Isabelle Gardinier entered her chambers at Hogwarts. Her apartments consisted of two large rooms - a lucky choice when she first arrived at the school last year. Coming back to her chambers was like coming back home.
She remembered that day and the days leading up to it clearly. Her parents had been deceased for a few years and she lived with her Uncle Amos Diggory since then. Her residency at St. Mungo's was over and Isabelle was desperate for a healing position anywhere she could take it. Life was comfortable at her uncles, but not ideal. Isabelle, being only 26 at that time, was ready to start her life apart from the family. It had been too long since she was away.
The opportunity at Hogwarts presented itself when she happened to run into a certain Professor Quill during Christmas break. He had met her on her lunch break at St. Mungo's. Professor Quill was taking lunch at a nearby pub where Isabelle had been lunching with another nurse. They talked about Hogwarts and the Professor offered to pass her credentials along to the headmaster - a proposal Isabelle gladly accepted.
Isabelle let down her lugged on the carpeted floor of her chambers and sat down on her bed. She sighed as she pressed her back into the mattress - falling in and thinking about her time at the school and more recently, her encounters with certain blonde haired wizards.
"Lucius Malfoy...Lucius Malfoy" she said out loud and then chuckled.
What a strange encounter it had been. Unexpected to say the least. Isabelle had heard about the man. Everybody knew of him, of course. When you heard "Malfoy" you conjured up the image of the patriarch. He was supposedly very proud, cold yet charming, and very rich.
Why he had been on the second floor of the bookstore was a guessing game to her. Isabelle had long stayed hours upon hours in her little nook on the second floor - a place hardly anyone visited. The sections there were hardly of interest to most students, except for the young Hermione Granger, whom Isabelle had seen up there several times during the summer.
She closed her eyes as she laid on her bed and played back the scene in her heard for some reason - trying to remember his features and his voice. She chuckled at remember his suggestion for an autograph. Gosh, he was charming and flirty.
Isabelle opened her eyes, confused about how she felt about the whole interaction yet delighted it happened. She had finally met Draco's father. He was a sweet boy, at least to her. She had heard about this bullying of other students - including the Potter boy, but she saw no such attitude from him.
The Malfoy boy had come in one day from an injury her first year there and they talked - having a lot in common in character. The boy was ever helpful as well, often skipping classes he hated to come and help her with little tasks - like folding sheets and prepare potions. Now she though of his father. Draco looked very much like him, except for his eyes and nose, which must have been a trait from his mother.
Isabelle had read about the divorce in the papers a few years back but thought nothing of it. Society divorces we not uncommon. Pureblood divorces were, however. Most pureblood families stuck together, keeping up appearances in any way they could manage. It had happened to her own parents. They had split up amicably, but still attended events together right up to the day of their premature deaths.
The young witch sighed and sat up - realizing she had no yet unpacked in the hustle and bustle of getting away from Gilderoy Lockhart.
The train ride was the worst it could be. Lockhart had remembered her from the bookstore and made his way right over to her as she boarded. Much by chance, he remembered she was a nurse at Hogwarts. A common question he asked while giving his autographs was what others did as a living – no doubt a publicity stunt by his managers. He had followed her into her car and sat with her for a good hour before she made an excuse to leave – only to be later found sitting in another car on one of his "strolls".
Isabelle was hopeful that the blonde haired buffoon would leave by the end of the winter quarter.
The school year started off without a hitch and almost all the girls at Hogwarts swooned over Gilderoy Lockhart. Luckily, Isabelle was kept inside the hospital and rather preoccupied with the mass of students complaining of head colds as the autumnal months began.
An incident with Cornish pixies however, caught the attention of the nurse as Neville Longbottom was brought into the hospital, apparently bruised from being picked up and thrown by the very pixies Lockhart had let loose.
"It should be fine…they do no harm" explained the professor rather cheerfully and Isabelle inspected Neville's bruises and cuts.
"Fine, professor?" she snapped back.
"They could have seriously injured Mr. Longbottom here…. anyway, why aren't you dealing with them?" Isabelle asked curiously as she remembered they were still loose.
Gilderoy Lockhart gave a nervous laugh and then with a sudden realization of what he had done, running back to his office.
"Stupid fool" Isabelle muttered under her breath as she put a bandage on Neville's arm.
"Do you hate him, miss? My grand mum hates him" Neville asked her as she tended to his wounds.
"No, Neville. I don't hate the professor….I just think he needs a good lesson in pixie management, that's all" she replied sweetly to the boy.
"Me too" replied Neville.
It was not the last time Isabelle would see more of Professor Lockhart's students in the hospital wing. He had exposed them to many other annoying and potentially dangerous magical creatures. Gilderoy had come in often to apologize for the influx of students that he had delivered to the hospital staff. And apparently he thought these visits to Isabelle were welcomed.
"Leave me alone, Gilderoy" he said to him as he followed her around the hospital with a spring in his step.
"It's only dinner, Nurse Isabelle. Surely you would allow me to pamper you with the finest wines and courses?" Lockhart asked as he stood next to her as she put medicine bottles away.
"For the last time Professor Lockhart - I am sorry to have to decline your offer. Excuse me, I have duties to attend to" Isabelle replied, rolling her eyes as she walked out of the hospital and hopefully out of sight.
September had gone by as quickly as it came. October engulfed Hogwarts with its orange and yellow leaf strewed grounds. To her delight, Isabelle got to spend some time getting to know the Malfoy boy.
She asked him questions about his classes and his home. The subject of his father was brought up. She eagerly listened. The boy's father was his role model: he worked at the ministry, he liked his coffee black. Isabelle absorbed this information like a sponge – going into a slight daydream about the handsome man after hearing about him.
"Nurse Gardinier, do you like quidditch?" Draco asked her as he helped her fold sheets in the hospital wing one day. He had wanted a quick escape from Lockhart's class and Isabelle granted it to him.
"I do enjoy a good game, Draco. Why do you ask?" she replied.
"I think I'll be joining the team, as seeker" the boy said proudly.
"How delightful, Draco! I wish you luck. I'm sure you'll be on the team. When are tryouts?" she asked him as they finished folding the last pair of sheets.
"Next week. Father said he'd come and watch. He asked about you too..." the boy told her.
"Oh?" she asked nervously. "I'm surprised your father remembered me..."
Draco smiled at her and continued to speak.
"He asks about you often, miss. He doesn't like many of the staff here, you're an exception. I think he was rather impressed when he first met you."
Isabelle blushed.
"Well, I'm glad to know I'm on the "nice list" she said jokingly.
Isabelle looked at the clock on the wall and back at Draco.
"I'm afraid your Potions master will be fuming if your not in class soon, Draco. Run along now - and thank you for your help." Isabelle took the sheets from Draco and patted his back as he got up.
"Can I come in and help you, miss? Whenever I don't want to be in class?" he asked, a hopeful look in his eyes.
Isabelle chucked.
"Aren't you already doing that, dear? Now now, Draco. I'm not going to let you skip class everyday. Run along now"
She watched the boy leave the hospital wing and sat down on a hospital bed. He looked back and waved. She gave him a little wave back and pretended to be fixing something on the bed.
Lucius Malfoy crept back into her thoughts again. Isabelle put her hand on her head as a rush of excitement hit her.
She knew what this was becoming - and it wasn't good. Isabelle tried to shake off her thoughts of Malfoy Senior. She had to admit that she was curious as to how he though of her. Granted, she probably would never see him again, and even if she did - he wasn't exactly her type was he?
He was a divorced man with a son - a son who attended the school she was employed at. Besides, would a man like Lucius Malfoy really be interested in a nurse?
Isabelle sighed. That's all she was here - a nurse.
It was now Halloween, a holiday celebrated and loved by many of the students.
Not only were they looking forward to the feast but also delighted in the wonderful spectacle Hogwarts became during that time. What the students loved most was the pumpkins and hay that lay on the grounds and around corners. All looked forward to the spooky pranks by Peeves and the Weasley twins, and of course the delicious treats that followed.
What Isabelle loved the most however, was the flickering of the candlelight and the spirit of holiday among the school staff. She could not wait for the excitement moments before entering the Great Hall and seeing everyone happy and chatty. The day of the feast Isabelle picked out a long satin black dress that she would wear, along with a ruby red necklace to match her favorite red lipstick.
Right after her hospital duties were over, Isabelle rushed to her apartments and prepared for the feast. She spent an adequate amount of time dressing up and putting on her best face. Madame Pomfrey joined her in her apartments, as she promised the older nurse she would curl her hair with the muggle invention known as the curling iron she had brought with. Word got out to the muggle studies professor, Charity Burbage, and soon she too was sitting and waiting for her turn.
"It's like a salon in here" Isabelle said as she curled Madame Pomfrey's hair into a beautiful up-do.
"Such a peculiar invention" remarked Charity as she watched Isabelle in action.
"It's nothing new, Charity. After all, women used to curl their hair with hot iron rods. This is the same – except using electricity or battery" Isabelle explained to the professor.
"Are you not curling your hair, Isabelle?" asked Madame Pomfrey as she sat on Isabelle's boudoir chair.
Isabelle glanced up at the mirror to look at the state of her hair. For the first time in a while, Isabelle decided to leave it down. It was thick and already wavy and was certainly a sight to see her hair reaching the top of her stomach. Having it worn up during nursing duties, it was time to have it down for the feast, a welcomed break.
"No….I don't think so. It's wavy enough as is" she said as she pushed a strand behind her ear.
"If only you could wear you hair down like that everyday, Isabelle" remarked Charity as she took in Isabelle's beautiful locks.
"You'd get a man in no time with those locks and that dress" she said continued.
Isabelle chuckled as she finished curling Pomfrey's hair.
"Come on, Charity. It's your turn….and no talk of getting men. There are none to be found at Hogwarts" Isabelle said as Charity Burbage took Madame Pomfrey's place.
"Oh! What about that charming Professor Lockhart?" asked Charity.
Isabelle refrained from cursing him out loud. Madame Pomfrey spoke up to Charity.
"Don't waste your time, Charity. She's decided she hates the man"
"Oh…. very well…. what about…. Severus?" the professor innocently asked.
"Hardly my type, Charity" Isabelle softly replied to her.
"What's your type then, dear?" Charity asked.
"Rich" Madame Pomfrey exclaimed.
"Have you seen her closet, Charity? Don't tell me some of those aren't from well endowed suitors" the older nurse said as she opened Isabelle's wardrobe and pulled out a silky nightgown.
"Only half of them" Isabelle joked.
"Who you wearing this for then, hmm?" Pomfrey asked as she tossed Isabelle her nightgown.
"Myself. And I'd leave my wardrobe alone, thank you very much" Isabelle hastily said as she tossed the nightgown on the bed.
She continued to curly Charity's hair.
"Besides, I'm not marrying a professor that's going to be stuck here for most of the year. If and when I'll marry, I shall no longer be at Hogwarts" Isabelle said.
"Well then – let's hope you not marry for a long time" Madame Pomfrey affectingly said followed by a eager nod by Burbage.
Isabelle smiled at the two women and they hastily finished getting ready. All of them headed to the feast together.