After Alice had visited him earlier in the day, he was admittedly tired, something that puzzled and baffled him completely since it took a helluva lot to make him sleep in the middle of the day. Of course, the potions the Healers were giving him were probably also helping the exhaustion alone, but sleeping was definitely better than counting the bricks around the perimeter of his room and it was better than reading the charm book Alice had brought him. So, several hours before, with the insistence of one of the Healers, he let himself just fall asleep.

He didn't hear her come in and he wasn't even aware that she had sat next to his bed when she did. But he felt the pressure against his forehead and stirred as she backed away, his brow frowning and his eyes opening. "Mum?" he called groggily as his eyes slowly focused themselves. "Oh - McKinnon, what're you doing here?" he asked rather stupidly as the realisation that she had been the one in there and that she had kissed him. The hell?