Wow! I am floored with the reception this fic is getting. Here's another update, and I'll get back to work right now with the third. I honestly have no idea how long this will be, but whatever the length, I hope you all continue to enjoy it. Thank you so much!
Hermione stood stiffly at the gates of Hogwarts, working up the nerve to cross the threshold. She knew she owed the Headmistress an apology, but her feelings on the matter of which they'd argued had not changed. She was so angry that McGonagall had presumed that family didn't matter to muggleborns - that they would be okay being molded into good little witches and wizards before they were old enough to even think of embracing where they'd come from. Granted, her opinion on the matter was biased. After the war ended, she'd gone to fetch her parents; when they'd come to after she'd restored their memories that simply asked her why she bothered - that her life was with her kind now, and they wanted no further part of it.
She'd been devastated. Hermione had gone to war to protect them; to protect all muggles from what terror Voldemort would have surely reigned down on them had he won the fight - and they had dismissed her sacrifice outright. Her parents had given up on her, when she had given up everything for them. When she asked the question of why, the only answer to be found had been because they didn't know her anymore, so how could that love her, or appreciate what she'd done to ensure their continued existence.
"Planning on loitering all day, Granger?" a sharp, accented voice asked, drawing her out of her thoughts. "Or will you come in?"
Hermione huffed. Not even a 'Miss' with the Granger. Yes, she was obviously still mad. "I suppose that depends on if you're prepared to grant me entry, McGonagall."
"I don't see how it can be avoided," Minerva stated. "If we are to be married."
"An idea you are obviously not keen on," Hermione countered, frowning.
"Well, I would certainly have preferred to be partnered to someone who didn't think so very little of me," the older woman spat. Nonetheless, she jerked her head, indicating the Hermione should follow her back up to the castle. "Alas, I don't imagine you are any more thrilled with this than I, so that notion does bring me some measure of comfort."
"My lack of happiness has led to yours?" Hermione glared. "How typical."
"Typical?!" the Headmistress shouted, rounding on her wife-to-be. "For eight bloody years I have you everything you needed; food, shelter, knowledge, support, advice, lo -"
"Love?" Hermione laughed. "How can you claim to love me when you didn't even know me well enough to see how losing my parents' loyalty because I came to this bloody school - "
The younger woman turned away, choking back the tears that had begun to fall. Right now, she craved her mum's embrace. She wanted to run to her father, and tell him how right he'd been about how the wizarding world would take her ideals and stomp them into dust. She wanted to go back to the day this woman had showed up at her door, and tell her to go back to where she'd come from and how utterly uninterested she was about learning anything about magic.
"Hermione…" Minerva said softly after a moment. "I am sorry about how your parents reacted. It does, sadly, happen all too often. It was my hope, last time we met, that you and I could come up with a way to prevent it from occurring as much. My thought was to introduce families to the Wizarding World sooner, but perhaps, if you'd be willing, together we could work out a better option."
The younger witch sniffled, but smiled a little. It was an olive branch, which was more than she deserved. "I'm sorry I hexed you," she muttered. "It was out of line, even if I was upset."
Minerva nodded. "Perhaps we can continue this conversation in my quarters?"
"Yeah, alright then," Hermione agreed, moving to follow the woman she was set to marry.
Minerva, in her long life, had never met anyone who so infuriated her as Hermione Granger. The young woman could warm her heart with a glance, and send her off into a temper tantrum with a word. It was impossible to deal with, and even if they were on the path of making peace over their last argument, it was all but inevitable that they would fight again.
If they were to be married, and have children together, then at the very least they needed to learn to keep their disputes quiet and private. She would not raise her children in a hostile environment. "We cannot duel away our differences in the future, Hermione," she said, voicing her thoughts as they stepped into her quarters. "Not around… our children."
"Gods," Hermione chuckled. "I am talking to Minerva McGonagall about having babies together. Harry and Ron are going to flip."
"You've not told them yet?" Minerva inquired.
"For once, they were paying more attention to the news than I was. Both boys left England as soon as the vote had been passed," Hermione explained. "Harry off to France to marry Ginny, and Ron off to America to marry Lavender Brown."
"What of your other friends?"
"Neville and Luna married right after the battle, so they didn't have to worry about anything."
"What of Mr. Malfoy?" Minerva asked. "You two got… close during your final year here at Hogwarts."
"I got an Owl from him this morning," Hermione sighed. "He says he got paired with Daphne Greenglass, and Draco seems alright with that. He always expected to have his marriage arranged, so for him, it was just a change of who did the arranging."
"Back on topic," the older witch said, nodding. "I suppose we have a wedding to plan."
"A life to plan, more like," came an exasperated sigh. "Let's start with your expectations."
"Well, I'm far too old to actually go about having babies," Minerva began. "Would you prefer to use transfiguration and have children that are biologically ours, or would you prefer to adopt war orphans?"
"I think I'd prefer to have the children, but I'm open to adoption as well," Hermione replied. "Either, or both, I suppose."
"Are you willing to move back to Hogwarts?"
"As you are Headmistress and I'm certainly not about to tell you to retire, that seems to be the only option available to me," Hermione frowned.
"We could buy a house in Hogsmeade," Minerva offered, understanding that Hermione may not be comfortable returning, so soon after being a student, as wife to the Head of Hogwarts."
"Really?" the younger woman asked, perking up. "I mean, it's not that I don't adore Hogwarts, but I've only just…"
"Left," Minerva finished. "I understand. Of course, I wouldn't want you to just move into the Manor - McGonagall Manor, that is - as it is in the Highlands and I would rarely be able to be there with you. I realize this is not a marriage that includes love, but I would like to be an active part of our childrens' lives."
"Love can be found in many ways," Hermione said thoughtfully. "Even if our marriage is held together by nothing more than the children we have, it will include love, as neither of us would feel anything less than that for them. Perhaps, in time, we could learn to care for each other as well."
"Perhaps," the older woman replied softly, fervently praying that her former pupil was right.
As of now, I've gotten nearly 30 reviews, in the space of 5 hours. You guys have seriously made my day! Keep it up!