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Hermione and Minerva did not speak in the ten minutes it took for Filius to leave, and return with help, in the form of Harry Potter. "Hey Hermione," he called down.

"Harry," Hermione replied crisply. "A little help?"

Harry shrugged, and then pointed his wand at a piece of wood that had fallen down the hole with them. Suddenly, it was larger, big enough for both Hermione and Minerva to sit on it. "Have a seat you two," he said.

The two women complied silently, and a moment later, Harry and Filius simultaneously cast levitation charms and the board, along with the two witches, started rising. Both were clutching to the edges, trying to stay balanced, and a minute later they were out of the hole and safely on the ground.

"Better?" Harry asked.

"Yes," Hermione replied. "Thanks."

"Professor?" Harry inquired.

"I am well, Mr. Potter," Minerva replied. "Thank you for your assistance."

At that point, Harry and Filius both turned and left without another word, leaving Hermione and Minerva together, alone, again.

"Blast," Minerva replied, thinking that being alone with Hermione was the last thing she wanted at the moment.

"What?" Hermione asked.

"Oh," Minerva replied, suddenly remembering that the girl was right there. "I was thinking about my broken wand. I guess instead of getting tea, I aught to head to Diagon Alley and get a new one."

"Mind company?" Hermione asked timidly. "As my wand was broken as well?"

Minerva pursed her lips. No, she would really prefer not to have Hermione come with her, but alas, Minerva was not so selfish as to say this, as it was true that Hermione required a new wand as well. It's not like they were totally out of danger, there were plenty of Death Eaters still out and about, and Minerva was not about to suggest Hermione go unable to defend herself for any length of time. "Not a problem," Minerva finally said. "But this time, let's let someone know where we are going in case we get into any other trouble."

"Good plan," Hermione replied with a wry grin.

The two walked back to the Great Hall, idly discussing their mutual curiosity about what it would be like to get a new wand fitted. Neither had ever had need for a replacement wand. Minerva's parents had already been divorced by the time she started Hogwarts, and both parents had insisted on buying her a wand. The wand her father had gotten her she had used during her school years, and it was broken sometime in the middle of the war with Grindawald. After that, she'd used the wand her mother had given to her, and had been since.

After stopping in the Great Hall to inform Filius where they were headed, the two walked up to the Head's Office, and used the Floo to go directly to Diagon Alley, via the Leaky Cauldron. Within the next few minutes, they were walking into Ollivander's, which was unusually busy, due to the fact that many witches and wizards' wands had also been broken in the course of the last battle. They decided to go back to the Leaky Cauldron for a cup of tea while waiting – Mr. Ollivander's had promised to send a Patronus as soon as the large group ahead of them were gone.

"So what are your plans now, Miss Granger?" Minerva inquired, trying to guide the conversation somewhere other than back to…where it had been going whilst stuck in that hole. "What are you going to do with your life?"

Hermione sighed. "Miss Granger again, huh?"

Minerva rolled her eyes. "Fine. What are your plans now, Hermione?" she amended.

Hermione sat back in the chair. "Well, obviously I'll sit for my NEWTs before anything," she began. "I don't really think I need to bother with my actual seventh year of study…I did keep up with my studies while we were on the run. You'd be surprised how much reading you can get done when it's your turn on watch."

Minerva chuckled. "I am aware. I studied for my Level One Transfiguration Mastery while on stakeouts during the war with Grindawald."

Hermione grinned. "I'm certain that I want to go into teaching, but I'm not sure what yet. At risk at sounding egotistical, I'm good at everything, sans Divination."

That remark earned Hermione an amused smile, but no comment.

"I've narrowed it down to Potions, Charms, or Transfiguration," Hermione continued. "The Potions post is open now, and if you become Headmistress, which I'm sure you are aware is a real possibility, then Transfiguration would also be open. I'm not sure what Professor Flitwick's plans are, so far as when he plans to retire…"

"So you're dead set on working at Hogwarts?" Minerva inquired with an amused tone, though inside, this notion kind of concerned her, in light of recent…confessions on Hermione's part.

"Of course," Hermione replied, mock shock in her voice. "What other choice is there?"

Minerva grunted. "How long do you think it'll take you to get one of those masteries? Hogwarts only requires a Level One for teaching, though there is a pay raise for each level you complete if you continue to study while teaching."

Hermione nodded knowingly – Minerva would not be at all surprised if Hermione was already aware of that fact. "Honestly, I realize it usually takes six months of hard study for a Level One, but I think I could do it before start of next term. I would be prepared to test for Level Two by next summer."

Minerva whistled. "Ambitious much?"

"Wasn't I always?"

"Know-it-all," she teased.

"Homework Nazi!" Hermione countered.

"Bookworm!"

"Hey!" Hermione objected. "So are you!"

Minerva suddenly had the stunning revaluation that she and Hermione were flirting. "Yes, I am," she whispered.

Just then, an iguana Patronus scampered into the Leaky Cauldron. "I am ready for you Minerva, and Miss Granger," it said in Mr. Ollivander's voice.

The two women stood at the same time, and without a word, headed back to the wand shop. When they arrived, Mr. Ollivander nodded with a smile and motioned for them to step up to the counter. He already had several boxes laid out.

"Minerva, you first," he said cheerfully. "Try this one – seven inches, birch, Griffin hair core."

Minerva took the wand and was not in the least surprised to feel the warmth in hand as she flicked it. Ollivander sure was good at his job. "Perfect, she murmured.

"Now, Miss Granger," Ollivander said, turning to the younger witch. "I have a suspicion about you…"

"Hermione, please," the girl said.

"Very well, try this one – also seven inches, but rather willow, and Griffin hair core."

Minerva raised her eyebrows. While certainly not an expert on the subject, she did know a fair bit about wand lore. The wand the Hermione was trying out was the wand she was holding's cousin. And cousin wands were often found in couples. In fact, there was a Wizard dating service that based a lot of their matchmaking on that very notion.

Hermione took the willow wand by the handle, and by the smile on her face, Minerva could tell that Hermione had felt a connection. She gave it a wide, sweeping wave and the room suddenly looked like it had been hit with luminos maximus.

"Mr. Ollivander, I really must say that until this moment, I don't think that I fully appreciated just how incredible you are at your job," Hermione said with awe.

Minerva watched as Ollivander's eyes flicked between herself and Hermione, a broad smile forming on his face. "Thank you, Hermione," he replied. "Minerva, expect an Owl from me later…you will be returning to Hogwarts, I presume?"

"Yes I will," Minerva replied crisply. Ollivander had been a Ravenclaw, a year ahead of her. They had been study partners quite often during their school years, and he was one of the few who was aware of the fact she was indeed a lesbian. She knew full well that he was totally aware of the significance of cousin wands, and that Owl later was sure to be his annoyingly smug opinion of…the situation.

How the bloody hell had this gone from tea in the kitchens to a situation, in only a few hours? Minerva wondered.

"Hermione," she said. "We should head back to Hogwarts before Filius starts to worry."

"Of course," the younger woman replied. "Thank you, Mr. Ollivander."

"You are quite welcome, my dear," the wand-maker replied. "I'm sure I'll see you again."

Fifteen minutes later, the two women tumbled out of the Floo into the Head of Hogwarts' office, and found themselves once again in an awkward silence.


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