Narcissa got through her shift in some kind of a daze. Try as she might, she couldn't quite get her thoughts to stray far from the happenings in the morning. Nevertheless though, she somehow had managed to convince herself that there hadn't been an almost kiss at all, that that had just been her imagination or whatever. She couldn't let her mind - or Merlin forbid her heart - think that there was anything else but a tentative friendshp between her and the young Muggleborn. And, she sternly admonished herself as she realized she was thinking about one Mrs. Granger once more, she had patients she needed to concentrate on.
Like the two muggles in room 23.
The muggle couple hadn't made a lot of progress so far and especially the woman was worrying the healer. Whereas her husband went about his day quite normally besides the confusion that hung over his mind like an impenetrable fog, the muggle woman had stopped eating altogether the day before, not even letting anyone feed her.
Something had to give and quickly. But what was she to do? Magic was such a dangerous thing when inflicted on muggles. The thing was though that without using Legilimens on the woman, Narcissa knew she wouldn't be able to properly access the state of her mind, nor could she find a way to improve things. So again, what was she to do?
Was she at the point already where using magic on her was the lesser evil? Or should she give her more time to try and recuperate on her own?
'I'll give her another day,' the healer decided. 'One more day and if she doesn't go back to eating by then, I'll have to use magic.'
"Nurse Swenson?" Narcissa called out and the man rushed to her side. "Raise their dose of the veritaserum extract, please. Something needs to happen."
"Of course, Healer Black. Anything else?"
"No. But tell the night staff to floo me right away should their condition change for the worse. They will need to monitor the Mrs. closely."
The nurse nodded and walked away, continuing with his check-up through the rooms.
Narcissa sighed. Tomorrow was her day off but she'd drop by briefly to see if the verita extract was having any effect on either of the two muggles. The higher dose could have some not so nice but non-lifethreatening side effects but those side effects would be worth it if the muggles' condition improved.
Now she would grab her coat and go home for the night. And hopefully, she could get some actual rest.


"Mother!"
Narcissa tiredly blinked her eyes open and found herself staring into the concerned eyes of her son.
"Draco?" she rubbed her eyes, sitting up. "Is everything all right, is Astoria-"
"She's fine," Draco said quickly, not wanting his mother to worry. "I was just concerned about you when you didn't join me for brunch so I came here to check on you. Are you okay, are you ill?"
Narcissa laughed, Draco's eyes showing nothing but confusion.
"It's sweet of you to worry about your old mother, Draco. But I am perfectly fine. I can't believe I slept so late that I missed brunch. What time is it?"
Draco chuckled. "You're not old, mum. Stop the dramatics. And-" he checked his watch, "it is shortly past noon."
The blonde witch smiled at her son's use of the word 'mum'. Growing up in Malfoy Manor with a father who despised any weakness - and growing attached to your parents was one of those - Draco had addressed them both rather formally, his father oftentimes even as 'Lord Malfoy'.
Now, even with Lucius out of their lives, it was a habit that was hard to break but that much more did she cherish the moments her beautiful boy forgot about his upbringing.


Hermione had barely gotten any sleep the night before. She'd spent most of the night tossing and turning and thinking about the blonde Pureblood, worrying whether she'd already ruined their blossoming friendship before it truly started. The moments she'd managed not to think of Narcissa had been filled with thoughts about her marriage.
When she had married Ron shortly after the war, it had seemed to be the logical next step in their relationship. Everyone had expected it and everyone had been so happy about it. But looking back now - even though, yes, there had been good times - she didn't think she had ever been truly happy or fulfilled by their romantic relationship. No. She was quite sure now that she had mistaken friendship and their shared experiences for something more, something it had never really been. Ronald and her had never connected on that special level. There had never been that special kind of bond that Harry and Ginny or Arthur and Molly shared, a bond that was easily visible to anyone who spent time around them.
How had she not noticed earlier? Why hadn't she?
Maybe because having her own family with Ron had been better than having no family at all after 'losing' her parents to the war. Maybe because she had been afraid to face the world alone.
And now she wasn't sure if it wasn't already too late to start a new life without her husband. She had Rose and their unborn child to think of. She didn't want to lose Ron's friendship - or what was left of it these days. She didn't want to lose the Weasleys. She didn't want Harry and Ginny to judge her for leaving Ron.
Hermione felt a headache coming on. She was stuck in a life that didn't feel like it was hers anymore and she didn't know how to make it her own again.
"Mrrrreowww."
The Muggleborn smiled sadly and reached down to scratch Crookshanks behind his big ears. "Hey my boy," she cooed at the tomcat, thinking how glad she was to still have him by her side.
Her parents had bought him for her in her third year, understanding and accepting that Hermione wanted him and no sweet kitten or baby owl. Crooks was special and he was especially special to her. The half-kneazle had been with her through the most turbulent times, giving her strength when she needed it.
"What am I to do, Crooks?" Tears welled up in her eyes. She missed her parents. She missed the advice they would surely be able to give her regarding her marriage. She missed them when she saw Molly and Arthur with Rose. She missed having someone in her corner no matter what.
But after all these years of looking for them all over Australia and not finding them, she had pretty much given up. And even if she ever found them, there was close to no chance to give them back the memories she'd erased in order to keep them safe.
So all Hermione could really do, was to hope that they were somewhere out there, together and happy and without the painful hole that she had to face each and every day of their absence in her life.
"I just miss them, Crooks..."


AN: I know I've been gone ages but I hope you are still reading this. I'll do my best to keep updating and to finish this story particularly; it is special to me. Enjoy reading!