AN: You were so quick to share your thoughts on the story, I decided to write the 5th chapter quickly, not wanting to keep you on your toes for too long. The final chapter is on it's way as well.
Chapter 5:
"MADAM POMFREY!" Hermione yelled as she burst into the hospital wing, carrying a large bundle of what looked like a wet towel in her arms.
Madam Pomfrey immediately appeared in her office door, roused by the noise the young witch was making.
"Hermione what is it? Why are you yelling? What's that in your hands?" Madam Pomfrey rushed over to Hermione, who looked very distressed, trying to decipher if the young transfiguration professor was hurt.
"Min... Miner...va..." Hermione panted, her breath coming in short gasps after running across half the castle.
Madam Pomfrey's eyes widened as she realized that the bundle in Hermione Granger's arms was Minerva in her cat form. Without wasting another second she levitated the Animagus out of Hermione's arms, removed the towel from her body and gently laid the unconscious woman onto one of the hospital beds.
After performing several diagnostic spells she concluded that the woman was not badly injured in the physical sense, but her body temperature was dangerously low, she was exhausted and she had several fractured toes and fingers.
Casting a warming charm over Minerva's body, Madam Pomfrey turned to Hermione.
"How did this happen?"
Hermione was wearing a look that suggested guilt and worry at the same time. She was standing on the other side of the older witch's bed. She wanted to wrap her arms around her torso but when she did so she was reminded that her own wrist was probably broken as another sharp pain coursed through her already throbbing hand. She winced and her discomfort did not go unnoticed by the experienced Healer.
"Are you hurt as well?" She asked, rounding Minerva's bed to have a better look at the young woman.
"Just a broken wrist. It doesn't matter, is Minerva going to be all right?" She asked, dismissing the Healer who was trying to have a closer look at her.
"She's not badly injured. I've put a warming charm on her, for the time being that is all I can do for her. I need to know exactly what happened to her before I can do anything else." Poppy said promptly but gently, trying not to spook the other witch. She noticed the guilty look Hermione was sporting and she couldn't help but wonder if Minerva's current state was somehow her fault.
"I... I don't know what she was trying to achieve... there's a storm outside. And she was standing on my window still in the middle of it. I tried to grab her, to bring her in but both of the window panes burst open and Minerva was knocked off. I... I think I managed to get her in time though, I summoned her as soon as she fell off. She was still conscious when she landed in my arms but passed out a few seconds later." By the time Hermione finished explaining the recent events she was in tears again.
"I see. Libby!" The Healer called and instantly a house elf popped up next to her.
"Missus Pomfrey calls Libby?" The little elf asked obediently.
"Yes. Go to Professor Slughorn and tell him that Professor McGonagall was injured in her cat form. It's very important Libby, that she was injured in her CAT form. Bring back Professor Slughorn with the potion."
Libby disappeared with a loud pop.
"What potion? Why do we need Horace? What is wrong, Madam Pomfrey?" Hermione asked anxiously, peering in Minerva's direction every few seconds.
But before the Healer could answer there was another loud pop and Libby reappeared with Horace Slughorn at her side.
"Merlin's beard... what on earth happened?" He asked, concern written all over his aged face as he saw the unconscious Animagus on the bed, still in her cat form.
"Minerva fractured some of her toes and fingers while in her cat form." The medi-witch answered simply, as if this would explain everything. Although the explanation seemed to have a significant meaning for Horace, who without further ado produced the required potion from his robes and handed it to Madam Pomfrey, Hermione was still confused.
"Why does that need a special potion? You always told us that you can mend bones in a heartbeat." Hermione asked, growing more anxious by the minute.
"Yes." The Healer answered patiently as she proceeded to arrange various small instruments on a table next to Minerva's bed. "I can easily mend human bones, Hermione. But Minerva is an Animagus. When she turns into a cat she no longer has human bones. If I were to heal the fractures as they are, she might end up with cat paws as hands and feet for the rest of her life." She explained while she uncorked the bottle containing the mysterious potion.
Leaning forward to look at what is happening, Hermione saw the medi-witch pour a purple, gooey substance into a narrow spoon. The Healer, looking up at the nervous young witch motioned her closer. "If you could just help me a little." Hermione immediately stepped closer, looking even more anxious but awaiting instructions.
"I need to pour this potion into her mouth, Hermione. But I only have two hands, so you need to hold her head to make sure the potion goes down her throat without her choking on it." Hermione nodded sharply.
She reached for Minerva's head with shaky hands. Noticing it, she stopped in mid-motion, took a deep breath and willed her hands stop shaking so badly. She cupped the cat's head in her right hand, lifted it slightly while trying to secure it with her left hand, only using the tips of her fingers as her wrist was still useless.
After doing everything she could for Minerva, Madam Pomfrey turned to Hermione, and indeed within a heartbeat, mended her broken wrist. She also tried ushering the young witch out of the wing, claiming that Minerva needed rest, but not surprisingly, Hermione refused to take a single step away from the bed.
"Hermione... I've put a sleeping charm on her. She will not wake up until her bones are completely mended and she's ready to transform back into her human form." The healer said gently, trying to persuade the young woman to leave.
"I don't care! I cannot let her wake up alone. Not after what has happened! I'm staying here until she wakes up!" Hermione answered stubbornly.
"Hermione. Minerva is going to be asleep for three days. You cannot do anything for her until she wakes up." Madam Pomfrey answered even more gently, taking pity on the miserable looking young witch.
Hermione's face fell when the healer's words sunk in. 'Three days. My gods, what am I going to do for three days?'
"Madam Pomfrey... Poppy..." Hermione began, almost desperately. "Minerva...I think she found out that... that I..." Her voice faltered when she realized that she hadn't actually told anyone of her feelings for Minerva except Ron, Harry and Ginny.
"She finally realized that you're in love with her too?" Madam Pomfrey asked, a gentle smile appearing on her on lips. Hermione's eyes widened in shock, and much to the Healer's amusement she resembled a startled deer or rabbit.
"Don't be so shocked, dear." Madam Pomfrey continued. "I think apart from Minerva herself, everyone has known that you don't exactly consider her just a friend... how long has it been? Ten years?"
"Eleven. Possibly more. I only realized it after the war, but for all I know I could have been in love with her since I first laid eyes on her. Even as a child I always admired her, looked to her for guidance." Hermione answered, realizing that there was no point in denying it. If she would have been completely truthful with herself she would even admit that talking about her feelings actually felt good. Poppy Pomfrey only nodded, encouraging the young woman to go on.
"But... you said I'm in love with her too? What do you mean? Someone else fancies her as well?" She suddenly asked, the thought of a rival igniting a strong flare of jealousy in her. To her surprise the healer started chuckling, something she did almost as rarely as Minerva.
"Oh dear me. I don't mean to insult you Hermione, but if you're supposed to be the brightest witch of your age how on earth could you come to THAT conclusion?" She asked, putting a hand over her mouth to stop herself from laughing out loud.
Hermione just looked at her indignantly, expecting a better explanation. After a moment the healer straightened her features, although her eyes still betrayed her mirth.
"Hermione, I meant that SHE is in love with YOU as well. Can't you tell? Whenever she thinks no one is paying attention to her she looks at you like a lovesick puppy... My god, woman, the two of you are ridiculously blind! You'll be a perfect match for each other once you stop disregarding the signs." With that, Madam Pomfrey left the young witch to ponder alone, deciding to try to persuade her away from Minerva's bedside later.
Hermione spent the better part of the day sitting by Minerva's bed, mulling over the medi-witch's words. 'Minerva... in love with me... but...that's impossible... Madam Pomfrey said I was blind? She wouldn't have said that if she wasn't absolutely sure, right? My gods, Minerva, I'm so sorry this happened.'
"I never meant for you to get hurt. Not for me. Not for anyone. Why did you go out into that bloody storm?" She asked the woman, knowing full well that she was not going to get a reply, yet still hoping that Minerva would miraculously open her eyes and give her the answers she needed.
"Hermione, you REALLY need to go to bed. Don't make me hex you out of the wing." The slightly annoyed healer threatened the young witch.
"You wouldn't..." Hermione answered, her voice dying mid-sentence, trying for indignant but only managing something near desperate.
"Yes, I would. I know this must be extremely painful for you, but you still have responsibilities. You have classes to teach. And need I remind you that you also happen to be the Head of Gryffindor house as well? Do you think Minerva would be pleased with you when she found out you were neglecting your students for days?" The healer said, her voice and facial expressions stern. She saw Hermione's shoulders slump in defeat, and she exhaled a breath she didn't notice she was holding in. She would have hated it if she really had to hex Hermione.
"Minerva isn't likely to wake up until Tuesday afternoon. I promise I will allow you back into the Hospital wing on Tuesday after your classes. But not a minute before!"
"Fine!" Hermione growled and standing up she stomped out of the wing, all the while muttering and grumbling about callous and unfair healers, making Madam Pomfrey shake her head in good-natured disbelief.
To be continued...
Please leave a review, I'm dying to know your opinion :)