The group left the Headmaster's office and when they reached the bottom, Minerva was there. "Ah, there you three are. We have been looking all over for you."

"Who Professor?" Harry asked.

"The Weasley family specifically. I told them if I found you I would bring you to Gryffindor tower. Most of it was destroyed but there is enough room for the lot of you, and the Fat Lady has specific orders on who is allowed to enter to preserve the privacy."

Harry looked at the other two who both nodded and replied, "Then let's go." The trio followed the older woman as she led them to the tower. The Fat Lady didn't even ask for a password and immediately allowed them entrance. Straight away Harry was enveloped in one of Molly's bear hugs as she cried over him, Arthur patting her back and Ginny standing next to him. Ron was pulled over by the twins and his other brothers as they all exchanged manly hugs among slugs to the arms. Hermione hung back with Minerva and watched the whole reunion. She looked around and noticed a pile of sleeping bags off to the side.

Minerva, who also was watching the reunion, noticed Hermione's attention elsewhere out of the corner of her eye and followed the gaze. "The common room was all that survived, this was the biggest place that we have that offers both privacy along with the space to fit the family." Their attention turned back to the family.

"I feel like I'm intruding," Hermione said quietly, but loud enough for Minerva to hear.

"As do I. I believe I am going to head back to my rooms, or what is left of them that is. If you want, you can join me or stay here with your friends." Minerva replied.

"I think I'll join you." They walked out, the rest of the family none the wiser of their exit except for one.

Minerva led Hermione through rubble strewn corridors before they reached a painting of Godric Gryffindor. "Ah Minerva, glad to see you alive and whole. And Miss Granger, pleasure as always."

"Hello Godric. I'm glad to see your painting has made it. What's the status of my rooms?"

"Well," he hesitated, "You have much bigger windows now. And your wards on your books and special cabinet held," he said with a smile before it became strained, "Though I hope you don't need your loo or anything else in the living room."

Minerva pinched the bridge of her nose. "Thank you, we'll just go in now."

"Alright, have a good night you two," he said while opening up. Once both women were in Minerva cringed at the mess in her living room. Furniture was broken and splintered but her book cases were fine as was a small cabinet. Where the window once was, a gaping hole replaced it. The door that led to her bedroom was off its hinges and splintered in half. They walked into the bedroom and found the massive king sized bed ruffled but unscathed and one dresser slightly damaged but still remaining upright. There also was a gaping hole and judging its specific location and how huge it was explained why Minerva no longer had a bathroom.

"Guess Great Grandfather Fagan truly did ward the bed," Minerva mumbled. She turned to Hermione, "Well it seems less has survived than I had planned."

"That may be, but the important things have survived. Books, liquor, and your bed," Hermione replied with a smirk as she turned around and walked to the cabinet, opening it. "Firewhiskey or Scotch?"

Minerva walked over and bent down next to Hermione, pulling out her wand and tapped a side whispering "Tabby" causing it to slide open revealing another bottle. "I believe after a day like this Ogden's 150 year old gold label firewhiskey is called for." She poured them both a generous amount before sealing the bottle back in its hiding spot. "I believe I don't need to tell you not to reveal this location correct?"

"Your secret is safe with me, Minerva." Hermione said smiling as she accepted the glass from the other woman. She turned around and walked back into the bedroom, the taller witch following her, both taking a seat on the end of the bed. "So what happens now?"

Minerva looked down into the golden brown liquid before replying. "Rebuild and prepare for the new school year. The people who did not attend this past year are allowed to come back for the year(s) they missed and those who were here have the option to retake their year and if choose not to, take the exams that are normally given in order to move on. Those who wish not to return can take their OWLs or NEWTs at the ministry once it gets up and running."

"And us?"

"We'll still be friends." She said, unable to look at the other woman, knowing the path this conversation was going.

"Only friends? After that kiss we shared before the second wave. How only friends?"

"You are expected to be with Ronald and I am expected…"

"Oh damn expectations," Hermione replied vehemently, "Who cares what others expect? It is not their life nor their business and after all that happened today, after putting everyone else before my own safety and happiness, because this year on the run was anything but that, I am going to put my wants first for a change and my want is to take what happened in that short secluded time to go and build on it."

"We only kissed because we were relieved the other had survived so far and were seeking comfort, nothing more." Minerva lied.

Hermione was silent. "I don't believe you. If that is true, tell me to my face, not to the ground. Tell me that you kissed me only because you were looking for comfort, that you don't have feelings for me, that the kiss was meaningless."

Minerva's grip on her glass tightened. "Hermione don't put our friendship on the line."

"It's my heart that's on the line, not our friendship."

Minerva opened her mouth before closing it. Green looked up to meet brown. "I… I don't… I can't."

"You can't what?"

"I can't say that it was meaningless, that I don't have feelings for you, because I do have them."

Hermione placed her glass on the ground before plucking Minerva's almost empty glass and placing it on the floor right next to it. She then cupped Minerva's face. "Then show me."

"But… are you sure?"
"After almost dying today, after our whole world and reason for living almost destroyed, this I'm most definitely sure about." They moved in closer, breath mingling with the others.

"Just so you know, I don't do flings or one night stands."

"Good, because you just might be stuck with me for the rest of your life."

"I think I can live with that."

"Good, now shut up and make love to me." And Minerva did just that. The two women showed their love to each other through touches and kisses, sated only in the wee hours in the morning.

AN: Review and tell me what you think. :) Thank you for reading!