Sorry, the chapter is late... I hope the wait was worth it though? Reviews would be very much appreciated :)

15 November 1981

It was the first Hogsmeade trip that academic year and Minerva had been asked to escort the students to the small village. Although this was not the usual practice, since three students had set off firecrackers in the streets the previous year, Dumbledore was now keen to ensure that the students remained supervised for at least the first few trips in case anyone got any ideas.

Locking the gate to the castle behind her, Minerva followed the trail of students trudging down the hill. All were covered from head to toe in knitwear, and most students from younger years were hurrying to badger seventh years to produce blue flames in jars for them to keep warm. Keeping her distance a little bit, Minerva tapped her wand on her gloves making them instantly warm up like hot water bottles. Steam rose from the wool and, slowly, she started to regain feeling in her fingertips.

As the group finally entered Hogsmeade, she spotted a familiar figure making its way towards her. Elphinstone waved at her and beamed. Minerva could not help herself and returned the smile. Briefly making sure that no student was walking around by themselves, she broke away from the crowd and went to meet Elphinstone by some benches and a frozen water fountain in the centre of the village.

"Minerva," he said, smiling and kissing her on the cheek. "You look lovely today."

"Only today?" she teased. Elphinstone shook his head in an exasperated sort of way, however, the corner of his mouth quirked up. Minerva smiled. Taking out her wand she gave it an elegant swish and the puddle of water on a bench fizzed and evaporated. "You look tired," she said, sitting down.

"I am tired," Elphinstone replied heavily. He sat down beside her and waved his hand carelessly. "Work's been bleak and unpleasant, to say the least. Lots of nights taken up by lots of trials and lots of dementors."

Minerva sighed and patted his hand. "I cannot say that I am surprised, Elphinstone. You do run the department that catches and imprisons dark wizards. I hope you have at least set foot in your house in the past week?"

Elphinstone grimaced.

"Don't tell me you have been sleeping in your office?" Minerva asked incredulously.

"In my red armchair to be more precise," he answered. "But, if I remember correctly, didn't you used to do the same a few years ago? In a wooden and uncomfortable chair, no less?"

Minerva paused. "No comment," she said, finally. "Also, it was a bit longer than a few years ago. I haven't worked at the Ministry for a good 20 odd years."

"To the great sorrow of my department," he added.

Minerva rolled her eyes and hit him on the elbow. "Flatterer," she said. Elphinstone smirked. "On a more serious note though, Alastor told me that Ludo Bagman was brought in for questioning. Is that true?"

"It is, yes," Elphinstone agreed, not looking at all pleased.

"Ludo Bagman, the Quidditch player," clarified Minerva, "a potential Death Eater?"

"Madness, I know," answered Elphinstone. "Not that that came from me."

Minerva smiled despite herself. "Of course not," she reassured him. "I suppose the trial wasn't very long?"

Elphinstone shook his head. "Crouch had nothing to go on really. Naturally, Bagman was found innocent."

"Completely ridiculous," Minerva muttered absently. Sitting up a little straighter, she kept her eyes on four students who were carrying a suspiciously large bag from Zonko's joke shop.

"Guilty?" Elphinstone asked, leaning towards her and following her gaze.

The corners of Minerva's mouth twitched. "Maybe. As long as it is not a rocket, it should be fine."

Elphinstone laughed. "I bet they never get anything past you."

"Hardly," she replied, smiling slightly. "They can be very crafty sometimes."

"I don't doubt it."

The two of them continued to watch as the suspicious students rounded a corner with their odd-looking package and disappeared from sight. They sat for a few more moments in comfortable silence. It had just started to snow, and Minerva watched as the beautiful flakes fell gracefully from the white sky. Her hand was still resting on Elphinstone's and, after fighting the automatic urge to withdraw it, she noticed that this action did not scare her as much as it used to. Instead, it felt natural and almost right.

"I hear Crouch is after your job?" she said after a while.

"Mm, he is," Elphinstone answered pleasantly. "I'd prefer Alastor to replace me, but I suppose the Minister has the final say in the matter."

"You don't mean to say that you're going to let Barty force you to step down?" Minerva asked, widening her eyes.

Elphinstone chuckled. "No," he said amusedly. "I'm going to retire, Minerva. I have been the Head of that Department for as long as I can remember. Now that everything is over, I think I'm going to take a step back. I think I deserve a break, don't you?"

"Of course you do," she said, "and more than most." She sighed and relaxed a bit so that their shoulders were almost touching. "What are you planning on doing next?"

Elphinstone shrugged. "I don't know," he said. "Sell my flat in London and buy a small house with a garden, maybe? Get into baking and cooking?" He smiled and looked at Minerva who chuckled with him.

"Be serious, Urquat," she said, still smiling lightly. "I've never known you to be a cook or a gardener."

"Ah well, I guess you don't know me as well as you thought. I have many hidden talents, McGonagall." He looked at her, his blue eyes twinkling.

"I'm sure you do," she replied amusedly. "But if I know one thing about you is that gardening and baking would never be enough to keep your mind busy. You would miss your colleagues, the conversations, the action…" she trailed off. "I bet that after one week, you would be back at work."

Elphinstone shook his head. "It will be a nice change," he said. "I'll be able to do all the things I have always wanted to do and I will finally have time to spend with people I actually like – people who I care a great deal about," he added.

They locked eyes and Minerva felt herself blush. She waited for the sense of panic to settle in her stomach - the squirming and uncomfortable sense of betrayal and fear. However, the feeling didn't come. In fact, she felt almost happy, if a little nervous.

"Well, all I'm going to say is that you'll have to find something to keep your mind busy," she said stubbornly. Then, relaxing slightly, she rested her chin on the knuckles of her gloved fingers. "When are you planning on stepping down?"

"Not immediately. Sometime next year," he said with a shrug. He looked at her for a few more moments, then suddenly clapped his hands on his knees and stood up. "Was there a reason you made me sit out here? Because if there wasn't then can we please go indoors or at least walk a bit? I'm starting to lose sensation in my toes." He smiled and held out his hand to help her up. "You may be Scottish and immune to the cold however, I, unfortunately, do not have that privilege."

Minerva rolled her eyes but smiled nevertheless. "You should have told me sooner," she said, taking his hand and heaving herself up from the freezing wood. "Let's go to the Three Broomsticks. I have half an hour before I need to take the students back to the castle."

Elphinstone smiled happily and linked arms with her. Together they trudged through the snow towards the Three Broomsticks arm in arm.