A/N: Yeah I dunno either, so let's just roll with it, k? It'll be fine. People have written more convoluted stuff without a plan, right? :\
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Her first Transfiguration lesson with Albus came the day after the Apparition test. Ron didn't pass and she made a mental note (another one) to help him retake it in the summer but she had. She would have passed with full marks, but for whatever reason the instructor had given her half a point off for having half of her foot outside the circle she was instructed to land in. Had he not placed it on the side of a hill, she would have had perfect marks. She was still a little grumpy about the whole thing the next day when she walked up to the Gargoyle with her books in hand.
"I've never actually asked your name," she said quietly in lieu of a greeting.
"I do not possess one."
"Oh." Hermione was a little surprised. "Do you want a name?"
"I have not ever needed one."
Hermione hummed in thought and patted its shoulder.
"Then I guess if there's ever a time that you do need one, or if you just want one, you will let me know?"
"I shall," it said quietly. It hesitated and then bowed its head again. "Thank you."
"You are most welcome. I have learned a little more about myself and who I am. I have an answer for the question that stands between us." It had limited facial expressions but it stared at her intensely. "Are you bound to your master over me?" she asked quietly. "If I tell you something, would you be forced to tell him if he asked?"
"I -" It paused and a rather troubled look crossed its face. "Am not."
"Hmm," Hermione nodded. "Thought so." She cast a silencing charm over them and spoke a little quicker. "My people, not the Founders, were the ones to build this castle. Though they added things later, perhaps even you and the other guardians, this is my castle."
It stared at her and she saw the minute it realised the truth.
"My Lady."
"As I said before, I will not ever cause you to break your vow to your master, but I thought you might like to know why you feel inclined to discuss things with me on occasion. And that because you are mine after all the rest, I will never betray you."
"Thank you. He grows weary of waiting, however. You must go."
"Thank you," she whispered and patted its shoulder again.
She followed the spiral steps up to Albus' office and smiled as she entered.
"I trust you had an agreeable weekend?"
"I did, thank you," she smiled. She was thankful he seemed distracted because she certainly was not going to tell him what she had done. She wanted to protect those moments from as many people as she could. "How was yours?"
"Unproductive," he huffed. "I have not seen you in an age. There are things I have forgotten that would have been better discussed."
"It's only been a few days, Albus, there's time," she chuckled. "Thank you for doing this."
He waved it off and motioned for her to sit.
"Do you know how to do what it is you are supposed to be doing?" She was worried this was how it was going to go but she nodded anyway. "Good. I assume you will simply ask me for help if you need it? In the meantime, I wondered if you might view something with me?"
"Sure," she sighed but he was already on his way around the desk.
They walked over to the Pensieve together and Albus plunged his head in without comment. Hermione rolled her eyes at him and followed.
They watched Slughorn's memory over again and followed it with all the memories that they had seen before. They spoke about her feeling the compulsion charm, even through the memory, and about what they might have missed.
Because they both felt like they had missed something.
"I do not know," he muttered. "The ring, the founder's items -" He counted off five fingers. "There must be more?"
"The snake."
"Six."
"You don't like six, do you?"
"I do not."
A wave of horror washed over the two of them. She was so shocked by just how painful it was, it took her a moment to cope with it. She swallowed and looked up at him, but he was staring out of the window over the grounds. She had just opened her mouth to speak when the Floo fired up and Professor Snape came spinning out of the grate.
"Albus, I cannot cont-"
They all paused and Hermione took in the worry in his eyes and the fear that filled the room. She glanced at Albus, who was looking just as scared when he realised that she was there.
"Out," he muttered. "Meet me after dinner."
Hermione quickly recalled that she had already promised the others a brief run down after dinner and she happened to know that Minerva had a duty.
"Tomorrow." She altered but didn't argue and he nodded.
She left, sparing a moment to glance at Professor Snape. His eyes bored into hers but Albus' voice again instructed her to leave and she did. The Gargoyle paused for half a moment so that Hermione could hear Snape's voice echo.
"I cannot do this, Albus. I cannot -
It closed with a quiet snick. She nodded in thanks to the Gargoyle and wandered away. Without anything to do for the rest of the double and nothing really to occupy her time except her thoughts, Hermione simply wandered to burn off some energy. She had just come to the top of the stairs leading down to the Great Hall when something told her to stop. She stepped back into the shadows as Draco appeared. Ordinarily, she would not be too concerned about Draco in general, except that he was supposed to be with Minerva for a double Transfiguration and it would be incredibly unusual for Minerva to allow anyone to leave her classroom for anything.
Well, unless that person was herself.
That meant that Draco had never arrived at the classroom and with Snape currently in Albus' office full of fear, Hermione watched as he glanced around the Entrance Hall and stepped across it quickly to race up the stairs. Hermione wasn't sure whether it was because he wasn't paying attention or whether it was because the castle - her castle - had hidden her from view for a moment but he went past her without even a glance. She considered not following him for a moment but Harry's wild look from that morning and the sheer depth of the fear she had felt earlier, made her reconsider.
She followed his steps up through the castle. He was good at flying under the radar, that was for sure. Twice, he had nearly run into one of the Professors and once he had to literally kick out at Mrs Norris and then stunned her to prevent her from wailing for her master. Hermione had glared at his back for that but did not cancel the spell. She wasn't stupid and she needed to see where he was going even more now.
He went down corridors then double-backed, looking behind him now and then but Hermione kept well away and used her senses to guide her, rather than her eyes. It did not occur to her until much too late that he was heading towards the Room of Requirement.
She clearly owed Harry an apology.
Again.
She watched from the top of the stairs as he paced in front of the wall. She heard it open and he looked both ways before disappearing inside. Hermione sprinted for the door and just managed to slide close enough to see into it before it closed on her. She groaned and kicked the wall but did not ask it to reopen. The room itself was easily recognised - they'd been in it before. The Room of Junk, as Ron had called it at the time. A room full of what she could only imagine was lost things that the castle had gathered up. She sighed once more and turned to leave and stopped, midstep as she realised she was not alone.
There was no sound to alert her. No obvious sign to show that there was someone in the corridor but Hermione knew. Hermione could practically taste them.
"Tonks?" she asked, looking around.
"Hermione?" She cancelled her spell and stared. "How did you know I was here?"
Hermione didn't answer. She stared at her and stepped back at the horrendous pain rolling off her in waves. She frowned and opened her mouth to ask her if she was hurt until she realised that it was not physical pain which ailed her.
"Tonks," she said softly. "What are you doing here?"
"Keeping an eye on things," she muttered. "Albus has us doing shifts."
"What?"
"We're here now." She shrugged. "This is what we're doing for The Order. When we have a day off or whatever, we come here. To keep an eye on things, he said, but we don't do much."
"He -"
"Just after the thing in London," she shrugged.
The mention of it made Tonks' pain intensify and Hermione really struggled to figure out what had happened.
"Are, are you okay though?"
"Me?" Tonks said with an effort. "Ah, yeah, Hermione. Thanks."
Hermione stared at her and debated her next move. Of all of the Order of the Phoenix, Tonks was by far the flightiest but she was also the most understanding. One of the bravest and the most level-headed. Perhaps because she was younger than almost everyone else but even so, the woman started to shift uncomfortably as Hermione looked at her.
"Hermione, are you -"
"Come with me," she said, without waiting for the protests.
They made their way back down the staircases with Tonks protesting the whole way.
"Hermione!" she hissed. "I need to watch the corridor."
"No you don't," Hermione muttered. "Draco goes into the Room of Requirement and doesn't come out of it until dinner time and once dinner is over with, he goes back in there and comes out at about two."
Tonks stopped on the stairs and Hermione rolled her eyes as they started to move.
"How did you know that?"
"I just do. So does Albus. You're not actually here for that. Let us get where we're going before we speak about it though, okay?"
Tonks made a noise but didn't continue their conversation. Hermione glared at the top of the newly changed staircases and folded her arms.
"Change back," she huffed.
She gaped and stumbled down a few steps as it jerked and moved back to where it had come from. Tonks gave her a weird look and Hermione shrugged - feeling more than a little weird herself.
"After you," she insisted. She let Tonks go in front of her and she patted the bannister in thanks (and felt rather silly doing it) before she followed and led Tonks down towards the Transfiguration classroom.
"Hermione, why are we -"
"Because they're nearly finished with class and I need somewhere to speak to you where I can trust the walls."
"What?"
"Just shush," Hermione instructed. "Class will be over in about three minutes."
They waited around the corner from the classroom and Hermione smirked when the bells rang not three minutes later. Tonks was more and more confused, especially when Hermione marched up to the doors and grabbed them before they were closed.
"Herm -"
"Hi," she said quickly. "Tonks is here."
Minerva blinked at her in shock and then again when the woman in question stepped through the doors.
"Nymphadora, what are you doing here?"
"I'm -"
She hesitated and Hermione looked at her.
"She's here because Albus has the Order here, Min."
Minerva stared at her.
"He has the what?"
"The Order. Is here. Inside the Castle."
Minerva's eyes narrowed.
"How long?" she asked Tonks, without a suggestion that answering was optional.
"Since London," she whispered.
Hermione watched Minerva's knuckles go white on the back of her chair and went over to her. She stood with her back to Tonks and stared into Minerva's eyes.
"Breathe," she whispered. "Now we know." The tops of her cheeks were pink and Hermione held for a moment before deciding to allow Tonks the opportunity to prove her worth. She cupped Minerva's cheek and rubbed the reddening patches. "Breathe."
Hermione spun when Tonks burst into tears and Minerva tutted in that way of hers. Hermione chuckled and went over to the woman and pulled over a chair.
"Sit down, Tonks, let me look at you."
She did as she was told and stared at Hermione with so much confusion that Hermione couldn't help but take pity on her.
"Take my hands. It will be alright."
"What?" she sniffed.
"It will make you feel better," she said. "Trust me."
Tonks took Hermione's hands in hers and suddenly let out a deep breath.
"Hermione," she frowned as she looked down at their joined hands. "What the hell is that?"
"It's a new thing. And honestly part of the reason that I think you're here."
Minerva scoffed behind her, but Hermione didn't turn.
"What do you mean?"
"Can I trust you?" Hermione asked. "With my life? With Minerva's life?"
"You know you can," Tonks shrugged.
"No, I mean. Can I trust you, Tonks?"
She did Hermione the service of pausing for a moment and thinking about it.
"You can."
"I'm going to tell you something that only a very small handful of other people know. And you cannot tell anyone what you know, not even under Veritaserum."
"But that's impossible."
"I know," Hermione said softly. "Which is why I'm going to ask you to swear yourself to me, here, right now."
"Hermione -"
She turned and looked at Minerva.
"I trust her."
"It is not her trust that I doubt. Alasdair will -"
"Then he does. I do not trust him as much as I trust Tonks and I do not want him to know. This is the only way around that."
"Darling -"
"I know," she soothed. Tonks was looking so worried now that Hermione reached out and took her hand again. "Stay calm."
Minerva hadn't finished, though.
"But, I -"
"Trust me, then," Hermione said gently. Minerva huffed. "Even if you cannot extend it outwards, right now, trust me."
"You know I do."
Hermione nodded and turned back to Tonks and drew her knife.
"Do you trust me?"
"I," she hesitated but nodded. "I don't really know what's going on, but I do."
"When you take this you will be bound to me, and me alone. Nothing else matters more than this bond, do you understand me?"
Tonks sat up taller and glanced behind Hermione to Minerva.
"Don't look at me, Nymphadora, this is beyond my control."
Tonks looked back at Hermione.
"You are -"
"Something else, right now. Do you understand?"
"I think so."
"Take this," Hermione said as she offered her dagger. "And know that I will hold you to this oath, just as I expect you to hold me to mine."
"What oath?"
"That we are a family and we will protect each other through this and beyond. That whatever ails you ails me, and whatever you need, I will help you get it."
"Family?"
"Yes," Hermione chuckled. "There's a growing number of us."
Minerva snorted as she moved to stand beside her.
"Whatever happens, Nymphadora, we will protect you as I know you would protect us," Minerva said gently, backing Hermione up. Her thumb rubbed the tendons in Hermione's neck and made her sigh.
"Hermione, I don't understand."
"I know," Hermione smiled supportively. "Which is why you need to decide whether this is something you want and can live with or whether you want to decline and I'll obliviate the last ten minutes from your memory and leave you crying in the corridor beside the Room of Requirement."
"Hermione!"
She looked sideways at Minerva, who rolled her eyes as she realised there really was no other way of doing it.
"Fine," Tonks nodded. "I accept."
"Good," Hermione smiled. "Take this -"
She offered the knife and when Tonks took it, she pulled back quickly like she was expecting it to hurt. Hermione chuckled.
"Filius Flitwick did that too," she smiled. "I will never hurt you, Tonks. Believe in that, if nothing else."
"What are you?"
Hermione opened her mouth to speak when Minerva leaned into her side.
"I need to go, stay for as long as you like, I will move my next lesson elsewhere."
She nodded and took Minerva's hand before she could move out of range and squeezed it with a look that she hoped conveyed everything she couldn't say at that moment and Minerva winked and squeezed back. She closed the door behind them and left them alone.
"Hermione, I don't understand what is happening."
"I know," Hermione chuckled as she got settled. "There will be more time to figure this out later, okay? But for now, I'm going to give you a really quick version. Then," she said gently. "You're going to tell me what has broken your heart, okay?"
Tonks paled and Hermione patted her knee.
"I am some sort of creature, we think, a type of dragon. I have true empathy; I can take people's pain from them but I can also feel it. I am much stronger physically and magically than I was before and in part, it is why I survived," she almost sneered at Albus' subterfuge. "The London thing."
"What did happen? Nobody would tell me."
"Someone cursed me. Living fire, inside my body. It burned me from the inside out and then I changed. My heritage emerged to protect me."
"That's -"
"Yes," Hermione chuckled. "Which is why it's a secret."
"Does Albus know?"
"He does," Hermione nodded. "And like Albus is wont to do, I believe he has you all here in case I do something drastic. Which," she sighed. "Has made me angrier than I initially realised."
"I'm struggling to understand, Hermione."
"I know," she admitted. "He's only given you a fraction of the story and I'm not telling you everything either because I don't want to put you in an awkward position with Moody. I will never offer him this, simply because I do not want to. I want you to know, however, that no matter whether you understand this or not, I am where the buck stops, okay? I promise to try my damnedest never to make that something you need to follow at the expense of anything else, but whatever else happens, you're with me now. That is the extent of this."
She let Tonks think about it for a while and smiled when she nodded.
"Right, before you tell me what's going on?" Hermione smiled. "Let me see your wrist."
She offered up both wrists and Hermione chuckled and took her right one. She smiled at the little dragon by her wrist and patted it before she sat back.
"Tell me who broke your heart and why and maybe you'll feel a bit better knowing you can talk about it to someone." Tonks stared at her. "It can't be Sirius, right?"
"No," Tonks recoiled, visibly. Hermione chuckled. "No, it's not Sirius. I don't know how to say who it is. It's so -"
"Oh," Hermione finally realised. "Oh, Tonks."
A tear rolled down the woman's face and Hermione leaned forward and took her hands.
"I understand."
"How can you possibly understand," Tonks exploded, yanking her hands from Hermione's. "Nobody does. Nobody understands that he loves me but he won't."
"Oh Tonks, I promise you, I do."
"You?"
Hermione smiled sadly and let Tonks calm down while she stared at her.
"Yes," she nodded. "Me."
The shock on Tonks' face was comical as she glanced at the back of the empty classroom and back to Hermione.
"Mhmm," she chuckled.
"She -" Tonks shook her head. "But she -" Tonks shook her head again. "No, none of my business."
Hermione chuckled and sat back with a sigh.
"It's been a struggle," she revealed. "For all the reasons you can see and quite a few that you can't."
"Wow!" Tonks blinked. "I mean. Blimey, she's fit though!"
Hermione laughed and gave her a look but didn't offer anything further. Instead, she waited for Tonks to get over the shock so she could start talking. It didn't take too long, which said a lot to Hermione about making the right choice to include Tonks.
"He's staying with Sirius."
"Okay," Hermione shrugged. "Why aren't you?"
"He has told me there's no point."
"Because he's afraid?"
"Yes," Tonks nodded. "And ashamed."
"I can understand that."
"But I love him!"
"Oh, I know that, too," Hermione said gently. "But you are forgetting how big fear is. And how relevant that fear is. He has cause to fear loving you, Tonks."
"But I would never -"
"He knows that no doubt," Hermione nodded. "And he would be less inclined to protect you if he felt nothing for you, but Tonks, he is still a werewolf. Just as Minerva is still a teacher at a school that I attend," she snorted. "Even if I do so half-heartedly at the moment. You believe your love can overwhelm and wash the fear away." Hermione shook her head at herself. "I made the same mistake. It is not for you to get rid of that fear or for you to decide what they should do with it. You only have to help him see that with you, there is no need for it."
"How?"
"I had to simply be there. To take the punches and the panic and the downright vitriolic rejection enough times that she realised I wasn't lying when I told her that I loved her and that I would never stop loving her. Even if she chose someone else. She had to realise that I wasn't going to give her up when it got hard - especially when she made it hard. I acknowledged her fears and we figured out, together, how to overcome them and work through them. I imagine it is even more difficult for him in some moments," she said carefully. "On some days. You will have to develop thick enough skin that can cope with the protests he will give you, but if you love him, Tonks? You'll let him be fearful and you'll let him argue and you'll let it wash over you and you'll show him that there's no need for it. That you love him because of the things that make a relationship with him difficult. And," she sighed. "You will need to be honest with yourself about what comes next if you can't do that. Or," she said sadly. "If you think that, or it seems as though, he will never be able to get over that."
Tonks stared at the floor with a frown as she considered that.
"How do I tell him?"
"You will never be able to. You must show him. Go and stay with them. Get along with Sirius, because you will have to. Remus may love you Tonks, but he has always loved Sirius in a capacity that you may never be able to compete with or understand. Learn to be okay with that or choose to bow out gracefully. Sirius can be with him in the moments you can not and has been since the beginning. You are going to have to share him twice over - once with the moon and once with him, but again if you love him, truly love him, you will be able to do that. Or," she amended. "You'll be able to figure out how to do that."
Tonks suddenly stood and looked at Hermione like she'd never seen her before.
"You really are different," Tonks whispered. "I see now."
"Good," Hermione smiled. "Keep doing as Albus says. I know you're here now so I'll be able to find you if I need you. And if you need me, find Minerva. If she can't help, she'll know where to find me. Keep an eye out for Harry, if you can. He has developed a bit of an obsession with whatever Draco is doing in the Room of Requirement."
"I will," Tonks said, wiping her face. "Thank you."
"You are most welcome," Hermione smiled. "Do you know what Draco is doing in there?"
"No," Tonks sighed. "We've been trying to figure out how to get in there when he steps in but we're not having much luck."
"No matter. Take care, okay? I'll be around if you need me."
"You don't go to class?"
Hermione laughed and shook her head.
"Honestly, it's hit and miss most days. I'm considering asking Albus to take my N.E.W.T.s early and graduate so I'm not forced to go and Minerva can be free of her fear."
Tonks nodded and shook her head.
"If I hear anything -" Tonks suggested.
"Yes," Hermione smiled. "Let me know. Or," she said as a thought popped into her head. "Let one of the portraits know - they will get a message to me quickest."
"It's weird, you know that right?" Tonks chuckled.
"I really, really do," Hermione grinned.
"Thanks again. See ya."
"See you," Hermione promised.
She stayed where she was while Tonks left and considered what Tonks and Remus would look like together and how it would fit with the way he was with Sirius. Perhaps they could all just get along, together, in whatever way suited them. She hated to even consider it but had Sirius died last year as Voldemort had attempted to orchestrate, Remus would no doubt have been a little more open to the idea. As it was and as there were, sort of, two versions of Remus, Hermione rather thought it might end up in an interesting settlement.
Remus would not take her mark, she knew that for sure. Nor should he; his own life was that of a creature that did not swear allegiance to anyone but its pack. She was not bothered by that thought and instead, decided to encourage him to lean into creating that pack for himself. No matter what it looked like from the outside he would be on their side when it suited him and his own when it didn't and that could only be a good thing for all of them, in general.
She pulled her bag off her wrist and summoned her Transfiguration books from it. If she was in the classroom, she may as well practise while she could. She looked over her notes and set about turning a bowling ball into a balloon. She had tried it over and over in her room, with a different ball and had only achieved it once in five tries. She had hoped to get some help from Albus but after their interrupted lesson, she figured she would just go out alone. She went over and picked up the heaviest one, wanting so badly to make this work. She tried and failed, over and over and over and was just about to throw the damn bowling ball out of the window when a chuckle disturbed her.
She spun, not used to being caught unawares, and stared at her love.
"How long have you been there?!"
"A little while," she chuckled. "You were concentrating very hard. And I am rather good at sneaking around, ordinarily."
"Albus," she growled. "Has irked me. And we did no Transfiguration today. And I cannot get this stupid spell to work."
"I confess, I was concerned about that. He is a damn good teacher, but only when he has the time to be so. And we know what he is like."
"Me too," Hermione muttered. "But seeing as I am here, I figured I'd make use of it." Minerva smiled but Hermione could only huff in frustration. "Are you teasing me?" Hermione asked with a frown.
"Oh, it is bound to happen over our lives, darling." Hermione nearly didn't smile but she couldn't help it. "You are not completely without the need for my class, then." Hermione sent her a withering look and Minerva laughed again. "Come here, Trouble," Minerva smiled, beckoning her over. Minerva summoned the bowling ball over to her desk and locked the door with the next move. Hermione cocked an eyebrow and sent her own locking spell at the door but Minerva motioned her over again with a grin. "Come here!"
"You're just going to show me up," Hermione huffed.
Minerva chuckled and pulled Hermione in front of her by her hips. Hermione hummed as Minerva pressed herself against her back and slid her hands down to take Hermione's hands in her own.
"You are just a little too eager in your second movement," Minerva whispered against her ear. "If you have some patience," she teased. "You will find the task much easier."
Hermione bit back a moan and tried very hard to concentrate while Minerva's hands tangled in hers and moved her wand in precise movements. Their magic combined and Hermione really did moan.
"Concentrate," Minerva whispered. "Feel the spell."
"It is extraordinarily hard with you pressed up against me like that," she whined.
Minerva shifted just a little and Hermione whined even though she had just asked for that same thing.
"Hermione," Minerva chuckled. "Concentrate."
She took a deep breath and nodded, flattening her feet on the ground and letting the magic gather at her fingertips.
"Your magic is incredible," she whispered.
"Yours," Minerva husked back. "Is so very, very, much."
Forestalling anything else, Minerva performed the spell and Hermione blinked as the magic left her and Minerva let go of her hands.
"Oh," Hermione huffed when she realised what she was doing wrong. "Stupid."
"No," Minerva soothed. Hermione gasped as Minerva kissed her neck. This was a new acknowledgement of their bond. Hermione usually tried to stay aloof when she was in her uniform. "You've been abandoned by your teachers and left to fend for yourself."
Hermione laughed and leaned her head back against Minerva's shoulder.
"Do you think we're safe in here?" she whispered.
"Do you think anyone could get through either of our spells, love?"
"Just checking," as she turned. "Because I'd like to kiss you now if that's okay?"
Minerva smiled and captured Hermione's face in her hands.
"You are dangerous," Minerva whispered against her lips. "So, so dangerous."
Hermione kissed her but pulled away after a short while and nuzzled Minerva's nose with her own.
"You're brave, right?" Hermione asked as Minerva laughed. "So much for being so busy we might not see each other."
Minerva sighed as she kissed Hermione again, softer this time.
"I will be busy. I have duty after but for now, we must go to dinner."
"We will need to go and see Albus tomorrow night about things. And I need to talk to you about that," Hermione muttered. "He has troubled me."
"As ever," Minerva chuckled.
"No, this time it is serious. He has the Order here for me, Min. Not anyone else."
Out in the open, that thought sobered them both and left Minerva looking troubled. She stepped back to lean against a desk and looked at Hermione carefully.
"We must trust him, my darling," Minerva said eventually. She took both of Hermione's hands in hers. "We must. The alternative is to do everything on our own; to be alone in this convoluted journey. I cannot face a world where I do not have Albus on our side."
"And if he is not on our side, and on his own?"
Minerva shook her head.
"I know that it may seem as though he has been overcome with some self-absorbed mission that we are not privy to, but darling, we can trust him. Of that I am certain."
"Minerva, Snape is doing something for him. That's why our lesson ended. He came in today, through the Floo without permission, like he does it a thousand times, insisting that he could not do whatever it was that he'd been instructed and though he is good at Occlumency, Min, he is terrified. He is in league with Draco and they are -"
"Draco, Hermione," Minerva scoffed. "Do be serious."
"I am being serious," Hermione groaned.
Minerva stared at her.
"And how much stock should I put into this?"
"That's the thing," Hermione sighed as she lifted Minerva onto the desk and stepped forward between her knees. "I just do not know."
Minerva made a noise of surprise but slid her hands into Hermione's hair and held her against her forehead. Hermione breathed Minerva's air and summoned some peace for a time.
"Harry believes it to be something of the utmost importance and based on his observations, I'd be an idiot not to at least pay attention. Albus believes it to be nothing. Draco ran through the castle like a man possessed today instead of being in your class, and Snape," she sighed. "Professor Snape is getting more and more anxious about something and is scared that he cannot do something. What has he ever been scared he couldn't do something?"
Minerva made a quiet noise and let her cheek rest on Hermione's crown.
"I have to believe he's working for good, Hermione. I have to."
"Ok," Hermione nodded as she pulled away. "So," she asked quietly. "What if he isn't?"
Minerva looked at her, full of sadness and confusion. Hermione realised that this was a step too far for her and she nodded to herself and pulled Minerva by the thighs to the edge of the desk so she could step back into her space properly.
"Ok, new plan," she smiled. "We trust Albus but I do what I can to be prepared for anything. Okay?"
Minerva visibly relaxed and Hermione mentally congratulated herself for dissolving the tension. She would make her own plans to counteract anything she could think of that Albus might be conjuring up.
He might be the most powerful magic user in their current age, but she would not allow him to use them like pawns.