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-MP-

Chapter Eight- Hospital Vigil

Harry had continued to sit vigil at Minerva's bedside, only moving when either Ginny, Ron or Hermione prised him away to make sure he ate and drank. They all knew it was pointless to ask him to stop, so they tried their best to make sure he was okay.

He contacted all of her family members, and despite them recently reconnecting which Minerva had giddily recounted to him, it seemed they weren't willing to help her now. Her brothers made one brief visit but neither returned. Malcolm did have the decency to send them a letter to say it was too difficult but nobody had heard from Robert.

Her nephews hadn't visited it at all, and apart from Harry and the Weasley's her only recurring visitor from the McGonagall's was her niece Elspeth who for all intents and purposes seemed a very kind and empathetic person.

The door creaked open behind Harry who was sitting holding Minerva's hand, he turned around to be greeted by a dark auburn haired woman with green eyes similar to Minerva. He knew then it was her niece Elspeth.

The woman looked apologetically at Harry. "Oh I'm sorry, I could come back later if you like?"

"No, that's okay." Harry shook his head and placed Minerva's hand back onto the bed. "You should have some time with her."

Elspeth took the seat opposite to Harry and turned her attention to her aunty. Minerva still spent a lot of the time asleep, only being awake enough for very brief, flitting moments.

Harry stood up to leave the room, but couldn't help noticing Elspeth's teary eyes as she looked at him from the bedside.

"I could stay with you, if you would like?" Harry asked, trying to be supportive.

She nodded and took Minerva's hand into her own. "Yes please." Elspeth whispered.

"Well I am just going to pop outside and send a message to Ginny so she knows where I am. Then I'll come right back in and sit with you, okay?"

"Thank you." Elspeth responded. Harry stepped out of the room into the main corridor, withdrawing his wand from his pocket to send a patronus to Ginny. He whispered into the stag's ear before watching it turn on its heels and sprint away.

Ginny. I'm going to be late home, Elspeth is here and seems quite upset so I am going to sit with her for a while. Give my love to the kids.

He tucked his wand away and went back inside Minerva's room. Taking his seat opposite Elspeth again, who looked more teary than earlier, she attempted to wipe the them away with the black sleeves of her robes.

Harry slumped into the back of his chair, his hands rubbing the sides of his nose as he sighed.

"You're Harry aren't you?" She asked, her eyes meeting Harry's across the bed.

"Yeah, I am."

She nodded. "Hmm…"

"... and you know who I am?" She asked again, keeping her voice low. Harry nodded.

"Elspeth. Her niece." He added.

"Her niece the squib." Elspeth retorted, her voice rising just enough to be tinged with a slight bitterness which caused Harry's brow to crease.

"I bet you didn't know that, did you?" Elspeth continued. Harry looked back at Elspeth, he watched her look down at her Aunty as she spoke adding to the confusion he felt, Elspeth's tone not quite matching her actions.

"Only because she was a very private person."

Elspeth opened her mouth to speak but Harry got there first to cut across with his own.

"Not." He emphasised. "Not because she was ashamed."

The woman across from him seemed to relax into the back of her chair, allowing Harry to do the same. Temporarily providing him with some relief from the intensity of their situation.

"Okay." She breathed. "Even so, I know a lot about you, she talked about you all the time"

Harry perked up at that, pride swelling in his voice. "She did?"

Elspeth drew her knees upward and crossed her legs on the chair, her hands falling to her lap as she made herself comfortable.

"When we used to write to each other, she told me how proud she was of you, and how far you had come. Telling me all sorts of stories of what you got up to when you got out of school. I'm pretty sure she always kept track of you, and then, when you and your wife had kids I thought she was going to burst from happiness."

She sighed between breaths. "That was all I ever heard about really."

Harry's heart felt like it was growing to the size of a watermelon in his chest. He took Minerva's hand again, a little more enthusiastically giving it a tighter squeeze as he listened. Elspeth's expression caught his attention, she had retreated into quietness but her eyes were alight, something was simmering behind them he thought, his mind tossing between anger or jealously. He wished for a instant that he had paid much better attention in his Legilimency lessons.

"I can't believe she's like this!" Elspeth blurted out, almost out of nowhere.

Harry's eyes snapped to meet Elspeth's across from him. He wanted to offer her comfort, but instead Elspeth was letting all of her frustration out into the room.

"It's not fair!" She demanded, tears streaking down her cheeks as she spoke. "We had just got the chance to reconnect. We hadn't seen her since we were children and the moment we got to be a family again, she ends up in the bloody hospital!"

Harry understood her pain all too well. Nodding grimly along with what she was saying.

"No it isn't fair."

Elspeth stood up indignantly. "No it is not!" Her nostrils flared with anger, and Harry couldn't help but see the resemblance to Minerva.

"Things were supposed to be different now! Now my stupid brothers won't even come to see her. They just keep sending me here instead to…" Elspeth caught herself as she spoke and stopped herself before she said anymore.

Harry stood up too mirroring Elspeth, reaching his arms out in a gesture to calm her down. Frowning as he did so and wondering how she was planning to finish that sentence.

"They sent you here to do what, Elspeth?" Harry questioned, his brow furrowing in agitation.

Elspeth withdrew herself from Harry and turned away. "Nothing, I'm just here to see Minerva. That's all."

Harry's eyes danced over the auburn haired woman, he could feel his annoyance building, perhaps the stress of the situation was affecting him but his patience had been worn to the bone over the last few days.

"No!" Harry demanded. "Tell me what they sent you here for."

Elspeth turned around exasperated, rubbing her temple briefly before she spoke. "Look, Harry, you seem like a nice guy and you clearly think a lot of Minerva. It's just she hasn't been in our lives for a long time."

"Well, I don't think the blame is entirely on Minerva, do you?" He pushed, his anger bubbling closer and closer to the surface.

The woman across from him flashed a burning look at Harry's words. "How dare you!" She countered, her voice becoming louder. "She became a Hogwarts professor and ditched us. Getting herself involved with the Ministry, spying, the war. She didn't give a second thought to us, her family, so it is really that surprising that we're just waiting for when she goes."

Harry froze, both anger and disdain flowing through every vein in his body but with sheer will he forced them down because he didn't want to raise his voice whilst they were still with Minerva.

Elspeth however carried on undeterred. Her voice growing into a full shout. "When she finally does go, my family can claim her estate, split it between us and part ways- for good." An almost malicious smile graced her lips for a second surprising Harry. Then Elspeth finished her sentence, sending a dagger like pain into Harry's heart. "Like nothing ever happened."

The lamps attached to the wall started to flicker along with Elspeth's words, Harry assumed it was Elspeth's magic due to her emotional state, but the shock evidenced on her face suggested otherwise.

"Elspeth, we need to keep it calm in this room. For Min's sake." He exhaled heavily.

"….and I think you should leave."

Her voice dropped to a haughty whisper ignoring Harry's previous words. "The light?... that's not…. how?"

Harry glanced between the lights and Elspeth in confusion. "That isn't you?"

"No. I can't even do magic." Elspeth added bitterly. She watched as Harry turned away from her, casting a brief glance at Minerva.

Harry shook his head at himself, of course it wasn't Elspeth. Making the issue of having her in the room ever more poignant. "Again, Elspeth, I need you to leave."

Elspeth went and gathered her things, her tears dried, replaced with a hateful expression wrangling her delicate features. She looked similar to Minerva, Harry thought, but he would never see Minerva wear such a look. He sat back down by her bedside and took her hand into his tenderly.

The auburn haired woman looked at Harry one last time. Her voice thick with jealously she wasn't bothering to hide anymore. "You know Harry, I heard more about you than I did about her family."

Harry felt himself tense, his palm tightly against Minerva's hand. His eyes blazing just as furiously at Elspeth in response, taking slight pride when he saw her step backwards.

"She is my family and she is always will be." He asserted darkly, not breaking his gaze away from Elspeth's for even a second.

Elspeth froze, faltering for second before exiting the room briskly enough to cause Harry to feel a breeze against his arm.

He bowed his head to rest it on Minerva's hand. "I hope you can hear me Min, because I meant it, you are my family."

Harry placed her hand onto the bed, and went to get his own things together to go home for the evening.

"….and I am so, so, sorry that you had to hear that. But wherever you are I don't want you to feel alone, because your family are here and are waiting for you. Okay?"

Before leaving he turned to face her, ready to say goodbye as he always did, but something caused him to pause, making his breath hitch in his chest.

Her eyes were fluttering open revealing their warm green colour that had been hidden for so long.

"Min." He whispered delicately.

With the faintest, weakest voice he had heard coming from her mouth she whispered "Harry." Before her eyes closed again and she was lured back into a deep sleep.

-MP-