A/N: Hello, hello, how are we all. Apologies for the long gap between updates. It took me a while to write it, then Spin went on holiday, so between the two of us, it's our fault hahah.

Anyway. Hope you're all still enjoying it, let me know what you think, I do enjoy knowing what things you liked and don't like. There's the potential that she'll go up in age again next time, but not this time, but we'll see what happens :D I kind of enjoy toddler Hermione.

Thanks for sticking with me :D

-0-

Minerva strode down the hallways of Hogwarts completely livid. She'd received an owl not two minutes ago summoning her to the courtyard to deal with a fight of all things. She had some idea of whom it could concern, but she had no idea why they would have come to blows.

She stormed around the corner, incensed that students under her tutelage would resort to that kind of behaviour even after all that they had worked on through this term. These two had been sniping at each for the last three weeks, all over a boy apparently, and there would be hell to pay if they were the ones she found fighting.

She arrived to see a group of students all crowding around what she assumed to be the culprits, and she barged her way through to find the two young women in the process of firing at each other.

"WHEN YOU ARE QUITE FINISHED!" she yelled, feeling a little like she was spitting on a fire.

It was completely the wrong time to stop them as they couldn't really just stand there, defenceless, after firing their spells and so they dived out of the way and continued firing.

Minerva's wand snapped to her hand and in barely a moment she had both girl's wands in her hand and had erected a shield around them both so that the stray spells couldn't hurt anyone in the crowd.

"Everyone else, you have places to be, and things to do. Go and do them," she snapped, waiting until all the stragglers had dispersed. Then she rounded on them. "I absolutely cannot believe you two," she seethed. "After all the talking we've done, all the warnings I've given you both about your problems with Mr Jackson. You are both in a world of trouble. Follow me." She spun on her heel and strode back into the castle, knowing that they would follow.

There was not a word spoken between the courtyard and Minerva's office, but at least all of the other students were now in their classrooms. Minerva waved the Gargoyle staircase open and mounted the stairs, throwing open her door and pointing at the two chairs before her desk.

Álainn rushed from where she was playing with Winky to her legs, perhaps sensing Minerva's ire and lifting her arms up for a cuddle.

"Not now Álainn," she said curtly, ruffling the ringlets a little to take the sting out of her words. "Miss Carlson, Miss Collingsworth, if either of you utter one word I shall know about it. Do not move from those seats."

Minerva strode through the door at the back of her office to her bedroom with Álainn, setting her on the bed for a while.

"Mama? Awlin bad?"

Minerva sighed, rubbing her forehead and trying to contain the rage.

"No darling, Álainn isn't bad, Álainn is Mama's good girl," she said, turning and finally accepting a cuddle from her precious girl. "But right now Mama is very angry with those two girls and I need you to visit Aunty Poppy for a while so Mama can tell them off."

"Mama gets mad?" Álainn asked, looking up with wide eyes.

"Yes baby, Mama is going to get very mad."

"Mama shouting?"

"Probably," Minerva muttered, moving away to pack a small bag for Álainn to take with her to the hospital wing. "Darling, where is your book?"

"Out there," she said, pointing back towards the office.

"Alright. Let me send for Poppy and then you can go through the Floo with her."

"Yey!" Álainn sang happily bouncing off the bed. "Come on Mama, I wants to go on the Floo."

Not for the first time Minerva was glad of the innocence of a child so delightful as Hermione. She felt the majority of her rage abating the longer she spent with the little one, and ultimately the two fighting student's punishment would be far better doled out while she was being sensible, rather than still fuming.

She took a deep breath and escorted Álainn into the living room, where she picked up her book and helped her put it into her bag as Poppy arrived through the Floo.

"Are they hurt?" Poppy asked quietly.

"I don't believe so. Ladies, are either of you injured?"

"No."

"No, Professor."

Minerva rolled her eyes at Poppy, who leant down to pick Álainn up and held her tightly.

"Floo me when you're done," Poppy muttered, turning to the fireplace.

"You's gonna be in troubles," Álainn called happily as Poppy stated the address. "Mama's gonna shouts."

Minerva had to stare at the Floo for a good three minutes before she could turn around without wanting to laugh. Álainn's innocent little teasing was no doubt enough to put the fear back in those two girls and she couldn't help but feel a little mischievous. She closed off the Floo and turned to look at her two troublemakers.

"Which one of you is going to go first?" she asked, sighing as she sat down. It was going to be a long afternoon.

-0-

"Anti Pop-pop?" Álainn said happily from where she was playing with a few reels of self-rolling bandages.

"Yes darling?" she asked absently, counting the potions in the cupboard.

"Can you make Georgie's ear come back?"

Poppy stopped and turned to look at her strangely.

"Sorry?" she said, putting down the clipboard and closing the cabinet.

"Georgie losted his ear and Awlin finks Anti Pop-pop brings it back?"

If Poppy hadn't had years of speaking with the house-elves, she might have taken longer to understand the little girl's rather rudimentary form of English, but she smiled as she understood what Álainn was asking her.

"No darling. George's ear won't come back. It's gone, and can't come back."

"Ev'a?" she said, her mouth dropping open in horror.

"No sweetheart. But that's okay. He can still hear everything."

"Can Anti Pop-pop fix his hurty heart?"

"No darling. Nothing can fix that either," Poppy sighed, stroking the little girl's head.

She hadn't had that much to do with Hermione, even though she had been Harry Potter's best friend. She'd visited occasionally and of course there had been that incident with the Polyjuice potion and the cat hair, but Hermione was Minerva's favourite, and with good reason. She had most commonly been found with her nose in a book, even when she was visiting Harry, so they had never really had that much to do with each other. She'd handed out a few potions for monthly cramps and such, but the poor girl was so mortified that she didn't appear again after the first few times, and Poppy assumed she'd discovered how to brew her own. She wished now that she'd paid more attention to her, perhaps smiled at her instead of simply rushing from place to place. Perhaps she'd have seen the signs and maybe even prevented this whole situation from happening.

"Anti Pop -pop?"

"Sorry darling, I was just thinking."

"Can we wead now?"

"Certainly sweetheart. Would you liked to come and sit with me on my chair?"

Álainn jumped up and raced to the swivel chair, spinning around a few times before allowing Poppy to pick her up and place her on her knee. The Hospital Wing was not an overly exciting place for a toddler to be, and Poppy knew that at any moment she may have to deal with an emerging crisis. She only hoped that wouldn't happen today.

It had taken two stories to knock the little one out and Poppy carefully carried her to a bed and placed an anti-rolling charm on it and an alarm for when she woke. She brushed back a little ringlet from her forehead and wondered if Minerva was helping it stay together with some sort of potion, because it was nothing like Hermione's hair when she had come to school. It was beautiful though.

She sighed and went back to her reports. Hopefully Álainn would stay asleep for a while and not fuss when she woke. Minerva was bound to be in her meeting for most of the afternoon.

It was a good hour before Poppy realised her alarm for Álainn was going off and she peeked from her office at the bed across from the door, finding Álainn sitting up with tears rolling down her face and looking bereft.

"Álainn, sweetheart, what's wrong?"

"Mama hurted!" she sobbed, almost hysterically. "Mama go, Awlin don't want Mama to go," she wailed, cuddling Poppy's neck like a lifeline.

"Calm down baby," Poppy soothed, sitting down on the bed and rocking her gently. "Mama's fine. She's in her office right now."

"Mama!"

Poppy, pulled her head back and looked down at the little blotched face, feeling her whole body shaking and deduced it to be a night terror of some sort.

"Alright Álainn, I need you to calm down now," she said a little sterner than she had spoken all afternoon. Minerva would prefer not to be disturbed, so Poppy was going to try and keep Álainn with her for as long as possible.

She walked over to the cabinet and withdrew a calming potion, wishing she had an extra pair of hands so that she could measure out the proper dosage for the little girl without letting go of her. She sat down, leaving her hands free to do as she needed, but making sure that Álainn, who was now hiccuping and struggling to breathe, was secure.

"Alright child, here we go, swallow this for me please," she said gently, feeding Álainn a spoonful of calming draught.

The screaming ebbed, but the tears did not and if anything it made Poppy feel even worse hearing Álainn whimpering.

"Álainn, I need you to look at Aunty Poppy for a moment," she said quietly, waiting until she did as she was asked. "Now, can you tell me what was scary? What did you see?"

"Mama go boom!" Álainn sobbed, gripping Poppy's robes tightly. "People hurted her and she falled over. Awlin don't want Mama to go."

Poppy thought about those words for a while, rocking Álainn back and forth before she realised what Álainn might have seen.

"Álainn, I need you to breathe for me," she said, feeling her struggling again. "Simply breathe in and out with me. It was just a nightmare; a nightmare that Hermione had, sweetheart."

"H'ione don't want Mama to go, e'va," she sobbed once more.

"I know neither of you do sweetheart," Poppy said, sighing as she realised there was only one person who could fix this. "Let's go and see if Mama has finished."

They took the long way around to Minerva's office, appearing at the gargoyle after their slow stroll through the castle with Álainn high up on Poppy's shoulder, hugging her tightly but still breathing shakily.

"Álainn," she uttered to the gargoyle, smiling as it moved aside and allowed her up. She knocked on the door and waited for Minerva to finish talking.

"Poppy? Álainn? What's wrong?"

"She went down for a nap, and had a nightmare about," Poppy paused, looking past Minerva into her office to find the two ladies still there. She pulled her outside and closed the door, handing Álainn over, who cried a little more, but was soothed immediately as Minerva kissed her cheek and rocked her gently. "I think she had a nightmare about, well, about the time you were attacked," she said awkwardly, knowing that Minerva didn't like to remember that time any more than anyone else.

"Oh," Minerva said, looking down at the baby in her arms. "Oh darling," she sighed, pulling Álainn close. Poppy smiled and rubbed Minerva's arm. That had been her toughest case in all her medical career, trying to keep Minerva alive long enough for them to transport her to St Mungos and she would never forget it. "Severus mentioned she may have some residual memories appearing suddenly," Minerva muttered, breaking Poppy from her thoughts. "I would have preferred any memory but that one."

"Yes," Poppy agreed. "I gave her a small dose of Calming draught, as she was hysterical for a while, but that would have worn off by now and she seems to be drifting off anyway," Poppy said quietly, leaning forward to kiss Minerva's cheek. "Let me know if you need anything else," she said, knowing that Minerva wasn't going to let go of her anymore than Álainn was going to let go of Minerva.

"Thank you," Minerva said gratefully.

"Anytime. See you later sweetheart," she said quietly, kissing Alainn's curls.

She waited for Minerva to disappear into her office and could only imagine the student's faces at the little girl now joining their meeting. She'd hear all about it later, but for now she had some more reports to finish. And then, Merlin willing, she could go home to her husband and have a quiet evening after he got off the late shift.

Well, there was always hope.

-0-

Minerva sat back down, rearranging Álainn in her arms so she was cradled close to her heart and sighed when she whimpered and held up her hand. Minerva knew what she wanted, but she seriously hoped she'd just drift off without needing it. She hadn't had her hair in a braid in public since Álainn was a tiny baby, and until this moment she hadn't asked for it. From the limited knowledge of small children Minerva did have, she knew that they would sometimes revert back to the actions that they felt the safest when they were very upset.

"Mama," she said pathetically, causing Minerva to sigh, and ultimately give in.

"Alright baby," she said, reaching up and undoing half of her bun. She realised quite quickly that she needed both hands to do so, as she'd pinned it properly this morning - something she'd only started doing again after Álainn hadn't needed her braid anymore. She looked over at the two girls still sitting in their seats, Miss Carlson looking anywhere but at her, while Miss Collingsworth was watching on with interest.

"Miss Collingsworth, you are in no way excused from your behaviour, but I wonder if you would come and help me," she asked, knowing that she could summon all the pins if she had too, but it would pull just a little more than was comfortable.

"Um, sure," she replied, glancing at her schoolmate before getting up. "What, ur, what do you need me to do?"

"Could you please take out the pins from my hair and I shall put it in a braid magically," she explained. "There are quite a few, so don't be afraid to have a thorough look. I would do it myself, but I'm afraid Álainn has had a nightmare and she's rather clingy."

"Thanks okay Professor," she said quietly. "My brother gets them all the time."

Minerva filed that little titbit of information away for later and waited for Miss Collingsworth to finish her task, something Minerva was pleased to note she did quickly and efficiently.

"Thank you," Minerva nodded, reaching up and waving her wand over her hair, waiting a moment before she felt her braid form. "Alright baby," she whispered, pulling it forward and letting Álainn wrap her little hand in it.

"Mama."

"I know," she said gently. "I need you to be quiet while I talk, and then you and I shall spend some time together, okay?"

"Uhuh," she said, sucking her thumb - something she didn't do too often.

"Now, Miss Carlson, Miss Collingsworth; without rehashing everything we have already talked about, I'd like you both back here at nine o'clock sharp tomorrow morning. You will both be doing your lessons in here, and taking your lunch with me for a period of time as yet to be determined by me," she said, trying to look as stern as possible, considering she was cradling a little baby. "In addition to that, you both are to spend the remaining time this evening and before you arrive here tomorrow to write three feet of parchment on why duelling is dangerous to both yourselves and those around you. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Professor."

"Yes, Professor McGonagall."

"Good. Now go." Minerva nodded towards the door.

Minerva took a little time to let go of the stress of the day before looking down at her baby. She was not asleep, although she looked as though it would do her good. Minerva knew that quite a few students, including Hermione and Harry, had been in the Astronomy Tower when she was attacked by Umbridge's cronies, and that they had witnessed the aftermath. It was a fact that none of them had ever spoken about. That night remained one of Minerva's most painful memories. She couldn't believe she'd survived actually, and the guilt she'd felt for leaving her students to that woman had gnawed at her for a long time, and even more so when Harry had told her what the 'special' detentions had involved not long ago.

"Alright missy," she said softly, lifting her a little so she wouldn't knock against the desk as she got up. She didn't look at the portraits. This was a time for her and Álainn, and for Hermione too, although that would not be apparent until later. She carried her precious cargo over to her bed and drew back the covers, placing Álainn in the middle and pulling her hair away.

"No Mama! Mama!" Álainn squealed, kicking her legs and trying to grab onto her robes.

"Easy," Minerva said gently, but sternly. "Mama is just going to the bathroom, then I shall come and lie with you."

"No Mama, don't go, pwease don't go!" she screamed as Minerva shook her off and went to the bathroom.

Alainn's pitiful wails were breaking her heart, but there was nothing else she could do about it. Álainn would be alright. That's what she kept telling herself anyway.

"Mama, mama, don't go!" she cried, curled up in a ball in the middle of the bed.

"I'm here my child," she whispered, touching Alainn's back and almost laughing as Álainn threw herself into her arms.

"Now. Let us lie down and talk for a moment, hmm?"

Álainn didn't say anything and Minerva settled down on her bed and pulled Álainn up so she could sit face to face with her.

"Hermione and I never talked about this, and I want you to know baby that when you're older we'll make the time to talk about this again."

Álainn just looked up at her with those big brown eyes and waited for her to start speaking.

"What happened to me, in your dream, that was a," she paused, deciding how much of a white lie to tell the little one, "that was a long time ago. Mama is all better now and it's okay."

"Mama hurts," Álainn said, leaning forward and pressing her hand to the exact spot where Minerva's scars were.

"Not anymore baby. Mama is all better now."

"Awlin see. Mama hurts, Awlin see."

"I know you did baby, I know," Minerva said, trying to sooth the almost manic movements of the little one.

"No, Awlin sees."

Minerva realised what Álainn was trying to do as she pulled on the collar of her robes. She wanted to see the scars.

"Álainn, I would prefer it if you -"

"No Mama, Awlin sees."

Minerva sighed, looking down at Álainn with what she was sure was a pained expression.

"Alright little one," she sighed. "Alright."

She slowly unbuttoned her robes and pulled open her shirt so that Álainn could see the four Galleon-sized scars on her chest.

"Mama hurts?" Álainn asked, shuffling forward and leaning against Minerva's stomach to run her hands over them. "Awlin kiss'd 'em better?"

"They won't go away sweetheart," Minerva said sadly. "They are scars, a sign of survival, to show us what we've been through."

She smiled as Álainn leant forward and pressed a sloppy, loud kiss to each one of them, and surprisingly, made Minerva feel a whole lot better.

"Thank you darling," she whispered, feeling tears gathering in her eyes. "Now, let's see if we can have a short nap. Mama is tired."

"Awlin nap wi'v you," she said happily, already snuggling up to Minerva's bare skin, like she had when she was a baby, and pulling at the braid still lying over her front.

Minerva lay back and felt her body sink into the mattress with the solid weight of the child on top of her. She had contemplated for a moment drawing a comparison to the scar on Álainn's forearm, but that was a nightmare she never wanted Hermione or Álainn to re-live.

"I love you Álainn. Hermione. I love you both."

"Awlin and H'ione love you too," the little girl replied, sighing happily as she sucked on her thumb.

"Perhaps tomorrow we can start going to stay with Aunty Poppy and Aunty Pomona while Mama has to work," Minerva suggested, knowing that she would have two Fourth Years with her tomorrow and potentially all week.

"Hawee?" she asked sleepily.

"No baby, Harry is working, but we can maybe see him at the weekend."

"O'tay," she said snuggling in again and falling straight to sleep.

Minerva kept her eyes open for barely a minute longer before sucummbing to the same, feeling the woes of the day easing as she took comfort in her baby, her daughter.

"Tha gaol agam ort [I love you]."