Unbroken

Wednesday, Week 2

Hermione POV

Today's the day of the Minister's Ball and, while Ron has been pestering me to go, I've elected not to. As per usual, that caused another fight between us and he accused me of 'putting my life on hold for Harry.' I just wish that he could see the bigger picture for once in his life. He's always been someone focused on the here and now but for those few early months while we were dating, engaged, and then married, he was charming and unlike the person I see now. I don't understand how he could have changed so drastically. It's like he stopped trying once he knew I had a ring on my finger.

I'm once again at Harry's bedside watching him and noticing that his health has improved yet again. His face is still clean shaven but is now showing patches of stubble again, I chuckle wryly at this, and his skin has returned fully to its original shade. His breathing is now coming out fuller and his heartbeat has now returned to its usual strong and smooth rhythm. All in all, he looks healthy and whole. God did listen to me, after all.

The healers told me he wouldn't yet be ready to wake up but I'm not at all concerned about it since he looks in better shape than he did on Monday. My fingers are entwined with his and I allow my head to lay gently against his chest to breathe in the scent that is so distinctively him. I feel as if I'm being wrapped in a protective cocoon by the scent as well as the magic that is so clearly thrumming through his body. I remind myself that, after Voldemort's defeat, Harry's magic grew exponentially to the point that it surrounds him like an aura.

"Ahem." I jolt upwards and whip my head to the door behind me to find none other than Headmistress McGonagall, Minerva as I call her, at the door with a fond smile on her face. I missed her dearly and I'm out of my position with haste to hug her tightly.

"Hello to you too, Hermione," she says in her patented Scottish brogue. I laugh in her arms and allow myself to finally be vulnerable in front of the one person who understands me.

"I missed you, Minerva." I surprise myself with how my voice comes out because it sounds altogether tearful.

"I missed you too, especially since you and Mister Potter over there haven't visited me in ages," she tells me and I blush against her shoulder. I'm thankful she can't see me but I'm surprised at the little laugh I hear from her. She was pulling my leg.

Regretfully, I leave the hug and turn to look at Harry with Minerva. I chance a glance back to my favorite Professor and see her eyes welling up the same way mine are at the sight of him in his hospital bed. It's been ages since Harry spent days in the hospital and we've gotten used to the idea that he doesn't get badly hurt nearly as often as he used to in our school years.

"Same old Harry. Always getting himself into trouble," Minerva endearingly says but I can tell her joke is meant to comfort herself and me. She's worried about him and I know it breaks her heart to see him like this. It does mine too.

"You know how he is," I respond, my eyes never leaving Harry.

"Too right, Hermione," I feel her tug my hand in hers to look at her, "and I know how you are as well."

I tilt my head in confusion and wonder what she could mean by that. It's no surprise that she knows me as well as she does Harry but why is she telling me this now?

"I remember it used to be quite the fight to get you to leave Harry's bedside whenever he was hurt. I imagine it is much the same these days."

I blush and look away embarrassingly at the floor. She's not lying about either things and I'm taken back to the countless days I spent with Harry in the hospital wing. I also spent a couple of nights with him under his cloak but Minerva doesn't know that bit.

"Except now you are allowed to spend nights without hiding under Harry's cloak."

I squeak and hide my face while my blush runs to the tips of my ears. How did she know that? I look up at her and see a fond look on her face and I can almost hear her telling me she has her ways of finding out things. I return the look and watch as she takes a seat next to Harry while I do the same.

"I've heard that you're not planning to attend The Minister's Ball tonight," Minerva tells me conversationally.

She must have heard it from Ron or Ginny but I don't care. Not even she can convince me to leave Harry's bedside, if that is indeed what she's trying to do.

"What would be the point? Harry needs me," I answer back with a bit more sharpness than I intended. I take Harry's hand in mine again to drive my point forward to her. I'm not leaving and no one is telling me otherwise.

I'm met with a chuckle from her and she turns to look at me with softness tainting her golden brown eyes. Almost reflexively, I look away because the intensity of the gaze is too much for me to handle.

"I've always admired yours and Harry's commitment to each other. I remember it was virtually impossible to pull him from your side during your second and fifth years." She gets that faraway look in her eyes again and I can see the memories playing behind her eyes. I feel a bit of pride knowing Harry and I were her favorite students because she let us get away with so much. "Of course, once I did so, he'd just return with his cloak."

Harry spent nights with me in the hospital wing? This is news to me. I'm not surprised, though, this was us. We'd cross hell and back for each other.

"But eventually, I did manage to get him to stop," she uses her soft hands to tilt my chin upwards so I can look at her, "I convinced him that you wouldn't want him starving himself, denying himself of sleep, and not caring about his own well-being just because you were hurt. I convinced him that you would be more than angry at him for putting his life at risk when you were out of any immediate danger, that you would want to see him happy, healthy, and whole when you woke up."

I know what she's getting at but I refuse to give in to her. She knows those are exactly the words I would say to Harry and he to me but this is different. I can't explain it but this is different.

"I'm not leaving," I defiantly shoot back at her.

All I'm met with is a humorous chortle.

"Of course not, and I would never force you to, but I'm just wondering what Harry would say when he wakes up and finds you missing the ball just because you wanted to stay by his side. I'd imagine he'd feel a bit guilty for having you do that, no?"

Damn this woman. I hate that she knows Harry and I so well. Well...no I don't but it's annoying me right now. I know she's right and there's nothing I can do about it. I imagine Harry would be peeved at me for missing the Ball just because of him, especially when he's in no immediate danger but I really don't want to leave him.

"Harry would want you to know that he's going to be fine, that you should go out and...decompress a bit. You are a married woman, Hermione, and the Ball is an opportunity to spend time with your husband. I can't imagine Harry would deny you that opportunity right now if he was awake."

Against everything I believe in, I find myself agreeing with her. It's not about spending time with Ron, though, it's about not making Harry feel guilty for pulling me away from my life while he's safe in the hospital. I can't imagine leaving his bedside again but I have to for his sake. Besides, he won't wake til Friday or Saturday the latest.

I've made up my mind, I'm going to the Ball. Minerva senses this and takes my hand that is currently entwined with Harry's and strokes it with the pad of her thumbs. She's once again sporting that fond smile and turns away from me before dropping a kiss onto Harry's forehead. I follow her motions afterward and she leaves the room with a whispered goodbye.

"I'll be back as soon as the Ball is over, Harry. I promise."