From Wiltshire, With Love

Chapter 70

Hermione drifted in and out of consciousness. Her body was numb and she couldn't move either. Briefly, she saw flashes of Mary's face over hers, brows furrowed in concentration. Sometimes Cho's face appeared instead. She wondered where Terry was. For a moment she could have sworn she saw Mary and Cho crying and hugging each other. She had never seen Mary cry before.

It was hard to think.

Later Hermione heard murmuring. She strained to listen – it was Harry and Molly speaking with Mary, but she couldn't hear what they were saying, and only made out snippets.

"–words carved on her–"

"–survived after the Cruciatus–"

"–time for skin to regrow on her thigh and stomach–"

"–bones broken?"

"–always have heavy scarring–"

"–how long before she–"

Who were they talking about? She tried to open her eyes to tell them she was awake, but her lids were so heavy, and she fell back asleep.

Hermione wasn't sure how much time had passed. The worried faces of Ron and Ginny, the Weasleys, Harry, and Minerva appeared and disappeared in her fog. She knew not all the Weasleys came, and that it was important some were missing. But she couldn't remember why, and couldn't remember which ones weren't there.

But Draco was safe. She remembered she hadn't failed him. Or Harry.

She smelled something warm and comforting... babies. Instantly, she felt secure and loved. She would have smiled if she had any control over her facial muscles. The disembodied voices of Mary and Tonks sounded above her.

"–warned you that you'd lose your eye–"

"–not going to let Harry go alone–"

"–if you hadn't Apparated–"

"–had to bring her back–"

"–too late to repair–"

"–didn't stop Alastor from–"

She couldn't quite understand the verbal volleying back and forth. Although they sounded angry, Hermione could sense there was no real animosity behind the words. But that changed quickly.

"–get her a fucking specialist, Mary–"

"–already told you I have a colleague–"

"–alive because of her–"

"–aware of that, Tonks. I said I'd bring–"

Their voices were getting louder, dragging Hermione out of her blissful haze. She tried to speak but her tongue was thick and heavy in her mouth.

"–children fighting a war–"

"Young adults. Muggle militaries enlist–"

"–hardly paragons of morality–"

"–sodding superiority complex–"

"–only eighteen. You're teaching them to kill and look at her! Hermione shouldn't have to–"

"Who will protect them if they can't do it themselves? You-Know-Who doesn't care how old they are."

"It's indiscriminate. You didn't have to blow up the houses, Tonks. His army isn't the Order. They're not all volunteers."

"We can't win a war with clean hands, Mary. Shall I Obliviate your colleague when he's finished so you can keep yours pristine?"

"No. I already agreed, I'm already culpable. I'll do it."