This is a sweet followup fic to "The Eye of the Storm". I posted that one AGES ago, so if you have not read it, or it's been awhile, find it on my profile and run through it again before reading this, or this wont make much sense. HAPPY SEPTEMBER THE FIRST GUYS!

Minerva McGonagall let out a ragged breath as the sound of wands firing off began to dim, and finally, cease altogether. It was over. The battle, and as such, the war. She'd seen Harry fell Voldemort about half hour prior, at which point the fighting had begun again in earnest, many a Death Eater anxious to avenge their Lord's demise. Now, despite being outnumbered at least three to one, the Order was still standing and every agent of Voldemort was dead, dying, captured, or had fled the scene.

The Scottish woman was not fool enough to believe there was not going to be a second batch of casualties on their side. She'd already heard that young Lavender Brown had not survived her injuries, though Poppy hadn't had much hope of her making it when the Gryffindor was found during the respite Voldemort had given them less than two hours ago.

Two hours… it seemed like much longer. Minerva's mind drifted to what she'd done, and with whom, during the eye of the storm. A part of her was scared to even move toward the remains of the Great Hall, where the survivors were now gathering. She was afraid that she would not find Hermione Granger there; terrified that the promise of something beautiful between them would be cut short if hers was one of the young lives snuffed out this night.

Her Gryffindor bravery took hold as she forced another deep breath, and stepped over rubble and bodies to the half open door that she'd walked through a thousand times before. It had never looked foreboding in size before, though it did now. Still, Minerva pressed forward, smiling at Filius and Pomona as she passed them, not daring to ask if they'd seen Hermione. Whatever the young woman's fate, Minerva needed to find out for herself.

Then there she was. Pale and dirty and looking a little worse for wear, but she was alive. "Hermione," she called softly once she was close enough to be heard without making a scene of her interest.

The younger witch whipped around, and seconds later launched into her mentor's arms. "You're safe!" she whispered against Minerva's neck. "Thank Merlin."

Minerva's arms held tightly around her protege, for once completely unconcerned about how it might look. Besides, if anyone guessed this was an embrace of lovers, they'd be right and the older witch was not about to lie and say otherwise. If she and Hermione had something worth pursuing, she wasn't about to suggest they do it in secret. Hermione deserved more than that.

"I don't think I've ever been so happy to see anyone alive and well," she murmured.

They pulled apart a minute later, and with a shy grin, Hermione suggested they go find somewhere to sneak a fag together. "Since when did you smoke, anyway?" Minerva wanted to know.

"Just this year. I'll probably quit, or at least cut down to it only being an occasional thing," Hermione explained. "But it was a nice stress release while we were on the run. Of course, if I'd known you were so good at destressing me, I'd have brought you along rather than the smokes."

Minerva laughed. "Or you might have just stayed in school like you were supposed to."

"The boys would never have survived without me," the younger woman scoffed.

"Well, I suppose I should be glad for our mutual bad habit," Minerva mused. "If not for that…"

Having found themselves back in the secluded corner where they'd met hours before, Hermione leaned forward and pressed her lips to Minerva's. "I know it's only been a few hours, but I missed your lips," she excused herself.

Minerva initiated another kiss. "I certainly don't mind. If I wasn't so exhausted from the battle, I'd be taking you back down to my quarters."

Hermione smiled. "How about we plan an actual date, instead? If you meant what you said… wanting to see where this might go."

"I meant it, I assure you," Minerva insisted. "But for the sake of being sure - I'm not interested in a fling, my dear - I'd like you to take a week or two to really think about it. If we're going to be together, I'm not going to hide you away like some dirty little secret. I need you to be sure you're prepared to face the consequences of seeing me. There are some who will not approve. I'm not even sure Misters Potter and Weasley will be understanding."

Hermione nodded. "If you insist, though I'm already pretty sure I want to be with you. I'm not interested in a fling, either. Just because I'm young… please don't think I'm fickle or flighty."

"Perish the thought!" Minerva laughed. "I'd never think that of you, but I do know that I'm not the only one expressing interest in you right now. I recall witnessing a kiss between yourself and Ronald just before the battle began. He can give you a life, family… children."

"So could you," Hermione countered.

"Perhaps, but it would never be normal."

"Like I've ever been normal."

"Fair point," Minerva smiled. "Though I still want you to take time to think on it."

"If you insist," the younger woman sighed with a pout.

Minerva couldn't really say she was surprised when two weeks later to the day, Hermione came to her quarters and greeted her with a kiss. "I want you," she breathed against the older witch's neck. "I'm even more sure now than I was two weeks ago."

"And are you prepared to face up to people who may not approve?" the older woman asked carefully. She hated to put that kind of pressure on Hermione, but at the same time, she was not willing to sneak about like an adolescent.

Hermione shrugged. "I'm not saying it'll be easy, but I'm willing. I've already told Ron that someone else has caught my eye. He wasn't thrilled, but this last year… matured him. He says that whatever, or whomever, makes me happy would be okay with him."

"What about Harry?"

"I'm meeting him, and Ron, at the Three Broomsticks in about an hour," Hermione replied. "I was wondering if you might come with me."

Minerva paused to think, and then nodded. "If you don't mind stopping on route to tell Filius and Pomona, then yes. I don't want either of them to find out about us second hand, and if we're going to be in Hogsmeade together, well… word travels fast at Hogwarts. Even when school isn't in session."

Hermione chuckled. "Sure. Lead the way!"

The two women walked side by side toward the Charms corridor, where Filius and Pomona's quarters were located. Minerva took a deep breath, and knocked on the door. Like Hermione had with Ronald, Minerva had forewarned her deputy that there was a person with whom she was considering getting involved romantically. While Hermione had warned Ron because of the young man's interest in her, Minerva had warned Filius because, as her Deputy, should the fallout be too bad, she was prepared to chose Hermione over the Headship. Maybe that sounded rash, so early in the relationship, but it wasn't, really. She'd known Hermione for seven years. She knew exactly what kind of woman the younger witch was, and she knew that if they were both willing to face the music that came with an odd coupling, they'd work out in the long run, and it would be wonderful. That was exactly why she wanted to be open about them from the beginning - if they're friends were supportive, the rest would be easy.

The door opened with a creak and Filius smiled at Minerva. His smile faltered slightly when he saw Hermione standing beside her, though a moment later he shook his head with a wry grin. "Well, Minerva, your warning makes perfect sense now. Hello, Hermione. Won't you both come in?"

The two women nodded, and entered the Charms Professor's quarters. His wife, Pomona Sprout, was heard from another room. "Filius, dear, who is it?"

"Minerva," Filius replied. "She's brought someone with her for us to officially meet."

Pomona squealed, and the sounds of pots and pans being put down on the counter could be heard. "It's about bloody time, Min!" she said, footsteps drawing closer. "You're long past due for settling down with a nice…"

Her jaw dropped when she came around the corner and saw the young woman who had recently been a student of theirs, smiling softly and holding Minerva's hand. "Pomona, I believe you know Hermione," Minerva said.

"But… she's a… she..." Pomona stuttered.

"Aye," the Scottish woman agreed. "Come now, 'Mona, it's not as if you've never known me to be with a woman."

"But that was decades ago!"

"And?"

Pomona shook her head, and then looked between Minerva and Hermione again. "How did this even happen?"

"I was wondering when," Filius commented. "Forgive me, but it's not as if you've been around each other much for the last year, and before that… well…"

Hermione jumped to defend Minerva. "Nothing happened between us prior to the night of the Battle, two weeks ago. This is all very new, but we don't want to start our relationship with sneaking around. Everyone else we know is open about who they are dating, so why shouldn't we?"

Both Professors nodded. "Very true," Pomona replied. "And as I said, it's about time Minerva found someone special. I suppose it's appropriate that it would be you, Hermione. I'm fairly certain you'd have been a fixture at Hogwarts yourself before long. Say, Minerva, she could take the Transfiguration post in September!"

Hermione grinned. "I was intending to apply. I took the level one mastery exam at the Ministry a week ago. Regardless of what's between Minerva and I… I really want to work at Hogwarts."

The pair visited with Filius and Pomona for another half hour before it was time to head down to Hogsmeade to meet Harry and Ronald. Minerva found herself almost overwhelmed at the emotions rolling through herself at the moment. Deep affection for Hermione. Appreciation for Filius and Pomona's support. Excitement at the prospect of working side by side with Hermione. And anxious about Harry and Ronald's reactions to their relationship. She knew that while a lack of support from others might hurt, it would devastate Hermione if the boys could not cope with her choice of romantic partners.

They didn't have to wait long for a reaction from them, as the moment they walked in the door and were spotted by Ronald, he connected the dots. "Oh, bloody hell! Really, 'Mione? REALLY?"

Hermione took a deep breath and nodded. "Really."

"Oh, hi Professor McGonagall," Harry greeted, coming back from the bar with a drink in hand. "What brings you to Hogsmeade?"

Ronald huffed, and pointed at their friend's hand, which was still being held by their former Professor. Harry stared, then looked up at Hermione, and then over at Minerva, and then back down to their joined hands. "Huh," he finally let out. "Looks like I owe Madam Pomfrey fifty galleons."

"Excuse me?" Minerva asked, confused.

Harry shrugged. "Me and Madam Pomfrey had a bet going. How long it would take you guys to hook up. She thought it would happen within two or three months of the end of the war. I didn't think it would happen till six to nine months after Hermione started teaching."

Hermione frowned. "It's not like I've had a long standing crush on Minerva. What on earth would possess you and Poppy to make a bet on the two of us getting together?"

Ron answered that. "Maybe you guys didn't admit it to yourselves, but there was something always there. The way you guys would look at each other… like no one else was in the room. It got really noticeable after the Yule Ball. My bet was you'd hook up only if and when one of you was seriously hurt. Well, hurt again. Because seriously Professor, you should have seen Hermione's face when Umbridge and her gang got you with those stunners back at the end of fifth year. Thought she was going to jump off the bloody tower to get to you."

Hermione blushed. "I was worried."

"With good reason," Harry replied. "Anyway, impending wealth of Madam Pomfrey aside, how about we get some drinks and you guys can tell us all about how Hermione's going to start teaching, and you guys are going to live in the magical castle happily ever after?"

Much to Minerva's surprise, it really was that simple. Of course, there were people who didn't approve, but it was few enough that it didn't really impact either Minerva or Hermione's lives in the long haul. She remained Headmistress. Hermione took the Transfiguration post. They lived together and fell in love and were dubbed the romance of the century by the Daily Prophet.

Two years after the war they married, and eight years later they welcomed a daughter named Ella into their lives. When their little girl was eleven the two women stood with her at King's Cross station on September the first, getting her on the train to Hogwarts. Of course, the family lived there all the time, but Ella had wanted to ride the train with her fellow first years, and Minerva had agreed it was part of the experience.

"You alright, love?" Hermione asked her wife as they watched the train roll down the tracks and out of sight.

Minerva nodded, offering a small smile. "Did I ever tell you that I was here the day you got on this train for the first time?"

Hermione's eyes widened. "No…"

The older witch smiled. "I was on the detail to make sure Harry actually made it to the train, but I was early, and saw you arriving… one of the first students to get on the train. You didn't even look back at your parents. You were so ready to jump into the wizarding world."

The brunette nodded. "I was."

"Any regrets?"

Hermione stood on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to her wife's lips. "Not a single moment, my love."

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