The marriage law

Six:Dix-Sept Six: Seventeen

The ringing sound seemed to pierce through Hermione's dreams and almost became a part of them as she slept. Therefore, it was possibly a minute or two before she woke up enough to realise that it was in fact the telephone that was ringing, and not the ambulance that was in her dream.

Fred muttered a number of expletives under his breath about the telephone, but ultimately he rolled over to the side of the bed which was away from Hermione, and promptly fell back to sleep.

Hermione felt only confusion, and not merely because Fred had successfully managed to ignore a ringing telephone at three in the morning. Sitting upright, she quickly hauled herself out of bed and tried to get to phone before it woke up all the neighbours.

"Hello?" was all that she could manage in her croaky voice.

"Darling, is that you?"

Marian's voice on the other side of the line was hurried and sounded remarkably anxious. Hermione was almost positive that she could also hear other voices in the background. She was not accustomed to hearing her mother speak in such a way, and her previously foggy brain cleared rather quickly as she felt adrenaline begin to surge through her body.

"Mum? Is everything alright, I-"

But before she had the chance to ask any questions, Marian was already explaining.

"Darling, it's your father. We've just had an ambulance bring him into the A&E of the hospital. The doctors are doing a bit of a once-over on him now to try and figure out what's wrong, but they think that it's got something to do with his heart."

Hermione own heart started to race at the thought of her father being unwell. Fortunately her mother was calm and collected enough to be able to convey all the necessary details of the hospital's location. Despite all of this, it was the final thing that her mother said before hanging up that sent a chill down Hermione's spine.

"The doctor's think that it would be a very good idea if you and Fred come down as soon as possible to see your father."

Hermione did not know how to properly respond to this, so after a hurried goodbye, she dropped the receiver of the phone and immediately ran into their bedroom to wake Fred and tell him the unfortunate news.

Leaning down across her side of the bed, she quickly shook him awake and explained the situation. In no time at all they were dressed and in a cab, heading to the hospital. Hermione was thankful that there was very little traffic on the road and that they were getting there in record time. Fred had wanted to take the Knight Bus, because it would be faster, but Hermione had more than enough experience with Ernie's driving and did not want to risk it during pregnancy. Therefore, they trooped through the 'Leaky Cauldron' to muggle London to hail a cab.

Hermione and Fred did not say a word to one another as they travelled down the brightly lit streets of London. After all, what would be an acceptable thing to say when someone you loved was so ill that they may not make it? The only sound present was Hermione repeatedly snapping the buttons of her cardigan opened and closed, whilst Fred kept tapping his fingers against the armrest on the door.

Arriving at the hospital, Hermione paid the cab driver. Fred had become more proficient with muggle money, however, when a situation became stressful he still made mistakes, and neither of them could afford the time that a mistake would cost them.

Hurtling themselves out of the car, the pair sped towards a pair of automatic doors which were labelled as the main entrance to the hospital. A woman sat at the front reception desk, her eyes glued to the computer screen in front of her as she took a sip from a polystyrene cup which gave a faint aroma of cheap coffee mixed with burning plastic.