Chapter Eleven


Minerva McGonagall was quite sure she had not been so anxious in the whole of her life. At nineteen years old she'd met and fallen in love with her Defense Professor, Hermione Dagworth, who'd only been a few years her senior. Of course, as if that hadn't been a complicated matter all by itself with Hermione being her professor and a woman, she'd found out in short order that Hermione was a bloody time traveler. It had broken her heart to learn that Hermione wasn't there to stay, and that temporal mechanics being what they were, their best guess was that in a year, things would self correct and the woman she loved would be pulled back to her own time.

A year hadn't been enough, but at the same time, Minerva supposed it had been. She didn't believe any amount of time would ever be enough with Hermione, but it was enough time to fall in love with the woman to such an extent that in more than five decades, she'd never found someone to measure up. Hermione had insisted that she remain open to the possibility, and the older she got the more she realized that her lover had been right to insist. It had been nearly a decade before Minerva had taken anyone else into her bed, and well into the seventies before she'd done so for more than a one night stand, but even then she'd been clear that she was not looking for a long term relationship, although she never could explain why. How did you explain to someone that you were committed to waiting for a future with someone who wasn't even born yet?

In mid nineteen eighty, James and Lily Potter announced the birth of their son, Harry. This was overshadowed very shortly with the prophecy about a child who would be Voldemort's downfall, and all at once Minerva understood why Harry was so important to Hermione. He was the Chosen One. Minerva didn't know how they'd manage it, but she did know Harry would survive what was coming for him, although it was still a kick in the gut when James and Lily were killed and little Harry survived with that dreadful scar. When Albus insisted he was sent to live with those horrible Muggles, again, Hermione's instructions made perfect sense.

They were not to interfere with Albus' plans, but were meant to help Harry as best they could. Elise came up with the grand scheme for that, and looking back she hoped that Hermione would approve. Harry had been none the wiser that all three of them had been actively watching over him for all of his childhood. Nobody looked too closely at cats, after all, and what Albus didn't know wouldn't bloody hurt him. Elise and Genia were in the Order, same as Minerva, but above and beyond the Order, they answered to the directive Hermione Dagworth had left for them.

In ninety one, when Hermione Granger came to Hogwarts alongside Harry Potter, it was nothing short of uncomfortable. That is, after Minerva got through being furious with her lover. Forty four years. For forty four years she'd believed her lover to be a Slytherin, only to have her younger counterpart sort to Gryffindor. Elise was nearly as sore as Minerva on the subject. Genia thought it was hilarious. Funny or not, it did put Minerva in an awkward position. She'd not prepared to be her lover's Head of House. She'd spent years anticipating that it would be Severus who'd be the one to worry with the day to day issues of Hermione's younger counterpart, and that likely she wouldn't need to interact with her too much outside of class until she was much older.

So much for that.

By late in Granger's Fifth Year, she was already showing signs of developing feelings toward her. Years of being an educator left Minerva little doubt on that particular conclusion, although in this case, she was at a loss of what to do about it. She didn't want to encourage it, but she also hesitated to discourage it. What if she discouraged that sort of affection and then by the time Hermione went back in time she found herself disinterested in her younger self on principle? On the other hand, how could she encourage such feelings to fester when the girl was a student under her charge, and more specifically how could she even contemplate starting something with Granger when she had no comprehension of their history? It was a fucked up situation, beginning to end, and while she didn't relish the idea of her lover being in danger in the least, it was still almost a relief when Hermione, Weasley, and Potter didn't return for their Seventh Year.

When they did return for their Eighth Year, Minerva knew that the countdown had begun. She'd pulled the Time Turner out of its box gingerly, knowing full well that, from what Hermione had told her, it was April eighteenth when she'd been thrown back in time. There was something exhilarating, as she handed Hermione the delicate device, knowing that there was nearly the same amount of time between now and when she'd go back in time as there had been between when she and Hermione had begun their affair and she'd gone forward in time. Life was funny that way.

Of course, that had been months ago, and it was now the evening of April eighteenth. Hermione had left minutes before, and would momentarily be going back in time and then, if all went well, be directly coming back as if only fractions of a second had passed. She flicked her wand, sending her Patronus to Genia and Elise, who were waiting in the staff lounge. "It's time," she said simply. They both knew where. That much they'd worked out months ago as they examined the route Hermione took back to dorms from her quarters, and found a part of the corridor which had not been repaired correctly and potentially could fail.

It was fascinating to watch Hermione Granger, in her Gryffindor robes, look up at the collapsing corridor roof and then go for the Time Turner and vanish, leaving nothing but a dropped Galleon behind, and then moments later reappear in different robes with a different wand, wincing as she hit the floor, the crumbling stone impacting her already formed shield. "Fuck," she hissed.

Minerva smiled ruefully. Hermione Granger wasn't particularly prone to profanities. She cast her own shield to enforce Hermione's, and saw Genia and Elise moving to do the same. After a few minutes, the shaking stopped, and the stone ceased falling. Hermione was buried, however still protected by their shield. Suddenly, Minerva spotted Potter and Weasley running toward them.

"Hermione!" Weasley yelled. "Bloody hell."

"Potter, Weasley," Elise said, "If you would kindly start moving the rubble off Hermione, that would be splendid. We're protecting her with a shield."

Potter looked at Elise quizzically. "Don't I know you?" he asked.

"Potter!" Minerva snapped at the boy, assuming one of them had confunded Potter so he didn't recognize Elise immediately. He should have. "For Merlin's sake, listen to her! She's a friend of Hermione's. That should be enough for the moment."

"I'm trying to decide," Genia mused, "on a technical level, who's known her longer. Us or them?"

"Me!" Minerva exclaimed. "I trump all of you prats, in every way!"

Poor Weasley was looking at her like she had three heads as Hermione stood up straight, finally clear of the rubble. "Bloody hell," she said. "That was uncomfortable. Well done team!"

"Welcome back, Dagworth!" Elise teased. "Nice entrance!"

Hermione grinned. "Thanks. Hold that thought though. I owe this one a proper hello."

With that, Hermione turned toward Minerva, and after navigating her way over a few boulders, made it to the Scottish woman's position. She picked up Minerva's right hand and pushed her magic forward, dissolving the Glamour which concealed the Claddagh Ring Hermione had given her all those years ago. Then, she looked into Minerva's eyes. "An bposfaidh tu me?" she asked.

Will you marry me?

Minerva laughed, kissing Hermione passionately and ignoring the strangled gasps of surprise coming out of Potter and Weasley's mouths from a few meters away. She nodded in agreement as they broke the kiss, and Hermione moved the ring to the opposite hand and in the appropriate position to signify engagement. "Let's go get your boys caught up, shall we?" she suggested.

Hermione sighed. "I should probably give my sister a call as well. I expect she'll be anticipating it, but still, I ought to make a priority of the thing."

The pair made their way through the rubble and to the other side where Genia, Elise, Potter, and Weasley were waiting, Minerva looking on in amusement as Potter was staring wide eyed at Elise, given the confundus was clearly wearing off. "You're Mrs. Figg!" he exclaimed. "But, I just saw you using a wand! I thought you were a Squib!"

Hermione let out a rich laugh. "Oh that's clever, Elise. You went undercover as a Squib because you married one, didn't you?"

Elise smirked. "What little you told us suggested it would be prudent for Harry to have a Healer nearby. I may hex you for exactly how bloody prudent it was. If not for our promise to you I'd have bloody kidnapped the boy."

"Wait," Weasley said, shaking his head. "You know Hermione?"

"Know her?" Elise scoffed. "She was our Professor in our Seventh Year of Hogwarts. Same as she was for Minerva. Of course, we didn't take the teacher's pet thing quite as seriously as Min did."

"Oh come off it!" Minerva laughed. "That wasn't it at all and you bloody know that."

"I know how often the desk in the Defense classroom got defiled, anyway," Genia smirked.

"Okay!" Potter exclaimed, looking green. "Can somebody please tell me what's going on here?"

Hermione looked at her friends sympathetically. "Long story short, I time traveled accidentally and spent a year in the past, during what would have been Genia, Elise, and Minerva's final year at Hogwarts. I taught Defense that year, and got to be friends with Elise and Genia, among a few others. Minerva and I got involved during that year, and as consequence we will now be getting married."

"Minerva's getting married?" a new voice said, coming from behind them. "Mother, what are you doing here?"

"Ah, Filius!" Genia said, grinning widely. "Join us. Come meet, finally, your Godmother."

Hermione groaned. "Genia, you did not."

"It was my prerogative, Dagworth," Genia sniped, "and I had my reasons. Now, Filius, this is Professor Hermione Dagworth. Hermione, you of course know Filius."

Filius just stared, and Hermione wasn't much better off. They both vacillated between staring at Genia and staring at each other. Finally, Hermione found her tongue. "Genia, explain your reasoning, please."

The Ravenclaw sighed. "You told me about the Arithmancy and the dueling, at Headquarters. You told me about feeling drawn to him the night of the battle here. I speculated that the draw he felt to offer you additional training, and the draw you felt to come to his aid, was nothing short of the bond of Godparent and Godchild. As such, I merely facilitated what the temporal loop was already insinuating."

Filius nodded. "I can't say I disagree with the logic, now that I have context. That year, in Headquarters, I couldn't explain it to myself much less anyone else, but I did feel a need to offer you extra training, Miss Granger."

Minerva smiled softly as Hermione moved toward Filius, reaching out to touch his shoulder. "Nor could I explain why, out of everyone on the battlefield that night, it was you I felt the need to protect. Wow."

Potter shifted his feet. "Not that this isn't heartwarming and weird, but can we get back to Mrs. Figg?"

Minerva looked at Genia, who nodded. A moment later, both of them shifted into their Animagus forms, and began weaving their way through Potter's legs. Minerva only remained a moment before moving back toward Hermione and returning to her normal state, although Genia stayed in her feline form. Potter knelt, and pet her. "Princess?" he muttered, wonder in his voice.

"Princess," Elise explained, "was an ode to Genia's mother's family. Genia Flitwick was a descendant of the Prince line. When I developed the Mrs. Figg persona, I opted to make her a bit of a cat person so Minerva and Genia could easily come and go and mingle among the non magical cats when you were by, Harry, allowing them to watch you from a distance. Genia opted to take more of a personal interest, as you likely recall. Minerva couldn't, as you would have recognized her form once you came to school."

"Yeah," Potter mused. "She was always around when I was outside working. Now and then she'd show up with a paper bag and a sandwich for me. I always wondered how she managed that."

Genia shifted back to her natural form. "Makes a bit more sense now, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, a bit," he laughed. "But why? Why would you three have been looking out for me like that?"

"Because Hermione asked us to," Elise replied. "To keep the timeline intact, we couldn't change things, but we could help in little ways. Genia could give you a bit of comfort, and bring you some food. When you were injured, I'd wait until you were asleep and tend to your wounds. I'm a Healer. Minerva had to keep more of a distance until you came to Hogwarts, but once you got here she could step in more, and did."

Minerva offered a sly grin. "Hermione bought you your Nimbus, for your information."

Potter balked. "Seriously?"

Hermione smiled brightly. "Seriously, Harry. And Min, how is my vault, by the way?"

"Between your investments and what Olivia left you, it's quite fine, love," the Scottish woman reported. "You could never work a day in your life and be fine, although I think you'd be bored."

"Agreed," Hermione mused. "Shall I take the Defense post?"

Elise snorted. "Please. Please do. My grandchildren have already suffered through the poor instructors of the last decades and change. With a little luck, my great grandchildren will be blessed to have you teaching them."

Genia looked pointedly at her son. "I'd be happy just to have my grandchildren taught by you, Hermione."

"Mother!" Filius grumbled, looking annoyed.

"Now that I have your Godmother here to help me talk sense into you…"

Poor Filius looked mortified at the idea of his former student and his mother ganging up to get him married. "Oh, Gods," he muttered.

"I'd say good luck, Filius," Minerva mused, "but that would suggest I thought you stood a chance against the combined force of Hermione and Genia. Instead, I offer my sympathies. Perhaps our children will end up attending Hogwarts together."

Filius raised an eyebrow. "So you and Miss Granger will be having children?"

Hermione snorted. "I won't be staying Granger, Filius. It'll be Dagworth from here on out. I promised Mother, and in any case, I'm your bloody Godmother, so I do think my given name will suffice coming from you."

The half Goblin sighed heavily. "Of course."

"But Hermione," Potter said, looking forlorn. "You've been Granger for all your life. I get you were in the past for a year or whatever, but how can you just drop who you've been all your life after a year as someone else?"

She looked thoughtful. "It wasn't like I was pretending to be someone else, boys. I always was a Dagworth. By birth, that's who I am. It just took getting flung into the past and meeting the woman I call Mother to really embrace the idea that I belong to that lineage. Granger was a name my grandfather took to separate himself from his Wizarding family. If my Muggle parents were still in my life, maybe things would be different, but they're not. All I have left is my Wizarding family, and that's the Dagworths. That's what and who I am going forward, and the name I want to give my children."

"Your children with Professor McGonagall?" Weasley asked, still looking baffled by the mere concept.

"It's the name I'll give her, too, Ron," Hermione said softly. "McGonagall is just as Muggle as Granger is."

"It just seems sudden, is all," Potter admitted. "One minute you're in class and we're poking at you for having a crush on Professor McGonagall, and the next you're saying you're getting married."

"And for me it's been nearly a year in a relationship, a promise to get back to her, and more than five decades of her waiting for me to make good on that promise," Hermione replied. "Try to wrap your head around that, boys. Minerva waited more than fifty years for me, knowing full well I might not survive the return trip."

"Well hot damn," a new voice said. "Are my eyes deceiving me, or is that the mysterious Professor Dagworth?"

Minerva huffed. "Who called Iggy and Roland?"

Weasley turned around. "Granddad?"

Potter was gaping at Roland. "Anyone tell you that you look a lot like Oliver Wood?"

Elise giggled, raising her hand in confession. "Guilty."

"I swear to Merlin, Elise," Hermione huffed. "You just like chaos. Hey Ignatius. Hey Roland. Mind fuck. I'm a time traveler."

All of the sudden, Minerva recalled something that her time traveling lover had neglected to mention, and she pulled out her wand. "About that," she mused. She hit Hermione with a stinging hex.

"Ow!" Hermione yelped. "What was that for?"

"For letting me believe, for forty-four years, that you were a bloody Slytherin!" Minerva groused.

Hermione laughed. "Oh. Yeah. That."

"She raged, Hermione," Genia grinned. "She raged so much when you sorted to Gryffindor."

"You're a Gryffindor?" Ignatius asked, grinning. "Well done, Dagworth!"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Iggy, did you properly look after your family all these years?"

"If I didn't, I had Elise, Genia, and Minerva up my arse," he mused. "Which I suppose makes more sense now. Did you have them on task or some such?"

"After a sort," she admitted. "I wanted Ron looked after."

"Yes, they were a bit specific on that end," he admitted.

"Genia had me conscripted into that blasted battle here at Hogwarts," Roland said. "She told me that you'd be right pissed if Oliver didn't make it, so I stuck to him like a sticking charm. In fairness, his mum would have hung me if something would have happened to him anyhow, so with or without Genia's prodding, I'd likely have been here."

"So you're Oliver's dad?" Potter said with awe. "Do you play Quidditch?"

"Do I play Quidditch?" he scoffed. "Boy, you are looking at three of the best Quidditch players Gryffindor ever had, thank you. Me and Iggy and Min were greatness!"

Potter was looking at her with newfound respect. "Professor. I didn't know you played Quidditch!"

She smirked. "You didn't know I was in love with your best friend, either. The things you don't know could fill the Room of Requirement."

"You know about the Room?" Weasley asked.

Genia rolled her eyes. "Also defiled."

Weasley and Potter both gagged.


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