SIDE STORY 5: ASLEEP

13th February 1994. It was Sunday. Hermione was walking through a corridor, a bouquet of flowers in her hand. It was not the Hogwarts corridor, however, as it had a lot of rooms beside it. It was a hospital corridor. Beside her was a man, blond and silver-eyed, quite tall, and his clothes were eye-catching.

"You know, I'm bringing you here is risking me exposure…" the man said to Hermione.

"I know." The girl said weakly. "Thank you though…"

The man sighed, "It's fine; he's the heir anyway. I haven't visited him. Might as well bring you, I'm sure he'll be delighted… even though he's asleep."

"It's this one." Hermione said, pointing at a room. "Room 420."

"Nice number…" The man said.

Hermione snorted, "Men..." She whispered to herself. She then opened the door. The two walked into the room. Inside it, there was a boy, laying on a hospital bed. He was breathing normally, like falling asleep.

Hermione sighed at this. She looked sad and looked at the sleeping boy longingly.

"So he's been asleep for almost two months?" The man questioned. "What's the diagnosis really?"

"The healers didn't know what was happening to Ed Alan." Hermione whispered. She then walked to the desk besides the sleeping Ed, and she pulled out dead flowers from the vase, and changed it to new ones that she had just bought.

"Really? They didn't know?" Alan questioned.

"No…"

"Well, what if I brought him to the city of worlds?" Alan suggested.

"But you said you didn't want the council to know that you're an Aldrich?" Hermione questioned.

Alan nodded. "Yeah… bringing him to the hospital of the city of worlds would probably expose me…"

Hermione hummed and sat down on the chair that was available, holding Ed's hand.

"These Red Riders are annoying." Alan continued to complain. "The council of worlds won't do anything… this is why I hate politics..."

"What about the travel allowance?" Hermione asked, "Did they agree?"

"Hm? Oh yeah, they agreed to let Ed travel." Alan said, "But Ciri has to be found first… it's probably the tricks of the descendants of the Aen Elle again. They wanted to grab Ciri as soon as she stepped foot in the city…"

Hermione shook her head in surrender. She looked at the sleeping Ed.

"If only I stopped him that day…" she mumbled.

"You probably can't." Alan added. "He's a stubborn one. Like you."

"Well, who knows… what if I can?" She says. "I didn't actually try that day…"

"Hermione, don't blame yourself." Alan said, "Look at you; you look miserable." He added as he looked at the dark circle below Hermione's eyes. "Have you got some sleep lately?"

"I can't sleep." She says. "I'm worried about him all the time…"

"That's overkill, don't you think?" Alan said, "I mean, he's just sleeping, what's there to worry about?"

"I know, but I can't help it…" she whispered, playing with her necklace. "He's always like this. Nightmares, visions, passing out, and now this."

"Well." Alan continued, "Starting to regret it now? Making him choose you." He said, looking at the necklace around Hermione's neck.

"What? Of course not." She refuted. "I don't regret it any second. It's just that I wish he didn't get hurt so often."

"It comes with the package Hermione." Alan said, "It's dark times for our family. Alan is the only young member. I'm already nearing middle age. I haven't married yet, and I most likely can't have any children…"

"Why is that?"

"The Aldrich are notorious for their infertility." Alan said. "We can have children, but we have to try really hard."

"I didn't know that…" Hermione whispered.

"Natural balance you know." Alan informed. "Our bloodlines are powerful, so we can't have many children."

Alan sighed.

"So technically. You and Ed are our only hope of continuing the family now…"

Hermione blushed a bit. But it was a quite serious matter. So she's trying not to be embarrassed about it.

"What if it's me who's infertile?" she asked.

Alan chuckled. "Let's not worry about it now." He said, "You're still 14… I don't even know why I'm telling you all this now. It should be Gilligan who'd tell you. But if you're indeed infertile, we can still fix you. But our family's 'infertility' can't be fixed. It's just there. We're not really infertile. But some god decided that the probability of us having children was lowered by a lot. So don't worry."

Hermione sighed in relief. Alan then checked the time and exclaimed, "Oh, we need to go now. Hermione. I'm quite late for a meeting again…"

Hermione nodded reluctantly. She stood up. She walked closer to Ed. She then kissed his forehead and cheeks. "I'll see you later." She whispered to the sleeping boy. The two then walked out of the room. Traveling back into the suitcase.

[A/N: By the way, i want to ask, does putting song lyrics in the chapter cringy?

also, Is ciri a lesbian? bi? or straight? i've googled it; some considered her straight as the relationship with mistle doesn't count(Stockholm syndrome or something.), while others still count it.]