Reign O'er Me

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Chapter 24 - Music Must Change

Sometimes at night, I wake up and my body's like ice
The sound of the running wild stallion, the noise of the mice,
And I wondered if then I could hear into all of your dreams.
I realize now it was really the sound of your screams.

- Music Must Change, The Who

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Chris stood over Harry, brandishing his wand and watching impotently as the helicopter sped off. As it disappeared from sight, flying low just over the tops of the trees across the meadow, she turned toward those now approaching. Ginny had touched down between Chris and Jamie and had rushed to drop to her knees beside Harry. Ron helped Jamie up and steadied her as they walked toward Chris - then he spotted Hermione's sprawled form. Ron made a sound somewhere between a choke and a cry and rushed toward her; Chris stepped towards Jamie and placed a hand on her arm.

The leading vehicles had reached them and had stopped about twenty feet away. Others were circling to surround them; a group on foot was double-timing towards them, weapons and wands ready. Chris carefully pocketed the wand and watched as the first arrivals cautiously emerged from their vehicles. She spotted what appeared to be an officer and shouted, "We have casualties; we need healers! Who's in charge here?" as she held out her identification.

The officer approached; the insignia on his uniform was that of a full colonel. He said, "I am." He scanned her credentials and asked, "Just what the hell is going on here?"

"First, we need healers; these are wizards; second, get something up after that damned helo. There are more of our people at the Wyndham; all hell has broken loose over there, but we need to get word to back to them or there'll be an even bigger mess. We need all the security you can muster and the highest-ranking bozo you can find from the Department of Magic here, stat. You just witnessed a diplomatic incident, and these people have visibility all the way to the White House."

The officer looked at her for a moment, nodded, turned, and began issuing orders. Chris turned back toward Harry; he seemed to be regaining consciousness. Ginny held his hand with one of hers, and with the other brushed his hair back from his forehead as she softly pleaded with him to be all right. Harry did not seem to be in any immediate crisis; turning toward Hermione, she saw Ron kneeling beside her, one hand pressed against her throat. She whispered to Jamie, who nodded, and then moved toward Hermione and asked, "Ron?"

He looked up with a tear-streaked face. "She's out cold. There's a pulse... but it doesn't feel right..."

As she walked towards him, Chris spotted the wand she had loaned Hermione lying on the ground; after picking it up, she pulled Ron back from Hermione as two uniformed women wearing medic armbands and carrying canvas bags joined them. They knelt on either side of Hermione; one of them touched her neck as Ron had done for a few moments and then pulled a stethoscope from her bag and listened. "She's arrhythmic; pulse is weak and irregular..."

The other had also pulled equipment and a wand from her bag; she attached something to one of Hermione's arms and announced a short time later, "BP is 75 over 40."

The first medic had taken a small light and, opening Hermione's eyes with her fingers, flashed it in each eye several times. "One pupil is enlarged, both only marginally responsive to light. We may have a subdural hematoma here. Yeah, and a concussion too; she took a hard lick on this side of the old noggin."

"What does that mean?" Ron asked Chris, keeping his voice low.

"It means her heartbeat is irregular, her blood pressure is low, and she hit her head pretty hard..."

The medic with the wand was using it to cast several spells in rapid succession.

"Is... is she going to be all right?"

Chris hesitated before replying, "They got to her quickly. That's important in something like this..."

"You mean ..."

The medic with the wand had overheard their exchange. She looked up at Ron for a moment and said, "I've not lost anyone on my watch yet, and I don't intend to start here. She's hurt pretty bad, but she's stable for the moment; we've got to get her to a place where she can be taken care of." She glanced at Chris, then back at Ron. "You her brother or friend or something like that?"

Ron nodded.

"Okay, listen. Drop down here, and hold her hand, and talk to her. Even though she probably won't respond, she can hear you. Just talk to her - about ordinary things, good things, things you're looking forward to. We're going to get a stretcher and get her ready to travel. Don't try to move her; just hold her hand and talk. She's going to be fine; tell her that."

Ron knelt, then sat down on the ground beside Hermione. One of the medics had already returned to her vehicle; the other watched Ron for a moment and then joined her partner. Chris listened to Ron. His voice was carefully controlled as he talked to Hermione, telling her help was at hand and assuring her that she was going to be okay. Chris then turned back toward Harry.

Both Ginny and Jamie were on the ground beside him; he was sitting up and shaking his head as if trying to clear out the cobwebs; another medic knelt beside Harry, checking his legs. One of Harry's arms was bloody, but that must have already been dealt with; she could see no sign of bleeding. The medic did something with a wand and asked, "How's that?"

Harry moved his leg and ankle and nodded. The three surrounding Harry all stood up, then Ginny and the medic helped him to his feet. Harry tentatively placed his weight on the leg and said, "It's okay."

The medic then asked, "Which of you two were knocked off the broom?" looking between Ginny and Jamie.

"I was," Jamie replied, and the medic began to check her over.

The colonel had spent the last few minutes talking on a cell phone; he finally pocketed it and talked for a moment with a man carrying the discarded weapon that had been used to fire at them. Shaking his head, he walked back to where Chris was standing. "There are some helos at Georgia Tech that are spinning up, and a pair of Tomcats are being scrambled from Dobbins that'll be looking for your helo. The Department of Magic is attempting to get word to the rest of your party; they already have some people on site, but it's Charlie Foxtrot over there right now. That kid," nodding toward Harry, "he's the one that all the security flashes have been about, isn't he? And you're the ones who wrecked a couple of blocks downtown a couple of nights ago?"

"Yes he is, and we were in that mixup too, I'm afraid," Chris replied. "Colonel, I'm feeling kind of exposed here."

"There'll be a couple of helos overhead within in a minute or two, and we've set up a tight perimeter just outside the vehicles. My orders are to keep you here until a decision is made on what to do with you."

Chris nodded. "There was a gaggle of Aurors at the Wyndham, too. For all the good that did."

"My people are good; they're not DOM hacks and paper-pushers. Hey, you realize what that kid did, don't you? He shielded all of you from an RPG-7. By the scorch marks, his shield covered about twenty-five feet. A lot of wizards can't even shield themselves against small arms fire; I'd have said that was impossible if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes."

"Yeah, I thought our ticket was about to be punched."

As one of the medics approached, the Colonel excused himself, spoke briefly with her, and then placed another call on his cell phone. Harry and the two girls had moved beside Ron and Hermione; he and Ron were talking, but as soon as the Colonel stepped away, Harry walked rapidly to Chris and asked, "What do you know about Hermione? Ron said you understood what the healers were talking about."

"She's hurt pretty bad," Chris replied. "When she fell, she must have hit her head pretty hard; there may be some internal bleeding."

"You mean internal bleeding... inside her head?"

Chris nodded. "It's serious, but the important thing is that it gets attended to before too much pressure can build up."

"Or she could... die?" Harry asked, pale.

Chris hesitated again. "Or worse."

"What could be...? Oh, God, No! Not that! Not Hermione! Not..."

"Look, that's worst-case. She's getting help in plenty of time, and odds are she'll be okay."

"Then what are we doing just sitting here?"

"We should know something in a few minutes. This was attack was planned; we can't afford to give them another shot."

Harry nodded, then asked, "What was that they hit us with?"

"It was an RPG - a rocket propelled grenade. That reminds me - thanks - I owe you a big one, boss. Hold on, maybe we can find out something," she said as the Colonel approached again, cell phone in hand.

The officer glanced at Harry; Chris gave a slight nod and he began, "There's going to be a H-60 here in a few minutes, and you're going to be evac'd to someplace safe..."

"Where?"

"They're not telling me that, but I can tell you this little party has stirred up a hornet's nest. But there will be healers standing by, ready to treat the injured girl. Look, I need you to talk to your people back at the Wyndham..."

Chris took the phone. "This is Chris."

Perenelle was on the other end of the connection. "Tell me."

"We're in a park two or three miles from you. Hermione is injured; everyone else is at least on their feet. They are about to send us someplace that can take care of Hermione that's supposed to be safe. There's a special forces unit here with us that includes wizards."

"No immediate danger?"

"Doesn't seem to be."

"Hermione?"

"Serious, it's a head injury, but she's had first aid and is stable. There?"

"Some minor injuries. The Aurors here sought to prevent us from searching for you when it became clear you were no longer in the suite, and it has been difficult to restrain tempers on both sides while your status was unknown."

Chris could see an approaching helicopter. "I think our ride is here."

"I believe we are awaiting transportation to the same destination. We shall exchange details there."

"Agreed." Chris terminated the connection and returned the phone to the colonel. Hermione had been placed on a stretcher and was being secured; Ron still held her hand; Ginny and Jamie had remained with him. Watching the helicopter approach, Chris commented, "Looks a lot like a Huey."

"That's what it replaced. Odds are this isn't like any Huey you've seen before; this one is a VIP transport. All the showcase gear is here for the games in a couple of weeks."

"What happens if our friends are nearby with something like a stinger?"

"See those two birds up there circling? Those are your escorts. Apaches."

"Somebody's taking this seriously, then," Chris said.

"More than that. My orders came directly from the Joint Chiefs, and the Secretary of Magic is already on his way."

The large helicopter landed just outside the encircled vehicles. The troops guarding them formed two lines, creating a narrow protected corridor between the circle of vehicles and the helicopter. The two medics swiftly carried Hermione aboard first, followed by Ron; then the rest of them boarded. Jamie was reluctant, but did not resist when Ginny took her hand and led the way through the human shields as they had been directed - heads low and moving fast.

Chris spoke one last time with the Colonel before trotting to the waiting craft and boarding; the door slid closed behind her and the crew chief shoved her into a seat as the helicopter lifted into the sky.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They were in the air for less than thirty minutes. There were certainly advantages to traveling by broom, Harry thought. It was certainly a lot quieter. And brooms... what had happened to theirs? In all the confusion and then with the shock of Hermione... no one had thought to get them or even check to see if they were in one piece. Ron and Ginny had not been knocked off the broom they were riding, but neither of them had carried a broom aboard with them. At least there was one advantage to the noise: no one tried to talk. Harry preferred to be alone with his thoughts for the moment. Yet again, one of his friends was hurt - badly hurt. Hurt because they were mixed up with him. It always seemed that someone close to him ended up paying the price, while he emerged unscathed.

The helicopter landed; they were rushed out of it and into a small building. They were led to an elevator that seemed to go down a long way, and then they were herded into two small, quiet carts that sped off into a dark and seemingly endless tunnel.

Harry wasn't sure how long they were in the tunnel. It was completely dark except for the dim headlights on the two carts, and it was far quieter than it had been in the helicopter. Harry felt Ginny reach out to him, then withdraw as she sensed his mood.

They finally emerged from the dark tunnel into a large, well-lit hall. A number of carts were parked in this area, just outside what appeared to be a pair of doors - the largest, thickest doors Harry had ever seem - apparently made of some sort of metal. The carts did not stop; they drove right through and continued onward.

This area was different from the tunnel; there were lights, and they seemed to be going down some sort of hallway. Doors, most of them closed, lined the walls, and they passed two hallways that led into other parts of the complex. Their hallway finally ended in larger open area with several doors. Like the area near the doors, there were several carts parked here. Two men in white coats were waiting by one set of double doors; as soon as the carts came to a standstill, they lifted Hermione's stretcher off the cart and disappeared through the doors. Ron had followed them, and one of the drivers motioned to the rest of them to do likewise.

It was obvious that this was some sort of waiting area. The two carrying the stretcher disappeared through another set of doors, but this time they did not allow Ron to follow. And judging from Ron's attempt to open them a moment later, the doors had locked behind them. The driver who had motioned them to enter told them to wait here, that they were in the hospital area, that Hermione was being treated, and that there would be someone here shortly to "get them settled." Chris tried to ask questions, but after being told three times, "I'm sorry, Ma'am, I'm not authorized to answer that," she settled into a chair. The driver nodded and withdrew.

Harry and the two girls followed Chris's example, but Ron began to pace back and forth. Harry watched his oldest friend walk back and forth, wanting to offer some sort of support, but having absolutely no idea of what to say. Somehow, "Sorry I almost got Hermione killed and I hope she's going to be all right," just didn't quite cut it. Ginny and Jamie were talking softly; Harry heard Ginny explain what the green light was and how Harry had protected all of them. But the first one had got them, and for Hermione, that might be the one that counted. Chris has taken a position where she could watch both doors, wand in hand. Something else he had lost back there, Harry thought. Chris must have read his mind; she pulled his wand from her pocket, and after calling, "Heads up," tossed it to him.

After perhaps half an hour, Ron finally sighed and dropped into the seat beside Harry. "Are you all right, mate? You got knocked around back there too."

"I'm okay. And Hermione will be too," Harry said with a confidence he didn't feel. He had worried about talking to Ron; what Chris had told him would be tragic enough about anyone... but the thought of Hermione in some place like where Neville's parents were was almost impossible for him to contemplate.

"She hit her head pretty hard," Ron said. "Even healers can't do much with some kinds of head injuries."

Harry nodded, not sure of how much Ron had been told, knew, or had guessed. "But she got help pretty quick. Chris said that was important."

"And the last thing we did was fight," Ron sighed. "I don't know what's been wrong the last week or two... it's like almost everything I do is wrong."

Harry nodded again, unsure of what to say. "Ginny and I thought most of that was over just after we found Jamie."

Ron shook his head. "After we left the two of you, I don't know. Hermione wanted something, but she wouldn't tell me what it was, and that ended up...you know..."

Harry was saved from answering, at least for the moment, when the two men in white coats reappeared. Ron stood at once, asking for news; one of them stopped long enough to tell him that the doctors and the healer were still with Hermione, and that as soon as there was any news, they would all be told. They went out through the door to where the carts had been; a few moments later they returned, this time with several of the wizards who had been at the hotel. They led Bill, Charlie, Lupin, and Snape - all looking rather green around the gills - back through the same door they had taken Hermione through earlier. Sirius and Perenelle followed them into the waiting area; both looked healthy, though Sirius's clothing was torn and one sleeve was stained with blood.

Perenelle took a seat beside Chris; Sirius took the chair on the other side of Harry and asked, "Any news on Hermione?"

Ron shook his head. "No, they took her back there," nodding at the door, "and we've not been told anything since."

Chris and Perenelle had whispered briefly, and then Perenelle asked in a normal tone, "Will you tell us what happened from the time you left us?"

"So you guys know," Chris said, glancing at the youths, "just before everything started, we were all three floors below you, meeting for what was hopefully the last time with some parchment- pushers from the Department of Magic in hopes that we could give them what they wanted and that then we could get you out of here... this afternoon, was the plan. I volunteered to go up and ask Harry and Ginny to come down - they wanted a brief statement from the two of you. On the way up, one of the Aurors - I think he was posted by the elevators - suddenly grabbed his earpiece and pulled his wand. He said that someone had broken through their wards and had entered the hotel; he told me to follow him as he started for the room where we were meeting, but I went for the stairs instead.

"As I climbed, I heard gunfire. My original intent had been to try and get the kids down to where everyone else was, maybe using the other stairway, but then something exploded."

"Apparently something was exploded on the floor below our suites," Perenelle said dryly.

"In any case the hallway outside the rooms was filled with smoke, and I got a glimpse of structural damage - the floor and walls were gone further down the hall. I didn't dare try to go that way.

"I watched the door and told the kids to get their flak jackets and grab the brooms, and we got out of there. I took them towards Piedmont Park because I knew that a Special Forces unit including some wizards was training there as part of the Olympics force. But as soon as we cleared the back of the hotel, a helo... a helicopter started chasing us. They started shooting at us; luckily, it was a civilian 'copter and the shooter was hanging out the door with a gun. We got to the park, dropped down, and got some cover from the trees; but as we came out into the open area where the training was taking place, they fired an RPG - that's a Rocket Propelled Grenade, basically a short range missile packed with high explosive - at us. It must have impacted close to us; Hermione and I, and Harry and Jamie, were knocked off our brooms. Ron and Ginny managed to stay on theirs.

"The four of us were lying there and then this damned helo drops almost to the ground. Two guys get out; one of them starts to pop off another RPG round and the other is holding a wand and is heading toward us. I was there, staggering, with a broken wand in my hand; Hermione was out cold, and Jamie and Harry were on their knees. I don't think Harry could get up. I figured we were about to be toast; for an RPG, we were at point blank range. Harry started crawling forward as fast as he could - he was a bit behind us - and then this guy fires the RPG. Harry - somehow - cast a shield charm and covered all of us... and we were spread out over a good twenty-five feet. Nothing touched Hermione, Jamie, or me. Some of it got through to Harry - he was knocked back ten or fifteen feet.

"I've never seen anything like that; most wizards can't even form a shield that will block small arms fire... Harry blocked a high explosive grenade with his shield - and with a shield several times wider than I thought was possible.

"By that point, the troops on the other side of the field had doped out that something was going down, and they engaged. With them firing at the helicopter, the bandits thought better of it and decided to get out while they could. The guy with the RPG tossed the launch tube and climbed back in; the wizard tried to pop Jamie with a killing curse before he turned and ran. Harry was just about out of it at that point; I had no wand, and Ginny and Ron were still to far away to do anything. It looked like the curse was going to hit its target... and then a phoenix appeared out of thin air, ate the curse, and burst into flames.

"A phoenix?" Perenelle questioned. "Are you certain?"

"It was a phoenix," Harry said. "It must have been Fawkes."

"That... that seems most... improbable," Perenelle said musingly. "But let us set that aside for the moment. What then?"

"The wizard jumped aboard the helo," Chris continued. "They ran for it as the troops arrived, and that's really about it. The paramedics gave first aid to Hermione and Harry - I think something had happened to his leg." Harry nodded. "Not long after we talked, they packed us aboard another helicopter and sent us here. They took Hermione back as soon as we arrived... and the rest of us have been sitting here since."

Perenelle nodded. "Our story is nowhere near as dramatic, I'm afraid. After the explosion the Aurors with us insisted that we remain where we were and allow them to handle matters. When it was reported that there was no sign of you, some of our party objected quite strongly to leaving matters in their hands, particularly Sirius and Severus. They came to blows with some of the Americans." Her eyes twinkled for a moment. "Had matters not been so urgent, I would have said it was refreshing to see the two of them strive for a common cause. In any event, I'm afraid Sirius was particularly harsh with the gentleman you know as 'Cooter'..."

"You decked Cooter?" Chris looked at Sirius with undisguised glee.

"Er, something like that," Sirius mumbled.

"Remind me - I owe you one for that," Chris said.

"Fortunately, before we were fighting on two different fronts, word reached us that you were safe. We were asked to allow them to transport us to a safe location where we would be reunited with you as soon as possible. Joseph was asked to allow them to return him to his home; they seemed reluctant to permit him to accompany us. They undertook to gather our belongings and bring them to us. We - reluctantly in some cases - did as they asked. As they escorted us to their vehicle, something was thrown or fired among us that emitted a cloud of some sort of smoke or mist. Thus far, Sirius and I have remained unaffected; the others and several of the Americans became quite ill."

"And here we are," Sirius said.

"If... the phoenix burned, as you described," Perenelle asked slowly, "What of the hatchling?"

Chris and the youths exchanged blank glances. "I'm not sure," Harry finally said. "We were all pretty shaken up, and once we knew about Hermione... we even left our brooms."

Perenelle seemed lost in though for several moments. "How many of you saw the phoenix?"

Harry and Chris nodded, and Jamie quietly said, "I did."

Again, Perenelle was silent for several long moments. "Will you share your memories with me?"

Chris unhesitatingly offered her hand; Perenelle held it for several moments and then shook her head. Harry stood and knelt in front of her; as he offered his hand, she asked, "Will you share your memory of the shield as well?"

Harry nodded and she grasped his hand for a bit longer than she had with Chris; at the end she again shook her head. "Jamie?"

Jamie looked frightened; Harry moved beside her and said, "It doesn't hurt at all, there's nothing to be afraid of. Okay?"

Jamie nodded; Harry walked back to her with to Perenelle. "Just relax and let your mind drift," Perenelle instructed. "You'll find yourself remembering the phoenix, and then we'll be done. Is that all right?"

Jamie nodded, and Perenelle took her offered hand. This session lasted the longest of them all; finally Perenelle released Jamie's hand and sank back in her chair. Harry heard her whisper a single word that meant nothing to him. "Praetor."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry and Ginny picked out their belongings from the pile along the wall where everything brought from the park had been placed. They had spent three or four hours in the waiting area before two men and a woman emerged; all were dressed in what Harry recognized as Muggle medical gear. One of the men was a healer; the other two introduced themselves doctors. The healer confirmed that Hermione had been bleeding inside her head and that she had a severe concussion. The blood vessels had been repaired, he said, but considerable pressure had built up beforehand. It might not be clear for a day or two, perhaps even longer, if there had been any damage. Ron interrupted and begged to see her right then, but he was told that she would be unconscious for several more hours. A brief visit might be possible once she was out of recovery.

They were told that some sort of potion - chemical was the word they had used - had poisoned Snape, Lupin, and the two Weasleys; they would be all right in a day or two, but were being kept in the hospital overnight to ensure there were no complications. Chris and Perenelle had asked several questions; Harry paid little attention after hearing that none of the others were at risk; he had noticed the looks the two Muggle doctors had exchanged as the healer told them about Hermione. Harry was afraid they were holding something back.

As the doctors and the healer returned to the hospital section, a uniformed officer entered and introduced himself and told them that quarters had been prepared for them in the VIP section, and asked them to follow him. Outside the waiting room two carts were waiting, manned by the same drivers that had brought them here earlier. After boarding, they were driven back the way they had come until they reached the first cross-corridor; they turned and proceeded down it a short distance - perhaps a hundred feet - before stopping in front of a door.

The officer led them inside, explaining that this was VIP area and that they were in a living / meeting / dining area, that down hallways to the right and left were a number of bedrooms, and that bathrooms were at the ends of the halls. A kitchen area was through one door on the far wall; it had been stocked with sandwich makings, snacks, and soda. They were promised more suitable arrangements for meals tomorrow; the officer explained that this had all been set up rather quickly. The rest of their belongings had been gathered from the hotel and were neatly stacked along one wall.

A second door on the far wall led to a smaller room that contained a small library; two walls were completely covered with bookshelves. Most of them were packed with books; one section contained hundreds of what the officer called DVDs. Apparently these contained films and programming from television which could be shown on a TV in the living area. There were also two computers in this room.

They were asked not to attempt to leave this area without an escort; the officer joked that it was for their own protection; it was easy to get lost in what was described as a very large complex. If they required anything, they could reach the duty officer via any telephone, or they could ask one of the guards who would be stationed outside their door. They were finally asked if they had any questions. Ron sought reassurance that he would be able to see Hermione at the first possible opportunity. The officer promised to leave word with the hospital that they were to be notified as soon as it was medically acceptable for them to see Hermione, and that transportation would be provided. No further questions were asked, and the officer took his leave. Chris suggested that they get settled.

Jamie had been pleased to find her backpack among the salvaged items; Harry and Ginny located theirs and the broom cases and turned down the left hallway. Ron had dropped into one of the chairs; Harry had started to turn into the first room when Chris objected, "Take the next one, Harry. First row belongs to me and Sirius; anyone trying to get to you guys has to get past us first." She grinned and added, "Just stay within shield range, boss."

"That's the second time you've called me that," Harry said. "Does this mean..."

"Yes," Chris replied. "I'm going to take you up on it. I'd already decided that before all this started..."

"That's fabulous!" Harry said, as Ginny, Jamie, and Sirius looked at them curiously.

Sirius asked, "Just what are the two of you going on about?"

"Oh, that reminds me," Chris said as she opened the door to the room on the left. She dropped her things inside the door, then turned and threw her arms around the startled Marauder. She kissed him - rather firmly, Harry thought - for several seconds. When she finally broke the kiss, she grinned at him and said, "That's for decking Cooter."

"I am afraid you are operating under a slight misconception," Perenelle said from the entrance to the hallway with a slight smile. "Sirius did not 'deck' Prescott Harrison. What he did was more akin to an attempted neutering."

Chris' arms were still around Sirius' neck. "That's even better." She kissed him again before disappearing into her room.

"What can I say? The Marauder mystique lives." Sirius had a huge grin as he turned to enter his room.

Harry dropped his things inside the next room on the left; as Ginny followed, their fingers brushed for a second; she too dropped her belongings and followed him back into the hall where she said to Jamie, "Let me give you a hand."

The two girls started to enter the room on the right, but Harry said, "No, take the one past ours. Anyone after Jamie has to get past me first." Jamie rewarded Harry with a smile; maybe having a younger sister wasn't quite as bad as Ron had painted it, after all. Harry turned toward Perenelle.

"You wished to talk to me," Perenelle said. It was more of a statement than a question.

"Back when we were waiting, after you and Jamie... you said something I didn't understand. I was about to ask then, but you shook your head. What's a 'preeter'?"

"Praetor, Harry. I believe that to be the name of the phoenix who took the curse intended for your sister. It was not Fawkes, nor was it Pymander."

"If you recognized it..."

"Harry..." Perenelle interrupted. She looked at him for a moment before continuing. Harry was not quite sure what to make of her expression; she seemed... worried? "I have more questions now than answers. I would prefer to say no more until I have had some time to consider what this might mean. And I would also ask that you not discuss it with anyone else, save Ginny---and be sure that you are not overheard. It is not my intent to keep you in the dark, but for now, I would ask that you trust me."

Harry nodded reluctantly. "You've earned that many times over."

"We shall talk again later tonight, perhaps after the others have retired. If you are willing, I would ask you to share all of what happened from the point where today's events began... and perhaps one or two other things as well."

"I am. And whatever you need."

"Thank you, Harry. Until later, then," Perenelle said as she started to down the hallway. "You might do well to spend some time with Ron. He needs company - and perhaps a bit of advice."

Harry nodded as she moved past him and into the room across from the one Jamie and Ginny had entered; he continued forward and dropped into a chair near Ron. He waited until Ron glanced toward him and said, "All this waiting isn't easy, is it?"

"It sucks. And it's been hours and hours; why won't they let me see her? Even if just through a doorway for a moment." Ron looked down and his voice lowered. "Unless she already told them she didn't want to see me."

"I don't think Hermione would do that. And even if she were still upset with you - and I doubt that, not after what happened - she wouldn't be keeping all of us away."

"That's what I keep telling myself... but I'd rather she was furious with me than that she was hurt... hurt..." Ron paused; Harry could see one of his hands clinching into a fist. "So badly that..."

"That's just healers. Remember how Madam Pomfrey is? Lots of rest, keeps visitors away until you're well enough to leave anyway?"

Ron nodded glumly. "I hope that's all it is."

Harry did too, but he had a pretty good idea that Chris had told him more than she had Ron. "What else could it be?"

"That's what I'm afraid of. And I don't know what to say when I do see her. I still don't know what's wrong other than that she didn't like all the Quidditch talk."

Harry closed his eyes and took a deep breath and said quietly, "It was more than that, you know."

"No, I don't know... and it's driving me mad. Do you know? Or Ginny?"

"I know some of it."

"Don't hold out on me, Harry. Not about this; not now." Ron's voice had taken on a sharp edge.

"I'm not. But it's not my place to... meddle, and you're both my friends."

"Harry... please?"

"Hermione's... well, not really happy how, er, the two of you are getting on."

"I know... wait, is there somebody else?"

"No, you git, but she's afraid there is." Harry glanced back toward the hallway and lowered his voice. "Her feelings were hurt at Grimmauld Place when you said Jamie was cute and you said you'd be interested if you weren't already dating her..."

"But... I thought I made it clear that I was with her..."

"She took it more like she was in the way. And then when the girls came out, she got upset at how much attention you were paying Jamie. I think she was feeling threatened..."

"Threatened? But if she could fly anything like you..."

"And there was the clerk when we checked in..."

"But I..." Ron's voice trailed off.

"Hermione told Ginny that she was a little jealous of the two of us... and this morning or whenever it was we woke up... she told me that Hermione said that you had, er, almost said, uh, something, then Snape..." Harry stopped as sudden comprehension dawned on Ron's face.

"That's what she... Harry... I... I... thought I'd said too much... I was so worried when she... all of you... weren't there... it just slipped."

"Ron, if you never give her a chance to say no, she'll never have a chance to say yes, either. And I don't think there's much doubt about what she'll say."

Ron sighed. "I reckon I really screwed up... And now it may be too late."

"I don't think it's too late; Hermione's not that type of..."

"I didn't mean that kind of too late," he said quietly.

"She'll be okay." Harry couldn't quite look Ron in the eyes. "She has to be."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Perenelle had taken one of the rooms at the far end of the hallway. She had placed her bags on the bed, and then sat beside them. For VIP quarters, these were certainly quite Spartan, not that it mattered. The rooms were quite small and the two bed frames and furniture were metal; the only thing beyond the most basic was the patterned carpet on the floor. Praetor... despite what she had said, she had expected to see either Fawkes or Pymander in the memories they had shared with her. A wild phoenix - if there were such a thing - would not swallow a curse in that fashion; indeed, she could not recall of hearing of any phoenix doing so other than in defense of its chosen companion. But Praetor...

She should have taken the time to examine the tome Snape had showed them in detail; it had been old enough that it might have held details beyond the fragments she had already known. Or if Cassandra... or Brian... And what did Snape actually know? He had encouraged - no, pushed - Harry and Ginny to pursue information on Nimue... and Cassandra. And he'd told them just enough to make them curious about Brian and Cassandra. What did he know... or perhaps guess?

She would have preferred to wait and study Snape's book before contacting Nicholas at a meeting of the Confederation, especially given what they were working toward, but given the circumstances - not being sure how much longer it would be before they could travel, Harry asking questions and being unsure of what answers Snape might have - there was really no choice. Given the time, it was probable they would not yet be in session; she decided to attempt to reach him directly instead of using Pymander.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jamie and Ginny had just entered the living area when the phone rang. The four youths exchanged looks; Harry stood and answered it. He mostly listened for a minute, and finally said, "We'll be ready." He hung up the phone and announced, "Two of us can see Hermione. There'll be someone outside in a minute or two to take whoever's going."

"You go with Ron, Harry," Ginny said.

"I'd like to, but Madame Flamel might want to go instead," Harry replied. "Let me check." Harry entered the hallway; the doors to the first two rooms were closed and the rooms past the ones they had taken were empty, but one of the doors at the end of the hall was also closed. He knocked softly but there was no answer. Thinking that she must be asleep, he returned to the living area and said, "She must be asleep. I reckon it's the two of us, Ron."

Ron nodded and stood as a knock came at the door. Harry opened it and the two walked out, closing it behind them. There was a guard standing on each side of the door, and a third waiting behind the controls of one of the carts. He motioned to the cart and the two boys took seats. A short time later they were back in the hospital area, but this time they were led to a different door. The driver opened it and led them in; they found themselves in a large room divided into two parts by a large three-sided counter that enclosed most of the space. Three hallways led off in different directions and there was a chemical smell in the air. The healer they had met earlier was waiting for them.

He seemed a little surprised; perhaps he had expected at least one of the adults, but he seemed to take it in stride. "Your friend is still unconscious. She came out of recovery a couple of hours ago, but she's showing no signs of consciousness; she's in what we call a coma."

"How long?" Ron shakily asked.

"There's no way to tell. It could be an hour, a day, maybe longer," the healer replied.

"But she will be okay?" Ron pressed.

The healer hesitated. "It's hard to be sure of anything with a head injury. I believe we got to her before there was any permanent damage, and I was able to repair the damage and relieve the pressure with magic; there was no need to resort to surgery. But we won't be sure of anything until she wakes up, and even then it can take a few days before we know for sure. She may be very disoriented when she wakes."

"Can we see her now?" Ron's hands shook, but his tone was now steady.

"Yes, I'll take you back. When you're with her, be careful of what you say; people in comas often recall conversations that took place around them while they were apparently unconscious. In fact, some healers and doctors think it's helpful if you talk to the patient, that it helps them find their way back, as it were."

"They told me to talk to her on the way here," Ron said. "About happy things, things to look forward to."

The healer nodded and led them down one of the hallways and into a room; Harry thought it looked a lot like the Muggle hospital rooms he had seen on TV. Hermione lay in a complicated looking bed with rails; the head was slightly raised and she was covered to her shoulders with a sheet. Her arms lay outside it; one of them had a tube taped to it that ran to two plastic bags filled with liquid. Several machines flashed lights or beeped softly in the background.

"What's that in her arm?" Ron asked.

"Not many wizards with medical training have the clearance for this place. For some things we have to use Tech - to you, Muggle - methods. It's called an IV; it's what we use to keep her hydrated and give her some types of medication. Look, I'm sure it's not necessary, but I'm going to remind you not to touch anything. If anything should happen, see that button there - no, taped to the rail - press that and a nurse will come. When you're ready to go back - say maybe fifteen or twenty minutes from now, just press that button, and tell whoever comes. They'll see you out."

"I want to stay with her," Ron said. "She shouldn't have to wake up all alone in a strange place."

The healer looked thoughtful. "It's getting late, and there's really nothing you can do. You can see her again first thing in the morning."

"Please," Ron pleaded. "I... I need to... talk to her; if there's any chance at all she can hear me... And I don't want her to be alone. Please!"

Harry offered, "I'll go back and tell the others, and one of us can relieve you when you get tired."

"This is against regulations, but with this sort of injury I suppose I have some leeway. All right; if you change your mind and want to go back, just press the call button. I'll write the orders so that someone can stay with her around the clock." He lowered his voice, "Remember, happy thoughts," as he walked from the room.

Ron moved toward the bed. He took one of the two chairs, pulled it near the bed, sat down, and took Hermione's hand in his. He leaned his head against the rail but said nothing.

Harry walked to the other side and carefully took Hermione's other hand, being careful not to disturb the plastic tubing. He did his best at making a one sided conversation; telling her how much they wanted her to hurry and wake up; that they would be home soon and their OWL scores were waiting; that they needed her and he was depending on her for answers about how they could win. Ron said nothing; he continued to sit unmoving, holding her hand, opposite from where Harry stood.

Harry finally said that he was going to go back to the others, and that Ron would be staying with her. He fumbled with and then pressed the button, and said to Ron, "Call or send for one of us to take over when you get tired."

"I'm not leaving her, Harry. Come back as soon as they'll let you, but I'm not leaving her. Not for anything."

Harry nodded. "Then I'll see you tomorrow. Good night, Ron. Good night, Hermione."

A nurse came to the door and as he left the room, Harry heard could hear Ron finally talking to Hermione. "I'm sorry, Hermione. I love you. I love you. I love..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sirius and Chris had joined the two girls in the living area when Harry returned; he told them what he knew about Hermione's condition and that Ron had remained with her. When Harry finished his report, Sirius commented, "That sounds like Hermione will need to be here a few days."

"I suspect the healer will not want Hermione to be moved or transported until she has regained consciousness and they have a better idea if there are any long term effects," Chris said.

"Is this place safe?" Sirius asked.

"Compared to the hotel where we were? It's a lot safer; though after what happened I'm not sure I'd call anywhere 'safe.' We're underground in a bunker; there won't be more than one or two entrances, and they'll be heavily guarded and no doubt warded as well. And unless I'm mistaken, there's a lot of rock directly overhead. And I mean a LOT of rock."

Sirius nodded and said, "What we talked about this morning, Harry. I'd like to go ahead and start as soon as the Weasleys and Lupin are back on their feet. It might not take that long; I could be back before Hermione is ready to travel."

"I still don't want you going by yourself," Harry said. "It wasn't just me and Jamie they were after back there, you know."

"I still think it's too soon for Lupin..."

"Then take me," Harry said.

"Harry... we've already been through this. You're a prime target and you attract too much attention."

"Then take somebody. But don't go without someone to watch your back."

"He's right, Sirius," Ginny said. "What would you say if it was Harry wanting to go off on his own?"

"It's different, Ginny." Sirius sighed. "If there were anyone else, I would. Lupin's still recovering; Bill and Charlie were very specifically told by Molly to see that you kids were protected. Snape... no, it just wouldn't work, and Madame Flamel is needed here."

"I'm going to hold you to that, Sirius. There is someone else. Chris. If I stay, she goes."

Sirius turned toward Chris and said, "You know, I've wondered once or twice why you're still here. You fulfilled your contract as soon as Jamie was found."

"There was a little matter of the paperwork," Chris replied. "And I'd intended to see you safely on your way back home. I don't like loose ends. But while all that played out, another project came along and a young gentleman retained my services to make sure his godfather - apparently a rather reckless and headstrong chap - didn't get into something over his head."

Sirius suddenly remembered. "Earlier - you called Harry 'boss.'"

"Words do have meaning," Chris replied with a grin.

"You were planning this when we talked this morning, weren't you?" Sirius asked, looking at Harry.

"I almost lost you twice, Sirius: once to Azkaban, once to the arch. I don't want that to happen again," Harry said softly. Then he continued more forcefully, "You said this is what you have to do; I can accept that even though I don't like it. But you sure as hell don't have to do it alone. It's your choice - you take Chris with you, and I'll stay here until we go back home. If you try to head off alone, I'll follow."

"We'll follow," Ginny amended. "And Sirius, you can explain it to Mum."

"Why do I feel like you're all ganging up on me?"

"Because they are," Perenelle said as she entered, smiling. "You have only yourself to blame, Sirius. You emancipated Harry, but did not count on his tenacity in refusing to let go of you. Thus, you must suffer the burden and joy you had intended for Brian. Not to mention that they are, of course, quite right. As you yourself know full well."

"Okay, Harry, you win this round," Sirius conceded. "I know I said it might not take long, but there's also a chance that it will take some time, or lead someplace else."

Harry nodded. "That's fine; just be careful."

Perenelle asked, "I see that Ron is not here; I presume he is with Hermione?"

"He is," Harry replied, then repeated what the healer had said about her condition and described his visit.

Perenelle nodded and said, "Then I shall see her in the morning. And speaking of morning, it has been another long day; I believe Jamie has fallen asleep."

"I'll take her back," Chris said. "If there's a chance we'll be traveling tomorrow, I could use a good night's rest myself." She helped Jamie up and led her to the hallway.

"I reckon that should be my curtain call, too." Sirius said, standing and yawning. "Good night."

Perenelle waited a few moments then moved next to Harry. "Are you still willing to share today's events with me in full? And you as well, Ginny?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I thought I remembered two twin beds in here," Harry said as he followed Ginny into their room.

"Did you really want us both in one of those little narrow beds?" Ginny replied, grinning as she pulled out her wand. "I can put it back the way it was..."

"No, it's great. Looks like it's a lot more comfortable, too." Harry said as they started preparing for bed.

"With my shoulder, I wanted something soft."

"I'd forgotten about that. How's your arm? You didn't put the sling back on." Harry looked at her worriedly.

:"I'm being careful. Only time it really hurt was holding onto the broom when... do you think Hermione will be all right?"

"I hope so." Harry sighed. "And Ron's really hurting." He told Ginny about their conversation earlier and Ron's determination to stay with Hermione. "He just sat there beside the bed and held her hand and didn't say anything to her at all until I was walking out the door. He told her he was sorry and repeated 'I love you' over and over."

Ginny blinked suspiciously. "Do you think she could hear him?"

"The healer seemed to think it was possible."

"I hope she did. He might lose his nerve again if she wakes up."

"I don't think so, Ginny. Not this time."

"What was Madame Flamel looking for?"

"I'm not entirely sure. She won't say much about the phoenix, and it seems to be important. And the other things... I don't see how any of that was related. Besides what happened today, she seemed most interested in what I remembered from the day we bonded."

"The same for me, though I think she started earlier than that."

"And about the phoenix - she told me she wasn't sure herself yet, and wanted to wait until she was sure. Do you think she's just keeping us in the dark like Dumbledore did for so long?"

"No... I don't think so. I mean, she knows more than she told us, and I think it worries her or something. And I think she was looking for something tonight, something specific."

"Do you think she found it?"

"I'm not sure." Ginny tossed back the covers and settled on the bed. Harry joined her a moment later after turning off the light. "I don't think she would hold anything back without a really good reason."

"That's what worries me. That phoenix protected Jamie. And Voldemort put a lot into trying to get to her first. Is there something he knows that we don't?"

"Are you going to spend the whole night worrying?" She kissed him playfully. "All of that will still be there in the morning."

"Well, if you put it that way..." he replied, returning her embrace.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A knock awakened Harry the next morning. He called out, "Just a moment," slipped into his jeans and shirt from the night before, tossed the covers over a still-sleeping Ginny, opened the door, and stepped into the hallway. Sirius and Chris were there; both had their bags.

"Lupin and the others will be out of the hospital later this morning, and we're on our way," Sirius said. "Take care of yourself, Harry, and be careful." He pulled Harry into a quick hug.

"You too, Sirius," Harry said. "Keep an eye on him, Chris, and don't let him take any chances."

"I'll do my best. Take care of yourself, boss." She hugged him too, whispering, "And don't worry. I'll keep him on his leash."

"Thanks."

"Madame Flamel left word that you could both visit with Hermione when you woke. Just let the guard outside know when you're ready," Chris said.

"I hate long good-byes," Sirius said with a grin. "Odds are we'll see you in a few days."

"Will you keep in touch, let us know you're okay?" Harry asked.

"We will," Chris replied as they started toward the living area. "See you soon."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When they entered Hermione's hospital room, it looked as if Ron hadn't moved. He still sat in the chair at her bedside, Hermione's hand in his. Ron looked up as they entered and said, "Hi."

"Hi," Harry answered. "How's Hermione?"

"Still hasn't woken up," Ron replied, his tone communicating one thing, his expression another. "The healer was here this morning along with one of the doctors. They brought in some kind of machine with a bunch of wires and said that she's reacting when I talk... So I talk... about Hogwarts... about our NEWTS, our lessons, what we're taking next year. Sometimes even about Quidditch."

"You want us to keep her company for a few hours, Ron?" Ginny asked. "You've been here all night."

Ron shook his head, "I'm fine. I'm going to be here when she wakes up."

Harry and Ginny spent the next two hours in the hospital room. Ron would not even discuss allowing one of them to relieve him for a few hours; though he did ask Harry to bring a change of clothes on their next visit. As they left, Ginny hugged Ron, and for a moment Harry saw the façade he had carefully maintained throughout their visit crack. The agony on his oldest friend's face was evident; but as Ginny released him, he resumed the upbeat, cheerful chatter as if nothing were wrong and Hermione only napping.

Returning to their quarters, they found the other members of their party had been released from the hospital. Lupin was unhappy over Sirius's leaving him behind; the two Weasleys were experimenting with the DVD player and television, and Snape and Jamie were seated at a table. From the sound of it, Snape was introducing her to potions. Madame Flamel, they were told, was talking with some officials including the Secretary of Magic.

Harry took a seat while Ginny walked back to their room. He watched Bill and Charlie fumble with the unfamiliar equipment while listening with one ear to Snape. There was little sign of the Potions Master to whom Harry was accustomed: there was neither sarcasm nor hostility evident in his instruction.

Ginny sat down beside him several minutes later. "I talked to Mum. She had already heard from McGonagall that we would be here a few more days, and she knew about Hermione. I asked her to see if she could find a way to get the OWL results here."

Harry grinned. "How could she do that? I've not seen a single fireplace here, not that they would be on our Floo network if there were."

"That lawyer managed to get Sirius copies of the papers that were sent from here. And Dad might know how to send it through the Ministry. I suggested both."

Harry nodded. "Just Hermione's?"

Ginny seemed surprised. "No, all of them."

"I'm not sure I'm in that big a hurry to see mine. I wasn't exactly at my best at the end of last year."

"But Hermione will be interested in how you all did."

"So you're hoping she'll wake up to tell us we should have studied more?"

"Or something like that... Ron's..."

"I know." Harry sighed. "I know."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Perenelle returned, Harry asked her if it would be possible to find a room suitable for Defense Against the Dark Arts practice. She told him she would be meeting again with the officials later that afternoon and would see what was possible then. She then disappeared into her room where she stayed until she left again two hours later.

Harry spent a restless afternoon. He tried to talk to Lupin about Sirius's trip; he was convinced that the Werewolf knew more than he would admit but Lupin would not tell him any more than he already knew. Bill and Charlie finally got the DVD working and were watching something, but Harry was too restless to pay much attention.

Finally, Perenelle returned. Harry looked at her expectantly and she nodded. He stood and walked toward her.

"I have arranged for a suitable place for your practice. Do you wish to ask Professor Lupin and perhaps the Weasley brothers?" she asked quietly.

Harry shook his head. "Would you work with me?"

"But why me, Harry?"

"This morning, when we were with Hermione, Ron was talking about Hogwarts and the teachers there. He was reminding Hermione of all we had to look forward to... and he said that according to Chris you held the European dueling title for over a century."

"That was many years ago, mon petit lapin."

"Back at the hotel - we ran... and Hermione's lying there unconscious because of it. They hit us in the back... while we ran. I don't want to run again. I don't want to have to run again... not when someone else always pays the price."

Perenelle nodded slowly. Harry continued and his gaze grew distant. "I ran when Voldemort returned... and Cedric died. I ran at the ministry... Sirius was trapped... and everyone who came with me got hurt. I ran again today... and Hermione..." Harry stood quietly and his eyes focused again on Perenelle. "You won't mollycoddle me. Lupin... everyone else has... and might still..."

"Then I shall guide your training, at least until Nicholas returns. Come."

"Thank you." Harry closed his eyes for a moment; Ginny looked up and nodded as he and Perenelle left the room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The owl results arrived the next morning. They were on paper instead of parchment, and bore strange markings and numbers at the top of the pages, but the three sheets held their scores. Perenelle had given them to Ginny along with a note from Molly; Harry had refused to look, saying he would wait until they were with Ron and Hermione. They requested a cart to the hospital and a few minutes later walked into Hermione's room.

Ron still maintained his vigil at Hermione's bedside. He had left Harry and Ginny at her bedside for perhaps twenty minutes the evening before when Harry had brought a change of clothes. Other than for that quick shower, he had not left her side for more than the few minutes required by nature. Harry could see this was beginning to take a toll; Ron looked tired, and bags were developing under his eyes.

Ginny presented him with the OWL results; that seemed to give him at least a momentary second wind.

"OWL Results for Hermione Jane Granger," he read. "Wow, superb, Hermione! Thirteen total OWLS awarded, twelve outstanding, one Exceeds Expectations."

"I thought you could only get twelve," Ginny said.

"Ordinarily, but remember that Hermione's always taken at least one extra class. She'd planned to sit the Muggle Studies exam, but that was the day after..." Ron's voice trailed off.

"That's still nothing short of amazing," Harry said. "I'll bet she's unhappy about the E in Astronomy."

"That practical was pretty mixed up," Ron said.

"How'd you do?" Harry asked.

"Ten overall," Ron replied, reading his sheet. "Outstanding in Defense Against the Dark Arts, Magical Creatures, and the practical and overall in Potions - that's still a surprise. Exceeds Expectations in Charms overall and practical, Potions Theory, Transfiguration and Herbology, Acceptable in Charms Theory and Astronomy. And no surprise - I got Poor in History and Divination. Overall, it's a lot better than I expected. Hermione's revision sessions really paid off."

"How about Harry?" Ginny asked.

"Hey, Harry, you did great! Twelve OWLS. You got Five O's - Charms, Potions and Transfiguration practicals and overalls, plus Magical Creatures and Defense Against the Dark Arts. In fact, it says you had a perfect score in Dark Arts. You beat Hermione in that one. Exceeds Expectations in Charms, Potions and Transfiguration theory, and Acceptable in Astronomy, Herbology, Divination, and History."

"There's got to be mistake somewhere. There's no way I passed History and I was pretty sure I messed up in Divination too," Harry said.

"Don't rock the boat, mate. I still can't believe we both squeaked through Potions."

"We both owe Hermione for that," Harry said.

"I'm proud of all three of you," Ginny said. "I hope I can do anywhere close to as well."

"You'll do fine," Harry assured her. "But now we need Hermione to get us on track for the NEWTS. It's not too early to start revising, you know."

They continued talking for some time, but Hermione showed no sign of waking; finally Harry ended up leaving Ginny with Ron as he went to meet Madame Flamel to train.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next two days passed slowly. Harry and Ginny would join Ron in Hermione's room each morning; then Harry would leave for several hours with Madame Flamel while Ginny stayed with Ron. Harry would then return to the Hospital room for a few hours; then he and Ginny would leave Ron with Hermione for the night. Ron, from sheer exhaustion, would sleep in the chair at her side, but he could not be induced to leave her for more than a few minutes.

Ron was sleeping fitfully the next morning when the healer arrived. Groggily, Ron watched the wizard go through what had become a daily ritual. As he prepared to leave, Ron asked, "Isn't there anything that you can do?"

"Neither the Techs nor we really understand comas particularly well," he replied. "There's not a lot more you can do than wait and hope."

Ron nodded sadly.

He was dozing again when something stirred at the edge of his awareness. As he struggled toward wakefulness, he felt Hermione's hand twitch slightly in his. He was suddenly wide awake. "Hermione, please Hermione, come back to us... come back to me."

He felt her hand move again, and saw her eyes moving behind her eyelids. He stood, keeping hold of her hand and using his free hand to brush her hair back from her forehead. "Hermione, please, wake up. We need you... I need you."

He stood there several minutes, waiting for another sign, but Hermione lay still. Ron slowly slid back into his chair, tears slowly trickling down his cheeks as he said, "Please wake up, Hermione. I need you and I'm sorry. I love you. I love you. I love you. I..."

It was only a faint whisper; her lips barely moved. "I love you."

Ron stood again. "Hermione... please, wake up. Talk to me. I love you, Hermione."

"I love you, Ron." This time her voice was stronger, and as his hand brushed against her forehead her eyes blearily opened.

"Hermione..." Ron struggled several seconds for control before he could continue. "I was afraid I'd lost you. I was afraid that..."

"I'm here, Ron," she whispered. "I followed your voice back."

Ron took his hand from Hermione's forehead long enough to push the call button. When the nurse looked in, he shakily said, "Hermione's awake. Call the healer, and please let Harry and the others know."

The nurse entered long enough to see that Hermione's eyes were open and to glance at some of the equipment before leaving at a quick pace.

"What happened?" Hermione whispered.

"Not now," Ron said. "I love you. Do you hear me? I love you."

"I hear you, Ron. I love you, too."