Thanks again for all the reviews!!!
Chapter Seven.
Hermione found herself in the kitchen alone again with a bottle of firewhisky as her only company. She had just returned from the hospital where she had showed Harry his body.
"I'm in a coma?" Harry asked.
Hermione nodded slowly.
"You have to take me to myself," he demanded.
"Get in," she whispered.
He did and Hermione apparated to the hospital.
It was five minutes before visiting hours closed so Hermione had no trouble with the nurse at the desk.
"We missed you today, Hermione," she had said.
"I had errands," Hermione replied. Apparently no one could see Harry but her. Harry waved his hands madly, but no one took any notice.
"Ron was here several times looking for you. He said it was important. He was shocked that you didn't show up at all since you are here everyday."
"Oh, I'll contact him when I get home. I'll only be a few minutes," Hermione said and turned. Harry had already started down the hallway.
"I can hear my heartbeat," he said, following the sound. He found his correct room and walked through the wall.
Hermione opened the door and watched carefully as Harry stood over his body. He touched his own hand lightly.
"Do you think you could put yourself back inside?" Hermione asked.
"I could try," he replied and laid down into his body. The heart rate monitor beeped a little faster.
"I think it worked," Hermione said, looking over to the monitors.
Harry sat up, but his body didn't move with him.
"Concentrate," Hermione urged.
Harry lay back down, but could not get his body and his spirit to come together.
"I'm just not sticking. My spirit and my body aren't one anymore," Harry said, frustrated.
"Turn around," Hermione ordered and Harry did as he was told. She gazed down at Harry's body and reached out to touch his cheek. The spirit Harry whose back was turned, reached up to touch his cheek.
"See, you can feel it," Hermione said, "You are still attached to your body."
"It tingled," Harry said, turning to Hermione.
The nurse from the desk came in, "I'm sorry, Hermione. Visiting hours are over."
"Can I just have one more minute? I missed him today."
The nurse looked out into the hallway and back "Alright, but please, just one minute." And she closed the door.
"Are you really here everyday?" Harry asked.
"Yes."
"Why?"
"You're my best friend."
"So is Ron, but it doesn't sound as though he's here as much as you are."
"That's just the way I am, Harry. I feel nothing without you in my life."
"There's more to life than just me," Harry said. He moved around the hospital bed to stand beside her, "How long have I been like this?"
"Almost three months," Hermione said.
"Three?" Harry looked down at his body.
"Harry, you signed papers to terminate life support before you went off to the final battle," Hermione said, crying again.
"I did. I remember." Harry sighed, "Is there any sign of brain damage?"
"There will be if you don't come out of this soon."
"Then I'm staying here to try and put myself back together."
"I will stay with you."
"No, you can't be here much longer. The nurse will kick you out."
"I don't want you to be here alone," Hermione sobbed.
"I'll be alright."
Hermione put her hand up to touch the spirit Harry's face and rested it just where her hand met his cheek. She felt it tingle.
"Don't cry anymore for me" Harry said.
Hermione nodded, "I'll try not to."
Harry turned away from her and Hermione went towards the door. Just before she left, she turned to him once again.
"I love you, Harry," she said, then slipped out the door without another look back.
So she had told him she loved him. He had looked shocked but didn't say anything. She took a long swig again from the bottle. It was nearing one in the morning, but her mind still raced. She had left him three hours ago. Where was he now? What was he doing? Thinking? Did he know that she meant what she said?
She got up from the table and took her bottle with her. She called to Harry throughout the entire house
Finally returning to the kitchen, she found Harry.
She dropped her bottle in shock, but there hadn't been much left in anyways.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"Drinking my life away," Hermione replied stubbornly.
"Are you crazy?" he yelled, "This isn't the Hermione I know."
"Well, you haven't been around for the past few months," Hermione slurred. She went to the liquor cabinet for another bottle, "I see you couldn't put yourself back together."
"No," Harry replied sullenly, "But that's no excuse for you to drink."
"It helps me cope, Harry. You have no idea what this has been like for me!"
"Of course I know. How do you think I feel?" Harry yelled, "I just found out I've been in a coma for three months. I've remembered everything about my life. What if I don't wake up? What if my brain starts to deteriorate before I can put myself together? I will never be able to touch you again! How do you think I'm coping?"
Hermione took a long drink, ignoring Harry, although she heard every word he said. They were the same worries she had.
"That's it!" Harry said, and jumped into Hermione's body just as Ron erupted out of the fireplace.
Harry took control of Hermione's body and pulled the bottle out of her mouth.
"Stop it Harry," Hermione yelled, trying to drink again, but she couldn't control her hands.
"I'm Ron, Hermione," Ron said, "Bloody hell! I've been looking for you all day."
Hermione ignored him. She was too busy fighting to gain control of her body. Ron watched as she danced around her hands looked like they were against each other, one pulling the bottle one way and one the other. Finally one hand won and it threw the bottle. It smashed to pieces.
"You git!" she said as Harry emerged from her body.
"I can't believe how drunk you are!" Harry retorted.
To Ron, this looked like Hermione was fighting with herself. She yelled to the vacant space beside her not even paying attention to him.
"This is how I deal. Get over it!"
"This is it? For almost three months? What if you had killed yourself? What if you damaged your liver?"
"I'm fine!"
"How could you Hermione? This isn't you!"
"This is your fault!"
"My fault?"
"You left me alone!"
Harry threw his arms up in the air and finally noticed Ron in the room, "How could you let her get like this?" he yelled.
Ron took no notice. He watched Hermione as she folded her arms across her chest.
"You can't see or hear me either!" Harry yelled, "Why is it the only one I can communicate with is a stupid drunk?"
Hermione started crying again. He was so mean.
Ron stood up and went over to her, "Hermione, what's wrong? Are you okay? I've been looking for you."
She didn't answer and sobbed into his shirt.
After a minute she quieted down and finally looked up at Ron. He looked terrible. His own eyes were red and puffy and he almost looked green.
"You're not going to throw up slugs all day again, are you?" Hermione asked, wiping her face.
Ron shook his head.
"What happened?"
"They don't know," Ron said, "Harry's brain seems to be giving up. This morning he was fine, but about eleven o'clock, the monitors showed serious signs of deterioration."
"No, they couldn't have," Hermione said. It was around eleven that they had gone to Hogwarts. Maybe that was why it had changed.
"There's more," Ron said sadly, "They asked me to sign the papers."
"And?" Hermione asked quickly.
"I refused," Ron said.
Hermione sighed.
"But, they said I would be overruled," Ron continued, "Harry's wishes supersede mine and they are terminating life support." Tears streamed down his face.
"When?"
"Tomorrow at noon."
Hermione let out a loud sob and dropped to the floor. She got up quickly and raced to the bathroom were she was sick.
Ron knocked a few minutes later.
"I couldn't do anything, Hermione. And I tried to find you to help me, but you were gone."
Harry came through the door. Hermione had her head resting in her arms on the toilet.
Hermione looked up at him, "Harry?" she whispered quietly.
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be sorry. I should be."
He wanted desperately to hold her.
Another knock came, "Hermione please let me in."
"Maybe if we tell him, he'll help us?" Harry suggested.
"Do you think he'll believe me?"
"It's worth a try."
Hermione washed her face quickly and emerged from the bathroom. She led Ron into the living room where she told him everything about seeing Harry and helping him to remember his life.
"He's here?" Ron asked.
"Yes," Hermione looked straight at Harry, "He's sitting in the chair."
Ron looked towards the chair, but saw nothing. Harry tried to wave at him.
"Have you been talking to Luna? She said she talked to you the other day about spirits and stuff," Ron said.
"I went to see her because Harry didn't remember anything and I was trying to communicate with him. I didn't know she worked at Flourish and Blotts."
"Oh."
"Don't you believe me?"
"I don't know Hermione. Have you been drinking a lot tonight?"
"No, I haven't," Hermione said, angrily.
"Yes you did," Harry added and she sent him a glare.
"I'll think about it," Ron said, "I'll be back here in the morning to decide what we're going to do."
"Fine," Hermione snapped and Ron left.
"Oh Harry, what are we going to do?" Hermione said, turning to him once Ron left.
"I don't know," Harry replied.
"Why don't we go see some experts or maybe sneak into Hogwarts to the library to see if there's a book on reuniting spirits and bodies."
"I don't want to," Harry said, "If this is my last night, I don't want to be studying or anything like that."
"Well, what do you want to do? I'll do anything. Hop a plane, go to Paris? Italy? Egypt? You have loads of galleons."
"No, I just want to lay here with you."
"Just lay here?"
"In my room."
Hermione swallowed hard, "Okay."
They went up to what was once Harry's room and Hermione cleaned it with a quick spell.
"Get comfortable," Harry said, walking through the wall.
Hermione changed to her pyjamas and brushed her teeth. When she was snuggled in bed she called Harry back in.
He returned through the wall and lay down beside her. They just stared at each other, face to face for a long time.
"Why are you nervous? I can't even touch you," Harry chuckled.
Hermione slowed her breathing, "I wish you could. If only you could really touch me." She reached up and tried to lay her hand on his face again. Her hand tingled delightedly and she smiled up at him.
A short time later, Hermione fell asleep.
-->