I'm sorry this took so long to update. It was mostly because I had some writers block, and some inspiration. Now I have a serious question… who went and saw Tangled? I absolutely loved it! And it comes out on dvd right after my birthday! My 18th birthday actually. I just have one suggestion if you haven't watched it and plan to… watch it with your mom. Or if you are a mom watch it with your daughter. It was the funniest movie I could have watched with my mom. And my mom hates that I say she's like Gothel. The same hair, always concerned about her appearance, we even do the "I love you, I love you more" thing they do in the movie. It was the best thing I could have watched with my mom. And I really liked that Gothel had layers as a villain a good villain always has layers. It influenced me to change around my character a little bit as you may or may not see when you read this. Okay I've rambled enough.
Disclaimer: I don't own any characters created by J.K. Rowling. I do own the characters I created.
"Hermione!" Minerva yelled as she sprinted down the hallways of the massive castle. She ran to her quarters, and did a quick 360 of the room only to find that her daughter wasn't there. She rubbed her head, a head ache quickly forming, and suddenly a thought occurred to her. "Twinky!" The house elf appeared with a pop.
"Yes?"
"Find Hermione and tell me where she is…. now!" Minerva shouted. The house elf, slightly startled, disappeared quicker then a speeding bullet. Minerva then ran to the Gryffindor common room, but to her distress it was completely empty. She headed for the library and saw that it too was empty. She was about to head up to the astronomy tower and work her way done when Twinky reappeared.
"Did you find her… where is she?" Minerva felt like crying. She had promised herself that she would never yell at Hermione like that. And all it took was her mother to cause her to act like this. The animal inside of Minerva just growled when she thought of her mother. The woman was egotistical, hard-headed, and refused to accept things that were her fault. And now because of her she had yelled at her daughter.
"Yes Mistress she's with the Master at his office." Minerva let out a sigh of relief. She was with Albus. "Thank you Twinky." She said changing direction to head for her husbands office. "Candy apple" she told the gargoyle, when she finally reached it, and sprinted up the stairs only to pause briefly at the doorway.
Hermione ran and ran, she was openly crying now. The logical part of her brain, a little tiny voice in the back of her head, said that she was being stupid and that Minerva wasn't angry at her but she didn't want to listen to it. All she could think about were the times her 'real' mother had yelled at her like that. She had yelled at her like that for years. It always ended in her being hit or locked in her bedroom. And it scared her more then she could let on because she had never seen Minerva like that. Even when Minerva got mad in class it was more of a silent anger, where she would glare but do nothing else. She didn't even notice when she slammed into someone, she looked up started and saw her father looking down at her, at first looking amused but when he saw her face it quickly became one of concern.
"What happened Owlet?" Albus asked concerned. Hermione just shook her head still crying heavily. "Come on lets go into my office." He led her down corridor skillfully avoiding the teachers who still lurked from the morning of meetings. They still hadn't told any of the teachers about Hermione, and since no teachers were staying for the rest of the day he didn't think they would be found out. After settling Hermione into a chair he started talking. "Now what happened?"
"Minerva yelled at me…" Albus noticed the change and hoped that Minerva wouldn't hear Hermione say that. "She was arguing with her mother in the Great Hall…" Hermione wiped her eyes and Albus took the opportunity to speak.
"Aurora's here? Oh, joy."
"I guess, and they were arguing and it reminded me of … my mother." Hermione said softly. Albus nodded understanding completely. "And I've never seen Mum like that and it scared me."
"Why did it scare you?" He asked though he had a pretty good idea. Hermione stared at her feet. She felt embarrassed again, she didn't want to admit it, but Albus had a way of making you say what was on your mind without pressuring you.
"That was how my mother always yelled, before she would put me in my room or my dad would hit me." She hid her face into her hands. Albus became very mad at hearing that, mad at Hermione's birth parents, and Minerva to some extent. Though he knew that Minerva would never do that to Hermione, she still shouldn't have let her mother get her into such a mood that she yelled at Hermione. "And I know I'm being stupid, and I know Mum would never hit me… but it just made me scared again."
"Come here Hermione." He said holding his arms open. She walked into his arms still sniffling. "I know you're upset, and that's okay. You've been though more then most have. And Minerva was at fault, she never should have yelled at you." Hermione looked up at him in shock. "It's true, and I know that when her mother comes and they are both in a bad mood, then there really is no stopping either of them, when they go at it. But I do know Minerva didn't have a good experience growing up with her mother."
"Really?" Hermione sniffed. "She started to tell me about it… at Disney… but she didn't really get into it."
"I suppose she told you, about how her mother wanted her to become an Auror and to bring some respect to the family." Hermione nodded. "Well it goes a little bit deeper then that. See Aurora McGonagall is a very controlling person. She raised her children with; to an outsider's opinion would be the perfect mix of loving, controlling, and subtle comments that would undermine the self-esteem." Seeing Hermione's confused look he elaborated. "One of the first times I met Minerva's family her mother walked up to her and told her she really should try to take some weight off around her waist… then she laughed and patted Minerva on the arm and said I'm just kidding you know I love you. Now this was about 36 years ago right before we were married. I was quite shocked to hear that but Minerva just smiled at me and shrugged it off. Now her mother doesn't even try that tactic, as you saw in the Great Hall. Since, about the time Minerva married me, she started standing up for herself more to her mother, mostly before she just ignored her. Now the only way they can ever stay in the same room or house together, is to start the meeting by yelling at each other."
"That's horrible… but she still shouldn't let herself get that mad…" Hermione said softly.
"No she shouldn't have, and I can guarantee that, in a couple minutes if not sooner, Minerva will be here worried sick about you." He smiled at Hermione. "Listen Owlet, I know your feeling depressed but keep your chin up. I can tell you that Minerva will always love you more then anything else."
"Do you think Mum and I will ever be like that?" She couldn't keep the fear out of her voice. Albus almost chuckled.
"No you two will never be like that. Trust me I know these things." This time he did chuckle and kissed her on the head. There was a soft knock on the door. "Come in Minnie." Minerva slowly came in and immediately swept Hermione up into a hug.
"I am so so sorry Hermione." She said pulled Hermione's face back to look at her. "I swear Hermione, I wasn't mad at you, I would never be mad at you… I'm sorry you had to see me like that."
"Mum."
"What can I do to make it up to you sweetie? Anything you want I promise." Hermione sighed.
"Mum"
"Because really sweetie just let me know."
"MUM!" Hermione shouted, and this time it was Minerva who looked startled.
"Just listen okay?" Hermione asked. Minerva nodded dumbly. "I know your mother makes you upset, and that you didn't mean to yell at me." She took a deep breath. "And that's okay, because I'm pretty sure that if I saw my mother right now, knowing she couldn't get to me, I'd probably do the same thing…but that doesn't mean you should have yelled at me." Minerva frowned. "And I was upset and scared because it reminded me of my mother, but I know you would never do to me like she did to me." At this Hermione wrapped her arms around Minerva and said. "I forgive you, can you forgive me for thinking, briefly, that'd you'd hurt me like she did?" Hermione stifled a sob. Minerva saw Albus smile proudly at Hermione. Minerva started crying; she dropped to her knees and pulled Hermione into tightest hug she could give.
"When did you become so mature?" She said with wet laugh. "Oh, Hermione how could I ever hold anything against you. You should be yelling at me, screaming, you should hate me for what I said…"
"I could never hate you." Hermione cut in.
"Well you should, but I let you talk so you let me okay? Regardless of the fact you say you could never hate me, you should feel at least some anger at me. I never should have acted that way around you, I always told myself that if I ever had a child I would treat them differently then my mother treated me. But as much as I hated being like her, I hate that fact that I hurt you more. I swear Hermione that I will never yell at you like that again, and I promise to be respectable to my mother during her visit. So I will be a perfect reputable daughter to my mother, if you promise to still want to stay with me when this is all over." Hermione pulled back and wiped her eyes.
"Okay." she said smiling. "I love you Mummy." Minerva wrapped her arms back around Hermione.
"I love you too sweet heart." Minerva felt Albus wrap his arms around them.
"I love both my girls." He said cheekily. Minerva kissed him before pulling them all up.
"Well, I believe that we should go have lunch before Michael and young Harry eat everything the house-elves have prepared." Albus said eyes twinkling. Minerva was wiping any remaining tears off her and Hermione's faces.
"Yes let's go introduce the dragon to her granddaughter." Both members of her family turned to look at her. "What? I said I would be respectable to her, I said nothing about making fun of her behind her back." Hermione smiled impishly.
"Well if she's anything like her daughter, then she must be a dragon." Albus laughed and ran out of the room. Minerva looked at Hermione in shock.
"Oh, you're going to pay for that one young lady." Hermione just smiled and followed Albus out.
Well I hoped you all liked this. It took a long time to write this, mostly because I tried to really write the emotions out onto the page. I don't know if I did a good job but I'm satisfied with it. I do hope you all like it to. And I AM NOT GIVING UP ON THIS! I've just been preoccupied with college essays and scholarship essays. But they will all be done by the end of march. Then I hope to be back to updating as quickly as I did last year. Please review and let me know!