Yuletide Blessing in Disguise

A Nice Cup of Tea

"...Again? Bloody hell, Harry?"

"Yeah—" Harry muttered, glowering, "Dunno why I've got to stay here all weekend though. I'm fine now!"

"You're not fine, Harry!" said Hermione reproachfully. "That was an absolutely terrifying experience last night! ... The nightmares you've been having since your summer vision are bad enough, but I can't imagine how awful they're going to be now—you're lucky I was there and that Dora—"

"Wait! ... You really have been staying with Harry at nights, then?" Ron's jaw dropped, and Hermione's face turned scarlet.

Harry groaned, his own face growing hotter, and heard Ron yelp, "Ow!" when Neville gave him a kick in the shin and Lavender swatted his shoulder.

At that moment Madam Pomfrey emerged from her office, looking furious when she saw the little group gathered around Harry's bed.

"Out! Out!" she snapped, flapping her arms at the four Gryffindors. "You can visit after lunch—now off to breakfast with the lot of you!"

Ron and Neville fled the hospital wing leaving behind Lavender and Parvati who hesitated, both of whom looked very upset. Madam Pomfrey's features softened.

"Go on to breakfast you two," she said gently. "Mr. Potter will be just fine, I promise! Miss Granger and I have him well looked after."

Parvati and Lavender nodded, sighing.

"Bye guys," said Parvati, "I hope you feel better Harry."

Harry and Hermione heaved sighs of relief when everyone was gone, both of them feeling thoroughly embarrassed. Of course, it was obvious to Lavender and Parvati—they couldn't help but notice the nights when Hermione wasn't in their dorm. But they and the other girls were doing an excellent job of keeping mum about things so that the prefects didn't find out.

Ron and Neville on the other hand—well, mostly Ron—Harry just hoped that he didn't start blabbing to Seamus and Dean.

Madam Pomfrey seemed to be paying no attention to Harry and Hermione's red faces.

"Right then, Mr. Potter," she said briskly, "how are you feeling?"

"Oh, er... fine I guess," said Harry uncertainly, knowing it was no use to ask Madam Pomfrey again if he could leave.

"Hmm... Well, I am certain that Miss Granger would like some breakfast. I'll send for a house-elf to bring something up, and I'll leave it up to you to decide if you're hungry. ... And if Mr. Potter starts looking ill again, Miss Granger—"

"I know the spell to stop Harry throwing up," said Hermione, "I watched to see how Dora and you performed the spell."

A little smile crept to Madam Pomfrey's features.

"Of course you did. Very well, I'll leave you both to it."

Hermione began hungrily digging into breakfast when it appeared a few minutes later on a silver tray atop the hospital wing trolley which Madam Pomfrey had left next to Harry's bed. The tray was laden with just about everything which usually appeared on the tables in the Great Hall. Hermione glanced up at Harry after every few bites to see how he was getting on.

Harry tried a bit of porridge to start, then pushed it aside, a crinkle forming between his brows. Then he took a bite of crumpet and set the rest down on his plate. He peered at the fried eggs, his frown growing deeper. Then he picked up a piece of bacon, his favourite, which he usually wolfed down with almost as much abandon as Ron, and he began gnawing on the end of it.