Chapter 2

Three months later

Minerva's emerald orbs bored deeply into the infant's milky white for a few heartbeats before the Transfiguration professor suddenly let out an amused chuckle when pink lips broke out into a lopsided toothless grin. She reached up and caressed a round fat cheek."Oh, you think Mummy's face is funny, now do you?" The baby girl merely mewled and blew spit bubbles at the woman causing Minerva to roll her eyes playfully.

"Cheeky little thing you." She chided as she reached over grabbed a rag and preceded to mop up the mess dribbling down the little girl's chin before it had a chance to soak into her shirt. This had become a cycle between the two of them here of late. This never-ending drooling and wiping up. Though Minerva was glad that it was spit and not diarrhea she was having to clean up at the moment she was still more than a bit concerned about it.

"Do you want to go see, Poppy?" Minerva questioned whilst locking eyes with the baby again and sending another image this time of the healer making silly faces. The reaction was instantaneous. The little girl went completely still for a second before her small pink lips broke out into another enormous gummy grin. Minerva rolled her eyes and let out an exaggerated sigh. "Of course you do."

Ever since the infant first met the healer she'd been instantly drawn to her.

The flames roared to life and out stepped a very confused disgruntled Poppy Promfrey. "Minerva? What is it? What's wrong?" She frantically, thinking the worst and for good reason. Minerva was one of those people who could be straddling the gates of Tartarus and still not so much as let out a whimper for help.

Minerva said not a word merely lifted her occupied arms exposing the bundled treasure within them. The healer's brows furrowed no doubt as she approached the pair at a steady pace, careful as to not frighten the baby or the other woman for that matter. She reached down making sure to keep a cautious eye on Minerva and pulled the blanket back a bit revealing a sweet round face relaxed in slumber. "Whose?" She questioned as her practiced eyes already began to roam over the infant.

"Catherine's." Minerva blurted out automatically only to shake her head. "I mean, Agrona's...or whatever she bloody calls herself these days."

The healer's head snapped upward and she looked at the other woman with eyes wide. If Poppy was surprised before she was positively shocked now. Catherine Blackstone or should she say Agrona made Bellatrix LeStrange look like a fluffy kneazle kit in comparison. Who the bloody hell would choose to lay down with that? "Merlin, Minerva, are you absolutely sure?"

"Of course I'm sure. I wouldn't have said so otherwise." She snapped only to immediately regret it.

Poppy merely pretended she didn't hear the waspish tone and continued. "How long ago did this happen?"

Minerva glanced over to the grandfather clock on the far side of the room and squinted against the gloom. "Not even thirty minutes ago."

Alice blue eyes widened a bit. "And she just dropped the little one off without a word?"

"Not quite. We had words, yes, but none of them were even remotely pleasant." Minerva scowled as felt her temperature rise just thinking about it then went on to farther laminate. "She was going to bash the wee one's head against a rock." She nearly growled out sounding very much like her animagus at that moment.

Poppy's mouth fell open in horror then looked back down at the child with a new warm glow shimmering in her eyes. Oh the poor dear. What sort of monster would harm such a precious child? She glanced back up as she reached out and gave the other woman's bicep a reassuring squeeze. "Well, the important thing is you have her now, Minerva."

Minerva merely nodded stiffly and unconsciously tightened her hold on the babe. Nobody can harm her now. She's safe within your arms and if they so must as try their blood shall paint your claws. She mentally vowed and a rumpled purr vibrated her chest, causing the other woman to step back.

A thick heavy moment of silence passed before Poppy finally got up the nerve to speak.

"Well lets have a look now, shall we." She stated immediately falling into her role as healer. Poppy lifted her wand and muttered a spell causing the tip to glow a light yellow then slowly waved it over the infant until it flashed brightly.

"She is approximately two days old and just as I suspected is completely blind."

Minerva knew this already but hearing it from Poppy's mouth she deflated. How on earth was she going to raise a blind child? This world was dangerous enough without any impairment. "Wait a moment, did you say she?"

"Yes," Poppy said still checking every little centimeter of the child before looking back up and noticing the slight glimmer in emerald green eyes. The healer furrowed her brows. "You didn't know?"

"Well, it happened so quickly that I have had the time to." She supplied which was true.

"Ah I see." Poppy nodded in understanding. "Of course. "

"Oh Poppy, what on earth am I to do with a blind child who not only that happens to be a girl?" Minerva questioned her face twisted in aghast as flashes of a young girl with milky eyes being led astray to some dark alley sped through her mind.

"Like any other child you will love and teach her." The healer stated firmly, snapping the other woman out of the dark thoughts.

"But how? I haven't a clue as to how to raise someone who is blind." The panic in Minerva's voice spiking with each word. It was dangerous this world and to be blind was a major blow. Not only that but the child was a girl which even in this day and age was a bit of a challenge.

"Oh for Godric sakes, this is not the early nineteen hundreds, Minerva. There are countless ways to go about it nowadays." Poppy spouted peevishly. This uncharacteristic pessimistic attitude the Transfiguration professor was showing was beginning to rub her the wrong way.

"Such as?"

"Well, there's the muggle way which is basically using a sort of walking stick to feel their way around and/or a trained dog." They both frowned at that. Sticks and dogs weren't exactly ideal especially when she'd be attending Hogwarts. "Then there's the magical way which has a variety of options. Including several different spells you may use as she grows."

Minerva's eyes widened a bit in curiosity. That sounded far better than the former still she was reluctant and more than a bit frightened at the prospect of taking on something so very unknown. As if on cue, the baby girl mewed causing the woman to look down at her. Emeralds met milky white and as if by some sort of magic Minerva felt herself wilt. This wee one needed her and here she was behaving like a frightened school girl. Well, this simply would not do. She wasn't the same terrified, pathetic, adolescent girl she was all those years ago. This time it would be different. This time she wouldn't give into her own fear.

Mind made up, Minerva glanced back up at her friend whose eyes were glued to the child. "Tell, me about those spells."

Present day

When they arrived at St. Mungo's the entire staff including a family sitting idly in waiting room halted what they were doing for a moment to see who it was before once again returning to their work. Even though some of them did do a double take when noticing the bundle in the normally stern strict woman.

Ignoring them all, Minerva made a beeline to the main desk where a young blonde woman sat filling out a stack of forms. The girl must have her the clicking of her boots because she spoke without looking up. "Yes," She lifted her head and her features brightened upon recognition. "Oh hello, Professor, how may I help you?"

"I'm here to see Madam Pomfrey."

"Just a moment, please; she's tending to patient right now." The receptionist stated with a warm smile.

The Transfiguration Professor nodding before turning and making her way to the nearest chair in the waiting room. The people nearby eyeballing her not so subtly. Bunch of nosy busy bodies. Minerva inwardly grumbled. The young one must have felt her grandmother tense because she begun to wiggle a bit and whimper bringing the woman's attention to her. "Shh, shh, t'will be alright, Hermione, your Pop Pop will be here soon." Minerva cooed down at the baby whom only got a bit louder.

"Oh alright, alright," She lifted and turned the baby so that she lay against her chest. At the sight of the babe though even the ones who weren't paying them any mind all looked at the duo with wide eyes and gaped mouths. Noticing the stares, Minerva's formed a tight line.

Oh for the love of-this was going to be a long awkward wait.

Thankfully, however, not even ten minutes later the receptionist appeared in the doorway. "Madam Pomfrey will see you now, Professor McGonagall."

Minerva nodded before cradling the disgruntled Hermione and standing. She walked over to the blonde who was still waiting patently in the doorway. "Right this way, Professor." The girl turned leading Minerva deeper into the hospital until they came upon a lone examine room.

"Madam Pomfrey will be here shortly."

Minerva once again nodded then entered, strolling over to the bed she sat down on the end with a long suffering sigh. Waiting, waiting, waiting that's all one seems to do in hospitals. And it was more torturous for her than others due to her animagi senses. The bright pristine whiteness and polished metal instruments were nearly blinding to the eyes. Children crying and mummerings of symptoms, reassurances, and questions sounded loudly within her ears. Not to mention the strong scents of disinfectants and healing potions playing havoc on her sensitive nostrils.

Gods above, this was hell.

As if she sensed her friend's discomfort, Poppy burst in not even a couple of minutes later looking more than a bit frazzled. "Sorry so late, had to mend five broken bones and a cracked skull." Ah the start of Quidditch season. It was a beautiful time of the year filled with rare sunny days and wild flowers. Unfortunately it also contained a number of broken bones and concussions. Some nurse have been known to go mad.

"Goodness, what house was it this time?"

"Your cubs of course. Merlin, if this was just practice I don't think I'm going to make it when they actually start playing." The healer declared looking as though she was on the brink of falling apart right then and there.

Minerva rolled her eyes as she let out a snort. "You say that every year."

"Yes, well, one of this days it'll hold true." Poppy bushed some hair that'd fallen out of habit before sudden her face broke out into a warm wide smile. "Awe is that my little 'Mione I see there." She cooed as she walked over to the two and gently grasped a small hand in her own. "Hey there, kitten."

At the sound of the familiar voice so close to her now, Hermione gave a lopsided toothless grin.

"What's her symptoms?"

"Moodiness, diarrhea, clingyness, and a never ending amount of drool." Minerva scrunched her nose at the last part.

Through she had an inking of what was occurring, Poppy waved her wand over the child just to make absolute sure and smiled. "Ah just as I suspected she's teething."

Minerva furrowed her brows. "Teething? Isn't she a bit young for that?"

"A bit yes, but not unheard of." Poppy stated while smiling down at the little one. "Though I suspect she's not going to get her teeth for some time."

"If she's teething then why the diarrhea?"

"It's all the saliva she swallowing. It will pass in time or at least be manageable..well, that is until she's fully teething then oh my, you're going to have one grumpy centaur on your hands when that occurs." The healer stated as her blue eyes twinkled with mirth.

"I shall await the day with bated breath." Minerva deadpanned not even bothering to add any faux enthusiasm to her voice.

Poppy chuckled at her friend before continuing. "How's the mental training going?"

"Very well, though I mostly just flash her images of familiar faces and baby things. She seems to enjoy it." They'd begun the training merely a few weeks ago using an old spell that was created by arrogant pure bloods to give their newborn a one-up in life. The spell; 'infans prudens' was a gentle form of legilimens which involved flashing certain images from one's mind to another. Sort of like mental cue cards. Though at Hermione's age she was just beginning to really use her eyes to recognize people and things(mostly people) so Minerva didn't have to do it often yet. In time, however, it would gradually grow as the girl aged.

"Excellent." Poppy clapped her hands together and smiled. "Now, about that awful teething..."

AN: Sorry for the delay soon after I'd posted the first chapter I got a call from my aunt saying that my three year nephew's cancer had spread throughout his body(mostly his bones) and St. Jude let them know that his body couldn't take another bone marrow transplant. So it just went all down hill from there the doctor's visits, the pain, etc until it eventually became too much for his little body to handle and he passed away. That happened last month and all these months I couldn't bring myself to write this because it's a baby fic. Anyways I'll like to thank my cousin for the information her son was a big help, ha. Also yes Hermione will be calling Minerva mummy and mama(I like how the brits pronounce it on Downton). Calling her grandmother/gran/granny would cause too many questions and it's not unheard of I have a friend who calls her grandma 'momma'.