Lux Aeterna
Hermione opened her eyes and looked around the hospital room, reassured to see the sleeping forms in the beds on either side of her. Gingerly she raised herself up on her elbows and blinked as the sunlight glinted through the blinds and hit her pupils. Looking once more to her left she was reassured by the sight of Ron's back and the sound of his snoring, turning to her right her gaze focused on the still form of Harry. She knew instinctively that he was awake, but lost deep in thought. She knew he hadn't slept well the last three nights - the first three nights that the Wizarding world had been free of Voldemort.
As the three of them had simultaneously cast the spell that had ended the war she had watched as Harry sunk to his knees, and as she saw him take a breath she had expelled her own, a breath she didn't remember holding, before her own knees gave away and she sank to the ground, flanked by her two best friends - Harry, Ron and Hermione - The Golden Trio - The Saviours of the Wizarding World. Her hands had felt warm and looking down she saw the puckered burnt skin, yet felt no pain, the cuts across her arms and face merely felt like splashes of ice cold water on her skin.
Ron had reached out for her with his own burnt hand and she grasped it as she reached for Harry's hand, feeling the sheen of perspiration, and buckling of skin on his hand as he lightly squeezed her own. With a sharp tug they were whisked away from the battleground as Ron activated one of a selection of portkeys hung around his neck. None of them said a word as they landed on shaky legs at St Mungo's, Hermione clinging to her boys hands, Ron gripping the portkey with his right hand, Harry's left hand tightly gripping two wands of phoenix core, the smell of burning flesh and death lingering around them. As their presence was recognised, and its significance began to sink in, the hospital devolved into chaos. People began to try and move the trio away from prying eyes into treatment rooms, and as someone tried to gently remove her fingers from around Ron's to begin to treat their burns, she found her voice.
"No." Her voice didn't sound quite as she remembered it, more hoarse and worn though still strong and sure.
"We stay together." The healer in front of her nodded her understanding and the hand trying to separate her own from Ron's was gone in an instant.
The following days had been a blur of healers, family, friends and ministry officials punctuated with moments of silence as the trio were left alone to recuperate and reflect on what had occurred. Ron had spoken little at first, knowing that Charlie's life lay in the balance elsewhere in the hospital, but with the news that his brother would survive he had begun to open up once more. Hermione had pulled herself together and taken the role of unofficial spokesperson for the three of them as official reports were written about the events of the final battle, and had granted one interview, with Luna Lovegood, and one photograph with Colin Creevey. Harry had not yet spoken at length, only using his voice to answer vital questions of the healers, and to ask, the next morning as they awoke, if their friends were alright, and to ask who they had lost in the fight. On hearing the answer to his second question he had gazed beyond his friends at a fixed point in space for some time, not uttering a word.
Hermione now glanced at the clock on the hospital room wall, almost obscured by the cards and flowers from well wishers and the enormous signed poster of the Chudley Cannons which had arrived the previous morning for Ron with the best wishes of the team. Even Harry had raised a smile at the look of awe on Ron's face as Fred had delivered it. She saw that it was still early, and that they wouldn't be disturbed for some time, and gently swung her legs over the side of her bed, and pulled on an old hooded sweatshirt bearing the Gryffindor lion over the top of her pyjamas. She padded over to Harry's bed and silently climbed up to sit next to him, he gave her a half smile and move to sit up beside her, their backs resting against the wall.
She looked at her hands for a moment, now finally free from bandages, as were Harry and Ron's and gently traced the thin maze of scars on her left hand with her right. Harry's eyes followed her movements, and she spoke with a smile in her voice.
"I swear there are rude words hidden in this scarring."
"Oh really?" He asked amused, surprised at her statement.
Hermione looked up at him and smiled before gently tracing out a word for him to see in the scars. Just as she had hoped, Harry let out a quiet snort, followed by a chuckle, and in a moment the two of them were dissolved in giggles. Their laughter broke the tension in the room, and Hermione smiled to feel some of the weight lift from her best friends shoulders. Harry chuckled once more before wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her close. Hermione rested her head on his shoulder and snuggled into his side, before taking his hands in hers one by one and examining his palms closely. After a minute Harry asked, "So what's the verdict?"
"Well Mr. Potter," Hermione began in her best snooty Healer voice.
"I'm afraid your situation is rather worse than that of your friend…" she trailed off sorrowfully.
"Oh really?" He asked.
Harry felt her nod into his shoulder before gently taking his left hand in hers and gently tracing the word she'd found in the scarring of his right palm. Hermione could feel his grin widen as she traced each letter, until they both dissolved into giggles as she finished spelling the word, both of them knowing that with the maze of scars across their hands an active imagination could find all sorts of hidden messages.
"Miss. Granger, I do believe you've been hiding this dirty mind of yours from us over the years - and where did you learn such words?"
"Extendable ears of course - you hear all sorts of things hanging around outside Gryffindor boys tower." She teased as Harry laughed once more and pulled her close to his side once more.
They sat in a happy contemplative silence for several minutes, each feeling wonder in their laughter. Harry broke the silence by gently kissing the top of her head.
"Thanks `Mione…"
"For what?"
"I wasn't sure when I'd be able to laugh again." He said simply.
Hermione tilted her head to smile up at him.
"So, what's next?" she asked, both of them knowing her question referred to more than their plans for the day.
Their gazes locked while Harry contemplated his next words. Hermione watched and could see him choosing the words, then pausing and coming to a sudden realisation.
"What?" She asked, curious at the change in his face, and the sudden sparkle in his eyes.
"The light's back in your eyes." He said happily, reaching up to cup her cheek.
Her eyes widened slightly, but she didn't back away or remove her gaze from his, simply taking in his words.
"Do you know why it went away?" She asked curiously, biting her lower lip as she watched him for his response.
"I think so." He said quietly.
"I think so to." She replied.
"And it's back to stay now?" He asked.
"Most definitely." Hermione replied with a shy smile.
The moment was paused as Ron mumbled in his sleep and emitted an odd hissing noise. Hermione looked over at him in amusement as Harry grinned and called out "You get those spiders Ron". Hermione looked back at Harry with a smirk.
"The insect repellent defence. One of my personal favourites." She said with another affectionate glance over at their best friend.
"No, I think the roller skate defence is my favourite, he twitches more in that one." Harry said with a chuckle.
"Shall we put him out of his misery?" Hermione asked with a smile.
"Why not? It's almost breakfast time anyway, and you know how he likes to be awake to prepare for that." Harry teased.
Hermione moved to get off the bed, but paused as Harry lightly gripped her wrist. She turned to look at him questioningly.
"Will we finish this later?" He asked.
She nodded with a smile that was answered, and hand in hand they strolled over to Ron's bed to wake him.
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