The touching reunion was short lived when Hermione's father stepped back and promptly threw up on the floor, the look on Jean's face made it obvious that this wasn't the first time he had done such a thing but before she could step away to get something to clean it up, Minerva scourgified the carpet. Hermione shot her a thankful smile, before her features morphed into a look of concern as her father began retching. Jean helped him to sit down before rushing off to get a glass of water.
"Is there anything we can do to sober him up?" Hermione asked, looking at Minerva with hopeful eyes. The Scottish witch thought for a moment before nodding.
"There is a potion... It will make him very ill for a few moments." Hermione gestured to the now clean spot on the carpet.
"More ill than that?" She moved to sit next to her father and keep him from slumping over. Minerva silently swept from the room passing Jean on the way, and headed towards the kitchen to begin brewing the potion. It wasn't a particularly tricky potion to make, however it had been some years since Minerva last made it. She shook this idea from her head and began transfiguring a mug into something larger to brew the potion in.
Back in the living room, Jean was lifting the glass of water to her husbands lips, Hermione using her sleeve to wipe drops that didn't make it into his mouth.
"Ssssorry-" John slurred. "Don't want you... To see me like... This." The man tried to hide his face from his daughter, in his uncoordinated movements he knocked the glass in Jean's hand, sloshing water over himself. "Dammit!"
"Dad," Hermione began placing a calming hand on his shoulder, "it's fine. Minerva's working on a potion that will make you feel better."
"Ssstill sssorry." His eyes blinked sleepily and he smiled a half grin at his daughter. "Love you." She smiled back.
"Love you too." Minerva re-entered the room with a bucket in one hand and a small glass of something that looked entirely unappealing in the other. "Now dad, I need you to drink this." She said to her father, taking the glass off Minerva. "All of it?" She whispered and the Scottish witch nodded. "You have to drink all of it, and it will make you feel much better." The man took the glass off of his daughter and knocked the entire contents back like a large shot. Minerva quickly pushed the bucket between his legs and his bodies reaction to the potion was almost instantaneous. The Scottish witch looked away as the man was violently sick, the noises were enough to remind her of her own experiences with the potion and she cringed, knowing that it would be over soon. Not too long after this thought crossed through her mind had the noises stopped, and before anyone could speak she banished the bucket.
"How are you feeling, Mr Granger?" She asked, her voice formal and every bit 'Headmistress McGonagall'.
"Sober." He answered and Minerva smirked. She knew that the man was more than likely wrestling with a monstrous hangover, and on top of that he had all of the emotional upheaval the arrival of Hermione had caused.
"I am going to go and tidy up the mess I created in your kitchen," Minerva joked to Jean, before stepping from the room and leaving the family to have a much needed chat.
Minerva used this time to think about what may change now Hermione was back in contact with her family. It wouldn't be fair of her to expect Hermione to stay with her, and despite how much she wanted to spend time with her young soul mate, she'd never ask her to chose between her family and her ex-professor. Minerva shook her head to free herself from her thoughts, it wouldn't do well for Hermione to feel her doubt at the minute and she was likely having an emotional conversation with her parents. Despite finding Hermione, Minerva knew her own life was only going to get more confusing and potentially problematic. She was never one to view the world with rose-tinted glasses, and she knew that her partnership with the young Gryffindor was bound to raise questions and accusations. She knew that her own stoicism would allow her to bear the brunt of people's opinions, but Hermione was still so fragile and the bond between them was still relatively new. There had been little to no physical contact, no conversation of the bond between them other than acknowledgement that it was in fact there. There were more important matters at the forefront of both of their minds, such as Hermione's reintegration with the world, and the impact her time out had had on her. There were a lot of people that wanted to see Hermione back, but they would be expecting the old Hermione, and Minerva was certain that Hermione no longer existed. The girl she had found in the woods was almost feral, fiercely paranoid, quick to anger and intensely vulnerable. She was still yet to open up about what had led to her running away, and what had happened during her time away. Minerva knew that at the crux of this was the effect of the war, and something that had happened while the 'Golden Trio' had been on the run. The Scottish witch had spent time with Harry discussing what they had been up to on their search for horcruxes, what he had told her had ached her heart. The young Mr Potter had told her that the three of them had been subject to torture at the hands of Bellatrix Lestrange, and that was what had broken Hermione. Her friend spoke through tears as he told Minerva how Hermione was dragged into a separate room, fighting and feisty, and when she returned hours later, she was a shell. She had never been the same since that day but had always maintained that nothing other than a few Cruciatus curse's had happened.
"You've been in here a while." A soft voice interrupted her thoughts and she whipped around quickly.
"Have I?" She asked, and Hermione nodded slowly, leaning against the kitchen door she had closed behind her.
"About an hour and a half." The young girl sighed. "My parents have asked if I'll stay here." Minerva didn't speak and Hermione carried on. "So I came to ask you..." Minerva turned back to the worktop, facing away from Hermione so she didn't see the look of disappointment cross her face.
"You do not require my permission to move back home, dear." Minerva spoke, taking great care to ensure that her voice didn't betray her feelings.
"No, but I do need your permission to stay with you." Hermione spoke, she had silently crossed the kitchen and was stood behind Minerva, who had turned around at what the younger witch had said. "Minerva... I know at the minute there are other things we need to work through before we embark on a relationship but do not think, for one moment, that that effects the depth of my feelings for you." Hermione tentatively took both of Minerva's hands in her own. "You are not the only one who feels the connection we have, don't forget that." And with a courage that was innately Gryffindor, Hermione leaned forwards and placed a soft kiss on softer lips. After a few seconds of pure bliss, she pulled back, emerald and chocolate locked and both women smiled.
"Of course you can stay with me, Hermione." Minerva replied. "Will your parents be unhappy with that?" Hermione shrugged, making Minerva chuckle.
"They might, but ultimately they want me to be happy and go back to being me. I know right now I'm neither of those things, but I know that to be happy again I need to be with you." Tears were flowing freely now between both women, and Minerva reached up with her hands to wipe the tears from Hermione's face, Hermione's hands came up to wrap fingers around slender wrists and they stood, holding on to one another for a while until the reality of what they had to do could no longer be ignored.
"Perhaps we should return to your parents." Hermione nodded and allowed herself to be led through her childhood home by the woman she was falling in love with. As soon as they entered the living room, Mr Granger stood and extended his hand to Minerva, who extended her own and shook hands with the man.
"I can't thank you enough for finding our 'Mione." Minerva opened her mouth to deflect the compliment but Mr Granger continued. "And Jean tells me that the two of you share a bond of sorts. Honestly, I can't say I'm completely comfortable with the notion but if anyone has proved themselves to be worthy, it is you." Hermione blushed a deep red, and stared at the floor while Minerva struggled to find a response. It was Jean who broke the awkward silence.
"I've packed you a case, darling. We have decided that if you want to, you may stay with Minerva under one condition... We can still keep in touch with you, very regularly." Hermione nodded enthusiastically before looking to Minerva.
"There is no reason why you cannot visit, Mrs Gra- Jean." The Scottish witch spoke. "The only obstacle is that I reside in Scotland. However, I can see about having a muggle telephone installed and I am certain I could connect your fireplace to the one in my home. Perhaps that will make things easier." Hermione grinned at the woman's apparent readiness to accommodate her and her family.
"Connect the fireplace?" John asked, confusion evident on his face and in his voice. Hermione sighed exasperatedly, but the rare twinkle in her eyes showed she wasn't serious.
"It's the floo network dad, I've told you about this a million times!" John chuckled.
"So you have, I remember now."