Posted 2020 August 17
De-glamour and Incancosus
Year 2005 - 4th Seventh of May - Chapter 3
Continuation
"By magic, Gil." She quipped playfully to hide the fact that she just had an accidental magic, something that had not happened for a long time... Well, five years have been a long time...Hermione rallied herself to finally face the woman.
When Hermione re-entered the banquet figuratively towed by Gil Williams for a photo op, two pairs of questioning eyes of Harry and Ron's met hers across the room. Ron mouthed 'What happened?' in reference to her escaping the commemoration. And she responded by cocking her head towards one area she was being led, where the Headmistress, the Minister, the MLE Head, and a throng of elves are in notable congregation.
"Good evening everyone. Good Sirs, Headmistress, I trust that all is well." She gave the greeting with utmost formality and somehow evaded looking at a pair of emeralds. She permitted the photographer to place her where she must be, which of course landed her beside the very woman she was trying to avoid.
The light scent of olive, ink and parchment of the older woman had Hermione almost staggering from the high familiarity invoked on her senses. Moreover, she could not help the electricity that traveled through her spine when the woman spoke.
"Outstanding work on The Act for the Welfare of Elves, Ms. Granger."
"It was a collective effort, Headmistress." Hermione replied tersely without sparing a glance at the witch beside her. It took all her self-control not to visibly shudder at the sound of the woman.
"Alright everyone, big smile and look straight here..."
The loud instruction coming from the photographer inadvertently interfered and had Hermione automatically adapting a more neutral look. And then she strapped her emotions with the finest steel strap she could muster. Do not be an idiot, Hermione. She demanded from herself. Do not be the biggest idiot, Hermione. She repeated inside her head and decidedly concentrated on the ongoing photo-shoot.
Be that as it may, Hermione was powerless to prevent the intensity that threatened to set her alight when she unmistakably felt the slightest pressing of fingers to her wrist from the most familiar touch. Minerva's touch…
"You're remarkable, Hermione. Truly so."
The almost whispered words with the thickened Scottish brogue that accompanied the briefest contact had reached Hermione's ears and went straight to her heart. The use of her first name in such well-acquainted lilt easily crushed her supposedly invulnerable defense. Before she realised it, she was shifting to look at the woman she had not seen in person for 5 years, but one she had thought of every single day.
I miss you…
It took everything in Hermione to not say aloud the utmost yearning that fired inside her mind while gazing at Minerva McGonagall's face. The pair of emerald eyes, which equally comforted and haunted her for so many years, is currently returning the stare she was openly giving... Hermione was on the verge of neglecting her faculties and surrender to the captivation when a blinding flash of light broke the moment.
"Alright everybody, we'll have one more shot…
The unintended disruption took Hermione back to the present. She silently thanked the photographer's intrusion as she berated herself. She shifted back to face away from Minerva and brought up all her walls.
Nonetheless, for a second, the war inside her head persisted as her impeccable memory decided to replay some precious moments of her and the older witch. It is only when her own mind pulled the memory of when she confessed her love had been received with utmost fright by Minerva, which was supplemented with reminders of heartaches and complications that had Hermione effectively determined to walk away from the draw.
"At the count of three… Big smile… One, two…"
Hermione restored all her emotional protection with all her might. She ignored the clenching of her chest while she was affixing the fastening elements of her walls. She looked straight at the camera, completed the photographer's count in her head, and waited for the flash. The instant it was over, she smoothly detached herself from the group. She strode towards her friends without sparing a backward glance, and entirely ignored the photographer who called her for a solo photo shot.
"Thank you." Hermione expressed as she took the proffered drink from Harry when she re-joined their group.
You're remarkable, Hermione. Truly so.
Damn, damn woman! Hermione cursed inside her head as Minerva's beguiling words were practically knocking the wind out of her lungs. But she dug hard to be resolute and squashed the mawkishness with all the self-defiance in her.
"What did I miss?" Hermione turned her focus on her peers. "Don't tell me we're discussing the greatest games of Quidditch? Again?" She asked no one in particular with mocking groan and her expected effect commenced as most of their friends launched into their most favored games.
On one hand, she received wordless inquiry of 'Are you alright?' from her best friends, one after another— Harry with his penetrating olive eyes and Ron's brief rub on her shoulder.
It was clear how much on guard Harry and Ron have elected for her, about her. They have easily read her distress of needing to stay at the banquet, more so to have stood beside Minerva for the photograph. But to allay their unspoken concern, Hermione lifted her shoulder in a nonchalant half shrug. What is done is done. When both men did not seem to accept her gesture of assurance, she rolled her eyes to convey exasperation at their overly protectiveness.
After a beat, Ron seemingly let her be and began to argue the case of his Quidditch beloved team as the greatest. "Well, the Chudley Cannons in 1892—"
"Oh come on Ron, 113 years over, enough with the melodramatic 1892." Charlie Weasley innocuously parodied Ron's well-repeated 1892 account. The good-natured ribbing from his brother had most of them in chuckles.
Apparently, the second Weasley son managed to take the time off from his work at the dragons' sanctuary in Romania, and probably arrived at the commemoration during the time that Hermione was 'attempting' to escape.
Additionally, their group attracted the company of Hannah Abbot, Luna Lovegood, Rolf Scamander, Lee Jordan, and Seamus Finnigan. However, Hermione noted that Audrey, Hestia, Susan, and Gil, are now mingling with other people.
For a while, the trading of Quidditch related ribbings ran amongst her peers. Hermione would further bait the bantering with her knowledge of the Quidditch for All Ages to instigate zealous debate amongst the loyal fans in some of them. And with Lee Jordan playing the ever role commentator, the lively discussion was fuelled even more... But gradually, their conversation moved into swapping other amusing stories, and generally to catch up with each other. When Luna and Rolf started sharing their knowledge and experience with havoc causing creatures, they trolled into laughter.
At that point, Hermione began to relax and not mind the engagement amongst her peers. Nevertheless, she was mentally monitoring when she could finally depart without calling attention to it, considering that in a manner of speaking, the celebration at the banquet is far from winding-up. She'd rather leave as soon as she can and best remove any chance of another interaction with Minerva McGonagall. Although, Hermione had deduced that another enforced encounter with the woman is highly unlikely.
Since the fall of Voldemort in 1998, Hogwarts Headmistress and triple time war heroine Minerva McGonagall is still the front and center of their Wizarding world. Many students, present and former, including their parents, are applauding the continuous improvement administered by the Headmistress at Hogwarts. And while she is not at the forefront of Ministry affairs, many transformations and programs have the hallmark of Minerva McGonagall that no one can deny that considerable credit belongs to the woman… Her absence at most public events for the last five years was construed as her working hard, all the time, in order to accomplish more.
And so, her unexpected appearance tonight had drawn a sizeable crowd, from the Ministry employees, and of course flocks of witches and wizards who went to Hogwarts, which is to say, almost everybody.
Hermione knew that she ought to be grateful for the photo op she earlier had to endure. Ironically, it basically released her from the 'necessity' of going to the Headmistress for a courteous formal greeting. As far as appearance is concern, she already did.
By another consumed half hour, she was definite to hit the exit and to not fail this time. She was turning to Harry to whisper her plans when she felt someone gently touched her elbow. She turned to look who had sought for her attention, and she found yellow luminescent twinkling eyes that had her gasped in great surprise.
"Dolly!" Hermione couched low and hugged the elf she once met; extremely unforgettable at Minerva's Manor, despite seven years had passed. "I am glad to see you here! Didn't see you earlier, did you just arrive?"
"I am glad to see you as well, Hermione." Dolly greeted back. "Yes, I just arrived with Binky. He fetched me from the Manor and insisted that we come. He said that the Headmistress encouraged all elves to at least come by, even just for a moment. As you know, most of us are not used to big crowd, and certainly not as guests."
"It's wonderful that you're here." Hermione was openly delighted at seeing Dolly.
"Aye. Binky was right to insist. I get to personally congratulate and thank you for all you have done for all elves." Dolly beamed at Hermione while continued speaking. "Just as she said, many times before, you will not be short in accomplishing countless marvellous things...How you will change our world. And she is right to believe so."
"Ahhh." Hermione chewed on her bottom lip, unable to respond immediately at what Dolly had said in reference to Minerva's remark. "Well, thank…thank her for the commendation. But she may be over-playing my role. It was always joint participation with many others."
Old and yet undoubtedly wise eyes from Dolly looked deeper into Hermione's and the witch almost cower from the invoked vulnerability. But she held the piercing gaze and decided to trust the inherent goodness of the elf that seemingly examining her soul at the moment.
"May I speak frankly, Hermione?" Dolly asked after a not so short pause.
"Of course." Hermione's expression softened upon hearing the gentlest request. "Always, Dolly." And she gave the elf a genuine smile in reassurance.
"Indeed, you have become more and more beautiful." She heard Dolly's sincere words of compliment before she felt wobbly fingers softly brush the side of her face. "More beautiful here," and then the same hand pressed near her heart, "And more beautiful in here…"
"Thank you." Hermione quietly replied, and more about the latter incorporeal praise.
It does mean so much to her; partly because Dolly is not just any other elf that she generally cares for. Dolly holds a special place in her heart. How could Hermione forget that this kindhearted elf attempted to make it all right for her when her heart was disintegrating into thousand pieces that rotten night? That despite being with the McGonagall family, which by all count should care less about one first-timer-visiting witch, Dolly tried to be there for her as she trudge forth to leave McGonagall's Manor…
"But…" Dolly whole face brightened in mischief while touching the tip of Hermione's hair near her ear. "I do favor your look with longer hair. Just like how it was when I met you."
Hermione could not help but candidly laughed at Dolly's playful voiced observation. Currently, she is sporting a very short hairstyle, and had been so for quite sometime. Mere weeks after she gave birth to Rose, she had her hair in pixie cut and had not let it grown beyond her chin ever since.
"Hence, I'd let it grow longer again, now that I know that you like that better on me." She indulgently teased Dolly back with her signature Cheshire grin.
Dolly gave her own grin with a non-serious chide, "You're always welcome at McGonagall's Manor. You know that…" Hermione smilingly nodded for she credited Dolly for the well-intent invite, notwithstanding the unspoken complications. But then her smile faltered and her heart stopped when in parting embrace Dolly whispered to her, "I hope to meet the daughter, one day."
Before she could react, Dolly had moved away. After a moment of full-unadulterated emotional paralysis, she heard Ginny said something to her but totally missed it. "Sorry Gin, I didn't catch that."
"You've been to McGonagall's Manor?" Gin inquired with evident interest.
Hermione blinked and she went for obfuscation. "Umm, yes. Once." She knew her answer could be construed as an official trip in relation to her work. "That's when I met Dolly. She's one of the free elves at McGonagall Manor. McGonagall family freed all their elves, hundred years before the passing of 'The AWE'.
"Headmistress McGonagall has a Manor?" Lee Jordan asked with bug-eyed. "I thought she lives in Hogwarts."
"She lives in Hogwarts most of the time, for obvious reasons." Neville Longbottom replied to Lee Jordan. "While the Headmistress managed to set-up a new structure, which allows us to take residence outside the castle, we know that she rarely goes home to her Manor. She still stays at Hogwarts even when school is out of term." He said with delicate concern showing in his tone. After a slight sigh, he confirmed to Lee, "But yeah, there is a McGonagall Manor— one that is not a common knowledge, actually."
"Why?" Lee asked with plain confusion.
"Why is McGonagall Manor not known? Or why she doesn't go there as much?" Ginny addressed the questions after her eyes darted to Hermione's direction and found that Hermione was staying silent about the subject.
"Both. No, erase that." Lee reformatted his probing, but his inquisitiveness was strongly displayed on his face. "Just why most of us have never heard of McGonagall Manor?"
"My guess is…" Ginny's brows knitted in careful deliberation, "…those who know about it also know that the sole living McGonagall is always at Hogwarts. And when you have the owner almost never home to such Manor, it follows that you have very few to maybe zero people who had been invited over. Thus, making it less common knowledge." Afterwards, in shrug, she said, "Besides, I only know because my Mum mentioned it once."
"My Grandma also mentioned it once, to me, way, way, way back." Neville interposed. "But nobody else has ever referred to it that I thought that perhaps the Manor had been lost or destroyed."
Neville's statement prompted Hermione to recall how Dolly once told her how the Manor has been receiving no visitors for many years, or even for a decade. She heard Neville continued explaining that his extrapolation was based on all through his seven years at Hogwarts, including his ghastly seventh year, the then Professor McGonagall was always, always at Hogwarts. He figured that if she still has the Manor that nobody really knows about, then the older witch would have ran away and bought time at her Manor, for staying at Hogwarts was making her a high target by bad people who either wanted her grievously injured or dead… But at the same breath, Neville conceded how that was impossible because the woman is a Gryffindor through and through!
"So, I was surprised and also curious when I heard that the Manor is actually still existing."
Neville further stated that he found out from Professor Sprout while doing his apprenticeship, before he assumed the post as Herbology Professor. It was that one time when they were replanting Oleifera at Hogwarts greenhouse number 7. Professor Sprout informed him that the cuttings were from McGonagall Manor's greenhouse, including the Calamicropia, Aratillis, and Averrhoanitis.
"Professor Sprout imparted that McGonagall Manor's greenhouse was quite abundant because apparently, the Manor elves were given free range by the Headmistress to take care of it however they preferred." Neville casually continued his account as he uttered, "…And that the richness has nothing to do with the Headmistress 'green thumb' because, because… well, Professor Sprout said that the Headmistress, well, she used the word spelled as, S-H-I-T— in Herbology… But let me just paraphrase what Professor Sprout had said...That the Headmistress' hands are not 'inclined' with Herbology.
The group light heartedly chuckled after Neville had finished his account. The flush on his face and his slapped on his forehead for his discourse were making everyone laughed even more, though definitely in good nature... Everyone at one point admitted how he or she has been astonished with how Neville Longbottom had truly stepped into being a noble, courageous and skilled wizard in his own right, probably more than most people. And what endeared him especially to his friends was the fact that Neville has achieved the transformation but stayed as the gentle person that he has always been.
"Oh shoot, don't ever mention THAT to the Headmistress!" Neville appealed to them. And it just made them snickered while they assured him not to worry.
Hermione fleetingly thought how Minerva once narrated to her that the primary reason she got Outstanding in Herbology for her NEWTS was in part due to reading everything she could about the subject AND mostly because of constant owling with Dolly for advice on the actual handling of the plants. The recollection made Hermione laughed in tuned with others who were ribbing Neville.
But then, it took a turn where Hermione stopped herself from almost choking after Charlie had said, "So, Hermione Granger, it seems that you are the only one who knows about McGonagall Manor and actually been there. Was it as grand as they say?
"It was only a brief visit, Charlie." Hermione muttered and gave a dismissive wave to diffuse the attention. She felt how the rest was waiting on what more she would say and she chose her words wisely, "It was a Manor, and it was McGonagall's, of course it was grand."
"Is it true that their open holdings are sanctuary to different magical creatures? Did you see it? Did you see any interesting creatures?"
"I didn't, Charlie." Hermione responded as detached as she could. "I wasn't long there." She internally sighed and thought of how to alter their current subject. They need another topic to discuss before another comes with another query about her trip at McGonagall's Manor. Of that time where she fled with broken heart, mere hours after she and Minerva had made love…
"What is long is the queue of people greeting the Headmistress tonight." Ron butted in and Hermione silently thanked her redhead best friend, whether he purposefully or not, he had provided her the needed deflection.
"Actually, I have been watching for an opening so I could greet her." George grumbled. "But that long line is more like a looong line."
"What do you expect, George?" Angelina lightly harangued her husband. "They say she is so preoccupied with so many work that's why she has not been entertaining visits. Naturally, people would want to say hello to her now that they got her here."
"I know… I know…" George bobbed his head as if in agreement. "Anyhow," he gesticulated towards the area where Hermione can guess that he was pointing at the Headmistress. "Am I the only one seeing how see doesn't look like how she used to be and yet the same?"
There goes the change of topic, and wretchedly for Hermione, it went from McGonagall's Manor, straight to Minerva McGonagall herself.
"You mean she appears absolutely beautiful? And impossibly younger?" Hanna Abbott gave the precise summation of the older witch's appearance before anyone else could say anything.
"Yes. I thought I was just imagining the transformation." George spoke his opinion while he cranked his neck to have a better angle. "Thought it was brought by not seeing her for quite some time."
"Did she arrive like that? I have to admit…I have not seen the Headmistress LIKE that! Like decades had been saved off her!" Neville's voiced reflection floated as most of them consider the matter. "I mean, before coming here, I last saw her at the castle yesterday during our weekly staff meeting. While I heard Professor Filius quietly discussed something about what he had notice of the Headmistress appearance with Professor Cleighton… still, she was not looking like that…"
Then Angelina asked the knee-jerk question. "Do you think she's wearing glamour for the occasion?"
The boy-who-lived best friend of Hermione had lifted an eyebrow at her, seemingly in wicked tease. For a moment, Hermione regretted telling him at one point about how the older witch has been hiding behind layers of de-glamour. And how Minerva had let her removed the communal charms that able her to see her true face. And how she enthused to Harry of how beautiful the woman is… She glared at him right now and forced herself to act as nosy as the rest. That's when she noted that minus her and Harry, all their peers are now unabashedly looking at Minerva McGonagall.
"Would the Headmistress use glamour charm?" Hannah asked the question in doubt, as they continued observing Minerva McGonagall.
And Luna stole back all their attention. "On the contrary…" And confused them with her comment. "The Incancosus are few around her now, the most reduced volume than I've ever seen before?"
"Ummm, Luna, what is the meaning of that?" Geroge did not bother concealing his expression and made a face-palm.
"The Headmistress is usually full of Incancosus. Tonight, they're still around her but not so much." The positively peculiar Ravenclaw gave the descriptions, like it was the most common thing to know.
Hermione already knew the truth about Minerva's appearance but she could not help but be as eager to comprehend Luna as the rest. And she knew she was not the only one who understood nothing of Luna's words.
"Sorry, Luna, we don't really follow." Again, George tried but failed to comprehend the provided information. "Please, explain to us, we are really unacquainted with Incan-cosus."
"Oh, right. Let's see…" Luna dreamily stated that suggests that she was recanting a memory, or possibly being her usual strange self… "I was nine when I first met the Professors at a chance encounter with my father at the Diagon Alley. When we parted, I told father she has many Incancosus. Father said that maybe the woman has severe unhealed wounds and scars, considering she fought the war before the last one, and that's why Incancosus surrounded her because she's hiding her deformities." Luna held her hand at the obvious objection from George before she continued, "But father was mistaken, Incancosus are creatures actually attracted not to deformities, but to the magic causing deformities."
George screwed up his face in unmistakable attempt to piece the clarification, but gave up. "One-more-time, Luna."
Hufflepuff Rolf Scamander took charge and gave the simplest explanation. "Luna is saying that the Headmistress is wearing LESS de-glamour today than she used to. She means that—"
"That the Headmistress looks truly that young and that beautiful!" George with the speed of light finished of Rolf's sentence as his eyes sparkled in bewilderment.
Rolf agreed, "Well, yes." And disagreed with George's statement. "And nope." And then finally put an end to the confusion, "Because to be more specific, it means that the Headmistress would look YOUNGER than now… And MORE beautiful than now… WHEN she drops her de-glamour completely."
"BLIMMEY!"
"MERLIN'S BEARD!"
"NO WAY!"
The chorus disbelief erupted from the group. But before they could formulate more exclamations, Luna submitted her conclusion to Rolf's pronouncement, "And that's when the Incancosus will be gone!"
For a moment, there was a pause as no one could react quickly to what Luna had said. Afterwards, what basically ensued was a mad enumeration of mad questions and equally mad answers supplied by Luna.
"So, she looks younger than that?"
"Yes, the level of Incancosus says she is de-glamourising so much!"
"So she what…de-glamourised herself to not show that she ages slower than wizarding aging?"
"Yes. The Incancosus is the evidence of that."
"Is it something to do when she became the Hogwarts headmistress?
"Incancosus have been with the Headmistress even when she was not the Headmistress yet."
"Why didn't we ever think of the same with Headmaster Dumbledore? "
"I never saw Incancosus around Headmaster Dumbledore."
"Perhaps something to do with her Animagus? Cats have nine lives, they say. It could mean that 9 lives is actually equivalent to 1 life but aging very, very slow."
"We could check the Incancosus when the Headmistress is in her cat form if there is an effect."
"You know, now that we are discussing this, it reminds me of those times, when the Professor, I mean the Headmistress, I mean back then as our Professor, when she would sometimes look 'differently' during the times she was roused inconveniently in the middle of the night because something happened?"
"Had we checked the Incancosus during those times, we could say if she had missed a layer of de-glamour or not."
Hermione could see the reigning expression of their friends was severe bafflement at what they are discovering about Minerva McGonagall. Even Harry and Ron are unmistakably in reflection of the matter since they never really seen Minerva's 'unglamourised' face, although she told them about it.
On the other hand, Hermione was fighting to adopt the same countenance of puzzlement sported by her friends, in pretense that she too has no idea. Truthfully, all she wanted to do was to die laughing of how Luna kept on citing the Incancosus again and again. Hermione is convinced that her Ravenclaw friend is really smart AND something. Moreover, Luna's unyielding confirmation of Minerva's not-so-secret-anymore de-glamourisation to hide her superb magical ageing (simply because of the presence of the Incancosus) is thoroughly making Hermione believe in the existence of such unseen magical creature that Luna had referred to.
When Minerva arrived at the banquet with the Minister, at first glance, Hermione's golden brain had a recognition of the less than the usual de-glamour charms worn by the older woman. Undoubtedly, Hermione would know… She thought that there is no way the older witch had mistakenly overlooked completing her usual compact of de-glamour charms. But frankly, she did not want to give it a thought, frightful of where such rumination might lead her.
However, when George mentioned precisely how the woman looks differently, and when supplemented by Hannah's description of younger and all of a sudden more beautiful than ever, Hermione took a swift glance at Minerva's face and understood the discovery. She was certain that the woman dropped another layer of her de-glamour charm sometime while there at the banquet. But Hermione refused to ponder the why. Even as her friends are still throwing speculations, wild ones together with correct ones, she kept mummed and kept the lid on her emotions airtight to not be affected with the discussion.
Hermione heard Ginny asked Harry if he had known, and her best friend tried to be as vague as he could by telling her that he had suspected from time-to-time but was uncertain. When Ginny inquired if Harry had never asked the woman about it, Hermione took it as an absolute sign to depart the celebration before the talk about Minerva McGonagall directly landed her into something she might not get out of.
Hurriedly, she made farewell motions, dropped her need to be elsewhere, and allowed no one to impede her escape. She was walking away when she heard Angelina began conjecturing that if indeed the Headmistress is now reducing her de-glamour, it could be because they say an impressive wizard from America was at the Wizengamot meeting earlier for the consultation. Angie said that she hopes the Headmistress does date to take off stress from running the school and partly the Ministry. Hermione hastened her departure and blocked the mental picture assaulting her of unknown 'impressive' wizard who might or for all they know, already dating 'her Minerva'…
Fuck, Hermione.
The curse blazed in her mind as she mirthlessly laughed at the reference of her possession of Minerva… She berated and equally taunted herself as she exited the Ministry building. Knowing that her flat is empty since Rose is staying for the night with her parents, one her daughter requested of, she contemplated going for a drink at a muggle bar, but soon enough rejected the notion. She hasn't really touched more than a glass of wine from the time she got so smashed and self-destructive that Seventh of May in Year 2000.
Needless to say, when she got pregnant with Rose, alcohol was out of question. Later on, the demanding schedule of being a new mum and pursuing Ministry work at every turn had left no room for Hermione to feel the need to forget her heartache and seek oblivion with a bottle. It wasn't that she no longer feels the ultimate longing and pain from not being with Minerva. Most nights, her eyes would close with her mind and heart still full of Minerva. She just learned to manage and accept her current situation. Perhaps one day…there would be magic of all magic that can fix matters of the heart...
When Hermione got to her flat, she decided to have a run. Ron had introduced the physical exercise when she wanted to get rid of her pregnancy weight after Rose was born. To her surprise, running was a hit for her that even after she had achieved her initial weight loss goal, she continued with the exercise, which immensely whipped her into shape. Additionally, whenever she pounds the streets, it generally helped clear her mind, or at least make sense of her life's decision.
When she had changed into her running gears and securely tucked her wand, she set out a 45 minute run in one of her usual route in London. Reaching the end of that course, Hermione was out of breath, notably more than the usual. Profusely sweating, she squinted to check her running watch and blinked to find out that she had completed the route in a little after the 30th minute mark. It was indeed a personal best. Somewhat distractedly, she thought of how seeing Minerva had automatically made her pushed herself, and jumped over her usual feat.
Minerva.
Unbidden, the name was whispered by Hermione's lip after she sighed at such contemplation as she made her way back to her flat. But for no reason at all, Hermione found herself just 1 street turn from their old house…
When Mr. and Mrs. Granger moved back in Britain, they had taken residence elsewhere, and signed the transfer of the house to Hermione's possession. She extremely appreciated her parents' gesture but argued that she has no need for the house since her flat is more convenient to her commute to the Ministry. John Granger sat Hermione down and in not so many words, gave the full disposition of the house to her. She understood that her parents are still making it up to her and she did not have the heart to reject it, nor have the heart to sell the house where she grew up in. And if she will be honest, twice she spent precious togetherness in that house with the one woman who holds her heart. Thankfully, she has no financial requirement that would force her to dispose the property. Hence, she let the house be, except every read book she finished has ended being stored there, along with the ones she previously read when she was younger.
Hermione ducked to enter the back gate of the house and bypassed the hiding place for the house keys. Instead, she took her wand out and magically unlocked the back door and headed straight to take a shower. Under the cascading water, Hermione interrogated herself of why she is now in this house; bearing in mind that every year, this particular date is the very date she stayed resolutely away from this house.
Following the year she last spent with Minerva in this house, on that Seventh of May of when they ultimately conceived their daughter, Harry and Ron arranged an over night stay at her place after the commemoration that day. She intensely opposed the idea and dismissed the overly caring, though she appreciated the intention. But both boys were adamant and she gave in. It was one of those that they were just right to be so, because when the night crawled deeper, she found herself attacked with the most grievous feeling of wretchedness.
It was the first of the four consecutive commemorations that Minerva McGonagall had skipped. And that very night, Hermione experienced the utmost slapped of reality that whatever it was between her and Minerva, it had truly ended… Minerva was staying away from her…
It was done.
Was it done because she confessed her love to Minerva?
Was it done because Minerva could not say it back?
Was it done because Minerva did not want to accept her love?
Was it done because Minerva would not give back the same love?
Was it done because she ran King Kong jealous of her supposed conclusion that Minerva was once with Bellatrix?
Was it done because she had given birth to their daughter; a fact she kept secret from Minerva?
Was it done because Minerva bought her spiteful lies that she was sleeping with other people?
Was it done because she literally told Minerva that she cannot do it anymore?
The list of reasons has so much more after those pressing ones, with some premises far disconnected, and yet everything is compounded. But one was certain, the labyrinth was enough to wreck havoc on Hermione that night of May 7, 2001. Harry held her tight as Ron checked on Rose on the next room to ensure that the babe has not been awakened as the mother wailed at such pain and drowning dejection…
That was year 2001; Hermione shook her head at the blasted memories as she dried her hair with a towel. Changing into one of the two sets of clean clothes she had in the house, she had lain down on her bed to rest for a bit and ignored the question of why the hell she was not heading back to her flat...
She accoid one random book and focused her mind at the muggle novel originally published in 1920 by Edith Wharton. She tried to forget all that had happened five years, four years, or just hour/s ago… But then she got annoyed at oneself upon automatically drawing the parallelism of her enduring heartache with that of Madame Ellen Olenska's; the main character in the novel she's currently perusing. She was vaguely musing the old philosophical conundrum of the passage; does Life imitate Art, or Art imitates life, before she surrendered to sleep.
Not even thirty minutes asleep, Hermione stirred awake. It did not take her long to remember where she was and she stretched her body to release her muscle from the strain when she suddenly paused. It dawned on her what had actually roused her…
Most magical people would immediately reach for their wand when they sense some kind of movement in the house, particularly when they knew they were alone, and more importantly, no visitor is expected.
But then, for unfathomable reason, Hermione knew the emitted dainty sound from the unseen gait. However light the movement seems to be, there was no mistaking it.
Indeed, Minerva has arrived.
End of Chapter 2 - Year 2005
The draw is too much, isn't it…?
There is no escaping each other now...
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Made up magical plants : Oleifera Calamicropia, Aratillis, Averrhoanitis
Made up magical insect: Incancosu
Muggle book: Edith Wharton's The Age of Innocence
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Do you remember when Emma Watson cut her hair so short? The first link is how I envisioned Hermione when she chopped them pixie.
And the second link is how she looks by this seventh of May in year 2005.
emma-watson-haircut/
hairs /cute-side-parted-combed-back-bob-cut-emma-watson-short-hairstyles/