A/N: This message is from Joe, the guest reviewer on Chapter 1... Who I think is also the previous guest reviewer who left a very distastefully worded review the first time, that I deleted - the only review I've ever deleted in my very long fanfiction life, by the way.

Mate. Buddy. Pal. Your statement (and I'm quoting you) that Granger cannot join the Order cos she's not an adult is LITERALLY ANSWERED IN THE FIRST CHAPTER YOU ABSOLUTE DONUT. Please read the fic, or don't, but either way... don't talk crap like you're doing something when you're literally not. Like I am SUPER okay with you reading it and going "this is so made up" and I'd be like "Cool beans, that's for reading it anyway." People do that all the time. But no. Here we are. Doing this instead.

Please don't offend people of intelligence with the lack of yours, please. Thank you.

To everyone else, thank you. Please continue to enjoy the chapters. Unlike Joe.

-0-

Minerva had barely let her do anything for the next week or so and even though she grumbled about not doing anything new at all, Hermione was thankful for it. She was tired all the time and often, by the time she had eaten dinner and gone back up to the Common Room, she was practically sleepwalking.

Which did not bode well when Minerva told her they had a meeting to go to.

"Are you well enough to go, you still aren't looking the best?"

"Gee, thanks," Hermione giggled, which made Minerva baulk. "I'm fine, Min," she soothed. "Just tired."

"Hermione, it's been two weeks."

"And I don't know of anyone else who has ever grabbed the hand of a cursed person so when I find one, I'll ask about their recovery time."

She sighed as soon as she'd finished speaking and rubbed her forehead.

"Oh Merlin," Minerva chuckled. "Of all the things to learn from me." Hermione blinked at her as she reached for Hermione's hand and stopped her. "It would have been perfectly acceptable to not pick up that particular habit." Hermione chuckled and leaned against Minerva's shoulder. "I am nagging," Minerva muttered against Hermione's hair. "I do not mean to."

"And I am tired and grumpy. I don't mean to be either," Hermione said. "I'm sorry."

"As am I."

"So," Hermione sighed. "When is this thing? And are we going to dinner or not, if I have a recommendation, I would say we should have dinner first."

"Oh yes," Minerva laughed. "Most definitely first."

"Hello dear ones," Dumbledore practically called as he came in through the fire. "It is the first sunny day in an age. Why don't you both go now and take in some sun? It would do you both the world of good."

"Have you been hit with a cheering charm?" Minerva asked carefully. "Albus -"

"Nonsense. I am buoyed by the sunshine. I think it is as magical as anything we do here."

"Why do I get the feeling you're sending us somewhere for safekeeping?"

"Nonsense," Albus rolled his eyes. "Kingsley cannot get away before six, so we may as well enjoy it."

"Did you two ever go to that pub?" Hermione blinked, looking at Minerva.

"No," she groaned. "And don't you dare -"

"You were going to take me to a pub, Tabby?"

"Albus, really."

"I suppose you're going to have to take me, then," Hermione sing-songed.

"Of for the love of -" Minerva threw her arms in the air. "Fine. Fine. Hermione and I will go for dinner. Then meet you at Grimmauld place at half past six. Not a moment later. She is still recovering."

Hermione rolled her eyes as Dumbledore looked over.

"I'm tired, there's nothing wrong with me."

"You are tired without reason."

"I have a pretty -"

"I mean," Minerva interrupted. "That we are not doing any extra work outside of school to make you this tired so it all stems back to that moment of stupidity."

"Minerva," Dumbledore frowned.

"Am I wrong?"

"You are surely never wrong," Hermione grinned.

A pillow jumped up off the sofa and smacked her gently across the head.

"That is enough cheek out of you. Between the two of you, I do not know how I am supposed to get anything serious done."

"Yes," Dumbledore said sadly. "We are the burden."

"Albus," Minerva groaned. "You are not a burden."

He grinned at Hermione and then stood.

"Right. When are you going? I will distract everyone."

"I'll Floo to," Minerva frowned. "Actually -"

"Hmm. Abe's?"

"Yes," Minerva nodded. "We will go there and then on to The Peak District." She turned to Hermione. "Go and get changed. Bring your coat."

"Hey, what is happening with our knives?" Hermione asked suddenly. "Did you order our holsters?"

Minerva looked pointedly at her and rolled her eyes.

"Of course I did. They will be here on the Morrow, I shouldn't wonder. I had them add a few charms to them."

"Ooh!" Hermione squeaked. "Like what?"

"We have a few more things to check over," Dumbledore interrupted. "It will not certainly not be tonight, but it will not be much longer."

"Fine," she groaned. "Thanks!"

She raced up to the Common Room, filling Ginny in as she changed and it wasn't long before she hugged the boys goodbye and made her way back to Minerva's rooms.

"Gracious, that was quick?"

"I figured we'd best make hay while the sun literally shines for once."

Minerva snorted and finished the letter she was writing, sealing it and sending it with a pile of others to places unknown.

"Now," she said as she stood. "You are ready and I am lagging."

"I'm going with you, not the other way around," Hermione giggled. "I'm early, is all."

Minerva smiled indulgently and went into her rooms behind her desk and came out a few minutes later in jeans and a smart jumper.

"Wait, wait, wait," Hermione grinned. "You own jeans?"

Minerva snorted.

"My dear, I am about as old as jeans, so yes I do own a pair," she smirked. "Or two."

"You're so cool."

Minerva really did laugh then and Hermione grinned as she heard it.

"Let's go, Trouble, before we get into the real stuff."

-0-

Dinner was amazing. Hermione felt like she'd not seen the sun in weeks and despite Minerva being fully ensconced in the Wizarding World for so long, she seemed just as comfortable amongst the Muggles as Hermione was. They picked a table outside, and cast furtive warming charms on their coats but the sunshine, what was left of it, was glorious.

"You can have a glass of wine if you want," Hermione chuckled. Minerva had been worrying her thumbnail for a little while. "I won't tell and it's not like I have to be supervised."

"You," Minerva smirked. "I definitely feel the need to supervise."

"The cheek," Hermione scoffed.

"Are you sure?"

"Min," Hermione groaned. "As if you'd ever get drunk during business hours," she chuckled. "Just have a glass of wine with dinner."

"Fine," Minerva teased. "I shall. Do you want a drink?"

Hermione's eyebrows went up.

"You know what I mean," Minerva rolled her eyes.

"Lemonade please," Hermione laughed. "Whatever they have."

"That is fizzy, correct?"

"Yes," Hermione smiled.

Minerva nodded and went to the bar while Hermione sighed and looked out over the distance. It was beautiful, really. As much as Scotland had become her home, now, there was something about the wilds of England that were a little less rugged, somehow.

"It is beautiful, isn't it?"

"Hmm?" she asked. She turned to see a young bloke standing smiling at her. He seemed pleasant enough but she still shifted and put her hand on her wand in her pocket. "Oh, yeah, beautiful."

"Not like you."

Hermione laughed and shook her head.

"I'm sure you're a great guy," she chuckled. "But I am very unavailable."

"You don't look it."

"Looks can be deceiving, young man."

Hermione bit her lip as Minerva's frostiest tone dropped the temperature by about twenty degrees. The guy paled and turned around, and it didn't take long for him to stammer out an apology and hurry back to his friends.

"Are you alright?"

"I think that was the first time I've been hit on since Primary school," Hermione laughed.

Minerva frowned and looked over at him for good measure before sitting down.

"Are you really alright? Was I wrong to step in?"

"I'm fine," Hermione laughed. "And no, what was gonna happen there anyway?"

"Well, I surely don't know about these things."

"Pfft, don't tell me nobody hits on you?"

Minerva baulked and blinked and put the drinks down and sat back down at the picnic table before looking back up at her.

"I -"

"I'm sorry," Hermione muttered. "I made you uncomfortable, You don't have to tell me."

"It's not that," Minerva chuckled. "I doubt there are many secrets left between us, darling. I was actually just trying to remember the last time I was propositioned and could not remember. Too many people know me. I am, I have been told, quite intimidating."

"Whatever," Hermione smiled as she took a drink. "You're pretty, you're powerful, you're smart, you're hilarious," she counted on her fingers. "You're a big teddy bear once someone gets to know you."

"A teddy bear," Minerva exclaimed, almost spilling her wine. Her cheeks were red but Hermione wasn't sure whether it was from the cold or the embarrassment. "Hermione, that is something I don't think I have ever been called in my life."

"Well then," Hermione teased, putting her nose in the air. "I'm happy to be the first."

Minerva laughed and then fell silent as they took in the view.

"It's not the Scottish Highlands," Hermione smiled as Minerva sighed. "But it is beautiful."

"Aye," she said quietly. "It is tha'."

"One sip of wine does that to you?"

Minerva laughed and threw a napkin at Hermione as she grinned.

"You prefer me to speak proper English?"

"Lord no," Hermione chuckled. "I think that accent is brilliant."

"Well," Minerva said, hamming it up just a little. "I cannae be disappointin' yeh now, can ah."

Hermione beamed.

The food came and they ate with glee, humming at the rustic food as they scoffed it before it got cold.

"Food at home," Minerva said carefully. "Is very good, but there are some things that cannot be reproduced like that."

"Mum -" She hesitated but Minerva's face was neutral as she listened. "She used to make the best chicken pie," Hermione sighed as she ate a chip from Minerva's plate. "They can't quite get the pastry right."

"Porridge," Minerva groaned. "They cannae make porridge to save their skins."

"How do they make it?"

"I don't know," she mused, stealing some cucumber from Hermione's plate with a smirk. "But it never turns out right."

"Can you make it?"

"Of course," she chuckled. "What do you take me for?" Hermione held up her hands in surrender. "I don't often, simply because by the time I wake up, and get ready for the day, I may as well eat breakfast in the hall. Plus," she said sagely. "They do get rather cross when you choose to make your own, rather than eat theirs."

Hermione giggled.

"They are funny. I wish there was some way that they weren't servants though."

"Ah, I remember this. Spew, was it?"

"In hindsight, not a great acronym," Hermione huffed. "S.P.E.W," she corrected. "The Society for the Protection of their Welfare."

"I have seen what they go through when they are released from service, darling, and it is not pretty."

"I know," Hermione winced, thinking of both Dobby and Winky. "But," she sighed. "I don't like the unquestioned superiority. Like, um," she frowned and realised there wasn't really any way of explaining what Dobby went through. "No, that, never mind."

"Well. We shall think on that as well, then, yes?" Minerva said. "While you're changing the world?"

Hermione poked out her tongue childishly and finished her drink.

"Are you ready to go?"

"Yep," she nodded.

"We'll go for a wander down the lane and then duck behind a hedge I think."

"Alright."

Minerva went and paid the bill and Hermione pulled her coat on as she met Minerva by the door.

"Come on then Trouble, let's be off."

Hermione grinned but didn't reply, linking her arm with Minerva and walking quietly down the lane.

"I love that smell," she whispered, not wanting to break the quiet of the countryside.

"What smell," Minerva chuckled.

"Dunno," Hermione shrugged. "The countryside? Crisp air, I mean," she looked over at a field. "Cows, I guess." Minerva grinned.

"I understand."

"Yeah?"

"Yes. Nature. The outdoors. It is my favourite place to be."

"Do you live," she made an obvious gesture. "All the time?"

"I do," Minerva smiled. "Though I stay with Poppy and Will sometimes for spells in the summer holidays."

"Do they live up north as well?"

"West," Minerva corrected. "Near the coast."

"I bet you're one of those people who could get dropped into the wilderness and come out of it a week later looking great, aren't you."

"I confess," Minerva smirked. "I have been known to do that in my youth. Not sure these old bones would be quite as forgiving of the scrapes I got myself into back then."

"Tell me one of them?"

"Another time," Minerva said indulgently. "We must go."

"Fine," Hermione groaned. "I will take a deep breath."

As she was squeezed into a tiny tube, Hermione was quite sure she heard Minerva laughing.