Okay, here we go. I've had this idea in my head for a while, we're never told specifically what happens to the Death Eaters who survived, I can't imagine them being killed; I think the Ministry (with Kingsley in charge) would try to step away from the way Voldemort did things. Anyway, this just created itself! Darker than 'Loyalty' and 'Finally Seeing', please review as I treasure your opinions and advice! MG
"Sorry I'm late, Hagrid had some disaster with the Tentacula in greenhouse four" Minerva said with a smile as she dropped into the seat opposite Hermione, exhausted.
"Don't worry about it" answered Hermione gesturing to the waiter for the menus she had thrice refused, "I got you a firewiskey, I thought you'd have had a long day".
Minerva shot a 'you've got that right' look before drinking the amber liquid.
The waiter approached and handed over two menus to Hermione who nodded thanks and handed one over. As Minerva took the menu from Hermione's outstretched hand their fingers brushed lightly together and a tremor ran through her very being. This reaction was one that was becoming more frequent and prominent as time had gone by.
Hermione and Minerva had become friends after the final battle and three years later, they made sure to meet up more than once a week, usually for dinner or just a quiet night at either's house. They constantly wrote to one another when Minerva had to spend long periods of time away at Hogwarts or Hermione would turn up at the school to surprise her. They were both becoming slowly aware that they were moving further away from friendship onto… something that would be much more difficult to return from.
Noticing the reaction of Minerva, Hermione retracted her hand and smiled to herself behind her own menu. She too had realised the changes in their relationship and was sure that eventually, she and Minerva would explore that area of themselves but not until they were ready. Minerva was so important to Hermione that she would never push her; she would do anything not to hurt her or push her away.
They quickly selected their dishes and ordered; conversation flowed easily as it always did.
"I'm just sick of tidying up for him!" Hermione ranted angrily two glasses of wine later, "He just turns to me and says 'you don't mind fixing that for me do you Hermione?' and then he just walks out of the room without waiting for an answer!"
Minerva inclined her head with a knowing smile on her face.
"Something funny Minerva?" asked Hermione still quite flustered from her rant.
"It just seems that Mr Weasley still expects you to complete his homework" she said smiling still.
Hermione subconsciously noted the way the dim light illuminated Minerva's face, caressing her high cheekbones, and the way that silver shirt rested against the supple skin of her neck, with just the hint of cleavage.
Minerva followed Hermione's gaze and instantly blushed, smiling. Their eyes met for a moment of intense contact, the hairs on the back of Minerva's neck stood on end and she felt a rush of desire to her core.
The moment was interrupted by the waiter arriving with their meals, both pasta dishes were lowered onto the table, creating an excuse for the women to break the tension that had built.
Hermione lifted her fork to her mouth and couldn't suppress the light moan that escaped her lips as the creamy sauce hit her taste buds.
Minerva laughed softly, "Good?"
"Mmm" Hermione answered nodding and in one swift movement, Hermione has scooped up some of the pasta and extended her arm across the table towards Minerva's mouth.
Surprise flitted across Minerva's face for a moment. She knew she could take the fork from Hermione's hand herself but it didn't seem possible, in truth, she didn't want to. So she leaned towards the outstretched hand.
Their eyes met and locked together, Minerva closed her lips slowly around the fork and took the proffered pasta into her mouth, she tasted what Hermione had and struggled to repress her own moan, it really was good.
"Good right?" asked Hermione, her voice was lower and slightly husky.
Minerva simply nodded as she didn't trust her voice to remain even under the intense gaze that Hermione observed her with. Then Hermione began to laugh, a beautiful ringing sound.
"What?" Minerva asked, wondering what could have set the younger woman off.
"You have… sauce… on your…"
Hermione shook her head with a disbelieving smile on her face. She reached out slowly and gently traced her finger lightly across Minerva's top lip where a creamy, thin line had lain.
"Face" Hermione whispered.
The smile vanished from her face and she felt her heart quicken. Then, she saw Minerva's pupils dilate and took the initiative. Acting on pure desire, she held Minerva's lust-filled gaze and lifted the finger to her mouth before slowly suckling off the sauce.
Minerva's lips were slightly parted and her breath became ragged.
They finished the rest of the meal in silence, shooting warm smiles at each other, content in the silence. After splitting the bill and putting on their coats they turned to each other, neither wanting the company to part.
"Minerva, would you mind having a look at some papers for me later this week, they're due in for Kingsley by Tuesday but they centre on the transfiguration of animals with complex skeletal structures which I know is your specialty and I want to make sure it's right, it's the first time I've done an assignment that's specifically for Kingsley.
With a radiant smile she turned towards Hermione and said, "Of course not". They walked down the street toward the closest apparition point, which was a small juncture between the main road and a small alleyway. It was dark; they left the warm light and the friendly noise of the main street and found themselves in a secluded, cold alley.
The very air seemed to freeze; Hermione could hear footsteps approaching and then, a feral growl.
"Minerva…?"
"It's fine Hermione" began Minerva but the slight trace of worry could be heard within her voice, "It's probably just the wind-"
Then six cloaked figures loomed from the darkness, they were surrounded. Hermione thought at first that they were Dementors until she heard an unmistakable, rasping voice bellow, "Get her!"
A blow to the head left Hermione on her hands and knees, the world spun but she saw the unmistakable drops of blood on the gravel before her. The pain in her head worsened. She heard a male voice cry out and a small voice inside her said proudly, 'Minerva is fighting, as always', but then a body joined hers on the floor and she turned her head to see Minerva lying still next to her, crimson trails edging their way from her mouth.
"No!" she whispered, "please no".
Another hard blow and she saw black.
MG MG MG
When Hermione came round she found herself chained flat against a cold wall, her arms were stretch above her and she thought ridiculously of how her position mirrored that of Jesus' on the cross. It was here that she realised she was naked.
She took in her surroundings, she was in a large room the windows were boarded up and there were large cracks down the walls, the curtains were barely holding on to the rusted rail and there were splatters of what was unmistakably blood along them.
There was a single candle burning alone at the centre of the room, it sent eerie shadows up the walls surrounding Hermione, following the outline of one of the shadows, Hermione's eyes found another's. Emerald eyes, to be exact.
Minerva McGonagall was chained to the wall opposite her; Hermione noted that she too had been relieved of her clothing and that she was significantly covered in blood, long trails of scarlet ran from her neck to her toes were it lay in a small puddle.
"Minerva!" Hermione frantically whispered but Minerva instantly shook her head, silently telling Hermione to be quiet. But it was too late. Footsteps could be heard approaching, the same loud ones they had heard in the alley.
A door Hermione had not noticed before swung open, standing in the outline of the frame was Fenrir Greyback. Hermione inhaled sharply, the last time she had seen him, he had been sinking his teeth into her schoolmate and fellow Gryffindor Lavender Brown.
He heard the gasp and his eyes instantly found her.
"Surprised to see me Mudblood?" he rasped walking slowly toward Hermione.
She remained silent.
"Bet you thought you were nice and safe didn't you?" he came close; his breath was upon her face.
She took in his scent, it smelt like blood and death, a smell Hermione had not experienced since the battle. The thought made her stomach churn.
He laughed against her neck and slowly dragged his teeth across her skin. She gave an involuntary shudder.
"Answer me filth"
"Stop". A voice spoke from the darkness, it was soft yet, there was a power beneath it. Greyback turned toward the voice, it was Minerva.
Greyback seemed to survey to witch, his eyes roamed across her face and down her body.
"Ah, yes. Headmistress" he hissed, "I admit we did not want you, it was the Mudblood I desired but… you will prove an interesting… desert"
Fear flooded Hermione, he would not touch Minerva, she would not let him.
"No", she whispered, the Werewolf turned back to her.
"No?" he purred, "No, what?"
"You don't want her"
He paused, supposedly considering what the young witch had said.
"Don't I" he asked, venom in his voice.
Hermione knew what to say, she knew what to do so that Minerva would be spared.
"She is old. She is… spoiled. I am… neither."
Hermione heard both gasp, Minerva and Greyback.
There was silence.
"No." the voice was stronger this time, "Take me" said Minerva forcefully.
Greyback sniggered.
"But this is too touching, I see there is more to you than meets the eye" said Grey back and he turned his gaze back to Hermione, "I can smell it".
Hermione found her voice again, "smell what?" she said, trying to sound fearless.
"The way your bodies react to one another, it is something of an advantage that comes with my… skills" he lifted his hand to Hermione's exposed breast and pinched the nipple roughly, Hermione gasped in pain, her eyes met Minerva's. Something stirred in the green pair.
"Just… let her go" said Hermione through gasps as Greyback began to drag his nails across her chest leaving trails of inflamed red behind them.
"And where would be the fun in that?" he said with relish, "When I can have her watch as I ruin the woman she loves? The great Minerva McGonagall
"Tut
He scraped his nails deeper.
"Tut
Blood came to the surface and trickled down Hermione's side.
"Tut
Hermione groaned in anguish as she felt the warm liquid trail down her leg.
"Enticed by a filthy mudblood"
"Don't call her that!" shrieked Minerva from across the room.
Greyback laughed again, he turned towards Minerva and watched her reaction as he dragged one nail deeply and roughly in a long line down Hermione's stomach, the flat plain of milky skin was tainted by a deep gash down the middle. Hermione threw her head back in pain.
"You should have been mine years ago, when I captured you in the woods, now… you will be"
The witch's eyes met again and emerald one's widened in horror as Greyback's hands moved lower.
