Fixing.
Hermione was sitting on the coach, staring at the enchanting flames of the fire. Sparkling tears were falling down her face. She was thinking about what had happened that afternoon and if she had done the right thing. She had yelled at professor McGonagall and said that she wouldn´t step into her class anylonger; she was still angry. It was half past eleven and she couldn´t even think about going to bed; her head kept replaying that afternoon´s scene one time after the other. Doubts and thoughts kept appearing in her mind, not letting her think about anything else.
Her greatest worry was that she didn´t know what she would do, she really needed Transfiguration for her NEWTs and she didn´t want to drop it. But, now she would have to. In her chest, she felt that horrible sensation of pain, a pain that felt like a knot in her throat and didn´t let her breathe.
She burst into tears, not caring about those who were in bed.
"Hermione?" a voice called from somewhere behind her. She turned around and found herself staring into Ron´s eyes, she hadn´t seen him enter the common room.
"What´s wrong?" He sat by her side on the coach. "You can tell me."
She smiled, "I…had an…an argument with…Professor McGonagall."
"Oh, please not her again! Now will you let me wear the kilt for her class? Just imagine her face when she sees that!"
"No Ronald, no jokes. I´m not enetering that class ever again."
"What!?" he exclaimed "but you love that class."
"Preciselly." She stated, weeping the tears from her eyes.
"Well then…go and talk to her."
"But, it´s not that simple. She was the one who yelled at me, she was angry with me and I still ingore the reason of her anger."
He sighed, "Well, I don´t know what to say then, we can´t expect her to come and ask for forgiveness."
"Why not?" came a femenine voice from the other side of the room. They turned their heads only to see professor McGonagall standing there, looking at them. Her face was pale and her expression wasn´t a stern one, it was softer and on her cheeks one could clearly notice that she had been crying.
"Professor." said Ron as he stood up. Hermione stood too, but then, Ron said the last thing she wanted him to say. "I´d better leave you alone so you can speak."
"That would be the best, thank you Mr. Weasley." McGonagall answered.
As soon as he had dissappeared from view, Minerva started approaching her student and when they were face to face a tear sleeped down her cheek.
Hermione´s expression was hard and severe. She was angry, Minerva could tell, and she had good resons to be so.
"Hermiome I-"
"You what!? When I worried about you, you yelled at me! Should I do the same now? I tell you, I will not approach your class ever again, I will study Transfigurations on my own, in the library, and then you will regret having done what you did. I don´t need a professor to pass my NEWTs examination!" with this, she run out of the common room, leaving her professor in tears in the middle of that room.
She couldn´t believe she had just done that; Professor McGonagall was still a school authority, but it was too much for her, she couldn´t stand her professor´s penetrating gaze any longer. She needed to go outside and breathe some fresh air. She knew that it wasn´t allowed to go outdoors at that time, but she had to. If only Ron and Harry were with her to brake the rules; they always gave her the courage to do so. She went up the huge staircase that lead to the astronomy tower.
When she opened the door and stepped into the fresh air, the stars were all she could see. There was no wind and no noise, everything was calm. She walked slowly, closing the door behind her. Her feet led her to the other side of the tower, where she was able to admire the lake below. She tried to ignore her angst and fury and closed her eyes; she wanted to relax a little bit, to forget about everything. And she did. She was so concentrated that she didn´t hear the steps behind her, five minutes afterwards.
When she felt a kind hand on her shoulder, she reacted. There was her professor again, staring at her with those usually stern eyes. But now, her eyes showed kindness, she didn´t look either stern or angry; she actually smiled. A tear streaked down her cheek as she looked at her student. Hermione looked at her, but didn´t say anything.
"Hermione" Minerva whispered lowering her gaze, "I´m terribly sorry. I didn´t treat you right yeasterday and I...I know you wanted to help and I apreciate it."
"Then, why did you react that way?" Hermione asked calmly. She was not so angry now, she wanted to know what had really happened. Minerva sighed.
"I had had an argument with a person...with a close friend and I was very angry with myself and...I don´t know exactly how to explain, but I was not in the best mood and when you approached and I reacted that way. Believe me, I didn´t want to, I was just too angry." There was a short silence.
"I understand." Hermione replied, "but if you are going to yell at me or any of my friends every time you have a personal problem then I´d rather skip your class."
She had said what she thought and nothing else. Hermione walked past her professor and out of the astronomy tower, without letting Minerva answer.
Minerva was standing alone again, now in the astronomy tower. She didn´t know what else to do, hadn´t her explanation been enough? Should she follow her student once more? No, it wouldn´t be of any help.
She suddenly heard steps behind her. Slow steps. She turned around only to meet Albus´ lovely eyes. He catched her lips in his own and enjoyed her soft warm kiss. Minerva relaxed in his arms and enjoyed that moment of happiness and love. She loved him, and she wanted to show him her love. She put her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss. His warmth filled her completely and she savoured the his tounge as it explored her mouth. They broke appart in a matter of seconds for the lack of air, but Albus continued placing small kisses on her neck´s soft skin.
"Albus."she whispered.
"You were great darling, don´t worry about it any longer."
"What do you mean? She´s still angry. You heard her, she said she won´t step into my class ever again."
Albus stopped kissing her and looked into her gorgeous eyes. "I heard her, but you can do nothing else. Now I want you to come with me, i have somthing for you."
They went to their rooms and had a romantic dinner, with candles and flowers and music. Then, they made love passionately, but when they finally lay on bed, exhausted, Minerva was still thinking.
The next morning she entered her class and received the students. Everyone was sitting quietly, scribling on their pieces of parchment. From her desk, Minerva noticed the empty seat. She found it hard to maintain her stern face.
After all what had happened Minerva thought about how much she could hurt with her yelling. First Albus, then Hermione, what next? She didn´t want to yell at anybody else, she didn´t want to be in tears anymore.
"Professor?" a voice called from the now opened door.
"Hermione!" she exclaimed as she watched the child entering the classroom.
"Yes, its me. I had a problem with my socks, that´s why I´m late."
"That´s okay my dear." She smiled at her and her student understood. Hermione smiled back.
Minerva stood and when she was about to close the doors she saw him standing there, outside. He smiled at her and blowed a kiss, then he diassappeared.