Authors Note:

Other than a one parter about Sirius&Remus this is the first thing time that I had written anything to be posted on here. It's also the first McGonagall and Hermione fic that I've written. I've been reading many of yours for a VERY long time now and have been feeling inspired. It's no where near as good as anything any of you have written, but I thought I'd share anyway, especially as the McGonagallHermione fandom isn't a particularly large one.

I'm sorry there isn't really much McGonagallHermione in the first chapter, but everything that's written is necessary for later chapters. ;)

It's based during Half-Blood Prince.

Hope you enjoy. x

It was the first of September but for once Minerva McGonagall didn't feel excited at the prospect of the start of the new term. In fact she felt quite the opposite.

Albus Dumbledore knocked on the door of her office and she quickly pulled herself out of her own thoughts. "Come in."

She looked up as he entered and felt her eyes flicker towards his hand. She glanced back up at his face and saw that he was watching her with interest and quickly busied herself with some of the paperwork on her desk. He'd seen her looking and she knew that he had, but she wasn't going to acknowledge this unless she had to. Minerva McGonagall was not in the mood for yet another argument about how he got it, or more to the point, his refusal to answer that question.

Luckily for her Dumbledore took notice of her mood and decided not to antagonise her further. Instead he sat down in the chair opposite her and spoke. "I know you're worried that the students won't be safe this year but you have no reason to be. If anything they were in more danger last year with the lack of belief and support from the Ministry of Magic. This year we have them backing us as well. The students are safer here than they are anywhere else."

"Hmm" McGonagall didn't say anything more for a moment, clearly choosing her words carefully. "But Albus the difference was last year, while the Ministry were in total denial about the situation, he didn't want to be seen. He took advantage of the disbelief and used it to do things behind closed doors. Now he has no reason to. He has no reason not to just stroll straight up to the school and..."

"My dear, do you really believe that Voldemort would just wander casually up to the school and start attacking? That has never been his style, you know that."

"Perhaps not, but that doesn't mean that it isn't a very big concern that he no longer needs to keep himself hidden."

Dumbledore said nothing for a moment and Minerva sat there feeling, although still very concerned; a little smug that she appeared to have won this argument. Winning an argument with Albus was a very rare thing. However before she had a chance to contemplate their fate anymore he began to speak again.

"It is a concern, but there is very little we can do about the fact that he is now able to appear in public. The only thing we do have power over is the safety of the students while they are in our care, and that I agree is a concern. I do admit that I have been tempted to do things such as cancel Quidditch matches and stop Hogsmeade visits, but that almost defeats the point of reopening the school."

Minerva looked at him a little amused. "Albus, you're telling me that your reason behind keeping the school open is not to continue to educate the children but to ensure they can still play Quidditch and can have regular trips to The Three Broomsticks?"

He chuckled and shook his head. "No that was not quite what I meant dear. My point was more that I wanted to keep things as normal as possible for them all, especially those it will affect the most, and cancelling things such as trips out of the school would, I believe, create unnecessary panic amongst them. I do not want them living out the next school year in fear."

After a moment of hesitation she replied. "Especially those that it will affect the most? You're talking I assume, of Potter, Weasley and Granger?"

He nodded and they both sat in silence once more, allowing their own thoughts to enter their heads for a moment, without having to compose a suitable reply for the other person. Minerva had to admit that she was very pleased that all three of them had made it onto the Hogwarts Express. She had feared that Harry may have been the only person to return, as both Ronald and Hermione's parents had been a little hesitant about allowing them to return at a time of such turmoil. It had not been all that long before Albus had came to find her that she'd received a message from the train informing her that they'd both been seen heading the prefects compartment.

"Everything okay?" he asked suddenly looking at her with amusement.

It was only then that she realised she'd been laughing to herself. She blushed a little and mumbled "sorry I was just thinking about the message I received just before you arrived. I had asked to be informed of whether or not Mr Weasley and Miss Granger had made it to the Hogwarts Express. The message informed me that they had and they'd already created quite a scene having an argument half way up the train. Apparently Ronald decided that it would be amusing to hide half of Hermione's text books and allowed her to spend over an hour panicking and searching for them. When they were spotted she was in the process of having all the hidden text books fly at him and attack."

Dumbledore smiled, not only a little amused by the fact that the two youngsters had already been fighting, but also pleased that it had had such an effect on his friend. "You'll have to keep an eye on those two this year, there are enough injuries in our world at the moment, it would not do to have them creating additional ones amongst themselves. Although that should not be that hard for you; after all you usually keep a very close eye on Miss Granger anyway."

She blushed even more furiously than before and looked quickly back down at her paperwork again. "Can you blame me Albus? She's probably our most talented student; she's definitely the best academically - by a mile!"

He didn't respond, just smiled knowingly at her and then looked at his watch. "It's time for us to start going, the train will be arriving in Hogsmeade in just a few short minutes."

"Of course" Minerva replied standing, she had completely lost track of the time, something that was becoming far too much of a habit at the moment. Without another word to one another they both left the room, with her quickly locking the door behind them once it had been shut.

Thank you to everyone that's read this far! Please review because I'd love to know what you all think. :)

As I said I'm sorry there isn't really much HermioneMcGonagall yet but everything in it is needed for later on. I'm about six chapters through at the moment so the next part is available... Well whenever you want it to be really. :)

Thanks again to everyone for reading.

Chelsey x

(p.s. The rating is subject to change.)