Title: And I Wonder If You Think Of Me
Fandom: Harry Potter. Post Hogwarts.
Rating: M
Pairing: Minerva McGonagall / Hermione Granger
Summary: Hermione has surprised nobody by accepting the recently vacated position of Charms teacher at Hogwarts. What she hasn't told anyone, or even really reconciled herself with, is that part of the reason is a certain ebony haired, Scottish witch. What she decides to do about it, is anyone's guess…
A/N: A shorter update. This is 'filler' to take us to the crux of the story in chapter 3.
Hermione Granger tossed and turned in her bed, the smirking face of Rolanda Hooch playing before her mind's eye, mixed in with the disapproving stare of the headmistress, emerald eyes flashing in distaste behind her square spectacles as she saw the flight instructor grinning at her.
Minerva was so unbearably close, yet so far. Hermione realized she didn't know the first thing about the woman's private life, let alone about the headmistress as a person and not as a figure of authority or academic.
What did she like to drink? Did she listen to music? Were the emerald robes her personal choice in her leisure time too or were they what she would think of as her 'work attire'? What previous partners were there? Had she ever had her heart broken? Was she in love right now?
Hermione rubbed her face and leaned over to her bedside table, picking up her wand and muttering 'lumos', glancing at her alarm clock. 2.45am. She groaned. She would be good for nothing in her morning's lessons if she didn't get to sleep fast. Double period with Slytherin 4th years. Even under her blankets she shuddered.
Before coming back to Hogwarts she could, very nearly, pretend that Minerva McGonagall was from a time in her life that she would never return to. She could concentrate on her job, try to see friends, pursue her own interests in a bid to drive the woman from her mind. It had almost worked. Hogwarts was a bygone time, a time of schooling, of infatuation with mentors because of the closeted existence it gave you. Or so Hermione had told herself.
Leaving had been a rude awakening. Minerva loomed just as large in her thoughts and fantasies after leaving, if not more than before, because she could embellish the fantasies with Minerva initiating something due to Hermione being an ex-pupil, rather than current pupil. Coming back to teach was her cast iron excuse to either find out once and for all if there was any hope, or try to exorcise the woman from her mind.
As her eyes drooped closed around 4am, Hermione muzzily told herself she needed to do something soon, before she went mad, unaware that in the headmistresses quarters, Minerva McGonagall had come to a similar conclusion.
At the high table the next morning, Hermione sat feeling utterly dreadful. Her eyes were slightly puffy and ringed with dark shadows due to her acute lack of sleep. Fighting her exhaustion, she leaned across to Madam Pomfrey, the school healer, unaware of the piercing stare emanating from the headmistress further down the table. No such luck escaping the hawk-like gaze of Rolanda Hooch who kicked the headmistress under the table whilst giving her an audacious grin.
"Ro!" Minerva McGonagall hissed. "Stop it!"
"I bet she was thinking of you last night, Min" Hooch exulted gleefully, revelling in her friend's embarrassment and discomfiture.
"Stop it. Now." The headmistresses tone could have etched glass. However, Rolanda Hooch was a woman for whom shame held no shame, and Minerva McGonagall's frozen tones merely amused her further.
"Mmmm. I wonder what she was doing that kept her awake all night…" Hooch mused as she picked up her teacup, giving the stern woman next to her a sly, sideways glance. Because the flight instructor knew the headmistress so well, she could see the effect her words were having. Only a quick blink spoke of the internal turmoil within the older witch. Yet, it was there. Hooch smirked to herself as she looked down the table at the young Charms professor who was deep in conversation with Poppy Pomfrey.
As Hermione and Madam Pomfrey rose from their seats together, the headmistress made a decision and stood up, ignoring Hooch's 'hubba hubba' giggled into her teacup.
The headmistress glided gracefully towards the doors of the Great Hall, patiently waiting for Pomfrey and Hermione. As they made to pass, the headmistress stepped forwards.
"Hermione? May I have a word?"
Surprised, the younger woman blushed, and nodded. Madam Pomfrey nodded to Hermione and the headmistress before heading back to the hospital wing.
"How is your first week going?" Minerva McGonagall gave every impression of engrossment as Hermione recounted her first few lessons. Nodding, she smiled slightly.
"As much I would love to hear more, Hermione, an appointment awaits for me. Am I right in thinking you have a free afternoon today?"
"Yes, Headmistress, after 2 o'clock."
"Then perhaps you may like to join me for some tea?"
Hermione smiled, her heart leaping at the gesture, despite knowing intellectually that she shouldn't read too much into the headmistresses innocent invitation.
Bidding Hermione goodbye, the headmistress walked slowly back to her quarters finalizing in her mind the idea that had been brewing all morning.
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