A/N: When you get there, Sgian-Dubh is pronounced Ski-an-doo.

-0-

Dumbledore wasn't at breakfast the next morning and Hermione ignored Harry's question twice, glancing at the Head Table and meeting Minerva's eyes before he nudged her with his foot.

"What?"

"I asked you how it went last night."

"Um." She winced. In hindsight, she should have kept her mouth shut and let Harry talk to Dumbledore about his own issues but as the man had asked and she had been in a position to do so, she had broken Harry's trust. "So, maybe you and I need to go for a walk a bit later?"

"Why," he said carefully.

Hermione glanced up at Minerva again, who shook her head like she was trying to tell Hermione something, but she had no idea what it was supposed to mean. She sighed and rubbed her head before she caught herself doing it. She snorted and glanced up at the Head Table again but Minerva wasn't watching.

"Have you eaten enough?"

"Yes," he said carefully. "You're scaring me."

"I did something I shouldn't have and I need to apologise to you for it."

He frowned and nodded, standing up and waiting for her to round the table. They walked out of the Hall and detoured out into the grounds, despite the weather.

"I found something the other day, this way," he muttered.

He took them around the Castle to a little garden that they squeezed into through a gap in the hedge. It was sheltered from the weather and Hermione, despite gardening not being her strong suit, could see it would probably be really beautiful in the spring.

"Just tell me."

She set up a silencing charm and a Notice-Me-Not charm and sat down beside him.

"I met Dumbledore last night. Minerva took me to his quarters and we used the Pensieve to watch the memory of me stunning Minerva."

"Why is that familiar? A Pensieve?"

"Um, that memory bowl thing in Dumbledore's office. It's like a television for your thoughts. You can pull your memories out and then go into it and watch them back; really weird but that's not what this is about. After we watched my memory of Transfiguration yesterday -"

"Totally wicked, by the way," he grinned. She snorted but didn't reply.

"After that, we had tea together before Min and I were going to go back to her room but he asked me how you were and I told him you were doing really well in class and whatever, but then he asked how you were. So I told him that you really enjoyed being at Grimmauld Place and then," she signed and looked at him. "I'm sorry but it just all came out. I told him that you knew about the Blood Wards. And that it was helpful for you to know. And a bit about why."

Harry frowned and sat quietly for a long time. Hermione loved him and understood him probably more than most people and knew he needed that. She did her best to remember that he was processing it and not disappointed in her, though she wouldn't have blamed him if he looked up and told her so.

"So he knows, now?"

"Yes," she nodded.

"About all of it?"

"About most of it, yeah. The cupboard and the way they treat you. I told him about the car thing and," she blushed and spoke quieter. "The cupboard and the fact that you kinda love them even if you don't like them."

He looked up at her and she watched as he snorted a bit and then sat back against the garden wall.

"That makes me sound like an idiot."

"No," she said gently. "It makes you sound like a kind and loving human being. And we already talked about how, for the Blood Wards to work, she has to at least care, right? So," she shrugged. "It's okay to kinda care back. You said they'd cooled off a bit nowadays?"

"Mostly," he shrugged. "It was Vernon that was the worst."

"Well, who gives a shit about him anyway, right?"

Harry snorted and sighed, resting against Hermione's shoulder.

"Do you think we'll ever be normal?"

"Probably not," Hermione chuckled. "Not really our bag, is it?"

"You can cancel the thing, I just wanna sit for a while."

"Sure," she smiled. She cancelled the spells and took his hand, sitting quietly beside him for however long he needed her to. Even though he remained pensive, she could feel him relax.

"Was that why he wasn't at breakfast?" Harry asked after a while.

"I don't know. He looked really sad when I left them. He didn't mean to -"

"I know that, I've always known that."

"I told him that too."

Harry nodded.

"Maybe I ought to go and see him?"

"Might be worth a shot," Hermione smiled. "It'll probably mean a bit more coming from you, right? I can ask Min whether he's still here or away, but I think he said he had a meeting tonight."

"I have training anyway. What do you think about taking Ginny to Madam Puddifoots?"

Hermione blinked and looked sideways at him. She was so well versed in all things Harry that it wasn't too big of a stretch to realise that in talking about something difficult, he was going to tack on the other difficult things too.

"Do you want to go to Madam Puddifoots?"

"No," he snorted. "That was where I had that date with Cho. It was awful."

"Then no, I don't think you should, although if you think she wants to that's different?"

"She didn't say anything, I just feel like I want to do something together, you know?"

"I do," Hermione smiled. "What about taking her somewhere on a picnic?"

"Where though?" he asked, looking around. "There's like, a hundred million eyes watching and it's freezing."

"And people are always listening." Hermione looked up as Minerva stepped into the garden looking stern but not cross. "You should be more careful," she chastised gently.

"Oh, we had wards and stuff before," Hermione shrugged. "When we were talking about the important stuff." Minerva nodded in acknowledgement. "Are you okay?"

"Am I okay?" Minerva chuckled. "I - despite my most well-known Gryffindors disappearing after breakfast and missing their first period - am stellar." She was joking, but when she saw Harry, she sobered a little. "Are you both alright?"

"Is Dumbledore mad at me?"

Hermione sighed and looked at Minerva, who frowned and held up her hand. She cast a number of spells around them and turned back to Harry, who was sitting patiently waiting.

"No," she said kindly. "He is not mad at you. He is quite angry at himself, for not realising. And perhaps, for not listening. Now that we both know, I see the hints that have been dropped along the way." Minerva crouched in front of Harry with ease and Hermione, despite her adoration, was a little surprised. "I apologise, myself, Harry. For not realising. Had I known -"

"I know," he interrupted. "It's why I didn't tell anyone! I get it, I really do. But once we figured out I had to go there. Well -"

"Did he explain?"

"He did," Minerva mused, looking at Hermione. "I wish you had told me," she glanced between them. "Either of you."

"He's in charge, right?" Harry shrugged.

"Also kinda hard to bring up in conversation," Hermione added.

"He's not in charge of my Gryffindors," Minerva smirked. Harry laughed and Hermione grinned as Minerva winked at her. "Now. You've missed the first lesson and it is very nearly time for the second so you'll be back to class post-haste. Can I do anything in the meantime?"

"Is this somewhere where lots of people come?"

"Not particularly. I had quite forgotten it was here," Minerva chuckled. "I don't really even know why I came here, I just figured you were somewhere out here."

"That's weird," Hermione laughed. "There ya go Harry. Problem solved."

He blushed and she laughed as she got up and hugged Minerva.

"Thanks," she whispered before she let go.

"Come here, Harry," Minerva muttered.

Hermione watched as Minerva hugged him for a little while before they both pulled away looking a bit awkward.

"You are both so funny," she chuckled. She laughed louder as they both protested and then glared at her until she gave in. "We need to go to class. Am I still meeting you tonight?"

"Yes," Minerva nodded. Four?"

"Sure."

"Alright then," she smiled. "Harry?" He blinked up at her. "My door is always open to you, young man. You know that, don't you?"

"If Michael will let me in," he chuckled.

"I will tell him," Minerva nodded. "Go on then. Have a good day."

They waved and went to the hedge that they'd slipped through.

"Where are you -" Minerva looked. "Oh," she shook her head. "Here." She opened a door that they couldn't see and found themselves staring at a corridor within the school.

"I can't see that door," Hermione blinked.

"No; Professors only," Minerva grinned. She leaned closer and lowered her voice. "You aren't the only ones who know some of the secrets of Hogwarts."

Harry laughed at that and they set off for class, leaving Minerva watching them from outside in the little garden.

-0-

"Hey!"

"Hello," Minerva muttered, frowning at a piece of parchment. "How was your day?"

"Fine. What are you doing?"

"Marking some truly abysmal work." Minerva blinked and looked up at her as if she suddenly realised who she was talking to. "Hermione, I'm so sorry."

"No," Hermione shrugged. "It's fine. Can," she bit her lip. "Is it something I can help with?"

Minerva stared at her for a long moment before she hummed and rifled through the parchments.

"Would you help me sort these?"

"Yep," Hermione grinned. "Minimal needs, mediocre and appalling?"

"Merlin, you know me well, don't you."

Hermione just laughed as she took the parchments over to the table.

"What year are these?"

"First."

"I won't be too harsh on them then," Hermione quipped, making Minerva snort a little indelicately.

They worked diligently for an hour or so before Minerva threw down her quill with a groan.

"I forget that so many of them have had only the basic schooling."

"Why is that," Hermione asked as she finished off marking something on the bottom of the paper. She'd taken one look at them and told Minerva, rather than ask her, that she'd mark the mediocre ones so that she would only have to check them. The rest, Minerva could do herself.

"I do not know," Minerva groaned. "Lack of interest, I suppose."

"But you're Hogwarts. Students need to have some schooling before they get here, surely?"

"They do; often the more prestigious families home-school singularly. Although that, in itself, is not always brilliant as they're prone to the foibles of history and bias. The less well-to-do families often do so together but without any sort of structure beyond reading and writing. Honestly, those who come from backgrounds such as yourself and Harry, get on far better academically as you've been in the Muggle primary schools.

"That's why Ron isn't great at school?"

"I shall not be commenting on that," Minerva chuckled before she rolled her eyes when Hermione looked at her expectantly. "Molly is a good teacher, I have always told her so as well. Ronald has an attention issue, not an intelligence issue. Ginny is perfectly capable, as were the twins. Charlie was terrifyingly intelligent, possibly as intelligent as you are, but his love lay outside so he never bothered with books and quills. Bill was perhaps the most rounded one of them, but then he was the oldest and had the added advantage of having Molly and Arthur at their youngest and without distraction."

"Maybe on top of Muggle parents being more involved, we can get a pre-Hogwarts school going for magical children. A full year of the same stuff getting them up to a level that makes sense for throwing them into the First Year together. Although," she bit her lip. "That might actually mean that it isolates the Muggle students even more as they'll form friendships in the year prior rather than all mixed together.

"Hermione Granger; Changer of Worlds," Minerva mused. Hermione preened under the little proud look in Minerva's eyes. "Now, I have another hour or so before I have to go. What would you like to do?"

"Nothing," Hermione laughed. "I've done my homework, mostly," she added as she remembered the other thing she needed to do. "Oh!" She grinned. "I know what I wanted to know."

"Hmm?"

"When did you last own a knife?"

"Hermione -"

"Nope," she said. "There's no point in denying it, I saw you with mine. Will you show me how to twirl it on my hand?"

Minerva stared at her for a long while before she rolled her eyes and stood up.

"Yes but then you are going to practise wandless casting."

"Really?"

"Yes," Minerva ordered. "You might as well. We don't have time to do much else."

"Cool."

"Alright," Minerva said, taking out her wand. "Watch."

She twirled it around her fingers and presented it back to Hermione with a flourish.

"How!"

Minerva chuckled and pulled Hermione's hand into hers.

"It's a trick. Place your wand between your fingers here and then you twirl it around that finger."

"Oh!" Hermione blinked. "That's so cool! What about that thing you did with the knife when you spun it in your hand?"

"Ah," Minerva chuckled, scratching her neck. "I did not really even mean to do that. My grandfather wore a Sgian-dubh. We used to try and steal it from his hose when he napped after Sunday lunch."

"I'm sorry?"

"His socks," Minerva snorted. "Scottish men wear a knife in their socks when they're in full dress. He taught us how to twirl it on our hands. It works much better with a knife because it is fairly evenly balanced. Wands are not."

"So when you give them back, you can show me."

"Mine is not particularly formed for such a thing."

"Oh!" Hermione suddenly winced. "Do you like it, though?"

Minerva sobered and Hermione could see her warring with herself before she finally gave in.

"It is a beautiful weapon, Hermione. I cannot possibly -"

"It's already yours," Hermione grinned. "Happy Birthday."

Minerva groaned again and pulled Hermione into a sideways hug where she pressed a kiss to Hermione's temple. She tried not to smile too widely.

"Fine," Minerva sighed. "It is beautiful and I adore it. Did you pick out your holsters yet?"

"No," Hermione blinked. "Actually Hedwig was supposed to bring me the catalogue but she never arrived. I completely forgot with -" she winced. "Well."

"Well then, once you track her down, if you will permit me I will get the holsters in return for your lovely gift."

"It was supposed to be from me."

"Let an old woman spend her money," Minerva chuckled. She paled as she blinked at Hermione, "Hermione -"

The air seemed to still as Minerva searched her face for the answer to her unasked question.

"I didn't steal from them," Hermione said quietly. "I had a trust set up for when I turned 21 anyway. I had them cancel it and withdraw the funds and they sold the house and I took it and some of the house money. They're not poor and I didn't take a lot."

Minerva made a noise that was almost pained and started rubbing her forehead.

"Don't," Hermione whispered. "It's okay."

"I -"

"We put that away, remember?"

Minerva dropped her hands to her sides and nodded.

"Alright," Minerva said quietly. "But you're okay for now, correct? Do you need anything?"

"I'm fine. I have an idea for the money; I'm not destitute or anything. It obviously won't last forever, but -"

"I will help you."

"Thanks," Hermione whispered, relieved.

Minerva dragged her back into her arms and held on tightly. Hermione breathed in that scent that she loved so much and just enjoyed it for a long while before she squeezed Minerva gently and stepped back. She caught Minerva wiping her eyes but she didn't draw attention to it. Instead, she went over to the sofas and patted the cushion next to her.

"Let me try some of this wandless casting stuff."

It was hilarious, really. Hermione had tried to levitate a piece of parchment off the coffee table. She had become so frustrated when it didn't move that she threw her hands into the hair and Minerva jumped as the parchments on the table threw themselves off the table.

"Oh," Hermione stared. "Did I -"

"I -"

They looked at each other and burst out laughing, falling against each other and giggling. Hermione wondered whether Minerva had ever been as silly as she sometimes seemed to be while she was with Hermione. She wondered whether anyone had ever had such a friendship.

"You disappeared then," Minerva smiled, brushing away Hermione's hair. "Where did you go?"

"I was just wondering whether you were this silly with anyone else?"

"Me? Professor Minerva McGonagall?" she snorted. "You must be joking."

"I bet you have a glorious time with Professor Dumbledore."

She sobered and sighed and her shoulders dropped.

"He is so full of sadness some days. It is all we can do to just be."

"That is valuable too," Hermione whispered, taking her hand. She watched as Minerva looked down at them and squeezed gently.

"Follow me," she muttered.

Minerva entwined their fingers and lifted their hands. Hermione jumped when Minerva's magic warmed her fingers. And then, a book from the shelf beside the fire slid off the shelf and towards them.

"Feel it?" Minerva asked quietly.

Hermione frowned and concentrated on the feel of the magic against her hand. It tingled a little, all the way up to her shoulder and she moved her hand slowly away from Minerva's.

"Whoa," she whispered as the book paused in mid-air. "Can everyone do that?"

"No," Minerva smiled. "They can not."

"That is -" She shook her head. "Thank you."

"You are most welcome," Minerva shrugged. "Got it now?"

"Yes," Hermione smiled.

She plucked the book from the air as she sat up and then lifted it into the air again. It was as if her body just needed to know what to expect.

"Your magic is incredibly impressive, Hermione," Minerva mused as she watched on. "It astounds me what you can do with very little difficulty at all."

"I'm just lucky I have such a great teacher," Hermione beamed.

Minerva rolled her eyes and they lay back against the sofa cushions again. Hermione slid her hand back into Minerva's and used the time to massage it gently, squeezing her fingernails and twisting the rings around her fingers as they lay quietly.

"Occasionally," Minerva said, without prompting. "When there are no students to supervise and no Dark Lords wandering around the countryside willy-nilly," Hermione snorted and realised that Minerva was answering her question from before. "Albus and I do have an uproarious time. But there has been a Dark Lord around for quite a while, darling."

"You should take him somewhere?"

"Me?" Minerva asked as she sat up.

"No, the other you," Hermione teased, nudging her shoulder. "Yes, you. Take him to that pub in," she frowned. "Where was it? The Peak District? Get him drunk and whisper about how annoying Fudge is and how annoying Scrimmigour will be when he finally beats him. And who's sleeping with whom on the Wizengamot."

Minerva laughed and then covered her mouth. The tops of her cheeks went pink and she stared at Hermione.

"You are so much trouble."

"Look, my mother was part of the PTA at our school. Someone is definitely fu -"

"HERMIONE!"

"Just saying."

Minerva bit her lip and tried not to smile but she couldn't help it after a while. She shook her head and sat back and Hermione followed. She couldn't help but laugh when Minerva offered her other hand and she got to work inspecting and playing with that one too.

"Poppy and I have fun sometimes," Minerva muttered as she pulled on one of Hermione's curls. "Though there is a long long history there. Sometimes it is not so easy to let go of it all."

"That's proper love though, right?"

"Yes," Minerva nodded. "Undoubtedly a lifetime of it. I am going there for dinner Saturday, just so you know."

"That's okay. We have Hogsmeade then I said I'd practise with the others."

"Have you somewhere to do that?"

"I -" Hermione was going to say that they'd use the Room of Requirement but then she remembered that not everyone knew where that was. "Yeah, we'll be fine."

"Only, you can use my classroom if you promise to behave?"

"Oh," Hermione grinned. "Is the duelling thing in there?"

"It isn't, but I can ask Filius for it?"

"That would be cool."

"Hermione, I -"

"I know," she chuckled, counting them off on her fingers. "No lethals, no hurting each other and no parties, drugs, or hookers."

Minerva, who had just taken a sip of water, sprayed it over the coffee table and started choking.

"I'm sorry," Hermione laughed as she helped her sit up. "I'm so sorry."

"Hermione, BLOODY GRANGER!"

Hermione was curled up beside her laughing until tears were running down her face.

"You," she managed between giggles. "Should have seen your face."

Minerva blinked at her and even through her tears, Hermione could see her lips twitching. She lasted another minute or so before she laughed as well.

"Where on earth did that come from?"

"Dad used to say it when he'd leave me home alone, reading. It was our secret," she chuckled. "Mum never left me home alone but Dad did every now and then for no more than half an hour. He'd go and pick up dinner or whatever. He thought it was hilarious," she grinned. "Because, well, not really my style, is it?"

Minerva laughed a little longer and they fell quiet again, leaning against each other.

"Thanks for being my friend, Min," Hermione whispered, snuggling a little closer.

"Oh darling," Minerva muttered as she wrapped her arm around Hermione's shoulder. "Thank you for being mine. For giving me the courage to be a little silly at times. I enjoy it immensely."

"I guess I'll see you Sunday? I know you have a Professor's meeting tomorrow and then it's Friday and I don't want to take up your Fridays."

"Oh, but with my wild social calendar, I may not fit you in."

Hermione laughed.

"I did tell you, you should take Professor Dumbledore out."

"Oh, Hermione," she said suddenly. "You're not playing matchmaker, are you?"

"What?" Hermione laughed. "No. You already told me that. That's weird. Never anything else, remember."

"Of all the things to remember," Minerva despaired. "Why did you remember that!"

"I remember everything you say to me, Tabby."

"HERMIONE!"

She laughed as she got up and pulled Minerva up with her.

"Thanks for hanging out with me tonight."

"Despite my own second thoughts, I have had the most fun in a very long time."

Hermione hugged the woman around the middle and they stood for a long time just together.

"Ahem?"

"Yes, Michael?"

"You have a duty in ten minutes."

"Thank you," she sighed, kissing Hermione's crown. "You behave, Trouble. I shall see you Sunday. Whenever, is fine."

"Bearing in mind that you're going to dinner with Madam Pomfrey, you'll probably need a quiet morning, right?"

"Why you little -"

Hermione skipped from the room, calling goodbye to Michael as she just managed to stay out of reach of Minerva's hands and her spells as she escaped to the sound of her laughter.