My Father's Only Rule

Chapter Seven: Hospital Wing

October 1995 - Hogwarts

I always admired people who got injuries from their sport. I always thought it showed just how devoted they were. I just never thought I'd be one of them. When I finally came out of my blackout, the sun was barely setting. As I regained my senses, I could tell I was sitting in bed in the hospital wing. Someone was sitting in the chair next to my bed. When my eyes focused, I noticed it was Harry.

"Grace?" he said when he noticed I was awake. "Oh my god! Are you ok?"

"Yeah," I said, sitting up slowly. "I'm fine. What time is it?"

"It's 5:30," Harry told me.

"Oh," I said. "So I've only been out for a couple of hours. That's not bad. Where is everyone? I thought they'd be here." Harry stared at me for a moment.

"Grace," he said. "It's Tuesday."

"It's what?"

"You've been out for three days."

"Three days?" I repeated. "Damn it! I've got so much work to catch up on."

"That's what you're worried about?" Harry asked. "You could have died!"

"I think that's a bit of an exaggeration," I told him.

"Ah, you're finally up," Madam Pomfrey said, walking over to us. "How's your

arm?" I moved my arm, expecting it to burn.

"It's...it's fine," I said, amazed. "How is it fine?"

"That's the good thing about being out for so long," she said. "Gave me plenty of time to heal you without you feeling any pain. I'm still going to keep you for the night, though. You can leave tomorrow, but no classes."

Suddenly Jane came bursting through the door.

"Oh my god, you're alive!" she yelled. She came hurtling towards me and almost

threw herself on me. But she stopped so she wouldn't hurt me.

"Oh," she remembered. Then she turned to Madam Pomfrey. "Is she ok?" Madame Pomfrey nodded. "Good," she said. Then she threw herself on me, and all I could do was laugh, even though it did hurt a little. "Why are you so stupid? No quidditch game is worth scaring me like that!"

"Good to see you too," I said. When she pulled herself off of me, she took a step back and got a proper look.

"Oh," she said. "You look exhausted."

"Thanks," I said sarcastically.

"I'll go then," Harry said. I had almost forgotten he was there. "I'll see you tomorrow, Grace."

"Bye, Harry," I said.

"Yeah. Bye, Harry," Jane repeated. Once we watched him walk out the door, we looked at each other and burst into laughter. "He sat here every day waiting for you to wake up," she told me.

"For real?" I asked.

"I couldn't tell if it was pathetic or romantic," she said.

"That is so romantic," I said. "He still hasn't made a move yet."

"Seriously?" she asked angrily. "That's so lame. He knows you like him?"

"I'm pretty sure," I said.

"Ugh," she groaned. "Boys."

"I know," I said.

"Oh," she said slowly. "By the way, if you're trying to get Slytherin to forget you, well, I think you've done it."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I mean things are going exactly the way you said you wanted it to go," she explained. "It seems like you've successfully cut your ties. Draco's been hanging out with Pansy, Crabbe, and Goyle again. And Blaise and I, of course. It's the same group it used to be before you."

"Good," I said. "That's what I wanted."

"He seems sad," she said.

"I really don't care," I said. She stopped and looked at me. "Well, I mean, I can't care. I'm moving on."

"Well, what about me?" she asked. "I know you're done with the group, but what about us? Grace, I thought you were going to die. And all I could think about was how we've barely spent time together this year."

"You're right," I said. "Let's try to hang out more. How about saturday? Harry, Ron, Hermione and I are going to Hogsmeade for the day. I can stay behind and we can go to Three Broomsticks in the evening."

"That sounds great," she said.

"Alright Miss Baldwin," Madam Pomfrey said. "I think Miss Snape needs her rest."

"She's been resting for three days," Jane said.

"Either way. The hospital wing is closed. So wrap it up." Jane sighed.

"See ya," she said.

"See ya," I said back. When she left and madame Pomfrey started tidying up, I turned to ask her a question.

"Is it true Harry came to visit me everyday?"

"Oh yes," she said. "The poor boy. He was so distraught I thought he was going to fall over into a bed, sick."

"Did anybody else come?" I was only asking because I was hoping that some Gryffindors would check on me. It would be reassuring to know I had been accepted by my house.

"Oh yes," she said. "Miss Baldwin, on several occasions. Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger. Your father, of course. The Gryffindor quidditch team. But nobody came as much as Harry. Except for maybe, Mr. Malfoy. He came in a few times, but whenever he saw Harry was in, he only stood outside the door. It was quite peculiar."

Quite peculiar indeed. But I didn't care. I couldn't care. But knowing that Harry sat for hours by my bed only made me all the more anxious to get out of the hospital wing, and hopefully, into Harry's arms.