Comfort

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

In what seemed like forever in her heart, but registered as only a few mere minutes in her mind, Draco set them down without so much as a skid on the roof of the hospital. Hermione jumped off the broom, and never once looked back as she yanked open the stairway door and raced down to the emergency room. "My parents, where are they?" She asked the night nurse on duty, her face flushed and her hair wilder than usual from the wind.

"Names?" The nurse asked dryly, clicking keys on the keyboard in front of her.

"Hermione."

She spun at the sound of her name, looking for the source. "Mrs. Tonks." She said, crossing the room to her. "Where are they, how are they?" She blurted out, searching the older woman’s face for any sign that she was too late.

"Easy, calm down." She said pulling Hermione into a hug. She led her away from the other people in the waiting room. Hermione didn’t recognize any of the people there; people that were frantic with their own grief, waiting for information on their own friends or relatives. "Your mother is okay. They've already moved her to a room upstairs. She has a broken arm and a concussion, but other than that she'll be fine."

"What about daddy?" She asked, her voice barely a whisper. Andromeda's note had said they didn't think that he would make it. She prayed that she wasn't too late. She let the woman lead her into a smaller dark room, the sign above the door read ICU waiting room.

Andromeda took a deep breath, lowering them both down onto the couch. She took one of Hermione’s hands into hers before she spoke. "Your parent’s car was hit on the driver side, your father's. He took the brunt of the impact." She looked away from the Granger's only child, gathering the strength to tell her the worst. There was no way to sugar coat the truth, not at a time like this, "Your father's skull has been cracked and shards of the bone have embedded in his brain." She stopped, expecting the young woman to break down, but she merely nodded, as if expecting more. "Hermione, are you alright?" She asked concerned.

"Can I see him?" She asked slowly. A thousand thoughts were flying through her mind. The one that was most dominant was that she could help him, she could use her magic to remove the bone, she could save her father. Damn the magical laws about using it in front of muggles. Let them lock her up; she didn't care, as long as her father lived.

Andromeda shook her head regretfully. "Not right now. They're prepping him for surgery."

Hermione stood up, "They can't do that. What if something goes wrong? He could die in there. They have to let me see him; I might be able to help." Andromeda rose to her feet and grabbed Hermione by the shoulders, stopping her.

"There is nothing you could do for him right now Hermione, you have to be patient. All we can do now is wait." She tried to explain the logic to her, but she knew nothing she said would make a difference. She knew what the young witch was feeling. "You are more than capable of dealing with the problems at St. Mungo's, but this is best left to the doctors. They're specialists; they are what is best for him right now. All we can do now is wait."

Hermione knew Andromeda was right. She felt the fight drain out of her as quickly as it had come. She dropped back on the couch, and felt the tears fall. She leaned over and buried her face on the arm of the couch. "I'll go get you some coffee." Hermione let the sobs consume her. Her shoulders shook and her chest heaved as she tried to gulp them back, but still they came. A shadow fell over her, blocking what dim light the overhead bulb cast, and the couch dipped slightly beside her as someone sat alongside her. A hand started lightly rubbing her back, then her shoulders, then her hair. Hermione leaned into the rub, allowing Andromeda to hold her as she cried. Shee didn't try to silence her, didn't try to feed her false hope, she just held her.

She didn't know how long she cried, but it soon slowed, and she was able to regain her thoughts. "I'm sorry." She whispered, wiping her eyes with her sleeve, lifting off of him. "I-" She stopped short as she looked up. She cleared her throat, stunned. "I apologize Draco, I thought you were someone else." Her cheeks were already bright red from crying, but she could still feel the blush creeping up her neck and spreading across her face.

Draco started to reply, but didn't get a chance. Andromeda came back into the room, coffee-less, and beckoned Hermione. "Your mother wants to see you." Hermione couldn’t help but notice the confused look Andromeda gave her nephew. Neither said anything, and finally Andromeda turned and walked away. Hermione started to follow her out of the room, but hesitated at the door. She turned slightly, looking at the floor in front of Draco. "Thank you." She mumbled, and then followed Andromeda towards the elevator.