To say that Hermione was surprised when Minerva took her hand and led her into the living room was an understatement. She was stunned to say the least.

Try as she might she could not come up with a logical explanation for Minerva's actions. Even though they have been rather close these past years the older witch hardly ever initiated physical contact and even accepting it was a rare event. Occasionally, after a particularly irksome and busy day Minerva would let Hermione rub the tenseness out of her aching shoulders, but to persuade the proud witch to admit to being in pain in the first place was no small feat.

Hermione was so deep in thought that she only realized that they reached the table when Minerva let go of her hand and sat down on the sofa, patting the space next to her, indicating that Hermione should join her.

'Keep it together Minerva! You mustn't scare her. Or reveal yourself...' Minerva reminded herself for the hundredth time that morning. She was so unused to dealing with so delicate personal matters, she was not sure what course of action she should pursue. 'Subtlety of course is important. Bluntly declaring my feelings would be a wee bit suspicious and I'd rather not admit spying on her just yet.' Thinking about that fateful night prompted a twinge of guilt but Minerva steeled herself nonetheless for the upcoming conversation.

She also made the decision to keep a closer eye on the young woman, in an effort to make out signs of these recently discovered feelings which she might have put down to friendliness or had completely overlooked altogether during their years of friendship. The first thing she noticed was that the girl seemed to have a soft pink hue to her cheeks. 'I wonder if she really heard me while I was in the shower... not that asking THAT would be a smart way of starting a conversation...'

Hermione noticed the slightly awkward silence that fell between them but tried to cover it up by busying herself with her breakfast. Once or twice during their silent meal Hermione tried to sneak a peek at Minerva but each time inquisitive green eyes caught her own. Once she would have sworn she saw the faint shadow of a smile playing on Minerva's lips but she was so confused about the whole situation that she couldn't make anything of it.

Having finished her breakfast she desperately tried to come up with something that would drive away the sudden awkwardness between them. Again she was so lost in her thoughts she surely would have jumped a feet high when Minerva cleared her throat, had she not been an experienced war-veteran herself.

"Hermione dear, is everything all right? You seem... out of sorts today." Minerva said, rather concerned about her friend.

"Oh... ah, yeah! I'm quite fine, thank you. I guess I just have a lot on my mind today." Hermione answered quickly, hoping it wasn't too quick. However, the slight tremble in her voice did not escape the normally perceptive woman, especially now that she was subtly paying careful attention to Hermione's every move.

"Care to share?" Minerva asked, turning to face the girl more fully. 'Goodness... she really must have heard me. Considering how I reacted yesterday, I'm not surprised she's so bothered about it.'

"Oh you know... the silly fourth year students... teenage boys really are a torture." Hermione tried to come up with various excuses and suddenly remembered Ron. "And then Ron sent me an owl this morning..."

"Ronald Weasley you mean?" Minerva asked, wondering what he wanted from Hermione. If her memory didn't betray her, the two friends had a great row about a year ago and hadn't spoken much since.

"Yeah. He's going to be a father, and he wanted to invite me to the party where they want to announce the news. I guess this is his way of saying sorry..." She said with a slight smile.

Minerva was not at all surprised, all of his brothers now had at least two children after all. "Well that is wonderful news, is it not? Yet you still look rather bewildered this morning. Why?" Had she not accidentally walked in on Hermione less than twelve hours ago Minerva would have been inclined to think that Hermione still harbored the remnants of a teenage crush on the boy but thankfully she knew better than that.

'Good job you idiot! Now how am I going to get out of this one?' Hermione scolded herself. 'I can't exactly tell her that once Ron figured out that I was head-over-heels in love with her he never stopped pestering me about telling her.' Hermione could feel the same insecurities that kept her quiet for over a decade getting the better of her again. 'But how could I tell her... she probably doesn't even like women. And she would probably have issues with the age difference too...'

"Er... well..." Hermione stumbled on her words, feeling her face blush even redder, "Ron seems to be under the impression that I'm seeing someone... he wrote that I and whomever I might want to introduce to the family should go to the party..." She said the second part in a rush, barely meeting the pair of emerald orbs that she felt were trying to see into her very soul.

Minerva's eyes widened for a moment but she quickly regained her composure. "And are you?" She asked, a teasing tone colouring her voice.

'Why did she look at me like that?' Hermione asked herself, suddenly alarmed.

"Uh... no I am not. But Min, you of all people should know that." Hermione answered, trying to maintain a pleasant and friendly tone. "There's hardly anything I don't tell you these days." 'Except that I'm in love with you.'

"Then why are you blushing six shades of red right now?" Minerva asked with a sly smile, an uncharacteristic giggle threatening to bubble from her lips.

Hermione didn't answer the question. She just stared at Minerva with a deer-in-the-headlights expression. Minerva decided to push her luck just a little bit more, hoping that the girl would reveal something that would allow Minerva to express her own growing feelings without mentioning last night. Minerva let her lips twist into a grin, something she only allowed herself among friends and never around students.

"I'm sensing that even though you are currently single, Mr. Weasley may have hit a nerve with the suggestion. Has someone piqued your interest, my dear?" Minerva asked, not daring to smile too wide, lest the girl should think she was laughing at her. She tried to maintain an emotionless expression, hoping against hope that Hermione's Gryffindor courage would not fail her and she'd say something. 'Please, Hermione! Just say yes. Please just say that you are but you're afraid they wouldn't accept you...'

'Oh... my... GOD... she knows! She knows! That's why she's been so exceptionally gentle today. She's trying to let me down gently!' Hermione's mind reeled and as the seconds passed her brain came up with less and less likely scenarios of what would happen. In a desperate attempt to save what she believed was a lost cause she tried to deny what the older woman obviously knew.

"NO!" She said with a bit more force than she intended to. "Wh-why would you think I'm interested in someone? And whom would I be interested in anyway?" She tried to go for indignant but only managed a weak sullen voice tinged with fear.

Minerva tried to keep the shock off her face but her eyes yet again betrayed her as they grew twice their size at hearing Hermione's outburst and taking in her distressed appearance. 'GOD that went wrong. Why is she so upset?' Minerva's mind was reeling as well. 'She must think that I'm going to reject her! I have to put this straight right away!' All thoughts of fear now fled Minerva.

She knew her young friend was attracted to her. And she certainly knew she was attracted to Hermione as well. She had a definite advantage over the panicking girl so she had to come clean and hope that the girl would survive the embarrassment long enough to forgive her and realize that their feelings were mutual.

She took one of the girl's hands in her own in an attempt to soothe her. "Look, Hermione. I did not mean to upset you so much. Please try to calm down. I need to tell you something... yesterday... well yesterday I..." Minerva didn't quite know how to phrase what she was about to say so she cleared her throat to stall for time. 'Yesterday I not only heard but also saw you pleasuring yourself and I heard you moaning my name... oh by the way I fell in love with you about two years ago... doesn't sound too convincing'


Seeing the timid expression on Minerva's face and the way her skin suddenly flushed scarlet did not serve to calm Hermione at all. Nor did Minerva's clumsy attempt to explain herself. Correctly assessing Minerva's loss for words but misinterpreting her reasons Hermione jumped up from the couch, wrenched her hand out of Minerva's and blurted a rushed apology in one breath.

"I'm SO sorry! I'm sorry Minerva, I never meant for you to find out! I know you can't return my feelings... I just... GOD I'm sorry..."

And with that she rushed out of the room in tears. She didn't stop, not even when she heard Minerva follow her into the office, nor when Minerva yelled after her to stop.

"Damn it!" Minerva let a string of Gaelic curses flow from her lips.

"I suggest you go after her, Tabby. Miss Granger looked quite distressed a moment ago." Said the portrait of Albus Dumbledore, looking rather concerned, even though the amused twinkle never left his eyes.

"Ya think?" Minerva growled at the portrait of her dear friend as she strode across her office. By the time the moving staircase reached the hallway she had already transformed into the silver tabby cat that earned her the nickname and ran to Hermione's rooms.

AN: I know I'm being evil here but bear with me ;) The last chapter is in the making.

Will Minerva find Hermione in time? Will she be able to undo the damage?

Reviews are very very much appreciated.