I know I could have taken this further, but I thought it ended quite nicely as I have it, especially considering that when I started, it was only supposed to be a oneshot. Meanwhile, I'm working on both an update for Dueling and Black, as well as my MM/NL fic, Candid. Knowing me, you'll probably get oneshots in between. Anyway, I'm rambling. Here you go! Enjoy!
"Where the bloody hell have you been all night?" Ron Weasley asked his wife the moment she walked into their flat. "Just because the kids are both at Hogwarts now doesn't mean it's okay for you to just vanish like that. A note might have been nice, at least!"
"Actually, I was at Hogwarts as well," Hermione stated with a wistful smile.
The red haired man's face went blank. "Why?" he asked, perplexed. "Something wrong with the kids?"
"No, Rose and Hugo are fine." she replied, tone neutral. "I was having the best sex of my entire bloody life. With Minerva McGonagall."
Ron laughed outright, and eventually had to sit on the couch before he fell over. "Right, 'Mione. If you're gunna lie to me, you might want to tell me something I might actually believe."
Hermione folded her arms across her chest and frowned. "When have I ever lied to you, Ron?" she asked. "I was at Hogwarts last night. I did have sex with Minerva. I am very tired of playing second fiddle to Quidditch when it comes to you, among many other issues with our sad excuse of marriage, and so I've come back this morning to collect some of my things, after which I will be headed to the Ministry to file for divorce, and then I'll return to Hogwarts."
Her husband just stared at her for a total of about three minutes, before he found his tongue. "You're serious?"
"Yes."
"You want a divorce?" he asked.
"Yes."
"You've cheated on me?"
"I'm afraid so," she confirmed.
"You've had sex with McGonagall? As in the McGonagall, Headmistress of Hogwarts?"
"Yes, Ron."
"Oh my god," he breathed out.
"I'll just collect my things then," Hermione said, walking back to her office and retrieving her trusty beaded bag.
She hated to be so blunt with Ron, shocking him and all that, but she knew that even if she'd tried to approach him slowly, tactfully, he'd end up just losing his temper in frustration, and she'd end up bluntly telling him exactly how it was. So, to save the time, and save herself from his temper, she just decided to start with blunt. There would be no fight today - no, that would surely come later once he snapped out of the shock - and that was how she wanted it to be.
Hermione and Minerva had spoken this morning, and agreed that she would go tell Ron and file for divorce, and that the elder woman would inform her staff while she was gone. Later, they'd both sit down with Rose and Hugo and explain why their mother would be now residing in the castle.
As she packed, she idly wondered how things were going for Minerva…
Minerva fiddled with the hem on her sleeve, waiting for the remainder of her staff to arrive for this morning's meeting, which she planned to kick off, in decided style, by informing them that she and Hermione had begun a romantic relationship. The younger witch would be moving to Hogwarts right away. Minerva knew everyone would think that was rushing things, but…
"I feel like the potential for us, for this," Hermione had said, "has been there for years and years. Proprietary stood in the way, though. I should have been by your side all along. Had we have faced our feelings then, we'd have been married with a few children of our own by now. Rose and Hugo might have been your children."
"Well, I can't do anything about the later, but I can about the former," Minerva had said slowly. "Don't you think we've wasted enough time?"
Hermione had stared at her, mouth agape. "Are you saying what I think you're saying, Minerva?"
"Marry me, Hermione," Minerva had whispered. She had not planned on proposing this morning, but she had not planned on bedding Hermione the night before, either, and that had worked out splendidly.
In response, Hermione had launched into her arms, kissed her mouth soundly, and then pulled back only long enough to say "yes", and then kissed her again.
As Pomana, the last of the staff to arrive, ambled into the staffroom, Minerva took a deep breath and then cleared her throat, demanding the group's attention. "I have an announcement to make," she said.
Everyone looked at her expectantly, curious expressions on their faces. It wasn't often that Minerva began a meeting like that, and even less often than she did so with a smile on her face.
"What is it?" Filius inquired, speaking for all his colleagues.
"I am...engaged to be married," Minerva stated, grinning.
Silence filled the room for a moment, shock consuming the Hogwarts Professors.
"To whom?" Poppy squeaked out after a minute.
"Hermione Granger."
"Ain't she married to Ron?" Hagrid asked, frowning.
"Divorce proceedings are in process," Minerva explained. "As soon as she is no longer legally bound to Mr. Weasley, we shall wed."
"How long…" Filius asked shakily. "Have you and she been involved?"
Minerva sighed. "In a physical sense, since last night."
"A bit quick, don't you think?!" Poppy nearly shouted. "Are you out of your bloody mind?"
"If being in love causes madness," the Headmistress replied softly, "then yes, I imagine that I am. I realize that this will seem rushed to all of you, but in the end, as much as I value each of your approval, I do not need your permission to marry her."
"Well, then I suppose congratulations are in order," Pomona said with a smile. "Merlin knows that you deserve some happiness, Minerva."
Hermione sat comfortably in an airchair in Minerva's office, waiting for her children to arrive. Minerva was sitting her her desk, working on a letter to the Board of Governors, until their guests made their way, as per the Headmistress' summons.
"I didn't do a bloody thing!" Hugo's voice shouted.
"Well I didn't either!" Rose's hissed.
"Maybe someone happened to mum or dad…" Hugo said suddenly, and Hermione could hear the worry in his tone.
"Or both of them," Rose replied, voice equally laced with fear.
Moments later, Hermione's children scampered into the room, causing Minerva to look up, and then set aside her letter. "Come in, Rose, Hugo."
"Mum! Is dad okay?" Hugo blurted out, as soon as he noticed her sitting there.
"Your father is…" Hermione paused, knowing that after her conversation with Ron this morning, he was not likely 'okay'. That said, while she did not make a habit of lying to her children, she wasn't prepared to get them worked up about how hurt he must be feeling right now. She'd have to settle for a half truth. "Your father is safe and sound," she assured her children.
"Why are you here, then?" Rose asked, hands on hips. "Me and Hugo didn't do anything wrong!"
"I am here," she replied, stealing a glance over at Minerva, who nodded encouragingly, "because I shall also be living in the castle from now on."
"Why?" Hugo asked the obvious next question.
"Because your father and I have decided to seek a divorce," she answered calmly. "As I have fallen in love with another."
She hoped that her kids were mature enough, even if they were only eleven and twelve, to understand how powerful a force love was. Hermione wasn't sure how to even begin to try and justify her actions to them if they didn't.
"About time," Rose huffed. "The divorce part, I mean."
Hermione looked at her daughter, startled. "What do you mean, Rose?"
"I mean dad doesn't make you happy," she said. "Not like Uncle Harry makes Aunt Ginny."
"Uncle Harry said that dad was a right git for not treating you better," Hugo put in. "I love dad, because he treats me good, like he treats Rose, but he doesn't treat you like that."
Hermione sighed. She had no idea her children had noticed the lack of love between she and Ron. It made things easier now, for which she was grateful, but it saddened her at the same time. "Yes, well…" she muttered.
"So, you said you love someone else..." Rose prompted.
"Does he love you back?" Hugo wanted to know. "The way Uncle Harry loves Aunt Ginny?"
Hermione took a deep breath, relaxing as she felt Minerva's hand coming to rest on her shoulder. "Actually, kids, the person I've fallen in love with, who does love me back, is not a man, but rather, another woman."
For the first time since this conversation began, Rose and Hugo stood staring at her, utter shock on their faces.
"Huh?" Rose managed to squeak out after a minute.
Hermione watched as Hugo's eyes left her, and drifted up to where Minerva was standing behind her. "Wow…" he breathed out, wide eyed. "Bloody...hell."
"Language, Hugo." Hermione rebuked.
"What?" Rose demanded, looking at her brother, and then finally following his gaze to their Headmistress. "Oooohhhhh…."
Hermione wasn't sure what to say at this point, and she and Minerva had agreed that while the elder witch would be there for this meeting, she would not speak unless the children directly asked her a question, so both waited for the children to further react.
"James so owes me five galleons," Hugo said, shock wearing away, and a grin taking form.
"Excuse me?" Hermione inquired sharply, not keen on her children and their cousins gambling amongst themselves.
"I always suspected that Professor McGonagall was a lesbian," Hugo said. "James didn't think so. He thought she was married to Professor Dumbledore."
"I most certainly was not married to that crazy old coot!" Minerva interjected, unable to help herself.
Hermione snickered. That rumor had been going around for decades, even so far back as when Molly and Arthur were still at Hogwarts. It had always irked Minerva.
"Mum is way prettier, anyhow," Rose commented.
"I think so, too," Minerva replied with a smile.
"So you two are going to be okay with this?" Hermione inquired, satisfied that the children were no longer in shock. "My living at Hogwarts? With Minerva?"
"Am I gonna get a baby brother out of this, eventually?" Hugo asked eagerly.
"Hugo, two woman can't have a baby!" Rose hissed, face red with embarrassment.
"Honestly Rose," Hugo replied. "Don't you read? They can so. It just takes a transfiguration spell, which I'd be willing to bet the Headmistress knows…"
"I cannot believe this…" Minerva muttered, blushing.
"And a Potion, which mum could easily brew," Hugo finished, still grinning.
"Hugo Oliver Weasley!" Hermione rebuked, deciding that this conversation had gone quite far enough.
"So, when will the divorce be final?" Minerva inquired as the new couple settled into the older witch's king sized canopy bed.
"Madam Burgins, the lady I talked to at the Ministry, indicated that everything would be processed within the week. "Ten days, at most."
"And you'll be changing her name back to Granger, then?"
Hermione looked at her and laughed. "Why would I bother going back to Granger, and I'm so soon to become McGonagall?"
"You want to take my name?" Minerva inquired, surprised. When she and Amelia had been married, the other woman had insisted on keeping her own name. Minerva had expected the same would apply to Hermione.
"Of course I do!" the younger witch insisted. "Why wouldn't I? It's such a grand name, after all."
"Regarding Hugo's...comments," Minerva said slowly, looking intently at her lover. "Do you want more children, Hermione?"
Hermione chuckled. "Don't get me wrong, Minerva, I love my children to death, but I didn't want the two I have. It was Ron who desired a family, while I would have been content to just spend my life in the pursuit of knowledge. That said," she added more seriously. "If you want a child, I'd give you one without a second thought."
"Thank Merlin," Minerva breathed. "While I would have given you another child willingly, because I love you, I have no real urge to do so. I've spent my life as an educator, and while I'm quite good with children over the age of eleven, I'm positively wretched with babies. No, I don't feel the need to have a child."
"Alright then," Hermione smiled. "That was easy. Honestly, I expected as much - it's going to be a bit enough adjustment for you to be a stepmother to Rose and Hugo."
"Don't remind me," Minerva quipped.
As the two drifted off to sleep, neither was too certain of what the next years would bring. They had the basics planned out: they'd get married, just something small. Hermione would go back and finish her Transfiguration mastery that she'd stopped working for when Rose had been born, and Minerva would retire, as she had already been planning, in another three years. After that, well, it would be their life to live. Both women were imagining all the things they'd do together when unconsciousness claimed them, wrapped up in each other's arms.
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