There was a feast awaiting them when they arrived thanks to Blinky and Millie, who joined them for dinner. It was an excited chatter that permeated the dinning room as Hermione chattered on about how excited she was to have Minerva as her guardian. However Minerva could see a small sadness in the girls eyes even as the girl pondered what the woman would be able to teach her and how much she could learn during summer.
"Hermione," Minerva interrupted gently, "maybe you should head up to your room. I think there might be a surprise for you up there."
"Really?!"
"Really."
Hermione tore off through the house and up the stairs to her room. She threw open the door and ran in.
Minerva was trailing more sedately behind when she heard an excited squeal. She grinned picked up her pace a little walking into her little girls room where she was holding a little brown puff of fur in her arms.
"Do you like him?"
"I love him!"
"I thought you might like him. What will you call him?"
"Crookshanks."
Minerva smiled at the ridiculous name.
"What a marvelous name for a kitten. Now tomorrow we return to Hogwarts, and that young lad is a wee bit small to be playing with the other cats who reside there, so how bout he live in my chambers and you can come visit him in the afternoon or right after dinner."
"But Minerva, I want him to stay in my bed in the dormitory," wined Hermione.
"And he will, when he gets a little larger. Now for tonight he can sleep in here and tomorrow he will stay with me."
"Alright Min."