Chapter 38 - Gift for Madam Pomfrey

Hermione woke up with a start, abruptly remembering the last scene that she saw, a club coming toward her and screamed.

The next moment, there was movement in her peripheral vision and before she could register what was happening, she was promptly embraced.

There was a short amount of hesitation before she subconsciously realized whom those arms belonged and she leaned into the hug and cried.

The last memory of the troll still fresh in her mind.

The feeling of helplessness.

The feeling of being trapped.

The terror of knowing that she was about to die.

And her lasts thoughts that were filled with regrets that she would never be able to apologize to Harry.

And now she was somehow alive, though a bit battered.

And she was being hugged by Harry.

It seemed like everything will be alright now.

Yes, everything will be alright.

And as she sobbed, she realized that Harry was patting her back gently, giving her the support she needed.

"It's alright now. You're safe now. And I'm not going anywhere."

Words that she knew to be true. But words that filled her with comfort all the same.

And after going through a few stress filled weeks, being attacked and indirectly bullied by her housemates, she finally felt safe.

"Harry."

"Hmm.."

"You're here."

"I'm here."

"Please don't go."

"I won't. I'll stay here as long as you like." He said and at that moment, she raised her head to look at where he had been sitting and realized that he had been sitting in the chair beside her all this time.

A chair and a table that were filled with large books that seemed as ancient as the school on the topic of Healing Bones, Healing Trauma, etc, etc.

It was so typical of Harry that she let out a chuckle which then turned into giggle and before she could stop herself, she was laughing at the whole situation.

Trust Harry Potter to continue his education even while waiting for a patient to recover. Well, not like she expected anything else from him. He was never the kind to sit idly and do nothing.

And now he was looking at her with eyes filled with so much concern that she couldn't help but let out another giggle at that.

She had got her friend back.

And the only thing she needed to do for that to happen was get almost killed by a troll.

She ought to write a book about that. 'How to mend Relationships by getting attacked by a Mountain Troll'

"Are you alright?" he asked with worry and she felt warm in her heart.

"I'm sorry." She said as she suddenly remembered what had tore them apart the last time.

And then she hugged him again and clutched him tightly to herself, afraid of letting him go in case he might leave her once again.

"I'm sorry." She murmured "I'll never leave you again." She sobbed "If you want to change school then I'll come with you. Wherever you go. Just, don't leave me alone okay."

He nuzzled himself in her hair and her cheeks went red as she remembered this particular habit of his that embarrassed her to no end.

It seemed so… affectionate.

Not like the affection between a friend and another friend but between two lovers.

Which was why she felt embarrassed whenever he did that but now she felt a warmth in her heart that she had never felt before and she leaned into him as well so that there cheeks were almost touching.

"I'll sorry as well." He mumbled, his face still nuzzled in her hair "I shouldn't have left you alone. It was my mistake…"

She opened her mouth to protest but then Madam Pomfrey was there.

"Oh move aside Mr Potter." She said as she came running down from outside the infirmary with a tray filled with different kind of bottles in it.

"You can hug your friend all you want later on Mr Potter but do so when she's properly healed. Now move aside and let me do my job." She said and roughly pushed aside Harry from the bed and Hermione felt fear for a moment at the thought that Harry might retaliate with anger but felt relieved when he simply nodded at the mediwitch respectfully and stepped back, leaving her to the Mediwitch's administrations.

"How do you feel Miss Granger?" Madam Pomfrey asked as she raised her wand and started casting diagnostic spells all over her as Harry watched on from the sidelines with focused gaze and Hermione wondered if Harry even knew what those spells were meant for or if he understood the results that they were showing.

She wouldn't be overly surprised if he did. He was a genius just like that.

It took the mediwitch a few minutes before she had accurately ȧssessed her current situation and given her a three different potions according to her condition.

One of them was a Skelegrow Potion for all the bones that the Troll broke, some of which were still not properly healed, with the other two being a Calming Draught and Dreamless Sleep Potion.

Yes, she badly needed the last one otherwise she had strong suspicions that she might have nightmares where she was bashed again and again by the Troll with no one coming to help her.

Then she was gently helped back to the bed by the mediwitch and she felt her eyes starting to droop already.

Then the mediwitch turned to Harry and Hermione was surprised to she the women looking embarrassed for the first time in her life.

"Mr Potter. I know I have no right to ask this of you but can I borrow Sir Saevaliavon's book. I ȧssure you that I'll treat the book with great care and not harm a single page of the book."

Madam Pomfrey looked really excited at that moment and her eyes never left the large ancient looking black colored tome left opened in Harry's desk and Hermione realized that the book must be truly significant for the mediwitch to act like that.

But she was not surprised. Not truly.

Not after he had gifted her a whole library filled with book from the Restricted section and some more that were not available in that the restricted section either.

Harry nodded at Madam Pomfrey before he raised his wand and pointed it at the book and before long, there was an exact copy of that tome, lying on the table as Madam Pomfrey looked on at the charm with wide eyes.

After all, that was particularly high level magic and from what she knew, even the 7th years would have problem performing that particular charm.

And Harry had done it without any incantation and with the ease of a job that he'd done a thousand times before.

Which he probably had, if the books lying in the hidden compartment of her trunk were any indication.

At that moment Hermione felt proud of her friend.

"Please accept this as a gift Madam Pomfrey for saving my friend's life. It's a permanent copy of the book and won't dissipate until it has suffered a considerable amount of damage which would be rather hard to do as I've added the unbreakable charm on it as well."

Now Madam Pomfrey was openly gaping at Harry and Hermione would have chuckled had she not been feeling so drowsy. As it was, she gave one last look at Madam Pomfrey's gaping expression and another look at Harry's calm face before falling asleep.