A/N: Inspiration for the street-drawer from over on the Tok and the woman Minerva is talking about is Williamina Fleming who did indeed come up with the first designation system that was used as the base for the model that is used today. She's also she's credited with discovering the Horsehead Nebula. Peace out.
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They wandered down towards the Ponte Vecchio and as with anywhere Hermione had ever been with Minerva, the scenery - even as beautiful as Florence - paled in comparison to the woman. They walked over the bridge and completely ignored the modern shops that were now there and instead, pointed out different interesting bits to each other and wondered why things were the way they were. They decided to do a lap to the next bridge, down the way, and wandered down the first road parallel to the Arno, stopping to look in a few windows and going inside the odd one as well. Minerva spied a shop that dealt exclusively in chess boards and they spent a long time looking at them before she decided that she had better not.
"Perhaps before we leave," she said quietly as she bid goodbye to the vendor.
Minerva's mood dropped and Hermione wracked her brains and tried to figure out what had happened. One minute, Minerva had been pouring over a beautiful glass board with the most exquisite chess players and then, a shadow had fallen over her face and she'd exited not long after. They were turning onto the Ponte Santa Trinita when she realised what had happened.
"He used to play chess with you," she blurted. Minerva stopped and looked at her. Hermione sighed and stepped forward, manoeuvring them out of the path of a few other tourists. "Albus. Didn't he?"
"I haven't played since he -"
"Really?"
Hermione blinked at her. Chess was not her forte at all and so she had never even suggested a game together but she hadn't realised that meant Minerva had not played at all.
"I cannot bring myself to play," Minerva said quietly. "We were partway through a game when he -"
"Oh Min," Hermione sighed, pulling the woman into her arms.
They stood quietly for a long time, just being together and looking out over the Arno.
"I'm being a wet blanket again."
"No," Hermione said softly, rocking them gently. "Not at all."
Hermione wasn't sure how long they'd been there but as she felt Minerva take a few deep breaths, someone tapped her on the shoulder.
"Scusami. Disegno le persone e voglio che tu abbia questo." [Excuse me. I draw people and I want you to have this.]
Hermione frowned and tried to pick out a word or two that made sense, but the young man offered her a piece of paper and she took it from him without thinking. As she looked at it, she gasped and looked back up at him.
"Wow. Thank you!"
"Sei il benvenuto," he shrugged. [You are welcome.]
"What is it?"
Hermione hesitated half a second and then showed Minerva what he had given her. He had sketched them, while they had stood there on the bridge in each other's arms. He'd made it understated but in doing so had created such tension and beauty that it made Minerva gasp when she saw it.
"Oh," Minerva blinked. "That is -"
They looked back at the young man, who blushed under the scrutiny. Hermione was still reeling as Minerva reached into her bag and pulled out her purse.
"No, no, non ho bisogno di soldi." He shook his head. "No money, le signore. I do it for you. To keep." [I don't need money.]
"Let me give you something for it?" Minerva said. "Please?"
He stared at Minerva and then Hermione who nodded to let her. Minerva pulled out a rather large note and gave it to him.
"No, Signora. I cannot -"
"You can. Keep drawing, share this gift you have been given," she gestured towards the sketch. "And thank you."
"Grazie signora. Ti auguro tutta la felicità." [I wish you all the happiness.]
He pressed the note between his hands and bowed to them before he walked away like he'd never been there. Hermione just watched as Minerva took it back off her and stared at it.
"It's beautiful."
"It is," Minerva nodded, her thumb rubbing gently on the edge. Hermione didn't draw attention to how much love was staring at them out of the drawing and instead, let Minerva have a moment with it before she offered her arm again.
"We will duplicate it when we get back," Minerva muttered.
"No," Hermione smiled. "You should keep it. It seems wrong to duplicate it somehow"
"That is a shame," Minerva nodded. "But you're right. We shall share it then, perhaps. I'm quite sure that young man will be famous one day."
"He seemed lovely."
They walked on and Hermione squeezed Minerva's arm as they stopped and looked over the Arno.
"When you're ready, will you teach me to play?"
"Chess?"
"Yeah," Hermione shrugged. "I've never been very good. I think I make it a bit too complicated. By the time I've figured out 12 moves ahead, I've forgotten the first three. It doesn't have to be," she winced. "Animated, if that is any help."
Minerva chortled and nudged Hermione's shoulder with a smile.
"I think I would enjoy that, Hermione," she whispered.
"Good."
They fell back into silence once more until Hermione felt brave enough to offer a question she'd never asked the older woman.
"If you could do anything in the world, what would you do?"
Minerva looked sideways at her and chuckled as Hermione shrugged.
"Mu -" she stopped. "Whichever world. If you hadn't received a letter or even if you had."
"What makes you think teaching is not everything I've ever wanted," Minerva asked airily.
"Oh, I think you've made it your own," Hermione smiled. "But what did baby McGonagall wish she could be?" Minerva snorted. "Before the rest of the world interfered."
"An Astronomer," Minerva revealed. Hermione stared at her.
"Really?"
"When I was a child, my grandmother gave me a book that someone had written about a young Scottish woman that had emigrated to America. She was abandoned by her husband and managed to find work with a University Professor. He discovered she was quite brilliant and hired her own to help with his work. As always happens," she chuckled. "She was responsible for the first designation system for the stars. The beginnings of the same system we still use now."
"Wow!"
"Hmm," Minerva chuckled. "I was quite impressionable."
"Do you look at the stars now?"
"No," Minerva sighed. "I'm often too busy doing paperwork into the night. By the time I'm finished, I'm exhausted."
"I'm sorry."
"Nonsense," Minerva waved her off and rejoined their hands this time as they walked. Hermione tried not to smile. "I enjoy what I do. Even if I have to make sacrifices to do it. Now," she said conspiratorially. "What did baby Hermione want to be?"
Hermione thought about it for a moment.
"I wanted to be Belle from Beauty and the Beast," she said, making Minerva snort. "But after that, I wanted to be a doctor."
"Oh," Minerva sighed. "You would make a fantastic healer?"
"Alas," Hermione chuckled. "I've developed quite a phobia of blood. Harry sliced his hand open the other night and I fainted like some helpless maid."
They shared stories of themselves that they'd never dared to before as they walked. Something about being here in this foreign land, during peacetime made it easy for the usual carefully constructed barriers to fall away and leave only the purified versions of themselves. Minerva spoke of her parents and her brothers and Hermione spoke of her parents and how she missed them.
"We are but two lost souls," Minerva muttered sadly.
"Not lost," Hermione soothed her, squeezing her hand. "Found," she said, immediately concerned she had been too open. "Together, I mean."
"True," Minerva nodded indulgently. "You are right."
They wandered up and down the slightly more touristy streets, window shopping and baulking at some of the price tags on the designer fashion. Even with the Wizarding exchange rate, it was extortionate. They wandered around one of the smaller museums they passed after a quick cup of coffee and a pastry before stepping back out into the sunshine with a smile.
"Shall we go back to the room and relax for a while before tonight? I confess I have booked dinner for all three nights. I thought it would be fun to get some recommendations and they sounded so good, I just called and booked."
"Oh, yes," Minerva smiled. "These boots, contrary to modern literature, are not made for walking."
"They're pretty fantastic," Hermione giggled, looking down at them. "Very sexy."
"Sexy?" Minerva snorted. "Give over."
"I'm not kidding. There was a man back there who nearly walked into a parked car because he was looking at you."
"Hermione Granger, your nose is growing, I'm sure of it."
Their arrival back at the hotel was preceded by laughter and it didn't take them long to get back to the room.
"Oh," Hermione sighed, dropping down on the bed. "I admit I haven't walked that far since we went to the Lake District."
"Oh, that was a walk, wasn't it," Minerva laughed as she pulled off her boots with a little magical aide. "But the weather!"
"I'm quite sure I still had rainwater in my ears a week later."
Minerva chuckled as uncharacteristically slumped down beside Hermione on the bed. They chatted for a little longer, the volume decreasing as they did until Minerva's jaw cracked as she yawned.
"Oh, I'm so tired. I'm not going to close my eyes, though," she muttered, doing exactly the opposite of that.
"You can, I'll set an alarm," Hermione whispered, settling beside Minerva on the pillow and watching as she fought sleep. "I'll be here."
"I know, darling," she said indulgently.
Hermione smiled, as she always did when Minerva called her darling and watched as Minerva's tired eyes closed. She did as she said and set an alarm, settling down and wrapping her pinky finger around Minerva's. The older woman stirred a little but only curled her finger tighter around Hermione's with a sigh. Following her, Hermione rolled onto her side and fell asleep watching Minerva McGonagall nap in the sunshine.