Snake Charmer
That night was the first I spent outside the infirmary since the contagion began. I fell asleep on my face, fully clothed, but in my own bed. And it was fabulous. I even went to breakfast in the great hall the next morning. I was so perky I was even starting to annoy myself, but my pride in my surprise for Hermione was too great to allow my mood to dampen. It also helped that I had an owl from Jack containing a drawing from Max, specifically addressed to me, that showed me wearing very tall boots and holding a gigantic snake.
"Who's Max?" Remus asked, peering at the drawing I'd left next to my plate.
"He's the young son of my brother's girlfriend." I poked a finger at the figure on the paper. "And that's me."
"How flattering." Remus chuckled.
"May I see it?" I started at the deep voice behind me. I turned to see Harry Potter joining us at the head table. My puzzlement must've shown. "The Headmistress asked us to take Hermione's classes today." I mutely handed him the drawing. He grinned. "Nice boots."
"Oh hush." I swatted playfully at him to cover my sudden nervousness. I could feel Remus watching us interact. "You're only covering for Hermione today?"
"Yeah," a new voice answered. I peered around Harry to see Ron filling his plate with food. "We're supposed to talk about our careers."
"Hermione won't be ready to teach again for a few days." I worried aloud.
"The plan is to have representatives of different careers for each day." Remus explained. "Fred and George are supposed to be in tomorrow. I'm sure they'll call you in on it soon enough, Anna."
"Fine by me," I said, "as long as Hermione stays in my care as long as I say she needs to be." I took my last swallow of coffee and stood, brushing my hands down my robes. "See you at lunch." I nodded to the three men and headed to the infirmary to see my patient.
I found Hermione sitting up with her new copy of Hogwarts, A History. Her curls were flying out of the twist she'd tried to secure with her wand, and her small frame looked even smaller in the enlarged bed. I smiled fondly.
"Anything new and interesting?" I asked brightly, stepping past the wall of curtains.
"Not yet," she said. Her voice was clearer than the day before, but I could still hear a whisper behind her breath. "Did you see Harry and Ron?"
"How did everyone know about that but me?" I wondered aloud, starting the diagnostic on Hermione. "I saw them at breakfast. I'm sure they send their greetings. They were a little busy stuffing their faces to say so."
"Especially Ron, I imagine." Hermione smiled. Her eyes were a little brighter than I like to see. "He's always eaten like he thought he'd never see food again."
"I didn't notice. I was sitting between Harry and Remus." I recast the diagnostic for specific information about her lungs. "Deep breath for me?" She complied, and the diagnostic showed the improvement I'd hoped for. "That's more like it. You're on the mend."
"Then I can care for myself from here out, surely." She tried.
"No. I need to watch your recovery, Hermione." I sat in the chair next to her bed. "I know you hate it, but I have to take anything having to do with your lungs very seriously." She nodded. She and I both knew she'd taken severe injuries to the lungs during the war, and that any complications could become massive in very little time. "Oh! I wanted to show you two things." I pulled Max's drawing from my pocket and handed it to her. "It's supposed to be me."
"Nice boots." She said.
"That's exactly what Harry said."
"And what're you holding? An eel?" She handed the paper back to me.
"No, it's a big snake. Jack explained it in his letter. Apparently Max has invented a story about my life that involves me training snakes." I smiled.
"You should tell Severus." Hermione teased.
"Speaking of whom," I paused dramatically, securing a copy of Witch Weekly in my hand, "I have brought you something Severus would hate." I brought the magazine out with a flourish.
"What in the world?" She pondered aloud as she read the headline. "Britain has 'hot bachelors,' does it?" She laughed.
"According to them. They've even provided photographs for evidence." I chuckled as she started flipping to the article.
"Oh my goodness!" Hermione exclaimed, dropping the magazine. She looked up at me, grinning. "The twins? Oh Anna, we'll never hear the end of it."
"Keep going. You'll love the whole thing; I promise." I smiled at her good humor. She was still smiling, but she'd become sleepy as we talked; her eyelids drooped.
"I should check on Severus soon," I said, standing and tucking Max's drawing back into my robes. "I didn't see him at breakfast."
"He's never at breakfast." She muttered.
"Well, either way," I said, "I'm going to floo him before class starts." With that I left her to take the nap that appeared to be overtaking her.
The day passed swiftly with most of my long-term tenants finally out of the infirmary. I even had time to reorganize and restock my stores before lunch. With the help of two young house elves I had the infirmary clean and orderly for the first time in what felt like weeks. Hermione had slept and read all day, making only the minimum attempt to get out of my care. Severus showed no sign of contracting the virus, none of the students got maimed in quidditch practice, and the sun was shining. I only had one problem in the world: half the month was up, and I was no closer to getting married than when I'd started.
