Chapter 4

Hermione stared at Helena and waited. And waited. And waited. Until finally blue eyes lifted up from the diagnostic and Hermione's heart sank through her stomach and past the floor, as a wave of nausea swept over her and she choked back the tears. "Ohhh…no…"

"She won't make it through the night." Helena clinically stated, "The infection is too far advanced, I'm truly sorry, Ma'am."

"Will…" she wiped the tears from her face, "she wake up again?"

"I'm…awake." Minerva answered as she blinked her eyes open.

"I just gave her a stimulant that'll last for perhaps ten minutes, but the cost…"

"I think…" Minerva chanced a glance to her longtime friend, "I'll worry about that, later."

"Minerva…I…" she reached out and placed a hand upon her shoulder, gently squeezing, "is there anything I can do?"

"Please have someone draw up a paper to alter my will to…give the whole of my assets to Hermione."

"Minerva, I…" Helena glanced to Hermione and then back to Minerva, "don't know if I'll have time."

"I'll still be awake," she forced her throat to swallow, "when you return."

Helena didn't need to be asked twice, her cloak flourishing behind her to try and make Minerva's last request possible.

"So…" Minerva turned to Hermione, "I woke back up."

Hermione bit her lip as she shook her head, "That isn't funny, Minerva."

"Yes…well…" her eyes remained fixed upon the heartbroken woman, "So, if memory serves," her voice thickening, "we…are going to have a child."

"I don't want to talk about our child, your dying and…"

She reached out taking Hermione's hand causing Hermione's words to die off, "But I do." She said trying to ignore the pain searing across her chest, "I want to be sure that…you want the child. And not obligated."

"I don't feel obligated Minerva," Hermione took a steadying breath as she stared into muted green eyes, "rather…honored...to have been…loved by you."

"It's I…Hermione…" she couldn't stop the wince from passing over her face, and at seeing Hermione move closer she forced a brave front onto her features, "I'm alright. Just know that…I never expected to find…love...in your arms." A pitiful chuckle spilled off her lips, "Actually, in anyone's arms. But…if…I should have realized," she tipped her head ever so much to the side, "if anyone could have found…a way to surprise me…it'd have been you."

"Surprise you? How? I don't understand."

Minerva ran her thumb over the top of Hermione's knuckles, "You are so…intelligent, my dear. But…it's your verve." She took another breath, "It's unending." She let go of warm fingers and reached out, barely having the energy to stretch her hand to brush the smooth skin of Hermione's cheek, "You are going to change our world."

"I'm just following your footsteps."

"No," Minerva's fingers dropped down to Hermione's jaw, "you're surpassing all that I was. And I couldn't be prouder."

"Minerva…I…" she leaned into the ghostly touch, "don't want to lose you."

"It seems…that isn't within our control, my dear."

"Ohh….Minerva…."

"Hermione," she pulled her hand back, the small movement having greatly sapped what little strength she had, "please…this is hard enough…"

"Okay." She finally answered, realizing that in a handful of minutes; the woman before her would fall asleep for what would amount to the last time. With every ounce of willpower she pushed the gut wrenching notion aside to focus on the minutes remaining not on the decades of absence. "Is there anything…I can do?" Hermione asked as she took Minerva's hand once more within her own.

"Yes…" Minerva managed, "I'd like to help you…pick out the name of our child."

"If it's girl any suggestions?"

"Rose?" Minerva quipped as her body trembled.

Hermione tried not to notice as she tearfully replied, "It's already taken."

"True," Minerva finally replied, "and she's a beautiful girl, and I envision…she'll grow up to be…just like her mother."

"Frizzy hair and a panache for befriending boys who will take her adventures no one could imagine possible."

"Undoubtedly," a smile passing over angular features, "you three were trouble. But…I was thinking…more of your resounding intellect, unbridled skill…deep loyalty…"

"I think that sounds more like you."

The smile began to dissipate, "I'm getting tired, my dear. I think…we need…to focus…on names."

Hermione felt herself nod as she stood, "How's…Minerva?"

"Nah…pour girl would never be able to be her own woman. Nor yours."

"What was your mother's name?"

"Isobel, and before you…suggest…I don't want that either."

"How about as a middle name?"

"Kaelan."

"As a middle name?"

"First. It's typically a boy's name…but…I've always liked it."

"Kaelan Isobel."

"I think Kaelan Jean rolls off the tongue better…"

"My mother's name?"

"Yes." Hermione leaned forward without thought and gently kissed thin, chapped lips…as their tears merged with the others…before Minerva turned her head to the side breaking the kiss. "I haven't…the energy, my dear. I'm so…tired…"

"I think…you are trying to get out of helping to choose a boy's name."

"That's me…always one for a short-cut."

"Any thoughts on names?"

"Hugo."

"Hugo. Really?"

"After my great-grandfather."

"What was he like?"

"I don't know. He died the summer before I was born, but I…'ve always liked the name." Her eyes took an extra minute to blink open, "Which…will sound…profound with Carl as his middle name."

"Hugo Carl…" Hermione quietly finished, "McGonagall."

"He sounds like a marvelous boy."

"That boy…" Hermione didn't bother wiping the tears away, "will be our son."

"Tell him…" Minerva took in a rattling breathe, "that I loved him."

"I will." She promised as the door swung open as a slightly haggard Helena entered the room.

"I've got it." She said pulling a quill from her robes, "a statement that Hermione will inherit your estate."

Minerva forced her head to the side, "See…told you I'd still be up."

Helena nodded as tears pooled along the edges of her eyes, "I should have known you damn stubborn fool."

"Some things…haven't changed."

"While some things," she placed the quill in Minerva's hand, "have." She held the parchment up for Minerva to sign, "A woman, Minerva…truly?"

"You're just upset, I chose someone other…" Minerva took a breath and forced her arm upwards, "you."

"You have no idea," Helena stated as Minerva signed her name one final time, the last few letters missing their normal flourish. "Done." She said taking the quill, "And I'll file this with Gringotts."

"Thank you, Helena." She took another quick breath, tears sliding down her temple. "If you can give Hermione and I a minute…"

"I will miss you; Minerva. Good-bye."

Minerva didn't waste the scant amount of energy that remained on saying good-bye to her friend as her eyes slowly moved back to Hermione. "I…do believe, I'm going…to need to take another nap."

"I…" Hermione shook her head, "it wasn't supposed to be like this."

Minerva brought her left hand up to her chest, Hermione's fingers still entwined within her own. "Spending time with the person you love?"

"Me not getting to know you. To have an opportunity to love you."

"I've been blessed as…you have already loved me." She gently squeezed the fingers within her own hand, "And if you do care for me, I must ask…one thing of you."

"Name it." Hermione rasped.

"If…you love Ronald…remain…married to him, and ask him…if he will raise…our child…as…" she took in a shallow breath that would barely constitute a gasp, "his own." Her eyes fluttered slightly before her eyes once more found Hermione's. "He's a good man."

"I won't…deny our child's parentage."

"Not asking…you to." Minerva couldn't stop the whimper slip from her lips, "Only…that our child…has an opportunity…at a normal life."

"After everything, I don't know if I can return to a marriage despite how much I love Ron after what we shared."

"Do…" Minerva tried to lick her lips, "try."

"Minerva, I…have never been loved by him as I was…loved by you."

"You're," Minerva could feel the last of her stamina dissipating, "going to make me…blush."

"You should." Hermione remarked as a blush began creeping up her neck at the mere notion of what she was about to say, "After what you did to me."

"I don't think…I can stay…anymore…" Minerva's eyes began to drift close, "I'm sorry…."

Hermione felt her heart begin to break, "Minerva, don't leave me."

"I'll…never…leave you."

"Then, I'll see you after your nap." Hermione's voice cracking with emotion.

"Just…" Minerva could feel herself losing to the blackness, "don't wait up…"

Hermione felt her stomach roil as she replied, "I…think I…would have fallen in love with you."

"…love…" Minerva tried to reply but felt the words slip from her consciousness as she eased into the comfort of blackness no longer feeling the pain of each breath.

"Minerva…" Hermione's eyes immediately snapped to the monitors and then back, "please, don't leave me. Find a way to fight it." The tears falling freely as she lifted cool fingers back to her cheek, "Please, Minerva. Find a way…" a strangled gasp left her lips, "for me. For our child…please…" Hermione sat on the edge of the bed as she curled up, holding thin fingers tightly to her chest as muted gasps left her lungs and heavy tears streamed down her cheeks wetting the blanket covering Minerva's chest. "Please…" she begged to the unconscious woman, "please…"

xoxox

a/n: tbc...