A/N: Footy is on so I'm doing the best I can. This was something and then my brain started doing something else and this arc then got a will of its own. Hopefully you'll all still enjoy it.

-0-

As a rule, Minerva McGonagall did not panic. She liked to think that she was rather a level headed person and could count on one hand the times she had succumbed to absolute terror. It did not fill her with any sense of pride to realise that the majority of those few incidents in her life had been recently and had all involved Hermione. But, as Hermione slipped from her grasp and fell to the bathroom floor, Minerva's resolve crumpled with it. She shook Hermione hard, wincing at the way her head lolled. When that didn't work, Minerva pinched her side as well, desperately wanting that little laugh Hermione gave whenever she did that. Hermione, however, wasn't budging and she lay as still as death on those cold tiles.

"Don't you bloody do this to me," Minerva growled as she scrubbed away the tears on her face. "Don't you dare. You promised -" Her voice broke and she covered her mouth as she heaved and nearly threw up. There was only one person she trusted to help and that person was hundreds of miles away. Her brain would not form a thought and Hermione just lay there.

She summoned her robes and pulled them on while she pressed her ear to Hermione's chest. She forced herself to stop and listen and cried as she heard the steady thumping of her heart. It was slower than usual and that was enough to galvanise her decision. She pulled a cloak from the air and rushed out of the door and down the driveway and Apparated away.

"POPPY!"

"Goodness!" She heard Poppy exclaim but she did not have the time to explain. "Min, what is it?"

"I need you, she's -" Minerva managed. "I need you to -" She must have looked a sight, because Poppy didn't hesitate. She summoned her bag and gripped Minerva's shoulders while it dropped itself on the floor by their feet.

"STOP!" Poppy instructed her sternly. "Stop and breathe."

"I don't -"

"Breathe," Poppy said again. "Min?" Minerva blinked. "I need to know where we're going."

"Oh," Minerva scrubbed at her eyes. "I'm sorry. I -" She glanced around and found a piece of parchment and a quill. "Here!"

Poppy read it and nodded. Minerva didn't let her dawdle any longer and pulled her out of the house and immediately Apparated away.

She pulled Poppy inside and then to the bathroom. Minerva loved Poppy already, but when she didn't hesitate, there was something else in her chest beyond the love they shared. There were no comments about the state of Hermione's dress, no comments about the new scars, still pink and shining. She simply dropped beside Hermione and started her spellwork. Minerva could do nothing. She sat on the side of the bath with her head in her hands. What felt like hours later, Poppy summoned a blanket and covered Hermione up and sat beside Minerva on the bath.

"Love?" she said softly.

Minerva's tears did not wait. The gentle words undoubtedly told Minerva everything she needed to know and she groaned against the pain in her chest.

"No Min, listen." She couldn't though, she couldn't seem to breathe as the concept of an eternity of loneliness washed over her. "Minerva!" She blinked and Poppy cupped her face. "She's fine."

Minerva paused, mid-sob, making a bizarre noise in the back of her throat.

"Wh-what?"

She blinked at her best friend. Poppy chuckled sadly and reached forward to wipe her tears.

"She's fine, love. Passed out but nothing much more than a deep sleep. Coma is a strong word but it is that." Poppy smiled at her. "And only that. She is physically and magically exhausted." She nodded back to Hermione's still prone body. "I see she's been in a scuffle?"

"Merlin, we should have -" Minerva covered her mouth again as her stomach rolled. "We should have asked you to Hogwarts, there are, I mean -"

"Take this for me," Poppy said gently, holding out a portion. In a show of just how discombobulated she was, Minerva did so without question. She closed her eyes and felt it working.

She took a deep breath and looked back at her sister-in-law.

"We rescued Narcissa Malfoy this morning from Malfoy Manor. The Death Eaters - Hermione -" She bit back a sob even the potion could not contain. "Bellatrix was there; Hermione was hit by her stunner but it bounced off her -" Minerva paused and her eyes widened as she realised what she'd said. "How did she -"

Poppy placed her hand on Minerva's forearm and did another set of spells before she sat back and nodded.

"Fine," she said gently. "Still fine. No malignancy. No evidence of a stunner, either. You're sure -"

Minerva nodded and now just felt like crying.

"She fought her afterwards. She was injured. I -" She looked down at her hands. "Healed her."

"Like she does? With her hands?" Minerva nodded. "Good. Perhaps that healed whatever went on with the stunner? I do not know, love. We will have to discuss that when she comes to but there is no evidence that it was anything other than what you thought. Is Lady Malfoy okay?"

"I," She was disgusted with herself. "I don't actually know."

"Get Hermione into bed, get in with her and I'll go and check, okay?" Minerva nodded. Poppy pulled her up and held her tightly. "I love you, Min. I promise you, she's fine. I would not lie to you." Minerva cried into her shoulder for a time before she pulled back. Poppy stopped her before she could pull away completely and kissed her cheek. "I am so glad you have found someone worthy of all that love. Let me go and make sure Narcissa is okay and then I'll come back."

"I don't even know where they are," Minerva groaned. "I'm sorry, you aren't -" She growled. "She can't -" Minerva screamed into her hands. "Poppy -"

"Come with me, then. Hermione will be fine here. We'll find Narcissa, sort her out then you can bring me back and we'll keep an eye on her."

"I don't -"

"Do you trust me, Min?" Poppy asked softly.

"Of course I do," Minerva snapped.

Poppy held her shoulders.

"Then trust me. Hermione is fine, I will place her under a few charms to alert me if something changes but based on all those tests I've just done, she is simply exhausted. Presumably, I can come and go now, right?"

"Yes," Minerva whispered. "And you are welcome without invitation."

"I think I will always let you know, hmm?" Minerva made a face and Poppy chuckled. She glanced down at Hermione and traced something on Minerva's neck. When Minerva glanced up at the mirror, she blushed.

"She will not listen."

"You need never hide your happiness from me," Poppy soothed. "Let's get her up off the floor and into bed. She's quite safe here, I assume."

Minerva nodded as Poppy levitated her into their bedroom. Minerva stepped up onto the bed and twisted Hermione's hair into a loose bun. She pressed the covers down, like Hermione preferred them and traced Hermione's face with the backs of her fingers. Now that she was calm, she noticed there was colour in Hermione's face and her eyes fluttered under her lids. She had seen enough death to know that this was life. She ignored Poppy standing beside them and leaned over to press a kiss on her lover's lips.

"I love you," Minerva whispered in her ear. She nuzzled her cheek while she echoed the sentiment in her head. "Tha gaol agam ort mar teine," she whispered for good measure before she stood. "Gus am bi sinn mar dhuslach fànais agus draoidheachd." [Until we become space dust and magic.]

"Come on," Poppy said gently. "Let's get this sorted and we can come back here and give me a proper tour of this beautiful place."

"Don't think you've gotten away with it either," Minerva mumbled. "I know you helped Filius."

"Just pointed him in the right direction," she chuckled. "Hogwarts?"

Minerva nodded.

"We'll have to go to the road, along the hedge a ways."

"Like old times," Poppy smiled.

Minerva snorted as she recalled memories of their youth, getting lost in the hedges of Poppy's home town. She nodded Poppy out of the door and after a moment's hesitation, followed. She locked the door and paused again before she remembered that without Hermione, the task fell to her to take care of everyone else, just as Hermione would want her to. She pocketed her key and followed Poppy down the lane and popped out of existence as soon as she could.

-0-

Despite her turmoil, the sight of Hogwarts brought her comfort. She arrived just a moment after Poppy and drew her wand as she looked up and down the road.

"Don't dawdle outside," Minerva nodded. "Go."

She closed the gates behind her and Poppy stopped her before they continued.

"You may want to obfuscate those." Poppy chuckled as she touched her fingertips to Minerva's neck again. "Unless you don't."

Minerva blushed deeply once more and muttered a spell to cover them. She pulled a face at Poppy, who laughed, and they carried on through the grounds. They made it up to the castle and stepped into the closest classroom and Floo-ed to the Hospital Wing.

Minerva breathed a sigh of relief as she stepped out of the office and saw Moody and Kingsley sitting quietly with Severus and Draco talking quickly outside a closed off bed.

Poppy stepped out as her sleeves rolled themselves up.

"I am here, Severus," she said gently. "I apologise for the delay. What do I need to know?"

He looked at them both and drew her aside. Draco looked horrified and Minerva very quickly put the pieces together. She pulled him into her arms and held him as he sobbed.

"Breathe," she whispered. "Madam Pomfrey will put her right."

"They -" He scrubbed at his face. "They - The Cruciatus -"

Minerva stopped him from saying more in defence of herself as much as him.

"Poppy is here, now, little one. She will be as right as rain in no time at all. I'm certain of it."

He fell back into her arms and she held him tightly.

"I've got yeh, lad," she promised. "The important thing is that she is here with us now. She is safe." He nodded and Minerva recalled her talk with Albus. "I may not be Hermione, sweetheart, but if you want to try?" He blinked and looked down at her offered hands. He took them without hesitation and sighed. He fell tiredly against her and closed his eyes. She held him there for as long as he needed.

After he was calmed, they went over to where Moody and Kingsley were sitting.

"Thank you gentlemen," she said quietly. "I'm sorry we -"

"She alright?" Moody asked.

"Passed out," Minerva winced. "She fought Bellatrix. I didn't mean to leave -"

"Minerva, please," Kingsley said gently. "No need to apologise to us. You did as you had to, just as we did. The plan was solid; we knew our parts."

She sat down tiredly next to Draco and let him tuck himself under her arm. She kissed his hair and held him as tightly as she could until Poppy came out. She knelt down in front of Draco, using Minerva's knees to steady herself.

"Go and see your mother, sweetheart. She's going to be just fine, though it will be a long recovery. You may hold her hand but don't touch anywhere else for the moment, alright?"

He wiped his eyes again and went over to Severus, who was standing guard at Narcissa's curtain. Draco hugged his middle then pushed past him into the cubicle. She met her colleague's eyes and tried to show him that she would be there for him if he needed. He seemed to get the message and he bowed his head and followed Draco in.

"I'm not going into detail," Poppy said quietly. "But it looks as though she was Cruciatused. Repeatedly." All three listeners shuddered. "Interestingly," Poppy continued. "Someone then began the healing."

They all fell quiet for a moment until Minerva remembered something.

"I wouldn't put a Galleon on it," Minerva mused. "But Bella was guarding the door from the inside."

Moody stopped pacing and turned to her.

"You think that crazy bitch was -"

"I think, underneath her trauma and evil," she acknowledged. "Is a little girl who loves her baby sister." Moody scoffed but Minerva was more and more certain she was correct. She replayed the few memories she'd managed to catch from Hermione and added it to what she had seen herself, and nodded. "I know it seems far-fetched, but as a big sister, no matter what, I would help my younger brothers." Poppy smiled at her. "So," Minerva continued. "While I am not certain of it, that is certainly a valid option. Where else would she receive healing from? Hermione will know more when she wakes. As would Narcissa, of course."

"Do you think she can stay in your spare room?" Poppy asked. "I'd like her somewhere where she won't be bothered and without the need to move her in a month or so. We know this is a long process."

"I have somewhere better. But first," She sighed. "I wanted Hermione to do this and under better circumstances, but I suppose I will do."

Minerva drew her knife and offered it to Poppy.

"You are already family, Poppy, but if you take this then you become our family and we will do anything necessary for you. Just as we will never demand but do expect you to do the same."

"Does it hurt?" Poppy frowned as she looked down at it.

"No," Minerva soothed. "We would never hurt you."

Poppy took the knife and gasped when nothing happened. Minerva rolled her neck and wobbled when everything came at her at once. She felt Poppy's curiosity and Moody's concern and rolled it again to get rid of it. Beyond anything, it was so terribly intrusive and she knew it. She pulled Poppy's hand forward and smiled as she saw a new dragon symbol. She patted it and smiled up at her.

"Now we can take her somewhere safe." Poppy blinked at her. "Can she be moved yet?"

"Yes," Poppy nodded. "Carefully."

"To the Second Floor?" Poppy gave her a look and she chuckled. "I'll show you, if you like, then you can make the call.

Poppy nodded and Minerva turned to the other two.

"Either of you coming?"

"I'll stay," Moody growled.

Minerva glanced at the curtain and turned back to him.

"You will not accost Severus," she ordered. "And if I find you have -"

"Give over, woman," he muttered. "He's a bloody hero, I had no idea."

"He's an arsehole," Minerva chuckled. Moody made a noise"But he's mine, just like you are. Behave."

He did a sarcastic but jaunty salute and she chuckled as she pulled Poppy to her feet. Poppy slipped in the curtain to check on her patient and inform Severus of their plan before she and Kingsley followed her down to the Second Floor Bathroom.

"You'll have to excuse me, we got a rudimentary lesson from Harry but it is not my favourite thing to do."

She contorted her mouth and managed a passable version of the Parseltongue that was required to open the portal beneath the School.

"Bloody hell," Poppy muttered.

"This was the Basilisk's lair," Minerva muttered. "Hermione came down here at the beginning, when she was just learning about her new powers. Cleaned it up and made it into something. Albus made it livable once Severus and Draco were freed."

"I know magic is something to behold, but this is -"

"Quite," Minerva chuckled. "Will this do? Only those of us that are part of our -" She winced, without a word for it and shrugged "Family, I suppose, can enter the bathroom. Some of those who have our mark do not know it exists, fewer still can manage the password."

"It would do fine if there's somewhere to put her that's private?"

"Albus requested that the Castle put in some rooms. I don't know if we can add more now but the kids have one between them and Draco had his own initially. I'm sure he won't mind staying in the other room for the moment. Or even out here. You are both welcome down here at any time, of course."

"Then yes," Poppy nodded. "Help me get her down here and then we can go back. Okay?" Poppy said genuinely. "I can see you're getting antsy."

Minerva rolled her eyes but couldn't deny it. The longer she was away from Hermione the more the anxiety grew. She was not a shrinking violet, but she wanted to make sure Hermione was as alright as Poppy promised.

When they returned to the Hospital Wing, Kingsley said his goodbyes and Moody followed after. Minerva waited as Poppy explained the plan to Severus and when she was told she was surplus to need, she stepped away and let Severus help Poppy move Narcissa instead. Minerva grabbed Draco and they went back down, before the others, to empty his room so that Narcissa could have it. As it was, the longer she spent with the young Slytherin, the more she had come to enjoy his company. It is why it didn't really surprise her when he stopped her hands as she was folding his robes to put in his trunk.

"Thank you, Professor," he whispered. "For everything."

She looked at him and couldn't help but see similarities between him and Harry. Though it was not the first time she'd hugged him, even that day, she drew him in and kissed the crown of his head.

"While we're here, outside of school and in light of this new thing," she said softly. "You may call me Minerva if you can. I know that everything is moving so very fast right now, but as Hermione often tells me; all we have to do is trust. We will get your mother through this. I may or not surprise you that there are quite a few of us involved in this that have been where she has been. It is a long process, but she will recover. We will figure out what comes next. We will heal and we will make a new plan, for a new mission and in time, when it's all said and done, you and your wayward classmates will all return here to finish out your schooling in peace. Alright?"

He sniffed and wiped his nose on his sleeve.

"I'd really like that," he whispered.

"Good," she winked. "Now let's get these robes into your trunk and take it next door so your mother can get settled, alright?"

He stood up and started moving with a purpose. Just as he was folding the last of it, they heard Poppy's lilting voice down the corridor. Severus came in first and snapped at Draco but Minerva wasn't having that. She gripped his forearm, where this Dark Mark used to be, and stared hard at him. His breath shuddered and he glanced down at their joined arms. She held his gaze and a look came across his face which made him blush.

"Breathe," she said gently. "He is still her son. He is entitled to be here."

He almost pulled away. She felt him tense but then he paused and looked at her again.

"I did not know I was so transparent." She shrugged. "I do not wish -"

"None of this is my business," she said softly as Poppy manoeuvred Narcissa through the door. "And I will not speak on it more than I must. I especially would never reveal this to anyone either. But, you must remember she is not yet free, Severus. She may never be free."

"She will be, of him," he hissed with a sneer. "We -" He blushed deeper. "Had already discussed it. In case. For a future I did not expect to have."

"Then there is hope. But you must not take your upset and worry out on him. If this is your eventual goal, it would do you good to help him through this and let him help you. Begin that bond now."

"Woman, you do not understand what I am going through."

"I do," Minerva snapped. "I do." She repeated, gentler this time. "Mine is currently in a coma after dealing with Bellatrix on her own because I could not get to her. Because I had a duty," she gave him a look."To your people. So do not tell me I do not know."

Severus paused and looked at her carefully.

"Go then," he said softly. "Be with her. I may not understand it," he shrugged and glanced at the woman in the bed. "But I do as well. She makes you -" He looked at her. "Peaceful."

She squeezed his hand.

"She does. It is unconventional, to be sure, but I am the happiest I have ever been. And, Severus, I know I have not had much time for you lately -"

"I am not a child, madam."

"No," she chuckled. "But you are my friend and you have been through so much these last few weeks. I expect to see you over the holiday." She glanced back at Narcissa and smiled as she turned back to him. "Heed Poppy's advice, whatever it is, and spend some time with them. You and I both know that it will be a long process but with some gentle help, she'll be right as rain."

He bowed his head and went over to her bedside as Draco came in as well.

"I'll be gone for a while but Albus would likely be able to find me if needed," she said softly. "Go and be with her." He moved past her and she stopped him before he could get too far. "When I was in a similar position once, my best friend read to me. I did not have the energy to speak to him nor tell him how much I appreciated it, but he knew it helped me to know he was there. It was a beautiful reminder to me that he loved me."

He impetuously wrapped his arms around her and then went over to sit beside Severus near her head. After a small hesitation, Severus placed his hand on Draco's shoulder and she stepped out. Her thoughts were consumed with so many things, she didn't even notice as Poppy exited and closed the door behind her.

"Alright?"

"Thinking of happier times," Minerva sighed tiredly. "When I was laid up like this, Albus read to me every day. I wondered where that happiness has gone."

"I do not know. With dark times, come dark moments," Poppy sighed and Minerva wrapped her arms around her tightly. "Come on then," Poppy said as they parted. "Let's get you home to your woman."