Hermione followed the old man as he led the way to the living room, her heartbeat increasing with every step. When they entered the wonderful decorated room she saw her professor sitting in a comfortable armchair reading a book, looking very relaxed. She didn't even turn her head when they entered the room.
"Minerva my dear", he greeted her softly, stepping behind her and giving her shoulders a slight squeeze.
She closed her eyes in response. "Hello love."
Albus Dumbledore smiled reassuringly at the young woman, standing in the middle of the room, somewhat lost.
"Look my dear," he said facing his wife again, "I have a little surprise for you."
Minerva opened her eyes immediately, turning around. She knew her husbands surprises were always very…. well, interesting.
And then she saw her.
"Miss Granger, what are you… Albus what is he meaning of this!?" Her voice sounded cold as a midwinter's night, when she turned her attention towards her husband. "How could you do such a thing, without asking me first!"
Albus flinched at the fury in her eyes. This is not going well.
"And what about.." she gestured between them.
"She knows, Min. I didn't tell her, she figured it out herself. She is a bright young lady. I invited her to stay with us over the holidays. " It was then that he noticed that Hermione wasn't in the room anymore and he mentally cursed himself for telling his wife with his student being present. He should have foreseen her reaction.
Following her husbands look, Minerva became aware of the girls absence, too. "Where is she?"
"Getting her things, I presume." His voice was very firm now.
"Why would she do that? This is about you not informing me about such important things and not about her staying here." The older woman asked in confusion.
"Minerva, I invited her because her parents left her alone for Christmas and I thought both of you would enjoy each others company. Do you know that you're the only adult she confides in? I didn't tell you that I invited her, because I wanted to surprise you. If I had known that you would react this way I wouldn't have done it of course. I'm sorry about that, and I'm even sorrier that Hermione is the mourner." His voice sounded very sad now. "Was that really necessary, Minerva? You could have yelled at me later. I brought her here because she feels alone and not wanted by her parents and now you made her feel that you don't want her either, at the very first moment at our house."
Minerva felt dreadful, realising how much her outburst must have hurt the young woman she loved so dearly. Of course she was delighted at the thought of spending time with Hermione; she just lost her temper about her husband making important decisions without her.
"I'm sorry, Albus. I didn't mean yelling at you and I didn't mean hurting Hermione. I was just so… I don't know. I'm tired and my chest hurts and I don't know if I can be strong for Hermione. " She sighed, approaching her husband slowly.
He took her in his arms immediately. "I know, Min. I know. It's all right," he softly reassured her, while holding her close. "She doesn't need you to be strong for her, you know? She needs you as her friend and not as her Professor. And maybe you'll find strength in one another. "
He felt her nod against his chest. "I need to speak with Hermione." She stepped out of her husbands loving arms, heading for the upstairs guestroom.
When Hermione didn't respond to her knocks, the older witch entered the room carefully, finding her young student already dressed in her coat with her bag in her hand, staring out of the window. She didn't turn around, not wanting her professor to see her tears.
Minerva sat on the bed, facing her students back. "Hermione, dear, I'm so sorry. I truly am. I didn't mean to give you the feeling that you're not welcome. I was just mad at Albus for not asking me and I lost my temper."
The older woman waited for her student to respond, but the girl resumed staring out of the window silently.
"Please, Hermione say something." Her voice sounded pleading now.
There was a long pause and just when Minerva was about to say something she heard the young woman respond quietly. "I want to go home, Professor."
"Hermione please stay. I don't want you to go. Please look at me." Minerva swallowed hard when her student finally obeyed. She was prepared for the girl's anger and even for the tears, but not for the hurt in her eyes that looked so utterly defeated. The older witch fought her own tears now, knowing that she had caused this.
"I doubt it, Professor. There is nothing to worry about anyway." Her voice sounded completely emotionless.
"Oh Hermione, please don't doubt that I want you here. I really do and I'd love spending Christmas with you." She stood up and gathered the crying girl in her arms, letting her own tears fall. Hermione didn't relax into the embrace as she normally would have and Minerva released her after a few moments.
The older woman was at a loss for words and more than glad when she heard her husband enter the room.
"Dinner is almost ready, ladies. Min, would you give me a moment with our Hermione please?" He looked into his wife's eyes, a silent understanding passing between them. Minerva nodded and left quietly.
"Come and sit with me Hermione," he said as he set on the bed, looking older than Hermione had ever seen him. The young witch followed his wish, but didn't look at him.
"My dear child, I'm so sorry." He caught his student by surprise when he took her hand in his, facing her. "You must believe me, everything she said earlier had nothing to do with you, even when it felt like that, and I know it did. It wasn't even about me either, you know? Everything she said just reflected her own fear, I'm afraid."
He saw his students doubting and questioning eyes and answered her unasked question.
"Let me try to explain. Your Professor is forced to constantly play the role of the strict spinster and deputy headmistress in her every day life and that is very exhausting to her. And than Umbridge this year… This is her only refuge, Hermione. The only place where she can be soft and weak if she wants to, where she can show her marriage openly. She needs this time desperately to recover form the school year, especially this year. When I brought you here, she felt like I betrayed all what this home means. That is why she reacted the way she did. She needed a few moments to remember, that you're not just any student, but a young woman she holds very close to her heart. She wants you here Hermione, as much as I do. She needs you. Please don't go."
He looked at her expectedly, hoping she would understand despite her youth. A sigh of relief escaped his mouth when he saw her nodding. This time she caught him by surprise when she leant forward, but her recovered fast enough to open his arms for her and hold her to his chest, with one hand cradling her head as she cried again. "Shh, my dearest child. I'm so glad you're staying. It's all right. Everything will be alright. Shhh"
He held her until she calmed down, savouring the feeling of being a comfort for the young witch. The undeviating trust of a child like Hermione is a precious gift, rarely given to someone else than parents, which he thought he'd never receive, being childless.
"Professor, "she interrupted his train of thought, "I think dinner is ready."
He chuckled at her sudden change of subject. "Yes dear, I think you're quite right."
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Dinner was a very quiet event. Albus tried his very best to keep a conversation going, and Hermione answered politely, but she wouldn't offer a question herself or look at Minerva. She excused herself immediately after dinner.
"She didn't even look at me, Albus." The older woman was close to tears again, knowing that there is nothing she could do now to make Hermione feel better. She'd have to wait for the girls forgiveness, hoping that she would forgive her.
"Give her time, love. It was an eventful day for all of us." He smiled tenderly at her, covering her small hand with his.
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Hermione lay in her bed, pretending to be asleep, when she heard someone enter her room carefully. She really didn't want to speak with anyone right now.
Feeling someone sitting down on her bed, the girl held her breath for a moment.
"My dear child, I wish I could tell you how much I love you. I'm so very sorry I hurt you. I hope you can forgive me."
Hermione felt her heart melt, hearing her mentor's sad voice and feeling the older woman's hand stroking her cheek.
"Sleep well, sweetheart," she whispered when she lent forward to give her student a soft kiss on the forehead.
The young woman felt a sudden wetness on her cheek and knew that her mentor must have been crying. She whispered a soft "how could I not forgive you" when she heard the door being closed. "I love you, too."
I hope you enjoyed it. Please review! And THANK YOU to my dearest BETA!
