After getting out the shower Minerva looked at herself within the mirror she seemed to have aged a lot over the last year of course being 75 she would have aged. She didn't look that age she was more towards the 40 mark however, facing herself in the mirror wasn't an easy thing to do. She had screamed her students name in bed. How was she going to face her? God things had got complicated. She walked into her office, Albus's eyes bearing into her. Minerva looked up and Albus saw worry within green eyes. Albus's eyes became more of concern.
"Oh Al!" Minerva looked up and watery eyes faced blue.
"Oh my dear Tabby now would be the time to tell her after finally realising your feelings."
"I can't I mean it would ruin our friendship and she would never love me in return."
Just then there was a small knock at the door, composing herself students shouldn't see this vulnerable side to the headmistress. Sitting down at the desk she felt the stern look come across her face as enter slipped from her lips. Hermione came into the office with a shy look; Minerva looked down at her lip not letting her see the chocolate brown eyes after pure embarrassment. She motioned for the young witch to be seated.
"Professor, I just wanted to apologise for the way I acted" only to be cut off by the raised hand of the headmistresses.
"Not to worry Miss Granger everyone loses control of their emotions from time to time and I am in the wrong as well I shouldn't have embarrassed you in front of the whole class." A smile formed across the younger witches face.
"Now we are back to normal we can talk about this."
"Miss Granger?"
"There we are again have I upset you? It's just I know it shouldn't upset me but the Miss Granger. You seem to be a little off with me." Minerva allowed herself to look into the brown eyes of the girl forming in her heart. She felt upset that she had allowed the younger woman to believe she had upset her.
"No no of course not It's just that I thought maybe I should keep a little distance and then you can spend some time with your friends since all you have been through in the last year. You could go on and allow yourself a normal life finally and maybe settle down with ... Mr Weasley." The last word seemed to get stuck within the throat of the elder woman not realising the difficultly of imagining the young woman walking down the aisle with the red headed man. Just then Hermione began to cry not realising Minerva had upset her she became a little startled. Minerva jumped up from the desk and pulled the young woman into an embrace. Trying to comfort the younger woman "shushhh"
"I'm sorry It's just Ron..." Minerva pulled back from the younger witch, great she was going to have to listen to how horrible he was being to her and she would have to advise her that they are meant to be together. She moved back around the desk to keep a little distance between the two. Hermione didn't know if she should continue but she knew her professor wouldn't judge her.
"I mean I don't think we should be together we just don't match, we have nothing in common but I don't know how to tell him... I shouldn't have led him on." Minerva placed a hand on top of the younger witch.
"Sometimes we don't have to 'lead' someone one..." Minerva was stopped when Hermione spoke again.
"I slept with him" Minerva removed her hand from her former student she was a little hurt.
"I just needed to be close to someone I wanted to be near someone, I just needed to get away from it all. I know it was a silly thing to do."
"Shush, shush its ok people deal with war in different ways" Remembering how reckless she was after the first war. She placed her hand back on younger witch. Teary eyes looked up to green ones and the connection between the two was immense. Coughing Minerva stopped the eye connection.
"Maybe you should talk to Mr Weasley."
"Yes yes I think I need to." Getting up she walked towards the door.
"Oh and Hermione, good luck come and see me after." Feeling better she decided to address the younger witch on first name basis. A weak smile came from the young woman before leaving the office.
Albus smiled at Minerva, feeling content that the relationship was blossoming.