Ethereal

"Hermione" Harry shouts, as he rushes towards he, too late to catch her body before it thumped and fell on the ground. 

He picked her up, his own injury straining against his stomach. He could feel the wound starting to reopen, but the pain was too dull in comparison to his worries. He threw her arm around his neck and put his own arm under her knees. Securing his grip on her, Harry muttered a spell, taking them both straight to the ministry. 

There was a healing section in the building, mostly made for auror checkups for after missions, or to get clearance for their new ones. 

He rushed in and found Draco on duty. 

He sighed in relief of knowing Hermione would be in capable hands and yelled out for the blonde, "Draco" Harry said, "Mione needs you."

Malfoy's head snapped up. 

"What happened to her?" Draco helps Harry lay Hermione down on a vacant bed.

"I don't know," Harry can't mask the dread in his voice. "We were in her apartment, and she came back looking so tired and then just collapsed."

"Damn it Granger," the blonde curses.

Draco checks her pulse and listens for the brunette's breathing, strained and irregular. He carefully unzips Hermione's sweater, draws a little magic to his hands and tenderly places those warmly shining hands on her chest. 

"It's an extreme case of exhaustion. Looks like her sleeping pattern is a mess, she doesn't drink water, neither does she have timely meals. I'm sensing fatigue and migraine. She's feeling ten days worth physical and mental tiredness."

God, wasn't Hermione supposed to be the smart one?

"She's going to be ok," Draco assures him and Harry lets out a breath of relief. "Let's take her somewhere more private."

The two roll Hermione's bed into a patients' room next to Draco's office. He treats her with medical spells while Harry stands at her bedside on the opposite end.

"This has happened before," Draco tells him, not looking up from where he is channelling his magic. 

Harry's eyes widen in horror. "When?"

"It's been a couple of times. I am mostly stationed here for duty so I am the one who treats her each time." This time Draco does look up, "you do realise that she might need you Potter?"

Harry looks puzzled so Draco lets out a breath, as if explaining everything to the raven was really draining his energy. 

"It mostly gets worse after you leave for missions. Weasley was the one who drew up that connection. Each time you're gone, I think it stresses her out, even more than her duties do. I keep telling her how unhealthy it is, but she never listens to me. Or anyone for that matter."

Malfoy gets up, and turns his back to Harry, "glad you're back Potter. As I've said she needs you and well people around here seem to miss you."

Harry smiled a little, Draco had become more pleasant after the entire war was over. Especially as they all started working in the Ministry together. In their rookie years with Hermione interning, Ron and Harry training they would often run into Draco working in the medical department and invite the blonde to go grab drinks, or get a meal. 

Malfoy had been reluctant at first, but he started appearing more often. 

"I'm glad to be back too," Harry admits. "Thank you, Malfoy." 

"Don't worry about it, but please tell her to stay at home for a couple of days. Or hold her down for as long as you can. You can take her home when she wakes up."

"Okay, I'll stay here with her till then."

"Fine. I'll go ask her secretary to clear her schedule indefinitely."

After Draco left, Harry finally allowed himself to relax against the wall behind him. Hermione hasn't been doing well for a while, and he didn't even know. Was he really getting this disconnected from them all? 

He turns to look at the sleeping brunette, chest rising and falling rhythmically. Enjoying the rare moment of stillness, Harry allows himself to appreciate Hermione's features. The same ones he pretends he isn't attracted to, the same ones he pretends don't drive him wild with longing. 

Her hair had never shifted from their original texture, she had just learnt how to handle them better. They were always in a bun, but a few strands would often escape and cover her forehead. Her face is soft, the expression to vulnerable yet so strong. There is defiance there, but it's also welcoming. 

Suddenly, all Harry wants to do is hold her hand, stroke her hair away and caress her cheeks. Honestly, at this point he should be used to the occasional affection bursts he gets for the girl before him. 

As those green eyes patiently wait for her to wake, brown eyes suddenly meet his. 

There is a short moment of panic, but then she registers her surroundings and the recognition of the  medical wing's walls and blankets is a little concerning for Harry. Just how many times has she been here?

"What are we doing here?" Hermione asks, disoriented.

"What are we doing here?" Harry repeats. "God Mione, you are taking years off my life right now. I should kill you, being so irresponsible and careless and -"

"Can that wait?" Hermione smiles innocently and Harry's anger almost melts away at the sight... almost.

"Mione you passed out! You fucking passed out" Harry hears himself yelling now.

"Oh no. Did I - I didn't sleep for long right? I had this 9 am meeting scheduled and -"

"You're not going back to work today," Harry's tone leaves no room for discussion. "After we check out of here, you are not leaving your bed till I deem it okay."

"But I have work to dooo," Hermione whines, melting more into the blanket, and Harry's expression has never been less amused.

"Your secretary will be dealing with it."

"You need to promise Mione. You can't keep doing this - you can't overwork yourself to the extend of passing out. Do you realise how vulnerable that leaves you? In your position there are so many people threatening you? What if you're too tired to fight if you ever get attacked? What if something happens to you? What would I-"

Harry lets out a frustrated exhale, his lungs desperate for air. He breaks the deadly stare he'd been holding, struggling to regain his composure from the unexpected outburst.

"I promise..." Hermione speaks softly, head down in remorse. "I'll stop working too late, I promise I'll take care of myself."

Harry shifts his gaze back towards Hermione, his friend's are eyes now dulled, and Harry wants nothing more than for their usual ethereal shine to return.

"Good," Harry replies.

"Sorry to be a hassle."

"Well consider this as a repayment for all the time in Hogwarts when you were saving my ass," Harry laughs and Hermione laughs along with him. 

"Harry James Potter don't you ever think you can repay me for that. It'll be decades, or centuries before you pay of that debt."

Hermione is interrupted by the squeak of the door opening. Alex steps inside, anxious eyes immediately locking with Hermione's.

"Hermione," Alex starts, walking over to him. "What happened?"

At that moment, Hermione doesn't know how but she felt the room temperature rise up.