A/N: Hello lovelies! Today we have a special treat. Today's chapter is only like 900 words. So. We have a plan. Today you're getting two (yes! 2!) chapters today! Hooray! That means that on Thursday we will be up to Chapter 25 (can you believe that?!) And it turns out I am going to be horrendously busy on Friday so I'm going to skip a day. So 2 today, 1 tomorrow, 1 Thursday, NO CHAPTER Friday and back to normal on Saturday. That cool with everyone? I hope so, cos that's what it's gonna be lol

As always my eternal thanks and love and devotion go to Spin, who... I was reading something about how some betas work and I cannot be more thankful that I am keeping Spin for all eternity.

For disclaimer, please see Ch2.

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Before Minerva knew it, Hermione had become completely ensconced in her life. Three weeks after 'The Incident' as she thought of it in her head, Hermione was as firmly a part of her life as Albus was. She smiled, watching the young woman writing madly at the dining table where she'd taken over doing her homework while Minerva pretended to write letters. On the contrary, she had finished all of her correspondence half an hour previous, but her heart was warmed simply by watching.

She may not have carried Hermione within her, but she was here now and it helped ease the pain of the prospect of the waning spring. Her hands shook as she realised how close to summer they were.

"Hey," Hermione said, startling her. "Are you okay?"

"Quite," Minerva sniffed, shivering. She clearly didn't believe her and Minerva didn't blame her. "I am fine, Hermione."

"What happened?"

"I merely realised the time of year," she muttered, annoyed at her inability to lie to this girl.

"Oh," Hermione frowned. "I," Minerva waited patiently for Hermione to get her thoughts together as she often did. "I'm going to stay in my room tonight. You should have dinner or something." She rolled her eyes at herself. "With him, I mean."

"Hermione," Minerva scoffed. "I have rounds, I have marking to do."

"I'll do it," Hermione said, a bit too quickly for Minerva's liking. She peered up at the young lady who was aiming to look as innocent as she could. "Well, I can't do your rounds, but I bet Professor Flitwick would. He's got nothing else going on," she bit her lip. "It'll be a quiet night."

"Oh Hermione," Minerva sighed, putting her face in her hands. "What have you done?"

"I just know that Harry's got the Second Years tonight which means Professor Flitwick is free because he's taking tomorrow's class. And if Harry's teaching then Ginny's in charge of the dorms. And they're terrified of her," she giggled. "They won't make a peep."

"What do you mean?"

"Transfiguration training," Hermione shrugged.

"He, they -" Minerva gaped. "Still?"

"I asked him to keep going, that first day," Hermione grinned. "But he was already on it. Tuesdays are Seconds. Wednesdays are Thirds, Thursdays Fourths etc..."

"Bloody hell," Minerva groaned, taking off her glasses and throwing them on her desk as Hermione got up and stood next to her. "I will have no credibility left at this rate."

"No," Hermione said, taking her hand and smiling gently. "Quite the opposite. People respect you so much, they're behaving. Harry was only telling me yesterday he's got it covered. You won't be disturbed. You could even go out for dinner somewhere -"

"Hermione Granger," Minerva rolled her eyes, pulling her to sit on the side of her chair. "You're hopeless."

"Maybe," Hermione grinned. "But it'd be a nice night for you guys."

"In my dreams, perhaps," Minerva smiled.

"No offence, but I don't want to know about your dreams," Hermione quipped, making Minerva splutter.

"You are grounded," Minerva laughed, swatting the girl with her parchment again and again. "Completely and utterly, for the rest of your life. For being too cheeky for your own good."

"I already am," Hermione smiled. "And I'm totally okay with it."

"Shift," Minerva muttered, moving her a little and getting up, pulling Hermione into her arms. "Thank you, little one. For taking care of me. I'm not sure I've said that properly. I will make sure to thank Harry and Ginny as well."

"You're welcome," Hermione whispered, tamping down on the feelings of guilt she had bubbling inside her over what she was planning later. "Will you please have dinner with Professor Dumbledore?" Hermione asked, wanting both to make her feel better and also to get a bit of time alone to do what was needed.

"I will ask him," Minerva conceded. "I admit it has been a while since we've sat down to eat together outside the Great Hall."

"Good," Hermione smiled, feeling it turn into a small smirk. "Did you do your exercises?"

"Hermione!"

"I'm just making sure!" Hermione said, holding her hands out in surrender. "Gotta make sure you're all limber!" She swatted at Hermione's arm as the girl danced out the way and down the hall.

"HERMIONE!"

She blushed three shades of red before realising that Hermione wasn't necessarily wrong. Just not for the reasons she was suggesting. As much as she wasn't willing to admit it, even to herself, Hermione's exercises were helping a lot. Minerva had been horrified to find out that she'd given Harry a letter to send to a physiotherapist with Wizarding parents. She'd sent Hermione to her room without dinner, but the young woman had stuck out her chin, a look of defiance on her face the next morning, and held out a list of exercises. Minerva had stared at her for a long time before taking the parchment and they sat in silence as she read over them, confused by the simplicity of them.

Minerva had broken first, clearing her throat and asking the question. Hermione had thrown herself into her explanations and Minerva had followed her instructions to the letter. At this point, after only two weeks, she was able to reach the top shelf of her wardrobe with very little pain and she was feeling less weighed down by the throbbing that had dogged whatever she did. Feeling a frisson of happiness at that idea and that of having Albus all to her own, all night, she pulled out her chair and sat back down. It would be good to have that time. They had precious little of it left and - she shook her head. No, she would not think of what the future might bring, she would concentrate on the now. And the now required her to roll her shoulders back and hold her arms horizontally. She did so, grinning as she sent a Patronus to Albus, inviting him to dinner.