Just to clear it up a little, i think some people were a little confused. Poppy is the healer and isnt retiring, and Pomona was the herbologist. I dont really explain why Professor Sprout leaves but i try to follow as many parts of post-war/epilogue as i can considering my pairings.
Reviews welcomed.
The following week was spent with Hermione dealing with disrespecting students, more detentions than they really appreciated and having to reprimand the one student who defended. Students teased and commented the young Professor for her and Minerva's relationship and though she ignore the most of it some of it was quite infuriating. To top it off Gabrielle Delacour was campaigning quite hard for position of Hermione's champion.
Minerva had been using her days to get paper work done though she was growing increasingly frustrated. Granted she had plenty of time before the end of the school year to find someone she was struggling to find a new Herbology Professor. Pomona had offered to return to the castle twice weekly to help train and apprentice anyone who the Headmistress chose. Her nights were spent with Herself and Hermione relieving each others stresses from the day. It was one of those nights two weeks after Pomona's confession that found the two women panting and tangled in bed when Hermione spoke up.
"What about Neville?" The brunette breathed out as she lightly traced the outline of Minerva's nipple with the tip of her finger.
"What about him?" Minerva sighed out rather enjoying the feel of her witches teasing.
"Nev is a Herbology genius, babe. You should owl him and see if he would be interested." Hermione chuckles softly at having to explain herself.
"Oh... Oh! Merlin, why didn't I think of that." Minerva brought her hand up and smacked herself lightly in the forehead.
"Well I have no excuse for you during the days but of an evening its probably cause you're too busy shagging the Transfiguration Professor." Hermione teased and Minerva grinned.
"Ah, yes but I mean have you seen her? She's stunning. Perfect even." Minerva coos making Hermione blush.
"Aw, shucks." Hermione gushes and blushes burying her face against her lovers neck.
"Would you marry me? I mean I still wonder how you are ok with people thinking you are dating an old hag." Minerva asked suddenly and Hermione leaned back a little looking at the stunning woman beside her.
"Are you proposing or trying to figure out your chances in the future?" Hermione grinned and Minerva narrowed her eyes.
"Ok well a few reasons. Firstly, I have never thought of you as an old hag. Before my crush you were Professor McGonagall and after I developed a crush you were silently 'that magnificent woman'. Secondly, I know that you're not as old as you make yourself look. At least not physically, obviously you're still in your 60's but seriously. I find it kind of hot, especially now I know how adventurous and fun you can be, and I don't just mean in bed." Hermione explains when Minerva glares until she realises she has to answer.
"So you would marry me?" Minerva asks just to be certain and Hermione laughs.
"If this is a proposal, its ridiculous. But-" Minerva clamped her hand over the young womans mouth and stopped her before scrambling off the bed and going to the vanity across the room. When she got back she looked expectantly at the young woman.
"Yes Min. Despite how soon it is, I love you very much and would be very happy to marry you." Hermione grinned as the older woman produced a small gold band with an emerald in it.
"Brilliant. I'm going to make you so happy. Starting with a new ring tomorrow. That one was mine from Elphinstone." Minerva beamed at the brunette who laughed at this information.
"That was the least romantic proposal ever and honestly, I loved it." Hermione spoke up grinning before dissolving into giggles with the woman she loved joining her.
The following morning met the two women waking early, showering together and heading off down to the apparition point. Hermione side-along apparated them to a dark narrow alley in Central London. They spent the first part of the morning finding a quaint little cafe for breakfast before heading off to the find a jeweller. They went to a few but Hermione was struggling to find a ring she liked.
It was the third store they went to that finally held promise. They were looking through the rings when Hermione saw something she liked. The only thing was that it wasn't so much a ring she thought would suit herself but one that she thought would suit Minerva better. She asked the person at the counter to pull the ring out and took it over to Minerva to slide it on the older woman's finger. Minerva looked a little startled at first and then smiled at the ring.
"I'll buy you this one." Hermione stated seriously, the ring was perfect on the woman's finger.
"We were here looking for a ring for you." Minerva pointed out but didn't argue as her bride to be slipped the ring from her finger.
"Well we will find one. Just I want people to know you're unavailable." Hermione smiled a little shyly.
"Yes because my demeanor doesn't do a good enough job." Minerva said wryly and Hermione smirked.
"Beside the point." The young witch chimes as they pack up the ring.
"Lunch?" Minerva says only slightly dejectedly as this shop was only less of flop. Hermione nodded.
The morning had been a bit of a fail for them but Lunch had been refreshing. They stopped at a diner and got burgers and fries with a chocolate shake each. Minerva had practically moaned over it as it had been many a long year since she had indulged in such typical muggle food and forgot just how good the greasy food could be. By the time they were done they were in much better moods before deciding to look at a few more places before turning to the castle.
It was the last store they decided to go to that seemed like it might hold the most promise for them. When they stepped in the setting was bright and there was a surprising amount of emerald green accents to the room. The cases of jewellery weren't actually cases but open displays along three walls, the third was a darkly tinted window. All in all it was pleasant and made both women feel trusted and as though their service would be appreciated.
"Hello ladies! Welcome to... Morgana's tits." The chirpy greeting morphed into exclaimed disbelief making both women turn only to don matching looks of shock.
"Pansy?" Hermione blurted the confused question. Or was it a statement?
"I can honestly say, I never expected you two to be ring shopping in my store." Pansy Parkinson looked both pleased and frightened.
"I do hope your store isn't actually called Morgana's tits." Minerva speaks up finally and Pansy cant help but laugh.
"Actually I called it the Serpents Eye Jeweller's." Pansy explained seriously a faint blush tingeing her cheeks.
Hermione stood staring at the woman in front of them, Pansy had grown over the years, no longer the pug-nosed brat she used to be she was actually rather beautiful now with her chin length hair. Hermione was a little amused to note the small strip of hair in the front that was dyed each colour of the rainbow. The little display was an obvious admission that, after years of seeing her with Draco Malfoy, was a little bit surprising and yet not in the least bit unpleasant.
"I'll admit, you played it well." Hermione spoke up reaching out and gently flipping the Slytherin's dyed hair.
"Me? Baby, I got nothing on you. 6 years living with 5 other girls and you some how still managed to keep it a secret that you are packing? I would bow to you but I only get on my knees for my girl." Hermione didn't really like her anatomy being pointed out but this new Pansy made her wanted to laugh.
"Thanks. I'm good at what I do." Hermione shrugged nonchalantly and grinned.
"Yes you are..." Minerva smirked and Hermione blushed faintly.
"Damn. Hot. Katie! Come see who's here." Pansy called loudly towards the dark curtains she had emerged from.
Minerva and Hermione had the same thought at the same time and both raised their eyebrows. There was only one Katie that they each knew who would be even slightly interested in seeing them and if it was who they thought it was it would answer a few questions. Questions that were indeed answered the moment a slim not very tall dark haired young woman came out and stared shocked before squealing and bouncing around the counter to embrace the two women.
Pansy leaned back and grinned watching her girlfriend hug the couple before them. She had found Katie a few months ago in a muggle night club dancing for money in London. Turns out that Katie had been kicked out by her half-blood parents who had a serious problem with their only child being homosexually inclined. Pansy had bought Katie a few drinks and offered a place to stay and a job working in the store. They had started dating only three weeks after that and seemed to hit it off really well.
"Katie! You dropped off the face of the earth after the war! Where have you been?" Hermione gushed letting the witch go so she could hug the Headmistress.
"I told my folks i'm gay, they kicked me out. I was working as a dancer in London for a few months when Pan found me and offered me a job and a bed. I've been with her ever since." Katie explained after releasing the Headmistress and moving over to her girlfriend. Pansy wrapped her arms around the shorter woman.
"Why are you two living and working Muggle London?" Minerva inquired finally looking at the two women.
"You know, kind of made a complete berk of myself. 'Hand over, Potter!' and all that. Plus my parents were put in Azkaban and the house seized by the Aurors. I'd always been kind of into Jewellery. So what money I had I converted to pounds and bought this place." Pansy shrugged behind Katie.
"It's incredible. She is brilliant. She has charms placed over the store, like influences. If you come in with the intent to steal the charms will simply repel you. She also makes a lot of these herself. She's created charms and spells to help her manipulate metals and precious gems. Are you guys here after and engagement ring?" Katie spoke excitedly to the two fellow Gryffindors.
"She makes it sound better than it is." Pansy attempted to brush it off but the Headmistress wouldn't have it.
"With charm work as good as Katie claims I will be putting your name at the top of my list. I wont be forgetting another Neville Longbottom." Minerva promised much to the confusion of the other women by the register.
"Professor Sprout wants to retire and Min has been stressing about finding a new Herbology Professor." Hermione translated.
"Gosh even my first thought would have been Longbottom. The guys a plant genius." Pansy laughs at the idea of the Headmistress freaking out.
"Yes well i've been reminded." Minerva pursed her lips and Hermione grinned leaning into her woman.
"Bookworms. You have a ring Headmistress?" Pansy asks with an oddly affectionate tone.
Minerva doesn't hesitate to slip the ring off and hand it to the young Slytherin woman. Pansy takes it and looks it over before grinning. She places a kiss on Katie's cheek before bounding back into the back room of the store. While Pansy was gone Katie explained that Pansy had a workshop in the back of the store while they lived in the open plan loft upstairs. She further explained the things that Pansy did with her store even explaining that she had Ministry permission to operate and use magic within the store so long as no muggles learned of it.
When Pansy came back almost a half hour later she had not only the initial ring, which was a small silver band with a small Emerald set in it, she also had a gold band with a small ruby. The gold band looked like it would suit Hermione perfectly but when Pansy walked over to them she showed them something. On the opposite side to the gem it seemed Pansy had set two tiny cats eyes in each ring. Yellow in the silver back and green in the gold band.
"I heard you are both types of cats so I thought the small cats eyes in your rings might be sentimental for you both. If you don't like it though, I can take them out easy as." Pansy explains handing one ring to each respective woman.
"Oh Pansy, these are great." Hermione gushed looking the rings over. Pansy handed Minerva's ring back and took Hermione's hand slipping the gold ring in place. It was too big so she magically shrunk it to fit Hermione's finger.