A/N: We really are going to try for a new chapter every other day. I am almost sure I've got bits missing in the early chapters and I'm sure when I find them, I'll have to deal with them so stick with me. I envision about 80-100 chapters but I have not done a lot of the middle so that may change.

-0-

After the second meeting, things had become a little more serious. Minerva had ramped up their spell work, putting Hermione through her paces, again and again, every Tuesday and now Thursday after she had swapped her regular duty with Professor Sinistra. Because of the intensity of teaching Harry and learning new things herself, Minerva had insisted that they would sit together and read on Sunday nights, doing research on spell work and defensive strategies and the like. Even though she loved practising magic with Minerva and Harry as well, the reading was a welcome change. It had become one of Hermione's favourite things to curl up beside Minerva and browse through various tomes before discussing something she'd found or come across.

She'd learned more about the construction of spells and the defensive postures of wizards from the Dark Ages than she thought she would ever need to know.

And now, after two weeks of learning new things at a furious pace, Minerva greeted her at her classroom door and swept her inside.

"Whoa," Hermione blinked. "Holy moly."

"I borrowed it from Filius," Minerva called, unasked.

Hermione smiled as she pulled off her jumper. Even though Hermione was still their student, Minerva hardly ever called people by their honorifics and it always made Hermione smile. She pulled down the sleeves of her shirt to ward off the chill and stepped onto the mats.

"Now," Minerva instructed as she stepped up as well. "Do you remember how to duel from your Second Year?"

Hermione snorted as she was assaulted by the memories.

"You mean when two of the most ludicrous men tried to teach us how to duel but really only succeeded in Harry being named as Slytherin's heir and a proven Parselmouth and I got beaten up by Millicent Bulstrode?"

"What?"

"Did nobody ever tell you?" Hermione asked, wondering what the hell had gone on that year.

"No?"

"Oh, well, Duelling club lasted one week and then they never held again."

"I thought -" Minerva bristled. "Bloody stupid man."

"Can't argue with that," Hermione chuckled, seeing who Minerva meant when she looked up sharply. "Doesn't really matter who I think you were talking about any more than it matters who you were talking about, does it?"

"Be onwidya," Minerva tutted, pulling up her sleeves. "Right, well. Obviously, in a battle, nobody is going to be bowing to anyone, but for the time being, I will teach you the particulars."

Hermione nodded and matched Minerva's stance on the mat.

"Bring your wand up and then down again. Your wand will probably produce sparks but that is to be expected at your age." Hermione did it and frowned when her wand came to rest by her side with no sparks. "Goodness, that was my mistake, Hermione," Minerva chuckled. "I should know by now not to underestimate you. Now, form your shield, and I shall form mine and we shall trade spells with each other."

"Like," Hermione blinked. "Anything?"

"Obviously I would prefer you not aim to do bodily harm to me," Minerva chuckled. "But yes. The idea is to break the opponent's shield and force them into an impossible situation. Replace the shield or send a spell."

"Huh," Hermione nodded. "That is exactly nothing like they explained it."

"Alright," Minerva nodded. "Shields, then you may go first."

Using everything that Minerva had taught her in the prior weeks, Hermione thought she was doing pretty well after the first few rounds. Minerva was still calling pointers to her every now and then but as they traded spell after spell, Minerva told her to speed up. She tried, she really did but for every spell that she cast, Minerva had another already on its way by the time Hermione's hit, which made defending herself nigh impossible.

"Come on, Hermione," Minerva called. "Faster. They won't wait for you. Hit me."

Hermione tried, but he felt like her hand was too slow and cumbersome and holding the shield was a nightmare while she tried to form a spell and maintain the protections. Frustrated with herself she dropped her shield just after Minerva's spell hit and sent another straight for her, squeaking as it exploded on the shield with a shower of sparks.

"That is more like it," Minerva laughed. "Come on now. Hit me."

They duelled, for what felt like, hours. Hermione was breathing hard and she could feel every bone in her body until finally, she tried to conjure a Bombarda and just couldn't. Hermione dropped her wand with a groan as Minerva sent the second spell at her and she just about managed to duck out of the way.

"I give," she panted, dropping on her bottom. "I give; if Voldemort wants to kill me, let him."

"Hermione!"

She lay back on the floor and groaned as Minerva stood over her.

"You know I don't mean that. And," she said before Minerva could speak again. "You also know by the time I am of any use to anyone, I'll be fitter and I'll know more. I just am not now." She looked up at Minerva clinically. "Bloody hell, you've not even broken a sweat!"

Minerva stared at her for a moment and then snorted and dropped to sit beside Hermione on the floor.

"Please don't make jokes about that," she muttered, squeezing Hermione's hand. "If they were to capture you, Hermione, I -"

"I know," she whispered. "I'm Harry Potter's mudblood friend."

"Don't -" Minerva snapped. "Call yourself that."

"Why," she challenged. "It holds no weight for me. I'm proud to be a muggleborn. I'm proud of my heritage. It gives me an edge that others don't have. I can throw a punch if I need to," she paused. "I mean, bloody hell, wear clothes normally. Use a phonebox if I needed to. Someone like Ron would never think of that. Can you use a phonebox, even?"

"I will have you know that I remember when they went up."

"Oh," Hermione giggled. "You can't, can you?" Minerva sniffed haughtily, making Hermione laugh more. She sat up and twisted her hand in Minerva's so they were palm to palm. "I'm not disparaging myself, Min," she muttered. "I think too highly of myself and all the others that came before me."

"You are an extraordinary woman," Minerva chuckled. "Do you know that?"

"I learned from the best," Hermione shrugged.

Minerva smiled and drew Hermione in for a hug. Hermione revelled in it and buried her face in Minerva's shoulder with a sigh.

"You are one of the bravest people I know, Hermione. You have been given adversity after adversity and you have prevailed. No," Minerva chuckled, looking down at her. "Not prevailed. Excelled."

"I just said, I learned from the best," Hermione said bashfully, looking up into Minerva's eyes. She could see the unasked question and she rolled her eyes. "You, silly." They stared at each other for another moment before Hermione sighed. "Alright," she groaned. "Do your worst."

Minerva laughed, properly, making Hermione smile. Minerva didn't often laugh like that, even in private, so Hermione had made a game out of ensuring she did - even at Hermione's expense.

"Come 'ere," Minerva chuckled. She got up and pulled Hermione to her feet. "You are faster than you think. And stronger. You are being bogged down by what you have been taught. Use the knowledge to suit you."

"Improvise?"

"Sort of," Minerva nodded. "Find shortcuts for the movements. Each of us finds different ones, a lot depends on power and the way we think. Filius would better explain it, I think."

"But what if I get you?"

Minerva walked back across the room and smirked at her dangerously.

"I'd like to see you try."

-0-

They fought on and on until Minerva called a halt.

"Stop, stop," Minerva groaned with her hands on her knees. "My goodness, Hermione," Minerva panted. "When I said to improvise, I did not realise I was giving you the keys to unlimited duelling prowess."

Hermione sniggered as she lay back across the floor and tried to catch her breath.

"You literally said to improvise."

"I cannae deny it, but I had no idea that was even possible, how did you do that?"

"I took the Latin words back to their root and experimented with using something to meld them together. I honestly didn't think it would work but," she chuckled. "Guess it did."

"You," Minerva blinked. "Actually you are right. That is a brilliant idea. Perhaps we shall do some research on that on Sunday after our second session," she paused. "Which will actually have to be tomorrow, I cannot do Thursday."

"You can't do Sunday," Hermione smiled. "It's Professor Flitwick's birthday."

"Oh bugger," Minerva muttered without thinking. Hermione laughed, making Minerva blush. "Don't -"

"I heard nothing, I've seen nothing, I say nothing," Hermione quipped as she sat up. Minerva pulled her up and nudged her with her hip while she stood thinking. After a short while, she nodded and turned back to Hermione.

"Wait!" Hermione suddenly said, looking at Minerva with a frown. "Why didn't you say anything!"

"About what?"

"Your birthday, silly,"

"Oh tosh, never mind that."

"I wanna mind it!" Hermione protested. "It's your birthday! And I missed it!"

"Please," Minerva soothed. "It's not any trouble. My birthday passes unnoticed most years."

"What!"

"Hermione," Minerva snorted. "It is alright. Now, would you like to attend Filius' with me? We can leave early. It will be the most practical."

Hermione looked sideways at her and pulled herself up onto Minerva's desk like she owned it. She got a little smirk in return but nothing further.

"Is that not weird?"

"Probably, I don't really care," Minerva grinned. "I usually don't attend long, especially as Albus does. Long enough for a drink and to wish whoever it is, a Happy Birthday."

"You do a lot of Professor Dumbledore's work, you know. Life would be simpler if you made him do it."

"Oh Hermione, if you only knew. This issue is that if he does it, it's invariably wrong and then it takes me twice as long to undo it."

Hermione snorted and then laughed.

"Only Albus Dumbledore, the greatest Wizard alive, would be bad at paperwork. You don't think he's putting it on, do you?"

"He isn't, I've checked," Minerva groaned.

Hermione laughed again and went quiet.

"If Professor Flitwick doesn't mind and it won't be too weird to have a student attending, even for a little bit, then I'd love to."

"Good," Minerva nodded. "I will ask him. You don't need to get him anything, just bring yourself and your wand."

"Alright. What time?"

"Four."

"I'll be at your door at three fifty then," she chuckled. "But," she stopped Minerva before she could turn. "As long as you let me take you somewhere for your birthday."

"What! No, don't be silly. We are going to train afterwards. We will do our research tomorrow as I won't be free until eight."

"We can train, too, I promise," Hermione said, nonplussed. "I just want to take you to this one place, as a celebration around five, just before it goes dark. It'll be fun, I promise."

Minerva stared at her for a long time before rolling her eyes.

"I don't really celebrate my birthday, darling. I don't think about it anymore."

"Well," Hermione sniffed. "I rather think you're worth celebrating, so there."

She raised the urge to poke out her tongue but after a while, she saw Minerva give in.

"Alright then, Trouble. But only for a little while."

"I promise," Hermione grinned. "Thank you."

Minerva nodded and they spent a little time sitting in silence before Minerva seemed to realise.

"I've enjoyed this Hermione," Minerva said genuinely. "I am enjoying this. I am still afeared for your safety but having seen your skill first hand, I am a little less afraid. And yet, as I get to know you better, my fear only grows."

"Remember what I said about being Muggleborn?" Hermione offered.

"Hmm?"

"If all else fails, I'll just jab my wand in their eye."

Minerva laughed again and wrapped her arm around Hermione tightly, leaning over and pressing a quick kiss to her crown.

"The resourcefulness of necessity," Minerva chortled. "I should remember it."

"You've been living as a witch for too long. I might actually take to wearing a knife. Harry suggested it a while ago. It's as good an idea as any."

"Be on with ya," Minerva laughed. "I will see you tomorrow at 8, in my quarters. Will you please remind Mr Potter that he has Quidditch training tomorrow and then, there is a Hogsmeade visit on Saturday. Just in case I forget to remind you tomorrow."

"I will."

Hermione, feeling lighter than she had in weeks, leaned up and kissed Minerva's cheek before she leapt from the table and straightened her jumper.

"Ah, the energy of youth."

"Whatever," she snorted, tying back her hair again. "You are in your prime."

"My prime," Minerva squeaked. "Cheeky witch. Well past it, more likely."

"Minerva," Hermione frowned. "You're one of the most powerful magical wielders I've ever seen or heard about. You're super intelligent, and quick on your feet. And," Hermione said, ignoring the look of wonder on Minerva's face. "You can change into a cat. That's a ridiculous set of skills and if you were a Top Trumps card, you'd be the winner."

"I have no idea what you just said," Minerva sighed. "But thank you."

She sounded almost surprised and Hermione made a note to compliment the woman more.

"Just telling the truth," Hermione smiled. "G'night Min, thank you."

Minerva looked pleased again and drew Hermione in for another hug.

"Thank you," she said genuinely. "Sleep well."

Hermione waved again as she left and there was a spring in her step all the way back to the common room where Harry was waiting for her. She gave him a brief rundown of what had happened and the things they had talked about and promised that on Saturday night, after Hogsmeade, she'd show them. She did not, however, mention anything about Professor Flitwick's party. She went to, but something stopped her and she just shrugged and kissed his hair as Minerva had done to her.

"Night."

She was out as soon as her head hit the pillow.