Harry Potter and No Trace Of You

Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

It wasn't long until the healer appeared, his wife a few steps behind. "Mr. Potter. I hear you think you're ready to leave us."

"Yeah," Harry said. "I am."

The healer gave him a prim look. "I definitely would not recommend that."

"Why not?" he asked.

"Because we still don't know how or why this neurotoxin is doing what it is doing. You could get worse."

"It's been, what, nearly 36 hours?" Ginny broke in. "Well past the window of unexpected side effects."

He gave her an unimpressed look. "It's an unusual toxin."

"And if someone remained with him? Could he sit around and stare at walls somewhere else instead?"

The healer was clearly not pleased.

Ginny looked down at her hands, casually picking at her nails. "Keep in mind that if he stays here, I do too."

The healer's eyes widened, apparently taking that for as much of a threat as Harry had no doubt she intended. "He'd have to come in each day for a diagnostic scan."

Ginny looked at Harry, as if seeing if those terms worked for him.

"Yeah," he said. "That's fine." He'd come in three times a day if it meant not spending another night here.

"Then I suppose I'll get started on your release papers, Mr. Potter. But they will be against medical advice."

"Certainly wouldn't be the first time," Ginny muttered.

The healer swept out, looking like he might be secretly thankful to see the back of them.

"Well, then," Ginny said, hands on her hips. "Now you have some options of where to go. You can come home with me. Or go with Ron. My parents would also be happy to have you."

He noticed that she kept doing this, giving him clear choices, even if she doubtless had her own preferences. It certainly made him feel like he was more in control, and he wondered if that was her aim.

"Don't I have a family?" he asked.

She looked away, but not before he saw the pain flash across her face. "We are your family," she said softly.

"I didn't mean..."

"I know." She cleared her throat, her posture straightening. "Your parents, they died when you were young. And your only other blood relatives..." Her expression hardened. "Let's just say that the only way they are going to get within 100 kilometers of you is over my dead body."

His eyebrows popped up at the vehemence in her voice. "So that's probably not an option then," he said.

She let out a huff of air.

He considered his options. Going home with Ginny was the obvious choice. At least it was probably what he was supposed to do; she was his wife, after all. He was still halfway tempted to pick Ron's place instead. He liked Ron. He felt comfortable around him. Not to say he didn't like Ginny perfectly well, she just felt...so much more complicated.

He looked up at her, and he found he couldn't do that to her. It seemed almost cruel.

"Would it be weird, having me there? At your home?" he asked her.

"It's your flat, Harry. Even before I moved in."

"Right. Okay. Then I'd like to go there," he decided. Maybe something would look familiar. And besides, he at least knew her a little bit at this point. It probably wouldn't be that uncomfortable.