They walked down the corridor (keeping an appropriate distance between them), the closer they got to the head teacher's office the more nerves fluttered in both of their stomachs. Finally they reached the gargoyle and Bella confidently said the password.
"Custard cream."
The gargoyle sprang to life and jumped aside revealing the staircase behind. They walked up and paused outside the door.
"Of course Minnie would use biscuits as her passwords, I wondered what her theme would be." Hermione said.
"Minnie and her biscuits, I always knew if I was in trouble because I wouldn't be offered one."
"Even when we were in trouble I always got biscuits, I just never got shortbread if I was in trouble. The shortbread is my favourite!"
"How long do you think we can stand out here before she dragged us in?"
"Probably about another 30 seconds. Whatever happens, Bella, we will deal with it together. I won't lose you, not now." Hermione placed a chaste kiss to Bella's lips and then raised her hand to knock.
McGonagall shouted "Come in girls."
"We'll be ok Pet, come on."
Then walked in and McGonagall gave them both a wide smile. "Please sit, I've got tea ready. Would either of you like a biscuit?"
"I'm sure Hermione would be ecstatic if you had some shortbread."
"I do actually, nothing beats good Scottish shortbread."
Minnie busied herself with pouring the tea and handing out the biscuits.
"So, what is it you wish to discuss?"
"We would like to inform you of a development that we believe can no longer be kept between the two of us."
"And that is?" McGonagall raised an eyebrow but that unusual sparkle was ever present in her eye.
Bella and Hermione gave each other one last look before Hermione broached the subject.
"As I'm sure you know Minnie, at the start of the year I wouldn't even have a meeting with Professor Black. We had our first lesson and I butted heads with her instantly and earned myself a detention within the first five minutes of class. We were then paired together to duel and I ran away after I accidentally knocked her out. She found me hours later in the astronomy tower and managed to ease the tension and even managed to convince me to go back to my room to sleep. I think we both realised quite quickly after that, especially during our detention, that we are a lot more alike than either of us would have ever admitted. I would say we moved from enemies to friends rather quickly. Do you want to explain the next bit?" She looked at Bella.
"Of course. So as we discussed Minnie, I asked Miss Granger to duel me at least twice a week and we would also have time to learn about each other as well. During our first duel tensions were high and our discussion afterwards revealed some things."
She took a short breath "Hermione revealed that she has had an attraction to me since Malfoy Manor and I told her I reciprocated. Minnie, the reason we are here is to ask for your blessing on our relationship. Hermione and I are together. If you do not approve then know you will be losing at least one of us, as I cannot remain in the castle if we are not together."
"Well finally!"
Hermione and Bella both said "What?"
"I said finally. Have another biscuit, both of you. I have been aware of your relationship since it's inception."
Hermione blanched. "How?"
"Do you really believe I do not have things to warn me of students out of bed? Of students leaving teachers rooms at 6am or vice versa? No, I knew but I am not cross, after all there is a reason your rooms are positioned next to each other."
"Minnie...how long have you been planning this?" Bellatrix asked suspiciously.
"Me and your sister have been communicating regarding the two of you since your meeting at Malfoy Manor. She spotted a possible connection and contacted me to ask if I could arrange leniency for you, if she successfully removed you from the final battle. Unfortunately girls, I believe you are the last to realise your connection and the lengths that others have gone to in order to let it flourish."
McGonagall looked like the cat that got the cream (which was a very accurate look considering she spent half her life as a cat), Hermione and Bella could simply sit in silence until Bella managed to croak out.
"You've been planning this for six months?"
"Yes."
"And my sister helped?"
"Your sister instigated the whole thing. Without her forethought you would have been in Azkaban, even if you had left the battle early. We successfully arranged a deal with the Ministry that if a battle occurred, you didn't kill anyone and then you left it prematurely, that you would avoid prison and would simply be monitored at Hogwarts instead."
"That's why Cissa told me I couldn't kill the kids and only hurt them. She said it was because you didn't want to imagine me killing people younger than Draco or spilling magical blood that could yet be turned to our side but I just thought she was a bit nuts. She said if I didn't make an unbreakable oath that she would never speak to me again. I didn't kill a single soul at the battle."
"Exactly. We knew with you fighting against us we would lose. So me and your sister created a situation where you would be hindered in the battle allowing us to win, which in turn let us play matchmakers. Narcissa really does just want to see you happy and she thinks that can be with Miss Granger. Honestly, I just want to see what the two brightest witches of their ages can come up with together..."
"That's why you were insistent that I returned."
"Yes Hermione. We all hoped you would follow the connection but believe me when I say, no one intervened. You were not influenced by anyone into your actions, no one has influenced your feelings. We have simply given you both the opportunity to explore your connection. Healing your scar and Neville's parents was solely Bella's idea. Coincidentally have you had any success with that?"
Bella looked at Hermione questioningly.
-Are we telling the whole truth?
-If you're ready to tell Minnie then I am too.
"I believe we can actually end our research on that matter. Whilst I will not be able to successfully remove my magic from Hermione, I believe the situation will resolve itself."
"My dear, all the healers in the UK have agreed the only way to remove the scar is to remove your magic. It will not resolve itself."
"Yes and they are right. The only way to remove the scar would be to remove my magic. However Miss Lovegood has given us some information and using that information I believe with time Hermione's Magical core will reabsorb the magic and thus the scar."
"And this information from Miss Lovegood?"
"She believes we are soulmates. Our magic cores are reaching for each other and if we complete the ritual to bind our souls together then Hermione's body will accept that magic as her own and use the scar to strengthen herself."
"How do you know you are soulmates and it isn't just a romanticism from Miss Lovegood?"
Bella turned to Hermione.
"My love, show Minnie your arm."
Hermione lifted the sleeve of her robes and showed McGonagall her new scar, the crow skull still proudly displayed against her skin.
"It's true... and might I say Bellatrix this is beautiful work. What would the soul bond entail? I can't say I'm well versed in soulmate magics"
"Me and Hermione haven't yet discussed that as an official soul bond is akin to a wedding. It isn't something I would do just to remove her scar, it would be something I would want for us to commit to when the time is right. I would do it tomorrow if she asked but I do not believe whilst we are hiding a student teacher affair from the whole wizarding world is the correct time."
"I understand. Whilst those around you can see you are made for each other, none of us would expect you to get married under such circumstances. My only issue going forward is you being caught and the headache I would receive from the board of governors. I assume as the brightest witches of your ages you have a solution?"
"A version of a fidelius charm. A door would be placed in the adjoining wall between our rooms, Minnie you would be secret keeper and so only Hermione and myself would be able to even see the door. Thus we could come and go between our rooms when needed without the risk of being seen."
"I knew you would have the perfect solution. There is only one other thing I would like to put in place. Bellatrix you are not permitted to leave your job here for three years as I'm sure you are aware."
Bellatrix nodded.
"Hermione, I would like to officially offer you the position of transfiguration professor once you graduate. I am much too busy with running the school to continue with my classes permanently and I believe you to be the perfect candidate. This would also enable you to remain here with Bellatrix after your graduation. If you accept this will be announced alongside Mr Longbottom acceptance of Herbology professor. You would both begin as teaching assistants in January. This will give both you and Mr Longbottom the right to eat at the staff table, unrestricted access to the castle and the library and would make it acceptable for you to have close public friendships with staff. Essentially Hermione, you would help me in a few classes and with marking and you would be allowed to be seen with Bellatrix whenever you wished. Your relationship would still have to remain secret until you graduate but we would say that during the summer, as you prepared for your teaching position, you developed a romantic relationship. By this time next year you would be free to tell the world without stigma."
Hermione was shocked. McGonagall was not only telling her that she accepted their relationship but that she had actively been working towards it for months, the Ministry was essentially on board and she was being offered the chance to be a teacher. She had always thought she wanted to be Minister of magic but after the war she realised she didn't want to be involved in politics anymore. Being the next McGonagall with Bella at her side sounded pretty perfect to her.
Bella chuckled "You've been spending a lot of time figuring this out haven't you Minnie?"
"I may have spent a few days or so preparing for the possibility, yes."
Unfortunately Hermione's insecurities started to play on her mind.
"Do you actually want me to be a professor or is this just the easiest way to avoid fall out for the school?"
"Hermione Granger, You are one of the brightest witches to ever walk through this school. You are the golden girl of the wizarding world and the brains behind the golden trio. I have hoped for you to teach at this school since your third year. This is as much a successful opportunity for me and this school as it is for yourself and your relationship. I would not offer anyone a job I did not think they deserved, no matter who they were or what negativity could come my way."
"Then I accept." She said confidently. Whilst her insecurities still played havoc with her mind, often since the war she had learnt to side step them and accept that she was a worthy member of the magic community. She had always wanted to teach as a young child, this was a dream come true for her and once she knew it was from her own merit and not in some attempt to avoid scandal she accepted willingly.
"Then it is agreed. I assume if Miss Lovegood knows that Miss Weasley does too?" They nodded "Then we will also ask that your friends begin to share the knowledge of the research between yourselves and of course Mr Longbottom. This will hopefully allow you two some leeway in the meantime. For now though, would you accompany me to your rooms so we can set up the fidelius charm?"
"Minnie you are my favourite head teacher ever!" Bella announced, she grabbed Hermione's hand and started to pull her from the office.
It was very strange to have both Bellatrix and McGonagall in her living room, it was even stranger to be watching the two witches before her working to create what was needed. The door itself was simply enough, it even had a small window so that they could check the coast was clear before entering each other's rooms. Of course as no one except the three witches currently working on the door would even be able to see the door, they were completely safe to look through whenever they wanted.
The Fidelius Charm was much more tricky! As they didn't want to ward the entire room (or castle!) the charm had to be performed carefully. Hermione was greatly interested in how it worked.
The 'secret' and what would be seen instead was written upon a piece of parchment.
"The door between Bellatrix and Hermione's rooms, it will appear as the blank wall that used to stand in its place"
Bellatrix then cast the charm upon the piece of paper which suddenly appeared blank (as did the wall) and then that paper was then given to McGonagall who would complete the second portion of the charm. Hermione has asked to pause between the casting and McGonagall letting them in on the secret so she could experience what it was like to know something was there but not be able to see it.
It was strange Hermione knew there was a door there, she had seen it with her own eyes but when she looked at the wall it remained completely blank, even when she pressed herself up against the wall.
She assumed this was how the Death Eaters in front of Grimauld place had felt. They knew that number 12 was owned by the House of Black but until they were invited into the secret they simply couldn't see it. Finally Hermione nodded and McGonagall announced "There's a door between your rooms you know, right there" and the door popped into being.
"I will never get over how easy it is to let someone into the secret, when I first heard of it I thought it would be some great speech 'I Minerva McGonagall hereby reveal the secret of the door to Hermione Jean Granger and Bellatrix Black as secret keeper' or something like that... 'there's a door there' just didn't seem very..."
"Monumental? Ceremonial? Proper?" Bella suggested.
"Something like that. Even stranger to experiencing not being able to see the door when everything within me told me there was a door there."
"It is a very tricky charm but surprisingly easy to reveal as secret keeper. I of course have no need to tell anyone 'there's a door between Bellatrix and Hermione's rooms' in conversation. I will leave you now. I will expect no further updates regarding Hermione's scar as I believe it is vastly improve and will be fixed in time. I wish you both the best of luck and ...for my sanity if nothing else, please try not to get caught."
"Goodnight Minnie, I promise I won't let us get caught. I won't risk her education like that."
"Our Hermione could take her Newts at a moment's notice and still pass. Even if she was expelled she could take her exams at the Ministry, no my dear it is you who has the most to lose in all this. Anyway...have fun you two .. goodnight"
As she left the room Hermione once again flushed a bright red. Her headmistress had not only created her a magic door into her teachers room but basically told them to have sex...what was happening in Hermione's world right now.
"So pet...Your place or mine?"