A/N: I want to thank everyone who has reviewed so far! I can't believe how quickly they have come and how nice they all are. Here's what you've been begging for. *wink*
I woke with a pain in my neck and a bad taste in my mouth. I was long past waking up disoriented; Hermione had been in the hospital for more than three weeks now. It had gotten to the point that I had to go to work, at least once a week so they couldn't sack me. I glanced at her still and pale body covered in regulation white sheets. It hurt to look at her.
I stretched and stood up, running a hand casually through my hair. I walked over to her, sitting in my place. I took her hand in mine and brushed her hair back from her face. The Healers said there was still a good chance she'd fully recover but they still didn't know when. Ginny came by after the first week, shameful and apologetic. She stopped cold in the doorway when she saw me but I shrugged and left the room. When I came back I noticed that Ginny had been crying. She stood up to leave then threw her arms around me, apologizing to me. She left in a hurry. She's been back every Wednesday to watch over Hermione while I check on things back home.
I was still attempting to hold off judgment on Ron, at least until Hermione woke up. It wasn't my decision, or even my right to press charges on Hermione's behalf. So we had to wait. I found out he had tried to visit but I had already told the Healers and receptionists to refuse his entry. They knew what he had done.
The first week of watching Hermione passed very slowly. I jumped to her side at every noise, thinking, hoping, praying she was awake again. I never left except for necessity like food or her bath. I forgot to shave, to work, I even forgot Ron. I was so worried and wrapped up in Hermione that everything and everyone else was shunted away. Ginny's arrival actually opened my eyes a little.
The second week prompted more tests for Hermione and much contemplation for me. The Healers pronounced her fully healthy, except for the face that she was still unconscious. They ran many scans and actually sampled her blood. It came as a big shock that the potion could have been an innocuous aphrodisiac or a mild poison. Either way, my blood boiled as I thought of yet another thing Ron had forced upon Hermione. He had probably brewed it himself and caused her coma in more ways than one. The good news was that the trace amounts were gone, and there should be no lasting effects.
When I wasn't sitting next to her on the bed, I sat in the chair by the window. I had had Hermione moved to a private room as soon as possible. She had a view, albeit a magical one. I would sit and stare, or sometimes pace. I thought of the first time the three of us met, on the train to Hogwarts. Everything was normal. Ron and I became friends, brothers, quickly and Hermione shortly thereafter. The more I thought about her, and him, their relationship and our relationship, the angrier I became at myself. Things were becoming more obvious and more disturbing and I should have noticed years ago. They had always argued, always sniped. Things changed and became vicious during our sixth year and never stopped. I shook my head slowly before resting it in my hands. Merlin, I was stupid. Those memories also make me realize again how much I truly cared for her, once for both of them.
And Ron destroyed that. He betrayed my trust, me. He destroyed Hermione. He beat her, he abused her. He probably raped her and might even have forced her into marriage. And I fell for his lame excuses and cover-ups. I saw him become darker and withdrawn and angrier. I knew something was different with him; I knew something had changed between them. I could never forgive him for what he did to Hermione. Ron is no longer my friend. A brother wouldn't do that.
My thoughts were distracted when a Healer came into the room. I squeezed Hermione's hand and bent over to kiss her forehead. I watched as the Healer performed his diagnostics and left. I sat in my chair again and thought about the previous week.
On Wednesday Ginny visited and brought the Weasley clan with her. I couldn't stomach all those who resembled Ron, so I fled. I returned to Grimmauld Place and broke down completely. I threw pictures at the wall; shattering glass and shrieking pictures tormented my ears. I tried to drink but ended up throwing the tumbler and decanter at the wall as well. I went to Ron and Hermione's room and fired curses at everything I knew Hermione wouldn't care was gone. I set their bed on fire only to extinguish and relight it again. I cried and laughed and screamed until I was exhausted. I put the rest of Ron's things in a box and dropped it down the stairs to the basement to collect dust. I showered and returned to St. Mungo's to find Ginny sleeping in my chair, the rest of the Weasley's gone. I gently nudged her and drew up a chair next to her.
We watched Hermione in silence. She was so still and so pale and it was breaking my heart. I sighed and slumped in my chair.
"You love her." Ginny spoke quietly, matter-of-factly.
I hung my head. I could tell she was still waiting for an answer a moment later. I took a deep breath and looked at the girl that would always hold a soft spot I my heart, especially after her support. "Yes."
The word was loud and powerful in the otherwise quiet room though I had barely spoken above a whisper.
Ginny stood up and crossed to the window, silent. I watched her struggle with my bald admission. "How long?" she whispered.
I sighed. No matter what I said it would hurt her. "Probably since fourth year." She swung around and looked at me. I heard her sharp intake of breath as the fact hit her. She quickly sat down. "I didn't realize it until we started actively pursuing Voldemort though. She was so supportive and caring despite her developing relationship with Ro-your brother. She put herself into danger so many times." I shook my head and glanced over at Hermione's still body. I got up and walked over to her, sitting by her side and taking her hand. Looking back at Ginny I continued. "I realized then that I couldn't imagine days without her, without seeing her face. She's been my one constant throughout the years." I ran my empty hand through my hair. "Giving her away at their wedding just about killed me Ginny. She smiled at me and I prayed the ground would open up and swallow me. And then for her to end up like this?" I got off the bed and began to pace in front of Ginny. "I feel like this is all my fault. If I had told her how I felt, this wouldn't have happened. She wouldn't be in a coma for Merlin knows how long. I wouldn't want to kill Ron for how he's hurt her. They wouldn't be married and I wouldn't feel so hopeless."
I stopped my pacing to stand in front of Ginny. I saw tears in her eyes. "Oh, no Ginny. I'm sorry. Don't you cry, too."
She smiled weakly at me, brushing the tears away. "I hope, one day, I will find a man that loves me half as much as you do her."
I blushed and returned to my chair. We stayed silent for a while, both watching Hermione again. Ginny crossed to the bed and touched Hermione's hand, then turned to me. She hugged me fiercely and went on her way.
Since then I've been, well, complacent. Hermione is a stubborn woman and does what she wants. Not even my best puppy dog eyes will help her wake up. I've never felt quite so helpless.
~*~
I woke up disoriented for the first time in weeks. The room was dark, and the normal room sounds were, well, normal. I blinked rapidly to clear my vision and focused on the bed.
Hermione was whimpering and thrashing. I jumped out of my chair and ran to her bed. I grabbed one of her hands and rubbed it, trying to soothe her. My eyes burned when she flinched and pulled it back, her eyes still closed. She moaned and I thought my heart would break. She sounded so distraught and afraid and hurt. I looked at her again, then crossed to her door to summon a Healer. I was shunted to the side when three or four arrived and tried to calm her. I could do nothing as they turned their wands on her to sedate her. One turned to me apologetically and smiled tentatively before they all left. I scowled as the door shut.
She was not awake yet but they had no right to bind her, especially magically. I sat by her side and smoothed her hair back from her flushed face. She flinched again but I kept on. I was incensed by how the Healers had treated her but I knew I couldn't let Hermione see or feel or hear or sense any of my anger if I hoped her to recover. I stayed with her through the night, trying to soothe her nerves. Finally the troubled look left her face shortly after dawn.
The next few days showed some progression. She still hadn't opened her eyes but she was vocalizing now. Only it was horrific. She had nightmares that she couldn't wake up from every night and I heard replays of the past year, her entire marriage. I was sickened and guilty. Hermione sounded helpless. Hermione, the strongest woman I knew, sounded helpless and scared. I forced myself to breathe calmly and eventually leave the room before I decided to go after Ron. The Healers' tests all came out normal and they felt her nightmares were a breakthrough. I thought of how if Hermione were her own patient, she would already have found a solution to wake up.
Finally, five weeks after being admitted, I heard her weak voice wake me up. I immediately crossed to her and she smiled, a ghost of herself. I know I had tears in my eyes as I hugged her tightly. She held me, sobbing until she couldn't hold herself up any longer. I told her how long she had been out and how everyone was worried about her. I brushed back her hair out of habit and she flinched but allowed it. I smiled sheepishly at her inquisitive look. I was about to explain but a Healer entered, and upon finding her awake, bustled me out for a while.
I flooed and owled as many as I could to tell the good news. I did as much as I could for distraction, but I found myself outside her door again.
I waited until my patience gave out and knocked. The Healer opened the door and allowed me in, leaving herself. I crossed to Hermione, holding up tea from the cafeteria. She smiled weakly and gestured me over. I set the tea on her table and she beckoned me to sit down. She took my hands in hers and looked at me. I sighed inwardly and gritted my teeth; I knew that look. She rubbed her thumb across my knuckles and asked the question I most dreaded.
"Why am I here Harry? What exactly happened?"
I ran a hand though my hair nervously and sighed. "What is the last thing you remember and I'll go from there."
She frowned and bit her lip in concentration. I smiled at the familiar gesture. She frowned harder as she gathered facts in her head. I wasn't surprised by the next thing she said.
"Well, I remember you defeating Voldemort." She took a breath and looked at our joined hands. "I remember Ron and a little box and me in a white dress. I remember working here and all of my coworkers. I remember going to a few of Ron's games. I think I remember Christmas, or at least wearing my Christmas pajamas." She paused again, this time to wipe her eyes. "I remember now that Crookshanks died." She looked at me with increasing horror. "I…" She faltered and looked down again. "I remember Ron hitting me and stairs and your face." Tears were falling as she realized the implication. "That's not very much, is it?"
I shook my head sadly. "Hermione, what is your last name?"
She scowled at me. "Granger."
I shook my head again. "You and Ron were married about a year ago." Her hand flew to her mouth. She stared at me like I was Fluffy. The next part would be terribly difficult for me. I choked it out the best I could, pausing after each word to control my anger. "I have reason to believe that Ron forced you into it, especially from what you've just told me. I also know he's been abusing you, then erasing your memory to fool me and your friends. You've been here for five weeks, unconscious, because he practically tried to kill you." I sighed and turned away from her. "He beat you until you fell down the stairs, as you remember. If I hadn't come home early I wouldn't have caught him in the act. He had his wand in his hand." I crumpled. "I'm so sorry Hermione. I'm so sorry he did this to you, that I didn't stop him." I turned back to her.
She was crying now. "You've been having nightmares steadily for the last few days. I think the trauma of you reliving the abuse is what caused you to wake. I'm so sorry Hermione. I should have stopped him sooner. I should have known. Some Auror I am. I had noticed something was different with the both of you but I didn't think he'd do this. I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you." She squeezed my hand and I instantly felt guiltier. "Hermione, I…" I sighed.
She was silent for a few minutes, staring at the ceiling. I watched her, like I had for five weeks.
"Where do I go from here, Harry?" She looked at me. "Where should I go from here?"