Disclaimer: *looks downward* Nope, nothing here belongs to me.

'Heal'

The Three Broomsticks was unusually void of customers, given the fact that it was a weekend, and that it was a popular hangout for young wizards and witches. A record player, charmed to play soft, soothing music in accompaniment to the glowing ambience of the hanging lamps, stood solitary in to the left of the counter, its gentle notes breaking the otherwise stifling silence.

'This place sure isn't what it used to be anymore.' A flaming red- haired wizard, dressed simply in robes of dull brown stirred his drink morosely, looking about what used to be a room buzzing with activity. He turned towards his companion, a witch dressed in robes of lime-green. 'Ever since Lucius Malfoy's gang made trouble here last week, everyone's been avoiding this place like the plague.'

'Yeah...' His companion replied in a vague sort of manner, absently brushing back loose strands of her hair and tucking them behind her ear. She drained her mug of Butterbeer slowly and deliberately, a faraway look in her dark brown eyes.

'But Harry and the others will catch them soon, you'll see. They're losing this battle, I tell you. The Death Eaters have weakened since the death of you-know-who; they're no longer as united before.' He paused to take a sip of his brandy, before he continued. 'But Lucius Malfoy...he's a tough one. Narrowly escaped Azkaban no less than three times, they say. Not to mention the fact that he gets help from his git of a son- a wanted criminal himself.'

'Mm-hmm...'

'You're not listening, Hermione!' The wizard looked reproachfully at his preoccupied friend. 'You're not worrying about your patients again, are you?'

'No I'm not...'

'You work too hard, Hermione. spend more time at St. Mungo's than at home! You really ought to take a break from all this...'

'It's my duty Ron - people need me back there.' Hermione stared sullenly into her tankard, the golden liquid reflecting a shimmery, distorted version of herself. 'Besides, I enjoy my work,' she added petulantly.

'Well, you're not going anywhere tonight,' Ron clasped her hand in his, eyes shining brightly. 'C'mon, I'll bring you someplace special!'

'But I...oh al -' Hermione stopped short, fingering the silver cross in a chain around her neck. It tingled slightly as she touched it, heat exuding from within.

'I have to go back, Ron.'

The red-haired wizard slammed his fist against the counter, cursing under his breath. 'Bloody hell.they have to call you back now, of all times.'

'Sorry Ron...' Before she could even finish her sentence, Hermione disapparated with a faint pop.

~~~

The familiar smell of disinfectant hit her almost as soon as she apparated into St. Mungo's. The smell, she thought, of home...

'Healer Granger, we need you over at the emergency room now...' an assistant came up to Hermione, clipboard in hand and anxiety etched on her face. They strode down the hall side by side. 'Dagger wound, and we think the blade was dipped in poison. doesn't look too good, if you ask me.'

'What happened?'

'It's a long story really.' The bespectacled assistant tapped her wand against the wall, and the doors to the emergency room swung open. A healer, lime-green robes stained with blood, approached her just as she stepped in.

'So glad you're here, Granger! You see, he's a Death Eater-dangerous man you know- so we had be very cautious.but he absolutely refused to cooperate, so.'

Hermione raised her hand to the healer. 'I'll have a look, Smith.' She strode to the corner of the room, where a couple of nurses stood at a distance round the patient, visibly frightened by his previous outburst.

The patient lay barely conscious on the cold asphalt, ragged breaths ensuing from his parched, pale lips. As Hermione approached him, she saw the look of a defeated beast, once proud and majestic, in his grey eyes. Strands of silver-blond hair fell over what would have been a pale, well- defined face, had pain and fatigue not left its marks on it.

'Don't...touch me...' the patient writhed feebly as Hermione shifted him onto his back to examine his wound. A foul smell hit Hermione as she caught a glimpse of his wound- it seemed to have reached a gangrenous state by now.

'How could you let this happen, Smith?' Her brown eyes bore hard onto the unsuspecting healer.

'I...look, he's a dangerous man...tried to attack some of the nurses just now...at least we've stopped the poison from spreading...'

'Just because he's a Death Eater,' Hermione narrowed her eyes, 'doesn't give you the right to treat him as a second-class patient.'

'We didn't do anything of that kind, Healer Granger...'

'Oh? Well, I see you've all kept a good distance away from him- how's that going to help him, then?'

'We tried, Miss Granger, but...' Ignoring his protests, Hermione swished her wand towards the shelves, full of all kinds of potions. A flask with a deep purple liquid came flying towards her, which she caught deftly in her right hand.

'That will be enough. You may leave now.' She turned her attention to the Death Eater. The others watched with trepidation as Hermione knelt down next to him. The patient struggled vainly against her hold, splattering her robes a brilliant scarlet.

'Relax...we're trying to help you,' she tilted his chin back, allowing some of the purple liquid trickle down his throat. The patient coughed weakly, but ceased to struggle any further. Hermione felt a surge of relief as the patient swallowed the potion, and relaxed visibly in her arms. She felt his weary grey eyes lock onto her brown ones.

Recognition dawned on them both.

I *hope* you didn't get too confused. Pls review and tell me what you think...XB