A/N: WARNING... Adult situations and a little bit of swearing.

This is a companion piece to Ginny Weasley and the Dreamcatcher and happens after the conversation between Hermione and Minerva in chapter 34. I would have added this into that story, but it doesn't really have any impact on the story and I don't want to add Minerva's point of view because it would give the readers far too many answers. However, ever since I wrote about Radha, I've been thinking about Minerva a lot and what she's been through and how, due to her unlikely friendship with three extraordinary young witches, has finally found a way to heal. This came to me last night... it's a little racy and it's my first attempt at really writing anything of this nature... but, I figure I'm going to need the practice before Hermione finally figures it out. Enjoy!

Minerva had watched Hermione leave and sat down by the fire to think over their conversation. Surely if Hermione had figured out she had been watching over her her whole life, she already knew why. She shook her head.

"Those three are too smart for their own good," she said quietly and laughed.

She had been so relieved when Hermione had told her she wasn't angry with her. She had felt guilty. It was that guilt that had led her to confide in Hermione the truth behind Luna's necklace. As soon as Hermione was old enough to talk she had shared everything with Minerva. It seemed unfair that she had all this information on the young witch and yet Hermione knew almost nothing about her.

It had only grown more difficult as she and the girls had grown closer. She had suspected for a while that Hermione was a Telepath. She had spent many years learning from Telepaths and Empaths both, and was able to see the signs. Even as a young girl, Hermione had been able to communicate with Minerva without speaking... how many times had she wished she could reach out and comfort the young girl?

As the years passed, Minerva came to realise she valued the time she spent as Princess with Hermione. After Radha died, Minerva had shut herself away from the world. Until Albus Dumbledore came one night to offer her the Transfiguration teaching post. It had been bittersweet at first... being at Hogwarts, where there were so many memories of Radha. But, as so many of those memories took place in the Rowena's Room, it had been easy to avoid the most painful ones.

She sighed as she stared into the flames. She wondered again how Hermione could be so perceptive. She looked at her watch and realising it wasn't so very late, grabbed her cloak and decided to pay Hogsmeade a visit.

She remembered and smiled as Hermione had told her about the tunnel that led to Honeydukes. When Hermione came to attend Hogwarts, Minerva suddenly had more free time than she had in eleven years. One afternoon, after a Quidditch win, she had spotted the Weasley twins appear from behind the statue of a one eyed witch. She watched them walk away, arms filled with Butterbeer and other treats. She had entered the passage and followed it into Honeydukes.

In the time since the owners had grown accustomed to finding a cat in their cellar and had even been kind enough to install a cat flap on the back door so she could come and go as she pleased. When Black had escaped she knew he might be using the tunnel and placed enchantments around it to warn her should he attempt it. She really didn't want to have to block it permanently to prevent Harry from using it and decided on less permanent solution when she returned to the castle later.

She transformed into Princess, as she had started referring to her cat form when Hermione had given her the name, and ran the rest of the way. She always enjoyed her cat form... she felt younger and stronger than she did as a human. She pushed her head through the trapdoor and looked around. That was another thing she loved about being a cat, her vision was so much better.

She listened for a moment, and hearing nothing from the store above her, made her way up the stairs and out the back door. They were Dementors about, but they didn't seem to bother as much as a cat and she made her way quickly to the Three Broomsticks.

After opening the door with her nose and transforming in the middle of the inn, she turned to Rosmerta's gasp, "Bloody Hell, Minerva, you gave me a fright!"

"I would have thought you'd be accustomed to it by now? I've been showing up like this for almost three years now," Minerva said, smiling warmly.

"No, that I'm used to... I didn't see you when you came in... I heard the door open and turned to find you standing in the middle of the room already... but why are you here so late, Minerva?"

"A Firewhiskey if you please, Rosie?" Minerva asked smiling as she went to take a seat by the fire as Rosmerta went to fetch her drink. She normally didn't like to drink anything much stronger than Gillywater, but even despite Hermione's encouragement, she still needed a little extra courage.

Minerva watched appreciatively as Rosmerta walked to the bar. She and Rosmerta had stuck up a friendly and sometimes, flirtatious, relationship about six months after Minerva had started visiting the bar. When Hermione suggested she try to find love again, she realised she already had and it was time to find the courage to see of Rosmerta felt the same.

"Are you okay, Minerva?" Rosmerta asked as she handed Minerva her drink, a small frown creasing her features.

"I am, quite simply, better than I have been in a very long time." Minerva smiled, "I see you have no other guests... perhaps you could lock up for the night and join me for a drink?"

Rosmerta smiled, "That sounds like a lovely idea." She aimed her wand first at the door, locking it, and then at the bar to summon the bottle of Firewhiskey and another glass.

Minerva had watched Rosmerta closely as she closed up the bar and chided herself for taking so long to admit her feelings.

"So, tell me, Minerva... why are you looking happier than I've ever seen you?" Rosmerta asked thoughtfully.

"My unlikely friendship with three extraordinary girls... they made me see that it was time, not to let Radha go, but to move on... at last," Minerva finished quietly and took a sip of her Firewhiskey.

"No one could ever expect you to let Radha go, Minerva... she was your soulmate, she'll always be a part of you," she answered softly.

"Do you know, the first time I had dinner with the three girls, they gave me a box they'd found? Radha had written me letters before we got together, telling me how she felt... she had shared most of their contents with me, but... it was like hearing her voice again, reading her letters..." Minerva sighed and felt a tear run her cheek.

"Has Hermione figured it out yet? That you're Princess?"

Minerva laughed, "Actually that's why she wanted to have dinner with me tonight... she isn't angry with me, Rosie, she actually thanked me..."

"She's a smart girl," Rosmerta said with a smile.

"And she's only getting smarter... she's the reason I'm here, actually," Minerva said, blushing as she reached for Rosmerta's hand.

"Really?" Rosmerta replied, somewhat huskily at the effect of Minerva being so close, and holding her hand.

"She told me, it wasn't too late for me to find love," she looked up to Rosmerta's eyes, "I'm hoping she's right?" she asked softly.

Rosmerta smiled and reached out to touch Minerva's face softly and smiled as Minerva reacted by leaning into her touch. She stood and taking Minerva's hands, pulled her to stand. She gently took Minerva's face in her hands and gently kissed her lips for the first time. As she tried to pull away Minerva tried to pull her back into the kiss.

She smiled and leant her forehead against Minerva's, "Can you stay the night?" She asked softly.

Minerva brought her hand up behind Rosmerta's neck and pulled her in for another kiss as her hand traveled up her arm. She pulled away from the kiss only to start trailing kisses along her jawline to her ear where she whispered, "I don't think I could leave now if I tried," she continued her kisses down the younger witch's neck.

Rosmerta reached for Minerva's face and pushed her away. She kissed her softly again and taking her hand led her upstairs to her private quarters.

As they entered the bedroom, Rosmerta waved her wand and lit the candles that filled the room as well as the small fireplace. She placed her wand on the table and closed the short distance between herself and Minerva and pulled her into her arms. She had been waiting a long time to show Minerva how she felt and she wasn't about to hold back now.

Minerva watched as Rosmerta had lit the candles and could already feel the desire she had ignited downstairs begin to grow. The younger witch took her in her arms and kissed her with so much passion, Minerva had actually felt her knees give out and felt herself supported as Rosmerta started to gently bite her way down her neck. She sighed and pulled herself away to look in Rosmerta's eyes, her own passion growing at the desire she saw there.

Minerva watched as the younger witched reached up with slightly trembling hands and undid her own dress... almost moaning as it fell the floor and she saw that Rosmerta wore nothing underneath. She was still staring at the beautiful woman in front of her when she felt her hands move to undress her as well.

Minerva looked down as her own dress fell to the floor, suddenly feeling embarrassed by her own body. Until she felt her younger lover take her into her arms and their skin touched for the first time.

"You're beautiful Minerva," she assured her as she tilted her face up to see her, "Why on earth did you think I'd wait this long?" She finished as her voice lowered again. She was keenly aware of Minerva's wetness on her leg and her own that Minerva must have also noticed.

Rosmerta gently pushed Minerva onto the bed and lay down on top of her, relishing the feeling of her naked body under her own. How many times had she imagined this very thing and now she was finally free to enjoy her?

She looked into Minerva's eyes a moment before pulling her into another long kiss. Softly and gently she started kissing Minerva's face. Her eyelids, her nose, her jawline... all the places she had memorised during their friendship. She worked her way down her lover's neck, kissing and gently biting until she reached her collarbone. She let her left hand come up from it had been resting at her waist to gently cup and squeeze Minerva's breast, almost losing any sense of restraint when she moaned and arched her back into the touch.

She leaned her head down and took Minerva's other nipple in her mouth as she continued to play with the other. She felt Minerva's hand come up and tangle in her hair... the other gripped her back, nails slightly digging in. She looked up to Minerva's face as she let her nipple slip from her lips and went to kiss her again.

She wanted to be able to watch Minerva's face when she finally touched her where she most wanted to touch her. She kissed her and then looked into her eyes as her hand slowly made its way to between her lover's legs.

She could feel Minerva's heat and wetness before even letting her fingers enter her folds. She moaned aloud as she did and Minerva arched again in pleasure. She made slow circles with her fingers around her lover's clitoris as she kissed her and then went to bite her neck as she moved her fingers to enter her.

She kissed her way to Minerva's ear and whispered, "You feel so fucking good, you know that?"

She placed the heel of her hand on Minerva's clit and then started to move her fingers in an out. As Minerva's hips started to move in time to her stroking she placed her thigh between her lover's legs and added more pressure.

Minerva's hands gripped her younger lover's shoulder and she felt her nails digging into her back as the sensations ripped through her body. When Rosmerta had climbed on top of her she had finally given into the orgasm that had been building from the moment they had kissed.

Rosmerta felt her lover's orgasm as it built and then finally released. She slowly pulled her fingers from inside her and looked to Minerva's face to find her smiling and crying at the same time. She reached up and kissed her forehead, "Remind me to thank Hermione for talking some sense into you," she teased.

Minerva smiled and deftly rolled Rosmerta onto her back. Minerva leaned down and pulled her lover into a long and passionate kiss, "I'm sorry I made you wait so long... I fully intend to make up for it."

She kissed her again and then started to make good on her promise. Minerva was finally content for the first time in almost forty years, and she intended to show Rosmerta just how happy she was.

After they had made love several more times and lay exhausted in each other's arms, Rosmerta whispered softly, "I know I can never replace Radha, she will always have a place in your heart, but Minerva?" She paused to look her in her eyes, "I do love you... I always have."

Minerva smiled and kissed her, "And I love you... I realised tonight you've had a place in my heart for some time now... Hermione made me realise it was time to show you." She kissed her again, "The girls are coming to my cottage for the summer... perhaps you can join us, and tell her yourself?"

Rosmerta smiled, kissed Minerva again and then laid her head on her shoulder, and said softly, "I'd like that."