Authors Note: Thank ya'll for the nice reviews, enjoy the update.

Chapter Two – An unorthodox arrangement

Minerva stirred slightly in her sleep, it was the unfamiliar sensation of having another woman in her arms that brought her to full awareness. Otherwise she would have rolled over and recommenced snoring. A glance downwards revealed a shaggy mass of chestnut curls and a lot of naked skin. The Headmistress tore her eyes away for a moment, frantically looking around the dim room. The only light came from an ajar door, she tried without turning her head to find her clothes.

'What have I done,' Minerva wasn't sure if she only said it in her head or if she had spoken aloud. She became cognizant of the fact that her legs were tangled up with Hermione's but that she was lying on top of one of the young womans arms. The room was full of the scent of sex. The Headmistress wanted to slap herself at her appalling lack of self-control.

Hermione woke up aware first that she was partially lying on top of someone and that her arm was numb. Then as she was remembering the events of the previous evening, she felt the older witch stiffen. "Mmmrph." She raised her head but was unable to read what was going on in Minerva's eyes in the darkness.

"I really should be getting back."

The young witch glanced at the clock. "It's not even three o'clock in the morning." She pulled her arm from underneath Minerva and rested her head back on the older womans shoulder. "Go back to sleep."

"How can you be so bloody calm?"

Hermione gave a chuckle and rolled off of the older woman. "Minerva, there's no point in getting agitated."

"We had sex!"

"Yes we did." When Minerva tried to sit up a hand applied pressure to her shoulder. "We are both consenting adults, what happened happened because we both needed it."

"And we were drunk."

"That too. Look Minerva, what is done cannot be undone. I'm tired, you are too. We'll talk about this in the morning." Hermione rolled onto her stomach and buried her head in the pillow, "Go back to sleep."

There was nothing now keeping the older woman in the bed but she stayed anyway. There was something in the Hermione's voice that she hadn't heard in a long time. Unconditional acceptance.

It was fairly late in the morning when they woke up again. They were once again touching, lying side by side – hips and shoulders in tight contact. It was almost the same moment when they turned their heads to look at each other. There was a rather long period of silence and then they both said, "Morning," at the same moment. The ensuing laughter served to break the tension.

Hermione sat up, completely unselfconscious that she was naked. She vigorously rubbed a hand over her face, grateful that they had slept long enough for her to avoid a hangover from the copious amount of alcohol that she had drank the previous night. She slid out of bed and pulled a warm flannel robe from inside her wardrobe, momentarily she had considered the sexier silk one but had changed her mind – deciding that discretion was the better part of valour.

She fastened her robe and turned back to face the naked ebony haired siren in her bed. It took a lot of willpower to keep her eyes on Minerva's face. Blindly she reached out and grabbed another robe, she placed it on the messy sheets. "I'll go and make some coffee, the shower and everything is through that door. Feel free to help yourself to anything you want."

"I believe that I already did."

Hermione grinned broadly.

"Oh Merlin, did I say that aloud?"

"Yep." The young woman winked at Minerva, "I'll see you downstairs." With that she walked out of the room. Emerald eyes followed her departure and the older witch had the urge to apparate to Hogwarts but fought the uncharacteristic cowardice. Breakfast was bound to be awkward but surely it wouldn't kill her.

Meanwhile Hermione had put a pot of coffee on to brew, knowing from past experience that her former mentor liked the bitter beverage in the morning. At the same time she charmed the bread to cut itself into slices while she dived into the shower in the downstairs bathroom. As quickly as possible she shampooed her hair and washed the smell of sex off of her skin.

Another spell transfigured the robe into comfortable jogging bottoms and a t shirt. She walked back into the kitchen and began to chop onions and mushrooms. As Hermione moved back and forward, she realised just how sore some of her muscles were – it seemed that their activities of the previous night had been rather energetic. The thought made her laugh.

"Something amusing?"

"Just a random thought." Hermione turned to see Minerva standing in the doorframe. Her ebony hair was unbound and she was wearing her trousers from the previous evening with one of the younger womans blouses over the top.

The older witch noticed her gaze, "I hope you do not mind but I borrowed this."

"Not at all. That colour looks good on you." She turned back to her task and cast a charm learnt from Molly Weasley that would ensure that the eggs were cooked, the toast was toasted and that they would be fed.

"You also look good." The casual clothes, hair in a ponytail and flushed skin made the younger witch look more than simply good.

"Thanks." Hermione grabbed the coffee pot, "Do you still take milk, no sugar?"

"You remembered that?"

"Well... I... Have a good memory for some things."

"Yes I still drink my coffee that way. Thank you." Minerva smiled when the young woman placed two mugs on the table.

Hermione sat down, chocolate eyes intent on the older witch. "I thought that you'd probably be gone when I woke up."

"Truthfully I did think about it."

"What stopped you?"

"It was what you said about not being able to change what happened. You just seemed so calm and collected about everything."

"Well it's not as though I make a habit of taking women home from the pub."

"You seemed rather at ease with the whole situation."

"For some reason I'm rather at ease with you. The situation is another thing entirely."

"Where do we go from here?"

Hermione rubbed her chin deep in thought. "I had an idea."

"Oh?"

"You said last night that you were lonely, that you did not get away from Hogwarts often."

"Yes, and?"

"I believe that I also mentioned that I am somewhat lacking in a social life?" Standing up the brunette witch grabbed two plates and dished up their breakfast. "I hope this is ok, I don't know what you like to eat for... erm... brunch."

Minerva chuckled, "This looks wonderful, thank you."

"I thought that perhaps we could be... friends."

"Friends?"

"Is that so surprising? We connected really well last night Minerva and I'm not talking about what happened later."

"I know that you are not."

"I figured that as we're both very busy and that neither of us have the time or the inclination to start new... relationships." Hermione's gaze returned back to unconvinced emerald eyes, "For example next week there is an exhibition of early magical artefacts at the museum in New York. It's not the kind of thing that Harry or Ron would want to go to... And sometimes it would be nice to have a meal with a human being who isn't my mother..."

Minerva sat up a little straighter and focussed more intently on what Hermione was saying. "Friends?"

"Yeah, so if Hogwarts ever gets too much or you just want a break you can come here."

"You seem to have thought this out."

"Somewhat. I'm guessing we can iron out the details as we go along."

Minerva pushed her empty plate away and finished her coffee, giving Hermione's suggestion the thought that it deserved. "Well... I think that the idea has merit."

"But?"

"But there is one thing that you haven't considered."

"Which is?"

"The... other thing that happened last night. What if it happens again?"

"Sex?" Hermione laughed, "Minerva, like I said this morning, we are both adults."

"You cannot be serious! Are you suggesting that we should just..." The Headmistress cut off, shaking her head. "...whenever the mood strikes?"

"Actually I am." Hermione leaned back in her chair, hands wrapped around a fresh cup of coffee observing the older witch. "Sex is a need just like any other one that we've discussed. It is a great way to unwind and relax. We both have stressful jobs."

"Wha...uh...w..."

Hermione gave a single chuckle and took a sip of her drink. "Hey, we've already 'broken the ice' and I'm not proposing anything sordid. I'm merely suggesting that if the... occasion occurs... or 'the mood strikes'."

Minerva smirked, "Friends with benefits?"

"Well I would never say anything so clichéd. But essentially yes, an arrangement where we spend time together and if we are..."

"..horny."

"Then perhaps we act on it."

"You have an amazing way of surprising me Hermione."

"Do you need time to think about it?"

"I am not sure about the benefits part but I would very much like to be your friend."

Hermione smiled, it was more than enough for now. "What do you have planned for today?"

The Headmistress shot a glance at the clock, "I have a meeting at six but until then I am free."

"How about we do something?"

"What do you have in mind?" Inadvertently Minerva's gaze shot to the ceiling and beyond it the bedroom. The younger witch noticed this with a smirk but didn't call her on it.

"Well I... Maybe we could go for a walk, or see a movie – we could even go and find the Loch Ness monster."

"In other words you do not mind what we do but you want to consolidate our... arrangement."

"Something like that."

"A walk sounds nice but you are limping slightly."

Hermione laughed, "I think that I pulled a muscle last night. Walking will do me good. I'm just going to grab my wallet and change my clothes." She rounded the table and briefly placed a hand on Minerva's shoulder as she walked past.

TBC