AN: Sorry for the late update, I have a LOT of schoolwork on my hands at the moment. I'll try to post at least once a week though :)

Chapter 4:

After Hermione transfigured the last sorry excuse for a kitten back to it's original form she glanced nervously in the direction of the open classroom door. It had been some fifteen minutes since the class had ended and her friend was still nowhere to be seen. Not having anything left to do she slowly made her way back to Minerva's desk.

"All done, professor." She said, all the while trying to come up with something to converse about, hoping that Ginny would arrive soon.

"Thank you, Miss Granger. That was very thoughtful of you." Minerva replied, noting Hermione's uneasiness with some surprise. "Is something the matter, Miss Granger? You seem... I can't quite put my finger on it... as if you were waiting for someone maybe?" She asked, her hellish curiosity rearing it's head again.

Hermione's cheeks yet again turned a soft shade of pink. She wondered how her Professor had managed to overlook the fact that she blushed more and more around her. 'Or did she overlook? Maybe she just doesn't want to embarrass me even more...'

As if on cue, Ginny burst through the door, saving Hermione from a very awkward situation. Both witches looked at her with stunned expressions, the elder surprised at her presence in general, the younger surprised at her lack of stealth. 'What is she doing?' A voice inside Hermione's head screamed and she tried to glare at her friend without Minerva noticing.

"Good afternoon, Professor McGonagall!" Ginny said, as she approached the duo. Stopping at Hermione's side the redhead witch turned to the younger of the two. "'Mione, where've you been? I've been looking all over for you!" She asked, grinning at her mischievously. Then, without any warning, she snaked an arm around the shocked girl's waist and turned so she could face a thoroughly perplexed Minerva McGonagall as well but kept her gaze on Hermione.

"I reckon you've been here all this time, chatting about some devilishly complicated Transfiguration theory I have no hopes of understanding?" She asked, her voice slightly teasing but there was no malice in it. She made sure both of them understood that she was merely joking.

Even though she had absolutely nothing to gain from their plot, except perhaps a reputation for being a lesbian, Ginny was delighted to see that her actions indeed had an effect on the usually stoic Professor. Not the one she would have chosen but it was a start.

The older witch seemed genuinely surprised at the level of intimacy that seemed to be between her students. 'Hermione and Miss Weasley?' She pondered, putting a strange emotion aside for the time being, intent on meditating on it later. 'Well, well... no wonder the girl was so nervous a minute ago. Who would have thought... and here I was, assuming that Miss Weasley was keen on Potter of all people. Guess the girl has taste after all... wait WHAT?' Minerva mentally slapped herself for allowing that particular thought to take form in her head.

The two young witches facing her were almost completely oblivious to the war Minerva's thoughts were waging on her. Hermione was still busy trying to figure out what exactly her friend was up to, while Ginny acknowledged Minerva's rather confused expression with an amused smile.

'Ah she probably thinks she surprised me with the nature of their relationship... not completely incorrect if I want to be honest...' Minerva mused, momentarily forgetting that she's been engaged in conversation. She was brought back to reality by the sound of the younger witch's voice.

"Well... I hope you don't mind if I steal Hermione now, Professor?" She asked, her tone intentionally suggestive. "We've got a LOT of things to discuss." She giggled and pulled a stunned Hermione away from their professor.

Once they were a safe distance away from the Transfiguration room Hermione jerked her arm out of Ginny's hand. "What in heaven's name was THAT about?" She asked, nearly yelling.

Ginny just grinned at her annoyed friend with satisfaction. "That... was me being bloody brilliant! Didn't you see the face McGonagall made when I put an arm around you? She was completely taken off guard! You just better hope that her dreams will be about you rather than you and me." She answered, her satisfaction with her performance growing by the minute.

"Dreams? What? You cast the spell? When did you do it?" Hermione asked, slowly putting the pieces of the puzzle together.

"While you were busy transfiguring cats... I used the cloak again. I figured that this way she'll never suspect you of doing anything. You were otherwise engaged at the moment..." Ginny explained.

"So... you burst into the room like a maniac because...?"

"Because I didn't want to be suspicious either!" Ginny exclaimed, not understanding why her normally brilliant friend was being so thick.

"But now she's going to think there's something between us!" Hermione exclaimed, not at all happy with this new development.

"And isn't that what we wanted?" Ginny retorted. "If you really caught her interest that other day she'll be very keen on you after a few days."

"I bloody well hope so, after all this embarrassment..." Hermione grumbled.

Later that night...

Minerva McGonagall was going through the usual motions of preparing for bed after a long and tiresome day. After donning her nightgown she took the pins out of her by now legendary bun, allowing her hair to spill down her back, the tips nearly reaching her waistline. After she braided her hair into a loose plait she padded over to her desk barefooted.

There was a glass of purple liquid waiting for her. 'If I told anyone how thoughtful Severus could be they'd either think I'm insane or never let him live it down...' Minerva thought absentmindedly as she eyed the Dreamless Sleep Potion that was left there by the dark haired Potions Master.

Throughout her teaching career, each year the Animagus had asked the Potions Masters of Hogwarts to brew her the Dreamless Sleep Potion when it was time for her to teach the transfiguration of cats. She herself was most surprised when one day, about ten years ago, she went down to Severus Snape's chambers to ask him the very same thing and he had presented the already finished potion to her. Since then she needn't have bothered with asking. Severus, who was reputed to be quite a foul man, had remembered her request and on the appropriate nights a goblet of the potion would be on her desk by night.

'I won't be needing that tonight thank the gods... no scratch that... thanks to Hermione Granger.' She thought, her mind subconsciously wandering back to the scene she witnessed in her classroom a few hours ago. 'Hermione and Miss Weasley... how strange.' For a split second she could feel a pang of... something she couldn't quite place. Her first thought was jealousy or envy but she quickly dismissed the idea. 'Why the bloody hell would I be envious or jealous of either of them?' She asked herself as she made her way to her bed.

The goblet on the table remained untouched.

Minerva was lounging on the sofa in her office, a book in her lap and a cup of nice strong tea on the nearby table. She was enjoying the rare Sunday afternoon when she didn't have to deal with anything.

Her thoughts were interrupted when someone knocked on her door. She rose from her comfortable place on the sofa, wondering who her visitor could be. When she opened the door she wasn't too surprised to see Hermione standing there. She's about the only student in the castle who would visit her on a weekend.

"Miss Granger." She greeted her warmly. "What brings you to my chambers on such a lovely afternoon?" She asked.

"The lovely afternoon brings me actually." The girl answered, looking her professor straight in the eyes. "I couldn't help but think about you, so I decided to pay a little visit." She continued, stepping closer to the older witch.

It was only now that Minerva noticed Hermione's strange choice of clothing. The day was rather warm yet the girl had her outer robes wrapped securely around her frame.

Minerva arched an eyebrow at the strange admission. "And what exactly have you been thinking about me, Miss Granger?" She asked.

Hermione had chosen this moment to undo the knot that held her robe in place and gently shook her shoulders, which made her robes fall to the carpeted floor with a soft thud.

Minerva's jaw closely followed the item, as she could now see that the girl was completely naked under it.

"Miss Granger!" She exclaimed and her eyes grew even wider as Hermione crossed the room, stopping a mere foot from her. Try as she might, Minerva couldn't tear her gaze from the vision in front of her. Her eager eyes roamed the length of the girl's body, the experience made painful by the knowledge that her hands were not supposed to follow suit. Minerva felt her mouth suddenly go dry and all she could do was stare at the spectacular view she was presented with.

"Do you like what you see, Professor?" the brunette witch asked in a seductive tone. She took a step closer and eliminating the last few inches between them, she snaked a hand behind the stunned Transfiguration professor's neck and pulled her down for what she intended to be a scorching kiss.

Minerva couldn't have uttered a word even if her life had depended on it. She was helplessly under the power of the gorgeous siren in front of her and she found herself anticipating the kiss. Minerva licked her dry lips, and closed her eyes, just as plump pink lips were about the descend on hers...

Just as plump pink lips were about the descend on hers, her eyes suddenly popped open and she stared into the darkness of her bedroom, thoroughly bewildered. 'What the bloody hell?' She tried to sit up in bed and noted that the sheets were tangled around her body, which, as she suddenly realized, was covered in sweat. "What in Merlin's name did I just dream?" She asked out loud.

Covering her face with both hands the witch groaned in frustration. In vain did she try to go back to sleep, uncannily vivid images of her unclothed student assaulted her mind each time she dared to close her eyes.

To be continued...

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P.S. I know this dream wasn't too intense yet, but we all know that the spell gains strength if it's cast more than once, right? ;)