The characters and canon situations in the following story belong solely to JK Rowling. I am not making any money from the publishing or writing of this story.
I apologize for such a long time between updates. My mom was in ICU and on a ventilator fighting pneumonia. She is out of ICU, doing well and currently aggravating the nursing staff…always a good sign. Of course frequent visits to the hospital means I got a truly horrible case of bronchitis. I am just now feeling like sitting up. So again sorry for the delay. Please rest assured that all of my stories are complete and it is just a matter of transposing from notebooks to computer. This is a little something for ya'll while I type.
Thanks for taking the time to read.
She wasn't sure which was worse, the blinding spotlight that some one had pointed straight at her bedroom window or the incredibly annoying off-key rendition of a Carpenters song coming from the shower. Turning away from the window, Hermione pulled a pillow over her face successfully blocking out both.
"Good morning sunshine!" was accompanied by the sting of a slap on her bottom. Hermione growled.
"Look perky princess, I am going to be at the Cairo branch for the rest of the week. My counterpart there just had a baby and is on maternity leave. The rest of us are taking turns covering for her until she is back. So, unless something comes up I should be back for Mum's brunch on Sunday." Bill was toweling his hair dry as he spoke.
Hermione lifted the pillow off her face to see that he was standing next to bed looking down at her and the towel wrapped around his neck was the only towel he had. Hermione shifted her gaze downward and she realized she was level with his…Hermione squealed and pulled the pillow tightly across her face.
"Haf twu kn sme?"
"What?" Bill leaned over and removed the pillow from Hermione's face.
Hermione took one look and squeezed her eyes shut. "I said, have you no shame? Walking around in the altogether…what if someone knocked on the door? Or decided to look in the window? Put on some clothes!"
Bill grinned he had decided that he liked making Hermione squirm just a little bit. Instead of finding his boxers he plopped down right next to her and leaned down even closer.
"Who is going to be looking in your window? You are on the seventh floor." Bill definitely liked teasing her.
Hermione tried to sit up and push him away; as she did so the bed linens pooled around her hips leaving her as exposed as he was.
"Your brothers have brooms; I wouldn't put anything past them." She tried to sound reasonable and remain calm until she realized that Bill was no longer looking in the face. She followed his line of sight and realized. She scrambled to pull the sheets up around her, pushing Bill to get him to move. He was sitting on the sheet.
"Don't bother covering up on my account; I think you are utterly beautiful." Bill stilled her hands.
Hermione blushed and looked away. Bill's hand gently cupped her cheek. "I hope our child looks like you."
She did not know what to say but, she smiled when he softly kissed her forehead.
Hermione did not offer him a cup of coffee or a biscuit and she did not walk him to the door when he left, instead she stayed curled up in bed thinking about his words. Their child, it was very possible that it was a reality now and that idea both delighted and terrified her.
It was the need for the loo and hunger pains stirred Hermione out of her thoughts. She stretched and when she finally untangled the sheets enough she was able put her feet on the floor. The subtle ache of her back and hips reminder her of the night before. Walking toward the loo, Hermione smiled. The previously unused muscles balked at being disturbed ,but with a sigh Hermione had to admit it had been worth it.
Bill Weasley was good.
By Friday, Hermione was bored. Sitting in the apartment was getting on her nerves, reading was great and she truly loved books but even she had her limits. Before there had been Ron to care for, now she had a great deal of free time on her hands and very little to do.
The groceries had been bought, the apartment cleaned, she had visited the library and booksellers every day and still she had time. As she drank her third cup of tea for the morning, she idly scanned the newspaper for the second time when her eye caught a very small article. There on page nine under an advertisement for broom repair, Hermione saw her solution.
Daily Prophet
St. Mungo's In Dire Need
By: Tilda Soglwood
St. Mungo's, the center for healthcare since the twelve century, is in desperate need of volunteers to aid in patient care. Chief Healer Tutwell has ask that any and all witches and wizards to consider giving back to their community by volunteering. When asked by this reporter if any special skills would be required to apply, Tutwell replied yes, a giving heart.
Hermione grinned. She had spent many hours in the past couple of days trying to decide what to do with her time. Because of the large monetary rewards given to both her and Ron by the grateful Ministry when the dust had settled from the battle and ultimate destruction of Voldemort, money was not a problem. She considered taking a couple of university classes but, the idea not getting to finish because of her death by stupid vow was discouraging. The same applied to starting a job. What would her employer do if one morning she did not show up because she was dead?
Hermione was in limbo that would either end with piles of dirty nappies or becoming dirt. Hermione needed a distraction with no real commitment. Volunteering would be perfect.
Within the hour, Hermione was dressed and inquiring about helping at the receptionist desk at St. Mungo's. She had expected to wait her turn to speak to the volunteer coordinator but the lobby was relatively disserted.
"Excuse me," Hermione was trying to get the attention of the reception witch but competing with "Wanton Witch Weekly" was proving to be tough. Clearing her throat and speaking much louder Hermione tried again.
"Is this where I can sign up to volunteer?" Hermione felt as if she was being rude using such a loud voice.
"Wha?" The green haired witch asked.
Hermione lowered her voice and asked again, "Is this where I sign up to volunteer?"
"You mean like to you now like you wanna like work for free?" The idea of volunteering was hard for the reception witch to understand.
"Yes, exactly." Hermione was pleased that she was being understood.
"Blimey, why would you want to do that for? Don't you know they usually pay you for working?"
Hermione looked at the astonished face in front of her; apparently the witch doubted her intellect.
"Yes, work for free…now where would I sign up?" Hermione spoke slowly and deliberately hoping the reception witch would take her seriously.
It took a moment before Hermione got a response. "I don't know…never been asked that before."
Hermione was at her wit's end.
"Right, brilliant could you direct me to you supervisor?" Hermione asked as pleasantly as she could.
"Excuse me." Hermione had been waiting for fifteen minutes in the lobby after being assured that the receptionist's supervisor would be right with her. Hermione had begun to pace across the marble floor. It a giving heart was a perquisite for volunteering, shouldn't having a minimum of correctly firing synapses be a requirement for being paid?
Hermione was determined to volunteer but the pounding headache she had developed made her question her sanity. The pounding in her skull matched the echo of her footsteps as she paced. Looking at her watch for the twentieth time she decided to give up and come back tomorrow. Decision in place Hermione abruptly turned around and stepped toward the doors just as someone stepped in her path.
Long strong fingers clutched her sleeve to steady her teetering body. "So sorry about that, I did not expect your u-turn. Oh hello again."
Hermione looked up to see a familiar face, she couldn't put a name with it but she recognized him from somewhere.
She felt foolish, "I am sorry I know we have met and it is not like me to forget but I can't remember…"
"I am glad I made such and impression." The man said smiling down at her.
Hermione blushed and spied his name badge. "Healer Corcoran?"
"Yes, but you have the advantage, I don't know your name. I just remember helping a lost witch with way too many potions find her way to the pharmacy department at the clinic." Healer Corcoran playful manner was once again helping to relieve Hermione's tension headache.
"Yes, now I remember directions by Trudie, the wonder guide!" Hermione laughed at her little joke and was pleased when Healer Corcoran chuckled.
"Please tell me you're not here for a medical emergency." The healer was assessing her for injuries.
"No…no I'm fine. Actually I was trying to…well you see I saw the article in the paper and I thought I might volunteer but the receptionist found the idea preposterous."
"Well, Mrs. … I'm sorry I don't know your name." Healer Corcoran looked a little embarrassed.
"Weasley, Hermione Weasley." Hermione offered her hand to shake.
Taking her hand the healer gently slipped it into his crooked elbow, "Well Mrs. Weasley, if you will allow me, I would be delighted to escort you to the correct department."
Hermione blushed but did not pull away, "Okay, if it isn't too inconvenient. I would greatly appreciate that."
Together they walked toward the lifts and within minutes Hermione was being introduced to Chief Healer Tutwell.
"Mrs. Weasley, thank you. You have no idea how much your actions will influence the community, I mean it one of the Trio can find it in their heart to volunteer…you will be setting an example." Tutwell was oozing insincere gratitude. Hermione could see the scheming going on behind his eyes.
"I would like my volunteering to be a private matter, not the spear head for a community campaign. Healer Tutwell, how I spend my time is not for public consumption or tabloid fodder. If that is inconvenient then I apologize for having wasted your time." Hermione's formal attitude spoke volumes.
"No. no not all but of course we here at St. Mungo's understand the need for privacy, of course I am the soul of discretion. Just the other day I was telling someone, I forget who, about how strictly we keep all of our records. Everything safe and sound, under lock and key."
Hermione tried not to roll her eyes at the man. A quick glance at Healer Corcoran and she could tell he was waging the same battle. She smiled and quickly turned the conversation to her volunteering duties.
"Tutwell," interrupted Healer Corcoran, "I would gladly escort Mrs. Weasley on a tour of potential volunteer openings. I am sure your time is so limited."
Hermione did not give the Chief Healer a chance to respond, "That would be lovely, thank you. Could we start right away?"
It wasn't until they were safely back in the lift that Hermione turned to her escort and began to laugh. "Thank you for back there, I don't think I would have been able to take another minute of that man. Is he always that way?"
Healer Corcoran smiled a nodded just as the doors opened. "Where to first? Volunteers are needed just about every where."
Hermione thought for a moment. She knew it might seem selfish but she wanted somewhere happy. She had enough sickness and dying to last a lifetime. "Is it possible to work somewhere happy?"
The healer remembered their previous meeting and her mentioning that she had recently lost her husband. "Happy? Yes, we have happy. Follow me."
Hermione followed her guide and soon found herself surrounded by bright colors and children of all sizes.
Healer Corcoran gestured toward the entire ward. "Since the battle, we find ourselves having to deal with more and more children. Most aren't critically ill but are in need of medical care. Often our younger patients come from one parent families or living with relatives and when they need to stay it puts a large strain on the families' time and resources. It is heartbreaking watching a parent having to decide between staying with their sick child and going home to tend to the healthy ones at home. Having someone here to read to them or rock them would be huge."
Hermione looked around the small faces looked back with curiosity and anticipation. This was it. "This will be perfect." She wanted to start now but the children were being served their dinner and Healer Corcoran explained it was lights out soon after that.
Feeling a tad disappointed, Hermione agreed to return tomorrow when the Head Healer for the ward would be in to set up her schedule. Hermione realized her life had taken yet another turn and this time she was pleased.
The fun begins!
Thanks for taking the time to read.
