I appeared outside the gates of Hogwarts, I motioned to the gates to open and called out for my house elf "Rhona" A soft pop announced their arrival

"Yes mistress?"

"I'll be having visitors later this evening, can you please, prepare the spare rooms in my suite? Can I also have a snack sent to my office and inform Filius I am back on the premises. Thank you" A small pop indicates that she was off to do my bidding, so I strode up the walkway to the entrance to the castle. I take a moment to look around the grounds and take it all in as this will be one of the last times I make this journey. I can hear the rustle of the leaves on the trees in the forbidden forest, the soft hoots of owls as they circle above the owlery, back from delivering the letters I finished last eve. I can see Albus's coffin over by the lake, I'll have to pay my respects again before I leave in about a week.

I make my way through the entrance hall, and up the main stairs until I'm at the entrance to my office, I give the gargoyle the password (facal-faire) and ascend up to my office. As I open the door a quick glance over my desk and I can see the correspondence that has built up over the day I've been away, I sigh, I certainly won't miss this part of the job. I can also see that Rhona has left a slice of ginger cake and a pot of tea on the table in the nook of the office. I quickly grab the letters and shuffle through them to see if I have received one from the AWOL teacher and make my way over to the nook to sit down.

I'm just pouring the tea when Filius enters the office "Ah, Minerva, you got my owl" he says as he ambles over to the chair opposite and pulls himself into it. I levitate a cup over to him and sit back in my chair with the cake on a plate on the arm and take my first sip of tea "If you can excuse me a moment Filius, I am a trifle peckish, but I do believe you shall find the answer to your question in my pile on letters on the table" I indicate to the pile and the one that I lay on the top. "You may open it, as it shall be your job soon enough" I remind him chuckling.

"Honestly Minerva, you don't need to remind me every time we chat" He grumbles good naturedly. "Ah it seems Ms Griffin has been delayed by a family matter but should be here in the next few days. I'm sorry for bothering you whilst you were off the premises, were you doing anything important?" He enquires.

"Filius, that curious nature of yours will get you into trouble some day." I say gesticulating with my fork "I was visiting an old friend actually, she will be here later this evening along with her children so I would appreciate it if you could handle the remainder of the letters and also any other business that may arise this evening"

"Of course, Min. Anybody I know?" He asks wiggling his eyebrows

"Actually, yes. Mrs Weasley, along with young Rose and Master Hugo."

"Ah, such a bit of bad luck the way Ronald passed, I'm sure your council during this time will be invaluable to all of them Minerva. Pass on my condolences" We spend a little more time conversing over school business and then Filius takes his leave.

I take a quick look at the time, I have a few hours before Hermione and the children and due to arrive, so I begin writing my part for the article that is due to go in the Daily Prophet about my retirement. Rhona pops in around 6 with a small plate of food for me. At 6;30 I head out of my office and make my way down to the gate to greet my guests. The night is comfortable, and I think a nice stroll around the lake may be nice. I hear a POP and look beyond the gates to see Hermione and the children standing on the other side.

"Minerva" both Rose and Hugo cheer. I open the gates and receive an enthusiastic hug from both.

"Hermione, Rose, Hugo, welcome to Hogwarts. I thought a slow walk around the lake would be nice, it would be a shame to waste such a pleasant evening" I indicate to the children to walk ahead and offer my arm to Hermione.

She takes it warmly. "So, how was the rest of your day kids" I ask

"Oh you know, grandma and grandpa put on an old film, we ate popcorn and mom fell asleep" Rose informs me, looking over at her mother with mirth in her eyes.

"Yes, well your moms had a very trying couple of days" I respond and squeeze the fingers that are at my elbow.

"And you young Hugo, did you enjoy the rest of your day?"

"It would have been better if you had been there Minerva" Out of the mouth of babes, I look down at Hermione and her cheeks are pinking up even as I watch.

"Don't be embarrassed, love" I whisper. Louder I say "My day would have been better with you included too Hugo" and I chuckle.

As we are finishing our walk, Hugo yawns and Roses eyes are beginning to droop.

"Time for bed I think kids" Hermione states. Both object and insist they aren't tired. We make our way slowly to my rooms and I then show the kids to their rooms. They aren't anything fancy, a bed and a wardrobe but it will do as these rooms aren't to be mine for much longer, and I never really had that many visitors prior to even think about decorating. Hermione is just tucking Hugo in and saying good night to Rose whilst I get us a couple of glasses of wine. I settle on the couch in front of the fire and wait for Hermione to join me.

"Both out for the count, they've had a busy day" Hermione says as she enters the room. She comes and sits on the couch next to me, and tucks her leg under herself

"So, will you come with me tomorrow to the family meal to discuss Ron's funeral?" she asks quietly.

I take a sip of my wine, and roll the liquid around my mouth a bit, "If you want me there of course, explaining my presence to Molly and Arthur may be difficult, however, it's not like I've been a big part of your life the last ten years." I remind her.

"Hmm, they know you are Rose's Godmother, and that you sent them both presents for their birthdays and Christmas. They know you care for them Minerva, I can't foresee it being a problem. Molly is a little" she pauses as she searches for the correct word and finally settles on "miffed with me. She doesn't understand my need to get away, why we couldn't stay at the burrow, I'm sure having you attend, unannounced no less, will be enough of a distraction" She smiles coyly and leans forward to pick up her wine glass. "You worry too much about what people think. Besides I need you to be there. I don't think I could get through the meeting without you" she confesses.

I reach over and stroke my hand down her face, wiping away the tears that are beginning to start. "Of course I'll come, love, anything you need" I whisper and pull her to me for a hug. I run my fingers through her hair and my other hand traces patterns over her back. I go to pull back but her hold on me tightens "Please, Minerva, just hold me" she says brokenly. I pull her so that she is sat on my lap, like we sat in her parents garden.

We sit like that for ages, she isn't crying but she is hiding her face in my shoulder.

"Hermione, please talk to me, I can't help if I don't know what's wrong love" I whisper.

I hear a sigh, and her arms once again tighten around my torso but this time she pulls away a bit "I only feel normal, whole, when I'm with you. Since Rons passing I haven't been able to sleep, the smell of food makes me want to throw up. Last night was the first night's sleep I've had in the last few days, all I seem to do is cry." She confesses.

"These are all normal reactions to losing someone, when Albus died I was exactly the same, but I also got dependent on firewhiskey to help me sleep. If it hadn't been for Poppy and Rhona I probably wouldn't be here right now. I don't want you to go down that route, so I'm going to do whatever I can to help you through this process, as a friend Hermione." I console.

"And if I wanted more?" she mumbles looking at her hands.

I'm not quite sure I heard her correctly, I put my fingers under her chin and raised her eyes to mine, "I'm sorry? I don't think I caught all of that"

She takes a deep breath and says more confidently this time "What if I wanted you to be more than a friend Min?" The thoughts and images that flash through my mind at that moment aren't entirely innocent or strictly friendly. I know I have to handle this situation as if it were a newborn bairn that had just fallen asleep. I stroke the hair from her face and put it behind her ear, she involuntarily leans into my touch. It would be so easy to pull her face to mine, and to kiss those lips that have even haunting my dreams for the last 10 years, but instead I sigh and say

"Oh, Hermione. In time, when you are ready and not grieving for your husband of 15 years we can give us a chance, but can you honestly tell me that if we spent the night immersed in each other and you woke up next to me, in my bed, in the morning after a night of passion that you wouldn't regret it? That you wouldn't run away from this, from me?" I can see the answer in her eyes "Until you can answer that question with a different answer than the one currently on the tip of your tongue, a friend is all I will be. I'm a patient woman, Hermione, I'm not going anywhere, even if you decide that us being a thing is something you decide you don't want, I'll still be here for you and the children." I finish. The look in her eyes broke my heart, but I know that I need to play the long game here, my feelings need to be pushed aside, at least for now. I didn't say I was going to play fair, and in a few months I'll try wooing her a bit.

So, has Minerva done the right thing here? Should she wait or should she have taken Hermione to her bed and ravished her? Let me know in a review.