Chapter One: A New Beginning
Harry, Ron and Ginny sat outside a small room in St. Mungo’s hospital, hoping, waiting, praying that some kind of miracle would happen. Harry and Ginny were rather separated since the funeral, and with Hermione in the hospital…well this was going to be a long year. Ginny was desperate for something to break the ice. Finally, she decided to hazard a chance for interrupting the cold silence.
“I’m sure she’s fine…you two are just overreacting..."her voice trailed off, as if she didn’t believe her own words.
Ron looked pitiful. “Yeah, as if a dozen slashes across the back are perfectly normal for everyone,"he said wearily.
Harry couldn’t believe it…his best friend. How many injuries will I cause them? What if something worse happens? And people have actually died because of me? Sirius? Cedric? Dumbledore?
He snapped back to reality by the opening of a door. “You may come in if you like,"said a friendly nurse, “Although, I must warn you…she’s a bit…er…different."br />
“Different?" all three chimed in unison.
“What do you mean different?" Harry asked nervously.
The nurse just shrugged and walked into the next room. The trio entered Hermione’s hospital room cautiously, the suspense of what the nurse had said, dawning on them like the sunrise creeps up on a black sky. Hermione sat up a little, making little groaning noises in her effort. Ron rushed to her side. “Hermione?" he said in a short breath, covering his gasp.
“Ron," she said weakly “Ron…I’m so sorry..."
Ron shook his head and reached slowly for her hand. “Sorry?" he questioned, "Sorry for what?"br />
Hermione lay there, expecting someone to scold her for something terrible. Harry rubbed his hands over his face and decided to make his and Ginny’s presence known.
“Hem hem," he said in a perfect Umbridge imitation, “Hello Hermione, how’s life treating you?"
She laughed a little; “that Harry, always making me laugh." “Sorry…I’m just…so…tired," she stuttered, stifling a yawn.
“You should rest." Ginny interjected, “We can talk tomorrow." br />
As Ginny said these words Hermione drifted to sleep, Ron’s hand still clutching hers, “Yeah"
“Do you think she’s alright?" Ron asked as Hermione’s eyes fluttered open.
“What time is it?" she exclaimed.
The clock next to her read ten o’clock. She groaned, remembering how long she’d been here and how much her wounds would hurt in about 30 seconds. She still felt bad that she was more of a nuisance than a help last night, and couldn’t get over the fact that she had actually cowered in the face of danger. “How unlike myself." she thought drearily.
“Yes. I’m awake,"she groaned, the pain rushing towards her now.
It seemed to flow from her head down into the deep cuts on her back and her arm; then settled itself within her chest as if it weren’t going to be leaving for a while. She closed her eyes and re-ran the events of last night. “We were on the lawn…yes…and then the Death Eater drew his wand…that’s when…I turned my back…so that’s why I hurt," she thought slowly to herself.
Ron wrapped his arms around her, trying to be light on her back. Hermione forgot everything she had just been pondering. All she could feel was his arms around her and couldn’t even think of how much it hurt until her body involuntarily gave out a wince of pain. His grip released her and she heard him apologize somewhere in the distance. She tried to smile at him. "Was that a smile?" Harry and Ginny got up from their corner and said their good mornings.
Hermione finally stood up and told the nurse, “I think I would like to go home now, thanks."The nurse looked as shocked as her friends.
“Hermione, you cant just keep making decisions by yourself, even if you think they’re best for you,"advised Ginny. Harry and Ron shot Hermione agreeing looks and she finally gave in.
“I hate this stupid hospital room," she snapped, looking around at the small space in which they call a room, “I like being someplace that’s relatively at home, where I can be with you guys…which, by the way, is where I hope I’m going in half an hour."
Ron tried to scold her about this but he didn’t have the heart to, after all she’d been through since last night; he smiled at her. “What’s wrong with me?" he thought to himself “Why do I always want to smile when I’m around her. She’s always been fun to be around but this is just insane."
Before he even knew what he was saying he nagged, “They can’t keep her locked here forever, Harry?"
Harry didn’t even hear Ron. He was too busy staring at Ginny to even notice. How could he have ever even thought he could just throw away feelings, no matter how hard he wished he could? “When did she ever become so beautiful?? he asked himself, “admit it Harry, you’re still in love with her. You’re in love with this beautiful young girl that you’ve known since you were only a first year, at the train station." Harry’s mind wandered further and further from this world until he actually said something out loud.
“Ginny…why do you have to torture me like this?" he muttered. Ginny turned and faced him with eyes wide open.
“What?"she whispered so softly that she was surprised Harry heard it at all.
His face showed a sign of regret for everything he’d ever done to hurt her. He took a deep breath and turned away. “How can I answer questions like these?" he asked himself. Harry could see the hurt in her eyes and wished more than anything he could just hold her. But he couldn’t. It would ruin everything. The battle inside his head was growing louder and louder. “Why can’t you just tell her, she’s already helping with your mission? But that would ruin the biggest part…it’s too hard to let go when you’ve had someone longer. That’s not true. What about Mum and Dad? You can’t even really remember them and you’d give the world just to have them back.? Harry became so frustrated that he actually slammed his hand against the table. Ginny winced.
“Harry, would you mind walking downstairs with me?" she asked, voice still shocked from their last attempt at a conversation. Harry nodded and opened the door.
“Ron…I want to go home," sniffed Hermione, “I can’t take all of this," she said, now at the point of tears.
Ron thought desperately for something to say, and finally just spoke the truth.
“Hermione, things are only going to get better if we do it ourselves. Dumbledore is gone and the Order is falling apart. The only help we can expect is from each other. If we don’t do this..." his voice trailed off, but she knew the ending.
Ron wiped a tear from her cheek. “I don’t like when you cry," he muttered, only half aware of what he was saying.
Hermione looked into his eyes and wasn’t afraid anymore. What was it about this new Ron? He wasn’t new at all. He was just…noticed.