Chapter 6

"I will be happy to see you join our staff, should you decide to take the position, Hermione." Filius squeezed then patted the Gryffindor's hand one last time before he threw the glittery silver powder he had just gathered in his other hand in the unlit fireplace, called 'Headmaster's Office' as his destination, then stepped into the green flames, whirled for a few seconds in them and disappeared.

Hermione continued to watch until the flames died away at last, then sighed and averted her gaze, leaning back heavily against the spotless wooden mantelpiece. Green eyes met hers directly. "You feel quite similarly, I reckon?" Hermione voiced. She herself didn't seem as convinced at all, though.

"I do," Minerva admitted.

Hermione's eyes began to fill with tears once more at the indecision in her mind and heart. She closed her eyes, and Minerva's words echoed inside her head. Whereas the timing was all but ideal for this child, and whereas a termination seemed a valid alternative, Hermione had felt that, prior to seeing Minerva even, it wasn't a decision that she thought she could live with. She realized she had already made her decision before she had spoken with Minerva; her former professor had only aided her in seeing it.

She didn't know how to raise a baby at this stage in life and in her current circumstances, though. Rose was nearly thirteen already, and Hugo would go to Hogwarts that September, too. She hadn't had small children in a while and was a bit nervous at the thought, much like when she had first become a mother. What if she didn't know exactly how to do it anymore? Hermione Granger sighed once more and dropped her heavy head in her hands, then lowered them after a rather long moment. She felt –– and was certain that she looked –– exhausted. Upon hearing the bell towers chime, Hermione was slightly surprised at the length of her stay at Hogwarts –– a fact which didn't escape Minerva's notice, despite the brevity with which it had been discernible from her behavior. She broke the silence, "I am afraid that I really should be going." With that, she pushed herself away from the mantelpiece she had been leaning against. "I'm so not up for my mother's questions, though," she continued. "She always just seems to know when something is the matter, and she's been suspicious lately already. I'm not ready to talk about it with her, tonight."

"You could stay here at Hogwarts, of course," Minerva suggested. She wasn't hopeful that Hermione would accept at all, and the way in which she formulated her offer and the tone of her voice when she did reflected this. However, it was a possibility that she felt she needed to inform Hermione of just in case.

"I couldn't, I'm afraid," Hermione spoke. "I do have to work tomorrow, and it was hard enough to leave earlier already today. I don't wish to know how many owls from the Ministry undoubtedly await my return when I get home…"

"You could Apparate from here to go to the Ministry come morn, Hermione. If not, I am certain that regardless of how many owls await you and what nonsense questions the letters they carry do or don't include, you won't go to bed until you've read and answered everything, and we both know you deserve the bit of rest that you could get tonight. Play a game of chess with me over a cup of tea instead."

"Well, what can I say?" It would be nice to for once let the owls be, and Minerva was right: she could use the rest. She had truly forgotten just how exhausted you could feel the first few weeks when you expected. Also, she swore she had seen a little flicker of hope in Minerva's eyes when she suggested for Hermione to stay. She didn't doubt that Minerva must get lonely often no longer being Hogwarts' esteemed Headmistress. "Alright," she agreed after a long moment of thought and nodded her consent. "I should let my mum know that I won't sleep at home tonight, though. No matter how old I get, she still gets very worried."

"Of course," Minerva said, for it sounded acceptable. She was certain that it would do Hermione good not to have to worry about work tonight anymore, or about the questions her mother might ask. It would do her good as well to have Hermione for company for the night, she realized and admitted to herself.