Hermione had not gone to her Potions class on Monday morning. After the dreadful confrontation she had had with a certain green-eyed Transfiguration master, she did not really feel like seeing anybody, or worse, talking to anyone.

When a redheaded, worried looking young girl came knocking at the door of her dorm, she just thought, in a very muggle and familiar manner: "Shit, shit, shit, shit. Can't I be left alone? For God's sake! " She knew somebody would come knocking when her absence made itself known, but she had hoped Snape would be too wrapped up in himself to notice her this time. She was wrong. The Potions Master had sent Ginny Weasley to get her straight away when he had first roamed his cold black eyes over the joint fifth and sixth years' Gryffindor assembly.

So, unfortunately, the brunette with gold sparkles and tears in her eyes, and with red trails of dried lachrymal liquid on her cheeks, did not get much time to rest. After the sleepless night she had had, and the strained nerves she had developed, it did not bode well for anyone who would come disturb her.

-Hermione! It's me, Ginny! Snape sent me up to know what you were doing?

-I'd just like to be alone, thanks! – Hermione answered after suppressing a frustrated scream in her tear-stained pillow.

-Please tell me what's wrong! I'll make up an excuse for Snape, but I want to know what's happened for such a serious student as you to not show up in class!

-I have my reasons, on which I do not intend to comment – Hermione said in a distant, somewhat McGonagall-like manner.

-I'm sorry to insist, Hermione, but I'm your friend and that's what friends do when they care about each other : Is it about the girl you mentioned last month?

-Yes.

-Didn't your revelation go well? – Ginny asked in a sad voice.

That brought back in Hermione's head the insensitive way Minerva had turned her down and the severe way she had had of looking at her ever since she told her. She began to sob.

-Oh Hermione, I'm so sorry. Now I feel bad about the advice I gave you. Please open up, so I can at least hug you?

Ginny heard some rummaging noises inside and then slow, dragged footsteps could be heard coming towards the door she was resting her head on. She drew back so Hermione could open it, and stepped in and hugged her as soon she did, kneading her small fingers into her friend's bushy hair.

When she looked at Hermione's bed, the snivelling girl still in her arms, she saw Hermione must have just picked up most of the Kleenexes that had littered the floor, because her trash can was laden with them. She brought Hermione with her so they could sit together on the bed, but she did not say anything more, because she had the feeling Hermione wanted to keep her silence for the moment.

After a few minutes sitting in this position with Hermione resting against her welcoming shoulder, she finally allowed herself to ask the question that burned her lips :

-Can you explain what happened, sweetie?

Hermione sighed and answered.

-Well, that's it. She rejected me. It was obvious she was going to, I shouldn't have let myself believe it could have ever been otherwise.

-You had the right to try Hermione, you couldn't know…

-Oh yes I knew, it was so much against the rules that it could not happen.

-I know you are both girls, but that's not enough for your love to be forbidden…

-That's not just it, the reason I did not tell you who she was is because she is a teacher – Hermione finally let her biggest secret out.

-Oh goodness! I was not aware of that… I'm sorry, but I can't imagine who it would be, I don't mean to sound rude but all our female teachers are quite old and I don't believe one of them is pretty…

-I knew you couldn't understand, I shouldn't have told you!

-I'm sorry, I know different strokes go for different folks, but who is it then? I won't tell I assure.

-It's Professor McGonagall – Hermione finally let out, dejected.

-Oh… - Ginny just said, not wanting to comment more than she already had.

-WHAT THE…? – Came the cry from the doorway

-RON! What are you doing up here, it's the girl's place! – Yelled a flustered Ginny Weasley.

-Oh no! He shouldn't have heard that – Hermione said, her head falling in her hands out of shame.

-I can't believe you're choosing an old hag of a professor over me! – Yelled Ron once again.

That somehow angered Hermione even more than her present situation.

-Ronald Weasley! How dare you believe you have any rights on my person? I am completely entitled to choose who I'm attracted to and who I want to go out with! Is that clear? Minerva McGonagall isn't an old hag! She's… she's… everything to me! By the way, sorry to break it to you but I'm a LESBIAN! – With that, Hermione ran out, far from her friends, leaving a shocked Ron and a speechless Ginny in her wake.

While she was running a few corridors away from the portrait of the Fat Lady, she bumped literally into Harry who had come looking for Ron and Ginny, who had not been back to class for a good fifteen minutes.

Hermione was out of breath and still in a rage.

-Might as well tell everybody since you're about to know any second now anyway! I LOVE MINERVA MCGONAGALL! Here you go, the secret's out!

Harry did not say anything because he did not understand why Hermione was suddenly mad at him and it took him a few seconds to catch on what Hermione had said. By then, she had already fled in another direction.

-Oh my… - He thought out loud before taking a move again to find Ron and his soon-to-be girlfriend.

During the next few days, Hermione pointedly avoided the matter of her little outburst, and sent murderous looks at her three friends whenever she felt they were about to broach the subject. The two Weasleys and the Boy who lived finally gave up on trying to reassure her (Ron had finally come down from his little jealousy trip) and talked about anything else than Hermione's romantic agenda when she was in their vicinity. They instead murmured about the worry they felt for her when she was away at the library and they had resolved to wait for her to open up again at any random moment.

Hermione was apprehensive about going to class with Minerva again, and she cowered in the back of the classroom when she got in Transfiguration. She was later than usual and she had chosen to desert her usual Prize student seat at the very front next to the Teacher's desk.

Minerva was not there until two minutes before the appointed time, which made every student turn back at her when she stepped in. She seemed clearly uneasy about something and when she passed Hermione's new seating place, she barely allowed herself a glance towards the girl and felt a shame she had did nothing in her free will to deserve.

She picked up where she had left the class last time and during the whole lesson, she did not once look at Hermione or ask her a question. Hermione could not mind because she was avoiding the exact same thing, from her place in the back.

At the end of the hour though, before Hermione could run away to Charms, Minerva called her asking for her to stay behind. Hermione froze but did as was demanded, figuring it must have something to do with the "request" she had made to Minerva on that fretful night and that her favourite teacher would propose her a date for their first "friendly" reunion.

-Miss Granger, please bring a chair up to sit in front of my desk, this might take a few minutes – Minerva stated in a professional tone of voice.

Hermione nodded, and did so, lowering her eyes to the ground as had become her habit around the object of her dreams.

Minerva did not feel strong enough to hold the chocolate, golden gaze yet, also. So she looked at her desk while she spoke.

-Miss Granger, I know I made a sort of promise to you the other night… I thought about it and I still don't think it was a good idea to begin with. If you need to speak about your issues with someone, as I imagine you do, I'd like for you to consider talking with someone who has the professional formation to counsel you, like Poppy, who has a doctorate in Psychology from Yale University. Even Headmaster Dumbledore would be an excellent choice for you to go to; he has certainly helped many students sort things out in their head, including me when he was my teacher. He would be a much more recommendable choice than me as I am much too involved in the problem to provide you with an external eye on what you are feeling.

Hermione was crying silent tears during her teacher's small speech. When Minerva did not hear an answer after a few seconds, she finally looked up from her focus point on her desk and met the tear-stained face of her pupil.

-Oh god, Hermione. You must know it hurts me to be this way towards you but I don't have a choice. Please don't cry, it makes it even more difficult. I'd like to comfort you, but as I said, I'm not in a good position to. – She did not dare touch Hermione in case it would become even worse.

-The only thing I understand from what you are saying is that you never cared about me and you prefer to leave me to the hands of anyone so you are rid of me. You are just like my parents, turning their back on me when they discover I'm different. Thank you a lot Professor, but I think I'd better be left to myself as it is, I don't need your tips on who could counsel me. I only needed one thing and I have been proved once again it was impossible for me to obtain it. So if you will please excuse me, I will go to Charms, where I hope at least one person will miss my absence.

It took all of Hermione's self control not to break down completely while she was saying this. She stood up and was about to leave when Minerva grabbed her wrist turning her around.

-I think I get it Miss Granger, it's alright. I'm sorry. I guess I was wrong, I must be the best person for you to talk to after all. Well at least when you know me better you may come to see I'm not the perfect image you made up in your mind. – At this Minerva tried to smile feebly to slightly lighten the atmosphere, if she could.

Hermione remained where she was, but her eyes had a hopeful sparkle again.

-Then you are invited to come see me at my quarters on Friday night, Miss Granger. 8 p.m. Tea will be ready.

Minerva again allowed herself a tentative smile. She really wanted to make sure Hermione understood that she was sincere in showing she wanted to help her. She didn't want to mess with the girl's feelings any more than she already had. They had taken such a toll on her young pupil that she feared the otherwise perfect student could not totally control her own actions any longer.

-Thank you Professor. See you on Friday then.

She left the classroom and Minerva stayed right where she was, shaking her head trying to push away confusing thoughts.

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