Heya! This is my first ever Fanfiction Story so please go easy! :') It's a scary time in the world at the moment, so I've decided to do some writing to get my mind off it :) It's going to be a multi-chapter romance story rated M for potential adult situation. I'd love to know what you think, so please drop me a review if you have some time :)
Disclaimer: I do not own any part of the HP world or characters, they all belong to JK Rowling.
Hermione Granger's life had fallen into a monotonous routine. She would get up, feed her cat, Pebbles - named for his grey speckled fur - and eat a bowl of instant porridge perched at her dining table. She would dress in one of her five skirt-shirt combinations and step into the green flames of her fireplace and she would whisk into St. Mungos. She'd collect her lab coat from a frazzled, terrified, healer in training, who'd follow her along the corridors and continually babble their joys of working with a famed war-heroine until they felt the wind of the door on their face as she snapped it shut.
That is where Hermione Jean Granger found herself, at twenty-five years of age. Sat in her small office, she held the tips of her fingers to her temples and sighed. A migraine was already starting and it was only 6.02 am. "Pull yourself together, Granger."
It wasn't that she hated her job. On the contrary, the challenge was elating, addictive and got her blood racing. There were moments that weren't so easy, when she had to explain to a bereaved family that they had lost a loved one, for example, but the highs certainly made up for the lows.
She couldn't even really mind the brown-nosing interns. Especially when she had been one herself - arguably even a lot more infuriatingly keen. Her work was good, great even. So what left Hermione Granger so miserable? She tapped her unpolished nails against the scarred wood of her desk. This question held an easy answer, she was just loath to admit it.
Hermione had watched her friends grow up around her. Ginny and Harry were expecting their first child - a boy, they had squealed that information to her through the floo not hours ago. She was ecstatic for them, but a little pin still pricked at her heart.
Ron had done the unthinkable. He had climbed into bed with a snake. It had taken a long time for Harry and Hermione to accept that he had somehow managed to, not only forgive Blaise Zabini, but to fall in love with him. Deep down there had always been a niggle of doubt in her mind about her relationship with Ron and now she knew why they had never made it far. Even though she had her reservations at first, she couldn't argue that the Slytherin had proven his worth and had actually wormed his way into her life too - to the point where she couldn't imagine not having him to turn to when she needed someone to get boozy with.
Hermione was so happy for them. She had thrown them the most amazing bachelor party, everyone knew she was a sucker for an organisational challenge, and had even managed to work companionably with Draco Malfoy, Blaise's best friend. But again, something stuck in her throat. Something was constantly there to remind her that, while her friends had found love and were moving on together, she was left behind, alone.
They never purposefully made her feel alone, but it was there. Hermione sighed, rolling her eyes at her own dramatism and stood. "You have more important things to worry about." Flipping through the charts on her desk she sighed, "Like Mr. Browns tumor." That really put her worries into perspective.
Plastering a fake smile onto her face, Hermione stepped back into the hustle and bustle of the hospital. "Paging Dr. Granger." The alarm rang out above her head, "Dr. Granger to the ER. Dr. Granger." The last one was deafening and yet still hard to hear above the mad scuffle of the corridor.
"What's happened?" She took hold of a doctor's arm as they passed, later realising it was that of Katie Bell. "Katie, what's going on?"
The tall, slender woman looked at her for a moment, before beginning a fast march down the corridor. "A bunch of aurors were hunting for a few rogue Death Eaters. They got a tip off and… and it was a trap. They barely got out alive." Katie looked panicked, which made Hermione's stomach sink to her knees. Katie was never panicked, she was the epitome of a brick wall, yet here she was… looking slightly green. "It's a mess."
They hurried together down the corridor. "Who is it?" Unfortunately, it would likely be someone she knew, that made it so much harder.
"Potter and Weasley bought them in." Her chest relaxed slightly, that was good. That meant Harry and Ron were safe, for now anyway. "There are two injured. Theordore Nott and Mclaggen."
"I don't recognise the first name."
"Slytherin, friends with Zabini and Malofy. Was a shy boy at school. Makes me surprised he even became an auror really." Katie was ringing her hands together as they pushed open the final doors before the ER. They clattered open on what could only be described as organised chaos.
"Granger, finally." There were doctors and interns scrambling round for supplies and trying to disperse the crowd, while aurors shouted questions and demands. Harry was stood glaring at Pansy Parkinson, the ward nurse on duty, raking his hand through his ever-messy black hair. He had a few cuts and bruises but otherwise looked to be in good health. "Get your rabid dog out of here." Though Pansy had been a fixture in their lives for the last few years, the ice between Harry and Pansy had never really melted away. Even though she stood at a foot shorter than him, Pansy was by far more intimidating.
"Harry, take your aurors out of here." Hermione barked, pulling her curly brown hair into a ponytail and hurrying over to Pansy as Katie rushed away. "This is not a waiting room." She didn't even have a moment to say a proper greeting before Pansy marched over, shoving charts into her chest and guiding her to the mess of blood and human tissue lying on two adjacent hospital beds. The din quieted as the aurors vacated the room, doors clanging behind them.
Pansy busied herself connecting IV drips, a muggle invention that Hermione had introduced to the ward. "Do we know what curse it was?"
"No idea." Came Pansy's reply from a bed over. "Potter reported it was wandless magic, they didn't even catch the bloody caster." Pansy looked like she was holding back tears and Hermione only just realised that Theodore Nott must have been one of her acquaintances, if not a friend.
"Are you okay Pans?" Hermione asked gently, she'd only ask once and she knew Pansy would be honest. "Should I call another nurse?"
Vigorously shaking her head, Pansy snorted. "Don't be stupid." Hermione nodded curtly, turning back to the situation at hand. The two men looked a mess. "I need a blood replenishing potion now!" She called before listing off another few for good measure, "And some Essence of Dittany as well." She was no longer looking at Pansy as she spoke, instead, she was surveying and taking stock of the wounds.
There were long gashes over both of their chests that reminded her much of the scars Malfoy had received from the Sectumsempra spell Harry had cast all those years ago, but this appeared to cut much deeper. She could almost see bone in places. Casting statis charms on them both, she attempted to hold their condition to stop it from worsening, it was a miracle they were both still alive.
Over an hour later Hermione and Pansy were still working in tandem, trying to stitch up wounds and replenish lost blood in both of the men. "It must be a dark curse Pans, it's taking all my energy to stitch up these wounds and make them stick." Hermione grunted, sweat pooling on her brow, "I need help, page Katie." Pansy did as she was told, casting a patronus and watching the Jaguar bounce away. "Keep pressure here." Hermione instructed, moving from Mclaggen to Nott and back again, constantly assessing their situation.
The magical heart monitors were buzzing. Both men were still alive. That was something at least.
"Hermione." Katie charged into the ward, quite literally coming to the rescue. "What do you need?"
They worked non stop, until the sun was high in the sky. Eventually the wounds started to knit together and stay there. It should not have been this difficult to heal them. She would have to research into this curse as soon as the men were healthy. "That's it." She breathed a sigh of relief, all three women ready to collapse onto the shiny, white linoleum. Instead, she sunk into a chair. "You two are legends."
"I think I might be dying." Pansy laughed, her usually tan cheeks going green from the exertion.
"Don't even joke about that." Hermione grinned weakly back at her, "I can't heal anyone else today." And with that, Hermione promptly fell asleep where she was sitting.
"Wow," Katie looked at her passed out friend. "She did hold most of that dark magic back on her own, I'm not surprised she's exhausted." Pansy nodded as Katie levitated her sleeping friend to another bed on the ward, snapping the curtains closed and allowing the exhausted mediwitch to sleep.
When Hermione woke it was to a muffled groaning noise. She was so groggy she almost forgot where she was. She must have fallen asleep, she thought to herself, looking down at the starchy, white hospital linen covering her. Groaning herself, she pushed her tired body into a seated position. It honestly felt like she had been trampled by a herd of hippogriffs. The pained noise came again as she gently pulled back the curtains around her bed.
The ward was dark, illuminated by a few floating candles and the light of the moon shining from beyond the large window. "Theodore?" Hermione spoke gently, drawing the curtains around his bed and using a lumos charm to light the enclosed space. She regretted her decision as soon as she did though. "Gahhh." Her throat was clamped shut. Thick strong fingers squeezed as a wand angled to her face. The man looked half crazed. Pale and sweaty from exertion, he was breathing hard and fighting to stay upright. She could see blood starting to pool under the new hospital pyjamas he was wearing. "Theo… stop."
"Who are you?" He grunted, loosening his hold slightly so she could answer. "Where the fuck am I?"
Hermione winced, she could already feel the bruises forming, "I'm… I'm Hermione Granger," she squeaked, trying to pry his fingers off with her own, "I'm a doctor, you are at St. Mungos."
"Doctor?"
"Nott!" The commotion had obviously drawn attention, "Put her down!" Harry had charged into the ward, glasses slightly askew and sleep still in the corners of his eyes.
"Potter." Theo looked from one Gryffindor to the other, "Granger?" He sprung back like he'd been burnt. "Merlin."
"It's alright." Hermione cooed, transitioning straight from scared to healer mode. She took hold of his arm, and helped him to sit back on the bed. "I'm going to need to take a look at your wounds." She told the shaken man, and he nodded, still somewhat tense. "It looks like you've reopened them." Tutting, she ignored his slightly pained grunt as she pushed his shoulders down to the pillow and adjusted his legs until he was lying.
Theo closed his grey eyes. They were pinched slightly in the corners from the pain and she suddenly felt slightly guilty for being so cavalier about adjusting his position. "I'm sorry, Granger." He grunted.
"Stop talking." She said, but her tone was softer than it had been. "Let's see if I have any magic left." She chuckled to herself slightly and started casting. Theo opened his eyes, but his hands gripped the sheets by his waist and his whole body stayed tense like a pulled cord. Even his jaw was locked. "Should I put you under general anesthetic?"
"No." He ground out, "Then I wouldn't get to see the pretty healer at work."
Though she chided herself for it, she blushed furiously. She didn't have a chance to respond as Pansy appeared over her shoulder. "Even at death's door you're still a flirt." She giggled, checking his IV drip as she spoke.
"Hush both of you. I'm working." Hermione berated, closing her eyes and reciting spell after spell after spell, exhaustion washing over her once more. They did as she asked, Theo watching her with eyes so intense that closing her eyes was her only option for concentration. "There, that should hold." Half an hour of grueling magic later she was done. "Pansy, give Mclaggen a sleeping draught, we don't need another episode of this."
Hermione turned, ready to collapse again, but Theodore's hand snaked out and caught her wrist. "I really am sorry, Granger," He yawned, sleep nipping at his heels, "Thank you for patching me up."
Hermione flushed, his touch sending warmth skating up her arm. "It's really okay." She smiled down at him but he was already asleep.
And that's it, Chapter 1 done :) Let me know your thoughts! Stay Safe everyone 3