Work Text:
A Moment in Time
By: SnarkyGranger1
Hermione slowly woke up feeling pain in her abdomen and something warm holding her hand. She turned her head slowly and couldn’t see anything at first. The young witch realized that Harry was under his invisibility cloak because her hand was missing visually, but she could wiggle her fingers. Hermione slowly removed her hand from his grip and softly removed the top of the cloak to see his face. She needed to see him to make sure he was physically there.
“Oh, Harry,” Hermione whispered as she carefully combed her fingers through his wild hair. She noticed he was still in his grubby clothes from when they went to the Ministry. She carefully studied his face, and it didn’t appear peaceful as it had in the past. “I wonder what happened after I went down.”
Hermione glanced around the room to see who was in there with them. Ron was snoring in the corner with some bandages on his face, and the others weren’t in the room, which caused her breath to hitch in fear for them. “Please, no!”
Hermione’s statement startled Harry from his fitful slumber, “Hermione?” He sat up and wiped his eyes before adjusting his glasses. He saw fear and panic in her eyes, “What’s wrong, Hermione?”
“Please tell me the others are alright?” Hermione grabbed his hand. “Harry, I need to know what happened to the others with us.”
“Shh, Hermione, calm down,” Harry wiped her tears away that she didn’t even realize she was crying. “Everyone is fine, including me, physically.”
“Physically?” Hermione’s breath caught. “What did happen to the others?” Hermione waved her hand, “I can see Ron. Just tell me about Ginny, Neville and Luna!”
“Ginny broke her ankle, and Madam Pomprey reset it and sent her away. Surprisingly, Neville only broke his nose but did well during the battle, which should boost his confidence. For Luna,” Harry smiled, “as a non-Gryffindor, she fought valiantly and protected all of you while Neville and I battled the Death Eaters until the Order showed up.”
“She protected me?” Hermione’s widened at the news.
“Yes, she had you, Ginny and Ron under her protection, and I think she had to put Ron asleep to prevent him from wandering off on her.” Harry grimly smiled.
“I will have to be more patient with her, Harry and thank her later for watching over me,” Hermione sighed as Harry dipped in agreement. She studied his face briefly and realized he had been crying. “Spit it out, Harry.”
Harry looked at her surprised, ”I don’t know what you are talking about, Hermione.”
“Don’t bloody lie to me, Harry! You know that I don’t like secrets.” Hermione crossed her arms in annoyance. “What happened after the Order showed up?”
“Hermione, no.” Harry shook his head.
“Harry James Potter, I will find out, but I would rather hear it from you,” Hermione captured his hand. “Please,” her eyes pleaded with him.
Harry groaned when he realized she would nag until she found out the truth. “The Order came barging into this room with the veil,” Hermione nodded. “There were skirmishes between the two groups, and Neville and I were playing keep away with the orb from Lucius, but it finally slipped from Neville’s hand and smashed on the steps, but no one heard it because it was so noisy in there.”
“Did you ever find out what it was, Harry?” Hermione’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Yes, but much later in the Headmaster’s office,” Harry spat out the last two words. Hermione squeezed his hand in comfort. “But we did lose someone in the battle.” Harry looked up, and his eyes started to tear up again.
“Oh, Harry,” Hermione rubbed his arm in support. “It’s alright to cry.” Harry’s head dropped on the edge of her bed, muffling his response, “I’m sorry, but I couldn’t hear that.”
“It was Sirius, Hermione!” Harry growled at her when his head popped up. “I watched him battle his cousin, and she caught him off guard, and he fell through the Veil.” Hermione started to cry with him, “If Lupin weren’t there, I would have tried to follow him. He held on to me with his werewolf strength.
Hermione grunted as she threw her arms around him. “Harry, I’m so sorry for your loss, but,” she pulled back to whack his shoulder., “don’t ever scare me like that again.”
Harry realized he had some friends who genuinely cared about him, “I’m sorry, Hermione, I was reacting to the moment.” He rubbed her arms, slowly pushing her back into her bed. “You need to rest and get well for me. Can you do that?” Harry smiled wanly at her. “I will tell you about the prophecy at a different time because it can wait for now.”
“Are you sure you want to wait?” Hermoine leaned back into the hospital bed. “I’m awake now, and you need to stop holding stuff in.”
“I solemnly promise to tell you about the prophecy later, Hermione,” Harry stared into her brown eyes. “I just wanted to ensure you are alright because you didn’t wake up immediately.”
“I could use a pain potion and something for my back. I must have crashed hard into something,” Hermione’s face looked pained. “I shouldn’t have hugged you hard.”
“I am going to hide under the cloak while you call Madam Pomfrey,” Harry got up, slipped the hood back over his head, and shuffled towards the wall. “Okay, call her.”
Hermione shook her head at him and yelled, “Madam Pomfrey!”
The mediwitch burst through her office door, grateful to see Hermione awake. “I am pleased that you are slowly recovering.” She waved her wand over Hermione and tutted, “You made a sudden movement, and I will have to reclose your wound on your abdomen.” Madam Pomfrey waved her wand.
“Oh,” Hermione gasped as the stitching closed up again.
“Can I ask who cast the spell?” the elder witch asked.
Hermione breathed deeply, “It was Antonin Dolohov, ma’am.”
Madam Pomfrey muttered to herself, “Kids fighting adults and shouldn’t be,” She shook her head as she glared at Hermione, “You are one lucky witch because most die from one of his spells.”
“Oh, my, I panicked slightly and cast a silent spell. Would that make a difference?” Hermione tilted her head as she cried for herself to be alive.
“Mister Potter, I know you are in this room, so you might as well come out,” Madam Pomfrey’s stern tone made Harry come out underneath his cloak.
“How did you know?” Harry’s wide eyes stared at the mediwitch.
“There isn’t much that goes on this hospital wing that I am not aware of, Mister Potter,” her eyes softened, plus I do recall your vigilance for her during your second year….”
Harry blushed at her comment about watching over the stoned Hermione. “I was worried.”
“We all were, young Potter,” she waved her hand, “now have a seat while I give her some nasty potions to help her recuperate.”
“Yes, Ma’am,” Harry retook his seat and blushed under Hermone’s surprised look as he took her soft hand into his. “Please, can we discuss this later?”
“Honestly, yes, we can,” She brought up his hand and kissed the back of it before she listened to the mediwitch tell her what each potion and lotion did to help her heal as she took them. “How long do I have to do this for?”
“Hopefully, until you go on the train to go home,” Poppy replied, “I might have to give you some more lotion for the scarring, but it should fade a bit if you follow my directions.”
“Yes, Madam Pomfrey,” Hermione looked down meekly.
“I’ll make sure she doesn’t get too wrapped in a book,” Harry replied cheekily, earning him a slap on the shoulder.
“Honestly, Harry!” Hermione shook her head as the healer chuckled at their banter.
“You two remind me of your parents, Harry,” the media witch had a fond smile, “especially in their final year.”
“What!” Harry sat up. “Really?” He looked up at Pomfrey. “but..”
“Come now, Mister Potter, the Potters always went for the intelligent women in their classes.” Madam Pomfrey put all the empties onto the tray and carried it into her office. “You have ten minutes before I banish you to your dormitory, young man.”
Harry and Hermione stared into each other’s eyes, pondering what the other was thinking. Hermione pulled him up onto her bed as she hurried over. “Lay with me until I fall asleep, please.”
Harry relented as he slid down and carefully wrapped his arms around her waist, cradling her in his arms. “Gleep, Hermione, we will talk again soon.” He kissed her on top of her head as she drifted asleep. He listened to the soothing rhythm of her heartbeat and fell asleep holding her.
Madam Pomfrey smiled at the sight and carefully widened the bed to make them more comfortable. She laid a blanket over them. “Sleep well, my children.” She goes to her office to floo Minerva to let her know that Harry is fine at the moment, along with Hermione.