Silent tears where streaming down Minerva's face. It was still very early in the morning, but Minerva had woken an hour ago and just couldn't go back to sleep. Instead, he had transformed herself to her cat form and headed for the Gryffindor tower. The common room was empty, but the magically lit fire was still burning brightly, and in the fire light, Minerva had spotted a book lying face-down on the floor. As she had picked it up her heart had made an extra jump when she read the text on its outside; Hermione Jean Granger. She turned the book in her hand and before she knew it, she'd been reading several pages without being able to stop herself.
Hence the tears.
How could she have known? How could she have been so blind? For what seemed at least a year, according to the dates of the diary, Hermione had been in constant pain. Every step she'd taken had been torture. Minerva's heart ached. At the same time, there was nothing she could have done, even if she had known.
But there was another thing about the diary; Hermione really hated being in love and it seemed she didn't for a second dared to hope her feelings would be retaliated. Minerva had to smile at the thought.
Oh, do I have a surprise for you my love!
Minerva sighed and watched the flames of the fire. She could easily imagine Hermione sitting here just a few hours ago, doing the exact same thing. And suddenly Minerva wished with all her heart that she could have been here, comforting her love. Holding her in her arms and whisper soothing words to make sure Hermione would really believe everything would be all right.
With another sigh, Minerva rose and tenderly padded up the stairs to the girls dorm room. Slowly, ever so slowly, she opened the door and was greeted with soft snoring and snuffling from five girls sleeping in their comfortable four-poster beds. She tiptoed to the bed she knew was Hermione's and smiled at the sleeping beauty. Hermione was lying on her back with her head on the side, facing Minerva, her dark bushy hair spilled over the soft pillow.
To her own surprise, Minerva found she had no desire what so ever to lie down beside the beautiful young woman, or even touch her. Silently standing here watching her, knowing what to come, was entirely satisfactory. Minerva softly put the diary on Hermione's nightstand, before giving her love another look.
And she was caught of guard. Hermione was smiling at her. But she still had her eyes closed, and her breathing hadn't changed. Minerva calmed down somewhat, deciding Hermione had to be dreaming. Smiling a little, Minerva hoped she was included in the dream.
Watching Hermione's face Minerva made a new vow to herself, she would make sure she would make up for every word written in pain in the diary!
"Somnio bellus", she whispered before tiptoeing out.
--
On the morning of graduation Hermione's feeling where so mixed up she could hardly think straight, let alone function normally. Slowly she was packing up the last of her items. Picking up her diary from her nightstand, she noticed a small piece of paper falling down to the floor. She raised her eyebrows in surprise. She hadn't touched her diary since writing in it by the fire four nights ago. Picking up the paper, her heart started pounding when she realized it was a letter from Minerva, containing a single phrase.
"Don't you dare worry, everything will be all right, I promise you! Minerva."
For a long moment, Hermione just stood there reading and rereading the words. Of course things could be all right. She just wasn't sure it would be for her. Sighing and shaking her head she put the letter in her diary and resumed her packing.
--
Upon entering the great hall Hermione immediately spotted Minerva sitting beside Dumbledore smiling at the students. Hermione almost felt angry. How could Minerva smile?! It was Hermione's last day at Hogwarts, which didn't only mean she had to part with her favorite professor she also had to say good bye to all her friends, her other professors, and the great castle she had considered her home for seven years! And Minerva was smiling at her!
Hang on.
Minerva was smiling at her. Hermione quickly forced herself to smile back before sitting down at the Gryffindor table for the last time in her life. In her, at the moment, almost miserable life.
At the head table, Minerva looked at her plate. She had seen the forced smile on Hermione's face and knew what Hermione was thinking. In a way she was experiencing this every year. Hogwarts wasn't just a school. It was a home and a community. Her home and her community. And she would no longer share it with the young woman who had captured her heart. But, Minerva reminded herself, it was the beginning of something new. Again she smiled. Her thoughts kept going to her cottage and what wonderful events might take place there this summer.
The cottage was placed on a hill just in a corner of the beautiful little town known as Beauly, a few miles from Inverness in Scotland. Minerva had inherited it from her grandmother many years ago. And each summer Minerva would move in to it for a few weeks and relax from everything that had to do with students, grades, essays, lessons, and other duties connected to Hogwarts. But this summer she wouldn't be alone.
This summer she would do what she had longed for what seemed like forever, finally express her feelings for Hermione!