Another hour into her shift, Narcissa eventually found a minute to chat to Healer Ling about the events of the evening. Apparently a group of young wizards had taken the concept of a joke a bit too far and accidentally hexed their whole street – Wizarding and Muggle families alike – to uncontrollably spew beans, peas, and carrots from their ears and noses, causing utter chaos both here and at the Ministry which had to clean up the whole mess and get everyone admitted as well as the Muggles obliviated once they'd received treatment.
"Examination Room 2 looks like a market stall exploded," Karen Ling laughed as she told the story to her colleague. "The nurses are all grumbling to themselves because they have to clean it up without using magic to not disturb the sensitive instruments in the room."
"I can relate," Narcissa shook her head in amused disbelief. Now she knew where Nurse Swenson had run off to. She would lie if she said she envied him.
"How was your night so far?" the other woman asked, seeming sincere in her interest.
"Well, I had to cast a 'Gravitas' spell on a three-year-old because her uncle didn't lock his sweets away… Oh, and I told Mrs. Thistle that she will be able to leave by the end of my shift tomorrow morning. She is very excited to get back home to her cats. I just hope her neighbor has learned his lesson and won't hex her again..."
"Oh, I bet he won't try anything. I heard that her neighbor has to do 'community service' at the local Muggle pet shelter… I'm sure he's ecstatic about spending some quality time with the cats there..."
"Well, maybe he'll yet turn into a pet lover. One never knows," Narcissa smirked.
"Care to go for a quick coffee break?" Karen Ling slightly blushed as she posed the question but Narcissa didn't even notice because most of her attention had just wandered elsewhere, to room 27 to be exact. A young couple had just entered the little girl's room and already loud voices could be heard spilling into the mostly deserted hallway.
"Maybe another time," Narcissa briefly touched her colleague's shoulder to show her that she appreciated the offer, then began walking down the corridor. "I should go and check on them before we have to find a bed for Mr. Weasley as well. See you later."
"Yes, of course..."
Narcissa was too far away by then to hear the hint of disappointment in the other woman's voice.
Straightening her shoulders, she knocked at the door of 27 and entered, one hand ready on the wand in her coat pocket.


"How could you, George? She's only three, I told you numerous times that you can't leave a three-year-old unsupervised in your joke shop! Rose could've been seriously hurt!"
"Hermione, I…"
"Mother is beside herself! I was barely able to keep her from coming here but you should have seen her! I'm sure she'll send you a howler to the shop tomorrow!"
"Ron, I…"
That was the scene Narcissa stepped into. Three adults arguing and in the middle of it, little Rose who looked ready to burst into tears because of all the shouting. She didn't see any sign of George Weasley's children, so she assumed they'd been picked up by their mother or were playing in the waiting room once more. Wherever they were, it had to be better than here.
"Excuse me," Narcissa raised her voice so she would be heard over the shouting, ducking beneath the younger Weasley's arm to get in between them and to her patient. "Enough! I am sure there is a lot you need to discuss but I would ask you to refrain from doing so in front of my patient. Don't you see that you're scaring her?"
All three of them stared at the blonde witch in front of them and the sudden silence was almost deafening. Then, ruckus broke out once more.
"You!" Ronald Weasley pointed a finger at Narcissa, his whole face turning red with anger. "What the hell are you doing here in my daughter's room! Do not get near her, you filthy Death Eater bitch, or I swear I'll–"
"Daddy," the meak sniffle of his child stopped Ron mid-rant. He quickly sat down on the bed next to his child and took her into his arms, turning his head to glare at Narcissa.
"Get out," he hissed through his teeth, hatred swirling in his eyes like dark tornadoes.
Narcissa took a last glance at the little girl and – reassured that the adults would be calm in her presence now – quickly left the room.
She really needed a coffee now, or better yet, a cup of chamomile tea to calm her nerves…


However, she didn't get very far before a hand on her shoulder stopped her in her tracks.
She whirled around, almost certain that it was the Weasley boy seeking a fight, and was surprised to be met by the warm brown eyes of Mrs. Granger. Or Weasley, she supposed.
"Mrs. Weasley, did you have any questions about your daughter's condition?"
"Oh, uhm, no," the young woman shook her head. "I actually wanted to apologize for Ron's behavior. I know you and I don't see eye to eye either but what he said was unnecessary and unprofessional. When George owled us earlier, he said that Rose had a great healer and that she was really brave for the examination. And Rose hates hospitals and healers ever since she was treated for the Wheezing Fever when she was a baby… So thank you. I really appreciate what you've done for her."
"I was only doing my job. But thank you. Rose should be good to go in the morning once I've done my last rounds. The nurses can move a cot into her room if either you or Mr. Weasley wish to stay."
"That won't be necessary. I'll share the bed with Rose, she won't want to sleep alone anyways."
"Very well. Good night, Mrs. Weasley."
"It's Granger, actually," the young woman corrected her. "I didn't change my name. Rose's is Granger-Weasley... For your files?"
"Of course. And it's Black, not Malfoy."
"Good night then, Healer Black."
Narcissa nodded at the brunette and continued on her way to the staff room. That tea was still calling for her and she had to be sure to make use of that minute of quiet before the next rush of patients would surely stream into the hospital. Night shifts were often the busier ones, especially at the weekends.


Another eight hours later, a tired Narcissa made her way to little Rose's room after signing the release papers of a happy and finally fur-free Mrs. Thistle.
It was now just after 7 a.m. and it was high time that she got home and into her bed. Fortunately, Rose was the last patient on her list. It was a rarity that Narcissa could leave St. Mungo's at a scheduled time. Her shift had ended half an hour ago but if she still had patients to see to, the blonde often stayed a little longer.
After knocking on the door to 27 and receiving a firm "enter", Narcissa stepped into the room to be greeted by a cheerful "Good morning" of the three-year-old.
"Good morning to you, too, Miss Rosie," Narcissa smiled at the child. "Mrs. Granger."
"Good morning, Ms. Black," the brunette replied, looking almost as tired as Narcissa felt. She was sitting on the bed with her head resting against the wall and her daughter splayed out on her lap.
"Did you sleep well, Rose?" Narcissa returned her focus to her little patient, pulling her wand from her coat.
The redhead bobbed her head. "I did."
"That's good to hear, I know it can be a little strange to sleep at the hospital with all the new sounds and everything."
"I'm a big girl already," Rose puffed out her little chest as she climbed off her mother's lap. "But can I still go home now?"
"Let's see, shall we?" Narcissa moved her wand along the child's stomach and limbs. There was no trace of the sweet to find so it was safe to say it had been properly digested. Other than that, she didn't find anything that arose any suspicions. "Everything looks good so far," she stated for both child and mother's sake. "Can you hold onto her please?" she requested from Mrs. Granger, nodding her head at Rose. "I'll lift the Gravitas from her feet. I'm quite certain she won't be floating any longer but just to be safe."
"Of course," the brunette gently wrapped her arm around her daughter's torso and waited.
Once more, Narcissa lifted her wand and muttered a quick but clear "Finite", ending the spell.
Slowly, Hermione Granger let go off her child and nothing happened. A relieved sigh escaped the younger woman's throat.
"So are we good to head home then?"
"You are," Narcissa confirmed, earning a big smile from the little girl. "But first," she tapped her wand against Rose's nose as she'd done the night before, once more letting tiny stars appear, "First you have to tell me the secret of your magic sneeze."
"I didn't sneeze, that was all you!" the girl giggled happily.
"Huh, I could've sworn that was you, little Miss." Narcissa tucked her wand away. "Would you like another lollipop?"
"Can I, mummy?"
"Sure, Rosie."
Smiling, the girl accepted the lollipop from her healer's hands. "Thank you."
"You're very welcome. Now, I'd say see you soon but we don't actually want that, do we?"
Narcissa and Rose both shook their heads.
"No, I figured we didn't. Well, it was lovely to meet you, Rosie. Stay away from your uncle's sweets, will you do that for me?"
"I promise."
"Good." The blonde witch turned back to Mrs. Granger to find her looking at her rather oddly. However, it was gone just a moment later, so she wrote it off as a by-product of her sleep-deprived mind. "The release papers are waiting for you at the station's reception desk. Have a good day, Mrs. Granger."
"You, too," the younger woman sounded sincere. "And thank you. Really."
"It was my pleasure."


A few days later, one Hermione Granger was having tea and biscuits with her former teacher and head of Gryffindor house, when an owl arrived at the headmistress's office.
"Anything important?"
Minerva looked up from the letter and smiled at the young woman. "Ah, I wouldn't exactly call it important but it's good news. Narcissa wrote to tell me that Draco and Astoria are finally expecting a baby and that everything was looking good so far." She placed the letter on a side-table to reply to later.
"'Narcissa'? I didn't know you were on a first name basis with the former Lady Malfoy."
"Hmm, yes, I suppose you didn't," Minerva responded, silently musing at the curious interest she could easily detect in the witch's brown eyes. "Narcissa and I... formed a bond… if that's what the right word to call it, during her last year at Hogwarts. We became friends later and reconnected after the war."
The old witch could see that Hermione longed to learn more but she wouldn't just hand her the answers on a silver platter. Because where was the fun in that? If she wanted to know more about her past with the Slytherin, she'd have to ask.
"She treated Rose last week at the hospital after she ate something from George's joke shop," the young woman offered up a piece of information of her own, seeming rather lost in thought somehow. "She was great with her. You know how she hates hospitals..."
"Ah yes," Minerva nodded, "Narcissa was always good with children. It always kind of saddened me to see her have just the one."
"Rose is still talking about her," Hermione went on. "Yesterday, she even went as far as sticking a blue Bertie Bott's bean into her nose, speculating that we would go to the hospital to get it out." She shook her head in a mixture amusement and desperation. "She threw a temper tantrum after I simply accioed it into the trash can, yelling that she just wanted to go and see Healer Black."
Minerva chuckled at that. "Ah, to be young and in love, Albus would say," she smirked. "Rose obviously has a little crush on Narcissa."
"You're not helping, Minerva," Hermione rolled her eyes at the older witch.
"Oh, I know," Minerva grinned. "But, if it helps you, at least your little one has good taste."
"Well, that's still up for debate, I'd say."
"Oh come on, what's not to like? Long blond hair, angelic features, clear blue eyes, good with children, smart, courageous, strong,… should I go on?"
"You almost sound like you have a crush on her yourself," Hermione defiantly crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Have you forgotten what she did? Who she fought for?"
Minerva sighed. "No. I have not. And as I am reminded each and every day, so have many others." She took a sip of her tea. "But… if you truly ask yourself… Whom did Narcissa really fight for? Voldemort?" The old witch made a dismissive gesture with her left hand. "No. This woman has only ever fought for the people closest to her. Her family. And as it so happens, that family ended up on the wrong side of the conflict, some more so than others. Can you really fault her for doing what she thought was best for her family, for her only child? We all know what happened to those who betrayed the Dark Lord. Just think of Severus… Voldemort wouldn't have stopped with Narcissa."
"But…" Hermione opened her mouth to protest, then shut it. How could she argue with the case Minerva made for the blonde Pureblood? But still…
"Say it, Hermione. You have not become the brightest witch of your age by accepting everything quietly and without argument. I can see you have something burning on your tongue."
"I…" the young witch took a deep breath before she rolled up the sleeve of her shirt to reveal the scar on her left arm. "She just stood there... Watching what her sister did to me with her cold blue eyes. Indifferent to my screams and pleading. What kind of person does that?" Hermione met Minerva's intelligent eyes and the old witch could see the unshed tears in the girl's brown ones. Because yes, right in this moment, Hermione Granger was just a frightened girl, desperate for help as she was lying on the cold marble floor of Malfoy Manor.
Minerva McGonagall gently wrapped her hand around the scarred arm, a deep sadness in her green eyes.
"I am sorry child, for what has happened to you. And I am certain Narcissa feels the same way. But I cannot speak for her. – What I can see, is that the memories of this night are still deeply troubling you. Maybe you should seek her out and talk to her?"
"Whatever for?" Hermione sounded more like a petulant child than the young woman she'd grown into.
"You might be surprised at what she says. And you just might find some inner peace with your past. It isn't good to dwell on it too much."
"I'll consider it."
"Good. That is all I can ask of you." Minerva briefly allowed herself to stroke the brunette's cheek. "Now off you go, Mrs. Hermione Granger. I have little minds to teach and I am sure that little whirlwind of yours is eagerly awaiting you at her grandmother's."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "I hope she hasn't caused too much trouble for Molly. She really is a handful these days."
"Don't forget that Molly Weasley managed to raise Fred and George as well as their brothers. I'm quite certain she can handle one cute little redhead."


AN: So you might've noticed I like to sneak in a little Minerva into my stories. She's a fun character to write and I hope you enjoy her appearances as much as I do.

What did you think of the hospital scene? And are you as curious about Minerva's relationship with Narcissa as Hermione is?

Leave me a review - they make my day and my muse happy!