Chapter 9:

St. Mungo's stood tall and imposing in front of the pair. While Hermione could see it for the hospital that it was, Castiel only saw it as an old and rundown department store.

"This is the place?" Castiel asked as he concentrated on the building.

Hermione nodded before clasping his hand and leading him to the entrance. She stepped through the window, and found herself in the entrance of the hospital.

"The things you can do with magic," Castiel whispered in amazement, "It is astounding."

"Be that as it may, we are here to help those that magic can't," Hermione told the man. She spotted the front desk and pointed to it.

Without another word Hermione and Castiel made their way through the crowd of people to the desk. On multiple occasions Hermione had to stop the angel from healing one patient or another. The healers could handle them, she was sure of it.

Sitting behind the desk was a young witch with long purple hair. She looked young, probably a few years younger than Hermione.

"Excuse me," Hermione said politely, "I was wondering if you could give me a list of the patients who are beyond magical help?"

Her words got the receptionist's attention. The young woman looked up and raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"We would like to see people who you can't save," Hermione clarified.

"Why should I give you that?" Clarice, as her name tag read, stood. "That information is confidential."

"I want to heal them," Castiel told her blankly. Clarice merely raised a brow.

"Clarice! Just give them the names!" Hermione heard a voice yell from the elevator bay. She turned to see McGonagall practically running towards them.

Once she was close enough she pulled Castiel into a bone crushing hug. "You did it, my dear boy. You really healed me," she whispered. As she pulled away Hermione could see that her eyes were brimming with tears. "And not just the curse. You healed all of me. It's like I'm young again."

Hermione turned to the receptionist, who was watching the scene with wide eyes. "Please give me the names. We just want to help."

Clarice started to gather the names when a voice stopped her. "What are you doing, Clarice?"

Hermione saw a man approach the receptionist. He was short and round. "They wanted a list of names, sir."

"And you were going to give it to them?" he asked.

"Excuse me, sir. My name is Hermione Granger and this is Castiel. We are here to help. He can heal people," Hermione tried to explain.

"He cannot possible fix something that we cannot," the man said sharply.

"He healed me, Healer Kayson," McGonagall said from her spot next to Castiel.

With a roll of his eyes he withdrew his wand and began preforming checks on the witch. With every spell his brow furrowed deeper. When he had tried every diagnostic spell and came back with nothing his turned his wand on Castiel.

"What kind of dark magic is this?" Healer Kayson practically spit out.

"It's not dark magic, Healer," Hermione told the man. Had she not been a grown twenty-seven year old woman she would have stomped her foot in frustration.

"Hermione?" Hermione heard a voice ask from behind her. As soon as she recognized the voice her face lit up.

"Neville? Oh thank Merlin!" Hermione exclaimed as she turned to see her old school friend. "Do you trust me?"

Neville gave her a strange look before replying. "Of course. That's a weird question, Hermione."

"Then can we all come up with you to see your parents?" Hermione said with a sweeping motion at the group around them.

Neville took in the sight in front of him. There was an angry Healer with his wand pointed at the man he remembers meeting at the wedding the previous night, his old professor with tears in her eyes looking at the man, Castiel, in wonder, and a terrified receptionist. "Uh, sure."

"Follow me then," Healer Kayson barked. He shoved his wand in his pocket with so much force Hermione was surprise it didn't rip a hole. The man turned on his heel and lead the group to the elevator. She giggled when she heard Neville mumble something that sounded suspiciously like 'asshole.'

"Who are the people I am to heal?" Castiel asked once they were all crammed in the elevator.

"Neville's parents. They were tortured to insanity many years ago," Hermione whispered to the man. Castiel nodded, and watched as the elevator moved up to level four.

Once the elevator doors opened the large group made their way to the back, where the permanent patients lived. The Healer unlocked the Janus Thickey Ward with a flick of his wand, allowing the others to enter before him.

Neville took the lead, and walked the familiar path to his parents' room.

Hermione had never met Frank and Alice, for obvious reasons, but seeing them in their insane state broke her heart. She watched as Neville entered the room and went to the window where a vase stood. With a flick of his wand the dead flowers vanished and were replaced with new fresh buds.

Castiel brushed past her and sat on his mothers bed.

"What do you think you are doing?" Hermione heard Healer Kayson ask sharply as he pushed past her into the room.

Without answering Castiel lifted his right hand and pressed two fingers to the old woman's temple. Hermione saw Neville start to advance on the angel, but rushed to stop him.

"You said you trusted me, Neville. It may just take longer with them," Hermione whispered into his ear as she held him in place.

After a full minute Castiel pulled his finger away. The group watched with bated breath as he moved to the man's bed. Hermione didn't take her eyes off Alice. If Cas hadn't been able to heal her than he would have said so.

Finally once he had finished with Frank he stood. Just as he did there was movement. Alice Longbottom groaned as she pushed herself into a sitting position.

"Where am I?" she asked in a hoarse voice. Hermione felt Neville break free from her grasp and rush him mother.

"Mum?" he asked as tears ran down his face.

"Neville? When did you get so big? What happened to me?" she questioned her sun as she reached her hands up to touch his face.

A loud cough filled the room and everyone turned to watch as Frank Longbottom opened his eyes.

Hermione felt her eyes fill with tears as he watched the scene unfold. Frank had turned his head to see his wife and son, and pushed himself out of his bed. On wobbly legs he crossed the small distance and sat next to his son.

Healer Kayson was furiously trying to send diagnostic spells at the two patients, but found nothing wrong.

"Merlin! How in the world did you do that?" Healer Kayson asked as she turned to the angel.

Hermione saw him open his mouth to explain but stopped him. Castiel turned to her with a questioning look and she shook her head. They shouldn't tell everyone, she supposed. "It's a gift, that's all you need to know," Hermione said softly as she gazed up at the man she loved.

"Clarice, get them the list they wanted," Healer Kayson told the receptionist, who disappeared with a crack.

"Hermione?" she heard Neville ask from his position between his parents. She walked over to him, and clasped his outstretched hand. "I don't know how you did it, but thank you."

"It wasn't me, it was all Cas," Hermione whispered to her friend. At the mention of his name Castiel approached them and wrapped an arm around Hermione's waist.

"Thank you, Castiel. I can never repay you," Neville told the man as tears continued to leave tracks on his cheeks.

Castiel just smiled and dipped his head. Hermione turned to see the receptionist enter the room. She quickly approached Healer Kayson and handed him the list.

Healer Kayson approached Hermione and Castiel and handed them the list with shaking hands. "Please just do what you can."

Castiel nodded and took the slip of parchment.

"We will, Healer. Just do us a favor and don't tell anyone about this," Hermione told the Healer softly.

"But why?" he asked wide-eyed.

"Because we can't explain it," Hermione said bluntly. "It's a gift, that's all."

Healer Kayson took a deep breath before nodding. Hermione smiled at the man before turning towards Castiel. "You ready?"

He nodded and the next second they were gone.

The number of lives Castiel saved in that day and the following years was astounding.

They traveled the world saving lives, and helping people.

In between their travels they helped Dean and Sam on hunts, visited Harry and Ginny and their growing litter of children, and got married.

It was a simple ceremony with under fifty guests, Hermione's parents included. Castiel had found them and restored their memories as a wedding present.

Hermione had looked stunning in a white dress, and Castiel looked dapper in his suit and trench coat.

Years later found the couple settled in a stunning home in the middle of the forest. Castiel was reading a book to a beautiful baby boy while Hermione tried to wrestle a little girl into a jumper.

Hermione tinkling laugh filled the home, and Castiel smiled.

Their lives had changed course when Hermione found she was pregnant. Castiel still helped people, but the patients normally came to him.

Hermione stopped hunting with Sam and Dean, but still spent time doing their research.

Dean and Luna frequently visited, as did Sam and his wife.

Their lives were different from what they ever expected, but neither wouldn't change a thing.

FIN