Chapter 4
The quiet hum of the Hospital Wing felt suffocating. The sterile smell of antiseptic, the soft rustling of Madame Pomfrey organizing her supplies—it was all so different from the chaos of their common room. Harriet lay on one of the beds, her body curled into itself, eyes still red and puffy from the tears. Ron and Hermione sat on opposite sides of her, their eyes watchful and full of concern, but they gave her space. She could barely look at them without feeling like she was falling apart again.
The room was silent except for the occasional click of Pomfrey’s heels as she moved between her shelves, preparing something for the still-shaking girl in front of her.
“Madame Pomfrey,” Hermione spoke softly, not wanting to disturb the fragile silence. “Would it be okay if we called Sirius and Remus? Harriet… she’s been through a lot. They’re her family.”
Pomfrey, who had been mixing a potion for calming nerves, looked up with a nod. “I think that’s a good idea. And if you want, I’ll step out for a bit to give you all some space. Just don’t let her overexert herself.”
“Of course not. She’s our Harri. We don’t want her to get hurt…” Ron said, his tone much more serious than was normal for him, and his eyes flicking over to Harriet, who was still staring blankly at the ceiling.
Hermione hesitated for a moment, glancing at her friend. Harriet hadn’t said much since they’d arrived in the Hospital Wing, other than asking them to call Draco down. Initially, both Ron and Hermione had rejected the idea, but her voice had been so small, so quiet. But it was the look in her eyes—the one that screamed for comfort but refused to ask for it—that had convinced them that it was the right thing to do.
“I’ll call them,” Hermione said, getting to her feet. “You stay with her.”
“I’m not going anywhere.” Ron replied.
The Floo network was a quick and (mostly) painless way to reach anyone, but it still felt strange. Calling someone through the green flames, watching the swirl of magic take their words to distant places—it felt so odd, so Hermione tended to do her best to avoid it. In this moment though, when Harriet needed her, Hermione would be willing to do anything.
“‘Mione, what if—what if they don’t want to—” Ron started, but he was cut off as Hermione spoke.
“Shush, Ron. They’re family, okay? They’ll want to be here.”
With a sigh, she grabbed a handful of Floo powder, muttering the address as she tossed it into the fire. The flames flared green, and within moments, a face appeared in the flames.
It was Remus, looking a bit disheveled but still radiating warmth.
“Hermione, is everything all right?” he asked, his voice laced with concern.
“We need you and Sirius to come to the Hospital Wing,” she said, her voice tight with emotion. “It’s Harriet… she’s been through something, and we don’t know how to help her.”
Remus’s face softened instantly, his brow furrowing. “We’ll be there right away. Don’t let her out of your sight, alright?”
Before Hermione could respond, the fire flared again, and Sirius’s familiar face appeared.
“What’s going on, Hermione? What’s happened to Harri?” he demanded, his voice filled with a rare urgency. It was clear that his protective instincts had kicked in.
“She’s... she’s having a really hard time. She broke down in front of us, and we’re just trying to keep her together. Please, Sirius, we need you.”
Sirius’s jaw tightened, his face hardening with concern. “We’ll be right there.”
With a final exchange of words, the flames died down, and Hermione stood in place for a moment. She could only hope that seeing her two most trusted people would be the comfort Harriet needed.
The Hospital Wing door creaked open a few minutes later, and both Remus and Sirius stepped through. Sirius immediately spotted Harriet on the bed, her face still pale and tear-streaked, her body curled up into a ball, as though she could disappear into the sheets. He didn’t say anything at first—just walked over and sat next to her, placing a hand gently on her shoulder.
“Harri,” he said quietly. His voice was warm but firm, and it was enough to make her blink up at him.
“Hi, Sirius,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “I didn’t want to drag you into this.”
“Don’t you dare apologize for that,” he said, his voice low but insistent. “You’re family. You never have to apologize for needing us.”
Harriet curled into a ball, unused to having people care about her as much as Sirius and Remus did. She started silently crying, feeling incredibly grateful for her chosen family.
“You’re safe now.” Sirius muttered, “Moony and I have got you.”
Remus moved to the other side of the bed, standing close enough to reach out but not intrude. “Harriet,” he said softly, his gaze filled with understanding. “We’re not going anywhere. You’re not alone.”
“Thank you Remus.” Harri murmured, beginning to doze off, “I love you guys.”
Unbeknownst to Harri, Remus and Sirius stared at each other in surprise. They knew that she did, but she had never admitted it to them, and they both knew how difficult it was for her, because of her relatives.
Both Remus and Sirius had been raised in such shitty households, that when Dumbledore had told them where Harri would be living for the first seventeen years of her life, well, let's just say that Sirius wasn’t the only one that almost got sent to Azkaban that night.
“We love you too kiddo.” Remus choked out, heart full of the love that he would never be able to fully express to Sirius and Harri.
Sirius’s hand gently squeezed her shoulder, a silent offer for comfort, when the door opened again, and Draco Malfoy stepped inside.
Harriet’s heart skipped a beat at the sight of him. He was standing just inside the door, his posture rigid as usual, but something in his expression had shifted. Gone was the usual arrogance, replaced by a quiet sort of tension. He hesitated, his gaze flicking to Harriet before moving to the others in the room.
Sirius glanced over at him, assuming it was the headmaster or some other teacher, but when he recognized his blond cousin, he immediately shouted, “What in the bloody fuck his he doing here!?”
Harriet’s eyes widened, and for the first time that evening, she felt a wave of heat rise in her cheeks. She had asked for him. She had told them all she wanted Draco here, but the reality of it felt different—strange. She wasn’t sure why, but her chest tightened, a mix of relief and anxiety washing over her. She hadn’t fully thought through what Sirius and Remus’s reactions to Draco arriving would be. In hindsight, the answer would have definitely been “not good”.
Draco, however, seemed unfazed. His eyes flicked to Sirius for only a moment before he walked toward Harriet’s bedside. His movements were slow, deliberate, as if he wasn’t sure how to act but couldn’t leave her alone, either. The tension in his shoulders was evident.
“Erm… Harriet asked for me?” Draco said nervously.
“And why in the name of Merlin's name would Harriet ask you to come here?” Sirius yelled.
“Sirius…” Harriet muttered, “Leave it be. We’ve been getting on better.”
Sirius blinked in surprise, but he let Draco pass. “Fine. But don’t think this means I trust you.”
Draco only nodded, not reacting to the challenge in Sirius’s tone. His attention remained on Harriet, his gaze soft but filled with the unspoken understanding that had passed between them earlier. He reached out, not touching her, but offering his presence. Offering the quiet, steady support he knew she needed but was too afraid to ask for.
“Harriet,” Draco told her, “If you need help, I’m not leaving. Just give the word.”
“Thank you Draco…” Harriet mustered before she fell asleep from peer exhaustion that had been building up for weeks.