#8 ~ A Rather Catty Situation

Disclaimer: All characters belong to JKR. (Except Odessa Divine). All situations are mine. No $$$ is being made from this fanfic.
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Chapter 2 ~ Minerva on Becoming an Animagus


“No, no, no, Hermione!” Minerva said exasperated as she walked around the divan Hermione rested on, her brow furrowed in concentration.

“You cannot ‘think’ of your animagus form, it has to ‘come’ to you,” the Transfiguration Professor chided. Hermione opened her eyes and sat up on the divan, smoothing the thin white cotton shift she wore for comfort.

“I wasn’t ‘thinking’,” Herimone said stubbornly. Minerva put her hands on her hips.

“I suppose all those wrinkles between your brow are the result of a calm and peaceful mind? I said to relax, Hermione, not to cause worry lines!” Minerva scolded. Hermione scowled and crossed her arms.

The Transfigurations Professor looked at her student. When Hermione had come to her interested in finding and invoking her animagus form, Minerva had been delighted. She had always hoped Hermione would take Advanced Transfiguration while enrolled in Hogwarts, but the young woman had never gotten around to it. Now at the age of twenty-seven, she’d decided that she would like to experience her animal form. It would have been easier when she was younger, but it was still possible. But the young woman was just so uptight. She couldn’t relax enough to let nature take its course. Hmm. Now what could relax her?

Minerva knew. It was a method she prescribed to other uptight witches who sought to be animagi. Timing was everything. She looked at the young woman and wondered how she’d take her suggestion. She took a deep breath and decided to tell her, hoping the witch would see the wisdom in the plan.

“Hermione,” she said briskly. Hermione turned and sat on the edge of the divan, prepared for another lecture.

“Yes, Professor?” Hermione answered rather sullenly She was tired and frustrated. Her attempts at contacting her inner animal was not working out all, although Severus would adamantly disagree.

Minerva drew in a deep breath. Although she had been Albus’ lover for more than thirty years, ever since she was a student in Gryffindor house, she still managed to retain a streak of prudishness, which she was about to sorely try.

“Hermione,” she said, “obviously the normal relaxation techniques aren’t working for you. Don’t be discouraged. This has happen before with other witches, and some wizards. What we have to do is find another way for you to be totally relaxed. Since you are a married woman, you have…options that are easily available to you…”

“What does my being married have to do with becoming an animagus?” Hermione asked, still miffed about her inability to transform.

“Well, you see dear…your husband can help you…er…achieve the state of relaxation necessary for your animagus form to manifest itself,” Minerva said, rather tightly. Her face was turning a bright red.

“How?” Hermione asked, interested.

Minerva twisted her robes in her hands uncomfortably.

“Sex,” she replied, purpling now.

Hermione burst out laughing. “Professor McGonagal, you can’t be serious!,” she chortled. This had the effect of raising Minerva’s ire. She drew herself up imperiously.

“I certainly am serious, young lady! After a good bout of passion-filled sex, you are in the perfect state of relaxation to allow your animal form to come through! Simply because you have been in touch with your animal nature during the act, and it is the perfect conduit to cause transformation, if you meditate on it directly afterwards. A few sessions of after-sex focusing t will bring about the desired results,” she said in one fell swoop.

Hermione considered this. It did make sense. She shook her head wryly, thinking how her husband Severus would love this development. He’d be after her to “work on her transformation” every free minute of the day and night. He was insatiable enough as it was. Any excuse for all out, buck-wild sex was a good one, as far as he was concerned.

Hermione supposed her husband’s constant state of sexual overdrive was partially because of all the stress he experienced, due to dealing with his students, who he claimed grouped all together would still not amount to one whole braincell. Of course, he loved her, but she suspected she was also a handy little outlet for relieving his daily tension. She had been under the impression that marriage would naturally curb his ardor. It was a common complaint among other wives concerning their husbands. But then again, they had not married a man who believed his whole life would be enveloped in darkness, empty and devoid of love, a man who believed himself rescued and redeemed by his beautiful wife, and who felt blessed to have her every day of his life. So he indulged in her passions as often as possible.

All in all, if anyone could turn her into an animal, it would be Severus.

Hermione hopped down off the divan, and looked at Professor McGonagal.

“Ok, I’ll give it a try. How do I go about it?” the Spells Mistress asked. Minerva gave her a tight smile.

“Well, first you…go about your business with your husband,” Minerva said, not wanting to use Severus’ name as it made it all feel too personal, “then remove yourself to a private area, and perform your meditation as you would do here. It is important to remove yourself, because the…I guess vibes would be the proper word of your husband would interfere with your focus. Becoming an animagi is a solitary act. Try this on your own for a week, then return to me the following Monday.”

“How often do I need to do this?” Hermione asked.

“Once or twice a day,” Minerva answered, coloring again, “you need to really immerse yourself in the meditations.”

Good gods. Sex with Severus twice a day? She’d be walking like a cowboy for weeks afterwards.

“Becoming an animagus is one of the most freeing experiences you can ever undergo, Hermione. You develop enhanced senses and instincts that aren’t possible as a human. You see the world in a new, wonderful way, and you become one with Nature. Every scent, every sight, every sound becomes richer than you can ever imagine, and sometimes the gifts carry over to your everyday life. It is glorious, Hermione, simply glorious.” Minerva said, her eyes shining.

Hermione sighed as she looked at Minerva, and envied her. She wanted to experience those things for herself. Walking like Gene Autry for a week suddenly seemed a small price to pay for such a wondrous power. She made her decision.

“All right, Professor. I’ll do it,” she said, picking up her robes and donning them.

Minerva smiled with relief, and a little trepidation. She had once been on her way to see Severus one evening when the couple had retired early and forgot to place a silencing charm on their bedroom. Hermione’s screams of passion could be heard clear to the dungeon hallway. Minerva had discreetly placed a charm outside of Severus’ office that sufficiently dampened the noise and left in a hurry, but she would never forget how the little witch sounded. She was positively howling. Well, howling was a good indication of animal passion, wasn’t it? Maybe it wouldn’t take her long to transform under Severus’ questionable ministrations.

“I’m leaving now, Professor,” Hermione said, noting the faraway look in the Tranfiguration Professor’s eyes. Minerva started.

“Oh, yes, yes, my dear. See you the following Monday,” Minerva said with a small smile.

Hermione exited, and Minerva fell into her chair. Gods help that witch.

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Severus was in his Potions Lab, brewing some potions for Madame Pomfrey when Hermione walked in. He looked up and smiled as she approached him and gave him a quick peck, before pulling up a stool and sitting down next to him.

He stirred the cauldron before him, lowered the heat and turned to his wife.

“So,” he said, “How did the transfiguration lessons go tonight? Any progress?”

Hermione didn’t answer him. She looked distracted.

“Hello?” Severus said, poking her with one long finger. Hermione started, looking at him wide-eyed.

“Your lessons?” he inquired, studying her face intently.

“Oh. About the same. No real progress,” she replied.

“I’m sorry,” Severus said, “but I understand it takes time.”

Hermione looked at her husband and drew a deep breath.

“Professor McGonagal thinks I am having problems identifying and transforming into my animal form because I can’t relax. I can’t turn off my mind,” she started.

“Really?” said Severus, adding some ingredients to the simmering potion.

“Yes,” Hermione replied, biting her lower lip slightly, “in fact, she has given me new instructions on how to relax and contact my inner animal.”

Severus nodded as he stirred the cauldron three times clockwise, then seven times counterclockwise in quick succession.

“It involves you,” she said, a little hitch in her voice.

Severus looked at her. “Me?” he asked her, his black eyes looking into hers intently, “How?”

“Well, you have to help me relax,” she said.

Severus thought about this.

“What? Massage you? Run a bath? Something like that?” he asked, liking the idea of giving her a body massage. It could lead to some interesting developments. So could the bath.

“Er, no,” Hermione answered him, wondering why she was beating around the Whomping Willow about this.

Now Severus was curious. He could sense the hesitancy in his wife. Was it some kind of ritual he had to perform?

“What, Hermione?” he asked impatiently. She didn’t answer him, but colored. That was it.

“Ok,” he said, placing the tips of his fingers against her temple.

“Legilimens!” he said. He revisited her session with Minerva. At first he frowned, then he grinned. Then he laughed out loud.

“Gene Autry, eh?” he chuckled as he looked at Hermione, who wheeled on the stool until her back was to him.

“It’s not funny, Severus,” she said sullenly.

He chuckled again. “I’m sorry Hermione, but the idea of you thinking I will have you walking around the halls of Hogwarts bowlegged is pretty funny.”

Hermione snickered. She couldn’t help herself. Severus turned her back to him. He gave her a seductive smirk.

“Personally, I like the idea of helping you transform into an animal. I always have.” he said, tracing her cheek with his fingertip. She shuddered a little. It was a good shudder.

“Yes, but this would be…” she started

“Quite frequently,” Severus purred, moving a little closer to her and opening her robes, eyeing her little cotton shift. She wore nothing under it.

“Shouldn’t you be watching that?” Hermione said, pointing at the cauldron. Severus turned around quickly, and shut off the heat, just managing to save the brew. He turned to Hermione.

“See how distracting you are?” he said to his wife, moving in on her again.

He was about to slip her robes off her shoulders when a voice from the floo interrupted him.

“Severus? Severus!” came the Headmaster’s voice.

“Yes, sir?” Severus responded, sighing as he straightened Hermione’s robes.

“Would you mind coming to my office? I would like a word, please,” Albus said.

“Certainly, sir. I’ll be right up,” Severus replied, his eyes on his wife.

“This isn’t over,” he said, kissing her on the mouth, then covering the open cauldron with a pewter lid. He walked over to the floo, threw in a handful of floo powder from off the mantle, and stepped through.

Hermione sighed. They didn’t often do it in the Potions Lab. Ah well. He’d be back shortly. She hopped off the stool and headed for their rooms.

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A/N: Ok. A new talent for Hermione. A bit of fun for Severus. I think Hermione needs to learn to transform as soon as possible. Please review.