Harry Potter and the Year After

Chapter Sixty-five: Brutal Honesty

Chapter 65: Brutal Honesty

"Goodness sakes, what happened now?" Madam Pomfrey said as Seamus lowered Harry to the nearest bed. He had fallen unconscious again during the short trip to the hospital wing.

"Was beaten up," said Seamus. Dean had his hand on Hermione's back as she cried into her hands. Every once in a while, he tentatively patted her back, as though he were afraid to touch her much more than that. They watched as Madam Pomfrey healed cuts and bruises on Harry's face.

"I just want to see if he's alright," came Ginny's voice from the doorway. She strode in, followed closely by Draco.

"He'll live," said Madam Pomfrey without looking up. "Episkey," she said in a bored voice. Harry's nose cracked itself into a straight line again. And then, "Innervate."

Harry stirred. "What happened?" he said hoarsely before he'd opened his eyes. Dean slipped Harry's glasses from his pocket and handed them to him as he sat up. Hermione quieted herself, though tears still leaked freely from the corners of her eyes.

"Ron was going to kill you, mate," Dean said when no one else spoke. "We had to pull him off you, well... we tried... but then Malfoy got him with a Levicorpus."

"Oh," he said, glancing at Hermione. "Well, I'm fine now I think." He turned so he sat on the edge of the bed.

"Yes, you're fine, you all may go," said Madam Pomfrey, waving a hand into the air as she turned and retreated back into her rooms.

Dean and Seamus left first, muttering things like, "Ron's a bloody beast" and "Feel better." Ginny seemed as though she didn't want to leave until she was assured again that Harry would be fine.

She held Harry's gaze for a moment. He wondered if his eyes were playing tricks on him: for a second, he thought her eyes had turned as red as her hair. But then, blinking hard, he saw that her eyes looked her normal brown again.

"Let's go, Ginevra," said Draco, a hand resting on her shoulder.

"Leave me alone," she said through gritted teeth into his face. Harry stood up at this and stepped forward. Hermione stayed still, watching them.

"You don't want to do this," Draco said to her, barely moving his lips. "Please, let's go."

Harry waited to see what she'd do. But then, to his dismay, she turned and left with Draco. Harry saw that Hermione looked as confused by this as he felt...

Hermione started walking toward the door and Harry followed her. "Are you alright?" he asked from behind her. She glanced over her shoulder at him and waited a few steps until he had caught up to her.

"Well, I told Ron," she explained as she and Harry left the hospital wing. "He probably doesn't know whether he's killed you or not."

"I'm sure he'll find out soon enough," said Harry. "I thought we weren't going to tell him?"

"I'm sorry, I should have told you first." She was trying not to start crying again. "But Luna mentioned the kiss in the bathroom and he heard her, and then well, I thought it'd be best for him to know the truth. I don't want to live a lie anymore... I cheated on him, Harry."

"I know..."

"And," she said, wiping her nose, "The wedding's off now. I think... I wonder if he'll ever speak to me again."

"Of course he will," Harry said, though honestly he wasn't sure. Ron held loyalty up as probably his most important virtue... it was a wonder that he hadn't been placed in Hufflepuff, really... "I only got what I deserved. They shouldn't have stopped him. He should have been allowed to hit me to his heart's content."