An orange tail flicked back and forth against the floor as the well-known half-kneazle watched his owner go through lesson plans, hastily scribbling in the margins with improvements for her second year teaching at Hogwarts as the Transfiguration professor. It was Hermione's routine since summer break had started and it was becoming a boring one for Crookshanks. He watched her wake up, methodically go through her morning routine, scurry down to the Great Hall for breakfast with the rest of staff, and then scurry just as quickly back to fuss over parchment and books when mandatory meetings didn't occupy the brightest witch of her age. She was determined to improve upon the lessons handed down to her from McGonagall, continuing to adapt them into her burgeoning style.
Bored with the monotonous routine and random pets that were administered when Crookshanks happened to be nearby, he hopped onto the unkempt desk, sliding unused rolls of parchment down to the floor to make his presence known.
"Crookshanks!" Hermione's flailing hands managed to slide the bottle of ink out of the way before her animal companion purposefully attempted to sabotage her work with a flick of his tail. "You need to move. Now please. You know I need to finish these today."
It was mid-July and Hermione had set a hard deadline on completing lesson plans by now so she could shift her interests back to research. Specifically returning to the extensive mathematical charts she calculated that were used to predict the successful removal of curses placed upon artifacts collected from Death Eaters after the war. Draco had been instrumental in cataloging them in conjunction with Curse-Breakers from the Ministry, but the removal of the dark magic that had been infused by the Dark Lord, and his followers, had been challenging - many of the artifacts were still interlaced with powerful curses. She was fascinated by this development when she was still at the Ministry working under the Department for Regulation for Magical Creatures, sometimes stretched between her work there and with the Office for the Removal of Curses, Jinxes and Hexes as a favor that Bill Weasley asked of her. Then it became a puzzle she had to solve and went full on into research mode to find the answers. After being courted into taking the position as the Transfiguration professor, Hermione's enthusiasm had not waned. She was resolute in finding the key to safely removing the dark magic from these items so they could never hurt anyone again.
Unfortunately, she had to deal with an equally resolute Crookshanks that wouldn't budge from his spot. His scrunched up face held her gaze, unfazed by the gentle tugs of the book he had planted himself on.
"I do need this. For the lessons." She scolded, not having the heart to move him from the book by hand or magic. "That I'm almost done with."
His response was a yawn, his tail swishing across the desk, sliding papers back and forth, jumbling them up.
She crossed her arms in frustration, blowing away a strand of brown hair that fell in front of her eye. "You're not going to move, are you?"
Crookshanks began to groom a paw in answer.
"Fine! I'll take a break" She slumped forward in defeat, knowing her companion wouldn't budge in this and scritched behind his ear. He purred, bumping his head into her wrist happily, eliciting a chuckle from the young witch.
Hermione smiled brightly and took a deep breath before really seeing her living area. It was a chaotic mess! There were books everywhere. The mess had spilled onto the coffee table with books in various disarray of open, closed, and piled up, charts rolled up leaning against the chair, crumpled up paper littered the floor, while parchment overflowed the sides of the couch.
"Oh dear. I got a bit carried away, haven't I?" she mused aloud as Crookshanks mewled his agreement.
Satisfied that his witch was on the proper track as she began to tidy up, he hopped off the desk and carefully made sure to not disturb her work any further. He trotted along the floor, weaving around the balls of parchment and slinked out the door that was slightly ajar to go exploring the castle, briefly pausing to rub up against the Headmistress' robes. He purred contently, before scampering off.
McGonagall pleasantly smiled at the half-kneazle and lightly rapped on door, causing it to softly creak as it opened just a tad more. She was surprised to see that the brightest student she ever had was up and about and not attached to her desk! Instead, Hermione was squatting on the floor with an armful of rolled up scrolls.
"Headmistress!" Even if Minerva had said many times to call her by her first name, Hermione's instinct was to address her formally even in private. "It's good to see you."
With an armful of scrolls, she looked to her kitchen. "Can I get you anything."
"Oh no, dear. I just wanted to stop by and have a little chat. Perhaps even go for a little stroll?" she offered with a perceptive smile. "Because I do believe Crookshanks had the right idea, hm? You've been locked up in here for far too long, Hermione. Time to live a little outside academic lessons and pursuits."
Her shoulders hunched together under that gaze looking sheepish. McGonagall's expression reminded Hermione of the many times she, Ron, and Harry had been caught breaking school rules and had to be reprimanded by their Head of House. This time, Hermione was glad that McGonagall was looking out for her best interests.
"Yes, I know. You're right." With a soft sigh, she gently placed everything she was holding on the couch and went to fetch her robe. "I just wanted to improve upon the lessons for the students so they can be challenged successfully, but not too much so they'll fall behind. I've learned so much the past year as to who I am as a teacher, that I wanted to incorporate my ideas immediately. While everything was fresh, you know? And I wanted to do you proud! It was a daunting task following you as the Transfiguration Professor!"
Minerva knowingly chuckled and smiled at her rambling. "You did an exceptional job. The students adore you."
"Because I'm part of the Golden Trio that took down Voldemort and saved the school," she added cheekily as they left her quarters and locked the door with wordless magic.
"Partially," corrected Minerva. "But you are also known for your brilliant mind and fairness. The students took to that too and how easily approachable you are if they needed help as an instructor. And Head of Gryffindor House."
She blushed under the praise, practically glowing as they move out of Gryffindor Tower and through the corridors heading towards the courtyard. "Thank you, Headmistress."
"Oh for the love of Merlin, Hermione! How many times must I insist you call me Minerva?" she gently chastised. "You're no longer my student and you're going into your second year as a professor here. Not only that, you're a dear friend and colleague and the most qualified person as my replacement. So please, try to do me a favor and move past formalities in private?"
Minerva had this conversation in various forms throughout the year and she was hoping that this emphasized insistence would break through old habits with Hermione. Old habits that were exceptionally hard to break when Hermione held McGonagall in such high regard, but she also didn't want to keep flustering her old professor. Clearly she wanted their relationship to shift like this.
"I will make a more conscious effort, and do as you ask," she relented.
Minerva looked unconvinced. "Well, thank you."
"Of course." Hermione waited a beat before grinning. "Minerva."
"Ha!" She clapped with delight. "Thank you. Truly."
"Though if I can be plain?"
"Always, Hermione."
They walked through the shadows of the middle courtyard, peaceful without the clamoring of students between classes.
"I've a feeling that you wanted to talk about something a bit more important than how I should address you."
Minerva paused by one of the arches, gazing across the courtyard to where the classrooms were located. Hermione stilled a couple steps ahead of her.
"Yes, I did," the Headmistress admitted. "I know we had this conversation before, but nothing came of it since Horace remained the potions professor after several attempts to contact Ms. Black to be his replacement."
"Wait." Hermione stepped closer to Minerva, her voice quite animated with surprise as she began to quickly connect the dots. "She changed her mind and accepted the position?"
"Not, exactly," she admitted and turned to address Hermione fully with kindness. "Horace went to see Ms. Black one more time and took Nikole with him as a last attempt to convince her."
Minerva watched as her former charge tried to work out the connections between Nikole and Narcissa, but none were to be had if Defense Against the Dark Arts professor hadn't offered any information. The only piece of the puzzle the young woman may come to realize is that the two witches were in the same year together at Hogwarts. Minerva would offer that much to Hermione.
"You see Narcissa and Nikole were best friends during their time here."
She was amused as Hermione was rendered speechless. Not an easy feat!
"No!" the Gryffindor Head forced out.
"Oh quite so. They were as inseparable as two students could be from different Houses. But as you know, things changed rapidly towards their final years here. The two had a falling out. I have my conjectures on what happened, as there are logical assumptions that can be made, but it is not my place to gossip," she emphasized in a way that made clear to Hermione there was no debate with this. "But my gut tells me that Narcissa will be the new potions professor."
She cast a serious look at Hermione, who still couldn't hide her surprise at this revelation before a darker expression came over the young witch.
"This is why I wanted to talk with you. I know you gave your blessing to myself and Horace to speak with her ..."
"Why wouldn't I? She's more than qualified. She finished her Mastery in Potions at St. Mungo's with high marks and still continues to consult with the hospital as needed," she said stoically, not realizing she cut off Minerva due to nervousness on this subject. "And being a Slytherin, she could take over Horace's duties as Head of House as well. It all makes sense."
"And truly the last candidate to consider." The Headmistress folded her hands together in front of her and tilted her head forward just so to indicate she wasn't convinced of Hermione's acceptance of this. She proceeded with a gentle voice. "Hermione, we barely revisited this discussion since it looked as if Horace was going to remain on staff. This is more than likely changing, and I know how much of a conflict of interest this is going to be for you."
Hermione's eyes shifted away from Minerva and spoke softly. "She lied to Voldemort and saved Harry's life. Harry spoke on her behalf and she was cleared of all charges. Draco too."
She was glad that Lucius Malfoy's luck had finally run out. His crimes harbored too many between both wars and he wasn't going to be acquitted for a second time. The Wizengamot sentenced him to life at Azkaban, leaving Narcissa and Draco as heirs to the massive Malfoy Estate.
Hermione continued to have contact with Draco because of their shared work with the dark artifact research, but the young witch avoided his mother like the plague.
Minerva assessed her former charge's demeanor and could hear the words being said and not entirely with conviction. It sounded like Hermione was trying to persuade herself all over again that she was good with Horace's replacement. She needed to make sure that Narcissa taking the position was acceptable, and if not, … well, she would deal with the aftermath.
"Hermione do look at me," she coaxed gently and smiled when brown eyes dared to look at her. "She is also Bellatrix's sister and a painful reminder of what happened to you."
Minerva saw the unconscious wince and how Hermione went to rub her arm reflexively. "I need to know that you are truly alright with Narcissa's position here. You'll be working together closely as your respective Heads of Houses, in meetings, and appearances in the Great Hall. I don't want to put you under all that pressure if you don't think it will work. We'll find another solution if it makes you uncomfortable if she accepts."
"Of course, it makes me uncomfortable," admitted Hermione as she stiffly squeezed her arm. "But I need to be fair in this. Professor Slughorn desperately wants to retire and his apprentice ruined that chance by her lack of wits. No one wants to come here as potions master and he will be miserable next year as he hasn't an apprentice lined up again either. If Ms. Black wants to sign on to replace him, that decision shouldn't solely rely on me."
She finally let go of her arm to silence the Headmistress' rebuttal. "No. It really shouldn't. What happened five years ago to me isn't buried in the past. Nor will it ever be. I've got the bloody scars that prove it as my constant reminder. Let's not forget the nightmares …"
Hermione paused, brown eyes hardening with the memories, but it passed. "But if I can work with Draco, I can learn to work with his mother."
Sighing, she looked passed McGonagall into the courtyard with a look of resolution. "Harry trusts her. For that alone I can give her a chance. Prove that she has a place here. And if her work at St. Mungo's is anything to go by, that too."
Narcissa had focused her field of study on curative and restorative potions at the hospital during her internship there. A curious choice of discipline for a former Death Eater's wife. Draco also had inadvertently revealed that his mother was working on a research piece for the Wizarding Health Journal last year. That had quieted her, and Draco dropped it with an apology, mistaking it for the taboo topic of his mother. The truth was far from his assumptions. Hermione was curious and stunned that Narcissa's research was good enough to qualify for respected literature. Whatever the research was, it had to be well written with sound theory to be considered. It just hadn't been published yet, and she had been keeping up with her subscription to read it when it finally came out.
Hermione found her mentor's gaze after the silence between had gone on for almost too long and could see that Minerva wasn't entirely convinced of her decision.
"I mean it." She said firmly, jutting out her chin for emphasis. "I will give her a chance."
McGonagall lofted a brow to challenge even that.
"Fine." Hermione waved a hand in front of her in defeat. "A guarded chance."
With a motherly smile, Minerva conceded. "I just had to be sure Hermione."
"When do you think you'll know if she'll officially accept?" she asked, wanting to shift the topic off her feelings on the matter since this was settled.
"I expect an owl sometime tonight and if it is as I predicted, we can announce Narcissa Black as our new potions professor by tomorrow morning."
"Well, that will be a delight to see how the Daily Prophet spins that headline," she snorted as the pair began their walk again. "Want to take bets on how badly Skeeter embellishes how Hogwarts is going to allow a former dark witch on staff? You know, be fake worried about the safety of the students here."
Hermione dramatically raised her right arm and passed it in front of them as she rattled off a headline. "Death Eater Amongst Hogwarts Staff! Purposefully saying that instead of Death Eater's wife or some such to cause a panic until the reader sees who is actually appointed just for sales."
McGonagall chuckled, not distressed at any of the sensationalism, and happy that Hermione was able to find some humor in the situation. "True. But I've no doubt it will all work out just fine. These things always do."
Maybe not the way one always wanted, or expected, but it would. Minerva was old enough to believe that as fact.
Updates will not be so quick as a fair warning, so surprise! I wanted to show Hermione's side of things. Still some build up before the two actually meet. Have a Happpy New Year!