Alexandra Weasley: Book 5

63

"For someone who tells me off for being in the hospital wing too much, you're not much better." Alex said, smiling at Hermione as she woke up.

"Heh." Hermione softly breathed out a laugh, before wincing. "I feel like I've been hit by a truck."

"Close enough. It was a curse." Alex said.

"Are you okay?" Hermione asked. "What happened after we ran?"

"Later." Alex said and glanced over at her siblings who appeared to be asleep.

"Is everyone okay?"

"Ginny's had a broken ankle. Pomfrey healed it, and she should be fine after a good night's rest. Ron's still got welts all over. He had bruises on his face but Pomfrey managed to heal that. We'll just have to observe any long term effects. You need a lot of rest for your ribs to heal. The curse bruised some internal organs but a few potion doses and you'll be good as new. Neville's been treated and sent back to the common rooms. Luna seems well enough. Madam Pomfrey originally thought some further observation was needed, but-"

"She was just being Luna?" Alex nodded and Hermione smiled. "What about Harry?"

"Dumbledore said he's okay. I think they're talking. Sirius is gone." Hermione looked solemn but unsurprised.

"You?" Alex glanced at her siblings again, and decided Hermione wasn't going to stop worrying.

"Griffiths was there. He- I found a fireplace with some floo, but before I could get a message out, he appeared. He took me to Voldemort, and- it was close. If there wasn't a risk of splinching with forced side along, he would have gotten me. He had a wand on me before I could raise mine, and I didn't know if a spell that close would work. We need to see what can affect me and what can't, just in case."

"Yeah, we can do that as soon as I get out." Hermione said. "How did you get away?"

"He legilimised me. I had my walls up but I couldn't keep it strong for long. So, I let him in. He's a sociopath. He doesn't understand emotions. Probably hasn't ever felt any, whereas I on the other hand, had a lot on hand. He got distracted and I disapparated."

"You distracted him by making him feel emotions?" Hermione said, with a small smile. "Is that the key to defeating him?"

"No, I think it took him off guard just the once." Alex joked back. Hermione grinned and then moved a little in the bed.

"Come up here. You need to sleep."

"I don't want to hurt you. I'll go to the dorms, or The Room or something."

"I'm fine." Hermione said. "Just come up already." She reached to tug Alex who warily agreed. She tried to give Hermione a wide berth of space, afraid of irritating her wound. "Stop that. It's okay. I'm fine."

"But you almost weren't."

"You almost weren't either. He could have taken you." Alex stared up at the ceiling. "You protected us as long as you could. We all lasted as long as we did because you gave us the chance to run."

"He said if I joined him, I could choose a person to keep safe. Anyone." Hermione took her hand and held it. "I could've kept you safe. He wouldn't have killed Ron and Ginny because they're purebloods."

"I never want you to do that for me." Hermione told her softly. "I want you happy and safe and right next to me where we can protect each other." Alex nodded and squeezed Hermione's hand, letting her head loll over to next to Hermione's.

Hermione and Ron stuck around the hospital wing for a while. Harry had come down to visit every once in a while and Alex had made an excuse every time.

This time was no different.
"Harry!" Ron brightened at the sight of his friend. Alex stood.

"I've got to go. Being a coward and all, I'm too afraid of Pomfrey's wrath over the visitor limit."

"Visitor limit's six." Hermione said. "Ron and I are patients. You, Harry, Ginny and Neville make four visitors."

"Yes, I can count." Alex threw her a glare. "But she might have changed the policy and I don't know about you, but I'm too scared to facing Madam Pomfrey's wrath."

"Tell Kichiro and Saph I say hi." Hermione called after her friend as she walked away. Alex sent her a thumbs up.

Alex sat down with Kichiro for a while.
"Hey, boy." He was half laying on the ground, his head on her lap, blinking lazily under the sun. "You'll come with me, won't you? One day, when I leave Hogwarts, I can count on you can't I?"

Kichiro nuzzled her hand as she pet him. She smiled at him.

"You know you're almost all grown up now." She said. "In a couple of years, your coat will be almost completely white, and you'll be matured."

"Hi." Alex turned and saw Luna. She nodded at the Ravenclaw.

"Hey, Loony."

"You're surrounded by wrackspurts. They aren't in your ears yet, though."

"Those are the ones that make your head all fuzzy, right?"

"Yes. And they're especially attracted to bad energy. That's why you've got to think positive thoughts to make them go away."

"I'm in short supply." Alex said.

"Maybe Saphira can help?" The dragon swooped down, hearing her name. Alex smiled slightly.

"That's a good idea."

A/N- okay final chapter. Sorry for the long wait again. Should be back to the regular schedule tomorrow. Anyways, next chapter's gonna be up, right after this so I hope you enjoyyy. Heh heh, got a few stuff planned.

Also, favourite line is "You distracted him by making him feel emotions?" Hermione said, with a small smile. "Is that the key to defeating him?"