Part 4
March 2nd
The wind crept up the Headmistress's sleeves as she watched the cogs turning in Hermione's eyes. It was March after all and while spring was on its way, the snow had found its way to Scotland, as it always did. Thick and fresh beneath her feet. The cold biting her nose in a way she always relished.
However, the elements did little to distract her from the young woman in front of her. Francis had informed her of Hermione's resistance and hesitation. In truth, she could not blame the woman, but she hoped beyond all hope that she would come around. So as the early morning birds chirped above them and Hermione took in her words, she knew this was her one and only chance.
Emerald eyes looked at chocolate ones in concern. It was not very often that the intelligent witch was lost for words. "Are you alright?"
Hermione looked down and then back up into eyes which she had always seen as green but now she could see held more detail and flecks of gold than she ever could have imagined. "I, yes. Forgive me." She shook her head, "I'm just trying to process it all."
"Then, perhaps, if you are in agreement, we could venture on a little walk and you may ask me everything you'd like to know?"
Hermione reached into her pocket to return Francis's wand to him as she nodded, "That sounds agreeable." She turned, handing it back "Will you be joining us?"
Francis reached for the wand, "No. For today I think a familiar face, only, is just what you need."
Despite her first reservations about him, the man had been nothing but friendly, kind and supportive. She gave him a small smile and nodded.
Francis gave them both a nod and with barely a rush of wind, he was gone.
Minerva turned her eyes back to the young woman and gestured in the direction of the Forbidden Forest, "Shall we?"
Hermione followed the Headmistress's instructions and walked through the open gates, passing the stone carvings with a sense of melancholy and towards the forest. She has passed through those gates a million times before but today, the sky white, thick and heavy with snow she felt, different.
Minerva quickly fell in step beside her, snow sticking in clumps to the bottom of their cloaks.
"So, what would you like to know first?" Minerva asked gently, knowing they would probably be out here for quite some time. Or at least she hoped they would be. Because if they were, then she hoped that meant Hermione had come around.
The urge to say 'everything' was something Hermione had to suppress. Instead, she focused on the snow ahead before glancing at Minerva, "I don't know what to ask without sounding impertinent or rude."
"Simply ask. If you go too far, I shall tell you."
Hermione looked at her dubiously, "Alright. Right now, are you, well, you? As in, Minerva?"
Minerva's lips twitched up slightly and she nodded in amusement, "I am 'me' as you put it. But Oriana is here also. She can hear and see you just as I do, but her words are confined to my consciousness rather than being spoken aloud. Do you understand?"
"Not completely. But I am sure I will with time."
"Would you like to speak with her?"
Hermione's breath hitched, "Uh, not quite yet, thank you." She wasn't quite ready to deal with the thing she had been avoiding since the whole mess had begun.
"There is no need to be afraid, Hermione."
"I'm not," Hermione replied a little quickly.
Minerva said nothing merely raised her eyebrow before looking up to the sky that held clouds that were sure to be full of more snow threatening to fall.
"How long have you been…?"
"Dragon souled? 32 Years, give or take." Minerva said casually.
"That's a long time."
This time Minerva did smile, "For dragons, 32 years is nothing. However, if you want specifics, I would be in my early twenties perhaps. It can sound a little complicated. But you will learn this with time. In short, age and time are relative to Dragons."
Hermione just nodded because in all honesty, she had no earthly understanding.
"And how long have you been queen?"
"Since the day I was chosen."
Hermione frowned, "How could you make that decision knowing she was queen?"
Minerva swiveled her foot slightly as they talked, turning them into the forest that, till now, they had been walking alongside.
"I did not. She chose me."
"But surely you must have known of them beforehand?"
"I did. But like you, while I had been invited to the ceremony, I had no intention of taking that kind of oath."
Hermione slowed and looked at the older woman with a combination of curiosity and trepidation. "Then you were forced?"
"No. It was of my own volition."
"Why?" Hermione asked immediately. So far she had yet to understand the reasons behind such an act. To share your body, your whole life with somebody who is not the one you love beyond all reason and doubt. A person you would have to share every intimate detail with, yet have no physical relationship like you would a partner.
No longer are you one opinion, you are two. The very meaning of privacy would no longer exist.
"Because…" Minerva stopped and looked at her imploringly, "I knew it was the right thing to do."
Hermione's feet stopped too as she took in Minerva's keen gaze. She knew what she was trying to say and narrowed her eyes before storming ahead.
Minerva sighed and picked up her pace after the young woman.
"You made a choice. Mine was taken away." Hermione shouted, ploughing through the foliage as though she were on a mission.
"But you have a choice now…" Minerva called to the woman who just seemed to be picking up more speed.
Hermione laughed, "After the fact. How kind. Why? Why should I do this?" Hermione picked up her cloak as she stepped over a fallen branch.
Minerva stopped and waited, suddenly no longer in the mood to chase the woman. "For the same reasons I did. Because it's right. You're bright, caring, kind. You above many others could change things for the better. You already are." She breathed, her breath visible due to the cold.
Hermione slowed and came to a stop.
"You're right. Your choice was taken away from you. But you have a choice now." Minerva tried, "I cannot say that I know you well, but I can say that I know you have ambition and fight. But more importantly, you have heart and a passion for inclusivity that many leaders lack." The Headmistress paused in her words as she looked up to the sky, noticing the first few flakes falling between the trees. Looking back at her ex-student, she moved toward her, "Don't become what you have spent so many years fighting against."
"Which is what?" Hermione asked as flakes started settling in her hair.
"Prejudice against a species simply because you are yet to understand them."
"I'm no…"
Minerva raised her eyes brow and Hermione immediately closed her mouth knowing she had done just that.
"You've been afraid, and rightly so. But…" Minerva said as she finally closed the distance between them. "You were placed in Gryffindor for a reason. Don't let me down when you've only just begun."
Hermione knew the Headmistress was right. She had been acting out of anger rather than relying on her usual rational thinking.
"Say, in theory, that I accept all of this…" She gestured around them, "then what?" Hermione said softly, unsure.
The hesitation in Hermione's voice was clear but Minerva was sure this was it, the turning point she had been hoping for. And while she knew there would be many struggles ahead of them, Hermione could see them through. And she would be right next to her.
"We have as long as you need. Think of me as your teacher." She said with a knowing smile.
And for the first time in weeks, Hermione laughed. It wasn't a full cackle. It was relief. "I'm not sure if you'll live up to one of my previous professors." Hermione quipped back.
Minerva smiled, "I shall do my best." She replied as they started walking again. The snow falling heavier now. Neither of them were afraid though. Minerva knew the forest like the back of her hand and although Hermione didn't know the forest like her company did, she knew enough to feel safe in her own knowledge and having Minerva beside her.
"Have you spoken to Arnaga?"
Hermione stepped over a stone, "Not in so much detail…no."
"Then perhaps that is the first step we should take." Minerva advised, "I presume the walls in your mind are still up. I would advise you to take them down. The longer they are up the more you hurt her."
Hermione glanced at the Headmistress, "How?"
"At this moment you are pushing her into a corner as it were. Let your thoughts and her thoughts roam free. It is a full feeling at first but I assure you, you will get used to it."
Hermione paused in her steps and closed her eyes. She had no idea what she was doing. How did one navigate the mind truly? She didn't know. But as she stood there, large flakes falling onto her skin, she could almost hear the snow falling. Was that even possible? She followed through the quiet to where she could feel the fullness aching to burst forth and with gentle fingers she opened the flood gates and let her out.
Her eyes shot open and her hands went to her ears. It was deafening, as though a thousand bands hand suddenly started playing all at once, as loudly as possible.
It took her breath away and suddenly the Headmistress's hand was on her arm, steadying her as she swayed.
"Breathe, Hermione."
A cacophony of noise rushed through her head and it took everything within her not buckle underneath the noise.
"I, I can't," She gasped as she tried to control the rushing noises that seemed to have no end.
"You can. It will pass in a moment. Just focus on your breathing."
Hermione growled and snapped at the witch in front of her automatically, "I can't!" She shouted angrily but as she looked into surprised green eyes she realised her fault, "Forgive me, I didn't mean to shout at you." She said gently.
"It's quite alright," Minerva assured her.
What Hermione hadn't noticed however was that within those few seconds the cacophony of sound had reduced a barely audible humming. Her body started to relax and Minerva could feel her body softening beneath her hand.
"How do you feel?"
Hermione's hands fell away from her ears cautiously and landed on Minerva's arms as if to steady herself. "Better. Thank you."
A second passed as green eyes looked straight into chocolate ones, searching for that flicker of reassurance. Sometimes words couldn't completely reassure her the way that seeing it did. She found that people's eyes never lied.
Once she found what she needed, she let her hands fall away and stepped away from the younger witch while keeping an eye on her.
Hermione inhaled deeply a few times, trying to catch her breath back while she started adjusting to the new 'full' feeling.
"W' what happens now?" Hermione enquired as she looked up into emerald eyes she was trying to trust.
"There should be an open channel between you now, her thoughts and yours should flow easily. You will be able to hear her and if you let her, she should be able to push to the forefront and communicate with me, while you take a step back as it were." Minerva explained carefully.
Hermione nodded and tried not to think at all really. It was odd knowing that someone else could hear your most intimate thoughts, that everything you thought or felt was open to them.
"Would it help if I said you get used to it?"
Hermione looked up at Minerva, almost startled.
Minerva smiled, almost knowingly and reached out again, touching Hermione's arm in reassurance. "It's alright. Just let her roam. I assure you, you are safe."
"Minerva is right, no harm shall befall you while I am here."
Hermione closed her eyes as though she were in pain and tried to keep her breaths calm. What did she do? What did she say? How did she do this? How did she communicate? Oh, Merlin.
"Breathe… I can hear your thoughts and your spoken words… so perhaps start with the latter."
Her hand came up as she held onto Minerva once more for support. "I… I'm…" She shook her head at Minerva, "I…"
"Formulating a sentence would be of better use, rather than the random gibberish you seem to be spouting right now."
Hermione frowned and her next words flowed easily this time. "You're being quite rude.
"And you nearly killed us both, so you'll excuse me if some of my words are a little sharp to begin with."
Hermione flexed her jaw and she bit back and a remark. instead, her focus quickly shifted as she felt herself sway again.
Minerva's second hand came to her waist as she watched and held the younger woman up. She could see the waging war within those brown eyes and felt her concern grow. Usually, the transition was a harmonious one, this was anything but and she could see and feel the toll it was taking as Hermione swayed in her arms.
"Hermione…" Before she could voice any further concerns however, Hermione's eyes rolled back into her head. Her body went limp and Minerva was suddenly forced to her knees as she struggled to support Hermione's now unconscious body.
Minerva sighed sadly as she looked down at her former student. She looked exhausted and delicate she thought as they lay crumpled in the snow.
Although it pained her to think it, she reminded her so much of herself. Constantly putting on a façade, a front, with walls higher than Kilimanjaro. But now, here, as the thick snowflakes landed on her face, she could see the dark circles that magic would usually hide and the way her cheekbones looked a little too pronounced.
"She's been fighting her and fighting her hard, I would hazard a guess, let's get her inside?" Oriana said gently as they looked at the poor young witch with empathy.
"I believe you're right. Let us hope the damage is not too severe." She spoke aloud as she pulled on her magic and apparated them to her personal quarters.
"Taena" Minerva called as she held Hermione gently, hoping the young witch would wake soon.
Before she could blink her house-elf was beside her. "What's can i… Oh my's." Taena said as her ears dropped a little in worry.
"Taena, would you be so kind as to prepare a little food for our guest for when she awakens," Minerva said softly as she held the woman while running a set of basic diagnostics. She would call Poppy if anything seemed out of sorts, but for now, this would do.
"Of course, Mistress…" Taena paused, "Are yous alright Mistress?"
Minerva looked up and nodded to her companion, a dear friend, and confidante, "Yes Taena, thank you for asking."
"Would yous like me to take the witch to yous spare room?" Her doe-like eyes laced with concern.
Minerva looked down again, "…No… I can settle her. I'm sure she will be confused when she awakens. I think a familiar face will do her some good after everything she has been through."
Taena said nothing more and with a pop, she was gone.
"I wonder how Arnaga is fairing."
Minerva shifted with the woman in her arms, "With all the determination in the world I would think and a little tired perhaps. Though she would never admit it."
"I concur. Stubborn woman." Oriana practically growled.
Minerva smiled and started levitating Hermione to her personal quarters. "Now, now, dear. She isn't half as bad as you make her out to be."
"She's a show-off."
"And you're not?"
Oriana huffed and sent a swirl of magic down Minerva's left hand causing an electric shock-like sensation.
Minerva winced and narrowed her eyes, "That was rude. If you aren't going to play nicely, you shan't play at all." She warned.
Oriana growled again, but for the most part, Minerva was met with silence. She didn't need a response, her point had been made she thought as she carried on with the task of taking care of Hermione. Oriana was a queen and a formidable dragon but Minerva was just as strong, if not more so, and Oriana knew it.
Authors note: As always, I hope you enjoyed and any mistakes are my own.
