A/N: This is the sequel to First Bloom, as requested. It's not in Hermione's PoV, simply because of everything she went through. (And it would have taken three times as long for me to write it out since I'm pants in first person writing.) I still hope it meets with the requestor's approval. Also, standard disclaimer - not JK Rowling nor do I own copyright. - DG

Hermione felt an enormous pain in her abdomen, followed by a gushing of water sensation.

It's too early! OhdearGodinheaven, make it stop!

"Harry," she said quietly, to not panic her best friend. He turned to look at her.

Hermione Granger-Weasley passed out in front of her best friend and brother from another mother.

"Carved her like a ham, I reckon. I hate resorting to barbaric means to save a patient."

"Won't feel like doing anything for a while, not after what happened."

"I've seen Beef Wellington carved better than what you had to do, I reckon."

"Might be here a month, if she lives."

Hermione opened her eyes and saw six people, all wearing green scrubs, surrounding her. "Where's Ron? I need Ron!"

Grey eyes behind a mask looked at her. They were kind, almost gentle, in their look at her. "He's been notified. But we need you to hold on."

"What's happening? Where's Rose?"

"She's safe. But you have to hold on. Here, drink this."

Hermione felt her head being tipped up. She screamed in pain.

"Drink," said the calm voice behind the mask.

She choked down the potion and felt a burning sensation in her throat.

"It hurts," she groaned when they moved her again. "Make it stop."

"We can't give you anything until the Healer is done. Hold on!"

They moved her again and she screamed harder.

"Please, make it stop!"

"Almost there," a voice whispered from the foot of the table she was on.

Hermione screamed a third time, arching her back so far that the pain would break her back in two. "Please! Stop this!" She ran out of air and flopped onto the table, panting, sucking in precious air into her scalded lungs.

"One more," she heard before her entire life burned before her eyes.

Hermione screamed until she passed out.

"Weasley was pissed. Looked like a fiend walking the hall. Sodding Bastard's lucky he's an Auror."

"Should have been arrested…"

"Lucky she didn't die on the table"

Hermione felt the tendrils of magic seconds before she took a huge gulping breath. "Ron," She croaked in a voice nothing like her own.

"Outside," said the kind voice connected to the dark brown eyes next to her. "Drink up."

"Rose? Where's Rose? My baby!"

"Shhhhh. She's in the next ward. She's fine, if terribly early."

Hermione took another breath. "Mum, Dad. Ron."

"They've been notified. Your husband is here and we're just making sure you're fine before we let him in here. Potter's here and most of the other Weasleys, I reckon."

The mediwitch turned and had a vial in her hand. "You're very weak and it's still touch and go. You need plenty of rest next few days. Drink up."

"Not until I see Ron."

"Mrs. Weasley, you desperately need rest. Your heart's close to exploding, after what you went through."

"I don't care. I need to see Ron and Rose."

"And you will, but you need to take these, first. We'll wake you when it's time for him to come in, and when she's stable enough to be brought to you."

Hermione's head was lifted from the pillow and given vial after vile of potions. Some went down like coffee, and others were choking, like a dirt concoction. Each one settled into her stomach and did nothing for the pain in her head.

"I need a pain potion. My head is hurting."

Hermione heard some shuffling on the other side of the bed and saw a second face pop into her field of vision. "You said your head was hurting?"

The dull ache in her head was growing worse. "It's getting worse," she croaked again.

Hermione turned her head and squinted. "Well, I'll be. That looks like a crumple-horned snorkack. I'll have to Owl Luna about this. It seems she's right."

"We need Hunter in here. Something's terribly wrong."

"I'll just rest until he gets here."

"No, Mrs. Weasley, stay with us. Stay awake."

"I'm terribly tired." Hermione felt her eyes growing heavy. She turned and retched over the side of the table.

"Get Hunter now!" someone screamed before Hermione passed out.

There was a sigh in the darkness, followed by deep breathing. Hermione lay in bed, feeling warm under the covers. Ron, she thought. She reached out and felt a metal railing under her hand.

"Ron," she whispered into the darkness.

Fingers intertwined with hers. The hand gripping hers was warm, quite soft, and entirely too small for who she was expecting.

"Wrong Weasley, dear. But then you're not that picky when it comes to ginger hair and loud personalities." Hermione cracked her eyes and saw brown ones looking down at her in the early morning sunlight peeking into the room. Relief showed on her sister in law's face. "My troll of a brother, namely your husband, is at the nursery with your daughter. He might also be getting breakfast. He'll be back shortly either way."

"Where am I?"

"You're in St. Mungo's, you bint. Where do you think you'd be?"

Hermione tried to sit up in the bed and was wracked with pain. She flopped down onto the bed with a grunt.

"Easy there. You've been through Mum's wash basin last few days. You stay in that bed."

"My head's a bit fuzzy."

"I'm not surprised. You gave all of us quite a fright there."

"That bad?"

"Do you really want to know?" Hermione nodded gently. "It's bad enough that you're going to be in here a while."

"And Rose?"

Ginny sat down in the chair next to the bed. "She'll be in here less time than you will be. But no one will mind helping one bit, least of all me."

"Where's Mum and Dad?"

"They'll be up here shortly, I reckon. They've been up here every day since you were admitted."

"How long have I been in here?"

Ginny turned her head and heard a noise in the hallway. "Maybe I should go get Ron and the Healer to explain things."

"Don't." Hermione squeezed Ginny's hand that was still holding hers. "I can hear it from you. How long?"

The doors to the hallway opened and Ron walked in, carrying a sack of takeaway. "Hermione!" He dropped the sack and took the three steps to the side of the bed. He pressed his lips to hers in a less than chaste kiss. "You're finally awake!" He pressed another kiss to her chapped lips. "Fuck! I missed you so much!"

"Finally? How long have I been asleep?"

Ron's face turned a rather vivid shade of red. He glanced at his sister sitting on the opposite side of the bed and she shook her head in the negative. Ron looked back at his bed ridden wife and saw the concern on her face. "Three days, just like before. More like three and a half since its Saturday morning." Ron put his hand on hers and squeezed gently. "You passed out while at the Ministry, talking to Harry. He apparated you here directly, on Auror authority, and they rushed to save Rose, then you."

Hermione shifted in the bed and winced in pain.

Ginny got up from the chair on the other side of the bed. "I'll go get the mediwitch while the two of you talk." Ginny walked over and picked up the discarded takeaway sack and brought it to the bedside table. They stayed quiet while she left the room on her errand.

"What aren't you telling me?"

Ron put his hand on his neck and looked ashamed for his wife. "I nearly lost you again. When you passed out and your water broke, there was more than just water leeching out. Harry recognized it from what happened to Ginny, but it was worse. Much worse, I reckon." Ron pulled up a chair to sit down next to the bed. "They acted like Muggle doctors, cutting you open like a side of beef, to get Rose out quickly. I only know that because the Healer told me so. He said it was either that or lose both of you."

"That doesn't explain anything, Ron." Hermione slumped further into the bed clothes, tired already from the miniscule exertion from being upset.

"The Healers said that it was due to being cursed. You were tortured more than most, probably as much as the Longbottoms. But unlike them, you were younger and somehow survived it with your sanity intact. But the dark magic toxicity that was still in your body flooded your system when your water broke."

"So you're saying when my water broke, it was like a blood poisoning."

"Something like that. The Healer would be able to explain it to you better than I ever can. You'll understand what he's saying when he comes in to talk with you."

Hermione winced.

Ron turned his head towards the door and the noise in the hallway. "Let me see what's holding up Ginny. You look like you need some pain potion, at least."

Ginny walked into the room followed by the on-duty mediwitch. "Ah. Mrs. Weasley. You're finally awake. Welcome back."

Hermione smiled softly. "Ron told me I was Sleeping Beauty for a while."

"Come again?"

"Nevermind. I forgot where I was at. I was referencing a Muggle tale, where Aurora, the fair princess, was cursed and slept for 100 years. She needed a prince to break the curse, and to awaken her."

"Ah, very good." The mediwitch put a tray of potions on the side table. "The Healer will be in eventually. He's in the A/E right now dealing with a werewolf patient."

Hermione blanched further. Ginny picked up her purse and came over to the bed. "I'm going by Mum's and picking up James. They'll be up this evening. I will too. I'm sure Harry'll be by around lunch time as well." She leaned over and gave her sister-in-law a kiss on the cheek. "Don't scare me like that again, please?" she whispered into her best friend's ear. Ginny pulled back and Hermione saw the emotions rolling across her best friend's face. She couldn't answer from the unintentional sting of her words. She nodded quietly before watching one of her best friends leave the room.

A large hand squeezed her hand before she saw blue eyes looking at her in concern. "I'm fine," she said quietly.

The nurse rattled the tray in obvious notice. They both looked at her while she was making her potions and tubs ready. "But your case will certainly be worthy of medical journals for years to come. I don't think we've ever had a case as serious as yours and the patient lived through it." Ron looked at the witch then back at his wife in the bed. "The Healer will explain everything when he can get down here. When he's finished with that patient, I'll request his presence, for you."

The mediwitch checked her vials and the parchment on the tray. "Now, Mr. Weasley, if you can step out for a few minutes? I need to see to your wife's needs. I don't think she would like you to witness what her treatment is."

"He's staying," Hermione said in a confident voice.

"Are you sure? It's hardly pleasant and rather disgusting, really."

Ron stepped up to his wife's side and reached for her hand. "You heard the Mum. Who am I to argue with her?"

The mediwitch snorted. "Very well, then. But I will put up a sheet to give her some privacy to what I need to do. It's hardly glamourous." The mediwitch twitched her wand and the bed sheet went up, hiding the rest of Hermione's body from view.

Hermione winced.

"Look at me," Ron whispered. "Just squeeze my hands when it hurts."

Hermione grimaced, refusing to take her eyes off of her husband. She did as he asked and he grunted. "For being so tiny, you bloody well hurt."

"Sorry," she whimpered.

"Hush. I asked you to, remember?"

Hermione grunted in pain, trying to stifle her reaction.

"Does that hurt, Mrs. Weasley?"

"Extremely," she growled out while looking at Ron.

"That's a good thing, then. It means the muscles are slowly stitching together. I would be more worried that you didn't feel any discomfort. Now tell me if this hurts at all," the mediwitch asked from the other side of the sheet.

Hermione groaned in pain.

"That's good, too. The nerves are slowly regenerating where the Healer had to cut you like a witchdoctor." The mediwitch looked over the top of the sheet. "This last one will hurt the worst. Mr. Weasley, if you'll hold your wife's hands," she said before tucking back behind the sheet.

"Ron?"

He put his face up close to his wife. "I'm here." He took her much smaller hands in his. He gave her on quick kiss before looking determined. "Ready when you are, Matron."

Ron felt his hands crack just before Hermione threw her head back and screamed bloody murder.

"Almost done," the mediwitch muttered. "Done."

Hermione fell back onto the bed with a thud. She'd passed out.

"What the fuck did you do?"

The mediwitch looked over the top of the sheet and remained stoic. "I knew she'd hurt but nothing like this." Ron gave her a fierce look. "I'll wake her in a moment. Then I can give her the potions she needs."

"Answer me, witch: what did you do to her?"

"I had to pack her incision with salve. It's a paste that burns when it hits the nerves. That's why she screamed and passed out." She gave the Auror a look of her own, forcing Ron to take a step back from her stern features. "It's either I do that, or she can't have more children because of the nerve damage. What would you have me do, Auror Weasley?"

The severity of the situation crashed into him like a rampaging hippogriff. Ron gulped and nodded in affirmation. "Sorry. I'm just rather protective of her, after everything we've gone through."

"I understand. I've seen several witches in here with similar injuries. That's why I'm her duty witch." The mediwitch put the tub back on the bedside tray. "I've had too much experience dealing with women who were cursed in that Merlin forsaken War. So has Healer Hunter." The mediwitch motioned her wand over her hands and cleaned them. "My name is Miranda. If I'm going to be on duty with Mrs. Weasley another twelve hours, we should be less formal."

"I reckon, Madame Miranda. I'm Ron. Ron Weasley."

"I don't know if there's anyone over the age of sixteen who doesn't know your name, or your wife's name, Ron." Miranda scribbled some notes on the parchment. She finished quickly before banishing the parchment. "Now, I'll wake her, but she needs to see you first. Do you understand?"

Ron nodded and turned back to his sleeping wife. "I'm ready."

He caught her wand movement out of the corner of his eye and nearly had his teeth knocked down his throat by Hermione sitting up in the bed. "G_d, make it stop!"

"We're working on that. Just stay with me."

Ron held her hands still while tears leaked out of her eyes. "It hurts," she moaned.

"I know but Miranda is working fast as she can to make it better."

Miranda was by her side in an instant, handing over the first vial of virulent purple potion. "This is a nerve potion. It'll help with the healing."

For the next few minutes, while Hermione moaned in pain, she took each potion afforded her.

"And finally, a strong pain potion, as you asked."

Hermione tipped that one immediately, shaking under the witch's gaze while the reliever worked its way into her system. "Oh that's much better." The shakes diminished under their watchful eyes. "Wow. That potion worked so fast. What's in that?"

"It's only brewed in the hospital and only for certain patients. Even with it, you can't nurse as long as it's in your system. So it's a hard decision on pain relief and what's best for the new Mum. Now, I can't give you any more for another four hours. If the pain returns, ask your husband to let us know."

They watched the mediwitch make her way for the door. She stopped and smiled at them. "I'll see if we can wheel the baby's bassinette into the room for a little while. I don't know if you're cleared to hold her, but I'll check."

She departed and they both sighed in relief.

"Why can't I hold Rose?"

Ron turned back to his wife and saw nothing but concern. "Love, you passed out from the pain of getting your wound treated. You probably can't even lift yourself in the bed without getting hurt again. That might be why." Ron turned and pulled the chair up to the side of the bed. "The Healers said you might be in here a while, simply because of how much they had to do for you."

One lone tear fell down her cheek. "Can you look under the sheet and see what it looks like?"

Ron did as she asked and only shook his head. "It's covered in a dressing. I have no idea what it looks like. But the way you screamed, they probably did a magical incision from hip to hip, to get Rose out so fast."

"You don't know?"

"No. I was up in Glasgow chasing an arsonist when I got the Patronus from Mum. Harry sent for her and she contacted me. It buggered up the case somewhat but no matter. You're way more important." Ron looked away for a moment then turned back to their intertwined hands lying on the bedclothes." Harry is probably in trouble for getting you here that way, but I'm also annoyed that the department called you in while you were on bed rest. But then you might have had that happen at home and I'd be planning a funeral, not celebrating our daughter's birth."

Ron ran his free hand through his slightly longer hair. "Mum explained that babies arrive when they want, but I'm still angry that you got called into work for something that wasn't worth your life." Ron tried to wipe the rogue tears that were threating to flow. "Sod it. I'm sick of you being the one who has to pay for my choices, damn it."

"Rubbish." Hermione reached her hand up to her husband's stubble on his cheeks. He leaned into her gentle touch. "I'll deal with the Directors when I am better. But for now, we'll focus on getting me better and out of this bed. I'm ready to hold my daughter, laugh with our family, and be exhausted changing nappies at 3am."

"I'm not going anywhere, at least for a while. I have time saved up, at least a few weeks. Ginny said you'll need me and from what I saw this morning, she's right." Ron laid his head down on her bed, letting her run her fingers through his scalp.

"When was the last time you slept?" she asked quietly.

"I've caught a nap here and there. Ginny kept watch part of the night while I got about 2 hours." Ron turned his head so he could look at his bed ridden wife. "I'm not leaving here, not 'til you do. I'll kip in a chair or something if I get tired."

"Ron, you need rest too. No one can handle being on duty so long, not without some time away."

He closed his eyes and moaned slightly when she ran her nails over his scalp. "If I need a break, I'll have someone sitting up here with you. But you shouldn't be left by yourself, not while you're in here."

"Mrs. Weasley? Someone's here to see you?"

Ron raised his head off of the bed clothes and grinned like a troll. Miranda backed into the room carrying a bundle in her arms. "Rose said she needed her Mum."

Hermione hiccupped before sobbing. Ron stood up to see their precious daughter. "I'll get her from you, if you want."

"That's fine, Mr. Weasley. But I spoke with Healer Hunter. Mrs. Weasley can't nurse for another week, not with all of the various potions in her, and she's limited to ten minutes of holding her, so she doesn't wear out so fast." Miranda smiled at Hermione. "Also, to help Rose get stronger, Healer White said that the first contact needs to be skin to skin. So, let me help you peel your gown to your waist and then we'll unbundle Rose and let you hold your daughter."

Ron watched the mediwitch untie the strings on Hermione's gown and gently disrobe her to the waist. He finally saw the bandaging on her distended abdomen. "But if I can't nurse her, won't I –"

"No, far from it. When you've been out, we've been, for lack of a better term, milking you before you receive your potions doses. That way she gets plenty of nourishment from you, and you get to heal up. It's the best of both worlds." Miranda shrugged. "That was what I did first. That's what was so sore and tender."

Ron watched his wife try to move in the bed. She only shifted slightly before Miranda stopped her with a gentle touch. "Magic, honey, so you don't pull those muscles right now." She pulled her wand and slowly moved the bed to a sitting position. "This is why you only get ten minutes, at most. Sitting like that from what we did to you will eventually hurt, even with you on the stronger pain potion."

"I won't care. I just want to hold my little girl," she said while trying to wipe the last few tears from her face.

Ron handed Rose back to the nurse and they worked together to get her out of her baby blanket and out of her onesie. Rose started making noises when they were disrobing her. "A warming charm, until we can lay her on your wife?"

Ron pulled his wand from his pocket holster and did as asked. Rose settled back down once the tendrils of magic wrapped around her.

They turned and Ron watched in appreciation: the mediwitch handed his daughter to his wife. Rose was only covered in her nappie and an orange hat on. Hermione was in her skin to her waist, waiting anxiously for the first hug.

The second that Hermione touched her, she choked back a sob and smiled. "Hi Rose. I'm Mummy."

Ron stood there and saw gold sparks flaring off of Rose. "Blimey," he said softly.

"Now, I'll return shortly. No more than ten minutes, Mr. Weasley. The pain later won't be worth it, I promise."

Miranda quickly left the room to the new parents.

"She looks like you, Ron."

Ron pulled the blanket up around his wife, leaving just Rose's head and hat peeking out from the top of her shoulder. "But she's smart like you. She looks at everything when I'm holding her, and listens to everything I say to her."

Hermione couldn't pull her eyes away from the bright blue ones staring up at her. "She gets her eyes from you, and Mum. Mum has green eyes. That makes sense then, that she'd have blue eyes."

"I don't follow."

"It's complicated, but she must have inherited your eyes." Hermione lifted the stocking hat off of her hair, feeling the crinkled ginger hair there. "She's got my hair texture if your color." Hermione looked over at her husband who had returned to the chair next to the bed. "I'm glad she looks nothing like Draco."

"Hermione! That's hardly funny."

She smirked at her husband. "I know. I'm just being silly this morning. You'd think I was drunk or something."

Ron snorted. "Maybe it's the pain potion they gave you, making you barmy."

Hermione leaned over and kissed her daughter on the cheek. "She smells like a baby."

Ron looked at his wife. "Well, yeah, I reckon, since she's a baby and all. You didn't expect her to smell of candied apples did you?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Well, no, not unless you took her out to the Orchard behind your parent's house already. But she smells different from all of our other nieces and nephews. It's subtle and I can't place it."

"You're smart. You'll figure it out."

"So when are we getting inundated with visitors? I'd hope to see my parents today now that I'm awake."

Ron sat quietly.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, not really. Your Mum was most upset when she saw you Wednesday evening."

"They came?"

"Yeah, they did. Someone from the hospital called them. They'd gotten here a couple of hours after I got here. Jean was most upset with me because I didn't come get them personally."

"I don't blame Mum. Your Mum gets mad at me when you get hurt and I don't owl her first." Hermione shifted the baby further down her chest, letting Rose listen to the quiet cadence of her heartbeat. Bright blue eyes slowly closed under the tympanic rhythm of her heart.

"She needs you, as much as I do."

Hermione looked up at her husband. Tears were falling down his face. "You bloody well scared me again. You've gone through so much, endured so much more, to give me what I wanted." Ron rubbed his face across the hand knitted jumper he was wearing. "I need you. She needs you."

Ron sat down with a thud in the chair, putting his head back on the bedclothes. "I dunno how I'd live without you."

"And you won't, if I have anything to say about it."

Ron looked back up at the fire in her voice. "We didn't know about the dark magic still inside my body. But now, after everything, don't you think things will be better?"

"But the salves and potions you have to take to get healthy –"

"They are a small price to pay for me to live to a ripe old age right by your side."

Rose wiggled in Hermione's arms. She whimpered slightly before settling back down to sleep.

Hermione looked at her hands and saw how pink they looked. "Haven't you noticed that I'm better already?"

"What are you on about?"

"My hands." Hermione took her right one off of her daughter and held it up. It was a healthy shade of pink. "I think the dark magic purge from my body, when I went into labor, broke the curse. My feet are warm just under this thin blanket. Haven't you noticed?"

Ron reached down and lifted the blanket from Hermione's feet and saw the garish orange nails and healthy pink skin. He ran his hand over her leg and felt the warmth radiating off her skin. "Are you sure it's not the dozen or so potions they have you on."

Hermione shrugged. "It's possible, but I doubt it. I can't describe or explain it, but they feel different, like I took off a pair of wool socks and my feet are free for the first time in years." Hermione shifted her legs under the blanket. "The best way I can describe it is that they're warm. I'm warm."

She smiled at her daughter before grinning. "And I have you to thank for all of it."

Ron looked puzzled. "Me? What'd I do besides shag you at the right time? And thank you, by the way."

"Prat." She smirked. "You got me pregnant and here we are. She's proof of our love. She's the greatest good we have in our life, now." Hermione sniffed. "And we owe it to give her the best life we can."

Ron reached over and rubbed his large hand over his daughter's head. "And we are, and we will."