Delicate {𝔻𝕣𝕒𝕣𝕣𝕪}

Chapter 29

The group stepped onto the staircase one after the other, allowing it to carry them up towards the office holding Minerva McGonagall.

They were all antsy, fidgeting in apprehension, unsure as to how their headmistress was going to take the news they had for her. While they trusted her and knew that she was reasonable and would listen to all of them and what they had to say to her, they were nervous that she wasn't going to believe them.

Hermione and the others weren't naïve, so when she turned to face them all with a nervous look, they all responded with similar, but determined ones. This could go one of two ways, and if the headmistress didn't believe them, they were going to have to come up with a plan on how to do it themselves.

Banishing the negative thoughts, Hermione rapped her knuckles on the door, hearing the sound of the professor beckoning them in.

Minerva McGonagall was having quite a nice day. After having spent the morning having tea with Filius and Pomona during their free period and then having a particularly productive afternoon, the woman couldn't complain.

She had been looking forward to an entire evening to herself, with no work hanging over her head, curled up before the fireplace with a new book that had come out a few days prior.

So she was given quite the shock when she was alerted to the presence of 7 students outside her office, seeking her advice.

Her jaw almost dropped when none other than Draco Malfoy, Blaise Zabini and Pansy Parkinson walked into her office, willingly, accompanied by 4 of her Gryffindors. It took implementing her years of practice to keep her mouth closed and prevent her eyes from widening dramatically at the sight.

Sure, she'd heard Irma mention that they had been sitting together in the library and had occasionally seen them next to each other during meal times. However, the sight of all of them determinedly standing before her, united in whatever they wanted to talk to her about, well she couldn't even pretend she was unphased.

Clearing her throat to pull herself together, she looked at each of them individually, attempting to gauge the reasoning behind this odd visit. The young Malfoy was avoiding eye contact, flanked by his friends on each side. A ghost of a smile appeared on her face at the sight of the two almost protecting him.

As her gaze turned to look at her lions, she barely contained a sigh of exhaustion. The stubborn and set looks she received told her that she was going to be here a while. Mentally kissing the thought of reading her book this evening goodbye, Minerva flicked her wrist, conjuring chairs for the group and gesturing silently for all of them to take a seat.

She saw Hermione open her mouth to begin speaking and held up her left hand, halting her. No words had yet been spoken and Minerva needed just another moment to remain in ignorant bliss of whatever issue she was going to have to deal with that brought the group to her.

Hermione's mouth snapped shut and she watched her old transfiguration teacher eyed them speculatively before addressing them.

Taking note of the absence of a certain raven-haired boy, Minerva looked at the students before her and finally broke the silence that had enveloped them.

"Now, to what do I owe the pleasure of seeing all of you here," She paused "together," another pause, "willingly." She questioned them.

Dean snorted softly, nodding almost in the agreement with the odd sight they must have made.

Hermione opened her mouth again and immediately began to speak. "Professor, we discovered something incredibly alarming this afternoon that we thought you should know about. We didn't want to go about doing anything about it until you knew the circumstances."