I Own Nothing!

The next day Minerva set to work in earnest. Locating Hermione's parents and bringing them back to England was much easier now she knew exactly where they were; all it took was a few well-placed persuasion charms and the couple had decided that Australia was not the best place for them anymore, and that England was their true home.

The second (much harder) part was perfecting the memory spell. Without test subjects Minerva had to be exceptionally careful, to ensure the safety of Hermione's parents. The topic and spells that she was exploring were relatively untouched, and aside from all those years ago with Frederick, she barely knew anything on the subject. Even Severus' portrait was scarcely any help with the matter, although he instructed her religiously on the theory.

The task proved one of immense hard work, even with Frederick's highly detailed notes, and it took Minerva eleven and a half days just to remake it. She kept Hermione busy all the while, helping Poppy in the wards, or Pomona in the green houses. After all it wouldn't do for the girl to sit and worry, or be left to overwork herself again.

When the day finally came that Minerva was happy enough with the potion, she took it to the staff room of Hogwarts and carefully asked the other teachers their opinions. Gently setting down the vial on the staff table, she asked the gathered staff members if they would help her with a project.

"Minerva? What is the meaning of this?" A confused Filius asked her. Minerva balked. She had promised Hermione she wouldn't breathe a word of her predicament.

"Oh, never mind, I'm sure Minerva has her reasons." Thankfully Pomona came to her rescue. "Now which herbs did you use?"

Minerva had never been so grateful in her life to be surrounded by the brightest and best in their fields as she was then.

After each had shrewdly and suspiciously examined the potions, and assessed its viability, she was left with only a few tips and pointers for its use, which she took care to note down.

After a quick chat with both Sprout and Filius, asking them to keep Hermione busy for the day, she made to leave.

"…I should also think that burning moonstone should help, Minerva; after all, that does help the lost recall everything they've forgotten!" Sybil pronounced, wide eyed as always. It was a testament to her newfound peace with the world that Minerva actually noted the suggestion down too, (although she made a mental note not to use it,) and this was not missed by the staff.

"It seems Miss Granger is having a better effect on you than we'd thought, Minerva!" Joked Filius. Minerva raised a solemn eyebrow and was interrupted by Sinistra.

"She's certainly made you softer."

"I-" She again tried to interject.

"Of course she has! Mama lion's protecting her cubs!" Sang Rolanda.

"I think it's sweet." Vector called.

"GAH!" Minerva cried, waving her hands in the air and exiting the room swiftly and dramatically. "I shall replace you all if you don't stop!"

A single sigh was heard from Pomona in the silence left behind the headmistress. "Well, I suppose one girl can only do so much for a temper that big."

~~~/~~~

Minerva toyed with the idea of inviting Hermione along to her first attempt at retrieving the Granger's memories, but dismissed it after deciding it would be cruel to get her hopes up on the first try – for she was completely unsure as to whether or not the potion would work. Knocking on the front door to the Granger's new home, she almost wished she had test subjects to attempt it on.

She could hear laughing and shouting behind the wooden wall, and waited few moments before coming face to face with Mrs Granger. "Hello, can I help you?" she asked politely.

Minerva smiled demurely. "Actually, yes. I wonder if I might step in?"

~~~/~~~

Meanwhile, Hermione was located in Minerva's study, slowly organising a few papers for her friend whilst she waited anxiously for her return. For, despite all of Minerva's precautions, Hermione had come to know the elder woman a lot better than the latter suspected, and had immediately sensed the elder woman's restlessness when she left that morning. Sure that something important was about to happen, she sat and fidgeted through the work.

A knock at the door stilled her tapping and shuffling hands, and she looked up as Pomona walked through it.

"Hello, sweetie!" she said with a dazzling grin. By now used to the Hufflepuff's exuberant nature, Hermione smiled and greeted her confidently. "I just popped around to see how you were doing. Minerva told me she'd be out all day, and, well, I thought I'd say hello."

'Or asked you to check on me.'Hermione managed to avoid scowling, knowing she meant well. "So…How are you?"

Pomona smiled. "I'm splendid dear, and how are you?" Something told Hermione that Pomona wasn't really listening.

"Fine, a little bored but nothing to complain about." She said shortly. With the preliminaries over and done with, the elder woman leaned in, now much more interested in what her former student had to say.

"Have you talked with Minerva?"

Well, she was certainly blunt. Reflexively, Hermione went to shake her head, a habit long learned to deny her involvement in any of the boy's adventures.

"Uh- wait, I mean, yes. We talked a bit." She prepared herself to be interrogated, but was again surprised and caught off guard when Pomona leaned back into her chair.

"That's good; I was worried she'd close up." Her wand flicked to the side, conjuring two cups of tea for them. "And what about you, dear? Did she manage to get through to you?" Hermione blinked.

"Pardon?"

"Does Minerva know why you are so upset?" Hermione's eyes narrowed and she became defensive.

"Yes." Her arms folded subtly, but this was not missed by Sprout, who laughed breezily.

"You needn't worry, chicken. I was only asking for the barest of details in order to see if you two are actually going to help each other." Hermione blushed, mumbling her response.

"Professor McGonagall doesn't need my help." Again the happy Hufflepuff laughed.

"Trust me, I've known her far longer; she does." Hermione raised a perplexed eyebrow, eager to ask what in Merlin's name she meant, when Sprout again changed the subject effortlessly, leaving Hermione to wonder how on earth she could be of any use to Minerva.

~~~/~~~

Sitting in the Granger's living room, briefcase in hand and wand up her sleeve, Minerva was more nervous than she had been in years. She longed to simply cast a spell and cart them off to Scotland, where she could calmly explain everything in a controlled situation, and there mere idea of it was causing her wand arm to twitch. Alas, too much of a commotion would no doubt alert the newly reforming ministry, something Minerva was loath to do; for although she had at first enlisted their help in locating Hermione's parents, the newly emerged news of the Granger's lost memories had complicated matters. The ministry would no doubt prohibit their further involvement in the wizarding world, and Hermione may have been forced to, like Minerva, say goodbye to them. This was, however, something Minerva would not allow.

So it had been up to her, in a series of complicated and rather difficult events, to orchestrate a meeting between the two parties in which neither suspected anything out of the ordinary. Needless to say, Minerva had had to pull quite a few strings with various connections around the country, and rely quite a bit on her knowledge of muggle behaviour.

But she had ultimately succeeded, and was now left babbling in the front room of the Grangers new living apartment, trying graciously not to simply blurt everything out.

"So you say… That we, in particular, are predominantly susceptible to this disease?" Hermione's mother frowned. Minerva smiled, nodding and mentally cursing that Hermione had indeed inherited her intelligence from them.

"It's the due to the climate, ma'am." Mrs Granger waved away her formalities and smiled, flashing perfect teeth at her.

"Please, call me Jean." Struck by a sudden sense of déjà vu, Minerva remembered the instance in which she'd first told the Granger of their magical child, and overcome by inspiration, she decided to try the same method again.

Leaning in closely, she changed tact. "I suppose by now you've gathered I'm not here to warn you about the dangers of e-coli. Well, no, quite frankly, I am not. What I am here to talk to you about today is infinitely more interesting." She drew out her wand, examining the Granger's for any signs of fear.

A brief flicker of recognition, followed by blankness flitted across Mr Granger's eyes. "Now you must realise that despite what you think, this is no joke, I am not part of an elaborate hoax, and nor am I insane."

Mr Granger was the first to find his voice. "What would you want with us…"

A grin unfurled on Minerva's face. "Excellent question. Now, I am here to tell you about a young girl named Hermione Granger…"

~~~/~~~

Hermione tapped her fingers on the mahogany desk, fervently wishing she had accompanied Minerva. Seated now between Sprout and Flitwick, she reflected briefly on the irony that had this happened a few days earlier she would be feverishly joining in with their conversation, with undisguised glee. As it was, all she could think was that it was now five o'clock and Minerva had still not sent a message. She would have been worried if not for the fact that Hermione knew McGonagall could more than handle herself in a fight.

But even as Flitwick tried to draw her into the conversation, Hermione couldn't stop thinking about the fact that her dear friend hadn't even sent a note telling her when she would be back. 'This is going to pass very slowly.'She thought, with a sigh.

~~~/~~~

An hour after she had first entered their apartment, Minerva was again staring into the slightly mistrustful faces of both Granger parents. "But what if we aren't the- I mean her" She gestured to a photograph of Hermione, "parents? How would we know?"

"I have met you both before, as the Grangers, in order to first introduce you to our world." Minerva answered calmly, pleased she was making some progress at last. "I am not mistaken."

Mrs Granger continued to scowl, looking very much like her daughter. "And what if it doesn't work? Will you leave us be?" Her tone sounded harsh, as if she didn't want to be bothered with the nonsense Minerva was spouting. "Well?"

Minerva looked them both in the eye, and lied. "Of course. I only wish to return this girl's parents to her."

Mr Granger gabbed his wife's hand, rubbing it soothingly, before looking straight at her. "Then we will try it." His wife took a few moments, staring him in the eye, before nodding slowly. Minerva let out an unconscious breath.

Taking the vial out of her bag, she carefully poured the correct amount into each of their teas, and watched nervously as each Granger sipped it carefully.

~~~/~~~

Pomona's eyes again flicked to the clock, and a moment later Filius's followed. Hermione, for her part, just sat back in her chair and stared at a stray ginger newt, trying to crawl out of the box it was encased in. She sympathised.

"Well, it's getting rather late, and I still have a few papers to grade." Pomona said, glancing to Hermione. "Filius?"

"Well, no, but I actually have a few errands to run, if you don't mind…" Pomona grinned.

"Perfect! Hermione, sweet, I don't suppose you'd mind helping Filius with his errands so that he'll be ready for dinner later? He has this awful habit of being late." She winked. Hermione looked torn, but accepted, wondering why on earth both Professors seemed intent on not leaving her alone that day.

~~~/~~~

There were many reactions that Minerva expected upon reviving the Granger's memories, but anger was certainly not one of them. To the Granger's merit, both disguised it well, but Minerva had many years of practice handling moody teens to aid her in her scrutiny.

"…"

Mrs Granger stood abruptly, and then sat, before standing again, whilst her husband merely gritted his teeth, and adjusted his glasses. Minerva fidgeted, needing them to calm down before talking about Hermione again.

"… I recognise that you may be feeling angry-"

"You have no idea how I am feeling." His tone was sharp, unyielding. Minerva blinked, unsure how to handle herself.

"I-" Mrs Granger was the first to crack, tears seeping out of her eyes.

"How could our little girl…"

"I can assure you she only had your best-"

"Our best interests?!" His voice cracked. "She didn't even ask! How could she even consider-without telling us- everything is gone- we were uprooted!" As he talked he continued to become more and more frenzied, before getting angry. "How dare she!?"

"John-" His wife tried to calm him down, although she too seemed upset. "John, now isn't the time."

"When will it be then? When will it be okay to tell our daughter that she can't simply control how involved we are in her life anymore? She didn't even tell us why!" An icy realisation shot through Minerva, as she inferred that Hermione had even begun to tell her parent's about the threats she had faced.

"I suppose you know." He rounded on her. "I suppose now you know more about our own daughter than we do!"

"I-" He was probably right.

"How is that right, how is that fair? When did I become the bad guy?" Mrs Granger was again in tears. "Why should I go to her now, happy as a bee and tell her everything's going to be alright?! I had friends, I had family, I have two lives now!"

"John. John? Come and sit down." She led her husband to the chair and took his hand. They spent a few moments whispering, and Minerva herself caught only a few words. "…not right… I can't deal…time…oh Jean…"

Thoroughly perplexed at their behaviour, and feeling quite like a third wheel, Minerva decided to escape to leave them to their thoughts, but not before departing with a few final words. She felt every sympathy for the Grangers and all they had experienced, but also felt that they needed to at least be informed how much Hermione herself was hurting.

"Hermione cried herself to sleep every night for the last few months wondering whether or not she did the right thing. I know you are hurting, but your daughter is too, and shouting at her will not help breach the gap that has been made. I can take you to her any time you want, providing you won't hurt her. She's been through a lot too, and I shan't allow anything to hinder her recovery." She placed a small disk on the table. "Tap this thrice to contact me when you need to." She hesitated, before apparating. "I'm sorry things turned out the way they did."

~~~/~~~

Minerva appeared in her own home, shaking. She took a deep breath, and steadied herself. 'You just threatened a child's own parents.' She gripped the bridge of her nose, breathing slowly. Minerva hadn't expected to end the meeting the way she had. But her inner lioness was still roaring its approval at her, telling her that her child's safety was most important. 'Not your child.'

Still, she straightened, accepting the repercussions of her actions as her own, knowing they would make themselves known sooner or later. Ever the ice queen, she pulled herself together and went home to her quarters.

"Hermione…?" At hearing the silence, she smirked. Filius and Pomona were obviously still keeping Hermione busy as she had asked, but the time had come to confess everything to her little friend. Sending a silvery tabby cat on its way, Minerva began making the preparations for dinner, all the while frantically planning ahead for the difficult conversation she was about to have.

~~~/~~~

"Minerva!" Hermione practically ran into the room, letting out a relieved sigh when she saw her mentor. "Where have you been all day?" She slumped onto the chair, feeling happier now she knew nothing was wrong and rested her head on her elbows.

Minerva smiled, taking two plates and serving them up, watching for a few moments as Hermione swallowed a few times. "Well I have been very busy helping you actually." She sated sagely, popping a spoonful of shepherd's pie into her mouth. Predictably, Hermione slowed.

"How did you do?" Minerva tensed slightly before answering.

"Well, I've come very far in one day, but as they say Rome wasn-"

"But what does that mean?" Minerva frowned.

"Don't be rude. I just don't wish to raise your hopes to unattainable levels." Hermione smiled sadly.

"I went through the start of the war thinking we'd all make it through. I can deal with the disappointment, Minerva. It's not knowing that's hardest."

"You're too cynical for someone so young." Hermione stared expectantly, waiting for Minerva to tell her what she'd achieved.

The elder woman sighed, supposing she'd have to tell her at some point. "I managed to administer a potion designed to give your parents their memories back today. It worked, and they seem to remember." Hermione's eyebrows shot above her hairline. She waited for more. "Unfortunately, they effects of having two sets of memories – a job well done, by the way – has left them a little confused, and they need some time to sort the whole thing through." 'You should've become a diplomat.'She thought, quite sure Hermione couldn't take it the wrong way.

Unfortunately, she didn't factor in the girl's level of astuteness in relation to her head of house. "Don't sugar coat it please, what do they think of me? Do they even remember me?" Her face suddenly turned grave. "They don't hate me do they?"

Minerva balked, and tried to soothe the situation. "Hermione, I can't think of a reason anyone would hate you. They merely wished for some time… to get used to their situation and think things through." At once Hermione sat back, looking strangely calm.

"Oh. That's fine then." Minerva smiled half-heartedly, and tried to redirect the conversation.

"So how was your day?"

The rest of the meal continued on in that fashion, mostly with Minerva steering the conversation, and Hermione following. However, throughout it, Minerva couldn't pinpoint a strange difference in Hermione's behaviour.

Once they were finished, Hermione excused herself quietly, retiring to her room, and Minerva waited a few moments before quietly following. Pressing her head to the door, she heard muffled sobs, followed by harsh breaths, and without thinking she went in.

"Hermione? What's wrong?" She found the girl sitting up against the walls, with a pillow pressed to her face, and her arms resting on her knees. As she spoke, Hermione looked up from the pillow and stared.

"I'm not silly Minerva, I know my parents." A pained look flitted across her face, and she drew in again. "I know why they're not here."

Minerva automatically reached out to Hermione, but was surprised as she leant away. "What's the matter?" The question seemed silly, in light of everything, but the younger girl would know where it was directed.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't wish to hurt you."

"I'm not a child, Minerva; you don't have to tiptoe around me, despite what everyone else thinks." Again she sounded harsh, and her words stung like ice.

"I was merely looking out for your best interests Hermione, I didn't-"

"I didn't ask you to. I asked you to be honest with me, to treat me as an equal, and not as a little girl." Minerva frowned.

"I am aware how old you are Hermione, and I did tell you the truth, I just didn't wish to inform you of her parent's anger and incur further damage to your emotional state."

Hermione tensed again, and for a moment Minerva thought she was about to star shouting, but instead she screwed her face up and shoved it into the pillow. Her shaking shoulders told Minerva all she needed to know. Laying a cautious hand on her shoulder, Minerva slid to join her, joints protesting. She reached for another pillow.

She rested her arms, mimicking Hermione's posture and felt Hermione softly lean into her. Hooking an arm around the girl, she started talking, not sure if Hermione was listening, but needing to tell her anyway.

"Goodness knows you're not a child Hermione, you and the boys have grown up far too fast anyway for my liking. I know you're an adult, but you are also what I'd consider a friend, and I get awfully protective over any of my friends, as I'm sure you are with Harry. I'd only just found out how they reacted today, and I honestly hadn't expected it at all. All I could think was 'look at all of this that I'm going to have to tell her, after all I promised'. I didn't want you to lose hope; I know how hard it is to get it back." She felt Hermione shuffle beneath her arm, and moved in to bring her closer.

"As for your parents, it is with regret that I can say we can never truly understand another human being, not without having lived their life also, and even so even the best of us make mistakes. They had a hard time understanding why you removed their choice from the equation, and I suspect they did not fully know about the perils you faced."

Hermione sniffed. "I didn't want them… to worry." She almost rolled her eyes at the irony.

"They're your parents, Hermione, they'll always know something is strange, even if they don't know what. They care about you, and pushing them away isn't going to make them any safer."

Hermione looked up at her for the first time, seeming to shrink before her very eyes back into the eleven year old child she once was. "But how do I fix it, Minerva?"

"You start talking again, and open up. You tell them how much you've missed them and how much they've missed." Hermione again looked uncertain. "It will not be quick and it most certainly will not be easy, but you have to make the effort."

Hermione flinched again, and Minerva addressed the unanswered question. "They still care. Of course they still care, because those who love us never truly leave our hearts." She prompted, remembering something her best friend had once said to her. "Now, come here." She opened her arms slightly, until Hermione hugged her back, and smoothed the girl's forehead, before kissing it and whispering. "They just need some time."

~~~/~~~

Every night after that, Minerva made sure to keep her wand in her eyesight at all times, lest she miss the Grangers' call, for she was certain it would come. Children like Hermione weren't easy to forget about after all.

In the meantime, Hermione seemed to take the absence of news in her stride, although as each day went by she continued to busy herself more and more. Content to let her be as long as her health was in no danger, Minerva took the time to attempt to teach her chess, although Hermione was certainly no tactician. Still, she too had work to do, and this left Hermione unnecessarily lonely, so in a bid to cheer her up, Minerva took the time to invite her two other ex-students to Hogwarts for the day. She wasn't surprised when Hermione spent all of her available time with them, whether it was chatting, playing a few doomed games of chess, or simply reading next to them.

But try as she might, Hermione till seemed sombre when left alone to her thoughts, and Minerva doubted there was anything she could do to help the poor girl but wait.

"Ron!" Hermione laughed, and wriggled as Ron moved to tickle her.

"Stop spacing out like that then! I'm here, and I want your full attention." He replied cheekily. He blinked, and then grinned.

"Look, I don't need to give you my full attention anymore, I'm going to beat you anyway." She winked at Harry, who was her partner in the game and smiled.

"In your dreams, McGonagall can only do so much in a few days!"

Minerva stifled a laugh from behind her book, and watched a both Harry and Hermione manoeuvred themselves into check unknowingly, Ron grinning all the while. They truly were good for each other, and if anyone could make Hermione feel better, it was them. 'She's truly gifted.'

As she was thinking, her wand began to blink an iridescent red, something only she noticed. Realising it was Hermione' parents, she looked at Hermione and back to the wand, unsure of what to do. On the one hand, a meeting may spoil the girl' holiday horribly, but on the other it might lift an enormous weight from her shoulders.

Moving instead toward the three, she spoke as cryptically as she could, unsure of how much Hermione had told the boys. "Hermione, your parents are calling." At once the girl snapped to attention, turning around and focusing on Minerva. She looked back at Ron and Harry, her eyes unreadable, and took her boyfriend's hand.

"What should I do?" She almost whispered, her voice the only thing betraying her panic.

His reply was simple, and left Minerva knowing Molly Weasley would be proud. "I think you should do whatever makes you happy." Hermione seemed to gaze intently at his freckles for a few seconds, coming to a decision.

Turning to her eldest friend, she asked in a small voice. "Will you bring them here?" Minerva sought her face for a reason, but when Hermione stepped back to hold Ronald's hand again she understood. She wanted to be surrounded by friends should she need them. Nodding briskly, Minerva turned and apparated back to the Grangers, silently praying they wouldn't object to this arrangement.

~~~/~~~

Minerva straightened once she arrived in the house, eager to bring the Granger back to Hogwarts as quickly as possible. Luckily, they were waiting for her. She found Mrs Granger on the settee, tapping a coffee table anxiously. "Hello." She blurted when Minerva came into view. "Where's Hermione?" Came immediately afterwards.

Feeling very out of place, Minerva looked for Mr Granger, who appeared holding a tray of tea, and muttered her answer. She shrewdly examined them for any signs of anger or residue hostility towards her friend.

"Oh. So, do we um…. Apparate to Hogwarts?" Mr Granger asked, clearly a little crushed his daughter had chosen to stay at Hogwarts. McGonagall nodded stiffly, and held out her arm.

"I will need you to hold my arm tightly, and be prepared as the sensation is quite strange." She said shortly, still unsure whether or not the day would end as badly as she had feared.

~~~/~~~

The level of awkwardness was tangible in the air when they arrived back in Minerva's quarters, and Hermione squirmed again when she saw her parents, rather unprepared for the rush of guilt their presence brought. She almost wanted to call Ron, Harry and Minerva back as they excused themselves, but instead sat on the chair and tried to smile. "Would you like a cup of tea?" She asked, well aware that she was stalling. Unfortunately both her parents shook their heads. Her façade dropped and she looked at the floor, unsure where exactly she should begin explaining herself.

"We have the Christmas decorations out again, you know, the ones your grandmother brought us after your first year away." Her mother said. Hermione winced, thinking of how close they used to be. "We… even have a room set up for you, you know; that is, if you want to come home." Her mother's voice was timid, and Hermione's heart broke again.

"Of course I do." She said simply. A moment passed.

It stretched longer than a history lesson.

"…Why did you leave us, Hermione?" Her dad's usual cheery nature had disappeared too, and Hermione wished she was anywhere else.

"I wanted… I wanted to keep you safe, and I didn't want the heartbreak of having to say goodbye." She looked up to see tears in both their eyes.

"Do you not think we may have wanted to know what was happening? We don't even know why Hermione," she winced. "We visited the old house – it's been blown up. I don't suppose you –"

"I saved some of the pictures; I think they're in a photo album in my trunk." She lied; she'd kept all of them, hidden safely in a compartment in her trunk, something she took everywhere. Her mother opened her mouth to question further, and Hermione elaborated on reflex. "Everything not concerning me I assume you either sold or transported to Australia. My things… I had to sell." Her father frowned, tilting his head. "I've been… hiding. On the run, from this dark wizard, do you remember Voldemort?" They nodded slowly. "Well, he persecutes mug – I mean, non-magical people, and Harry is sort of his arch enemy. I had to go help Harry defeat him." She smiled wryly. "You know what the boys are like without me." No one smiled, and she coughed awkwardly. "So because I knew what we'd be doing, I knew you'd be in danger too. They'd come looking for you to find me. I had to keep you safe and this was the best I could do." She stopped. "Well that's all of it, very much condensed." Her shoulders hunched as she waited for them to speak again.

"I guess we have a lot to talk about, Hermione." Her mother finally said, drawing herself up. "We just called, because we'd hoped you'd spend Christmas with your family." Mr Granger moved to stand behind his wife.

"We probably need to catch up, sort some things out." Hermione's face fell, and Mr Granger nervously rushed the rest out. "Hermione, I know we have a lot unsaid, but you're our daughter and we'll always love you. Please." Realising she'd frozen, Hermione nodded shakily and felt tears coming to her eyes.

"I-I thought…" She felt terrible all of a sudden. "Okay then." She produced a watery smile, and made her mother tut.

"Hermione even after all this, you can still take a hug from your mother." She declared, opening her arms readily. Hermione hiccupped, and again smiled, before being brought into a warm hug by her mother. Slowly, tears started to make their way down her face. "I've been crying too much lately." She commented dryly. Her mother laughed.

"It's never a bad thing to show your emotions dear." She said, and her husband interrupted her guiltily.

"Hermione, uh… do you need to pack? I mean, you can come back and finish the year after this, we wouldn't expect you not to; but you are saying for the whole of Christmas?" Hermione smiled, her eyes watery as she realised this was the first Christmas in years she'd be spending with her parents. Too long, in hindsight. Her father coughed, bringing her out of her thoughts, and Hermione blinked.

"Oh, yes well, I'd better go tell Minerva." As she walked out of the room, her stomach dropped a little as she realised that today would be the last day she spent in her head of house's quarters. In truth, she had come to greatly enjoy the elder woman's almost constant presence, and would miss it dearly as the days went by. It would almost be like missing Harry and Ron, as they went back to auror school.

Still, she loved her parents, and owed it to them to try and fix their rather neglected relationship, Minerva there or not. Even so she found herself smiling falsely as she told Minerva the news, sort of sad when Minerva remained smiling. "Do you need any help packing?" She asked and Hermione nodded, stopping first to say goodbye to her boys, telling them she would definitely see them on Christmas day if she could arrange it.

"Call us if you need to." Harry said as he hugged her and left with Ron.

Hermione called in on her parents, telling them she'd be back in a moment, asking a quick question, and then left with Minerva to pack.

"Well, I suppose I'd better send your school things back to your dormitory." Minerva finally said to break the silence in the room. "Are you alright Hermione?" She finally asked. "You don't seem as… happy as I thought you'd be."

Silently packing away her clothes, Hermione deliberated on her answer. She certainly didn't want to become too sappy over the course of the evening, nor did she want Minerva to think she wouldn't miss her.

"I am happy." She finally replied, lacking lustre. "But, I think I'm probably going to miss your library, the cooking and the chess." Minerva quirked an eyebrow.

"Lovely to know you shan't be missing me." She replied dryly, laughing as Hermione turned red.

"Well of course I'm going to! I just didn't want to get overemotional or anything. After all, I am coming back to school, and I certainly don't think this is the last time I'll see you." She said, avoiding eye contact by scribbling on a piece of paper. "And I certainly wasn't looking forward to spending Christmas with every one – after all this is my own family, and I should be comfortable with them shouldn't I?" She laughed breezily.

Minerva stopped, cottoning on to why Hermione was so docile. She grabbed the girl by the shoulders and made her stop. "It will be fine. You don't need to worry Hermione, you've faced Voldemort! I doubt this will be anywhere near as hard, and tomorrow you shall laugh and wonder why on Earth you were so worried." She smiled sadly. "Besides, if anything ever does go wrong, and you have nowhere to go, I will always be there for you, along with Harry and Ronald, or even Molly." Hermione looked sheepish. "Oh, come here!" Minerva said, bringing her in for a hug. "I've given you far too many hugs over this week." She joked.

"One can never have too many hugs." Hermione replied, her voice muffled through Minerva's robes. Rolling her eyes, the elder woman finished helping her closest friend pack, and escorted her back to her parents, who were sitting nervously in her living room.

"Well then, Hermione… have a good Christmas, I wish you and your family all the best of luck." Minerva smiled, still feeling very false. "I'll inform the conductor that you shall be returning on the express." She stopped, waning to say more but unable to think of anything. "Well, let's get going shall we?" She said, gesturing for the Grangers to each grab onto her arm.

The next thing she knew, they were again in the apartment's kitchen, staring stupidly at the tiled walls. Unable to think of an excuse to stay, and not wanting to seem like she was dawdling, the headmistress of Hogwarts briskly turned to her once again student and said goodbye, only to be grabbed at the last minute.

"…Don't be a stranger, Minerva." Hermione said, looking up at her with pleading eyes. "I mean, I made a new friend during my stay, and well, I'd like to keep in touch. Yeah? Thank you, for everything. I… hope we'll still have tea once in a while?" She sad bashfully, expecting the professional Minerva to make an appearance and declare her proposal unorthodox. Instead she was delightfully surprised as Minerva grabbed her hand, and squeezed it softly before whispering.

"I would like that very much. See you soon, Hermione, and I wish you the best of luck." Before dropping her hand and apparating on the spot.

~~~/~~~

Back in her quarters, the whole place seemed rather empty with the spare room. Of course Minerva was aware she'd become used to it again, but she'd rather the company now. Dining in the great hall was never as fun and she conversation never nearly as stimulating. Deciding to retire early, Minerva went to her room, to find a small wrapped gift on her drawers, accompanied with a note.

A small thank you for all the help you've offered me. It doesn't even begin to cover how much it's meant to me.

-Hermione

Smiling reminiscently, she wondered what on earth the girl had bought her, and moved to unwrap the present. But she was shocked when the gift zoomed out of her grasp and new writing appeared underneath the note.

Presents are meant to be opened on Christmas Day, not before!

She laughed and continued reading. 'She knows me too well…'

I do hope you'll stop by on Christmas Day, it would be a shame not to seeeveryoneI care about.

- Hermione x

Smiling at the invitation, and the small incentive to come, Minerva rubbed her forehead, wondering how on Earth she was going to convince Filius to cover for her, at least for an hour, on Christmas day.

I hope the Granger's reactions were realistic. This was a pain to write as my 's' and 't' buttons are breaking, see how much effort I put in for you guys? ;P
Now, I'd like you to leave a REVIEW telling me what you liked/what you didn't. HOW ELSE WLL I IMPROVE?! Thanks :D