Chapter 46
Hermione awoke, expecting to see Minerva as usual, already up, and have had who knew how many cups of coffee. But, Minerva's door remained pulled to. Though, after a third cup of coffee, Hermione stood up and with eyes lingering on the closed door, she knew she needed to leave as she was already late for meeting her parents at St. Mungos. With heavy steps, she forced one foot in front of the other until she was closing the door to Minerva's quarters, then descending the seven flights of stairs to the main doors of Hogwarts, until she stepped past the fabled castle's gates. Involuntarily her eyes moved back to Hogwarts, thoughts moving past the devastation before her and returning to the woman she had left ensconced within its walls.
The woman she had known for years, but, in truth had only just met.
And the more she learned about the woman, the more she found herself wanting to know.
A bird's squawk in the distance broke across the stillness, dispelling her meandering thoughts, she focused on St. Mungos and not even a blink later, she was gone.
xoxo
Starting Monday, Hermione silently repeated again. Monday. Three days from today.
She lifted her eyes up to the parapets ahead of her and she felt her gait slow down as the innocent comment repeated once more: I hear that you'll be joining us this Monday as we begin repairs upon Hogwarts…
In three days there would innumerable professors and who knew how many others descending upon to Hogwarts to help rebuild the fabled institution; and while she couldn't wait to see the professors, Harry, Ron and others, she also didn't want Monday to come around – because as the others would arrive, she would be have to watch the slow retreat of the woman she was just beginning to know. For Minerva McGonagall would leave, and Hermione, along with everyone else, would be working under the expert tutelage of the Headmistress of Hogwarts.
Xoxo
a/n: :)