Disclaimer: I seriously own nothing. Duh.
A/N: so with the pairing I picked this time for QL, I knew this is the moment I wanted to write about, and I like how it turned out so I hope you do too :) These stolen moments really bring me a lot of joy. i think i fleshed out their relationship just enough, but i'd love some critique. if you think it should be longer, let me know and i'll go back in after the fic is judged by various comp makers! written for:
cinema comp ii: back to the future: write about a time turner; social media comp: facebook-like: write a romance, family, or friendship fic; qlS4R7: catapults' beater 1: write a fic with the platonic or romantic pairing McGonagall/Hermione (SS Intelligence), optional prompts: 7. tremble, 14. "This isn't safe...or legal for that matter.", 15. scarf;
Sweets
Hermione Granger reached into her pocket to finger the note she had received that day and then smoothed down her robes. She had actively sought out Professor McGonagall many times after class, but she had never summoned Hermione to her office. Hermione had fifteen minutes before their meeting time, but she had made it to the office fifteen minutes ago and had since taken to wandering the floor. She just couldn't help her nerves, and she trembled as she passed McGonagall's door again (certainly not from the early spring air).
What if Professor McGonagall had somehow been observing Hermione—all the research she was doing—and disapproved? What if Myrtle had blabbed about the Polyjuice Potion? What if her fellow students had said something about poking her nose into other people's business? That last one really shouldn't be a concern, but her mind was taking her to all sorts of irrational conclusions; she hated when her brain reached that point.
Even without her research into the Chamber of Secrets looming above her head, Hermione tried to reason, she would be nervous anyway. Professor McGonagall passionately taught an interesting subject, and demanded hard work and excellence, earning Hermione's respect or admiration more than any other professor. With this slightly more positive outlook in hand and the firm opinion that it was never wrong to be early, she stopped at McGonagall's door on her next loop around the floor and knocked.
"Come in."
The first thing Hermione noticed was behind McGonagall, whose head was bent over parchment; it was a familiar scarf thrown over the back of the chair. She felt her lips curve up into a smile. McGonagall was rarely partial in class, but Hermione knew that the Professor couldn't help her Gryffindor pride.
"Ah, Miss Granger. Just a moment," McGonagall said, looking up quickly and then resuming her writing. There were various awards that hung from the walls, an enormous collection of books, two Gryffindor-red chairs, and a well-treated broomstick sat next to a frame and leaned up against the . The desk was kept neat, with strategically placed writing materials and just one item that gave Hermione pause—a bowl filled with a familiar Muggle sweet. Hermione was quite sure she hadn't seen it anywhere else in the Wizarding world.
"Hello. You look rather happy today," said McGonagall finally, folding the parchment and moving it aside.
"Just admiring your scarf."
McGonagall smiled slightly. "Have a seat." Hermione did as she was told, once again eying the peculiar bowl of sweets. "Would you like one?" There was just the slightest hint of amusement in her voice.
Hermione found herself taken back by surprise as her face grew warm. "Oh—oh, thanks. Yes, please." She helped herself and made to pocket the candy, but McGonagall interrupted.
"You can have it now. You'll be listening to me for the next few minutes."
"Oh. Thank you." Hermione unwrapped the sweet and popped it into her mouth as she gave McGonagall her utmost attention.
"Miss Granger, recently you requested your electives for the coming year." Hermione paused, thinking as relief came over her. What could this be about? She thought to take all the electives was the right decision for her future, and quite honestly expected her professors to be impressed. "I know you to be an enthusiastic and dedicated student, so it would not have surprised me if you had chosen to request more than the two required electives. However, I was shocked to see that you had signed up for all of them. That has not been attempted in a very long time, and because of this, the schedule was rearranged many years ago to overlap electives that were popular amongst different crowds of students. Herein lies the problem. You simply do not have the time."
"But—I've no idea what I'd like to focus in! I need these options. And all of the subjects seem so interesting. I've already planned out my studying with the extra classes. I've already—" Hermione paused when McGonagall held up her hand.
"I have incredible faith in you as a student, Miss Granger. There is no doubt in my mind that you could handle this hefty workload. However, we cannot rearrange the entire timetable for the sake of one student. Really, your only option is to look closer into the subjects and choose two that you wouldn't like to take. Although…" she stopped and thought for a moment. "There is the possibility that there might be something else we can do. It has never been attempted in the past, but seeing what you have done for the school and your model student nature, they might make an exception."
Hermione's curiosity was peaked. "What is it, Professor?"
"This isn't safe… or legal for that matter. It would require your absolute cooperation, and there would be a lot of rules. I know you are capable of handling responsibility, but the conditions would be strict and it would make life rather difficult. Of course, all of that occurs if they allow it." McGonagall took a deep breath. "I could speak to Professor Dumbledore about writing to the Ministry and asking for a time turner on your behalf. You could use it to rewind time for those overlapping class periods."
Hermione inhaled a sharp breath. "I've read about those."
McGonagall gave another half-smile. "I had assumed so. You wouldn't be allowed to tell anyone. You could use it only for attending missed classes. There would be no additional time for homework or studying. You can never be seen. There are just so many things to worry about—"
"I can do it." Hermione had already made up her mind while her heart raced. This was an incredible opportunity. The risks were worth it. "I know I can. Please—Professor, you have no idea how much this would mean to me." Hermione didn't know why, but she suddenly felt very flustered. This just had to work. Professor McGonagall's eyes widened slightly.
"Hermione, listen carefully. Whether or not you are granted this time turner, it does nothing to diminish you, your academic excellence, or your character. You are a respectful, passionate student—one that every professor enjoys teaching. You do not have to do everything that you can to somehow prove yourself. Your work speaks for itself. Excellent students apply themselves simply because they appreciate learning everything that they can, and that is exactly what you are best at."
Hermione felt herself go pink at the comments, giving a tentative smile. "Thank you, Professor."
"The praise is earned."
There were a few moments of silence that followed, and Hermione found her eyes travelling back to the bowl of sweets. "Are you feeling homesick?" McGonagall's tone of voice hadn't changed with the more personal topic, but she tried not to show her surprise. There was no harm in discussing something like this, and she quite liked Professor McGonagall.
"Only a little bit. Just with Easter last week, and the end of the school year coming up I'm getting more excited to see them, and I find myself wishing for home more often than not. But then I feel a little guilty…after all, they love my magic and love that I'm here, and I love it here, too. They're so proud of me, but it would be nice if I could share more with them. If they could be here. I know it sounds silly…" she drifted off, feeling rather foolish. Obviously, her parents couldn't come to school with her.
But McGonagall gave a soft smile, and wasn't looking at Hermione as if she was silly. "I understand. It is difficult." That was all McGonagall said for a moment, and then she reached and brought the frame from the window ledge. Hermione looked carefully at two photographs in the frame; only one moved. The still photo was of a family of five, by the looks of it (parents with a daughter and two younger boys), standing in front of a church. The picture was faded and uncolored, but Hermione swore she could see McGonagall in the daughter, young and joyful with a long plait of black hair and an arm around each of her brothers. McGonagall's parents hugged their kids and each other, behind the children. The second photo was much more recent, but McGonagall's hair was still a rich black, and she had her arms around a group of young children. Grown men who had to be her brothers stood close, each with a wife. "This is my family," she said simply.
Hermione found herself silent, and she swallowed. "They seem lovely." She flicked her eyes around quickly, searching for words. "Do they love to fly too?"
"My brothers do. And their children, all grown now. Merlin, time just slips away. My Dad was a Muggle."
"I think my parents would faint if they saw me fly a broom," said Hermione honestly before thinking, and McGonagall chuckled.
"My Dad almost fainted more times than he would ever admit." Hermione laughed. She saw McGonagall look at the picture fondly, and suddenly felt as if she was invading something private, and looked away.
"Thank you," Hermione said, though she couldn't say for what. Thankfully, Professor McGonagall understood.
"Thank you, too. And feel free to take a sweet on the way out."
Hermione stood, took her sweet with a smile, and made her way back to Gryffindor tower, feeling much lighter than she had moments ago.