Healing

"This was the best transfiguration lesson I ever had," Ron stated while leaving the classroom with Harry. "I really don't get why Hermione is making such a big deal out of it!"

"I guess she is worried about McGonagall. It is unusual for her to let some else teach her class." Harry was a bit concerned himself, but Professor Dumbledore's teaching was too hilarious to wish McGonagall back. At least not yet.

Hermione didn't even bother to yell at them anymore. It had been a week now that the headmaster had taken over Professor McGonagall's classes. He had informed them that their head of house had the wizard's flu and would be not available for a few weeks and that he would take over her duties during that time. Hermione had believed him for a few days, but a growing feeling in her heart told her that something was just not right. It was time to find out.

"Professor Dumbledore, could I talk to you for a moment please?" she asked as she made her way to through the deserted classroom towards his desk.

"Ah, Miss Granger. I was wondering when you would come to ask. Let's have this talk in my office, shall we?"

Without waiting for her answer he turned and lead to his office. He gestured her to sit and handed her a mug of hot chocolate. "What can I do for you?"

Hermione would have liked to say 'you know very well why I am here' but instead settled for a "Thank you, sir. I was wondering if you could tell me what happened to Professor McGonagall. She doesn't have the wizards' flu, does she?"

As much as he had expected her question he didn't think she would ask that soon. He was torn between telling her the truth and keeping it secret. Minerva wouldn't want any of her students to know, but then again, she seemed very fond of Hermione. He looked into the young woman's concerned eyes and decided that she deserved to be told the truth.

"No Hermione, I am afraid your professor does not have the wizards' flu."

Hermione swallowed when she saw how his worry lines deepened and his voice sounded sad. She felt her eyes tearing. "She is not…is she?" Her voice was nothing more than a whisper.

"No, she is not dead. I am sorry for giving you that impression. She is alive and she is indeed in the castle."

"May I ask what happened?" she asked in a shaky voice.

"She is not well, Hermione. She was on a mission for the order and was caught by death eaters. She managed to escape, but she suffers from the combination of a few serious and painful curses."

"I'd like to see her, please."

"I don't think that is a good idea, Hermione. She needs to rest. Madam Pomfrey tends to her and is keeping her free of pain, but she is very weak and can barely move. And she won't talk."

"What do you mean 'she won't talk', sir? Is she not able to talk?"

"No, she would be able to talk, but she refuses to. In the night of her escape she told me what I had to know, but since then she doesn't speak a word."

"Please sir, let me see her," Hermione pleaded.

The headmaster was about to say no, but when he saw tears rolling down his young student's cheek, he didn't have the heart to refuse her. "Very well, Miss Granger. But only for a moment."

"Thank you, professor. Thank you so much." Hermione wiped her tears and stood.

On their way to professor McGonagall's quarters she walked a little closer to the old man than she normally would have, but even though he looked defeated himself, he always had this aura of comfort around him. Sensing the girl's distress he placed his arm around her shoulder and drew her a little closer. "Are you ready Hermione?"

He saw her nodding and quietly opened the door to Minerva's bedroom.

No matter how much Hermione thought she was ready, she was not prepared to see her beloved professor like this. To tell the truth, the woman lying there in bed was nothing more than a shadow of what Minerva McGonagall had been just a week ago. Although someone, presuming Madam Pomfrey, had dressed her in a nice nightgown and braided her hair, this body was only a lifeless shell. She was pale as a ghost, her face looked hollow and her once so expressive eyes stared dull out of window on her left without seeing anything. She gave not the slightest sign that she even knew where or who she was, let alone recognise that someone entered the room.

"Minerva my dear, you have a visitor. Miss Granger has come to see you." His voice was soft and gentle and Hermione recognised it as the voice he used when he was comforting a homesick student.

The old man squeezed Hermione's shoulders as if to encourage her to say something and comfort her at the same time.

"Hello Professor. I came to see how you are doing and to wish you a speedy recovery. I'm so sorry you have to go through this. I miss you. We all miss you." The young girl fought her tears, seeing that her professor reacted to nothing. There was not the slightest hint that she even heard that she was spoken to.

Hermione heard the headmaster beside her sigh heavily and looked up to him. He tried to give her a reassuring smile, but failed miserably. "Come my dear, we better let her rest now," he said, slowly steering her out of the room.

--

"Are you all right, Hermione?" the old man asked softly?

Hermione started nodding, but then shook her head no. Was she all right? How could she be when her mentor suffered like this?

Albus Dumbledore understood only too well how the young girl was feeling. "I know my dear. I know."

"Will she ever be ok? She looked so lost, so lifeless." Hermione sounded hopeful and desperate at the same time, exactly how she felt right now.

"Yes Hermione, but we need to give her time to regain her strength. I don't know how long it will take, but your professor is the strongest woman I know. Once she gets her will to live back, she should recover very quickly." He sounded more confident than he really was. It was true, the weakness would leave in one or two weeks, but never before had he seen Minerva give up like this.

As always a special thanks to my beta!! And before you ask, yes, I'm going to update Cold as soon as I figured out what to do with it.