A/N: Hello! Do you remember a few chapters ago when I said that I had something resembling the Black Death? Well I can safely say that I was wrong. NOTHING could be further from the truth now I've had, well whatever it is I've just had. I've been pretty much in bed for a whole week (thank goodness I haven't managed to find work yet – that wouldn't have been a good way to start my employment) so I absolutely apologise for the lack of replies and updates and PMs and everything because it's been a struggle to simply breathe! Good news is, despite the walk I took on Sunday that nearly killed me (perhaps a touch of too much too soon) I am feeling quite a lot better – but everything I eat and drink still tastes like pepperoni pizza (no word on why that is though – it's highly disconcerting).

But seriously, this is the last chapter and you have all been amazing guests. I feel like I know all of you (all the ones that leave reviews that is *hint hint* lol) and it's been lovely to invite you into my mind, offer you a seat, a coffee and/or tea and then regale you with tales of my imagination. It started as a birthday present for Poppinswannabe (who by the way is one of THE most awesome fans to have :D) and then it just exploded and I thank you all for your love and support. Keep watching my Births and Deaths series and keep an eye out for definitely one, if not two different, completely unrelated Hermione/Min fics. And don't forget to keep in touch :D

Alas, I regret to inform you that this is the end.

I'm going now, I wish you all a very fond farewell.

*-POP-*

Beta's Note: I in turn would like to say how much of a privilege it has been to work with this woman on all but one of the chapters in this series (yes, I was let off my own birthday dedication!). She really is a marvel, knowing as I do the way she works, although I think the time is right for me to blow my own trumpet just once and say that I helped come up with the title of this story – virtually the only thing I was needed for during this entire series! :P It's been a blast Em, and I thank you for letting me be a small part of it. Hopefully I'll see you all on the next one. ~ Spin Xx

A/N: Did I ever thank you for that?! Do you know I don't know that I did, and I haven't thanked you for this yet! Thank you¸ Thank you¸ Thank you¸ Thank you¸ Thank you¸ Thank you¸ Thank you. You are without a THE best beta EVER created. She really is fabulous people, I don't think you realise how amazing she is. Love ya x

P.S. Oh, look out for Wilful Perversion of Truth in GERMAN! Kesja has very graciously offered to translate it into Deutsch for our wonderful German readers! Which I think is awesome and I'm totally blown away by it. First chapter will be up soon for all you polyglots :D

AAAAANNNNDDDD HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO POTTERHEAD1997. Hope you have a fabulous day and that it's funny enough for you without being too fluffy lol.

I'm sorry that you have a page worth of A/N and I stuffed up the first upload. Thanks Guys x

-0-

Hermione smiled as her mother called her from her bedroom. They'd been packing for their time at Minerva's house and her mother was panicking as usual. She didn't know what to wear or what she would need to take, and her father was too busy making sure the house would be secure for their weekend away at the Manor.

"Mum, just pack what you're comfortable in. I mean, we're going to Scotland in summer. The scenery is amazing, but it's not like we're going to be spending time on a beach or anything."

"Hermione, darling what would I do without you?" Katherine said, pulling her only child into a hug. "You are far too sensible for your own good."

Hermione basked in her mother's love for a moment before making sure her own packing was finished. She grinned as she thought of the piece of parchment safely tucked away in her pocket, grabbing a jumper from the cupboard and zipping up her bag, just as her father poked his head around her doorway.

"You ready, sweetheart?" he asked with a smile.

"Yep, Min said she'd be here at 10am, so we just have to make sure Mum is ready too."

Richard rolled his eyes, making Hermione laugh as he took her bags down to the door.

"Mum, we need to go!"

"Yes, I just don't know whether I'll need my green jacket, and I can't find my sandals, have you seen my sandals?"

Hermione smiled at the nervous energy radiating from her mother as she picked up both the jacket and the sandals, zipping up the bag before her mother could add anything more to it.

"I guess I'm out of time," Katherine said regrettably.

"Yes, but Mum, Min is a Master of Transfiguration, so if there's anything you need, she can just Transfigure it for you," she said with a giggle, hooking her arm through her Mum's and escorting her down the stairs.

"Oh, well, that's not so bad then," Katherine admitted just as the doorbell rang.

"Hello Minerva, Albus," Richard said, greeting Hermione's teachers and letting them into the living room.

"Hello Richard? Are you well?" Minerva asked, smiling as Richard kissed her cheek. "It looks like your week in France did you well."

"It was superb Minerva, thank you for the recommendations you made. Hermione was thrilled, leaving us with the time to enjoy the sunshine."

"Min, Albus, having a good holiday?" Katherine hugged Minerva, then Albus.

"Yes, it's been quite relaxing," Minerva answered, as Albus wrapped his arm around her waist. "Hello sweetheart."

Minerva's face broke into a smile as Hermione flew into her arms.

"Hi Min," Hermione whispered into Minerva neck, her arms wrapped tightly around the woman's shoulder.

"How are you, baby?"

"Good. Hi Albus," she added when she finally let go of her mentor.

"Hello Hermione."

"Are you all ready? Do you need anything else?" Minerva asked as Albus shrunk the Granger's bags.

Katherine looked as if she was going to say something, but Richard and Hermione quickly drowned her out, taking an arm each and leading her through the front door.

-0-

"Wow," Katherine whispered as she looked out over the Scottish Highlands before her, the view making her completely forget her nausea from apparition. Hermione had been right, it was the height of summer, but it wasn't too hot. There was a cool breeze blowing that brought the temperature down to the point where you just want to lie back and enjoy the day.

"It's beautiful this side of the manor, hmm?" Minerva said with a wink, linking their arms.

"Minerva, how could you leave this place to do anything, it's so unbelievably beautiful."

Minerva laughed and everyone turned to smile at the sound for a moment, it wasn't very often she did that.

"Ah, my dear, I can assure you that during the summer it can be the most beautiful place on earth, but in winter, well, you wouldn't want to be here in winter. It's dark and cold and miserable."

"Well, if you insist," Katherine said patting Minerva's hand as they walked towards the Manor.

"Have you lived here all your life? I never really got to ask you much last time," Katherine asked as Minerva did something that looked remarkably complex with her wand, before waving them through the gates.

"I have. It was our family home, I lived here for many years with my parents, Micheil and Gavin. When my mother and father died, I, as the eldest took ownership of it. Micheil and Gavin moved out not long after. They weren't happy, and I did not… I was not old enough to know what to do," she said sadly, making Katherine feel guilty at ruining such a happy atmosphere.

"I thought you were in touch with them again? Hermione said something about you receiving a letter from them." She smiled as Minerva chuckled. "She said you were quite excited."

"Micheil did write and say that he would consider coming back for a visit. But he is married with children, though I don't know how many, and Gavin, well he has always been a free spirit. I do not even know where he is to contact him, let alone invite him to come back with Micheil."

"It will work out, you'll see," Katherine said kindly, not missing Hermione's earth-shattering grin from the corner of her eye. She would have to ask her about that later, out of Minerva's earshot

"Well, anyway, enough of that, I would like to introduce to you a very dear friend of mine. Tippy?"

"Yes Mistre–" The little elf looked on with wide eye as she caught sight of Minerva's guests. "Oh your guests are here!" She bounced up and down on her toes, shaking her hands in excitement as her ears twitched back and forth. "Tippy shall make up the bedrooms and, Mistress will be pleased, Tippy will make the bestest dinner for her and her guests, yes she wills."

Katherine looked at Minerva, wondering what on earth had just happened.

"Um, Tippy usually resides at Hogwarts, and while she is mostly busy there, I actually don't have many guests, she, ahem, she is quite pleased to be out of Hogwarts and helping me with our party."

"Um, sorry, but, what was that?" Richard asked, looking a little perplexed. Katherine noted that Hermione's grin has disappeared and a thoughtful frown had taken its place.

"That was a house elf. She is here to make sure that I," she gestured to everyone, "we, get everything we need."

"I –"

Katherine turned to find Hermione looking at Minerva like she'd never seen her before. There was something happening here, something underneath everything that Katherine didn't, or couldn't understand, and so she was forced to watch on as Hermione refused to meet Minerva's eye.

"What is it?" the older woman asked, bending to try and reach Hermione's gaze.

"She is a house elf," Hermione said quietly, looking out of the window. "You have a house elf."

Clearly Minerva was as perplexed as everyone else, looking to Katherine for clarification. She shrugged with a snort. Minutes ago she didn't know what house elves were, let alone understand whatever it was that Hermione seemed to have such a problem with.

"I think you'll find, my dear, that Minerva is not as you think she is," Albus said quietly, causing Hermione's head to whip around so fast Katherine was afraid her daughter had hurt herself.

If it wasn't for the tension in the air, Katherine would have thought it funny as Minerva gaped at Albus, who clearly understood what Hermione was sulking about, and then turned to Hermione, who finally met her eye.

"Hermione, sweetheart, I don't understand."

A part of her wanted to instruct Hermione to tell Minerva whatever it was that was bothering her, but she knew, and could tell, that Minerva and Hermione had a system for working out their differences. So instead she waited, leaning against Richard's solid form as they watched with baited breath.

"She's a slave," Hermione whispered, looking away.

If it was anyone else, Katherine would be embarrassed to see such a fight, but as it was, she was interested to see this side of their relationship. She knew they'd had fights, Hermione had said as much, and she knew Minerva was a passionate woman, she could tell that just by looking at her. Yet she knew Hermione would never back down from an argument, so she was fascinated to see how their issues were resolved.

"Hermione, look at me please."

Katherine smiled as she felt Richard stand a little straighter. She wasn't quite sure if it was because of Minerva's tone, or whether he was ready to step in for Hermione, so she took his hands and wrapped them round her, winding her fingers with his over her stomach.

"She is not a slave. She is not bound to me, nor has she ever been. She chooses to serve me and receives a payment that both she and I worked out when she first came here. I am not completely heartless, my dear."

It was as if it had never happened. Katherine just laughed as Hermione broke into a smile and threw herself once more into Minerva's arms. Clearly her faith in her mentor had been restored, and Katherine couldn't help but wrap her arms around both of them, laughing as they looked up at her.

"You two are ridiculous," she said, kissing them both on the forehead.

"Mum –"

"Katherine –"

"See, I rest my case. Now, I'd love a cup of tea."

Minerva blushed a little, before leading them into a room a little further down the hallway and calling Tippy to ask for some tea.

-0-

"It feels good, doesn't it?" Albus whispered in her ear as she stood in front of the mirror. "It feels good to have a house full of guests, an opportunity to dine with them and to know that all of them love you."

Minerva turned in his arms to see his eyes twinkling with mischief.

"What on earth are you up to Mr Dumbledore?" she asked with a smile, kissing him quickly.

"I am not up to anything love; I just enjoy seeing you happy."

"Yes, well, I will not be happy if I am late to my own dinner party."

"Mistress – ARGH!"

Minerva and Albus spun around in time to see Tippy sitting on the floor, her eyes screwed shut and her hands over her ears.

Minerva giggled as she left Albus to go and console her house elf.

"Tippy? Tippy, it's all right, it's okay."

"Tippy is sorry Mistress, she is just not used to –"

The house elf clapped her big hands over her mouth, tears forming in her eyes as Minerva once again smiled gently and held her hand for the tiny elf to take.

"It is alright Tippy, you and I have been friends for many years, do not worry."

"I am sorry Mistress, I, it is good to see you happy." Tippy said shyly. Minerva laughed as Albus' sing-song 'I told you so' floated out of the bathroom.

"That's quite all right, it is already forgiven and forgotten. Now, what did you want to tell me?"

"Healer Pomfrey and her husband are here," Tippy said with a smile, popping out of view as Albus returned to the room.

"Ah, shall we go down then?"

"Do I look okay?" Minerva asked, looking once more at her outfit in the mirror. In a moment of abandon she'd chosen a red dress that clung to her body, instead of the usual black number she would have chosen had anyone else been coming to their party. As she continued to look at herself critically though, her hair up in a stylish mess, with the drop earrings that Albus had gifted her for the occasion, despite looking good, she was feeling a little bashful.

"My love, aside from wearing nothing, which I refuse to let you do, you have never looked lovelier. Now, let's go and meet your guests."

Minerva knew that he was trying to get her to stop thinking when he kissed her and took her hand, before whisking her from the room without another backwards glance. It worked too.

They walked down the stairs and into the drawing room, smiling as Poppy gushed over her dress.

"Oh Min, you look magical! I can clearly see why you keep yourself hidden in all those robes at school. I imagine if the teenage boys saw you like this they wouldn't be able to concentrate."

Minerva blushed nearly to the colour of her dress as she laughed along with Poppy, accepting William's chivalrous kiss on the hand with a smile.

"Hello Madam Pomfrey," Hermione said as she entered the room a few moments later, startling Minerva from her conversation with William.

"Oh Hermione, you're beautiful," Minerva said, making her twirl. "Really beautiful, my darling."

"Thanks Min," Hermione said, smiling as her mother and father joined the group.

"Poppy, William; I would like you to meet Hermione's parents, Katherine and Richard. Poppy and I have been friends for many years, and William, well –"

Minerva let the statement hang as they all laughed, and she felt suddenly like another piece of her soul had come home. She glanced at Albus as Poppy and Katherine were chatting, and she could tell that he knew it too. He always had been able to read her like an open book, but she also couldn't help but notice a glimpse of that mischief in his eye again.

"Minerva! Hermione just told me that she used a time-turner for a whole year, what on earth were you thinking?" Poppy admonished, waving her wand over Hermione to the shock of her parents.

Minerva laughed gently and lowered her friend's arm, understanding that Hermione's parents, even with their wonderful and magical daughter, didn't really understand magic. How could they without the knowledge of it themselves?

"Forgive her Richard, Katherine; she is the head Healer at Hogwarts – and a little overzealous," she glared good naturedly at Poppy, who all of a sudden seemed to understand and hurried to explain her actions.

She noticed William and Richard had hit it off straight away and were now talking about dentistry and how it was managed in the Wizarding world. Hermione cuddled into her side as they watched everyone talk and Minerva placed a light kiss on her temple.

"I love you," she whispered, smiling as Hermione turned to wrap her arms around her.

"Love you too."

As Minerva pulled away she knew she'd seen the same twinkle of mischief in Hermione's eye as was present in Albus' and instinctively knew she was in trouble.

"All right you two, out with it. What have you done?"

Hermione and Albus shook their heads and moved closer to each other, deciding instantly that there may be strength in numbers, but Minerva was having none of it.

"No, I can tell, I can see it in both your eyes. What have you done and how on earth do I get out of it?"

Hermione looked up at Albus, who winked down at her, clearly leaving all the talking to her. Minerva growled at him as Hermione stepped forwards a little.

"You won't want to get out of it, ideally it would already have been revealed by now, but we're having, um, a time-tabling issue."

"What? Hermione what in Merlin's name are you talking about?"

Katherine looked as confused as Minerva felt, so it was obvious she didn't know what was going on, and neither did the rest of them, which left Albus and Hermione, who seemed to be having a silent conversation with each other.

"Please trust us, we would never do anything to harm you, or embarrass you. We just –"

"– Hermione had an idea, one which I thought had merit, and so we decided to do something about it," Albus said, joining Hermione and throwing his arm around her shoulder.

"Albus, Hermione, please tell me, I really don't like surprises," she pleaded, and she was telling the truth. She didn't like the lack of control, or the shock and aftermath, which nearly always involved tears, and she especially didn't like the secrets. "Hermione, I thought we'd agreed that there would be no more secrets?"

Hermione blushed a little, before smirking.

"It's not a secret per se, it's um," Minerva watched in fascination as Hermione's face broke into a grin, "it's more like a perversion of truth."

Minerva shook her head, trying to bite back her smile.

"You, young lady, could get into trouble by doing that."

Hermione walked forward, wrapping her arms around Minerva's middle and resting her head on her shoulder as if no one else was in the room.

"I don't know, it turned out okay the first time."

Minerva chuckled then, throwing her head back and laughing with abandon. When she finally brought her giggles under control she ushered everyone into the dining room, promising to tell them why it was so funny and how Hermione had managed to worm her way so far into her heart with apparent ease.

She was just about to sit when Tippy popped into the room.

"Um, Mistress?" she asked, looking from Minerva over to Albus and then back again. "There, um, there's someone here."

"What?" Minerva asked, looking down at her dress, then back at her elf. "What do you mean someone's here, who is it?"

"Um, Tippy can'ts really say," Tippy answered awkwardly, glaring at Albus as she did.

"Um, Min?" Hermione said, standing up and walking around to her side. "Let's go to the front door, okay?"

Minerva's heartbeat was pounding in her ears, and her palms were so clammy she had to keep readjusting her grip in Hermione's as they walked down the entrance hallway.

"How did they get inside the wards?" Minerva whispered to herself, desperately trying to work out who was on the other side of the door, and why it would be such a surprise.

"Just relax," Hermione said, giving her a hug before stepping back. "Relax and remember to breathe."

Hermione opened the door and Minerva's heart stopped in her chest.

There, standing on the doorstep with the same easy smile and roguish air as always was her brother, no, both of her brothers, smiling at her with wide grins.

Gavin spoke first, breaking Minerva's spell.

"Hiya Sis."

Everything changed in that moment.

Minerva's heart exploded in her chest, her brain shut down and this time, obviously having watched Hermione do it many times, she flung herself into her brothers' arms, and hugged them tightly, ignoring the tears that were rolling down her face. She wasn't quite sure how long she had clung to them, but a shrill cry broke them apart and she watched in wonder as Micheil turned to another someone behind them, taking a small bundle from their arms.

"Min, I'd like you to meet my daughter, Catríona Minerva McGonagall; my wife, Sarah; and your two nephews, Alec and Leith."

"Oh Micheil, they," she looked at the two boys, who were smiling happily up at her, "you are all just beautiful!"

She shook Sarah's hand before taking Gavin's and pulling him in the door.

"Everyone inside so we can all have dinner together, and so I can lock and ward the doors so you will never be able to leave."

Minerva watched in astonished silence as her friends met her immediate family, until her eyes eventually fell on a rather smug looking Hermione.

"You, young lady, come here this instant!" she said in her best teacher's voice.

Hermione's grin didn't fail and Minerva knew then that she had lost any sort of hold that she had over Hermione.

"Did you do this?"

"Yep."

"You and Albus?"

The wizard in question poked his head around the door, winking cheekily. "I merely helped, it was really all Hermione's doing."

Hermione shrugged, poking her tongue out at her Headmaster childishly, making the actual children giggle.

"You found and wrote to my brothers and arranged for them both to come here on a night when I was quite sure nothing could be better, thereby completely shocking me and giving me the equivalent of a hundred Christmas presents I could never hope to return?"

Hermione's grin was now stellar, and Minerva was sure that if the lamps weren't on in the room, Hermione's smile would light it more than enough to see.

"Yep," she replied defiantly.

"Come here."

Hermione fell into her arms and Minerva hugged her tightly, trying to tell her without words just how much it meant to her to be on the receiving end of such a gesture.

"I love you so much! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she whispered, over and over, knowing that words were woefully inadequate as far as thanks and praise should go. "You are the most amazing young woman I have ever met and I am so proud and honoured to be called your friend Hermione," she said, lifting Hermione's chin so they were eye to eye, "so proud."

"Love you," Hermione said, kissing her cheek and moving to her mother's arms, who smiled at Minerva with tears in her eyes.

"Now, I believe we were all about to have dinner, shall we continue?"

Dinner was the most pleasant occasion Minerva, or indeed any of her guests had ever been to. The conversation flowed, and there was no awkward pauses or loaded silences as might have been expected after such a long time apart. Minerva finally got to talk to her nephews, but only after Albus had kidnapped them to go and find some dessert, and she told Micheil that he was never going to get his daughter back now she'd fallen asleep in her arms.

Having finally become sick of sitting on the hard dining room chairs, they all moved to the drawing room, where Tippy made sure there was coffee and biscuits for everyone, a roaring fire and enough comfortable seats for them all to lounge around in.

Hermione couldn't help but smile as she watched Minerva rock her niece back to sleep and it made her giggle when Albus held up his hand in a move that looked decidedly like a high five.

"Where did you learn to do that?" she giggled quietly as they both watched Minerva talking with Gavin.

"The boys just taught it to me," he said with a sigh as he sat down next to her and watched his lover. "This is the best idea I think anyone has ever had Hermione. She is always happy around you, but this has," he sighed, "it's healed her soul." He pressed a kiss to Hermione's head. "Thank you."

"Would you like to hold my niece Hermione?"

Hermione looked up to a smiling Minerva, motioning gently to the baby in her arms.

"I'd love to."

Minerva sat next to her, placing the baby in her arms carefully before wrapping her arms around Hermione as tightly as she could without squashing both of them.

"I love you," she whispered, letting Hermione lean on her as she yawned.

"I love you too, Min," Hermione said, finally succumbing to her exhaustion.

One by one her guests went to bed, with William and Poppy staying over as well, after Minerva insisted. There was something about the feeling in her chest that she never wanted to let go. She hugged both of her brothers goodnight, and then the children as well as Sarah rescued her daughter from Hermione's arms. She waved to Richard, and even promised Albus she would be up soon, yet she really didn't want to move from her position on the sofa, curled around Hermione's gently snoring form.

"Would you like me to get Richard to come back down and carry her to bed?" Katherine asked, finally unable to stay awake any longer. Minerva shook her head with a smile, looking forward to tucking the most precious child she'd ever met into bed, knowing that when Hermione was sleepy she was so incredibly dear as well.

"Who would have thought, 'ey?" Katherine said, bending down to drop a goodnight kiss on Minerva's forehead and then her daughter's. "It's amazing what a little wilful perversion of truth can do."

"It is indeed."

*-Finite-*