A/N: Hello all. How's it going? Told you Christmas would come soon! lol How was everyone's New Years? I watched Inspector Morse until 1am. Aren't I exciting! Switched the TV on for like 15minutes to watch the Brisbane Fireworks, only to find that the only ones they were showing was the Sydney ones, which had happened and hour earlier. It was great

So anyway. Happy New Years, here's to a year of quick updates and a published manuscript! OF course, I'll have to finish it first, but here's hoping!

Once again, thank you to Spin, who is amazing. Yes, you are, so don't argue Spin….Anyway. Enjoy all!

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"Oh, I'm so sorry!" I said, spinning around to catch whoever it was I'd just barrelled into.

"It's quite alright, Hermione."

I beamed when I saw who it was.

"Minerva! What are you doing here?" I asked, suddenly realising I perhaps shouldn't have asked such an impertinent question. "Sorry, how are you?"

"It's quite alright, dear," she said with a smile. "I was here for a meeting with the Proper Use of Magic Department about Animagus training programmes."

"Oh?" I enquired, my interest piqued.

"I always thought you'd be the first in line," she teased with a wink and a grin. It was a beautiful smile and I was glad she had an excuse to show it now that the war was over. "Do I have something on my face?"

"Oh, sorry Minerva, no, I was just thinking how nice it is to see you smile."

She blushed under my scrutiny and a pensive look crossed her face.

"My life is happier than I ever thought it could be, but there is little to smile about at the moment. We are both so busy we hardly see each other," she said.

I saw the realisation of what she'd just said cross her face and suddenly the normal, straight-faced Professor McGonagall was back.

Smiling reassuringly, I looped her arm with mine and turned to walk her out of the Ministry.

"I have an hour's lunch, would you like to join me?" I asked after a while.

"I shouldn't," she said with a sigh. I didn't turn, but I could tell she was studying me. "But I will," she said finally and I looked back to see her smile again. "I would love to, Hermione."

"Great. Come on."

I gave her the Floo address and spun out of the grate thankful that she was at the same one, and when she appeared she had already changed her robes into a smart pair of slacks and high-collared shirt. We never commented on her clothes. Whenever she went somewhere, it would always be high collared shirts, or neck-to-ankle dresses, or her smartest robes. Harry was sure it was just her generation, but I wasn't convinced.

"Are you alright?" the woman asked suddenly, startling me out of my thoughts.

"What?" I asked, looking around.

"You were rubbing your arm," she said, pointing to my forearm and I looked down to see I was indeed rubbing the covered up scar.

"Oh, no I was just thinking."

"Shall we?"

I took her to a little coffee shop that served good tea as well as food and we sat down for a few sandwiches and a pot of tea between us.

"How is it all going?" I asked, wondering how frank she'd be with me. Minerva and I had moved quickly from the student/teacher relationship we'd had at Hogwarts into a friendship of sorts. Minerva was always a private person, but since the war had ended she'd opened up a little, at least to Harry and I, and I enjoyed her company just as much as Harry's. She had become one of my best friends and we'd often spend hours talking about everything or nothing while Albus tried to teach Harry how to play chess.

"It's," she paused and took a sip of tea, "exhausting to be honest with you," she said quietly. "Most days I barely see Albus after breakfast, and I'm tired, exhausted actually. It's been one thing after another since well, always, but it seems more so now that I can openly spend time with him."

I hummed sympathetically; I could understand it to a degree. They were very much in love, and for a while I thought I was with Ron as well, and I missed him all the time, but on the other hand, life was easier without him flying off the handle every time I hugged Harry. Ginny had called her brother an idiot, but I couldn't help but feel the same exhaustion.

"Christmas will no doubt be the same. There will be Ministry parties and," I watched as she rubbed her chest, "well, I do not like them."

I was suddenly transported back to my Fifth Year and the moment I thought that the great Minerva McGonagall had died before my eyes.

"Oh Minerva!" I said without thinking as I realised the high-collared clothing was a way to hide her own scars.

"Don't," she whispered. "Please."

I nodded, but took her hand in mine as we ate our sandwiches in silence. The comfort helped both of us I think, and she looked a little better when she poured us a second cup of tea.

"I am sorry, Hermione," she said quietly, offering me a small smile.

"You have nothing to apologise for Minerva. You helped me overcome my fears, I'm only sorry I couldn't do the same for you."

"It's quite alright, dear," she sighed. "They are far more intrusive than a scar on one's arm."

"Even one that marks me as a Mudblood for the rest of my life?" I asked, trying to goad her into discussing it, even a little.

"We have talked about this Hermione, you must wear that scar like a badge of honour. Bellatrix thought she was marking you for ridicule; instead, you have a mark of survival. The most feared witch of all time tortured you, and you survived.

"And a pathetic little toad attacked the most gentle and kindest man I've ever met, and the bravest woman I know ran to his aid without a thought for herself, only to be turned on, five to one," I whispered, meeting her teary eyes. "I watched you die that night, I was sure, and when we realised you were still alive I have never been happier. You are an incredible woman Minerva McGonagall, but you need to take your own advice. The scars you have are marks of your bravery, of your absolute courage in the protection of your friends."

I fell silent and let her absorb the words. I knew it wouldn't change much, perhaps make her feel a little better about herself and that would be enough for now.

"I'm not a feeble woman Hermione, but the thought of the entire Wizarding community staring and commenting behind their hands makes my heart hurt. I am expected to wear a dress to the Christmas Ball at the Ministry, but I don't want to. Not because I don't like them, on the contrary, I enjoy getting dressed up and being on the arm of my husband, but there is not a single dress that does not make me look like the spinster I pretended to be and consequently does not expose me to their comments."

"I'm going to ask you something," I began, without thinking too much about what I was going to say. "Harry and I can't spend another Christmas at The Burrow, we just can't. It's exhausting and we leave there feeling worse than when we arrived, and I love Ron, I do, and Harry loves Ginny, but we have to do this for us," I explained, happy to see her nodding sadly. "So, we're going to Australia."

Her expression was comical as her eyes widened, before a look of comprehension came over her.

"What a good idea," she said with a smile.

"Come with us," I said quickly, before I lost my nerve. "Mum and Dad have plenty of room, houses in Australia are so much bigger than here, and there is even a flat attached to their property where you and Albus can stay and do your own thing if you wish."

"What? Hermione, how can you ask that?" she said incredulously. "I, what would your parents think?"

"They've already said anyone I want to invite would be more than welcome to spend Christmas with them, and I know for sure they would be thrilled to see you again," I said, crossing my fingers under the table. The one thing better than spending Christmas with my parents would be to share it with the two people that had somehow become surrogate grandparents to Harry and I.

"Australia is a long way away…" she tried again, already looking a little intrigued.

"It's a twenty minute Apparition," I said with a grin. "More if you want to stop somewhere."

"And when would we leave?"

I wanted to cheer, but instead I kept my calm.

"The 20th. Harry and I were planning on being there for two weeks, so back on the 3rd January."

I could practically hear the cogs turning in Minerva's head and knew that I'd won. Albus would jump at the chance. He loved Christmas and anything that would make Minerva happy was something he'd get behind immediately.

"I, I see merit in the idea," she conceded with a smile. "I'll talk to Albus."

"Great!" I said, glancing at my watch. "I have to get back. Thank you for coming to lunch with me, Minerva," I said as I fished out a few pounds.

"Nonsense Hermione, I have thoroughly enjoyed it. You and Harry should join us at the castle for dinner this weekend to discuss the trip."

I thought sadly about how my life had turned out after the war. In my heart I had imagined many of these sorts of invitations. Though my head had always told me I was being silly, I'd always thought that when Ron and I had finished school they would continue, with only the added bonus of Ron being able to accompany me. The result had been beyond my wildest dreams, but I couldn't help but feel sad whenever I was asked to attend, and Ron wasn't. Minerva knew that Ron and Ginny would not come, so she didn't invite them.

"We are having Sunday lunch at The Burrow," I sighed. "Harry and I will tell them then about not spending Christmas with them and I am not envisioning it going well."

"Then you must come to us for dinner," Minerva said, standing and thanking the staff with a wave, ushering me out of the shop before I could realise what was going on.

"Hey," I said, realising I hadn't paid.

"Don't argue," she said with a smile, "you won't win." I laughed, and nodded my head as she squeezed my hand.

"I'll tell Harry," I said, realising we'd just been invited to Hogwarts. "I'm sure he'd love to and you know I always do."

"Good, I'll see you on Sunday then," she said, moving away before quickly turning back again and pressing a kiss to my forehead.

"Thank you, Hermione," she said quietly, cupping my cheek. "Take care."

I nodded and watched as she slipped into an alley and Disapparated with a quiet pop.

She'd never been so open before and I couldn't help the stupid smile upon my face. Minerva was always so reserved, the very opposite of Albus. Over all the years I had known them I'd had many more hugs from him than Minerva, despite me being closer to her than Albus.

The rest of the day passed in a rush of reports and meetings and before I knew it I was curled up on the sofa talking to Harry on the phone again, laughing at the things he'd had to do at training and extending Minerva's invitation. He'd agreed it was a good idea and promised to pick me up before lunch on Sunday so we could go together.

It was sad state of affairs that we were both uncomfortable to go to lunch with our respective partners. Neither of us wanted to be caught alone there and that in itself was heartbreaking. I decided that for now, though, that could all wait until Sunday and so I got ready for bed before I could think too much about it. It would no doubt keep for another day.