The old witch only shook her head. She felt hot and cold at the same time, breathing hurt terribly and she longed for a rest.
"They didn't give you meds for this?" she started, but seeing her mentors look she felt anger building up within herself. "You didn't see anyone about this?! I can't believe you!" Hermione couldn't remember the last time she was that angry with anyone. How could her mentor do that?! Even she must know that this has become very serious. It definitely sounded like a full grown lung infection. People die from that, for God's sake!
Minerva didn't have the strength to reply. She was simply too weak and her body started shaking from pure exhaustion by now.
Taking a deep breath, the young woman tried to calm herself and focus on her mentor. "You need to lie down, Professor." She forced her voice to sound gentle, even when she was furious that the woman didn't take care of her health at all. Seeing that the old witch didn't move, she stepped forward and put a hand on her shoulder. "Come on, I help you." Hermione gently guided her until she was lying on the sofa. "Let me fetch a blanket for you" Heading to the only other door in the room the young witch quickly grabbed a blanket from the bed and hurried back to cover the shaking woman.
"There now, Professor" Hermione gently tucked the older woman in, kneeling on the floor.
" m er va" Minerva tried to speak.
"Sorry?"
"Minerva," the old witch tried again und this time Hermione understood and smiled down at her former teacher.
"Very well, Minerva. Of course you can call me Hermione. Rest now and I will get you help."
Suddenly Hermione felt a hand on her arm and covered the hand with her own, squeezing it lightly. "I am not leaving you alone. I just need to call my husband." She said, reaching into her jeans pocket to get her cell phone out.
"Sean, please bring your bag. Minerva is ill. No, I think a lung infection. Yes, of course, but I don't want to leave her alone. All right. Love you."
Hermione moved to stand up, but felt her mentor's hand holding on more tightly. "I'll just go to the bathroom. I will be back in a few seconds."
Seeing Minerva nod, she quickly went to the bathroom. When she heard the older woman coughing she sped up her actions and came back with a cold wet cloth.
Minerva tried to say something, but it was lost yet again in a coughing fit. "Shh, don't talk now, just rest." Hermione carefully placed the washcloth on her mentors' forehead and sighed audibly. "Oh Minerva, why didn't you let Poppy have a look at you at the very least?" Minerva was about to open her mouth to say something, but was stopped by the younger witch. "Not now. We talk about that later. For now we just need you to get better," Hermione said taking her mentor's hand and stroking it soothingly. Every time Minerva was drifting off to sleep another coughing fit ragged through her body until lying down became unbearable. The older women struggled to get into a sitting position and Hermione helped her, letting her rest against her side. She pulled the blanket over the sick witches' shoulders and wrapped both arms around her. Hermione almost didn't hear the knocking sound on the door because of the violent coughing.
"Help is here," Hermione said as she moved to get up. She hurried over to the door and let her family in.
"Mummy!" her children greeted her enthusiastically.
"Hello darlings. Come in and wait for a moment until Daddy had a look at your aunt Minerva please, "she told them, guiding them into the room.
Sean was already on his way to the woman whose coughing he had heard through the closed door. "Hermione?"
The young witch moved to stand beside him. "This is Professor McGonagall. See for yourself, but I think it is a lung infection. Minerva, this is my husband Sean."
"Minerva, "the older women whispered.
"Sorry?" Sean looked at his wife.
"She wants you to call her Minerva."
"Thank you Minerva. Now let's have a look at you." He opened his bag and Minerva eyed him suspiciously.
Hermione sat beside pale witch again. "It's all right. These are all muggle instruments, to find out what is wrong with you. It won't hurt, I promise. I will pull up your robes a bit, so that Sean can get to your back. He needs to hear what is going on in your lungs, all right? "
Minerva didn't look happy at all, but nodded slightly, giving in to her fate.
"All right, it will feel a little cold on your back now."
The old witch shivered when the cold metal came in contact with her back.
"Now I want you to take deep breath through your open mouth. In and out…in and out…in" Minerva's attempts to breath ended abruptly in another violent cough.
"I've heard enough. It is a very bad lung infection. We need to get you to hospital right away."
"No." Minerva couldn't say more, but it was clear enough.
Sean thought he didn't hear correctly. "Sorry?"
Hermione felt a headache coming. "You would have to duel her to get her anywhere near a hospital and I can assure you, even in her current state you wouldn't survive that."
"Hermione, she needs treatment! And she wouldn't have to get that in a hospital if she had acted like an adult and gotten help when it was easy to get rid of the infection!" Sean was clearly getting annoyed now.
"Daddy not angry. Aunty Nerva sick," the small voice of the little boy standing behind his mothers legs piped up. Giving up his position behind his mum he placed himself protectively between his father and the old witch.
Minerva smiled softly at the little child that was obvious Hermione's son and let her hand glide through his hair. "Thank you my wee lad."
"Sean, I don't like it anymore than you do, but I have plenty of experience with Minerva and hospitals. You need to treat her here. You will get whatever you need from St. Mungos. Just tell them it is for Minerva."
"And you think they will give medications for a patient they haven't seen?!"
"I have absolutely no doubt," she stated, remembering her mentor's last visit in St. Mungos.
The coughing of the older witch on the sofa interrupted their little argument.
The smart Australian always knew when he had lost. "We need to get you to bed now, Minerva. I will give you something against the infection that will bring down the fever as well and another jab for the coughing, which will make you sleepy and allow you to rest. Tomorrow I'll get some meds from the hospital for you, but if you don't get better I will take you to hospital, if you like that or not. Hermione, can you take her other side?"
Minerva didn't have the strength to fight now, but didn't show any sign of agreement either.
"Want to help Aunty as well."
"That is so sweet of you my darling. You would be a huge help if you could open the door for us and make Auntie's pillow fluffy." Hermione and Sean smiled proudly at their son who was already making his way to the bedroom. The young mother didn't need to look to know that her daughter sat in a corner reading a book. Lillian kept reminding Hermione of her own childhood. It was a bit unusual that Lillian was that quiet though.
"Minerva, do you think you can walk with a little help from Hermione and me?"
"Of course!" It would have been more convincing if she hadn't had to cough.
Hermione couldn't help an amused smile. "You are terrible, Minerva McGonagall." She took the older woman's hand in her own and put a firm hold on her upper arm, just as Sean did. They shared a look and a silent understanding passed between them when they pulled Minerva up. It was crystal clear that the older witch wouldn't have been able to stand up let alone walk on her own.
Hermione gently squeezed the hand in her own. "Come on now. Step by step. We've got you."
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Lillian silently watched her parents walk the old woman in the other room. It was a strange woman and a strange place. It was not that Lillian didn't like her, but there was something odd about her that made the girl a bit nervous. Never less, remaining alone in this room didn't feel right to her so she followed her family in the other room, watching her parents helping the coughing woman to sit down on the bed. She really looked very sick and miserable so Lillian moved a bit further into the room and gave her a shy smile, hoping that it would help in some way.
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"All right Minerva, I'll give you the two injections now and then you need to get some rest," Sean informed her in his usual doctor voice.
Minerva didn't look happy at all. She was easily the bravest witches of her age, but injections really were a different thing altogether. It was a bit amusing to Hermione that her mentor would look so anxious about two little needles. "Minerva McGonagall, don't tell me you are afraid of injections."
"Miss Granger, I do not see what is amusing about that," she replied in her stern teaching voice.
"Aunty, you scared?" Henry asked from his spot on the bed.
"Scared is a very strong word my little one." Minerva said in a softer voice, wishing the fever would allow her to think more clearly.
"It seems your Aunt doesn't like injections any more than you do."
Henry looked very understanding as he moved to sit beside his new aunt. "Don't be scared Aunty." He snuggled into the shivering woman's side and wrapped his two little hands around hers.
Minerva was so touched by the affection the little boy showed her that she hardly noticed the injections. She had no idea why, but this wee lad seemed to like her and that warmed her heart in a way she thought she'd never feel again. It would have been a wonderful moment if only breathing would stop hurting so badly.
Hermione smiled softly at the scene before her. It was wonderful that Henry was so taken by her former teacher, though it worried her that Lillian didn't say anything. Henry was normally the shy one of her children. "Henry darling, do you think you could stand up for a moment? Aunt Minerva needs to lie down now and rest."
Unwillingly the little boy hopped off the bed and allowed his Mum to help his Aunt lying in the bed.
Minerva saw that her little friend didn't look too happy about having to leave her and reached her hand out for him. She was amazed how easy he acted around her when he stepped forward and put his little hand in hers. "You have been a huge help my little friend and I thank you very much," she said smiling at him.
Sean who had packed his bag in the meantime moved to stand behind his daughter, putting his hands on her shoulders.
Hermione, who had helped her mentor lie down, turned to her son. "Would you like to help me tuck Aunt Minerva in?"
"Yes!" He was already running around the bed and crawled over to his Aunt. Taking the thick blanket in his little hand he helped his Mummy covering his sick Aunty. After they had accomplished the task he yawned loudly and curled up beside his Aunt.
"Oh no, sweetheart. Aunt Minerva really needs to rest now."
Minerva shot her a look that met her stern teacher look Hermione was used to for such a long time. "Don't be silly Hermione. Henry is obviously tired and I see no reason why we can't rest together," she said, wrapping an arm protectively around the little boy resting against her.
Hermione sighed, giving in to her fate. "Lillian darling, why don't you lie down beside your brother? You must be tired as well."
Lillian wasn't very happy but her own exhaustion was too strong to fight it so she moved obediently onto the bed, pulling the blanket up.
"Hermione, we need to talk about the house now," he said, walking the few steps to his wives side.
"Now? Can't that wait until tomorrow? Hermione leaned into her husband.
"I am afraid not. We need to sign the contract today of we want it. And I can assure you, we do want it."
"Tonight? But someone needs to stay with Minerva."
"I know love, but it won't take more than half an hour and Henry and Minerva are sleeping already."
"I see. I am sorry this is such a mess."
"That is not your fault, my love. Let's have a quick look at the house and sign the papers if you like it and then we can start moving in tomorrow. "
"What do you mean start? How long do you think it will take?"
"I don't know. A week?"
Hermione laughed and kissed her husband soundly. "Not in the magical world sweetheart. I'll have it finished within a few hours and you have your appointment at St. Mungos in the afternoon after all."
"I guess I will have to believe you."
"You are absolutely right. And now let's get going and introduce you to a magical way of travelling." Hermione silently went over to Lillian and shook gently shook her awake. "Darling, Mummy and Daddy need to leave for a few minutes so that I can have a look at the new house. It won't take longer than half an hour. Is that all right?"
"Yes mummy. I LOVE the new house!" she said as enthusiastic as she could muster half asleep.
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