Love Makes Us Wiser? Or Not?

Chapter 39

Year 2005 - 4th Seventh of May

As she came to the kitchen entry, Ron was hissing something at Harry, both oblivious to her appearance…

And Hermione could not be mistaken with what she heard next, Ron frustratingly uttered— "Mione and Minerva will lead each other to their deaths."

"And why is that?" Hermione asked, bravely meeting her best friends' heated stares.

When Harry and Ron stayed unresponsive, Hermione crossed her arms over her chest and her head slightly tilted in silent reiteration of her question. For several moments, the cageyness stretched a bit more, until Ron was first to react.

"Bloody hell," he swore under his breath. "Supposedly brilliant witches…" he muttered, harshly shaking his head as he reaches for a bottle of beer on the counter-table and then brushing past Hermione on his way to the living room.

Before she could think of a response at Ron's obvious stabbing, Harry seriously said to her, "Let's talk." He then gestured and started moving towards Ron's direction.

Seemingly left with no option, she followed the boys, chewing her lip and internally priming herself for the impending conversation— to a brewing row given the apparent temper being displayed by Harry and Ron.

"Why am I leading Minerva to her death?" Hermione voiced the question once again, forgoing pussyfooting as she sat down beside Harry on the settee, one located across Ron who opted the armchair.

Harry waved a hand, sort of laying aside discussing the not so simple answer to that question— one that concerns Minerva McGonagall. Instead, he said, "Let us begin with the dark mark and the attack."

When Hermione was about to protest, Harry's determined olive eyes bored into her chocolate eyes until she gave acquiescence, "All right…"

Harry launched in narration.

"First, none followed what happened in Azkaban. No more dark mark projection, and no other explosion. The apprehended wizards have recovered and underwent interrogation... Separately, they told us the same story. The overwhelming coldness, an extreme gripping on their upper left chest, and then nothing until they woke up in Aurors' custody, completely unaware of what had happened…"

"Did the Ministry check if their memories have been altered?" she asked.

"Yes, and no indication of memory corruption. It ultimately collaborated with what they've testified." Harry confirmed, and gave Hermione added particulars that have been gathered during the last couple of days while she was indisposed.

That the two wizards underwent physical examination, which revealed a circular identical mark on that upper left chest, exactly where they described where the gripping pain started. Again, both had no idea of it until showed to them, suggesting not dissimilar to magical concealment until recently.

Harry also revealed that when further scrutinised, underneath the first layer of skin revealed a long healed puncture. The specialist from St. Mungos-Janus Thickey Ward described it something comparable to what they see with wounds caused by close-encounter curse, whenever the cursing wand actually touched the body part, it would leave that kind of trace.

"They think it has the pattern of an imperio." Ron inserted the deduction from the investigation.

Despite no longer working at the ministry, Hermione isn't surprised that Ron knew the details. He and Harry had the discussion undoubtedly… Frankly, she approves Ron being in the picture. Besides, she is sure that there is unofficially pass for the Golden Trio, at least when it comes to anything in the slightest bit connected with the last war.

Afterwards, Harry informed Hermione that Kingsley wanted The Department of Mysteries to dissect whatever magical fragments to better understand what happened. The involved wizards fully cooperated as they do want to prove their innocence, afraid to be condemned by the events. They allowed for the wound to be reopened to scrape for samples.

"The experts at the Department of Mysteries corroborated that it has the imperio curse pattern," Harry supplicated Ron's information before venturing towards the bizzare part, "Inside the puncture when examined are traces of: silicon, fast acting sedatives and essence of nightshade plants."

"A contained imperio!" Hermione gasped in hyper-speed digestion from Harry's inventory of findings. "What the— A dark magic preserved in a disintegrating phial!"

Harry was left shaking his head at Hermione's truly brilliant mind. "How could you understand that immediately when it took us— Ministry officers several perusing of the report before wrapping our heads around such outcome?"

Hermione heard Ron grunted and before allowing any of the boys to confer more of their opinions regarding her academic faculty, she returned to the pressing topic and rattled the rest of her supposition of the recent dark mark appearance and Azkaban's explosion.

"So the imperio curse somehow 'activated'...? How? By physical trigger? By timeline? And the spells from the unsuspecting wizards have casted were surely not theirs? Perhaps also from time-delayed dark magic…? The first one, I caught the trajectory towards your area and I tried to intercept it. These were all part of the attack that was pre-planned probably before Hogwarts battle, right? But Tom Riddle is still dead, right? The events are just sordid belated claim of terrors?"

"Again, how can you be unconscious for 40 hours, undergone intensive healing, and still manage to have arrived at the correct and almost complete account?" Harry asked in curious incredulity. "Nothing was published to keep the public from erupting into hysteria, you know? So it can't be from news brought by your visitors today."

"Honestly, I'm merely supposing...considering the incidents that happened," Hermione shrugged. "But I still don't know how that time-delayed dark magic was created. Especially the timetabled— contained formed imperio. How was that possible? That must be one hell of powerful darkness."

"You'd say," Harry reluctantly agreed. "Pick a guess of who was the designer?"

Hermione followed Harry's eyes darting to her arms, so it wasn't hard to guess…

Bellatrix.

"I see… " Hermione mumbled, thinking how truly powerful the evil witch had been… "She could really terrorise us, even in death."

The revelation was forcing Hermione to link back to Minerva's story regarding Bellatrix's natural talent as a student… If Hermione's going to be candid about what she thinks of it, the concept of contained curse—time-delayed spell is revolutionary, notwithstanding the evilness of the originator…. What a waste, Hermione concluded of the ill-used gift.

"How did you find out it was Bellatrix?" Hermione asked.

"Malfoy helped."

"Draco?" That surprised Hermione. "He knew about it?"

"Not exactly… After hearing about the dark mark, he came to the ministry. But he came forward not having the precise details of what's going on but he had the idea to seek the information/explanations from his father. I guess he does want to prove he's all for the peace and order in our society."

Harry's chronicled that at Draco's hardened behest, citing redemption for their family especially now Draco has two young children, Lucius had submitted memories for the Aurors to sift through… And it took awhile, as to be fair, the imprisoned older Malfoy has no idea of which specific evil deeds that relates to the recent events that Bellatrix had organised. He mentioned that it was nothing new for Bellatrix to experiment with dark magic... Besides, the deranged witch was quite not forthcoming of these things, always claiming she was simply proving to everyone how she was the best of Voldemort's followers…

Furthermore, Lucius believed that Bellatrix's experiments were simply gibberish… The witch once bragged a time-delayed bombarda set for several days, which bungled, driving Bellatrix in rage… He does not think that Bellatrix even knew she actually have gotten a longtime spell successful... And the wizards involved with the time-delayed imperio are unfortunate victims of Bellatrix…

"And the eleven year-old student?" Hermione is cognisant that from the beginning of their discussion, Harry has refrained from mentioning something related to Hogwarts— anything connected to Minerva McGonagall.

"He's the son of the second wizard involved, the one apprehended at Azkaban." Harry informed her.

"They are one of those who tried to be under the radar during the war? Neither joining nor fighting Voldemort?" Hermione asked.

"Yes. When we interviewed Lucius again about the involved wizards, he really has no idea of significant attachment. His best guess is that both had experienced short questioning back then from the death-eaters." Harry said, undoubtedly studying her face as he added, "However, he imparted that the second wizard is married to a witch he distinctly remembers Bellatrix wanted to kill or kidnap, but failed to for whatever reason…"

"The witch's name is Nicola MacQuoid-Davies. According to Bill, she was a Seventh Year Ravenclaw when he came to Hogwarts as first year. He cited that the reason he remembers her was because he had a fleetingly crush on her." Ron recited gravely. And almost derisively he told Hermione, "Nicola is actually Scottish, very tall, and with green eyes…only that she's red hair..."

Before Hermione could process Ron's inference— of the witch's similar attributes with Minerva's, Harry commanded her attention when he asked gently, but he unsuccessfully refrained ferocity in his tone, "Now, Hermione, why the hell did you not protect yourself at Azkaban?"

The insinuation is too much. It burns through her, drawing up her defences.

"The obvious answer, Harry, is that I did not see the second triggering dark magic." She responded insolently. She found that she could not stifle the ignited ire, she hurled back, "What are you precisely suggesting? I permitted myself to be injured by Bellatrix's evil work from bloody hell?"

And then yes, bloody hell, leave it to Ron's crassness to heave them for the worse.

"We don't know Hermione," Ron stood up, pointing out a finger at her, and calling out the fury in the open, "Were you stupidly distracted and desperate coming from your fucking and slapping session with Minerva that you forgot to shield yourself?"

Hermione could not believe the imprudent question.

"Are you hearing yourself, Ron?" Hermione was aghast, rapidly comprehending that Harry saw her slapped Minerva and told Ron of it… and both have injudiciously connected it with what happened to her at Azkaban.

Her chest tightened at the offence. She stood up to abandon their wretched discussion.

Harry followed suit, reaching for her, "Hermione—"

But she would not allow him, jerking away and putting forth rejection. "This assaulting dialogue is over." Fearing that she might dive into matching Ron's vulgarity that could truly fracture their relationship, she opted for their preservation, "Please, leave," she told them, sullenly realising that for the very first time, she is throwing out her best friends.

Harry tried again, "Wait, Hermione—"

But she refuses to endure and started walking out of the living room. Except, Harry's next pronouncement stopped her from taking another step and had her sharply pivoting.

"You weren't breathing, Hermione!" Harry roared. "You had no pulse. I thought you were dead!"

More than the vehemence in his voice, Hermione takes in the sight of Harry's tormented countenance. And it somewhat allayed the brewing rage inside her.

"I fucking thought we've lost our best friend." Harry blubbered with anger, sorrow, and terror.

"Harry, I'm—" she started to counter but trailed off. Her eyes quickly burning from the gathering tears at suddenly understanding that Harry is currently unseeing her, that right at this moment he has mentally transported himself to the incident at Azkaban, seeing in his mind as he had described her— dead.

And without warning, Harry as he sat back down on the sofa with helpless thud; visibly controlling his emotions as he scrubbed his face, gesticulating aimlessly for a moment, and then clenching and unclenching his fists…

Yet, he is far from done.

"Once you confessed to me, Hermione, how you felt a huge part of you had been ripped off when you thought Voldemort had killed me…" He pounded a hand on his thigh before he looked up directly into her brown eyes and vulnerably told her,"Hermione, that's how it was!"

She knew what Harry was referring to— when she saw Hagrid carrying Harry's body during the battle at Hogwarts from the forbidden forrest, the grief hit her indubitably. The pain was unspeakable, and she knew that everything inside her was shattering in those seconds thinking that Harry has died…

"That's how I felt when I finally unburied you from the wreckage… and found you WITHOUT a heartbeat" Harry stated, almost violently.

Hermione's tears finally overflowed and began running down her face. Harry's parallelism has managed to drop her quite in the same emotional ordeal he's battling with; forcing her in absolute cognisance, twistingly justifying the infecting remarks thrown at her earlier… and delivering all three of them in the same degree of wretchedness.

Tears earnestly falling now and blurring her vision of Harry and she was searching for an anchor for the emotional assault... But it continues as even though Harry's voice has lost its volume, his emotions are still pouring in abundance, and Hermione perfectly catches the rest of his narration…

"I knew it was your protego that saved us from the initial explosion. And then the second explosion happened, cancelling your protego…I instinctively knew that you got hit even when I can't see anything with the smoke, the dust, the fire, and the collapsing wreckage around us. I knew, Hermione, I just knew… and I was frightened that I could not get to you fast enough…"

The articulation of fear ultimately brought down Hermione literally to her knees in front of Harry. She clutched and placed Harry's left hand on her right cheek, and simultaneously holding out her other hand to Ron, who took it and joined her on the floor before he started rubbing her back…

The best friends momentarily reside in such exclusive presence of each other… obliging some level of assurance from the physical contact… One part in testament to the essence of their friendship that transcends any grading by the public of their Golden Trio label.

"Harry…" she choked, "You got to me… You got to me." The statement was affirmation to herself, to Harry, and to Ron— affirmation that she is alive.

"I had to will all my air into your lungs, Hermione, for— I don't know how long… before you finally resumed breathing...before I could feel your heart beating again…"

"You got to me Harry." She chanted again, ascribing more power to such truth. "You got to me…" She slightly turned her head and kissed his palm, before she directed his hand and placed it to her heart, "You got this beating, Harry."

"Barely, Hermione…" Harry grips upward to Hermione's shoulder, "I was truly frightened that any second your heart would stop beating again before we could transport you to St. Mungos."

"But it didn't, right?" Hermione induced, laying her head on Harry's knees. And she hurriedly recalled and recited for their benefit, "Hypatia said that I barely had a pulse when I arrived at St. Mungos, but it was still a pulse, Harry… You got it beating… You brought me from Azkaban to St. Mungos before it was too late."

But with that last sentence she has spoken, all at once, Harry quivered and Ron's rubbing at her back halted… Hermione felt the unmistakable weighty shift in the already high-tension atmosphere surrounding them. Her insides pulled apart and crashed even worse at the nudging supposition.

"Harry?" She lifted her head from his knees and apprehensively reiterated to confirm, "You brought me from Azkaban to St. Mungos before it was too late…"

"No." Harry slowly answered. "I didn't Hermione. Minerva did… And she almost killed herself doing it."

She heard Harry, but she could not really fathom… In the first place, Minerva should have been at Hogwarts and nowhere at Azkaban. After Harry informed them of the dark mark at the prison island, she left the older witch in that wretched Hogwarts' hallway after their wretched conversation that ended with her slapping the woman…

"Hermione," Harry took hold of her upper arms, prompting her to get off the floor and settled on the sofa beside him, while Ron seemed nonchalant about staying on the floor, and visibly focusing on what is being revealed.

For a while, none of them could speak. All three of them possibly gathering inside of themselves any strength to go on with the difficult discussion… Then Harry expelled a lengthy breath before continuing telling her that as soon as he got her to breathe again, he barked that they should get her to St. Mungos.

"But we couldn't get you out." he disclosed.

Harry described the critical scenario at Azkaban after the explosion. That it destroyed the identity verification at the exit section. That the prison's emergency exit wards were also reconfiguring as triggered by the blast. It led Auror Via and other Aurors to commence overriding the anti-apparation wards, trying to do it faster than the rebooting of prison's emergency exit.

"Praying that they take down the anti-apparation wards or the configuration finishes soon, I was holding your wrist so I could feel your pulse… It was so weak, Hermione, I knew the danger that any second we could lose you if we don't get you to St. Mungos... And then I don't know how or at what point Minerva arrived at Azkaban. I just remember seeing her stricken face as she crouched beside me. It was vivid to me when she said to me, 'Let me have her, Harry.' Then it happened so fast; she took you in her arms, casted some kind of bubble on you, stepped away, and before I understood— she disapparated."

Hermione's heart froze in fright. Her brilliant mind instantly understanding the facts— Minerva's magic pushed disapparating from a location with anti-apparation wards.

When an area is disallowing magical entry/exit, any magical person who would attempt to apparate/disapparate would encounter the passage's invisible veil— essentially the veil rejects the witch/wizard's magic to gain admittance. And a slight burn slithering straight to one's magical core serves as salient warning…

Magical people's natural instinct would have them retreating in no time from pushing for passage… And it is a common knowledge that lunging through the passage's invisible veil for apparation/disapparation is close to committing self-destruction.

And that is what Minerva did— to bring Hermione out of Azkaban to St. Mungos.

She heard Harry continued to narrate that he shook himself to sensibility at the cursing from Auror Via from Minerva's grave action. He tried to console himself that Minerva probably has unknown power that made her take that decision.

"Then I sent patronus to Hypatia of your grave condition, and to check on Minerva's as well… My next patronus was to Ron, telling him of the explosion, of how he must rush to St. Mungos to be with you because I still could not get out of Azkaban."

Ron picked up the story after that. He related to Hermione how he arrived at the whirling scenario of spell mending casting being done by Hypatia and two other healers, trying to attend to her failing organs. That he was backed out of the room to not get in the way, perhaps because he began panicking… That it was three quarters of an hour when healers finally exited and told him that Hypatia instructed to allow him re-entry.

"Not wanting to disturb you, I walked in as silent as I could" Ron recounted, now transferring himself beside Hermione on the sofa. "I was surprised to find Minerva inside, realising that she had been there the entire time. She was standing beside your bed and quietly in discussion with Hypatia… But I had no idea that she was the one who brought you in and how she broke through anit-apparation wards, as Harry's message did not include that. I cleared my throat to get their attention. Just after Minerva turned, her knees gave out and Hypatia almost did not catch her."

"I arrived at St. Mungos at that point." Harry interjected. "Hypatia informed me that Minerva's magical core was almost depleted. It seemed that Minerva had spent most of her powers counteracting being burned alive as she broke through the anti-apparation passage veil… Hypatia said that still, the pain was surely excruciating. And so, it was unbelievable that Minerva did not collapse sooner…or altogether died from what she did."

Hermione's chest rose and fell with rapid breaths. After finally learning what had happened to her, and to Minerva...she genuinely does not know where to start. Her emotions are spinning wildly and the tremors running inside her are still picking speed as she contemplates further what had been bared to her.

"Hermione…" Harry spoke gently, massaging the back of his neck, readying himself to say something else but end up exhaling wearily.

"Just tell me, Harry." She quietly begged. His despondent olive eyes are clearly cautioning her to brace for another disheartening news.

Instead of speaking, Harry stood and went to the coat closet. Hermione guessed and she was correct that he was retrieving something because when he returned, he handed her some kind of a cardboard. Warily and confusingly she took out its content: a folded one page newspaper.

Her whole face contorted in uncertainty as soon as she outspread the paper and saw the entire thing. Her eyes hurriedly scanned the accompanying text, went over it a second time before her frightened eyes darted to Harry's and to Ron's and back to Harry's…

"This hasn't been issued, right?" she asked, eyes widening in panic.

The 'this' Hermione was referring to is a front page from the Daily Prophet. The news title says—

Emergency at St. Mungos: Involving Two Heroines

At approximately eleven in the evening of May 7, 2005, an unconscious and apparently injured Magical Law Enforcement Deputy—Hermione Granger was directly apparated to St. Mungos emergency admittance, by none other than Hogwarts Headmistress—Minerva McGonagall.

As of writing this, we could only speculate that said incident is probably related to the reappearance of the dark mark yesterday. The signal, as we all know, had been used by the dark wizard Voldemort. We also know that he had been destroyed in a duel by Harry Potter, during the Hogwarts Battle, 7 years ago.

The photo taken is the captured scene just moments after the appearance at St. Mungos of our two heroines. More details to follow once we gathered reports from the Ministry.

"No. They didn't publish that." Harry supplied and Hermione breathed in relief.

She took another look at the moving photo. She can clearly see Minerva's magic cracking, almost tangible as it outlines them… Minerva was carrying her in front of her body, with one arm under her leg, and the other supporting her back—a bridal style, except Hermione is no bride but completely pale, unconscious and in an obvious magical protective bubble.

Hermione waved the article in the air, "But where…? How? Did you ask the Daily Prophet to hold this?" She asked.

"No… I didn't even know about it until yesterday, just hours ahead, just before you woke up. That copy was given by Audrey to Ron." Harry replied.

Hermione turned to Ron who's face has returned to combination of concern and angry expressions.

"Audrey caught me at the Burrow yesterday morning before I left to return to St. Mungos," Ron started and then motioned towards the article at Hermione's hand. "She handed that to me. Said that Gaston, he's the photo journalist, well, he was pissed off that Daily Prophet's Editor-in-Chief took off this article, which was supposed to be the major teaser the day after the attack— that's the day before you woke up. When Audrey checked with their boss, it turns out that the newspaper owner made the call…"

Thereafter, Ron need not say who made the important call and casted enough influence over the owners of the Daily Prophet to pull it off the news…

Minerva… No one else…

The trio could only make wild suppositions on how the bloody woman even knew about it? Ron's opinion is that like most people, the current newspaper owner must be indebted to Minerva that any forthcoming article involving her that is less to do with Hogwarts and the Wizarding government, something proximate to privacy of the woman, is commonly ran with the Minerva in advance… Harry's view, as expected was more trusting— deciding that it was simple courtesy arrangement between Minerva and the owners.

However after Harry had imparted that belief, he entirely pulled off the rug underneath Hermione when the boy-who-lived best friend of hers has given her some kind of an ultimatum.

"I love you, Hermione, you are my best friend…" Harry professed, slowly breathing as finally he takes on this grave and much timely discourse. "I love Minerva. She has become this really important family in my life. She and I have elected to foster our connection we found after the war. A strong unexplainable connection. Much like yours with her. Except, ours is obviously purely familial…and not romantic."

Of course, Hermione knew what Harry meant. After the war, it was obvious how Harry and Minerva closed the Professor-Student association and decidedly treated each other as family. Yes, much like her and Minerva— but not as the same. All consuming romantic love is not the same with all-sincere familial love…

Furthermore, Hermione is aware how after she got pregnant and admitted the truth to Harry, her best friend was thrown into despairingly conflict of both being her best friend and Minerva's sort of younger brother—suffering the consequences of being in the middle.

"I see you both truly loving each other— in your own separate way…" Harry muttered, peering into her chocolate eyes. "But Hermione, when you've been injured—"

"Harry," She wanted to protest, but he would not permit her.

"No, I want you to hear me out…" Harry will not back off. He took hold both of her hands in an arresting manner as he is resolute to say his piece.

Hermione's chest thundered at the incoming pronouncements, but Harry's eyes pleaded intensely that it reached her heart…that she could only nod for him to resume.

"I know you'd argue most ardently that your injury from Azkaban has nothing to do with your interaction with Minerva that night." Harry laid upon what Hermione believes before he began dismantling it." But Ron and I have been witnessing your brilliance since we were eleven. AND your self-agitation when it comes to Minerva for the last few years… So, when Ron and I are convinced that you've been exhaustively affected by your togetherness prior to Azkaban incident, that the brilliant Hermione was not whole when she landed on the prison island, that half of her consciousness was actually at Hogwarts— My love, we know what we are talking about… even if you are not aware of it."

Harry would not stop. He spoke how he believes that it has become clear that Minerva is turning the same— unknowingly self destructive for Hermione… A huge contrast to the witch whom they all know had endured residing almost a year at Hogwarts with Death-eaters without drawing her wand against them in order to keep her position at the school, and as defencelessly as she was, she knew it was wise that she remains in the castle for staff and students… And now, Minerva is failing in her judgement because of her.

"Hermione, do you believe that I would do everything for you?"

She knows exactly where Harry is leading. To the heart of the matter that they would do everything to protect each other— that includes him protecting her from Minerva… him protecting Minerva from her… Notwithstanding the heartache for all of them.

"Yes, I do, Harry."

"I am most grateful that Minerva transported you to St. Mungos. Of course I am… But she could have ended both of you by breaking through the anti-apparation veil… Bloody Merlin, I could have lost both of you that night…" Harry lamented and it brought Hermione another wave of sorrowful comprehension…

'Supposedly brilliant witches…'

'Were you stupidly distracted and desperate coming from your fucking and slapping session with Minerva that you forgot to shield yourself?'

Ron threw those statement earlier… After what Harry had said, it is now clear to Hermione of where Ron was coming from… And Harry is plainly beating that matter as he pushes deeper.

"Do you remember just after the war when I was wallowing over Molly's less than enthusiastic reaction after I asked for blessing to marry Ginny? When I locked myself at Grimmauld, disregarding safety, having tantrums until Minerva barged her way and sat me down?"

How could Hermione forget? When Minerva returned home at the Manor, (after Hermione not knowing that time that she came directly from dousing Harry's drama), Minerva broke her heart into thousand pieces… It was the night that Hermione splinched running away from McGonagall's Manor.

"Do you know what she told me about my follies?" With Harry's daring tone, she knew that they are both aware of what that night entailed. "Minerva said to me that Love makes us wiser."

Those were Dumbledore's words…

Ironically, Minerva told Hermione of that one lesson imparted by Albus Dumbledore once upon a time... More ironically is the fact that that conversation Hermione had with Minerva was again the same time she was at McGonagall Manor, hours before she and Minerva made love for the first time… And more hours before Minerva convinced oneself that it was wiser to not be with her and hastily summarised what they had as 'mere fuck'…

And that exchange is miserably seven years old…

"You and her are both brilliant witches and you know it. In here, Hermione." Harry gently tapped her chest to indicate her heart, "Whatever you two have, I know it is all true here… But up here…" he lifted his hand to Hermione's temple— "You and Minerva have abandoned what it must be."

Hermione wanted to contest that she is not responsible for Minerva's actions. How was she supposed to know that the woman would foolishly spend all her power to almost depletion by breaking through anti-apparation barriers? The Minerva she knows is all subtlety… But did she really not know...? Roles reversed, wouldn't she do the same thing for Minerva?

Bloody fuck.

Hermione sadly arrived at that junction that Harry kept pushing her to get on… To what has given profounder meaning to Ron's earlier unintentional insult…

She could not help but take another look at the photo of her and Minerva… This image is far from subtlety. It was tantamount to announcing to the world that they are not merely previous student—previous professor to each other… Minerva's face screams everything they have been hiding from the public.

"And you know what is more maddening—" Harry reached out pointed at the one page unpublished news she's perusing, "This… The decision to make this disappear from public is undeniable proof how until now, Minerva is still not choosing to be in the open to love you. Still would not afford to be with you. Just as she had told you before. Just as you, Hermione, have known. Just as you have believed so. Just as when you got pregnant with Rose, you were more convinced and had us convinced that you also could not afford for the truth to be out."

Harry pounded the truth in her face and she has nothing to fight it with.

Instead, she thought of how life can truly be unforgiving in its hammering of human endurance when it is traversing through those times…creating enough vacuum to question everything you feel…everything you know… everything you were once certain of… She was certain that everything will eventually fall into its proper place when it is the right time… But this is proving to be nothing but a well-concealed illusion of this epical loving of Minerva McGonagall… And at the end of this rumination is the picture of Rose— brought forth in Hermione's mind

Harry sighed. "There is one last thing, Hermione... About Rose…"

It is as if Harry has read the latest thoughts in her head… Truly, she could not take more. But it won't matter, she understood that Harry will end tonight with every ammo fired.

"You are right, Minerva is absolutely ignorant that you and her have conceived Rose into existence… Something I had hoped to turn the tide of this whole wretched thing between you and Minerva… I had hope that when time comes, she would know... But she didn't."

"What did you do, Harry?"

"Nothing, Hermione! The bloody unbreakable vow would not let me do anything… But I tell you love, bearing witness to it was TOO MUCH … And for the first time Hermione, I had hoped that this love between you and Minerva has never started, or has finally ended."

"What…Do...You…Mean?" Hermione panted. Everything in her is trembling.

"Yesterday at St. Mungos, while you were still unconscious, Minerva and Rose have met... I prayed that love will bring deliverance as I watch them interact with each other for the first time… I was going mad mentally begging to Merlin that love would make her see the truth when she sees Rose in flesh... But Hermione, Minerva is bloody none-the-wiser…"

.

.

.

End of Chapter 39.

Love Makes Us Wiser? Or Not?

Posted 2022.0626

This chapter ends this 4th Seventh of May. We will move to 5th Seventh of May. By now, you'd have guessed that this story is outlined with seven episodes of Seventh of May.

AND— as we are moving through the story, the succeeding chapters will be written in Minerva's POV… Truthfully, the POV shift will throw away several rough chapters I have, but heck, as I ran the intended ending of this story in my mind, I'd say let us flip the lens and feel for Minerva this time! Let's see how it goes…

Again, my great thanks if you are still reading story...

So, could you imagine Harry's feelings when he was doing cpr to Hermione? How about when he was sitting in that room with Hermione still unconscious while Minerva unknowingly meets her own daughter? Darn.