July, 1999

Linda Corbin watched from her window seat at 34 Grimmauld Place as a rather severe looking woman dressed all in black strode briskly down the street. The woman outside paused for a moment before turning and looking directly at her window. Though Linda had as much right as anyone to look out onto the street on which she lived, she had to suppress the urge to duck away from the intense look. The woman's sharp eyes met hers briefly before she turned back around.

Without warning, Linda's teacup fell off the table. She picked it up, surprised. When she looked back out the window, the only creature outside was a tabby cat pacing in front of number 13 Grimmauld Place.

"At Hogwarts?!" They cried in unison.

"As a professor? You want Hermione to teach?" Harry asked, seemingly slightly baffled.

Minerva McGonagall glared over her spectacles. "Mr. Weasley, Mr. Potter, I have allowed your presence for this conversation for one reason and one reason alone. If you were not included, I would have to deal with your comments and loud breathing from right outside the door. I am doing this as a courtesy, and I would appreciate if you would give me the courtesy of holding your tongues."

"Out of school for two years, and we're still getting reprimanded," Ron muttered to Harry. Harry tried to turn his laugh into a cough with little success.

"Both of you, stop it!" Hermione Granger scolded. She turned back to McGonagall, "I'm sorry, Professor. You were saying?"

McGonagall sighed. "We are facing a serious staffing shortage at Hogwarts. The school has been rebuilt, students have returned, but professors are leaving faster than they can be replaced. Slughorn has been a thorn in my side this entire year, wanting to know who will be replacing him and going on and on about hiring someone who will take up the head of Slytherin mantle. The transfiguration professor that I hired when I agreed the role of headmistress had an unfortunate accident last year-"

"What kind of accident?" Ron interrupted.

McGonagall paused, seemingly searching for the right words. "He, well, remember the unfortunate rat/cup hybrid from your early years, Mr. Weasley? Imagine a mistake of that sort with much higher stakes."

Ron looked queasy. "He's part rat?"

"Part hairbrush, I'm afraid," McGonagall said dryly.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione collectively winced.

"Oh," Ron gulped. "Well that must have been a nasty shock."

"Quite. As I was saying," McGonagall continued, "The role of transfiguration professor is currently available. So to restate my offer, Hermione would you be interested in the position?"

Hermione sat up straighter, face flushed with pride from simply being asked. "This is such an honor, Professor, honestly I don't even know what to say."

"Preferably 'yes'," McGonagall said. "I need someone I that I know will do an excellent job, and that is you."

Hermione hesitated, and looked pleadingly at Harry. "W- well, see th- the thing is," she stuttered, clearly conflicted over turning down the opportunity.

"We were all planning on starting Auror training together this year, Professor," Harry cut in. "Ron and I took this past year off so that Hermione could go back to Hogwarts and take her NEWTs, and we could start training at the same time."

McGonagall raised an eyebrow. "I see. Well, Hermione it is ultimately up to you. You know, nine years ago I came to your home to talk to you and your parents about your education. Now I am here to talk about your future. You are a very talented witch, and certainly on of the smartest I ever had the pleasure of teaching. Not to mention that you have always had many areas of interest. Can you honestly say that becoming an Auror is your greatest ambition?"

Hermione flushed red again, although this time it seemed to be out of embarrassment. "I don't know what I want to do."

"I'm not asking you to devote a lifetime to teaching. I am simply asking for you to come and teach for a year or two. If you find that it is your passion, then I would be very satisfied to leave the position with you as long as you wanted it. If you choose to move on to something else, then of course that is fine too. Right now, I have over half a dozen positions to fill in the next three months, and I just need someone that can do the job."

"I am afraid of wasting my time," Hermione said. "Not that teaching is a waste of time," she added hurriedly, "but if I don't go searching for purpose, then how will I find it? You're right- there's so much I want to discover and explore, I'm afraid of making the wrong move."

McGonagall sighed. "I am going to share a truth with you- with all three of you. If you spend your time afraid to make the wrong move, then you will not make any move at all. The three of you have gone through hell and back together. I have seen you all fight with passion and heart. Fear is not what Gryffindors base their decisions on, and it is certainly not what you base your decisions on."

They all sat quietly for a moment, before Hermione sat up straight again and said, "You're right, Professor. I would be delighted to accept your offer."

McGonagall gave her a rare smile. "I find myself equally delighted then. I will owl you with necessary details by midsummer." She sighed. "This has been a highly successful day. Earlier I spoke with Lavender Brown, who agreed to teach Divination."

"Of course," Hermione said. "I heard about Trelawney's book deal."

"Raging success," Ron confirmed, nodding. "Mum says her book club won't shut up about it."

"Yes, well, Lavender Brown seemed like the obvious choice. She was always a favorite of Sybill's."

Hermione scowled but said nothing. Well aware of his friend's dislike of both former professor, future colleague, and subject matter, Harry quickly tried to think of something to say.

"That's good to hear," Harry said. "I heard she was having trouble finding a position. Hogwarts has always been a home for people who didn't have another, both professors and students. I'm glad she found something where she can be accepted."

McGonagall nodded and glanced at dull faced grandfather clock. "I must be off soon. I have one more meeting this afternoon, and I have a feeling that it will take some time."

As they all said their farewells, McGonagall grabbed both Harry and Ron by the arms. "I know the two of you are bound to into mischief of the worst sort, but I wish you luck on your Auror training. Although I should probably save my wishes for you instructors."

Harry laughed as he opened the heavy front door. "I'm almost nineteen, Professor. There's no need to worry."

"Harry Potter, if you think that I can turn off the worry I have carried around since before you were born, you were sorely mistaken!" McGonagall cried. "Grown or not, I will keep an eye on you. I do know where you live after all."

So saying, she slid gracefully into her Animagus form, and slipped out the open front door.

"I still can't believe it," Ron said, clapping Hermione on the back like she was one of his brothers. "Our Hermione, a Hogwarts professor."

His smile dropped suddenly. "Professor Granger," he said faintly.

He and Harry both shuddered.

Hermione sighed. "I won't be that bad. If anything, all of the trouble to two of you got me into while we were at Hogwarts will come back to bite me."

Ron snorted. "The trouble we got you in?"

They all laughed, but for the rest of the day Hermione heard the words "Professor Granger" over and over in her head. What had she gotten herself into?