You have the power to heal your life, and you need to know that. We think so often that we are helpless, but we're not. We always have the power of our minds...Claim and consciously use your power. - Louise L. Hay
(Flashback continued)
Charlotte's POV
*****
The sun shined brightly up in the late summer sky. It was the summer of fifth year at Hogwarts. Pansy's friends had come over to spend the day. While the elders sat inside and gossiped over the latest news, trying to come up with new ways to climb up the status ladder among the Dark Lord's circle, us kids were left to our own devices to spend the time.
Pansy and her friend Daphne sat under a large cider tree, whispering amongst themselves, while Crabbe and Goyle were perched on the wooden chairs, their laps filled with various eatables, munching away.
I got up from my place on the ground, where I had been lounging for the past hour, reading my favourite muggle novel, and dusted my skirt before looking around.
I finally found the person I was looking for, sitting away from the rest of the crowd, his head bent over his lap, his platinum hair fell over his face, shielding his stormy eyes. I shut my book close, before making my way over to him.
As I stopped before him, my shadow falling on him, blocking the sun, he looked up. His eyes were a dark murky grey, nestles between thick bands of lashes. I noticed how long they were, and how curly too. He drew his mouth into a tight line, glaring at me.
"What do you want Parkinson?" He snarled.
You, I wanted to say...
"What are you doing, sitting here all by your lonely self?" I asked instead, smiling brightly at him. He glared at me, his nostrils flaring due to anger.
"Fuck off." He gritted out, his palms clenching in his lap. I raised a brow at him coolly, before plopping down next to him, totally ignoring his oh-so-polite request.
"Isn't it a lovely day today? I am glad we could get out in the sun for a while..." I rambled on, as he continued to burn holes into the side of my face with his piercing stare.
"I still have so much homework to do. That bloody old cat expects us to write a fucking oaf sized book on-"
"Will you shut up?" He snarled in a low voice.
I stopped mid-rant, my mouth still open. I tilted my head to look at him, "Whoa! Calm your balls Draco, I was just trying to keep you good company," I told him.
He rolled his eyes, "Clearly, it's not fucking welcome, so you can piss off now."
"Perhaps, and let you sulk and moan over your Father in peace," I replied cuttingly. I saw him tense at the mention of his imprisoned father. He glared at me, while I stared back at him calmly, given that he was almost on the verge of hexing me.
"Go away Charlotte," he gritted out.
"Nopes.." I dragged out the 's', "Not until you pull yourself together and stop acting like that stupid Longbottom kid. What the fuck is wrong with you? How long are you going to keep mucking up your chances for?"
He looked away, clenching and unclenching his fists in anger. "I don't want to talk about it,"
"You're being stupid and you know it. Fine, I won't talk about it. Go ahead and make a fool out of yourself in front of the Dark Lord."
He shot up so fast, I almost didn't see him get up on his feet and take a step away from me. Blinking, surprised, I got up too and watched him seething in anger. He turned to me and took a step towards me, making the hair on my neck stand.
"It would be better if you kept your nose out of matters that don't concern you or which you have no idea about." He snarled in a low voice. I felt my heart skip a beat at the close proximity, even though I knew he was barely controlling his rage.
"But Dra-" before I could say anything further though, he had already walked away and out of earshot.
****
Hermione's POV
I don't think I have ever been so eager to get to a hospital ever before this, but at that moment, I couldn't have willed the floo network to work any faster. The lobby of St. Mungos finally came into view and I filed out, clumsily after Harry and Ginny. We were accompanied by George who had come to collect us from school.
It seemed that our current situation had flown out Ginny and Harry's minds, as we all raced towards Ron's ward. As we neared the ward, we found the rest of the Weasleys huddled together outside the door.
"Mum! Dad! What happened?" Ginny exclaimed as we approached them, panting, and out of breathe.
"Ginny, oh sweetheart!" Molly smiled a watery smile, turning to look at all of us and pulling Ginny into a hug. Arthur was beaming as well.
"Your brother just woke up. The healers are doing a check up before we can go in and see him." She explained, her voice rushed due to excitement. I could feel my heart beating frantically in my chest, the urge to barge right into the room slowly rising with the passing minutes.
I looked at Harry who stood next to me and offered him a small smile. He looked pained, his fists clenched on his sides. I knew he was just as eager to see Ron as I was.
"Hermione.." He began, before abruptly stopping and shaking his head. I frowned.
"What is it Harry?" I asked after a moment of waiting, but he didn't look like he was going to talk anytime soon.
"I-", he stared into my face for a long minute and I could see the turmoil raging in his bright green eye, "Do you have a minute?" He finally said. I nodded, only hesitating for a minute as a memory of the classroom that night flashed through my mind. Before I could take a step away from the others though, the door to the room opened and a healer stepped out.
"Mr. Weasley," he acknowledged with a good natured smile and everyone's attention was drawn to him. "Mr. Weasley is stable now, you can meet him in a moment. But please, do refrain from overwhelming him or stressing him out too much. He still needs to rest." Everyone nodded, eager to see Ron.
As the healer walked away, Arthur turned to us and with a nod, opened the door. With a silent agreement, Molly entered first. The door shut with a soft click behind her and we all plopped down onto the benches outside the room to wait for our turns.
It was silent except for the normal hustle around the hospital. By silent agreement, Harry and I waited till the very end to see Ron, giving his family ample time to catch up with him. When Ginny finally emerged from the room, with a watery half smile, it was time for us to go in.
"Can we.. go see him together?" Harry asked reluctantly, throwing a subtle glance at Ginny who was staring at us with an expressionless look.
"Of course my dears, go right in.. He's been asking for you two," Molly replied, patting my back encouragingly.
"Be right back," I heard Harry mumble to Ginny before twisting the door knob and walking in. I followed.
Ron looked over at us, and it felt like years had come and gone since I had seen that look of happiness in his eyes. There was silence as we stared at each other, each lost in our own thoughts
"Blimey Harry, what's wrong with your face?" His voice was a little gruff from disuse the past few weeks, but his smile was so radiant that I couldn't help but smile in response.
"What? Is there something on my face?" Harry touched his cheeks consciously. Ron grinned at that,
"Yeah, you look like I just came back from the dead," He chuckled.
Harry stopped feeling his face and shook his head, "You almost did, you git," he said, stepping closer to the bunk and doing that awkward one armed hug that boys always did.
"What are you two on about?" I asked playing along.
"Some bright witch you are 'mione..." Ron replied. I giggled, shaking my head at the silliness of my two best friends.
"Oh Ron!" I exclaimed, suddenly overwhelmed with so much emotions. I bounded towards him, perched myself on the edge of his bed and threw my arms around his neck.
"Woah uh.." He exclaimed, but put his arms around my waist nonetheless.
"I missed you so much," I whispered, my eyes brimming with unshed tears. He patted my back awkwardly before saying,
"Now, now.. you're making it look like I really did come back from the dead."
I sniffed, breaking apart and wiping my cheeks while Harry just rolled his eyes.
"So, what's new? What did I miss?" said Ron.
"Before that.. you need to tell us.. what happened?" Harry replied, all playfulness gone from his voice. I sat up straighter, my hand placed over Ron's. He glanced at Harry first, then turned to look at me.
"Its.. uh.. kind of.."
"Ronald, you have kept whatever it was from us, for far too long.. and look where it got you! Are you still not going to share it with us?"
"Hermione's right mate, you didn't even tell me.. that was pretty fucked up you know? To find out you've been having such a hard time all by yourself.." Harry stated, crossing his arms over his chest.
"I.. it's not like that.. I was-"
"You were what Ron? What was it that you had to conceal from even your best friends? You know we would have listened, right? We would never judge you.. do you not trust us?" I said, my throat constricting painfully as tears brimmed my eyes.
"Bloody hell, no! Of course I trust you both. Fuck, we've been through so much together.. I'd be mad to keep something like this from both of you.. it's just.."
"What?" Harry exclaimed impatiently.
Ron seemed to take a moment, his gaze trained on the wall before him, unfocused, before he looked Harry straight in the eyes and said, "I-I was under the Imperious Curse."