A short while later, Harry and Erica were chatting in Milly's office. Milly had gone into Hermione's room to both prepare her, and ensure that all the proper diagnostics were in place so that she could collect the information she needed to confirm her suspicions.
"Harry?" Erica asked carefully. "You know this might be a bit of an ordeal for you in your current state, yes?"
"It doesn't matter, Erica." Harry was resolute. Calm and collected somehow, though t.
he healer thought it might be a front he was putting up.
"It really does though, Harry. I'm concerned about you. You've been through so much today, and I worry you're not fully prepared for what this might look like from your end."
"Don't be concerned. I'll be fine." Harry was still calm and ready. And when Erica made to question him further, he continued, "Look, I'll be helping her. That's what is most important. And whatever negative reaction I may get is a result of her curse and condition and not what she actually feels for me. I know the reality of her feelings on the matter rather well. Milly seems to really know what she's doing, and I've decided to trust her. She comes highly recommended, by you no less, as one of if not the foremost in her field. She also seems to be quite confident based on what little interaction I've had with her."
"That's quite fair, Harry, and it's good to have a healthy bit of optimism. I'm honestly a bit surprised. After all you've been through in such a short time that you have it in you. You're quite the remarkable young man. Once you're out of here, do you know where you'll be staying? I believe the school will probably be closed for a while."
"I think I'll sort that out with Hermione once she's feeling better, and once I can get out of this bed. At least immediately, she can stay with me at my godfather's old place. He left it to me when he died… Actually, do you know how I might get a message to Minister Shacklebolt? I have a question I need to ask him."
"I'll ask around, but I believe he will come back here at some point today for an update regarding the two of you."
"Really? That's brilliant." Harry smiled genuinely. He felt guilty about ever doubting Shack, but he'd also been pretty knackered and stressed when last they'd spoken.
"Absolutely. I'll make sure he's aware you're looking to speak with him. Oh, it looks like Milly is ready for us. Are you ready?"
Harry closed his eyes and took a few deep, slow breaths. He knew this was going to be a task, but it needed to be done, and she was more than worth it.
"Harry, are you okay?" She asked, concerned when he didn't reply right away.
"Yes, I'm fine. Just taking a moment… I am ready now."
Erica hovered Harry back out into the hall and to the door that had been closed when they passed it looking for Milly recently. There were a few more people wandering the halls of the hospital now that it wasn't so early. It seems the 6 o'clock hour is when shifts and staffing numbers change from night levels back to daytime levels.
Milly came out of Hermione's door before they had a chance to enter.
"Hey Harry, did Erica give you an idea what to expect?" Milly asked, looking far more serious than she had earlier.
"Yeah, she said Hermione may recognize me but not really know who I am to her. Is that about right?"
"Unfortunately, yes. I suspect the curse may have caused certain powerful emotions to flip around a bit and be nearly the opposite of what they would normally be. The nature of the spell as I understand it was largely improvised in a moment of rage, correct?"
Harry nodded.
"Right, so I suspect he targeted her with his efforts to destroy her magical ability as a sort of revenge upon her, while he may have intended the mental and emotional interference to hurt both of you, assuming he knew you were close."
"And you still think you can fix it?" Harry asked slowly. He was regretting once more that additional harm had come to her through her closeness with him.
"Harry, if I'm right, I already have an actionable plan to remedy it." Milly said with a genuine smile. "I've seen similar magic before. Truly nasty stuff, but reversible if you know what you're doing… And I very much do."
"Well, your confidence makes me feel a bit better about this. I'm ready when you are."
"There's one more difficult thing I may need you to do in there."
"And what is that?"
"In the last day, you've learned of things that were very hard for you to hear. I'm certain that some of them, if not all of them, will affect her strongly as well. I don't ask this lightly, but when prompted, if you could share an update with her, one you think would prompt a predictable response from her, that would improve my diagnostic."
Harry thought about that for a minute, before coming up with the hardest news he'd heard of the battle. He really didn't relish having to be the one to tell her, but the whole point of this exercise seemed to be to trigger a powerful emotional response in her. He could certainly get that done, though it would hurt him to do it.
"Okay, I've got something for that. Let's get this over with."
She nodded and backed through the door, and Erica floated him into the room.
Hermione lay on her bed wearing hospital robes just like his. The head of her bed was elevated, and she looked to be resting. Subtle evidence of minor cuts, bumps, and bruises were littered over her face and forearms.
It was evident that she had received proper attention, possibly even taking a shower, but her hair remained disheveled and untamed. One thing he'd learned living with her over the last year was how much effort it took to get her hair tamed down to the level of simply "bushy" when its default was certainly leaning more "wild and unruly".
He could see a diagnostic bubble floating over her head. It was like the one Healer Tolliver had used on Harry previously, but it was clearly a different style. Regardless, Harry couldn't read or really make sense of anything on it, aside from one section that had to be monitoring her heartbeat.
"Hermione." He breathed. His heart was pounding in his chest. He felt like he was whole again, regardless of the hole in his side. Her simple existence, that he could see her there with his own two eyes, see her chest rise and fall as breath entered and escaped her lungs, see her heartbeat in the spell Milly had cast… She was alive. They'd made it through somehow, by some miracle. He knew it wasn't the end of their struggles, but by Merlin, this felt like a win. In more ways than one, they were out of the woods. Though perhaps not entirely.
At the sound of his voice, she stirred from her rest. Once more, for the first time in the 24 hours they'd been apart, the 24 hours that felt as though they were 24 years since he'd had to turn his back to her and walk into the forest, he saw the beautiful mahogany brown eyes he'd memorized over the years.
His breath hitched in his chest. He'd thought for certain he'd never see the beautiful sight of her again. Now she was right there in front of him.
But something was wrong.
As she regained her consciousness and recognized him, he reached out to take her hand.
She jerked it away from him violently, as though the last thing in the world she wanted was any sort of physical contact with him.
He remembered to keep breathing. It was just the effect of the spell. This was to be expected. It wasn't real. Well, it was real, but it wasn't really her. It didn't matter. It did matter, but it wouldn't for long. Milly would set her right and they could be together in whatever capacity she desired. He was already hers, though they hadn't dared talk about it in that supply room the day before.
"Harry, what in Merlin's name are you doing here?" She asked. Her voice was tight. She sounded as though she'd just discovered a bug crushed in the pages of one of her favorite books.
Her voice was a definite blow to him, the strain bordering on disgust certainly pained him. Gone were the undertones of caring and compassion he'd become accustomed to… But her voice wasn't the worst part.
Her eyes, to put it simply, were cold. Not a trace of caring, of meaning, of hope, or of love. The eyes where formerly he'd found warmth and the strength to press on, now only held emptiness and contempt bordering on malice.
She didn't simply look like she wanted him to leave; she looked like she wanted to maim him first. The look in her eyes alone was getting a fine start on that.
Harry wiped a tear from his eye and looked back at Erica and Milly. Milly's attention was consumed by Hermione and the diagnostic running over her, while Erica was watching Harry intently, with a look that carried care and worry. He didn't know what more he could or should do. If this alone wasn't a result, he wasn't sure what would be. But they didn't know her face like he did.
At his pause, Milly turned her head and gave him a serious look and a slow nod.
"Hermione, I've got some news to share with you, and I'm sorry."
The cold, malicious look in her eye retreated and faded into neutrality and indifference. Not quite appropriate, but not hurtful either.
"As if you haven't already taken enough from me. Most of my teenage years, now my magic… As if you haven't already had your fill of failure… Go on then, tell me of your latest cock up and bugger off." Her voice was icy cold. It was like she was speaking his worst fears into existence.
This wasn't Hermione. It may as well be a boggart.
Harry sniffled and tried to push through the assault she'd sent his way.
"Hermione, Dora Tonks… She left Teddy with Andromeda and came to fight at the school when word got out about the battle. She, she didn't make it. They found her on the grounds after the battle was over." He wiped fresh tears from his eyes once he'd made it through his duty.
Milly nodded promptly, seemingly to herself, then motioned to Erica, and Harry felt himself move backwards toward the door.
Hermione was smiling widely. In context, it was a haunting, horrifying sight, and as he was pulled out of her room and around the corner, he heard her break out into a hearty laugh. It wasn't her laugh, though. A chill shot down his spine. There was an unhinged quality to it. It lacked any warmth, and was something that would have sounded more appropriate coming out of Bellatrix Lestrange's mouth, not Hermione's.
Erica brought Harry back into Milly's office and gently took his hand.
"Harry, I know that was hard to do, but you did wonderfully. I'm sure it might not have seemed like you were doing much, but Milly got some very significant results from her scans. You did great, and that helped Milly, and by extension, Hermione, quite a lot." Erica was speaking in a soft and encouraging tone. Debriefing him and also assuring him his efforts hadn't been for nothing.
"Merlin, did you see that look on her face? Hear what she said? She was bloody right, too. I've taken so much from her, I c-can't."
"Harry, stop it. That wasn't Hermione. Not really. That was the face and voice of a Hermione who needed your help, and you gave it. You did perfectly and now we just need to wait a bit for Milly to analyze the data she gathered."
"Okay…" Harry exhaled deeply. "Alright… I'll try to not let that image burn any further into my brain. I helped her, and deep down, that wasn't her."
"Exactly."
"How long does Milly need?"
"Let's get you back to your room and resting. I'll get you a bit more calming draught and perhaps you can snooze for a while. I don't think it will be terribly long, perhaps an hour or two."
—X—X—X—
"I have some good news, and I have some… perhaps less than ideal news."
Milly was addressing Harry and Erica from the foot of his bed a solid 6 hours after he'd been separated from Hermione early in the morning. More than a bit longer than the 1-2 hours he'd been told to expect.
Initially, Harry had tried to sleep after his encounter with Hermione in her current condition, but it was not a successful endeavor. Talking with Erica had helped calm him to some degree, but the chilling fear that even after winning all the battles he'd been through, he may yet lose Hermione was not letting him anywhere near actual rest.
'Less than ideal' that doesn't mean 'bad' right? He was trying to keep his act together until he knew for certain what was happening. He'd already been driven half spare just because of how long it took to hear from Milly again.
"Give me the good news first. I need some of that. Even if it's tempered by what comes next." Harry said just before he took a breath to steel himself, daring for a moment to hope everything would be okay.
"Alright Harry, the good news is that I was correct. Well, mostly correct." Milly gave a small smile, but maintained a serious edge to her. "The readings I took during your talk with her earlier were quite telling, but I've triple checked them myself and also consulted with some of my colleagues back home to verify that I'm not missing anything. I'm sorry it took me so long, but it's basically the middle of the night back there and it took me a bit to reach some people. I didn't suspect I was wrong about anything, but I always like to have extra eyes on my work before I take any action. Working in this area, it's not a bad habit to be in."
"Okay, that all sounds very good. You said earlier you could fix it if it's what you were thinking it was, right?"
Harry's breath caught in his chest as Milly's face changed to a look of regret.
"That's the less than ideal part of the news, Harry. Yes. I can restore her, but without some things that simply don't exist to my knowledge, I can't guarantee more than about 80% recovery."
"Wha- what does 80% even look like for something like this? What does that mean?" Harry did not at all like what he was hearing.
"Well, if it was just the matter of scrambling things around as I'd initially suspected, it would be a rather straightforward fix for me. And that is most of what's going on with her. It's not surprising in hindsight, but the spell was particularly malicious as compared to other cases I've worked on. Not only did it sort of 'shuffle' her emotional responses around, it also basically… Well, for lack of a better term 'reset' aspects of her mind that are impossible for me to set right without a tangible baseline to reference."
"Does that mean that she won't…" Harry interjected before he realized he didn't know what the rest of that question even should be.
"It means, I can sort out her emotions with little issue, but the other damage done… Core aspects of her mind, behaviors, tendencies, ideals, that are formed, learned, and fortified throughout a person's development, are simply gone."
"You… You'd said something about a tangible baseline."
"Yes, but in this case, I don't think that will be an option for us… Typically, I'd go to her parents for that sort of thing. As you well know, that's not a valid option in this case."
"But… What form would a baseline take? I don't understand what you would need even if we had her parents."
"Memory, Harry. It's a complicated process, but the right sort of memory would do the job. I've actually developed a potion that would sort out the emotion side of things in the past, and today I performed the arithmancy to adjust for addition of memory to effectively rebuild what's been lost, but there's no source for me to use. Those calculations are most of what took me so long today."
Harry was feeling distraught again until he had a hopeful thought. It wasn't likely, but long shots were all he seemed to have today.
"For the last seven years, I've seen and known more about her than her parents, by a factor of about five, if I'm not mistaken. Ten months out of twelve, we live together at school, plus this entire last year. Could I provide what you need?"
"It's an interesting thought Harry, and it might work, but there are other issues with that. Namely, the damage to your magic and the potions you're on and will continue to require until you're healed. I'm certain they would negatively affect the recovery process. Your condition would affect the samples, which could have consequences for Hermione."
"Where are her things? What if you had something that might work? Would you be able to verify it's what you need before you use it?" Harry almost smiled at the surprised look on both Milly's and Erica's faces. They'd not been expecting any hopefulness from him at this news.
"I'm not sure what that might be, but yes, I could look and see if it will suit us." Milly looked intrigued but not optimistic, more curious than anything else. "I have her personal effects in the other room."
"Bring me her handbag."
—X—X—X—
It had taken Harry a little while to find what he was looking for. It was a lucky thing too, because he didn't know for sure it was going to be in the bag. Eventually, though, sorting through sundry items in the magically expanded bag that flooded him with memories of chilly nights and near solitude, he found what he was looking for.
He produced the small glass vial he'd conjured early in the morning on the day of the battle. It was still sealed. She hadn't had the opportunity to look at what he'd given her yet.
Milly and Erica had been watching him intently. They'd thought the bag was empty. Apparently, Hermione secured the bag so that only she and Harry could access the enchanted portion, likely just after Bellatrix had discovered the sword at Malfoy Manor.
"What… is that, Harry?" Erica asked him after he held the vial for a moment, looking contemplative.
"It's the last thing I gave her before I died… I didn't mention it when I told my story before because it was quite personal and I didn't think it was relevant. I think it may be incredibly relevant now, though."
Milly seemed to recognize what he had in the vial. "That was extracted before you had been injured, correct?"
"Yeah, right before I left the castle. Right after we leveled with each other."
She looked hesitant. "Harry, if that memory is simply a declaration of love or something, I'm afraid it's not quite what I need."
A hot tear escaped his eye, and he shook his head. "It's not that… Well, it's not just that."
"Harry, I understand it's quite personal, but I'm likely going to need to view that to ensure Hermione will be safe and the restoration will work as we intend. Can you tell me what I can expect to find in there?"
Harry reclined against his seat back and just stared at the vial in his hand. He'd poured his heart and soul into it, as he'd thought at the time that he was very nearly done with both. He could imagine nobody better to give them to than Hermione. All he'd wanted at the core of both at that moment was for Hermione to go on and live a full life without him. To not forget herself. To find happiness in the new world he was giving his life and destroying Tom Riddle to create. That thought made him feel warm, even as he'd been staring death in the face.
He knew her well, and he knew she would obviously struggle with his loss in a big way, likely seeing it, however inaccurately, as a failure on her own part. Her failure to save him. She'd taken on a role as his protector somehow throughout the years. Whether it was advice on devil's snare in the depths below the castle first year, learning a summoning charm to beat a dragon fourth year, or any countless other example of it. Gender roles be damned. They were each other's knight in shining armor, with both her shield and her sword being her incredible mind.
Her incredible mind that had been near sundered when Harry had failed to block that spell.
Shaking his head once more to rid himself of that last thought, smiling fondly at the memory of their closeness in that moment, and the feeling of actually being loved for the first time he could remember… He went on to explain.
"I told you before, I'd told her at the very end how I felt about her, and we kissed. We were both sort of wrecked about all of it, if I'm being honest. She told me she'd loved me longer than I'd admitted, and I'd said third year. But then, I had to leave to go die so that Voldemort could be killed. Knowing that, I had struggled briefly with the idea that talking to her and telling her what I did would be a cruelty. In the end, though… I just didn't want to have any regrets as I went to the forest.
"It was just before we left the private spot we'd been talking in. It was the last 5 minutes I thought I'd ever have with her." He wiped a few tears from his face at the thought. "All I wanted in that moment was to do whatever I could to make sure she might have a happy and bright future, and live a good life. I didn't want her to be hung up too badly on me.
"I know her well enough to know that regardless of the circumstances, she'd feel guilty and likely more than partly to blame for my dying. She'd think she should have solved or figured it out earlier and given us time to find another solution, or some other such nonsense. The facts didn't matter because the reality is she'd designated herself my protector, and I wasn't to be protected anymore.
"I wanted to leave her something to help her with that. A reminder that she's a good person, a wonderful friend, and companion, someone who cares deeply and tries her considerable best in everything she does. I thought she might need a touchstone to help keep her centered… To help her not lose sight of herself. And I hoped that seeing herself though my eyes might help her with that in my absence.
"This vial contains basically any thought I could muster in that moment. You could say it's everything that made me fall for her over the years, but don't get it mixed up with what you might think of a 17-year-old boy." Harry grinned at the two healers listening to him. "She's obviously beautiful, but that's not at all what captured my attention about her."
The two witches listening to this recounting, and the empathy, caring, and love that were crystal clear in his story, were somewhat taken aback. Neither of them had expected it. They were both familiar with his background and upbringing, Erica a bit more than Milly, so it did not surprise them he was quite mature for his age.
It wasn't surprising, given the troubles he'd been through from a young age, that he had been forced to 'grow up' early and skip a few stages of 'just being a kid'. What was surprising, though, was empathy and emotional intelligence he'd displayed. To have that level of understanding, even with the lot he'd been given in life, was truly remarkable. They shared a reasonable suspicion that it was in a large part because of the influence of the witch for whom he'd gathered those memories.
Milly reached out to take the vial from him. "Well then, I'll take a look and get started on the potions. Don't worry though, I've got some methods… They don't take terribly long to brew."
Erica chimed in, "Let's get you back to your room to rest for a while. You didn't get a ton of sleep last night. I think a bit of a nap would suit you well."
—X—X—X—
The scent of damp earth commingled with crisp night air. He was cool, but not cold, and goosebumps covered his arms and neck.
Opening his eyes, he was looking up at the dawning sky through bare branches, until a green flash sent him back into pure, perfect blackness.
The gaping hole in his side wasn't hurting anymore. Nothing was.
"SIRIUS! HERMIONE! HELP!" Harry tried to yell, but he didn't know if anyone was there to hear him.
White light flooded his vision, and he saw concerned faces over him.
He was suddenly back in his hospital bed.
"Harry, Harry, it's okay… You're safe. You're in the hospital." Erica's voice was calm and soothing.
"I… I don't want to die. I need to… Need… What?" Harry was slowly realizing where he was, and the panic was leaving him slowly.
"You had a nightmare, Harry. You're okay. Just try to relax." Erica's calm demeanor seemed to almost reach out and envelop him.
Harry exhaled slowly. "How long was I out for?"
"Only about an hour, Harry. I wish you'd have gotten more rest, but perhaps we still need to keep going with the dreamless draught for a while."
Harry nodded and tried to sit up a bit. He'd twisted himself up a bit in his covers.
Erica handed him a glass of cool water. "You have a few visitors waiting. One I know you want to see and the other I suspect you'll be happy to see as well. Do you need a few minutes?"
"Not really. You can go get them and I'll be good by the time they're here." Harry was still settling back into himself after his repeat vision of limbo. It was unsettling.
A couple minutes later, Erica returned with Kingsley Shacklebolt in tow, and-
"Ron!" Harry beamed as his brother in all but blood entered the room.
"Harry! Bloody hell, mate, am I happy to see you! How are you doing?" Ron rushed past Shack and made his way to Harry's bedside, bending down carefully to give Harry half a hug.
"Hard to say, really… I've not been out of this bed since I've gotten here. They're still trying to figure out how to get me sorted out. Apparently, someone as powerful as Riddle wielding the elder wand can do some pretty unique things."
Ron's face darkened a bit at that. "Hell, I'm just glad you're breathing and able to talk to me at this point. Had us all terrified for most of the last couple days, you know?" Ron was smiling widely, but Harry noticed something.
"What happened to your hand, Ron? You good?" Harry asked, as concern and guilt at how long it had taken him to end the battle stirred within him.
"This?" He waved a heavily bandaged left hand at Harry. "Yeah, took a bit of a curse while you were fighting Voldemort. It's mending alright though. Healers say it should be fine again in a few days or maybe a week… or two."
"Well, I'm glad it's nothing too long lasting." Harry smiled genuinely and gestured for Ron to take a seat beside his bed. "Shack! How are you doing? I don't want to keep you from anything at the ministry."
"I appreciate it Harry, I am indeed a busy man." Shack's deep voice was resonant as ever. "I came in to hear how you're doing today and was told you'd wanted to speak with me. Is everything alright? Are we still having any issues like the ones you mentioned last night?"
"Oh no, not at all." Harry shook his head. "I wanted to thank you, actually. I assume you had to pull more than a few strings to get Milly here as quickly as you did. It, it means a lot to me. So again, sincerely, thank you Shack." Harry extended a hand to shake.
"It was my pleasure, Harry." Shack smiled warmly and clasped his hand. "I understand the two of you, three of you even," he glanced at Ron before continuing. "went through a lot over this last year. It's the least I can do to ensure she gets the best care available, and you're a good man for fighting for her and speaking up. I know there are many who would have hesitated to lash out the way you did, not that I fault you for it in the least."
"Well, one last time, thank you, and I feel I owe you one."
"Nonsense, Harry. You owe me nothing. Our ledger is still far out of balance and it's not in my favor." He said with a grin that extended to his eyes. "Was that all you wanted to speak to me about, or was there something else?" He broke the long handshake between the two of them.
"One other matter of business for right now, and likely another one for another time, actually."
"Name it."
"The goblins. Gringott's." Harry said seriously. He knew that they'd made a right mess of the bank when they'd broken in to steal Hufflepuff's cup from the Bellatrix's vault. "I know we did some damage there, and I'm wondering what the path looks like to me gaining access to my family's vault."
"Ahh, yes. That is indeed a bit of a sticky wicket." Shack's smile never left his face, though, as he continued. "But, when they learned last night the nature of what was taken and the motives behind the infractions conducted there, it went a long way toward smoothing things over. I'm also arranging a large transfer of funds to help them with rebuilding costs. The goblin nation is not quite pleased with us as a whole right now, but relations are improving."
"Brilliant. Perhaps I could offer them a formal apology. They were collateral damage in our fight… Do you think that I have access to my vault and such?"
"I do indeed. Is there something you're looking to spend some coin on?"
"I'd love to hire a crew of whoever would be best to clean up Grimmauld Place. I think I'd like to stay there once I'm out of here. Is that something you or someone at the ministry could get set up for me? I do believe I hold the deed to the property, ever since—"
"Of course. That should be quite trivial, actually."
"Excellent. Thank you again. And uh, please make sure they're given a directive to clean but not remove anything from the library."
"Very well. If that's all, I bid you a good day and will leave you to catch up with young mister Weasley here."
"Thanks. Stay safe, Shack."
The minister bowed his head slightly and turned, exiting the room.
Harry sat back a bit and let out a deep breath while Ron sat comfortably in a chair at the bedside.
—X—X—X—
A few quiet moments later, Harry spoke up. "How is your family doing, Ron? One of a few things I remember from the end of the fight was seeing you and Ginny and your dad looking at least a little roughed up. Is everyone okay?"
"They're well enough. Not expecting any lasting damage. During a duel with a death eater, Ginny got thrown and broke her arm pretty bad," Ron said, sounding a little hollow. "Mum patched her up a bit at the castle, but when we got here, they got her properly healed. She'll be weak and sore for a few days, but she'll be fine.
"Yaxley hit dad with some sort of fire curse. Singed all the hair on his head clear off and hurt his mouth, throat, and lungs pretty good." Ron paused at a gasp from Harry, "He's also expected to make a good recovery. He still hasn't been awake yet. They're keeping him sleeping until some potions have time to work on him a bit."
"Bloody hell, Ron, I'm sorry." Harry said, looking to be on the verge of tears.
"Sorry?" Ron asked earnestly. "Sorry for what, mate? You didn't curse him, you were in a duel with bloody Voldemort of all people!"
"Believe me, Ron, I remember. I just can't help but to think if I'd done better, if I'd known more, if I'd been smarter or faster… If I knew what I was doing… Maybe things would have worked out better than they did."
Ron winced like someone had slapped him hard across the face at Harry's subtle but notable emphasis on a phrase Ron had used in anger just before Ron had stormed out of the tent, leaving Harry and Hermione to fend for themselves.
"I just can't help but feel like all of this… this death around us is and always has been my fault." Harry continued as tears prickled in his eyes.
"Harry, please."
"You were right, you know? I didn't have a damned clue."
"Harry stop. I need to say my peace on that. It's been killing me, and I never took the opportunity before." Shame bordering on grief showed plainly on Ron's face at that statement. Harry could see he clearly had some things to get off his chest.
"Fine, but before you do, I'm sure you remember what I told you yesterday. What I told you before I left the castle." Harry looked his friend in the eyes steadily. "I meant it then, and I still do."
"I think we both know I'm not likely to forget that, Harry." Ron said seriously. "That's part of why I need to say what I need to say."
Harry nodded for him to continue.
"I… was a right knob to you and to Hermione last winter. I should have never done what I did, deserting you two like that, and I've regretted it every day since." Ron let out a ragged breath, looking more guilty and ashamed than Harry had ever seen him. "I'm not gonna sit here and lay it all on the horcrux, either. We've both worn it, we both know how it affected us. It amplified things, yeah? Negative things in particular, but we both know it put nothing in us that wasn't already there.
"That's the part that kills me the most. That there was a hint of anything in me that wanted to leave you two on your own."
"Ron, I know. I'm not gonna lie and say it didn't hurt the both of us quite a lot, but you came back. It was only a couple of weeks." If he was being honest, Harry still wasn't exactly pleased with Ron, but he didn't want to see Ron beating himself up like this. Sure, amends were needed, but not like this.
"Yeah, a few weeks was long enough for you to almost get yourself bloody killed by that ruddy snake, long enough for you two to find the sword without me, long enough for you and Hermione to destroy a horcrux, and long enough for…" Ron trailed off.
"Go on, Ron. I know what you want to say."
"Long enough for her to realize you two are meant for each other."
Of all the things Ron could have said in that moment, an entire world of options, really… Harry would have never imagined those would be the next words to leave Ron's mouth.
"Okay, perhaps I didn't know what you wanted to say…" Harry wasn't entirely sure what was happening here. He'd been counting on the fact they'd need to have a conversation at some point, but didn't imagine it going quite this way.
"I mean it, mate. I do. When I got back, I didn't know what to expect. Then I see you two getting on better than her and I ever had at any point we'd been at Hogwarts; even though you were half starved, terrified, and living in that ruddy tent." Ron's face morphed into a contemplative smile. "It took me a while, mind you, but I realized the only thing her and I ever really had in common was being Gryffindors, and you."
"Ron, I…"
"Look, Harry. It's okay. I'm right. I know it, you know it, she knows it." Ron reached over to give Harry a light punch on the shoulder. "I just want my two best friends to be happy."
"Well, thank you Ron. I'm happy to hear that."
"But if you pull any of the stupid bollocks I did, we'll have words about it."
"You know what? That's fair." Harry grinned, knowing full well Ron didn't mean 'words'.
"Alright then, Harry. Glad we got that sorted. I've got something for you."
"What's that?"
Ron reached into his robes and produced a particularly long wand.
"Is that…"
"Yeah. The Elder Wand. You beat him, after all. I reckon it's yours."
Harry took the stick of rough hewn elder into his hand and felt a familiar sensation. It was like the sensation he had years ago the first time he visited Olivander's. The wand was indeed his.
"I… Think you're right, Ron. Thank you."
"What do you plan to do with it?"
"I don't know yet. I'm sure I'll come up with something."
The two fell into a comfortable silence for a while before Ron smacked his hands atop his knees and stood up.
"I'd best be going. Mum is half spare with worry with dad laid up, and me and Ginny injured. Oh, I'm not sure if anyone told you, but Fred nearly died as well."
"He bloody what?!"
"He's fine. Hermione did some crazy things, and he's just fine."
"Hermione did? Merlin, I'll need to hear more about that at some point. Please give my best to your family. All of them."
"Will do, mate."
Ron walked out, leaving Harry alone for the first time he could remember since he had woken up in the hospital yesterday.
—X—X—X—
A while later, starting in on the early evening hours, Harry still hadn't rested. His thoughts were across and down the hall from him. Plus, he wasn't sure he could sleep without nightmares of his death again consuming him, so he tried his best to keep his mind going. It wasn't going well, as there wasn't much to keep him occupied in his room.
Earlier, Tolliver brought another draught of a pain relief potion and news that he was almost settled on the path forward to get him healed up, but honestly, he prioritized seeing Hermione back to herself over his own proper healing.
Erica had been in too. For the first time, there was evidence that she had any other patients at all to attend to. She'd been by his side consistently yesterday and through the night. It seemed, though, that he was still among her top priorities.
She'd come in a few minutes ago with a tray of dinner. Beef pot roast, gravy, mashed potatoes, and roasted pearl onions glazed with a reduction of balsamic vinegar, along with warm buttered bread and a goblet of cold pumpkin juice. Harry hadn't really had much of an appetite, but with some encouragement, he got his plate mostly cleared. It was quite delicious. Once he'd started eating, he realized how hungry he really was, but if he was honest, but he still couldn't get his mind off of Hermione and whether the process would succeed for her.
While Harry finished eating, Erica was seated at his bedside when a patronous interrupted their small talk. It was a dog about the size of a Labrador and it was mostly white, with a few large spots scattered across its body and dark ears. It turned in a circle excitedly wagging its tail, and Milly's voice could be heard from it. "You two should try to make it over here in the next few minutes. I don't think it will be long before we see results."
Harry smiled widely, feeling happy for the first time in… Well, a while, and looked at Erica.
She was smiling too, and gathered his tray, sitting it off on a table before standing beside his bed.
"What do you say to a really quick freshen up before we head over there, yeah?" Erica asked.
Harry cupped his hand in front of his mouth and exhaled. Erica's ideas were often good ones.
"That'd be brilliant. Thanks." Harry said with a smile. Getting killed and spending nearly two days in a hospital bed did nothing for his personal hygiene.
Erica tapped her wand on his forehead and again just under his bottom lip, and the effects were immediate. His skin felt clean and dry. He shuddered briefly as a cool chill spread from his forehead, enveloping his whole body. It wasn't a perfect substitute for a nice shower, but it would do in a pinch. He noticed, checking his breath once more, that not only was it not foul anymore, but it had a subtle scent of peppermint to it.
"Excellent, thank you."
"No problem." she smiled and nodded, before she started moving them out of the room toward where they'd find Hermione.
When they knocked on her door, Milly opened it almost immediately, beaming.
"Everything is looking great so far, Harry. I think we're en route to a rousing success today." Milly offered, as she gestured for them to enter.
Hermione was laying much like she had been earlier, but appeared to be in a deeper sleep than she'd been before. Notably, Harry saw a delicate plastic tube connecting a plastic bag of some gold-colored liquid to what appeared to be a needle in the back of Hermione's hand.
"Is that an IV?" Harry asked, shocked.
"It is indeed. I know you're not used to seeing those around here." Milly offered.
"No, but I was raised by muggles. I've seen them before. Just didn't expect it."
"That's okay Harry. She's perfectly safe, I assure you." Milly smiled and checked the tubing connected to Hermione's hand idly. "This technique is something I've developed myself. A bit of a blend of magic and nomaj… sorry, muggle methods. By skipping the 'ingestion' phase of potion administration, instead delivering it directly to the bloodstream, its potency and effectiveness are improved dramatically. It also speeds up the process considerably."
"Brilliant." Harry said, a little in awe. He figured all of this if might fascinate Hermione it wasn't happening to her. "How long do you reckon until she wakes?"
"Just a few more minutes, I think. If you'd like, I can monitor her from the other room and you can welcome her back yourself. I think it might be less jarring for her that way than to have a bunch of unfamiliar faces hovering around."
"If you're sure that's safe, I'd love to, Milly. Thanks."
"Of course, Harry. Just touch that rune on her bed when you need us to pop in." She said, gesturing to a small rune etched into the side of the railing that attached to the sides of the bed.
Milly and Erica left the room, and it was again just Harry and Hermione, laying in their respective beds, pushed right next to each other.
Harry could comfortably reach over and hold her hand, so he did. It didn't flinch this time.
He laid back in his bed and allowed himself to relax and to be hopeful. Milly had seemed very optimistic a few moments ago, and now it was just a waiting game.
He allowed himself to think, and for the first time, appreciate what had been accomplished in the last year.
Certainly, it had been hell, but without Hermione it would have been nothing at all, because he'd have certainly died months, or more likely years, ago.
She'd been his guide, his protector, his strategist, and he'd largely been along for the ride. He chuckled to himself at the thought that she'd never see it that way. 'Books and cleverness' he could already hear her say, just as she had all those years ago.
Beyond the rest, she'd often been his conscience, his heart, and recently his reason to go on, and his drive to return from the abyss.
The solitary thing he knew which Hermione didn't was just how massive a factor she'd been in his life and every single one of his victories, small and large.
He smiled to himself, tracing small circles over her knuckles with his thumb as he did, and thought of just how many ways he might attempt to show her how important she was to him going forward. He had much catching up to do in that regard.
That one, unlike many of the others, was a challenge he'd relish in.
He felt a small squeeze on his hand and felt his heart flutter in his chest.
He opened his eyes and turned his head to his right to look at Hermione, hoping this might be the moment he'd been waiting for.
It was.
As her eyes opened groggily, she squeezed his hand again.
He held his breath for a moment, and she turned her head to look at him, sleep still heavy in her eyes.
The very instant she focused on him, he knew this was everything he'd been wishing for. He knew it was all worth it. She was starting to smile. He'd do it all again for that alone, if that's what it took.
"Harry." She breathed.
He felt like color was coming back to his vision, not realizing the world had been a lusterless and dull grey since she'd been taken from him.
A sleepy, contented smile took over her face as she continued, "You came back to me."
—X—X—X—
Some place, somewhere behind me
I walked right through the truth
Truth is that you're the one thing
That always pulls me through
This troubled life I choose
You are the one that I need
You know that I can still bleed
Bring me back to life
Bring me back to life
You bring me down from my cloud
You keep my feet on the ground
Bring me back to life
Bring me back to life
Track: Cut Me, Mick
Album: Paper Walls
Artist: Yellowcard
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