Venom & Virtue

chapter 64

Three more long days passed, and then it was Monday.

The cheery healer, who'd I'd learnt was named Bessie, came to check on me one final time, confirming that I was recovered enough to leave before bidding me farewell.

And that's when Kingsley finally arrived at my hospital bay, two wizards trailing by his side, their uniforms the same as the Ministry guards.

He instructed them to wait outside the curtain before pulling me in for a hug, squeezing me tightly as if to check I were really there.

I did the same back, inhaling his familiar scent, the soft material of his robes soothing against my cheek.

I couldn't help but think of all that had happened since I'd last hugged him, it felt as if the entire world had changed since our goodbye in September.

At the very least, I had.

Loving Draco had been enough to alter me in some irreversible way, even regardless of the near-death experience at the Ministry.

We released one another as he looked down at me, a serious expression on his face.

"Are you okay?"

I almost wanted to laugh at the question, it was simple in theory but entirely complicated, because I simultaneously was and wasn't.

But I was alive, and I'd decided that had to count for something.

"Peachy keen," I offered him a reassuring smile, "and you? I suppose congratulations are in order."

"Perhaps, although I wish such an honour had been bestowed under different circumstances."

"Well it doesn't make you any less deserving of the title," I stated, sincerity laced in my tone.

He smiled slightly, "thank you, but I'm here to discuss your situation."

"Do we have to? I really don't think it's necessary to go over it, I'm sure you know all the detai-"

He held a hand up, a motion to silence my protests.

"I may be the Minister, but I'm still your assigned guardian, and therefore it is my duty to reprimand you heavily for throwing yourself into such a dangerous situation-"

"But I wa-"

"I mean honestly what were you thinking? Flooing into the middle of a government coup without getting help first-"

"Actually I-"

"Worse yet, I find out you taunted Bellatrix Lestrange whilst she tortured you, as if the witch needed any encouragement in her lunacy-"

"Well it was ju-"

"And as if that weren't all enough, you disobey direct instructions from a Hogwarts professor, only to run off into the middle of a live battlefield-"

"That par-"

"Before finally, nearly getting yourself killed again by isolating yourself from Dumbledore and his army when you knew Dementors had been called in to help. I mean honestly what part of all this was a good plan?"

I paused, blinking like a deer caught in headlights as he stared at me expectantly.

"I mean you forgot the part where I tried to release the SOS... that was pretty smart..." I offered nervously.

He arched an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed by my offering.

I braced myself, preparing for another rant of displeasure, but the tension in his shoulders slackened as he sighed in defeat.