A/N: Okay, it took a while to decide on where I was going to take this but here you go. Because I try so hard to keep the characters as in character as possible, I've been finding it difficult to write them when I've taken them so far out of the normal situations they are in, in the show.

Constance was staring out the window at the early morning mist with a cup of tea in her hand when Imogen stumbled past her and into the bathroom. She continued watching the rolling of the mist just above the surface of the water and only turned around when her cup was drained. Imogen was looking at her curiously from her place leaning against the door frame of the bathroom.

"Are you always this composed?"

"I should like to think so," was the crisp reply. The blonde smiled and shook her head before turning towards the kitchen. Constance was startled to realise how charming she found that smile.

Mildred entered the small kitchen to see her two teachers chatting quietly to each other. She smiled slightly when she noticed that her potions mistress, while still looking aloof, at least seemed to be getting on better with their host. The phys ed teacher looked up and spotted Mildred.

"Well, aren't we up rather early?"

"Yes," Miss Hardbroom turned her calm gaze on the girl, "What IS the occasion?" Mildred giggled. When she wasn't using her sarcasm to make the girl feel small, the deputy headmistress was actually quite funny. The aforementioned woman looked at Miss Drill with both eyebrows raised and a slightly horrified expression on her face. The blonde woman covered her mouth so as not to let escape the little laugh that was threatening to come out.

Recovering, Miss Drill over to a cupboard and started rummaging around, "How does kippers and toast sound?"

"That sounds lovely, Miss." Seeing the pointed look, the young witch corrected herself, "er...Imogen." As Imogen went back to preparing breakfast, Mildred sat across from Miss Hardbroom and attempted to make conversation.

"Do you always get up early, Miss?"

"Yes, Mildred." Was the succinct reply. Mildred was not deterred.

"Is it a habit? Or do you-"

"I simply enjoy the peace and quiet, Mildred." Miss Hardbroom cut off the chain of questions before it could expand exponentially.

"Oh," Somehow, the fact that the girl was successfully discouraged from barraging her teacher with more questions did not leave Constance as lighthearted as she expected. Deciding to humour the girl who she was seemingly starting to care about, the potions mistress asked,

"And why are you up so early, Mildred? I daresay, if we were at school, you would be stumbling into the dining room at an hour much later than this."

"Um well, I was woken up by Tabby...He's not sure he likes being in a strange place." Mildred looked at her hands as she said this.

"Mildred," Imogen stated softly as she slid into the seat beside the girl, "I think it would be best if you were honest with us." The young witch hesitated before replying shakily in a near-whisper,

"...I've been having nightmares...they are what wake me up early."

"And what have these nightmares been about, exactly?" Miss Hardbroom asked while placing her teacup down on the saucer.

"Er..." But when Constance's eyebrow raised almost to her hairline, the frazzled girl decided it was best to keep talking. "It's them." She stated softly, looking down at her folded hands, "It's always them."

"You mean your parents?" Imogen pressed gently.

"Of course she means her parents you do-" The deputy headmistress snapped her head back forward and pursed her lips. Right now was not the time. She ignored the glare she was being sent by the blonde.

"Yes," Mildred had completely missed the near-confrontation, as she was so lost in thought. Seeming to remember herself, she looked up and smiled shakily at her teachers.

"It's fine, really. They're just nightmares."

"Clearly, they are not fine Mildred, or you would be keeping the same routine as always." The girl bit her lip and looked at her lap before lifting her gaze back to her companions.

"I think…that is…I'd really like a walk." Mildred stood up and hurried towards the door. Constance did not like to be dismissed and was going to stand up when a hand rested on her forearm. She turned slightly to her colleague and glanced down at the hand before levelling her stare back at the owner of said hand. Imogen did not back down, nor did she remove the hand.

"Although she is starting to come to terms with things—quite admirably I might add-she still needs a lot of space." The blonde leaned back in her chair and looked at the other with a knowing gleam in her eye. "You are starting to care for her," it was a statement rather than a question. The deputy headmistress glanced sharply at her colleague, only to get a raised eyebrow in return. She looked straight ahead again.

"Perhaps there is some truth in that statement." Imogen smiled slightly.

"You know, there is nothing wrong with you feeling that way, not at all." She said kindly, "Mildred is really a lovely girl."

"She certainly has her moments," Constance acquiesced. The phys ed teacher beamed at her and she once again found herself being much more affected by it than she would have thought.

The shorter woman seemed to gather herself and replaced her hand on the arm that it had fallen off. The arm twitched slightly at the sudden return of physical contact, but otherwise lay still.

"Perhaps we should go for a walk ourselves, get to know eachother a little better?" This was asked in a hesitant nervous tone and the potion mistress found herself unable to refuse. They were soon walking along the shore, watching the now fogless waves roll along the sand.

A/N: I think the next chapter will be the last. I'm running out of ideas and subsequently, motivation, but don't want to leave you guys hanging any longer than I already have. By the way, thank you so much for all the amazing reviews. I have really low self-confidence when it comes to my writing so it is tremendously helpful to have my fears assuaged.