Time Again (Completed)

Chapter 27

The day after Harry had the tree branch removed from his chest Madam Pomfrey declared Harry off the critical list, and returned to Hogwarts telling Hermione before she went that both she and Harry were suspended from school until after the holiday on medical grounds. Harry was not to leave the bed for more than a few minutes a day for the next week, "he can go to the little boy's room and that's all," she had told Hermione. Hermione had giggled; Harry was quite a few things but a little boy he most definitely was not.

Hermione cancelled everything she had planned, that included the new squib classes; she intended to get herself fit again. She had a husband who needed her, she had forgotten that for a while, and she had nearly lost him, she wanted no repeat of that. She wasn't even sure yet if Harry had forgiven her for the things she had said, they were cruel and nasty, and though she had not meant them, she had used the very words that had been used by his evil aunt and uncle to put Harry down for a very long time. She had not really had him to herself since his accident, but today she was putting her foot down and sending everyone home, or in Ginny's case back to school.

As soon as she had sent her final visitor away, Hermione made her way to the kitchen where cook had some delicious chicken soup ready and waiting. Hermione had gotten her appetite back with a vengeance once she had eaten cook's special broth, her colour was back to normal and she was feeling better by the hour. She was still worried, her periods had stopped some weeks ago, madam Pomfrey had told her it had been her poor physical condition, and lack of food that were the cause, she could only hope and pray that they would return to normal, she prayed she had not ruined their chance of having the family she knew they both wanted so much.

She remembered Harry's words so distinctly, at the time she had thought them an insult but now she knew that Harry had been so desperately worried about her and their future family, his words echoed in her head.

"If you keep this up we will not be able to have children, you are working your body to a standstill and you are being too stupid to see it"

He had obviously noticed she was no longer having her periods and he was scared of what damage she was doing to her body. Now she ate alone in the kitchen, the soup was full of goodness, cook knew what she was doing, and she would have something else ready for Hermione to eat every hour or so for the next two days. Harry was trying with some difficulty to raise him self up in the bed he was totally sick of lying on his back; he knew he had been seriously hurt but he just had to move. Hermione walked into the room as he attempted to swing his legs from the bed. Rushing over to him she placed her hands on his shoulders and stopped him.

"Where the heck do you think you are going?" she asked as she swung his feet back on the bed.

"Aw come on Hermione love, I'm just off to the bath room," he told her.

"And why would you want to go to the bathroom, you went just fifteen minutes ago, so come on Harry where were you off too?" she scolded

"Truth is I just wanted to get out of this bed," He replied a little sheepishly.

Hermione joined Harry on the bed after placing his pillows so that he could sit up comfortably. Resting her head on his shoulder she suddenly began to weep. Harry placed his arm around her and pulled her to him, "what is it love?" he asked with such gentleness in his voice it made her cry a little more.

"I love you Harry, I love you so much, but now I'm scared you don't believe me anymore when I tell you," Hermione sniffed as she managed to stop her crying "Those things I said were so thoughtless, so horrible, and so cruel, I would rather die than hurt you, but I still managed to nearly get you killed."