back in his chair again. "I guess I deserved that."

"You most certainly did," Hermione murmured. "But I don't hold it against you."

Unwilling to talk about the proverbial elephant in the room that appeared to be sitting on her bed (or should that be 'hippogriff' in the wizarding world?), Hermione decided to steer the conversation away from her and her problems. "Since you just mentioned talking … have you finally talked things over with Ginny?"

A shadow passed over Harry's face and he shook his head. "Yes, I have." He took a deep breath. "Ginny and I have agreed to take a break."

"What?" Hermione gasped. "You've separated? Oh, Harry, no!"

Harry winced. "Not exactly separated, no. Just – taking a break. She's off to Europe for the championships for the next three months anyway. She's taking Jamie, by the way. They have this truly wonderful nanny for the kids of players, you know? With a certificate from the Mary-Poppins-Academy, no less. And I'll spend a good deal of the summer here at Hogwarts, helping with the warding of the castle. So we wouldn't be seeing each other much regardless. It's … an opportunity to umm… gain a new perspective. Calm down. When she gets back in September, we'll see where we stand and uh, take things from there."

"Oh, Harry …"

"Come on, Hermione, it's not as bad as all that. Cheer up! Ginny and I will work things out when she's back. We always do. And just think how great the summer will be. Hogwarts with no Dark Lords, no rogue Necromancers, no Umbridge … Ron is going to come over, too, by the way. So he can look after Alina a bit. I hear that Lois is planning to take the twins off to visit some aunts and uncles of hers. Living life on the Muggle side for a while. You see, it will be just like old times! You, me, Ron."

Hermione sat up straight in her bed. "Harry Potter," she said sternly. "You forget that I've known you since we were a snot-nosed, eleven-year-old brat." She drew a deep breath. "I know what you are doing, Harry. You've done it before. You're trying to keep them safe." She paused and studied her friend's face. Her stomach twisted.

"How scared are you, Harry?"

Harry closed his blind, black eyes.

"Very," he whispered.

oooOooo

When Hermione woke the next morning, the bed was still warm on her left and a spicy scent floated in the air. Vetyver, nutmeg, cypress, rosemary, bergamot …

She'd know that scent anywhere.

Hermione couldn't help smiling. Silly man. When she'd grown tired after dinner the previous evening, she'd sent Severus off to the dungeons and their large, comfortable bed. And somehow he'd given her the impression that he would only wait until she'd fallen asleep, and then go down to their quarters – maybe even catch some miscreants on the way. Only now that she thought about it, she realised that he'd never actually said what he would do, not in so many words.

Now she knew why. He'd never intended to go. Such a silly, sweet Slytherin …

Absently she stroked her bandaged hand. Her palm itched a little. A good sign, that. Madam Pomfrey had changed the dressings last night, and should be in to renew it right after breakfast. Her hand was healing well, better than Healer Mugwort had predicted.

Tonight the Hogwarts matron would inspect her eye and with a little bit of luck she'd back in the dungeons tomorrow. And then what?

She fingered the string that held the eye patch in place. She wasn't sure. She didn't know what she wanted anymore. Sometimes, she didn't even know herself anymore.

oooOooo

"I've brought you soup," Luna announced in the afternoon, unexpectedly meandering through the hospital wing around teatime. "I have it on good authority that Muggles swear by that as a remedy."

A few minutes later, Hermione peered at a bowl sitting on her bedside table. The violently green concoction bubbled ominously. "Whatever is that?"

"Spinach soup, actually," Luna replied with a lofty smile. "It's one of the few things I remember from my mother's cooking." She plucked a needle out of her chignon and transfigured it into a second spoon. "We'll share it, all right? Rolf's been running me ragged. Quite considerate of you to blow yourself up just now, you know – I really needed a break."

Hermione shook her head. At least she was already in the hospital wing, should there be more to the soup than just spinach. She picked up her spoon.

oooOooo

A/N: So, what do you think?