Put Your Curse In Reverse [Part 2]

Chapter 5 - Kaleidoscope

"You have no idea," Ron said, chest heaving, emotion smothering the hall. "Don't say that to him."

"I know that Harry falling apart doesn't do his family any good," Draco snapped coldly.

Ginny appeared in the doorway. It was the first time she'd left Albus's side since they'd arrived. She clenched her jaw as her eyes scanned over the scene.

"That's enough!" she snapped. The circles underneath her eyes were darker than Harry had ever seen. "Draco, I don't need you telling Harry how to care for his family. Ron, Harry doesn't need you fist-fighting for him. Harry, I'm sorry, I tried to tell the Healer to warn you that Albus had left, so you wouldn't think—"

She broke off, as unable to speak the words as Harry was of thinking them. Scorpius was still staring at Albus's empty, blood-stained bed.

"Let's all sit," Molly ordered. When nobody moved, she narrowed her eyes. "That was not a suggestion. Now!"

Everybody—even Draco—moved forward towards the ward. Molly waved her wand, cleared the tea mess, and then sent George to get more tea for everybody. Harry waited until everybody had entered the room except for Ginny. They stared at each other for a moment, exhausted eyes boring into exhausted eyes, a million horrible worries perched right at the forefront of their minds. Harry could've burst into tears as easily as his wife could've. But instead, they took a step forward at nearly the same moment and met in the middle. Harry slowly wrapped his arms around her; she did the same. They stood in the middle of the hall, faces pressed into shoulders, breathing deeply to subdue the building sobs. Harry squeezed his eyes shut until the burning stopped. He tightened his grip on Ginny and felt perfectly understood within her embrace. She was hurting as much as he was. She felt the same. It was a blessing and a curse.

"It's not over yet," she whispered into his neck, fiercely and thick. "Don't give up."

He couldn't reply; to speak would be to cry. He buried his face into her jumper and held her tighter.

He and Ginny had consumed seven mugs of tea since arriving at St. Mungo's. Harry's heart was racing and his palms were sweaty, but that could've easily been from the stress rather than the caffeine.

It took three hours, but finally, Victoire reappeared. She was covered in blood and was exceptionally peaky. The entire room seemed to be holding their breath. And then—she smiled.

Ginny bowed forward, her face pressing into her thighs, her breaths coming out in thankful, rapid gasps. Molly hurried forward and began Scourgifying the blood from Victoire's robes. Harry's head was spinning again. All he could think was thank Merlin.

"We used some Muggle machine. It cycled his blood in and out of his body. We mixed essence of dittany in with it as it cycled through. We really didn't think..." Victoire trailed off. She offered Hermione a weak smile. "Thank Merlin for your library skills, Aunt Hermione."

For about the millionth time in Harry's life, he was breathless with gratitude for the existence of Hermione Granger. He rose to pull her into a hug, but half a dozen other family members had beaten him to it. She looked a bit surprised from the middle of the exuberant huddle, her dark, elegant hand patting each of their backs in turn. Scorpius Malfoy wormed his way into the embrace without a moment's hesitation.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you—" he kept repeating tearfully, his arms squeezing Hermione tightly. She'd never looked less dignified. She'd never looked more loved.

"Well, I broke nearly a dozen serious laws tonight, so if I get booted from office—"

"Nobody would dare," Ron told her fondly.