Author's Note:
Thanks for all the reviews. I hope you guys enjoy this next chapter. Song inspiration is from one of my favorite songs by P.M. Dawn "I'd Die Without You".
Chapter 16
I'd Die Without You
"Oh, I apologize for all the things I've done.
But now I'm underwater and I'm drowning...
Is it my turn to be the one to cry?
Isn't it amazing how some things just completely turn around...?
So take every little piece of my heart...
So take every little piece of my soul...
So take every little piece of my mind...
'cause if you're gone... inside...
I'd die without you..."
(P.M. Dawn "I'd Die Without You")
Harry felt an overwhelming sense of déjà vu as he and Ron sat in the waiting room at St. Mungo's. It seemed to Harry that no matter what they did or where they went, they almost inevitably ended up here in a hospital ward. Was it too much to ask for a moment's peace and happiness, he couldn't help but wonder.
They'd arrived at St. Mungo's nearly two hours ago. A team of medi-wizards had taken Hermione back in the examining rooms. They hadn't heard anything and they were starting to get antsy.
Ron had phoned Kit and she'd shown up a few minutes ago, accompanied by his mother. Sirius arrived at the hospital shortly after the Weasleys. He'd briefed Harry on Simon's arrival at Azkaban. After bringing everyone up to date on Hermione, they'd decided that someone needed to go and tell the Grangers the news that their daughter was indeed alive. Knowing that neither Harry nor Ron would want to leave Hermione's side, Sirius had volunteered to go and get her parents. Harry knew that the joy her parents would feel in finding their daughter alive would be short-lived once they discovered their daughter had sustained another injury.
Molly offered to go with Sirius to tell the Grangers and he gratefully accepted. They apparated straightaway.
That left only Harry, Ron, and Kit in the waiting room. Harry, who was exhausted after the day's events, was slumped over in his chair. Ron was sitting back on his chair and Kit was thumbing absently through an old issue of Witch Weekly.
"Kit," Ron began apprehensively.
"Yeah?" she asked, not looking away from the magazine.
"Maybe you should go home," he said quickly. "I mean, we really don't know how long we'll be here. It could be hours before we hear anything else about how she's doing. I just think with your pregnancy and the stress of the situation, it might be best if you go home and get some rest."
"Why?" Kit asked, dropping the magazine back on the table. "I'm pregnant, Ron, not incapacitated."
"I just think that this isn't the best environment for you to be in right now with your condition," he said, looking to Harry for confirmation. Harry, though, was barely staying awake, let alone looking to be a participant in this conversation.
"I'm okay, Ron," Kit said, smiling at her husband. "I'm not going anywhere until I know she's okay. She's my friend, too. Not only that, Harry's my friend, too. He needs the support of his friends now. And, I know a certain redhead who wants me here whether or not he admits to himself or not."
"You're right," Ron said, leaning in and kissing his wife's cheek.
"Harry?" Kit asked, looking at her friend. "Are you okay?"
He didn't respond. He just stared off into space.
"Harry?" she asked him again. "Are you okay?"
He looked over at his friends, tears shining in his green eyes. Although he'd been victorious in capturing the man who'd ruined his and Hermione's lives four years ago, he sat there now feeling bruised, defeated and worried. It was a place he'd visited in his mind many times over the past few years. It was a place he didn't like to be. In this place, he was helpless. In this place, he was powerless to protect those he loved.
He had no answer for Kit; no answer for himself. He honestly didn't know.
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Ron and Kit went downstairs to get some coffee and even though Harry told them he wasn't hungry or thirsty, they'd promised to bring him back something.
He looked at the front desk, praying that someone would come and tell him something. This not knowing how she was doing was sheer torture. The receptionist at the desk caught his eye and gave him a look full of pity and sympathy. Harry looked away.
No matter how many times someone told him none of this was his fault or that he had no way of knowing how to prevent this, he didn't have to look far to point the blame. It was his fault that she was back there in that examining room. It was her friendship with him that had put her in more danger than even she could have imagined. It was his love for her and hers for him that led to the events that had transpired over the past four years. Voldemort got back at Harry by hurting the one person Harry loved more than anyone else. It hadn't been her fault, Harry thought to himself.
He wondered how his life would have been if he'd just shut himself off from friends and from family and lived a solitary life, depending on no one but himself. It would have been a lonely existence, yes, but the people he loved would be safe. But, would they be happy? A voice in his head called out. He tried to shake that thought. That thought was selfish.
But no matter which way he looked at it or what he thought about it, he always came to one jarring conclusion each time. The truth of the matter was that he loved her and she loved him. Things beyond either of their control threatened to tear them apart, but somehow they'd always managed to find their way back to each other.
And no matter how many times he told himself it would be best if he walked away and left her alone, he knew he could never do that. Because he had lived life without her for four years and it had been a living hell. He'd lived life with her and without her and he never wanted to be without her again. He couldn't walk away even if he wanted to.
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Sean Talley was the medi-wizard in charge of Hermione's case. He was an older gentleman who almost reminded Harry of Dumbledore. He was a grandfatherly type who had worked at St. Mungo's for nearly forty years. Molly had assured Harry that he was one of the best around.
It was sometime later that morning when Sean came out of the examining rooms and surveyed the three worried people hanging on his every word. He gave them a slight smile that he knew neither reassured or comforted them.
"Is she awake?" Kit asked him.
"No, I'm afraid not," Sean said solemnly. "She sustained a really tough blow to the head. Some of the muggle doctors call a condition like this a severe concussion. There's really nothing we can do but watch and see."
"She will wake up, though, won't she?" Ron asked.
Sean's face clouded over. "We're doing everything we can for her. From what I hear of this witch, she's quite strong. We'll do everything we can to help her pull through."
"Can I see her?" Harry asked.
Sean nodded. "I think that would do her a world of good. Come on back."
Harry nodded. Everyone watched as he followed Sean silently back to Hermione's room.
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Harry walked into her room and he felt a lump rise in his throat as he looked at her, sleeping peacefully on the bed. There was a gauze bandage on her forehead and there was an IV-like machine that was pumping healing potions into her arm. As Harry stood there in the doorway of her room, watching her, an overwhelming feeling of sadness came over him.
Where was the fairness in all of this, he couldn't help but wonder. After four years, he'd found her. He couldn't lose her again. They couldn't have come all this way just to be torn apart again. He couldn't let that happen. He wouldn't let that happen.
"Hermione," he whispered, taking a seat beside her. A single tear fell down his face as he looked at her pale face. He took her hand in his and lightly stroked it. Her skin was cold.
"I don't know if you can hear me," he said, looking at her. "But I hope you know that I'm here. I'm not going anywhere, okay? You can't get rid of me that easily, you know that by now, right?"
He gave a slight laugh.
"I love you so much," he said. "I don't know if I ever told you that enough when we were kids. It seems like such a lifetime ago, now. If I didn't say it or show it enough, I'm sorry. You know how we guys can be. I just hope that you know and that you've always known that there will never be anyone for me, but you. I didn't know it was possible to love someone so much until I fell in love with you."
He clasped her hand tighter in his.
"So, when you wake up, and I know that you will because Hermione Granger never fails at anything, right?" he said, leaning forward in the seat. "When you wake up, I'm going to ask you something and we're going to live a long, happy life together, okay?"
He got up from the chair and with his hands shaking and tears falling down his cheeks; he leaned over her and softly kissed her forehead.
"I love you," he whispered. "If you can't remember anything else, remember that."
When he turned around, to his surprise, Sirius was standing in the doorway. He wasn't alone. He was flanked on either side by Karen and Robert Granger. They looked different from the last time he'd seen them at Hermione's "funeral". Karen Granger was dressed in a pale blue sweater and a pair of khaki pants. Her hair was pulled back into a makeshift bun. Her eyes were red and puffy. Her cheeks were flushed.
Robert Granger's hair was much greyer than the last time Harry had seen him. He wore a white button-down shirt and
a pair of black trousers. He, too, had bloodshot eyes and he seemed quite apprehensive standing in the doorway.
Karen Granger stepped past Harry and took a long look at the young woman lying in the hospital bed. She gave out a gasp and nearly fainted. Sirius was able to cross the room quickly to catch her and he held her as she broke down in sobs.
Robert Granger stared coldly at Harry before coming to his wife's side. He took Karen in his arms as they both looked at their daughter.
"Is she real?" Karen choked out. "Is that really her?"
"It's really her, Dr. Granger," Harry said.
"Robert," Karen said, holding onto her husband for support. "It's really her. It's Hermione. My baby."
Robert only nodded as fresh tears came to his eyes as he looked at his daughter. He and his wife tentatively took steps closer to the bed. Harry watched as Karen Granger extended a shaking hand to her daughter's face and caressed her cheek softly. Robert stood on the other side of the bed and took hold of his daughter's hand. He leaned down and brought her hand to his lips and kissed it.
"My little girl," Robert whispered hoarsely.
Harry and Sirius felt like intruders on this family reunion and they quietly slipped out of the room to let them have a moment with their daughter.
Molly was standing just outside the door. She smiled reassuringly at Harry and gave him a warm hug.
"How'd they take the news?" Harry asked.
"Robert wanted to throw us out," Sirius said. "He didn't believe us at first, but Karen she stopped him. She made him listen to us. Molly helped tremendously, of course."
"Thank you," Harry said, smiling at Molly. "Thank you both. I don't think I could have done it."
Sirius nodded.
"She'll be okay," Sirius said. He put an arm on his godson's shoulder. "I'm not just saying it because I know it's what you want to hear, either. I know that girl in that room. She's as strong and as smart as they come."
"And stubborn," Harry piped in.
"To a fault," Sirius said, with a chuckle.
At that moment, Sean came walking down the hall and motioned for Harry, Sirius and Molly to come into the room. They all assembled around Hermione's bedside and listened intently to what Sean had to say. He repeated for her parents what he'd told the others earlier. They listened and asked questions and thanked Sean for all that he had done.
"If there's anything we can do for you," Sean said. "Don't hesitate to ask."
Robert nodded. He turned his stare to Harry and what he said next was said in a clipped, concise tone.
"I don't want him anywhere near my daughter," Robert said, pointing at Harry. Harry looked away from Hermione and up at her father, shocked at what he'd just heard.
"With all due respect, Dr. Granger," Sirius said. "If it wasn't for Harry, you might never have found your daughter again."
"With all due respect, Sirius," Robert retorted. "If it wasn't for Harry, my daughter wouldn't be in a hospital bed recovering from another accident that he was directly responsible for. What's this make, Harry? How many times have we been here before? Let's see, there was the time she was petrified. There was the time she was attacked by Dementors. There was the time that she risked her life to help you at the Ministry of Magic. There was the time she was kidnapped and her death was staged. Now, we've come full circle, haven't we? Right back where we started from."
Harry listened and with each word Robert Granger said, he felt as if he was being punched in the gut.
"I, um, didn't mean for any of this to happen, sir," Harry said.
"And that makes it okay?" Robert spat back angrily. "That makes it alright, does it? We never should
have let her go back to that school, Karen. We had her away from him and she was doing okay. We should never have caved
in."
"You don't have any control over where she is anymore," Sirius said, trying to stay calm. "Harry and Hermione are adults."
"She's my daughter," Robert said, angrily. "I am going to do everything in my power to make sure she stays as far away from him as possible."
"Stop it!" Karen suddenly spoke up. "Listen to yourself, Robert. Our daughter is lying here and all you can think to do is fight with Harry and yell at Harry. This isn't doing her any good. For the love of God, just let it be for once. Don't worry about this now. When she wakes up, the last thing she's going to need to see is this fighting. Can't you just be happy that we have her back? Isn't that enough for now?"
Robert looked down at his daughter and only nodded.
"I think visiting hours are over for now," Sean said. "She needs to be in a calm, controlled, relaxed environment. One visitor at a time from now on."
The group nodded.
"I'll sit with her," Karen said, pulling up the chair Harry had used earlier.
With one last look at Hermione, Harry reluctantly followed the others out of the room.
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Harry and Sirius came back out to the waiting room to find Ron and Kit talking animatedly with Fred, George and Ginny. Molly had offered to take Robert down to the cafeteria to get a cup of coffee and he'd gratefully accepted.
When Harry and Sirius approached them, the conversation abruptly halted.
"We came as soon as we heard, Harry," Ginny said, giving him a hug.
"Yeah," Fred said. "We closed the shop right away when we heard. Is she doing okay?"
"No change," Harry said, glumly, taking a seat beside Ron. Sirius shook hands with Fred and George and received his own welcoming hug from Ginny. After the pleasantries were exchanged, Sirius took a seat directly opposite Kit.
"So, I take it things went well with Hermione's mum and dad, then?" Ron asked.
Kit smacked her husband on the arm.
"Sorry," Ron said, sheepishly.
Sirius related for the others briefly what had transpired between Harry and Hermione's father.
"That's a load of rubbish," Ron said.
"Yeah," Fred agreed.
"He's probably just upset about Hermione," George said. "People tend to say things like that under stressful situations. They don't usually mean what they say; they're just speaking out of anger."
Fred looked at his brother as if he'd just grown another head.
"What?" George asked.
"Who are you, and what have you done with my brother?" Fred said, in mock disbelief. "That was the deepest thing you've ever said in your life. You're not going to go all Percy on me now are you? Because I've gotta tell you, one Percy in the family is one too many, George."
"Oh, sod off, Fred," George said, shoving his brother.
"That's more like it," Fred said.
Despite the levity of the past few hours, Harry couldn't help but laugh at the antics of the Weasley twins. One of their better qualities was their ability to use humor to try and raise someone's spirits. It could be an annoying and an endearing quality. Harry appreciated it immensely at this moment.
"My brothers," Ginny said proudly. "We rent them out for parties and weddings."
"I wouldn't take a sickle for them," Ron said. In response, Fred ruffled his younger brother's hair. Kit chuckled.
"Ickle Ronniekins is just jealous," George said.
"Kit," Ron said, looking to his wife to take up for him.
"You're on your own on this one, Ickle Ronniekins," Kit said, laughing.
Ron tried to look angry, but he, too, couldn't help laughing.
It was at that moment that Karen Granger came through the double doors and into the waiting room. The room immediately got quiet. They each stared expectantly at her.
"Harry?" Karen asked.
"Yeah?" Harry asked, worried. Karen's expression was almost unreadable.
"She's, um," Karen choked out.
Harry wanted to get to his feet, but couldn't stand. Surely, she wasn't going to tell him that, well, that Hermione had---
"She's awake," Karen said, tears fell down her face, but she was smiling broadly. "Hermione's awake!"
(EVIL CLIFFHANGER, I KNOW…BUT I COULDN'T HELP IT!!!! OVERLY DRAMATIC, I KNOW!!!!! INSERT EVIL LAUGH>>>>>>>)