2nd year

Summer quickly ended as the new school year drew near. Hermione couldn't decide if she was looking forward to the new year or dreading it. Her Uncle had informed her that she would be starting Monday morning first thing for conditioning. Her mother had insisted on getting new trainers a week ago, though she didn't understand why her current ones weren't good enough. While she sat at the edge of the Slytherin table, she began to ladle her plate with chicken and potatoes.

Looking down the table, the young Slytherin about choked at the sight of Pansy hanging all over her cousin and his barely concealed disdain. He had told her how he couldn't understand how Pansy couldn't get it though her thick head that he wasn't interested in her. Hermione had just snickered at the time and now tried her best not to laugh aloud. She returned to her meal and noticed out of the side of her vision that she had a spectator, but when she turned her attention to the Head table no one was looking her way.

Hermione studied Minerva as the later continued to talk to Professor Sprout. During break her infatuation had faded, or so she had thought. Now as she stared at her secret love, she felt a warmth build in her belly, a sense of calmness enveloping her. The funny thing was, Hermione hadn't felt anxious when away from her love, just alone. After a few more seconds, she noticed that her love's attention was now on her, eyebrow raised slightly. Hermione smiled brightly, giving her a nod as the older woman returned the gesture slightly.

Returning to her meal, Hermione quickly finished and got up to head to the Slytherin dorms to get some rest before the early morning.

And early it was. The sun was barely peeking from the horizon as Hermione tried to keep up with Severus. So far she had only been able to keep pace for the first five minutes, trailing way behind him as they rounded the lake. Now she understood the new trainers because her other ones would not have been comfortable. So far they had only ran three quarters of a mile. Her uncle said they were only running two miles today and already she wanted to give up. Physical activity was not her forte.

At the mile mark, she stopped and bent down, hands on her knees, panting. Severus jogged back over to her bent over form. "Come on. Don't stop. I don't care if you have to walk the other mile, just don't stop."

She stood up and put her hands behind her head, taking in deep breaths as she began to walk. "I hurt. My legs hurt. My lungs hurt." She stopped again.

"You'll hurt more if you don't keep moving." He scowled at the Slytherin. When she didn't resume walking he added. "If you can't do this then you may as well go into hiding." It earned him a scathing glare but she continued to move. As they walked Severus told her how they would continue running two miles every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday until she could run the entire thing then start adding more miles. "Once we get your stamina up, we'll begin speed training. Every Tuesday and Thursday we will lift weights. Your body needs time between activities to repair."

"I don't know how I am going to make it through the day. I just want to go back to bed."

"Take a shower once we're back. That should help some. Eat a light breakfast. Fruit and toast. Every night this week we will work on protection spells. Until your stamina is up, we won't practice dueling." He glanced at his niece. "It will get easier Hermione. It just takes time."

Once back inside, Severus sent Hermione back to her dorm to refresh as he made his way to the Great Hall, transfiguring his workout clothes into teaching robes.

The Great Hall was sparsely filled. Mostly a few early risers and a few professors. Albus and Minerva were two of them, watching as he approached. "Severus, I see you are back from your early morning run. How did Miss Granger do?"

He took his seat and piled sausages and fruit on his plate. "One mile had her spent. She has a long road ahead of her."

"She's a bookworm Severus." Minerva spoke up, "Of course she doesn't have the physical stamina of other children."

Severus rolled his eyes. "Really Minerva? Stating the obvious. And here I thought you were more observant than that." The Head of Gryffindor scoffed at him.

"Just ensure she has some energy this weekend. Animagus training is not easy. I still can't believe Albus you expect to have me train her so soon."

"In time my dear Minerva, you will know." His eyes just twinkled.

As the weeks went by, Hermione's physical fitness slowly improved. She noticed running the first of the two miles every other day was becoming easier. Her last attempt she was finally able to jog the first mile well and almost all of the second mile. She noticed her spells were becoming more potent. In the beginning when practicing using protego, it took her a lot of energy to block a bat bogey hex. Now she was able to easily block disarming spells. She couldn't block stunners or stinging hexes but Severus had assured her it would come with time. Her animagus training, however, was not going as well as she had planned.

"I don't understand why I am having so much trouble clearing my mind enough to find the environment. I'm an accomplished Occulemens for Merlin's sake!" Hermione slammed her hand down on the floor. She was situated on a pillow on the ground as her mentor sat on a pillow across from her.

"Hermione, you have to keep in mind that most Masters attempt this phase 40-80 hours a week vs the few hours you do. It will take some time."

"But that's just it… I don't know how much time I have left. I need to be able to defend myself, and have an escape route for backup."

Minerva stood up, "You have some time. This process can not be rushed. If you do, you could permanently hurt yourself." She held her hand out to help the young Slytherin up. " You need to learn patience Hermione. If it's meant to be, it will be."

"I needs to be. I just don't understand why I am having so much trouble."

"Maybe you being an accomplished Occulemens is the reason. After the attack on your mind back in the spring, knowing you, your mind is more defensive than it was before. You've trapped yourself behind the walls and don't feel like you can consciously leave them." Minerva conjured them both tea and they proceeded to sit in the armchairs by the fire. They sat in silence, deep in thought.

"But there must be a way to get to the environment without my needing to lower my defenses. Theoretically, I just need to go to the environment to meet my animal correct?"At Minerva's accession, she continued. "Then couldn't I create the environment in my mind like you did with the room in your mind when you housed me that one night?"

Minerva sat in thought, sipping her tea. "Theoretically yes. However you would have to create the correct environment for you to find your animal. There lies the challenge. We've no clue on what your animal could be."

"First I would have to learn how to create something in general. Can you teach me how? I'm sure Uncle wouldn't mind."

Minerva nodded her head. "I could but not tonight. We don't have the time nor energy. As you know Legilimency can be quite taxing." She took another sip of her tea. "How has training with your uncle been going?"

Hermione shrugged. "Pretty well. I won't deny if someone told me a year ago I'd be able to successfully jog almost two miles I would have called them barmy. But as the weeks pass it is becoming easier."

"Then be prepared for that mileage to increase soon. Knowing Severus he'll bump it up to 4 miles if not 5."

"Considering the changes I've already seen, I won't mind. I'm tempted to suggest to the boys that they should consider working out."

"How have the boys been handling you being gone more?"

Hermione shrugged. "Alright I guess. Quidditch practice has been keeping them busy. I know Uncle plans on starting basic training for them in a few months. He wants to have me on a routine before then."

"It would do them a world of good."

Hermione snorted at this. "Especially as we don't even have a competent Defense Professor at this time."

Try as she may, Minerva was unable to keep the corner of her mouth from twitching up. "You know, if we were meeting under different circumstances, I would scold you and dock house points for speaking poorly about your professor. However, I believe I will make an exception considering you are correct."

Hermione looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "And how would you explain taking House points when technically I shouldn't be here on a Saturday night?"

"Touché." Minerva finished the rest of her tea before she got up and walked over to her bookcase, browsing through the tombs. "I just remembered I may have a book that will help with you finding out your animagus. At least enough to narrow down the type of environment you will need." She removed the book and handed it to the burnette. "Try to read as much that you can before next Saturday. This will just give you a clearer idea on what to potentially expect."

"Thank you. Hopefully this will help."

"As I stated before," Minerva started as she sat down again, "this is not something you can rush. It will take time. Even after you find the environment, there are still many steps to go. We will practice basic human to animal transformation until you have that mastered. Because I refuse to allow you to skimp on that. By the end of all this, you will most likely be a level one Transfiguration Mistress. Now, because of your age, the records will be sealed until you are of age and have graduated from Hogwarts."

"Would being a level one Transfiguration Mistress mean I would not have to take my Transfiguration OWLS and NEWTS?"

Minerva's eyebrows rose, "If you become a level one master before your OWLS, you would still be required to take them to test your knowledge of the other branches. That's quite a lofty goal to have considering all your other courses and extra curriculares."

Hermione shrugged. "I have high expectations of myself." The young Slytherin ignored the raised eyebrows directed at herself. "I'm at least going to try. What's the worst that could happen?"

"Other than you burning yourself out? There is the chance of someone discovering your mastery before the records are sealed. That could make you more of a target."

"I guess that will be a risk I'll have to take." Hermione looked at the time. "I should head back to my dorm. Goodnight Professor." Hermione got up and walked to the door.

"Goodnight Miss Granger."

AN: I know, I know. It's been awhile. I promise I haven't fallen off the face of the earth. I'm just hard core struggling to get these beginning chapters out because I just want to fast forward to the good stuff. However I figured out a plan. I started outlining and hoping that will help the creative juices. Thank you for sticking with me and baring with the story. The mistakes are my own and it is not beta read. Thank you for reading and hope you enjoyed! Leave me a review if you did. :)