I know I've already updated today but I have a couple of busy days coming up so just in case I didn't get a chance to post I wanted to get another chapter I'd already written up.

This one is a bit longer. It doesn't really explain much, more creates more questions. I'm really sleepy and it's an emotional scene so I hope I've done it justice. Please let me know what you think as well as any more predictions.

Thank you so much for all the amazing support so far it really means a lot!

Chelsey xoxo

Chapter Three

"Hello Minerva, I'm Hermione Granger. I'm the Transfiguration's professor here at Hogwarts. Your old job. I took over from you when you retired." She didn't want to overload the young witch with information but at the same time she wanted to start trying to catch her up on the life she missed.

"Nice to meet you Professor Granger."

Hermione smiled back and then looked at Albus uncertainly.

"Right Miss McGonagall, the lovely Professor Granger has kindly agreed that as you cannot really be put into the Gryffindor tower with the other seventh years, that you can stay with her for the time being. At least until you settle in."

"Thank you but I'll be fine with everyone else. I am more than capable of looking after myself." Minerva snapped.

"While that may be true" Hermione interrupted "you have years of knowledge missing. For example do you know about the Battle of Hogwarts? Who Lord Voldemort is? Because this is all information that had you genuinely grown up in this time you would know. It would be far too suspicious to allow you, with your lack of knowledge of the modern world, to just enter it. We have just one day tomorrow to fill you in on the basics but we will never be able to tell you enough. Until myself and Professor Dumbledore are satisfied that you can blend in without raising suspicion you are to stay in my quarters other than for lessons."

"I'm a quick learner and I don't need to be babysat."

"Then stop acting like it."

The two women scowled at each other while Albus watched on amused. He always assumed that the pair would get on famously as they had done when they had a fifty year age gap. But apparently putting them together when they were little more than a decade apart changed things somewhat.

"Miss McGonagall, Minerva, I am in complete agreement with Professor Granger. And I know you have experienced a shock but she is still your teacher and you are to respect her as such. What she says goes."

Minerva didn't say another word, just glared into space.

"Fantastic. I'll let you both go and get settled in."

And with that they were both ushered out of his office.

The walk to Hermione's quarters was a long one, a deadly silence between them. When they finally arrived Hermione unlocked the door and then walked inside, indicating that Minerva should do the same.

"I'll show you to my spare room."

"Fine"

Trying not to lose patience and snap again, Hermione led her towards the second bedroom. "Unfortunately we only have one bathroom between us but I'm sure you're used to worse than that. I'd suggest you use it to get ready for bed first as it's going to be a long day for you tomorrow. Albus wants you to begin lessons with the rest of the year on the 2nd, and as we're both busy on the 1st, tomorrow is the only day we'll really be able to focus on catching you up."

"If you say so."

Minerva was shown the bathroom and then left to her own device as Hermione returned to the living area.

The seventeen year old peeled off her old robes and after looking at the state of them she may as well banish them as they were no use to her anymore. She climbed into the shower and let the hot water flood over her body while she tried to absorb everything that had happened.

Minerva knew that she was being ridiculously difficult and completely unlike her usual self, but she just couldn't control it. It had taken her years to master her temper and hormones in her own time, and being here seemed to have sent her right back to the beginning. She hated being the snivelling mess that she had ended up in the headmaster's office, or the angry bitch that she'd shown to Professor Granger. It was such a genuinely nice thing to take her in like this, and she'd been nothing but ungrateful and awkward. It was almost like she was over compensating after her tears. She was usually so good at controlling it and even when she hadn't been the only person that she ever allowed to see her upset was Professor Dumbledore. She knew that technically he was still the same person but everything just felt so different now.

She could feel herself beginning to get anxious but took a deep breathe and climbed out of the shower, wrapping the large towel around herself. She picked up her wand and tried to conjure up some pyjamas. And then she tried again. Over and over again she tried getting more and more frustrated. Why wasn't it working? She'd managed to banish her old robes okay. It was like her magic could only work on the things that she's brought with her. slinging her wand to the side in annoyance she made sure her entire body was covered by the towel before heading out of the bathroom.

"Professor Granger?"

Hermione looked up. The voice sounded so quiet, so unsure, that she was taken aback for a moment. "Yes sweetheart?"

"I… I don't have anything to wear."

Slowly the seventeen year old made her way across the room. Hermione smiled softly. "That's okay we'll grab you some of my things until we've had a chance to get you some of your own."

It should have been reassuring for her but realising that she had none of her stuff with her sent Minerva into a fresh wave of panic. She was the least materialistic person in the world, but she was highly sentimental and the thought that she'd never see some of her prized possessions again caused her great distress. Not to mention the fact she was now alone in this time with nothing of her own and no money. Realising she'd frozen and would not look obviously distressed Minerva panicked. She span on the spot and started racing back to the bathroom. If she could just get there before her panic got any worse and locked herself in until she calmed down maybe everything would be okay.

At least it might have been, had she not completely failed to notice the coffee table in front of her. Hitting it at speed she was thrown over it and after flipping over in mid air managed to land on her back sprawled across the carpet, towel thrown off her. She let out a small wail of pain and then realised the Professor was heading towards her. Remembering her bruised and battered body was now totally exposed she desperately tried to pull her towel back around herself. But in as much pain as she was in she couldn't even manage that, and after flailing miserably on the floor she let out a scream. "Keep away from me, go away."

Hermione was in shock. So much had happened so quickly that she could barely keep up. She could see Minerva starting to get herself into a panic although over what she wasn't entirely sure. The next minute she was racing back across the room at such speed she didn't notice the relatively large piece of furniture right in front of her. The first thought to cross her mind was that she hoped Minerva wasn't seriously injured, then she saw the state of her body and suddenly her previous injuries seemed of much more concern. Until at least the scream left her mouth.

Knowing that she couldn't just leave her there she ignored the protesting wails and wrapped a towel around the shaking teenager before carrying her across the room to the sofa and laying her back down.

The younger witch continued to fight against her until eventually she gave up. She just flopped into the older witch's arms and cried. "Please just leave me alone I don't want you to see me like this."

"Shhhh" Hermione whispered. "Minerva please calm down for me my love I need to do a diagnostic spell on you to check that the reason you couldn't move was just because you got yourself into such a state, not because you've seriously injured yourself."

It was a struggle but eventually Hermione managed to establish that no major damage was done. "Shhhh it's okay Min, you're okay."

Hermione held onto the young woman completely helplessly. This was why she hadn't wanted Albus to leave them together. What did Hermione know about looking after someone else, she couldn't even look after herself.

"Sweetheart it's okay, come on please don't cry. It's going to be fine."

"How?"

"Because… look at me." She made young Minerva look directly at her. "Because you're not alone. I'm as lost right now as you are. I know things are harder for you because you're away from everyone that you used to have, but I am as well. I didn't even need a Time Turner, I pushed everyone away. And I've spent the last ten years alone and I don't know what I'm doing. I might be thirty but my life pretty much stopped at seventeen. I know I haven't been the most understanding today but I was scared Min, I was scared about the prospect of letting you stay here. Letting you in. And I still am. And I can't believe how much I've just told you. But I need you to understand. If I screw this up it's not because of you. It's just what I do okay? And I"m sorry." Hermione too had tears in her eyes but Minerva seemed to have calmed in reaction to her upset.

"I'm scared."

"Me too."

"Are you going to ask?"

"Ask what?"

"What you want to ask."

"And what's that?"

"What happened to my body."

Silence.

"I think if you ever decide you're ready to tell me, you will."

"Thank you Professor."

"You're welcome. But please don't call me Professor. I'm not your professor while we're here. I'm just Hermione."

"Thank you Hermione."

A nod.

"Can I ask you something?"

Hermione nodded again. "Of course."

"You called me Min, so I'm assuming you call me Min in the present."

"Yes."

"So we're really close?"

"Not exactly"

"What do you mean?"

Hermione looked down. "Long story, not one for tonight. Right come on let's find you something to put on and then tuck you into bed."

"He told me my body was disgusting" came a quiet voice next to her.

"Who did?"

Minerva shook her head. "Doesn't matter."

"There's nothing wrong with your body sweetheart. You are stunningly beautiful, just as I have always known you. Now come on pyjamas!"

Fifteen minutes later Minerva had changed into the pyjamas Hermione had left on the side for her. "I've changed you can come back in."

"Goodnight darling."

"Hermione?"

"Yes"

"Please don't leave me."

Hermione held her breath for a moment before deciding. "Good job there's enough room in her for a double bed isn't it?

So there you go chapter three. I know everyone's still a bit out of character but once they all settle they'll go back to themselves a lot more. Hope you enjoyed.

Chelsey xoxoxo

(ps. Is it too early to put Christmas decorations up? Answers on a postcard please!)