Chapter 1

Michael turned Minerva's hand over, frowning; "Gawain said your hand was dark purple this afternoon when you brought Hermione in. Did Poppy treat it?"

"I drank few potions and immersed it in comfrey and paraffin upon returning to Hogwarts to draw the bruise from the bone and the potions helped my body absorb the blood. It's still a bit sore, but I should be fine tomorrow."

Michael's lips remained pursed, "Alright, but do take it easy the rest of the week." He let go of Minerva's hand, not completely believing Minerva's statement but having to base it on the evidence before him.

"Of course," she replied, "how's Hermione doing?"

Michael's shoulders visibly dropped, "Then you don't know."

Minerva's eyes widened in concern as she stood, "Know what?" She moved closer to the door, but Michael's hand stopped her.

"There isn't anything we can do. Beyond her exposure for the last two days; she was bitten and poisoned by a viper and the poison has reached her marrow. The counter-agent will do little more than prolong her life, because there isn't enough time for it to counter-act the poison before her organs shut down. At this point, the best I can do is to make her comfortable."

"How long?" Minerva quietly asked.

"I don't…"

Minerva's eyes flared as she turned fully around, "How long?" Her question having become steely.

"Perhaps ten hours, probably less."

Minerva reigned in her frustration, and met concerned brown eyes, "And how long would she need before the antidote would begin countering the poison?"

"It's countering it now, but too much has been infected." Michael sighed in defeat, "Not that it matters, but it'd take another twenty-two hours best case to make the turn; but her body won't survive that long. Her kidneys are already shutting down. I've sent word to Helena to see if there is anything else we can do for her, but at this point I don't know if the message will reach her in time."

"And a blood transfusion?"

"I did a full body transfusion laced with the antidote but the poison is in her organs. I'm sorry, Headmistress."

She patted his shoulder, "It isn't your fault Michael," she said as a small smile graced her lips, "who knows, she may live yet. She did after all survive three days before we found her."

Melancholy filled brown orbs, "True, but I believe we are out of miracles."

"Perhaps, but Hermione is a strong witch. She may surprise you." Minerva didn't wait for a retort, letting her legs mindlessly take her to the trauma ward; room 203. Hermione Granger-Weasley's room. She paused as she came around the corner and was greeted by the whole of the Weasley family, including the in-laws; Harry, Fleur, Angelina, and the tiny willowy framed three year old who was a spitting image of her mother – Rose. Rose followed everyone else's gaze and at seeing who it was, a smile split her face and she jumped off her Uncle's lap and with her arms outstretched came running in Minerva's direction.

"Aunt Mirva." She breathed before being scooped up by the elder witch. "You came. You came."

"Of course my little lass." Minerva replied as she returned Rose's hug, before meeting Molly's gaze. "How is she?"

Molly shook her head as Arthur leaned over and kissed her forehead, "Not good, Minerva." She cleared her throat, "Michael said you found her north of Canterbury."

"I did." Minerva shifted Rose to her other hip, "And when Gawain and I returned, there was no evidence of foul play. It looks to have been an accident."

The door opened and both Ron and Harry stepped out, their eyes puffy and red. "I uh…" Ron motioned to the bathroom, "just need a minute."

Ginny stood, "I'll go back in."

Ron nodded as he moved towards the bathroom, unable to talk. Harry stopped her as his eyes fell upon McGonogall. "Thank you for bringing her back. She's…" his voice broke as he tried to talk, tears slipping down his cheeks as forced the garbled words out, "I think she'd like to see you before…and she isn't doing well."

Ginny looked from Harry to McGonagall and back before nodding and moving toward McGonagall to take Rose from her, "I'll take her."

Rose's tiny arms tightened around Minerva's neck, "Stay wif Mirva."

Minerva turned to Rose, "I'll be back in a few minutes my lass," at Rose's puckering lips she whispered a few more words for her alone, "I promise. Now go with your Aunt Ginerva and I'll return momentarily." With seeming ease, she disengaged herself from Rose and strode through the door without a backwards glance.

She wandlessly closed the door and felt her breath falter at the overpowering sterile scent, mixed with death and a flutter of almond and vanilla that until this afternoon she would always associate to the woman lying only meters away.

Hermione blinked, "Who's…there?" she rasped.

"Just I." Minerva finally replied as she stepped forward, and despite wanting to wince from the ashen paler of Hermione's skin and puce colored bruises lacing her cheek, jaw, shoulder and sundry other areas.

At once, Hermione's body eased into the mattress, "I was hoping…I'd get…to…" she paused for another two breaths, "see you."

"I'm right here." Minerva said stepping closer, and with care reached up and laced her fingers around Hermione's hand.

Tiredly she moved her head, "I'm glad," she rasped while trying to squeeze long fingers. "Who'd…have thought…" her eyes fluttered closed for a moment, "an…accident…"

"You're sure?" Minerva wandlessly summoning a chair closer to sit down.

"Yeah…" Hermione breathed, "I felt a…hot bite in my back…slipped…" she winced as she narrowed her eyes to see Minerva, "and…woke up…here. Not at all…how I planned…"

"You may still live." Minerva interrupted, letting her thumb run over Hermione's fingers, "Don't give up on me."

Murky chocolate irises stared unseeing at the blurry image she knew by heart, "It isn't…about giving up…I can no longer feel my legs." She whispered, "My back burns…and I can barely see you…and it's getting worse…every hour."

"That's merely the antidote as it battles…"

"Don't…" Hermione's tiredly rebuked, "we both…know…better. I'm…dying."

Minerva tightened her hand along Hermione's, as she blinked back the sudden onset of tears, "You may not."

Hermione's smile fluttered across her face as her eyes closed, "Can you…help…Ron…watch…Rose? She…loves…you…so much."

"She doesn't need me," Minerva gently breathed out, "but she does need you."

"And…I'll…be here…" she stretched out her hand and placed it where she believed Minerva's heart was.

Minerva brought her hand and rested it atop Hermione's over her heart, and after a few more moments, she lifted her hand; Hermione's ensconced within her own and gently she brought cool knuckles to her lips as emerald eyes drifted close for a heartbeat.

"Promise me…" Hermione raspily pleaded as she felt warm lips across her knuckles.

"Please, do not give up." Her thick Scottish burr rumbled in the stillness, portraying the depth of how much Hermione's situation was affecting her. Minerva felt her heart lurch, the direness of Hermione's welfare crumbling her normally staunch inhibitions and reservations; and despite knowing she should say no, that it could irrevocably alter how she needed to lived her life if she said yes. However, the word no wasn't at her command, as this was…Hermione Jean Granger-Weasley. The woman who had almost sliced through her impenetrable walls, whom had come to her; had a dialogue that they shared a unique bond and underlying attraction, but had decided not to pursue anything other than a friendship. A friendship she cherished beyond measure; and if she were honest with herself, one she had not expected to find again for probably decades after Albus' passing, but one she found nonetheless. However, unlike Albus' friendship, it was deeper; held so much more potential, hence their undeniable attraction that seemed to hover just beneath the surface. And now…she was going to lose it.

Forever.

Again.

"Be there…for Rose." Hermione's voice becoming weaker, but the tenor of her conviction remained.

And Minerva felt the last of restraint warble and partially give way, "Until she graduates from Hogwarts, I shall be there for her."

A tired smile crossed pale lips as Hermione pulled her arm back to her, along with Minerva's fingers; causing Minerva to stand as she did and brown eyes to follow her movement, "Thank…you." She murmured as she finally let go over Minerva's fingers, and shakily lifted her hand up to gently caress the side of Minerva's cheek. "I shouldn't…have let you go." Hermione wanly smiled as her fingers ebbed into silken locks, "Always…so beautiful."

"Save your strength." Minerva replied as she took cool fingers from her skin, "And let me send Ronald back in here."

"Wait…" Hermione heavily swallowed, "one more…minute." She peered intently at the woman as unshed tears swam across brown orbs, "I just…want to be with you…for one more…minute."

Minerva reached for her wand, and warded the door before turning back to the woman she cared for far more than she wished she did and sitting on the edge of the bed. "And I want nothing more than to remain, my love; but you are married and…"

Trembling fingers had landed upon moist lips, "Repeat…it…for me."

Emerald eyes widened as she realized what had slipped unbidden from her lips, and Hermione's smile broadened.

"Just once…" she let her hand fall from moist lips as she quietly asked again, "let me hear…that…which has….sustained…me; please."

Minerva didn't have the strength left to deny what the woman before her asked, "My love." She breathed and wrapped her fingers around Hermione's, enjoying the moment; but all too fast brown eyes were fluttering close as her breathing leveled off and one quick glance at the monitors told Minerva all that she needed to know.

She was unconscious, and it was exceedingly doubtful that she'd ever see Hermione's soulful eyes again or that anyone else would ever again. Her thoughts instantly diverted to Rose and she clamped her eyes close; trying not to think of what tomorrow would bring for not only little Rose, the Weasly family or even her.

But she couldn't.

Because she couldn't imagine a world where the woman opposite wasn't in it. No matter the consequences or ramifications; or that it might not work or what that would mean for her.

And she felt her father's words roar to life along with an overwhelming sense of hesitation…as she processed the implications of what she was contemplating. Because to do what she was thinking was uncharted, and she didn't know if Hermione would survive or what the long term prognosis would be.

However, she was dying anyway…so really, could it hurt?

And if she lived, it wasn't as though…anyone would know; she rationalized as she felt her incisors begin growing in response to the decision she had subconsciously already made. Her eyes scanned the dying flesh, and she leaned closer; her sense of smell having become exceedingly acute as she tracked up her leg and stopped just above her hip – where the poison hadn't fully killed. Long fingers pulled the cover back, feeling the temperature disparity between above and below her hipbone through the scant gown.

Without thought, she wandlessly cast a silencing spell almost immediately following an immobilizing charm while she tried to quell the nausea in her stomach at what she was about to do. She despised the taste of blood…she stopped thinking about the next several minutes, lest she not be able to continue on.

For she had sworn to her father that she wouldn't do what she was about to do unless she was going to take a lover – forever.

And while not a lover, she did love her.

And what she was proposing would…save her only.

She hoped.

With care, she withdrew the gown as she gazed lovingly into ashen features and before she could have any more second thoughts or doubts; she sunk her fangs into luke-warm flesh immediately tasting the sharp tang of poison, along with the sudden tenseness that gripped Hermione's muscles as she was undoubtedly ripped from unconsciousness by the onslaught of new pain.

Xoxo

a/n: While not overly creative this past weekend; was able to muster this morsel. Hope you enjoyed.