{20} Tears and Healers

Hermione at St. Mungo's

Harry Potter was busy playing with his kids when he got the patronus. He recognized it immediately because it was a snake, and the voice cut through his ears like a knife. Immediately, he told Luna, who had also heard, kissed his kids goodbye and apparated on the spot to Hermione's flat. He landed outside the doorstep, and realized that the door was unlocked.

Cautiously, Harry drew his wand and checked around, then quickly went upstairs to get Rose and Hugo.

"Uncle Harry!" Rose yelled and rushed straight for Harry. She had been crying, her face was stained red and her eyes were swollen. Harry hugged her tightly, picked her up and give her a kiss on top of her head. He beckoned Hugo toward him, and gave him a hug. Hugo had always been the strong one, protecting his mother and sister. Now, he was also on the verge of crying. His family was falling apart, and he had no idea why. He went over to his Uncle Harry, and held on tight to him.

Harry, being the best uncle and somewhat of a father to them, sat them down on the bed and asked, "Okay, you two, I need to know exactly what's going on. What happened?"

Rose began to cry again, and Hugo held on to her, while telling Harry, in a shaky voice, "Mom told us Draco was coming over for dinner. They were in the kitchen talking, then mom went to go do something, and Draco actually played with us. Dad never played with us before. It was fun. Then, it got strange. Mom never came back, and Draco was starting to worry. So he told us to go hide in our room, and I heard him walking around the house. He came upstairs to check on us, then went next door to mom's room."

Hugo stopped and drew in a breath, and tried to keep his tears from coming down. It was no use, they came down anyway.

"Uncle Harry, he screamed and all I heard was Draco muttering, "Please don't be dead, please don't be dead. It was terrible, and then he was gone."

Both kids were crying now, and Harry hugged them tight. He knew something was wrong. It wasn't like Hermione to not return from somewhere, and it was obvious the attacker took her by surprise, otherwise the Hermione he knew would have countered it in a heartbeat.

Settling both kids again, he said in a serious voice, "I'm going to go see your mother at St. Mungo's. That's where Draco took her. I'm going to take you to Aunt Luna, and you're cousins. You are under no circumstance leave the house."

Hugo and Rose nodded slowly. They could tell their Uncle Harry was nervous, but they wouldn't dare disobey him.

Harry kissed them both and whisked them away back to his flat. Quietly, he told the kids that their cousins were upstairs, and to go stay with them.

"Luna, Hermione was attacked. The kids aren't safe. I don't know whose doing this, but I'm going to find out. You and all the kids are not allowed to leave this house. If someone comes into this house, you floo to Molly immediately."

Harry kissed her gently, and zoomed off to St. Mungo's. When he arrived, his head was pounding. He quickly looked and found the front-desk witch helping everyone. He went to her, and told her the situation.

The witch looked up to him, and nodded slowly, a small tear trickled down her face. "She's barely holding on Mr. Potter. 5th floor she's on. Mr. Malfoy is with her."

Thanking her, Harry briskly went up to the 5th floor. He found Hermione's room, and peaked in. She was lying down on a bed, white as a sheet. She was unconscious, her torso was slashed diagonally, as though she was cursed.

Harry fought back a tear and knocked quietly on the door. Draco quickly turned around and said hoarsely, "Harry. I-I..." he choked back tears and looked away.

Harry patted Draco on his shoulder and said, "She's tough. She'll get through it."

The two stood at Hermione's bedside, neither saying a word to each other, and held on for Hermione's own sake.

Author's Note

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