New Beginnings 6

By: Snarky Granger

AN: Sorry for the long wait. Thank you ladies for your help. Already planning the next chappie in my head. Snarky.

Professor McGonagall had received an invite for tea from Madam Hooch during breakfast earlier that morning. She stepped out of the castle around 10:30 to head towards the Flying Instructor's Quidditch office. She was pondering about some things that needed to get done in the next couple of days as September was drawling to a close. I need to speak to her about my cubs and see who still needs lessons for flying besides Hermione and want to see her perspective on the Quidditch Season this year. I also need to speak to Wood and Weasley about how their lessons are going with Hermione. I hope they are making progress. Minerva paused for a second before she continued to walk. Oh, and I need to see Wood about Harry's progress as well.

Minerva stopped at the front of the door and rapped on it sharply. As she stood there waiting for Madam Hooch, she noticed that something or some ones was in the pitch. She squinted and realized that it was Oliver Wood, Percy Weasley and Hermione Granger. They appeared to have fallen asleep. Their Head of House took a short turn towards the pitch and walked over to where Oliver and Percy were laying. She heard the door open behind her. She quickly turned around to put her finger to her mouth to show quiet. Madam Hooch nodded in understanding and let her friend take care of the situation at hand.

Minerva stood between Oliver and Percy and faced Hermione, who was laying peacefully on the bench. She crouched down and nudged the boys by their shoulders.

"Let me sleep a wee longer, Perce," mumbled Oliver trying not to wake up.

"Mister Wood, it would do you boys best if you woke up NOW." Professor McGonagall spoke in a fierce voice.

Oliver and Percy sat straight up wide eyed when they realized whom had woken them. "Oh, Professor McGonagall, I am so sorry. Is the wee lass still asleep?" Minerva gestured to the sleeping young lady. "Oh, good. I would have wanted her to wake up gently and not startled. It might have erased the peace that we may have finally created."

Minerva gave him a puzzled look.

"The poor lass finally had a small breakdown earlier about being lonely and I was able to talk her into trying some meditation for her nerves. It worked a bit too well and she fell asleep. We decided to let her have a small nap and we…" Oliver gestured to him and Percy, "accidentally fell asleep ourselves."

Minerva's face cleared up as the explanation went on and saw that Percy bobbed his head in agreement. "Alright, boys, now I am going to carefully wake up Miss Granger and we are going to discuss this some more with her awake. Agreed?" The boys dipped to acknowledgement of the plan.

Minerva got up, and carefully sat next to Hermione's head, and gently rubbed her shoulder as she spoke to the young woman, "Miss Granger, can you please wake up? I need to speak to you about something."

"Hmm…" Hermione mumbled as she slowly blinked her eyes open. Her eyes grew wide open when she saw the professor sitting there.

Professor McGonagall held up her hand to let her know that she was fine. "Miss Granger, no need to panic. No one is in trouble." She smiled softly to her prized student to show that there was nothing to fear.

Hermione closed her eyes for a few seconds to regain her composure and slowly sat up on the bench. When she opened her eyes, she noticed that the boys looked slightly ruffled and realized they all fell asleep. She let out of small sigh of relief that it was their head of house that woke them instead of someone like Professor Snape. She turned her head towards the professor and gave her a slight smile of gratitude. "Thank you."

"You are welcome but I would like to speak to all of you now if that is okay," Professor McGonagall inquired softly to them all. The three of them looked at each other with slight appreciation. "None of you are in trouble." She saw Hermione's shoulders slump in relief. The boys' eyes showed curiosity of why the professor wanted to talk. She plunged forwarded because she knew that at least two of them don't like to wait in suspense. "I wanted to know how the lessons are going. Are we making any progress?"

Hermione's shoulders slumped as she started to cry softly. Oliver jumped up to sit next to her and rub her back softly. The reactions startled the professor as she looked at her prefect for some answers.

Percy took slow deep breath as he watched Oliver comfort Hermione. He turned his head back to the professor as he finally came to an answer. "Well, Yes and No." Hermione started to cry even harder. Oliver picked her up and cradled her and whispered into her ear words of comfort.

Percy sighed at the sight and the surprised look from their Head of House. "Yes, we are slowly conquering her fears, which are two fold with a slight third of missing home." Professor McGonagall sat up at this news. "She had a terrifying incident with a plane a couple of years back along a fear of heights."

Oliver rose with a hysterical Hermione in his arms. "I'll be back." He quickly walked to the heather field. Percy understood what he was doing and raised his hand to stop the professor from objecting. She paused when she realized that Percy trusted Oliver with Hermione.

"The No part is that she was ready to quit her lessons because the heather that Oliver thought was helping was actually expounding the situation with her missing home."

"Oh my, I wish there was a better way for Muggleborns to adjust to lack of communication with their families," sighed Professor McGonagall. Percy dipped his head in agreement. "Is that why Oliver suggested meditation to her and you all fell asleep?"

"Yes, and he was able to get her to understand that she could use the heather to help her slide into that safe place." Minerva looked at him with a thoughtful glance. "Plus I had agreed to make an everlasting boutique for her room."

"Have you made it yet?"

"No, I haven't because we had to calm Hermione down and we accidentally fell asleep during our own mediation."

"When you do, can I please see the final product before you give it to her?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Percy and Professor McGonagall looked up when they heard some soft chatter. Hermione and Oliver were coming back from the field and it looked like it helped. Oliver had a huge handful of heather, which he handed to Percy. Percy grew serious as he carefully laid down the heather. He got working on the bouquet.

Professor McGonagall softly smiled at Hermione, "Are you feeling any better?"

"Yes, Professor." Hermione answered meekly. "I am so sorry…"

"None of that, Miss Granger," the professor waved her apology off. "I was just saying to Mr. Weasley here that we need to figure out a better way for Muggleborns to keep in touch with their families." Hermione nodded in agreement. "Maybe we can work that after you pass this class." Hermione's shoulders slumped. "Hermione, you can do this. I have faith in you."

"So do we, Hermione," chirped in Oliver as he pointed to himself and Percy. "Looks like Percy is done with your bouquet. Why don't we call it a day and meet back up on Tuesday before dinner?"

Professor McGonagall held out her hand to see the finished product and noticed he added a lovely ribbon to tie it altogether. "This is excellent work, Mr. Weasley." Percy beamed at the praise. "Ten points to Gryffindor for the fine handiwork."

"Thank you, Professor McGonagall," blurted Percy.

"You are welcome but I am not done." The professor looked at all three of them. "I am giving you all Five points each for keeping up with the lessons. Oliver, an extra Five for your due diligence on your part. Just wish you turned it towards schoolwork." The three students laughed and smiled. She rose from her seat and handed Hermione her flowers. "Now I am long overdue for my tea with Madam Hooch if you excuse me."

"Bye, professor," they all cried out as she walked away.

"Um...Percy?" Hermione hemmed shyly.

"Yes, Hermione?"

"Thank you for doing this and I was wondering if there was a way to send this to my room without actually walking all the way there."

"Yes, actually there is. Why?"

"Because I am hungry but I don't want everyone to see this," as Hermione waved the flowers around. "They will ask questions that I don't want to answer."

"I understand, Hermione. Can I have them for a minute?" Percy held out his hand.

Hermione handed his the bouquet and watched him do a spell and watched the flowers speed up towards her room.

"Thank you, Percy." Hermione beamed at him as she turned toward Oliver, "Do you think there is still food?"

Oliver looked at his watch and shook his head but raised his finger to stop her from pouting. "I know a way to get food. What would you like?"

"A full English breakfast but I don't know if I can get it with some tea."

"Meet me in the classroom opposite the Great Hall and I will handle it."

Hermione lit up at the thought of breakfast like home. "Hey, I didn't break down thinking about home. Maybe I just needed time."

The boys smiled as they started to walk back toward the castle.