A/N: This was just a random idea I came up with, about Harry, Minerva and Hermione. It not a romance, yet. I planned it to be a one-shot, but I have chosen to add on to it as I feel there is the possibility of a story here.

IMPORTANT: I am re-writing this story, as there were some details that contradicted themselves, as was pointed out by Winter Garnet, (thanks, by the way!) So, hopefully this time around this story is better. If not, well, let me know, and I'll revise it again.

The revisions in this chapter are just grammar, sentence structure and such, and it's not necessary towards the plot to re-read this chapter. Chapter two may be re-posted this weekend.

Also, I apologize deeply to those of you who were in the middle of reading this when I deleted it to revise. I wasn't even thinking about that. Sorry tonksremus2332!

Warnings: OOC

Disclaimer: Not mine.

Chapter 1 Secrets

Harry Potter stood beside Dumbledore's desk. He looked around the office and sighed, carefully picking up Tom Riddle's diary and the ring, turning them over in his hands. He set them back down and turned to leave.

Standing in the doorway was none other than Professor McGonagall, the deputy, no headmistress, Harry mentally corrected himself. Harry fixed his gaze on the floor hoping she wouldn't see his eyes shining with tears. He glanced up quickly at his stern head of house noting the absence of tears in her eyes and told himself, I will not cry. When Professor McGonagall spoke it was in the same tone of voice she used when teaching and her face displayed no emotion.

"Potter, in light of what has happened, if you should have the need to talk to someone… Professor Dumbledore, you meant a great deal to him. I am here if you should wish to talk."

"Yes Professor, thank you," he said fighting to keep his voice steady and free of the pain inside of him. She stepped aside and he walked out of the office.

"Professor, I offer the same to you," Harry said, looking away as he felt tears fall in down his cheeks. He began to descend from the office when he heard her voice from behind him.

"Thank you Harry." His professor's voice was noticeably less stern and much quieter. Could it be, he wondered, that she was about to cry?

Harry returned to the Gryffindor common room where he sat with Ron and Hermione staring at the fire, crying, until dinner. The trio made its way to the Great Hall and as they sat down Harry's eyes swept over the staff table. Of the staff that were present, only Professor McGonagall's face was unstained by tears. There was no signature of a glamour charm around her. The others hadn't even bothered to cast a glamour charm on themselves. Not that it mattered. The rest of the hall looked about the same, and aside from Harry, no one was looking around. They all focused on their food. The only sound was the sound of clinking silverware and sniffling.

By the end of dinner, several students had simply gotten up and walked out unable to bear it any longer. When the last of the food disappeared, Professor McGonagall stood. She was at her usual place, leaving the headmaster's chair empty. When she spoke there was no need to call for silence; she had the undivided attention of every student in the hall.

"There will be a funeral for Professor Dumbledore the day before the end of term," she said. "You may go." There was none of the usual chatter as the students filed from the hall and back to their common rooms.

Harry, Ron and Hermione reclaimed the seats they had previously occupied, and resumed staring into the fire with tears falling from their eyes. Ron put his hand on Hermione's shoulder. They stayed that way for quite a while, until a tapping sound caused them all to look up. They were the only ones in the common room and there was a brown owl tapping at the window. Harry got up and let it in, untying the note from its leg. The owl left and Harry looked at the clock as he crossed the room to rejoin his friends. It was barely even seven-thirty. It seemed that everyone else in Gryffindor had decided that sleeping was easier than sitting with classmates grieving.

The empty common room made it seem like much later than seven-thirty. Harry sat down and took his time opening the note. He already knew who it was from. He would recognize her handwriting anywhere. After all, it had been her writing and signature on the letter that had saved him from living the rest of his life with the Dursleys. He opened the note and read it. And reread it, not quite believing it the first time.

Harry,

As you may know I am not the cold hearted statue that I appear to be, and am in fact human. (Yes Potter, I am human.) I believe it would be beneficial to both of us if you met me in my office at quarter to eight to discuss recent matters.

–Professor McGonagall

Harry briefly wondered if someone had kidnapped the real McGonagall and whoever wrote the note was an imposter, but dismissed the idea quickly. One could certainly understand his shock, however, because not only had she addressed him by his first name, but she had admitted that she needed to talk about what had happened, used actual sarcasm, and managed to pull it all off in a way that was completely Minerva McGonagall.

After deciding that it was in fact the real Professor McGonagall who wrote the note, Harry informed Ron and Hermione that he was going for a walk. Ron went to bed, and Hermione settled down to reread Hogwarts: A History for the trillionth time. Harry climbed out of the portrait hole and checked his watch. He had five minutes to get to Professor McGonagall's office on time. Figuring no one would care, he started to run arriving a minute early and using that time to catch his breath. Then he knocked.

"Come in," came Professor McGonagall's voice, strict and proper as always. When Harry closed the door, McGonagall looked up.

"Good evening Potter, would you like some tea?"

"Yes, thank you Professor, and please just call me Harry." McGonagall summoned a house elf to bring tea and transfigured two comfortable chairs, handing him a cup of tea.

"Harry you meant a great deal to Professor Dumbledore. He wanted you to know that."

"Erm, yes," Harry said, doing his best to mask his discomfort with the praise, and failing miserably. "Professor?"

"Yes Harry?"

"Are you… are you okay? He was one of your best friends, wasn't he?"

"Yes he was," she said looking away. Harry feigned sudden interest in his sneakers to allow her time to compose herself.

"Yes, I'm fine. More importantly, what about you Harry? It has come as such a shock…" she trailed off.

"I think, I think with time I'll be alright. He- he told me when we left that he might not come back alive. He made me swear to save myself if it came to that. But I didn't really think… I always thought he was immortal. Like, I knew he wasn't, but it seemed like… it seemed like he wouldn't…"

"I know how you feel Potter," she said. "Where did you go? He left the school and didn't even tell me he was going, let alone where!" she said, her voice rising with anger and sadness. She had slipped back into using his surname as well. She silenced herself upon realizing exactly what she sounded like.

"I'm sorry Professor, but I can't tell you. And it's okay if you need to…" What was he supposed to say now? Cry. Talk. "You're only human Professor, and I promise I won't think any less of you." Eventually he stood up to leave.

"Are you sure you're alright Professor?"

"I'm fine Potter. I ought to be asking you the same question."

"I'll be fine. Good night Professor," Harry said, and he let himself out of her office knowing that she was lying. Then again, he knew that she had seen through his lie as well. The only difference between their lies was that she said 'I am' and he said 'I will be." Just as he closed the door he heard her footsteps coming closer. Knowing he either had to run for the tower or wait until she had gone to her private rooms, he chose the latter. He ducked behind a suit of armor, catching a glimpse of her when she walked past. She was crying. And obviously it was something he wasn't meant to see.

Harry returned to Gryffindor tower to find Hermione still immersed in Hogwarts: A History. She looked up when the portrait swung open and said,

"Where were you Harry? There are only ten minutes left until curfew. I was getting worried."

"Listen, Hermione, I went to- to his office earlier and McGonagall was there and she said if I needed to talk… and I offered the same to her, and that owl, it was from her. I didn't want you or Ron to find out, but 'Mione, I don't know what to do. We talked and she kept insisting that she was fine, but it's obvious that she's not, and when I left she went to her rooms and I saw her crying. 'Mione, I don't know what to do, and it's obvious she doesn't trust me or she wouldn't have waited 'till I left to cry, ya know?"

"Harry, she's just as fine as you are."

"'Mione, that's it, I'm not fine," Harry exclaimed, with mild irritation. He was, after all, stating the obvious.

"None of us are Harry. Please tell me you didn't just leave her," she watched him frown. "You did, didn't you?" He nodded. "Oh, Harry, we can't just leave her alone. She's taken care of us for the past six years and we should return the favor, even if it's only for one night." Here we go again, Hermione trying to help, Harry thought, although, he did agree with her. Not that he'd ever admit that…

"She and Dumbledore were really close Harry, there were even rumors that they were, you know, together," Hermione said, whispering the last bit as if it was a secret when really it was a random piece of gossip that had been floating around the school since Dumbledore hired McGonagall. "She shouldn't be alone."

"Suppose you're right 'Mione," Harry said, sighing.

"Well, come on then," she said, grabbing him by the wrist and dragging him through the portrait hole.

"Two minutes 'till curfew, you won't get far," the fat lady called out after them, but they continued racing down the corridor. Luckily they didn't have to go far as Professor McGonagall's rooms weren't far from the tower. They reached the portrait that guarded her rooms undetected. Then again, it wasn't as if the remaining staff members were really in any condition to patrol the corridors. They took a few minutes to catch their breath, and when Hermione regained the ability to speak, she let Harry, and the rest of the castle, know.

"Oh crap. What was I thinking?" she exclaimed.

"'Mione?"

"We don't know the password."

"Oh," Harry said. Damn. "Take a guess." Hermione tried several different things to no effect. Then she stepped closer to the portrait and whispered something that Harry couldn't hear. The portrait swung open and Harry and Hermione entered Professor McGonagall's rooms. They crossed the sitting room and located her bedroom. A moment later, and a whispered, "What the hell are we doing?" from Hermione, she pushed the door open a tiny bit and peeked inside.

Hermione took off her shoes and transfigured her robes into pajamas and Harry did the same. Hermione pushed the door open a little bit further, and they both moved so they could see into the room. Their professor had her face buried in her pillow and was crying. Her shoulders shook with sobs and she looked absolutely miserable. Hermione appeared rooted to the spot, and Harry had no intention of moving. As the minutes passed, Hermione noticed the sudden lack of sound. Glancing sideways at Harry and then back at the witch on the bed, Hermione realized that their esteemed professor had cried herself to sleep. Alone. With one final, "What the hell are we doing?" Hermione stepped into their teacher's bedroom with Harry close behind. After that first step, Hermione didn't move any further. It was only when her professor began to toss and turn, clearly having a nightmare that Hermione crept forward and magically untangled her professor's sheets. Harry tiptoed into the room and stood on the other side of the bed, looking at the woman sleeping in the middle of it. She looked as miserable as he felt.

Looking rather uncomfortable, in Harry's opinion, Hermione climbed into the bed, settling herself next to her teacher so she was holding herself up with one hand. She waited for Harry to get in on the other side of McGonagall.

"I see what you mean Harry, she's not fine. Probably hasn't eaten all day," Hermione whispered to Harry. Then she lay down and took her professor's hand.

"Goodnight Minerva," she whispered and then fell asleep. The older woman's nightmares ceased when the two teenagers crawled into bed with her and she actually got a whole night's sleep.

The next morning Hermione woke when it was still dark to find that her professor had moved closer to her and was now curled up right next to Hermione, her arm around her. Hermione was still holding the older woman's hand. Hermione slipped her free hand around her professor's waist, and noticed Harry do the same. Then she drifted off again.

She woke up several hours later to the sun shining in on them. Laying still, so as not to disturb the two sleeping beside her, Hermione used the time to think about the upcoming war. She knew Harry wasn't coming back the next year and that she and Ron were going with him. She knew that she would have to wipe her parents' memories and send them away to protect them and she knew she would have to tell Ron she loved him like a brother not a boyfriend. Deciding it was far too early in the morning to think about such things, Hermione simply listened to the breathing of the two next to her, knowing that she wouldn't have an opportunity to rest as peacefully until Voldemort was dead.

Upon seeing the older woman move and sensing the change in her breathing that indicated that she was going to wake up, Hermione jabbed Harry in the ribs and carefully returned her hand to where it had been resting on the older woman's waist. Harry woke up and scowled, before remembering where he was. Then he continued to scowl.

Even though Dumbledore was dead, Harry and Hermione weren't crying anymore because crying wouldn't do them any good. They knew that they could do nothing to bring him back but only accept what had happened and bring Voldemort down. And Snape, if they had the chance.

Professor McGonagall chose that moment to wake up. Before opening her eyes, she gathered three pieces of information. One, she had slept far too late, two there was at least one other person in her bed and three, this person had their arm around her waist and was holding her hand. She opened her eyes.

"Good morning Minerva," said Hermione Granger. Normally Professor McGonagall would give Hermione detention for using her first name, however, at the moment it wasn't one of her main concerns, considering there was a student in her bed. She rolled over onto her back, forcing the arms wrapped around her waist to move away. She turned her head slightly to find that the student on the other side of her was Harry Potter.

"'Morning Professor," Harry said with a false cheeriness in his voice.

"Potter, Granger," she growled, "What the hell are you doing in my bed?"

"Remember Professor, last night?" Harry asked, in a tone of voice that could only be identified as the I-know-something-you-don't-know voice.

"Yeah, Minerva, we had no idea…" Hermione trailed off and proceeded to stroke her professor's hand with her fingers. Professor McGonagall, catching on, snarled,

"Potter, Granger, you know as well as I that nothing happened last night."

"Even though it so totally did," Harry muttered under his breath, effectively interrupting her. She gave him the glare she normally reserved for first years or Severus Snape, depending on which of the two was in the room, and continued to snarl,

"I went to sleep ALONE! How in the name of Merlin did you two get in here?"

Hermione glared at Harry, who dropped his act, seeing that it was only getting them closer to being murdered.

"Minerva, Harry came back to the common room and told me you were crying and I dragged him here, please don't be mad, I didn't think you should be alone," Hermione said as quickly as was humanly possible while trying not to cry. Professor McGonagall closed her eyes and took a deep breath ineffectively trying to calm herself.

"Miss Granger, I'm not really mad at you, I'm just upset by what happened," she said, choking on her words. It showed exactly how much she had been broken by this, because the witch they had known before that moment never would have admitted that.

"Professor, honestly it's okay if you cry," Harry told her. It was that and the fact that she knew she had to be strong for everyone as soon as she left her rooms that finally broke her down. Her anger with the two teens disappeared when the tears started flowing.

"He was my best friend," she said quietly and then let the tears flow. Hermione put her arms around her holding her tightly while Harry held her hand. To the two teens, it seemed like she cried forever, but they didn't complain, after all, they had done the same the previous day. Finally Professor McGonagall wiped her eyes and climbed out of the bed.

"Professor, were you and Dumbledore, you know, together?" Harry asked as he and Hermione got up.

"No, we weren't. He was gay," she said, her voice still sounding broken and hoarse. Harry got up and left the room to transfigure his pajamas into robes.

"And so am I," Professor McGonagall said, and it took Hermione a moment to realize what she had said. Hermione transfigured her pajamas back into robes and smoothed them out. She pulled her hair back with an elastic and stood in front of her professor, taking the older woman's hands in her own.

"Professor, I have one question."

"Yes Miss Granger? I have a question for you as well."
"You first."

"How did you get in here and why? And why did you call me by my first name?" The normal strictness was returning, as much as it could when Professor McGonagall was wearing a nightgown and her hair had completely fallen from its normal bun.

"I believe that would classify as three questions, however, I will answer them. We came because you have taken care of us for six years, and we thought we could return the favor at least once. I'm not a Gryffindor for nothing Professor, although I didn't even realize I had called you by your first name," Hermione said and sighed.

"And… the first question Miss Granger?"
"We- I guessed the password." This was clearly not the answer Professor McGonagall was expecting.

"You WHAT?" she shouted.

"Guessed your password, yes." Hermione waited a moment before continuing. "That is the source of my question Professor. You see, I was wondering why my name happens to be your password." Hermione looked at her Professor, who blushed and looked away.

"How'd you guess?"

"I've seen you looking at me. And I was getting desperate."

"Get. Out. Now," was the reply she got from an obviously furious and blushing Minerva McGonagall. Hermione didn't need telling twice, as she had realized that this was a touchy subject. She left the bedroom. Her Gryffindor courage was clearly already on vacation, because she knew she should stay and talk about it, but she didn't. She headed for the sitting room, grabbing Harry's arm and dragging him out of Professor McGonagall's quarters. Harry checked his watch; they had missed breakfast.

"How much of that conversation did you overhear?" Hermione snapped.

"Nothing," Harry replied, deciding that it wasn't a good time to announce that he had heard every word of it.

"Good, now let's get back to the common room before too many people notice that neither of us were in our dorms last night."

When they got to the common room, they realized that their plan wasn't going to work. They were greeted by a less than pleased Ron.

"Where were you last night?" Ron yelled at Harry, before he saw that Hermione was beside Harry. Their robes were slightly messed up, as was their hair. Well, Hermione's hair was, as Harry's messed up hair wasn't anything out of the ordinary.

"Oh, I see, you were off having fun and you left me here. Leave it to you Hermione, always choosing the famous one. Tell me, how was it?" Ron yelled.

"Ron, please, you have no idea… that wasn't what happened at all," Hermione said. "Ron, please listen to me…"

He couldn't possibly be more wrong, she thought. Boys.

A/N: Thanks to all who reviewed the first time around. Hopefully you'll stick with me this time too. After I revise, there will be new chapters to be expected by the end of the month at the very latest. If that becomes a lie, you have my permission to hunt me down and attack. Anyways, please review, and thanks for putting up with me!