Chapter 14 ~ Not to be fussed over…(The next morning…)
It had been a long time since she had traversed down the well worn halls of St. Mungos to visit a patient, not out of obligation or duty, but rather her own personal desire to be nearer to one of its patients and to inquire after her health.
She rounded the corner, her body exhausted from last evening as her all too heavy robes billowed around her and she wished for the opportunity to wear far simpler attire; but decorum wouldn't permit it, especially since she was to meet with the Minister in less than an hour. As the next hallway rounded into view, her eyes were already narrowing, gaze moving ahead to the far end and to where her destination lay.
"Ahhh, Minerva." Came the all too familiar voice of the Head Healer for St. Mungos, Mildred Stilts. "Haven't seen you in these halls for quite some time."
Minerva grudgingly stopped as she turned to smile at the stout grey haired woman who she swore had been a fixture within the hallowed halls before she had left for Germany over sixty years ago; and she had been old and with silver hair then. "Since Voldemort's passing I find I have far less reason to frequent St. Mungos' halls."
Mildred eyed the middle-aged witch carefully as she turned and began to amble the direction Minerva had been heading. "Small blessings to be sure." She mentally ticked through the list of persons farther down the hall, immediately stopping on the young woman who had been brought in last night, Hermione Weasley. "You are here to see Hermione Weasley."
"How is she this morning?" Minerva inquired, thereby confirming Mildred's statement.
"She's still partially dehydrated and will need to remain for another day; it is apparent she has been pushing herself far too hard and the stress is not good for either her or her child."
"A point I am sure you have or will have belabored already." Minerva quipped eliciting a high arching brow from the other woman.
"One which you would do well to remember and subsequently remind her from time to time as her friend." Mildred rebuked.
"Quite, however," She slowed and stopped turning fully to Mildred. "Are both Hermione and the child well?"
Mildred saw a flash of green burst from the depths of the stately woman's eyes as she nodded. "Given that she rests and does not continue to push herself, they will both be fine and quite healthy. If not, then I fear she will be a frequent guest of my facility."
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Hermione watched as her mother stood and stretched fatigue lacing the lines of her face, "Why don't you and dad go ahead and get something to eat?" Her mother opened her mouth about to admonish the sentiment, but Hermione continued. "You've both been here all night and look it." She tried to smile, lips faltering as a small measure of guilt beat within her breast that she had worried both her mother and father last evening. "Besides, I'm fine and you both could use a bit of food."
Carl and Jean shared a poignant glance and finally Carl stood too, "I'll go and get something for us both, your mother will remain here."
"I'm fine…" Hermione muttered, wishing her mother would join her father, she didn't wish to be fussed over.
"We know we just…" Jean's voice faltered as she gave her daughter a meaningful look. "You have no need to be alone dear."
"Perhaps…" Minerva strode forward, her voice startling the small family as three sets of eyes turned to her. "I could be of assistance."
At once Jean and Carl's posture relaxed while Hermione's heart climbed into her throat at seeing Minerva standing framed by the door. "Thank you again for last night." Jean's heartfelt words and warm eyes immediately dispelling any notions of discomfort.
Carl extended his hand outward, Minerva taking it. "Can't thank you enough." He stated.
"As I said, it was my pleasure." She turned away from Hermione's parents. "And how are you?" She asked, brogue becoming slightly more pronounced.
As emerald eyes latched upon hers, for a moment, she forgot to breath and then she remembered what a fool she must have looked like last night, and she felt her cheeks flush embarrassed. "Better." She said, voice sounding marginally close to normal to her ears. "Thank you."
Jean touched Carl's arm and stepped back, "If you don't mind Minerva," She could tell from Minerva's posture that she wished a few moments alone with her daughter and truth be told, it would do wonders for her back if she could walk more than five paces. But, a part of her wanted to remain, wanted to understand the strange dynamic of a relationship that seemed to exist between her daughter and the noble woman before her. From Minerva's questions last night to Hermione's this morning and the sudden reaction upon learning who had taken her to St. Mungos led Jean to far more questions than answers. "And are willing to remain for a short while, perhaps we can both go and have a bit to eat."
Minerva gave a nod with a smile, "Of course."
Carl cast his wife a questioning glance but immediately acquiesced upon seeing her expression. "There is a small restaurant upon the first floor?"
"Second." Minerva stated, "Take the elevator to the second floor, turn left and at the end of the corridor make another left. It's entitled Mungos Muchies."
Both Jean and Carl smiled at the name, "Sounds interesting."
"They have fairly descent food, but it has been a few years since I have been there."
"Are you sure you don't mind?" Carl asked, stopping just inside the door, both of the remaining occupants of the room failing to see Jean gently tugging upon his arm.
"Enjoy." Minerva stated and as they left turned back to the woman resting three feet from her, head propped up, hair cascading along the white sheets…skin far too pale and close in color to the décor. "You gave a bit of a scare last evening." Her cadence rumbling from the depths of her chest trying to help quell the uneasiness that had taken resident in her soul last evening at seeing the all too still form of the woman lying before her.
Hermione felt the heat return to her cheeks in force, "I…am sorry." She tried not to feel the need to shift beneath the sheet, "That was never my intent."
"I daresay not." Minerva gently smiled trying to ease the other woman's unease. "When did you begin working at Haus?"
"Shortly after Ron and I parted." She replied not wishing to elaborate further, as the last thing she wished to see emanating from those crystal green eyes was pity directed towards her.
Minerva waited another hairs breath of a moment, hoping that Hermione would elaborate, but at the unearthly silence realized that more questions were in order. "And you remain at the Ministry?"
"Yes." Came the solitary word reply.
"Are you going to be able to slow down?" Minerva inquired, wondering as to the cause behind Hermione's reluctance.
She found herself faced with a more probing question and another deflection was required. "It is in my plan."
"I see." Minerva stated, feeling another wall placed before her and for Hermione to remain behind. Perhaps another tactic, Minerva mused. "Have you and Ronald decided who shall be keeping the house?"
Hermione had not been expecting the sudden change in questions and she couldn't help but frown, how was this relevant to the other? "Ronald will be keeping the home."
"And you…?" Minerva prompted, waiting.
"Will be remaining in London. The flat is very accessible to the Ministry and it is also a short apparition to Oxford."
"Sensible." Minerva replied, "You had said earlier it was a small flat…"
"One bedroom, kitchen, living room and a small study which I will be turning into a nursery for a short time."
"Is there anything I can do to help? Or that you require?" Minerva asked, hoping the younger woman would accept her offer.
"No." Hermione replied, and at seeing Minerva's expression realized that perhaps she had responded too quickly. "But if I think of anything, I will gladly let you know."
And so their conversation continued briefly for the next fifteen minutes, quickly falling away from Hermione's situation and turning to her research at the Ministry. It wasn't until both Jean and Carl returned and Minerva was getting ready to step through the door that Minerva realized how much information Hermione had not given her and how obviously stilted their friendship, if one could call it that, had become.
With a heavy sigh, she tried to prepare herself for her meeting with Kingsley, but a she stepped into the atrium of the grand hospital, her mind remain riveted to the woman three floors above her…whose pale skin matched the snowy marble pillars and whose warm eyes had again demanded and captured her undivided attention.
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A/N: Sorry about the delay in getting chapters up, however real life has been rather unkind regarding time allotment for writing. The next chapter is about done and merely needs some TLC and proofing; so…perhaps mid-week. Special thanks to my beta for pointing out the necessity for this chapter.