Last First Kiss {HP Next Generation}

Chapter Seventy Eight

The sounds of whispering and murmuring met Hope's ears as the girl began to stir from her sleep. Upon arriving at the Hospital Wing, Madam Liddell thought it would be best to allow the girl to rest while her body recovered. She also didn't want to Hope to wake up in a sudden panic, as she instructed anyone coming to visit to keep their voices down. Her scratches and bruises healed nicely, leaving no evidence of what had occurred in the Black Lake during the second task. But the others were still nervous about how she was going to react when she woke up.  Everyone remained close to her bedside until she stirred.

Lifting her hands up to her face, Hope began rubbing her eyes before she was blinded by the light in the room.

"Ah, sweet Merlin's right bosom! Why is it so bright in here?!"

Nixie glanced over at Remus, who had been completely worried the entire time his granddaughter had been unconscious. 

"I think it's safe to say that she is just fine, Remus," she told him. "She doesn't sound traumatized." 

"OPE!" Henry moved his mother and Hope's grandfather aside and approached the bedside where Hope was pushing herself to sit up. She suddenly found herself wrapped in a hug as  Henry nearly tackled her.

"Hey, Ry!" She chuckled hugging him in return. "Ease up on the squeezing there!"

"Sorry," he said pulling away from her. "But I'm just really glad that you're awake and...how are you feeling?"

"Oh I'm fine," Hope said. "Kinda hungry and a little thirsty but I feel great. Wait..."

The girl's eyes widened. "WHAT HAPPENED IN THE LAKE!?"

"Hope, settle down," Remus told her. "Everything is fine. You were attacked by grindylo-"

"No, not that!" Hope said pushing herself to the edge of the bed. "What happened to the key? I tried to hold onto it! Did I let it go? Oh, my Merlin! It's at the bottom of the Black Lake, isn't it? I let it go! Noooo!"

"HOPE!" Everyone yelled in the Hospital Wing to get the girl to stop. 

She quickly fell silent and looked around at everyone. Stella and Eliza were sitting at the bottom of her bed.

"Relax," Stella told her. "You did hold onto the key, Hope. How you managed to hold the key during all of that is beyond me, but you did hold onto it."

"You did let go of your wand, though, luckily, Henry was able to recover it for you," Eliza told her.

Hope sat quietly for a moment before Henry handed the girl her wand, she let it settle in her lap before she glanced up again.

"We didn't win, though, did we?" She sighed. "We went past the time limit all because I couldn't swim-"

"No, Hope, you went past the time limit because you were attacked," Nixie explained to her. "Not because you couldn't swim. Unfortunately for you all, you were all quite close to the nesting grounds and Grindylows aren't nice, to begin with. They're especially hostile if you near their nests. They were only protecting their potential young."

"Oh, well I guess that makes sense," Hope said but she still looked highly disappointed. "So we're in last place, aren't we?"

"No, Hope," Eliza smiled, " we're in second place, because of you."

"Because of me? What did I do get extra points for getting beat up? Or nearly drowning?" Hope looked wildly confused.

"No, you were given extra points by the judges because you held onto the key!" Henry told her. "Everyone was so impressed that you held onto the key that they gave you guys a boost. You were the reason. No one was laughing at you."

"So...second place...we're in second place! That's great!" The girl jumped up and stood on her bed. 

"No, Hope, not in here!" Her grandfather told her, but Hope didn't hold back.

"AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Remus placed his hand over his face while Sirius and Nixie laughed beside him.

"At least it's a victory cry, Moony," Sirius told him.  

Madam Liddell check the girl once over to make sure that she had properly healed before letting her go. Hope's family was more than happy that she was alright, but Henry was still nervous that she was still somewhat in pain as he walked right beside her in the corridors on the way back to the Gryffindor dorm.

Eventually, he just jumped in front of her, bringing Hope to pause in the middle of the corridor. 

"Henry, what are you doing?" She said asked him.

"Care for a ride?" He said offering his back.

She smiled at him. "Henry, I'm fine," she told him. "Really, you don't have to do this."

"I know, but I just...you really had me scared, Hope," Henry admitted. "When my mum brought you up to the platform..."

His voice drifted off and he looked down at his feet bringing Hope to smile as she took a couple of steps towards him.

"Ry, come on, look at me," she said placing her hand under his chin. He looked up at her for a brief second to see her smiling at him.

'I'm alright," she said. "It was a bit of a scary experience, but it's nothing we can't manage. You and I have been through far worse than that."

"Far worse than you getting attacked by a bunch of angry Grindylows?"

"Well, maybe not worse but certainly close," She said bringing him to smile at the truth of the statement. 

"You're right..."

"I know I am, but if you're still offering the piggy-back ride..."

Henry's expression brightened before he turned around and allowed her to hop on.

"Moo bubble bubble!" She called out before he started walking. Although, they came to a stop as Hope's stomach let out a loud growl.

"What was that?!" Henry said.

"That was the sound of my stomach feeling extremely lonely. In other words, I'm starving!"

"Well, I have some chocolate that Fergus gave me the other-" He felt her arms tighten around his neck.

"Take me to the chocolate, Henry."

"Alright, alright! CAN'T BREATHE! I can't take you if I end up dying in the corridors!"