As she sat down at the breakfast table, Minerva found a rose from the garden beside her plate. Instantly the freezing cold from her dream grabbed her and she just stared at the pink flower. Hermione, who had intended the rose as a cute gesture, watched the strange reaction.

Walking over to her love, she put her hand on Minerva's shoulder.

"Min, what's the matter?" she asked.

Minerva seemed to snap back from another universe. For a moment she just watched Hermione with a confused look. Then she hastily shook her head, placing a hand on Hermione's.

"Nothing dear" she smiled. "I just want to be sure this isn't a dream" she added.

Hermione smiled and put her arms around the older woman.

"I can assure you, you are not dreaming" she whispered in Minerva's ear.

--

"So" Minerva said as they were finishing up the dishes, "what do you want to do today?"

Hermione seemed to ponder the question for a moment.

"A walk would be nice" she slowly stated. Then she shrugged with a bashful smile. "I don't know, you decide."

Minerva took the younger woman in her arms and kissed her.

"Then my love, how would you like a picnic by Loch Ness?"

Hermione lost herself for a moment in Minerva's beautiful eyes.

"I have to be the luckiest girl in the world!" she smiled joyfully.

Minerva just laughed and kissed her again.

--

As they arrived by floo network to the pub "Sullivan's", a voice immediately cried over the crowd.

"Oi McGonagall! 'Bout bloody time you showed up!"

Minerva laughed at the man standing behind the bar.

"Yeah" said another man, sitting next to the counter with a large can of beer in his hand. "We thought you weren't coming this year!"

Smiling, Minerva walked over to the man sitting by the counter.

"Milo" she said with a mischievous grin, "have I ever let you down, my friend?"

The man bowed slightly before her.

"Not yet professor" he admitted. "Not yet."

Hermione watched the display with mixed feelings. She had never seen Minerva this comfortable and playful. It seemed like this was her true home. A place where she really was among friends. Friends, Hermione assumed, Minerva had known for a very long time.

"Now, now" Minerva teased Milo, "I'm not your professor anymore, and haven't been for twenty six years."

"Twenty seven" Milo corrected her, pointing his finger at her chest.

Minerva lowered her head.

"My mistake" she said, looking mischievously at Milo through her eyelashes.

"Jolly good" said the man behind the bar. "Now when you two have greeted each other as you always do, will someone please introduce me to the lovely lass standing by the fire looking like she's lost?!"

Minerva walked to Hermione with a wide smile. Putting her arm around the younger woman's waist, she guided her back to the bar.

"Hermione, this is Michael Sullivan, the owner of this pub, and his brother Milo. Gentlemen, this is a former student of mine, Hermione Granger, who is visiting me at Broom Cottage for the summer. "

"Will you look at that" Milo chuckled as he rose from his chair and offered his hand to Hermione. "You and I have something I common Lassie."

Hermione politely shook hands with both Milo and his brother Michael.

"Well" Michael said, looking at Hermione. "If she has brought you here, you must really be something extra. She usually comes to the glen to get away from her students".

Hermione immediately looked at Minerva, expecting her to look embarrassed. Instead, she was surprised to see the gaze of absolute pride reflected in the older woman's face.

"Yes Michael" Minerva confirmed "she really is something extra". She straightened up. "As much I'd like to stay and bicker with the two of you, we really have got to be going". She motioned for the door, ignoring the two men's complaints.

Outside, Hermione stood and faced Minerva.

"You really are proud of me" she stated.

Minerva chuckled.

"Of course I am, my dear" she smiled affectionately at Hermione. "Now, we will have a twenty-minute walk ahead of us until we reach one of my favorite spots by the loch."

"Then let's go" Hermione laughed.

They followed a narrow path leading to the famous lake. Minerva welcomed the silence. She had a lot on her mind. Meeting her two old friends and introducing them to her love had excited her in a way she hadn't expected. None of them knew about her love for this extraordinary girl, yet. Having known them for so long, she felt completely relaxed in their presence. It was as if she knew they would both accept the relationship without even a blinking of their eyes.

That's why she had brought Hermione to the pub; she wanted the two brothers to meet her. And she wanted them to know. She just wasn't sure she was ready for the entire village to know, much less Hogwarts.

Hermione was also lost in thoughts. She had always wanted Minerva to be proud of her, but she had not been prepared for this new side of her love. Minerva had brought her to the pub to present her to the two brothers, whom she clearly had known for a long time.

She wants me to be included in that part of her life too, she thought for herself. She really wants me in her life. The thought made her steps lighter somehow.

As the sun settled high over their heads they reached a hillside with a beautiful view over the lake.

"It's beautiful!" Hermione couldn't find any better word. As she looked over the lake, she felt a small breeze gently brush her face and bare arms.

She turned to Minerva who was packing up the food.

"Do you think we'll see the monster?" she teased.

They enjoyed their picnic, talking about rumors of the famous Loch Ness Monster. After they had finished they just sat there, content in each other's company.

Looking at Minerva, Hermione remembered her strange expression at breakfast.

"Minerva, can I ask you a question?" she asked, shifting her position.

Minerva gave her a beautiful smile.

"Of course, my dear" she assured.

Hermione hesitated for a moment. This was all so new to her, and she didn't want to screw it up already. But she had to be sure.

"Was it wrong of me to pick the rose I had put beside your plate this morning?" she finally asked.

Minerva immediately shook her head.

"No, not at all my love" she said, taking Hermione's hand in her own."In fact, those two rosebushes were planted just for you".

Hermione looked surprised at her love.

"For me?" she breathed.

"Yes" Minerva smiled, squeezing Hermione's hand. "I just haven't got around telling you yet. But I wanted to give you something when you arrived, so I put them there, in honor of you".

The happiness overwhelmed Hermione.

"Thank you" was all she could manage.

Minerva pulled her into her arms.

"You are quite welcome my dear" she whispered in Hermione's ear and kissed her.

A moment later, Hermione looked at Minerva.

"Do your other loved ones have flowers in your garden?" she asked curiously.

Minerva chuckled.

"No, unless you count the bush of rosehips Albus planted in the backyard when I first got Broom Cottage about thirty years ago".

Thirty years ago, Hermione thought to herself, my parents hadn't even met thirty years ago.

Gathering her strength, Hermione launched the question that had been nagging in the back of her head all day.

"Then why did you react so strangely when you saw the rose?"

Minerva let out a heavy sigh. Damn. She wasn't really sure she was ready to talk about this.

"Because the rose reminded me of a bad dream I had last night" she finally admitted.