Disclaimer: the same as the first chapter :) I definitely own nothing, the characters used are all JK Rowling doing
Morning arrived too soon for Minerva and Hermione as warm sunshine blast through the huge window onto their bed, "hey," Minerva smiled sadly at her partner who began to wake.
"Hey," Hermione grimaced as she rubbed her abdomen.
"The pain ramping up again?" Minerva asked her softly placing her own hand where she knew the pain was, she gently began kneading it with her own hand.
Hermione nodded, "yeah, it's making me feel sick"
"Poppy will be here soon," she promised kissing her softly, she shivered slightly at how cold her lips were, "you cold?"
"Yeah," Hermione admitted gripping her partners hand tightly and pushing it harder into her abdomen.
"Easy baby, easy," she tried to soothe as Hermione cried out, "I've got you, roll over for me okay? So your back is to me"
Showing how much she trusted Minerva, she rolled over and shimmied into Minerva's hold. Within seconds the older woman's hand was back pressing hard into her abdomen as she held her as tightly to her as she possibly could.
"Merlin this hurts," Hermione sobbed quietly gripping Minerva's arm with her cold fingers.
"I know love, I know," Minerva frowned feeling how tightly she was holding on, "I wish I could take this away from you baby, I'm so sorry you're having to go through this"
"I feel si-" but the rest of the words fell as she promptly vomited over the bed. Knowing Hermione hadn't eaten since the morning before she wasn't surprised to see yellow bile decorating their bed.
One thing Minerva was acutely aware of was how much Hermione hated being physically sick. The vomiting at the start of her pregnancy had shown the older woman just how panicked Hermione became.
"Breathe, it's okay, you're okay, I'm here," she tried to reassure her as Hermione's body shook with anxiety, tensing as her body threw another wave of pain her way.
Minerva bit her lip with worry, she couldn't shake that something was wrong as Hermione vomited again. She grabbed her wand as she held her partner close kissing her head to remind her she loved her before her bright Patronus disappeared out of their room soundlessly.
It was barely a few minutes later when Poppy ran into the room looking extremely alert, "Min? talk to me"
"She's vomiting bile, she's crying with the pain, she's got my hand massaging her abdomen but I'm worried about how hard she's pushing my hand into it just to help relieve it a little," Minerva explained quickly.
Poppy nodded before sitting down on the bed looking at Hermione, she looked grey with sweat littering her face, "Hermione?" the clearly pained woman looked up at her with desperation in her eyes, "if I asked you to score the pain for me, 0 being no pain and 10 being the worst pain you've ever felt .. where would you label it right now?"
"A 10," Hermione gasped out as she curled her body up slightly tighter crying out, "it hurts so bad"
"Okay, take this pain potion for me and I'm going to check you out, okay?" Poppy squeezed her arm gently as Hermione nodded and took the vial from the medi witch.
Silence filled the room except for Hermione's quiet sobs as Minerva watched them both like a hawk. Her biggest fears had filled her head over the last 12 hours: she was petrified she could lose Hermione. With Hermione she had not only found love, but she'd found herself in the process. Suddenly life was more enjoyable, it excited her to come home at night knowing her love was there waiting for her.
"Hermione, I need to get you to the Hospital Wing," Poppy began but Hermione immediately shook her head interrupting.
"No, I don't .. I want to stay here," Hermione whined miserably.
"What is it?" Minerva asked ignoring her partner for a minute as she eyed Poppy with pure fear filling her body.
Poppy sighed, "your cervix has closed, the reason your getting so much pain is because your body is trying to pass the pregnancy tissue and it can't. It's called an incomplete miscarriage. Your vomiting because of the pain. I need you in the hospital wing Hermione I'm sorry. I have potions I can try but sometimes they don't work and surgery is needed"
"Surgery?" Minerva whispered her body shaking with fear.
"If the medications don't work, I'd have to do surgery but it would have to be at St Mungos as we would have to give you anaesthetic. It's minor, I'd still be doing the procedure, it allows me to use a device to open up the cervix and use another instrument to remove the remaining products. I can then send the tissue to the Pathology department for further investigation to see if there's a cause of your baby's death," she explained sensitively as Minerva nodded.
"Are there any risks to this surgery?" Minerva asked quietly as she took a deep breath trying to calm the hammering heart inside her chest.
Poppy nodded once more, "there are risks to any surgery, sometimes people bleed more, infection is a small possibility though very unlikely and I could potentially nick the uterine wall. All are extremely low risks"
"Would it stop us from trying for another baby?" Hermione muttered quietly, if losing this baby did anything it made her realise how much she wanted to be a mother and to share that with Minerva, but the answer scared her.
"No," Poppy smiled knowing full well Minerva had been thinking the same thing, "you'll still be able to have another baby"
"If I refuse the surgery? What happens then?" Hermione enquired, she knew Minerva was anxious she could feel it radiate off her almost constantly.
The medi witch looked between the two women before she focused on Hermione, "you could end up losing a lot of blood and get a serious infection, Hermione. It can cause sepsis. Sepsis is serious, sepsis can kill"
Minerva let out a sob as tears fell freely down her cheeks, the more Poppy said the more she began to convince herself that she was about to lose the love of her life, "I really don't want surgery"
"How about a compromise? Let's try the potions first, then if they don't work and we have no option we do the surgery?" Poppy proposed as Hermione thought about it, "Minerva needs you too, Hermione, losing you would kill her"
"I wouldn't survive without you," Minerva admitted tears sliding down her cheeks as she looked down at Hermione, for once she allowed her to see all the emotions she was feeling.
Hermione nodded fully understanding her unspoken words, "okay, potions first though. Do I really need to go to the hospital wing?"
"Really yes," Poppy sighed, "what makes you not want to go?"
"I don't want anyone seeing me like this," Hermione admitted, "or hear me"
Poppy understood her worries as she smiled softly, "the students are going into lessons in 10 minutes time, how about we move you down there then? Then no one is going to see you. We can put a disillusionment charm on you if you'd like? As for when your in the hospital wing, I use a separate room for staff and whilst you're not officially staff your fiancée is and Minerva won't leave you, you know that. We can sound proof the room so no one can hear you"
"Okay," she agreed grudgingly before turning to Minerva who looked as white as a sheet, tears still falling back down her cheeks, "will you stay with me?"
Minerva nodded forcing herself to take a deep breath, "try and stop me, I'm not leaving you for a minute"
"I love you," Hermione whispered her own tears falling silently down her cheeks.
"I love you too," Minerva leant forward and kissed her lips lovingly, "more than life itself"
Hermione turned towards Poppy anxiously, "okay, I'll go down to the hospital wing"
~X~
Thankfully the trip to the hospital wing was uneventful, at Poppy's request they stretchered Hermione as the two women walked either side of her. Hermione kept tight hold of Minerva's hand the whole time.
Now she was tucked into the white bed sheets with a fluffy feeling quilt over the top of her, Minerva was sat next to her holding her tightly, relieved to see the pain had eased somewhat.
"Take this vial for me," Poppy asked her professionally as she walked back into the room, "it's medication to hopefully help you pass the rest of the tissue. It can sometimes cause nausea and vomiting, diarrhoea. It will increase the pain as it causes your uterus to contract some ok? But I can help with pain potions"
Hermione looked nervous as she eyed the vial with wide eyes, Minerva took her hand and squeezed it, "no matter what we'll get through this together okay?"
"Okay," Hermione whispered taking the vial with shaking hands and drinking it quickly. After she returned it to Poppy's waiting hand, she curled into Minerva's side as her partner held her kissing her temple softly.
"Try and sleep, Hermione okay? Let your body rest for a while," Poppy suggested before she left the two women to it.
The second the door closed Minerva turned to Hermione who looked beyond exhausted, her eyes dull and lifeless, "come on, let's try and get you some sleep ok?"
"Promise you're not leaving?" Hermione looked up at her anxiously.
"I promise," Minerva kissed her again, wrapping both arms around her fiancée's slender body, "I'm not going anywhere now or ever, I need you more today than I did yesterday and I'll need you more tomorrow than today .. each day I love you a little more. You can't get rid of me"
"I'm scared," Hermione admitted quietly, shaking slightly in Minerva's arms as she held her tighter, kissing her head before resting her cheek against it.
"I know, I am too," she divulged almost inaudibly but Hermione heard every word, "we'll get through this together"
Hermione moved slightly and looked up at her, "promise me we can try again?"
A smile lit up Minerva's face at what she felt was the easiest question she'd asked, "whenever your ready, I promise we can try again. Sleep love, you need to rest and focus on yourself for now .. another baby is for another time, but I promise you we will try again"
She nodded before laying her head on Minerva's chest and closing her eyes, Hermione smiled as she felt her lovers thin fingers run through her hair with more gentleness than ever before, a quiet song humming above lulled her into what they both hoped would be a restful sleep.
~X~
"Merlin thi-ow," Hermione gasped 4 hours later from where she was curled up in a ball on the bed crying with the intense contractions she was feeling.
Minerva watched her with tears in her eyes, hating to see the agony her partner was in, she quickly called for Poppy no longer able to watch the pain she was suffering.
She had woken 20 minutes ago rolling around the bed in agony, but even Minerva had to admit she'd been restless and had looked pained some time before that.
Poppy entered the room quickly looking frazzled but her look quickly turned to concern seeing Hermione's state, "how long has she been like this?"
"The last 20 minutes," Minerva admitted, "she was asleep before that but very restless and she looked pained. She's been up a few times since you gave her the potion"
"Hermione," Poppy called to get the attention of the young woman, "have you passed much tissue or clotting?"
"Not really," she groaned not moving from her curled up position, "Poppy help me .. please .. it hurts so much"
The medi witch quickly checked her patient over before sighing, "The medication isn't working, it's trying to get your body to dispel the pregnancy tissues but your cervix is still tightly closed"
"Can we try anything else?" Hermione asked breathlessly, they all knew she didn't want to go for surgery if they could help it. She was scared. Poppy couldn't blame her, she would be too.
"There's one more medication I'm willing to try but .. I'll be honest Hermione, this is a last ditch attempt," she admitted honestly before turning and leaving the room.
Minerva had remained quiet and still during Poppy's assessment and evaluation but now she was beyond petrified, she knew the longer they left it the more at risk Hermione would be. She wanted this over so her fiancée could recover and they could grieve in peace. Right now she felt like she was watching someone torture Hermione and there was nothing she could do about it. It was killing her.
"Min," a small voice gasped out loud breaking the older woman from her fears and thoughts.
"I'm here baby," she reassured her instantly moving to the middle of the bed and lifting Hermione onto her lap so she could hold her better, "I'm here"
"I'm sorry," she breathed out her voice full of pain, "it's all my fault"
Minerva shook her head despite knowing Hermione couldn't see her, "none of this is your fault love, none of it"
Within minutes Poppy returned, "take these two vials. One of them is a pain potion and the other will start minimising the uterine contractions. Once they've fully settled and the other potion is out of your system we can try the next one ok? Possibly tomorrow morning"
"Okay," Hermione agreed taking both potions immediately ready for the pain to ease. Thankfully it did almost straight away as Minerva felt her relax into her arms. Both very thankful that she wasn't withering around the bed anymore.
The rest of their afternoon and evening thankfully went without any further issues. Hermione still had on and off pains, she was still losing blood and she felt horrendous but she wasn't in such a desperate condition. They talked about their baby, their dreams and wishes. They both cried for the child they had lost and reminded each other that they loved one another and eventually they would get their forever baby.
It was 10pm before Poppy did her last check on the couple, she smiled seeing Hermione sleeping across Minerva's body looking thankfully settled, even if her best friend looked haunted.
"You okay?" Poppy asked her sitting down on the bed next to Minerva, she took her best friends cold hand in her own as she looked into her weary face.
"I don't know," Minerva admitted tiredly, "I'm watching her suffer and I can't stand it. It's bad enough that we lost our baby but .. god .. this is agony, Poppy"
Poppy nodded, "I know, I wish I could make this easier for you both but I can't"
"I just don't want to lose her," Minerva divulged tearfully as she tried to keep the noise to a minimum, not wanting to disturb Hermione as the tears fell down her pale cheeks, "when I sleep I see her dying and I can't save her, just like no one could save our baby .. I just .. I'm scared Poppy, I'm so scared"
"I know," she soothed rubbing her arm softly, "I promise you .. I'll do everything I can for Hermione, okay? If this medication doesn't work we'll get the surgery done ok?"
Minerva nodded, "I know you will, I know," she stroked her fiancée's hair softly, "we talked about trying again"
"I thought you might, after she asked if surgery would prevent it .. I had a feeling that it had lit a fire in you both," Poppy smiled.
"Once she's recovered," Minerva agreed, "if she recovers"
Knowing Minerva was fearing the worst for her lover, Poppy squeezed her hand reassuringly, "hey, don't give up, ok? Because I'm not! If this next medication doesn't work we'll get her the surgery, ok?"
"She looks so pale," Minerva whispered anxiously touching her loves head to check for any temperature but if anything she found her to be quite cool to the touch, "she's chilly"
Poppy quickly cast a diagnostic spell on the sleeping woman, "her temperature is ok, but externally she's cooler than I'd like .. I'll grab another blanket. She's lost a lot of blood though so that's why she's paler than normal, she'll probably need some blood replenishing potions once this is over otherwise she'll be so tired and lethargic"
"Has she .." Minerva stalled before taking a deep breath and continuing, "has she passed the baby yet? Do you know?"
"No, she hasn't," Poppy admitted quietly knowing Minerva desperately wanted this over so they could grieve for the loss of their child.
"Do you know the gender?" Minerva mumbled feeling nervous as she asked a question they had discussed earlier. Minerva had promised she'd ask Poppy as Hermione also wanted to know in the hope it brought them both closure.
She nodded, "do you both want to know?"
"Yeah," Minerva nodded, "we discussed it earlier, we're hoping it'll bring us both some closure, we thought we'd do a little memorial for the baby"
"That sounds like a good idea," Poppy agreed eyeing Hermione quickly, "did she want to be awake too?"
Minerva yawned, "yeah .. maybe tomorrow morning? I don't really want to wake her now, I want her to sleep, she needs it. Today took so much out of her"
"Ok, we'll discuss it again tomorrow ok?" Poppy smiled softly, "she's not having any pains or anything right now so I'll leave this pain potion incase she needs it during the night. Call me if you need me okay? Try and sleep Min, she needs you rested too"
~X~
If Minerva thought watching Hermione suffer during the first potion was hard, it was nothing to what she struggled throughout the second. Despite the pain relieving potions, the pain didn't disappear, it eased for which both women were thankful but it attacked her constantly.
Eventually, Poppy gave her a dreamless sleep potion allowing her to sleep through the pain. Minerva had been thankful before she broke down and cried on Poppy's shoulder.
By that evening Poppy arrived to their room and sat on the end of the bed to have a frank discussion with the two of them.
"How are you feeling?" Poppy asked Hermione as she used her wand to cast another diagnostic spell.
"Tired," she admitted weakly as Minerva held her hand dreading what Poppy was about to announce.
Poppy lowered her wand and sighed, "Hermione," she began but stopped knowing she'd only have one shot at getting the exhausted woman on side, "Min told me yesterday you two wanted to know what the gender was, is that still the case?"
"You know it?" Hermione asked in surprise as Poppy nodded, the younger woman looked up at Min who nodded but said nothing, her lips thinned with her worry and fears, "yeah, we do want to know"
"It was a little boy," she informed them quietly, both women looked at each other with tears in their eyes as they held one another tightly.
The medi witch remained quiet whilst they consoled one another on the loss of their son. Once the tears stopped and they turned back to the medi witch did Minerva talk, her voice was nasally with the emotion she was struggling to contain, "so how's Hermione doing?"
"Not so great," Poppy admitted looking between them, "the medication didn't work, Hermione. You've lost a lot of blood and that in turn has dropped your blood pressure. That's why your feeling so tired and lethargic. Your temperature has dropped hence you feeling so cold"
"So now what?" Minerva asked nervously as she looked at Hermione anxiously.
"You need to do surgery, don't you?" Hermione asked before Poppy could say a word. The medi witch nodded not knowing how Hermione would react.
"If we don't do the surgery, you'll lose too much blood and develop an infection, Hermione. It really is our only option now," Poppy explained as kindly as she could.
Minerva turned to her partner and squeezed her hands, Hermione looked up at her with eyes filled with tears, "please baby, please let Poppy do this! I'm scared and I need you here with me, I can't lose you and I'm petrified I'm going to! I can't lose you too"
Tears slid down Minerva's face openly as Poppy watched, her heart aching for her best friend as she all but begged her fiancée to survive, "okay, you can do the surgery," the fact she didn't argue showed how much she loved Minerva. She knew no matter how scared she was to have the surgery, her fiancée more so with the risk of losing her.
"I'll arrange it for in the morning, ok?" Poppy stated as Hermione nodded whilst she tried to reassure and comfort Minerva who had once again broken down.
