BLACK {1} harry potter

Epilogue

"Can I please see them," I begged Madam Pomfrey, who was standing strictly at my bedside.

It had been a day or so since I'd woken up, though time was hard to tell in the lackluster setting I was kept in. There were no other students in the hospital cots, so I had no one to converse with; Madam Pomfrey seemed to have a limited vocabulary—namely only to say 'no' to anything I uttered.

She shook her head, not even seeming to think about it. "No." Told you.

"Just for five minutes," I tried to convince.

"Absolutely not."

I raised my hand, pointing. "You let Professor Snape and Professor Dumbledore in."

"Well, of course. The headmaster and professors are different. You need rest."

"I had a full five days of nothing but rest," I huffed. "Besides, I'm lying down and not doing anything. I'm resting."

"I don't think so," She rejected. I felt the muscles tighten in my jaw and gripped the sheets of the bed, flipping them off of me without another thought. I hopped out of the cot that I'd been confined to for far too long. "Where do you think you're going?"

"I'm leaving," I answered. The first few steps were wobbly, knees shaking from the weight that hadn't been applied to them for practically a week. But once my feet caught up with my head I began to walk towards the infirmary's doors without a second glance behind me. "If my friends can't come see me, I'll go see my friends."

"Come back," Madam Pomfrey called, though I ignored her statement. "Sarah!" Once again, I acted as if she'd said nothing at all. I was only a few steps from the door now. I felt the cool door handle in the grasp of my hand. "Fine! They can visit, but five minutes only."

I glanced back, hand still on the handle. "Ten minutes," I negotiated.

The nurse ushered me back into bed, "Ten minutes, but not a second more."

As I was getting situated in the cot again, she went outside to fetch my best friends. The three of them came in rushing over to me like they hadn't seen me in years, granted it felt like it had been more than just a week.

Harry was the first at my side, though he wasn't standing there for more than a second before his arms were wrapped around me. "Sarah, I'm so glad you're okay." I reciprocated the hug without a second thought, squeezing Harry. My mind flashed to the last time I'd seen him: passed out on the stone floor, cuts across his face. . . I pushed the thoughts away; he was here healthy and in front of me now.

I felt someone cold and wet on my shoulder and hugged Harry even tighter. Going through what happened down there, I wouldn't wish it upon anyone. For the first time, I was glad Ron got knocked off the horse. I was glad there was only enough potion for two.

When we pulled away—and before Hermione bombarded me with another hug—I made sure to wipe Harry's face clear of tears.

"Sarah, we were so sure you—" Hermione rushed.

"Hermione," Harry warned.

I gave a wry smile. "Dumbledore told me how worried you all were."