Chapter 14

Minerva, a.k.a. Ron Weasley, let out a sigh as the water rushed over tired muscles. The transfiguration had taken a lot out of her, especially one this complex and different from her usual shenanigans. Thankfully, dinner and the evening had passed smoothly having even managed to spend it at the Burrow with the entire Weasley family and as the night was winding down; Minerva could see an end to this madness in sight. She'd dry off, dress and while she was enjoying spending some unguarded time with Hermione; it had been difficult to remain detached and not talk about areas of interest to her and what she knew were Hermione's too; she was certain she'd be asleep only moments after lying down. Then she'd just have to handle breakfast and…

"Do you mind if I join you?" Hermione asked as the door to the shower closed and Minerva felt a hand slid along her back, above her hip and around her waist before she felt Hermione press into her back…and despite the immediate shock and overwhelming urge to bolt, she couldn't help but moan at the lush feeling of warm breasts and taunt nipples pressing into her back.

"I'm kinda…" Minerva fought for thought as Hermione's other arm wrapped around her waist, hugging her from behind, "tired, love."

At this, Hermione gently let go of her husband's waist, a frown pulling at her lips as she reached up and turned him towards her as the water poured over her and she scanned his face, "Are you alright?"

Tenderly, Minerva reached up running her hand reverently across Hermione's jaw and into her hair as she breathed an honest response, "Merely tired."

Brown eyes widened as she immediately grabbed both Ron's wrists and pressed her much smaller body into the body of her husband's, "Who are you?"

Minerva frowned as she stared down at Hermione, "What are you playing at?"

"Who are you?!" she screamed across the scant space separating them, and then her eyes grew to the size of saucers as she realized who could be standing there, as there was only one person who she knew who spoke so…formally…and she practically stumbled backwards…head shaking, "No…no….no…it can't be."

Minerva followed Hermione, both dripping as Hermione wandlessly summoned a robe and Minerva grabbed a towel, "Hermione, what's wrong?"

"You aren't…Ron…" she said pulling the robe on, "You look like him, sound like him, and damn even his mannerisms are close…but…" she took in a breath to try to keep herself from totally losing it, "there hasn't been once…even when he's exhausted, he's always ready to love me." She swallowed a lump, "So who are you?" She said, grabbing her wand off the counter and pointing it at the man pretending to be her husband.

"It's me, Hermione."

Hermione thought of the counter spell to polyjuice and with a three waves and flick cast the spell, and her husband stood before her as he had before. So if it wasn't polyjuice it had to be transfiguration, and as she raised her wand to cast another spell; she saw a wand arc and hers was sailing across the air into outstretched fingers. But, it was the long ebony wood wand clutched in Ron's hand that confirmed her suspicion, "Minerva…" she breathed, "how could…"

Minerva sighed setting both her and Hermione's wand down, "It is not what you think." She said holding up her hand, "I promise, I'll explain it to you. But first, would you mind if I change back and…"

Hermione shook her head, "Fine, but at least tell me that Ron's alright."

"As far as I know, he's gone to the past and has been delayed which is why I'm here."

Hermione swallowed as she pulled Ron's robe from the back of the door and tentatively held it out for Minerva. "Here." Minerva took the robe, and slid it over her arms and turned around and pulled the towel from her waist before closing the robe.

"I'll be just a moment." Minerva said without turning back around to face Hermione.

"I'll be…" Hermione took a tentative step backward, "in my room."

Minerva nodded, and waited for the door to close before picturing herself…and beginning the transfiguration. Unlike before, she could feel her bones protesting becoming more compact and body shifting into her previous feminine curves and despite trying to contain the gasp, she heard the strangled cry as her body once more crumpled from the strain of the transfiguration she had undertaken. She took a deep labored breath as she vaguely felt beads of sweat coalesce along her forehead and then two strong hands wrap around her arms as Hermione's distinct voice filled the air. "Are you alright?"

"I…" Minerva cleared her throat, voice somewhat thick from the exertion, "shall be." She took another labored breath, "If you can give me a minute to adjust, I shall be out momentarily."

Hermione nodded and left Minerva, moving to her bedroom whilst glancing back to see Minerva lean back and use the shower door for a brace against her back as she took several more labored breaths. Closing the door, Hermione tried to ignore the concern she felt for Minerva as she donned a pair of shorts and slipped off her robe to pull a shirt over her head before slipping her robe back on.

And then the door opened, and a tired woman who barely bore the resemblance to Minerva McGonagall stepped from her bathroom. Granted, she had obviously magically brushed and dried her long ebony hair as it was in a loose braid hanging off her left shoulder; and while she looked much like the venerable woman, she lacked the harsher edges. Her cheeks didn't appear as sculpted without her glasses or hair in a bun atop her head, her willowy neck seemed more elegant and her frame wasn't swallowed by her clothes, rather accentuated by the lack of attire.

"When you morphed into Alexandria, it didn't appear to cause as much pain or discomfort." Hermione stated while sitting on the edge of the bed and Minerva conjured a chair to sit off the bed but equally at the opposite end.

"As that was merely transfiguring or shifting existing mass into slightly different shapes versus my entire body, it is not as taxing or painful upon oneself."

"Have you…"

"No," Minerva answered before Hermione fully verbalized the question, "I have not taken Ronald's form prior to this evening. I only did so at great urging by Kingsley." Minerva stared at the woman before her, "And even then, I initially stated I would not partake in your deception."

Hermione could see Minerva was being completely honest, "And…why do this?"

Minerva relayed the information Kingsley had shared with her to Hermione regarding Ron's mission and adding that Kingsley had given her polyjuice to enable the subterfuge. However, she opted to transfigure into Ron due to the time constraints involved with polyjuice.

"How long?" Hermione finally asked after several minutes of silence.

"I believe it was for one night." Minerva replied, "As that is all I had reluctantly consented to."

"And I have to go on not knowing he's working on temporal jumps?"

"Correct or we shall both lose the last twenty-four hours or longer of our memories, as Kingsley is rather adamant about the information not being uncovered."

"What are they working on that is so important?"

"I don't know," Minerva shifted, her fingers pulling the opening along the robe closed tighter up the chest, "but I shall be finding out."

Hermione couldn't help the smile from passing over her lips, "Me too. As I'm not inclined to be other's pawns."

Minerva's brow arched as she stared at the younger woman, "May I be bold enough to suggest a détente between us while we sort the other issue?"

She stared into emerald eyes for a long minute and nodded, "I'd like that."

"Then," Minerva stood, "if you'd be kind enough to let me use your guest room for the evening, I shall see you in the morning."

"Minerva," Hermione stood grasping her arm to momentarily stop the elder woman, "thank you for being honest."

Minerva lifted her hand and ran it across Hermione's cheekbone, mimicking her earlier action but this time it was with her fingers and not the shadow of Ronald's. "Thank you for giving me another chance, my dear." Minerva said and without another word, her fingers fell from Hermione's skin and she elegantly moved from the room leaving Hermione to process what had just happened.

Xoxo

a/n: Well…perhaps not a complete disaster ;)