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Light poured into her eyes like hot pokers and she buried her face into the softness by her head in the hope that it would help. Her head thumped and her mouth felt disgusting and she groaned as she snuggled into that softness instead of rolling over and getting up immediately to fix all that.

"Mistress?"

She blinked and looked up, dragging a heavy arm over the influx of light that was piercing her very skull. She hadn't had this much of a hangover since Filius' birthday the year after the war. It had taken her 3 days to recover from it and the students had sufficiently punished her whole she did. She'd completely sworn off vodka oranges forever after that, but this didn't quite feel like that. This was worse, somehow.

A cold hand touched her shoulder and she tried her best to make her eyes focus.

"Mistress, Winky will down the lights. Stay still."

Minerva groaned as the lights did indeed dim as she tried to figure out why Winky was there helping her recover from her hangover.

"Winky?"

"It bes okay, Mistress. Winky will watch over you and your people."

"My people?"

"Mistress Hermiones bes beside you Mistress. Shes be so strong."

"Winky," Minerva whispered as she tried to figure out what Winky was saying. "What the hell is going on?"

Minerva blinked, adjusting to the light, and looked up at Winky. The little elf smiled at her and pointed. Wrapped around her tightly, with her forehead tucked under Minerva's chin was Hermione Granger. She felt her heart rate pick up and stared up at Winky in confusion.

"Let mes get Mistress HealerWitch."

Minerva breathed out shakily and dropped her head back to the bed. She should have got up and immediately detached herself. She honestly didn't think she could, she felt so weak but, for some inexplicable, reason she did not want to. Hermione mumbled against her throat and she broke out in goosebumps. And that made her realise that she was absolutely stark naked and which made her flush as well. By the time the door opened and Poppy came in wearing all kinds of protective gear, she was well on her way to being thoroughly confused.

"Poppy?"

"Oh, Min," Poppy sighed happily. She had tears in her eyes and Minerva was beginning to panic. "I am so glad to see you."

"Poppy, what the hell has gone on here!"

"Let me check you first, then I'll explain."

Minerva shrugged and waited for her friend to do her checks. She cast spell after spell and by the time Poppy had drawn blood and dropped it in a potion, Minerva was about ready to protest.

"Just a bit longer, love," Poppy whispered as they watched the bottle. "I need to check."

The potion sat still for a while before a bubble popped and it turned blue.

"Oh, thank Merlin," Poppy almost cried.

Minerva watched her strip off all of her gear and turn to her with a relieved smile.

"I am so glad you're okay." She leaned over and kissed her forehead. "You have us such a fright."

"Poppy, I have been very patient, tell me what happened?"

"Minister Hilliard?" Poppy said gently.

"Yes?"

"He had Dragon Fever."

She felt her mouth drop open.

"No! While he was here?"

"Yes," Poppy sighed. "He brought it here, gave it to you. Unfortunately, in one respect, he lived alone. He did not know and therefore received no treatment." Minerva was about to speak but Poppy's next words stopped her short. "They found him dead yesterday morning."

Minerva stomach clenched hard. She covered her mouth and disturbed Hermione in the process. Without thinking, she covered the younger woman's eyes to help keep her asleep and leaned her cheek on her forehead.

"Is it -" She glanced at the door. "How bad is it? What happened?"

"You collapsed, the day after your meeting. We had no idea you were even ill, Min. You should have -" Poppy stopped and took a deep breath. "We have no idea, even now, why you succumbed given that you'd already had it. Will thinks perhaps it had been long enough and the Minister was so very ill -"

"He was," she recalled. "I asked if he wanted to reschedule but we weren't meeting for long. I told him to go home and sleep it off!" She blanched. "I -"

"No," Poppy said kindly. "It's okay. It's why it's dangerous, it doesn't hit you until it hits you hard." She stepped forward and squeezed her foot. "I'm so glad you were here, Min."

Hermione mumbled against her again and she realised that there were so many questions in her head.

"I don't -" She blew out a long breath. "Poppy, why is -"

"Hermione arrived ten minutes after you were brought in here. I found out later that Severus told Harry, who told her. She Apparated out of the Ministry, Min."

"I beg your pardon?"

Poppy hummed.

"She is the only one of us all that has had it."

"I recall."

"So she was the one that volunteered to care for you."

"What?" Minerva's head was spinning and she tightened her arms around the younger woman. "She -"

"I had to quarantine the students, I had to notify everyone that we had an outbreak and you were so very ill. The professors couldn't do much out in the halls because they hadn't had it either. She came in here and, though we had words about it later, she took off the protective gear and settled in."

Minerva gasped.

"What the hell did she do that for? She could have died!"

"I know," Poppy said gently. "I told her. I wasn't very happy with her at all."

"But -" Minerva was horrified but she had so many questions. "She was in here while you were -"

"She and Winky took care of you, exclusively. I've got 3 out there with the possibility of a fourth coming through in a minute."

"But why would she -"

"Minerva," Poppy said tiredly. She sat down and Minerva reached for her hand. "You are so very dense sometimes." Minerva blustered in protest. "Winky," Poppy said gently. Minerva smiled as the little elf appeared beside them. "Winky tell Minerva why you helped Hermione care for her?"

I should nots, Mistress HealerWitch. Mistress Hermiones should tell -"

"Then why did you, yourself. Knowing you might catch it?"

"Oh Winky," Minerva groaned.

"Mistress is worth it," Winky muttered. Minerva could tell she didn't like being put on the spot but she watched the elf tug on her ears. "Mistress takes care of Winky. She bes disgraced but once free, an Elf can choose to serve. I choosed Mistress because she is kind and she is respectful. She cares for Winkys like Winky cares for her."

"Winky," Minerva whispered. "Thank you, my friend."

The elfs ears wobbled dangerously and she disappeared without another word. Poppy smiled and looked back at her with a pointed look.

"I don't know why she would endanger herself to -"

"Do you not?" Poppy said gently. "Even after that?"

"I appreciate her -"

"Minerva, she loves you and appreciates you. She cares for you because you are worth caring about." Poppy said gently. Minerva made a face and knew Poppy would interpret it correctly as her being in disbelief. "I'm going to do what Winky wouldn't. I'm going to open your eyes to something that you need to know."

"Wha -"

"Why did Hermione take off her protective gear, Min? When she thought you might die. Can you think?"

"No! What a ridiculous -"

"Minerva think. Why would someone, your friend, someone who you meet with every week, spend hours talking to, involve in your life and then spend the next six days taking about, take off their gear while they're faced with the prospect of losing you?"

"Losing -"

"Minerva, for seven out of the nine days you have been ill, Hermione and I thought we were watching you die."

Minerva gasped as she realised and she glanced between Poppy and the young woman, still in her arms.

"I don't -"

"Why do you still meet with her, Min?"

"What?"

"You very rarely develop relationships that latest with students."

"That is not -"

"Minerva. Don't." She clamped her lips together. "Tell me why you like her?"

"Why I -" Poppy rolled her eyes. "Poppy, I don't appreciate -"

"Minerva, the woman has been in love with you for years."

Her mouth dropped open and she stared. She remembered what Dragon Fever felt like and she wondered if it was making an appearance again as she went all hot. Her skin, bare under the sheet, pricked against the cotton and she shifted uncomfortably.

"Poppy, that's -"

"You don't notice the way she looks at you? The way she takes a day off work every week, just to spend time with you?" Minerva stared. "Has she ever told you that, love? Did she tell you she loses a day a week, just for you? Has she ever told you that she adores you?" Minerva's mind floated back to a night where she had been waxing lyrical about nothing at all and Hermione had suddenly declared how beautiful she was. At the time she'd assumed it was the wine making her insensible, but now? Poppy didn't give her too much time to think beyond it. "Did she ever tell you that she thinks you're pretty? Or you look good? Minerva, think. We have all known for years. Why do you think we accepted her so quickly amongst us?"

"Poppy, this is -"

"It's not, love," Poppy smiled. "She was ready to die with you. She bathed you three times a day for nine days. Between them, they took care of you, brought you back from the brink of death. She's helped me when she could, helped David with a new potion that we think might help cure it. Winky tells me she didn't sleep at all. Do you not remember anything from when you were ill?"

She did Poppy the courtesy of thinking back. She remembered gentle strains of something. She remembered a soft feeling on her forehead, accompanied by a weightlessness. Her mind supplied an explanation and she stared at Hermione's unconscious form with a clarity she felt like she'd never had.

"But I'm nearly -"

"I don't think that matters too much now? You're both more than compatible without touching on that, no?"

"Poppy, she deserves -"

"Minerva McGonagall. If only the world knew how poorly you think of yourself at times." Poppy sighed but Minerva could not refute it. "I cannot stay here and talk all day, even though I want to, more than anything. If you are feeling well enough, would you please have Winky take you back to your rooms. Hermione did not catch it, I checked on her yesterday. Take her home, love. Spend some time with her, with open eyes. Maybe take care of her for a little while and remember what it feels like to share life's load with someone who adores you." Minerva's voice wobbled as she called for the little House Elf. "Love you," Poppy whispered. She got up and kissed Minerva's forehead and left the room.

"Winky, would you please -" Her breath wobbled as she tried to form the words.

"Winky will always takes care of your households, Mistress," Winky said quietly. "She takes you home."