Author's Note: I apologise for the delay in writing, particularly as I stopped at such a point where I think I unnerved a few people. I got a promotion at work and time hasn't been aplenty so writing had to take a back seat for a while there, but not to worry, I'm back now. Hope you enjoy this chapter (NB. I know what acts as the catalyst for Harry and Hermione's breakup with the Weasley siblings is a cliché but it's damn effective and I like the ending it precludes, so if you don't like it, I'm afraid I won't mind much).

DAENERYSTARGARY3N

2 months later…

"Yes, Professor," Hermione replied, thoroughly relishing the intellectual challenge of debate with her new boss, "I quite agree with you there. The aperture for wand resistance in substantial hex-casting is growing yet in standard Defence Against the Dark Arts pedagogy across all major European institutions, the topic is untouched. It is appalling, especially when more and more casualties are flooding in from unknowing witches and wizards whose spells rebound because their own wand is out of tune with their magical energy."

Sitting in the Head's parlour with a hovering tea service primed with steaming Earl Grey tea and cucumber sandwiches whilst entrammelled in the richest and most vigorous scholastic debate either woman had experienced in quite some while was turning out to be what both looked forward to most in their week. For her part, Minerva was weary of the apparently never ending effort to repair Hogwarts Castle and residing with only Flitwick, Sprout and Pomfrey for the past few months. School was due to commence in a fortnight and some more of the staff had returned but few with the same vitality, all of them diminished somewhat by the final battle against Tom Riddle.

As the Headmistress regarded her young companion, her expression turned from scrutiny (the result of strenuous academic discourse with a knowledgeable and direct colleague) to fondness. Since Miss Granger had moved her domicile to the castle just over a month ago, the place had recaptured some of its lost shine that came with having youth and passion for learning and teaching both there once more. Her three colleagues had taken to nicknaming the youngest professor Hogwarts had taken on in four centuries 'Princess'. Hermione had approached her new employer and confessed that she abhorred the pet name, but Minerva was as wise as her divine namesake...she was well aware that Filius, Pomona and Poppy called Hermione 'Princess' not because they were belittling her mind or her professionalism, but far greater, they saw her as a princess. To them, the surviving teachers at Hogwarts, Hermione was a true princess. She was Gryffindor royalty who deserved every honour that had been heaped upon her and commanded the respect of all regardless of age or blood status. She convinced her protégée to permit her colleagues to continue in their affectionate nicknaming of her, telling her that they certainly meant no offense or insult. That their intent was to bestow upon her yet another honour and sign of affection and perennial gratitude.

Under Professor McGonagall's gaze, the young witch seemed to wither and grow ghostly pale. Her complexion became wan and her eyelids seemed to droop under an invisible burden, one that could not have been their discourse.

"Hermione dear, are you quite well? You're pale and look," the elderly woman said gesturing to Hermione's brow, "you've broken out in a sweat!"

Hermione did suddenly feel faint and her head started to spin. Her stomach felt as though it was tumbling down a hill, bounding about and rolling. She was unaccustomed to feeling ill and it was not her time of the month. Suddenly, as she thought about her menses, her heart began to thrum in her breast and her vision grew hazy and started to vanish. As she felt herself fall from her chair, she heard her companion call her name just before everything turned black.

As the girl felt her eyes flutter and her body ache as she awoke,

"When will she wake up, Headmistress? She has been unconscious now for more than two hours. I'm going to fetch Madam Pomfrey to come check on her. It's not like her to faint. She faced down the Dark Lord and a killer snake and barely batted an eyelid but one zealous conversation about wandlore with you and she's out cold on the floor."

"Mr. Potter, Harry, if I can call you that," Hermione heard her employer say in a concerned but strong tone, "Professor Granger will recover, Poppy has assured me. She actually seemed quite positive when she left here to make sure her shift was covered at St. Mungo's. That too is reassuring, since if Miss Granger were in any true peril, Madam Pomfrey would have simply sent a house elf to deliver the message. We just need to be patient and I'm sure Hermione will rejoin us presently."

"If she hasn't already…" Hermione croaked, having understood her situation was not dire.

"Oh, thank Merlin, Hermione!" Harry exclaimed, pulling his best friend into his tight embrace.

"Glad you're awake, Miss Granger," McGonagall greeted with a smug smile as if she had no doubt of her protégée regaining consciousness, "Mr. Potter here has been quite beside himself for the past few hours."

"I have not!"

Hermione snickered, "I know you, Potter, I know you were worried. I heard you too."

As she said that, the young woman remembered what her final thought had been before her world turned black. She felt as though she were going to wilt against the equally distressed faces of her bedside companions. She needed Harry, she needed to speak to Harry...alone.

"Professor, I'm sorry to trouble you and I'm so embarrassed that you had to deal with me fainting in your office, but would you mind if I had a minute to talk to Harry alone, please."

Minerva assented easily, knowing that the Golden Trio always preferred each other's company in times of trouble. She only hoped that her Defence Against the Dark Arts professor would be alright in time for the commencement of term. She had not let on, but she was depending on her war hero teacher to inspire some morale in the pupils and returning staff and incite some hope in new members of the Hogwarts family.

"What's up, 'Mione? You scared me there, sweetheart." Harry crooned, stroking his friend's unruly, wild brown hair.

She winced at the sound of the endearment on Harry's lips. It reminded her of what she was about to tell him, of the fact that she had barely seen the man she had laid with for hours in her parents' house and of all the great evils the magical world had thrown at them that they had defeated. Her eyes watered as she thought that not one thing had overcome them, their strength and their friendship, but what she guessed was stirring within her - a thing she could only see as good - could utterly destroy all that they had built and nurtured since they were eleven years old.

"How's Teddy?" Hermione asked, having nowhere near the levels of courage she required to tell her news.

Harry grimaced, knowing precisely how she was evading him, but he grinned as he answered, "He's great. He amazes me every single day I'm with him. He's so much like Remus and Tonks...always up to no good. Now that he's moving about more, I've had to proof the entire house. For the first time in my life, I've done nothing but have fun and enjoy having a family. It's great, but I've missed you. You've been a stranger since we both moved up here. Is it what happened between us or have you just had enough of me?"

The tears streamed down her face in earnest as her childhood friend expressed his doubts in her continued affection and loyalty to him. She had been distant, but she could not work out just how her life was going to go now. After helping Harry move in with Teddy to his small house in Hogsmeade, just as he had planned, his life seemed to be coming together and he deserved it so much that she couldn't blame him, but hers seemed to be in a constant state of limbo and it broke something within her.

"'Mione, talk to me please, and stop crying. You know I can't bear it when you cry."

She curled into his arms and found long sought after comfort there, "I'm sorry. I wanted to come down so many times but I, I just couldn't. I haven't seen Ron or Ginny either. I've just been here, trying to adjust to living in the castle as a teacher and preparing my lessons."

"As it turns out, I haven't really seen the Weasleys either since we left Devon. I'm about to start auror training in three weeks and I've been invited to lunch at the Weasleys' before I start tomorrow."

"Me too," Hermione responded, relieved that Harry would not be disappearing off the face of the earth and she need not deliver her news in a rush, "shall we go together? I'd feel more comfortable, and certainly less likely to be ambushed if you were with me."

"Are you sure you're well enough to go out? Don't force yourself if you need to rest more."

"I'm fine, Harry, it's nothing to worry about. It'll sort itself out. You know I'd tell you if there was anything seriously wrong with me."

He breathed a sigh of relief, "Alright. I'll come by with Teddy and pick you up tomorrow but I've got to get back now, sorry 'Mione. I left him with Madam Rosmerta when I saw McGonagall's patronus."

With a sound kiss on her hair and a promise to return the next day, Harry walked out of the hospital wing where he had spent a significant amount of time during his school years and he hoped fervently that he wouldn't have to sprint up to the castle the way he had when the Headmistress called him because Hermione had fainted on her. It still nigged at the back of his mind while he walked down to the school gates that Hermione had not divulged what had caused her to pass out, but a small voice - he liked to think of it as his mother's voice - instructed him to trust the woman who had been his closest friend for over a decade and let her tell him in her own time.