Disclaimers: I still don't own them, but I am borrowing them. I promise to put them back when I am done. They will be unharmed, and they will have had fun. I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters associated with the books and , or the movies or anything else that may fall under the HP brand. So enjoy and have fun .

Fandom : HP

Rating: R / NC /17 down the road

parings: Minerva/Hermione

Ps : this fic hasn't been to a beta so all mistakes are my own .

A Second chance at love

Second chances

Chapter 2

The sun was just starting to rise over the Scottish highlands. The morning mist was hanging low over Hogwarts castle. the Headmistress of Hogwarts stood in front of the large picture window over looking the black lake. Minerva stood with her morning cup of tea in hand thinking about the last five years. After the war she had to rebuild Hogwarts from the ground up and had made major improvements to help defend the castle against future attacks. Minerva watched as her friends and family members moved on and made new lives for them self's after the tragedy they had all faced and lived through. Minerva stood back and quietly watched them move on while she repaired Hogwarts . Minerva sometimes wishes that Albus was still alive. He had come to be her best friend . Albus had always known what to say to her when she had a problem or when she couldn't decide what she should do. She just hadn't felt the same after all the years she has spent behind the walls of the Hogwarts. Minerva wished she could use a time turner and turn the hands of time back. so that she could find the right time to have a family. her mind still wonders back to a time when she should have listen her heart instead of her mind . She should have chosen love over Hogwarts.

But she had known in her heart that her love wouldn't have been returned . so she let her secret love go. So she could have a life that she had wished for her self and The family she had longed for all of her life .

x0x0x0x00x

Minerva was startled out of her memories of the past and brought back to the present by the soft pop of the house elf bring her the morning report. Minerva turned away from the window and walked over toward her house elf Eva. she had been with Minerva since her birth and had followed her mistress to Hogwarts when she started to teach . She was a free elf but she chose to stay and care for her mistress needs .

Minerva walked over and took the parchment from Eva hand. Minerva sat down in the chair by the fire and slipped her glass on and started to look over the report.

" good morning Eva ."

Eva looked up toward her mistress. she didn't look well. she hadn't been sleeping well since the end of the war. she wished the mistress would talk to miss Hermione about what troubled her . She always seemed happier after she reserved a letter from miss Hermione. But Eva knew her mistress was stubborn and didn't wish to trouble others with her problems or her worries .

" good morning mistress. would you like me to bring you some breakfast? " Minerva shook her head no .

" no. I think I will have breakfast with the rest of the professors this morning . We have two days left before the start of the new school term, and I have yet to find a new professor for transfiguration. I was going to talk to professor flick this morning to see if he had anyone in mind."

Eva bowed and was gone with a soft pop.

Minerva set the morning report down on the table next to her tea cup and stood and started to walk down the spiral stairway that would take her to her office. The former headmasters and headmistress looked up form there painting to see the current headmistress of Hogwarts step down from the stairs and entering her office. They all smiled and wished her a good morning. she seem to be in a good mood this morning.

Albus looked down from his painting and watched his dear friend walk across her office and sit in her chair behind her desk.

He could tell by the way she was sitting that she was lost in thoughts of the past and he knew she had regrets because of past mistakes and missed opportunities. He wished she would try and reach out to Hermione. It was one of the worse keep secretes at Hogwarts. everyone knew they both loved each other. he had seen it first hand after Hermione stayed after the end of the war help with the rebuilding of Hogwarts. Hermione returned to Hogwarts to finish her seventh year of schooling. they both started to grown closer during that year. They had both earned the right to have a second chance at love. But they both were to blind to see what was right in front of them .

xoxoxooxox

Albus cleared his throat. Minerva turned to look toward her old fiend. He could see the pain in her emerald eyes and the tears she tried to hide form everyone.

" oh tabby, why don't you write Hermione and talk to her. why not have her come for a visit. You deserve to be happy and loved."

Minerva closed her eyes and sat back in her chair and sighed.

" Albus. We have talked about this before . I am to old for her. she has a life with the weasel boy."

she said with a grimes on her face . It was a sad fact she had tried hard to forget and push from her mind . She didn't think they were such a perfect fit like everyone else made them out to be . but it wasn't her place to say anything to Hermione.

Albus shook his head and popped a lemon drop into his mouth. If what he had heard from the other painting was true. Minerva was in for a surprise in the near future .

xoxoxooxox

Hermione had broken up with Ronald a year ago after he ask her to marry him .Hermione moved to London .She was still working for the ministry but was looking for a change. Albus leaned over and looked at his friend and spoke with honestly and conviction in his words.

" you are not old Minerva Elizabeth McGonagall. any witch or wizard would be lucky to have you in their life and to love you."

Minerva looked up toward her friend and shook her head and stood and headed toward the door. As she reached the door she turned and looked back towards the painting . And said barley above a whisper.

"I have and will only love one witch. " She turned and stepped out of her office and stepped on the stairs headed toward breakfast in the great hall.

To everyone surprise Severus Snape was the first to speak .

" we need to help her find happiness. if not she will die from a broken heart. She deserves better."

the other painting sat back with there mouth hanging open in shock . but they nodded in agreement. Operation Minerva heart was official underway. Now All they had to do was get Hermione to come to Hogwarts .

TBC

Operation Minerva Heart