Authors Note: Enjoy the update.

Hermione woke up slightly panicked, not knowing where she was. A very familiar voice came out of the darkness, "Easy," the single word was incredibly comforting and tender. In a flash the young witch remembered where she was, she had gone to Minerva's cottage and they had confessed how they felt about each other. Then they had been talking and...

"I fell asleep on you?"

"Quite literally." Minerva's voice was amused and her words drew Hermione's attention to their position. They were laying on what had been a sofa but was now a bed, her left leg was on top of the older womans and her hand was resting on a surprisingly firm stomach.

"Sorry."

"No need to apologise."

Hermione lowered her head back to its previous position on the older womans shoulder. "This is nice."

"Yes, it is."

"When do you plan to go back to Hogwarts?"

Minerva sighed, her sense of duty warring with a very real desire to stay in bed with the young witch indefinately. "I... really should be there now."

"As Filius told me, time away would be good for us. Minerva... could we stay here? Just for today?"

Hermione's voice was not pleading but rather earnest as she tried to convey her deep need to spend time alone with the Headmistress. How could Minerva not be tempted by the idea, in an instant she weighed up the pro's and con's. "Alright." It was a soft answer and went against many of her professed priorities but given the fragility of any new relationship and theirs in particular – a day was not too much to ask.

"Really?"

"Yes really." Minerva's arms tightened around the younger witch and she relaxed her body against the mattress. "If we are staying here, we are having a lie-in."

Hermione gave a chuckle and they both relaxed, confident that they were completely safe for the first time in more than a year. It wasn't long until they both fell back asleep.

"Meeerrowl?"

Hermione ignored the question, completely focussed on what she could see underneath the bush. Her tail flicked as she responded only to her instincts. Amber eyes were intent on the injured grouse as she slowly began to walk towards it, one foot at a time – making little sound. As she got closer the entire world seemed to vanish except for the overwhelmingly delicious scent of the birds blood. Something told the calico when to stop moving and she prepared to pounce.

She was already in the air when something heavy hit her from the side and she tumbled down the slope by several feet. Hermione was back on her feet and hissing in an instant, her fur was standing on end as she faced the tabby cat that had hit her.

Minerva merely sat down calmly, tucked her tail around her front feet and nonchalantly began to clean her nails with her teeth. It took the younger cat longer to control her resulting temper but thanks to some breathing techniques she gradually quelled the shaking in her limbs. After a minute she walked towards the tabby and began to nuzzle her. The older feline put her paw down and began to purr.

Hermione started when she heard a voice in her head, 'If you are that hungry we can just go back the cottage for lunch.'

'Minerva?'

'Who else?'

'Cats can talk telepathically?'

'Yes all animals can but their conversation is generally less coherent.'

'I'm sorry.'

'For what?'

'For trying to eat that bird.'

'Hermione... You can eat anything that you would like. However I know that you would have regretted it afterwards.'

'Have you hunted and eaten in cat form?'

'Yes... It is rather odd.' Minerva twitched and in a second the very human form of the woman was standing next to the calico. Hermione watched as the older witch healed the bird with a simple spell before returning to her cat form.

The dining table was covered with plans and blueprints, Hermione was leaning over a sheet of parchment designing a new layout for the as-yet- still- ruined South corridor. Minerva was stirring some kind of sauce on the stove. The older witch took a spoon out of the drawer and tasted it. She frowned, added more pepper and tasted again.

"Hermione... What's missing?"

Minerva walked over to the table and let the younger witch take the spoon into her mouth. "Mmmm nice... but maybe more basil."

The Headmistress clicked her fingers, "That's it, thank you." They grinned at each other before returning to their respective tasks. Both amazed at how comfortable that they were together, shocked at just how right this felt. There was an odd amount of familiarity to their actions, as though they had been doing the same thing for years. But there were a few things lacking, for example Hermione knew very little about the older womans past – it was something that she was determined to resolve.

Minerva was softly humming along to a song on the wireless, obviously much happier now that they had resolved the situation between them and away from the still devastated Hogwarts. The younger witch finished her plans and turned to watch the ever so subtle shimmy of the older womans hips. "You are staring again Hermione."

"Aren't I allowed to?"

"Yes by all means but I do not understand why." She took a sip of the coke that Hermione had gotten her addicted to and waited for the response.

"Could be because you're beautiful... Could be that I'm fascinated by you... or you know it could be that I like the way your arse wiggles when you try not to dance."

Minerva couldn't help it. Coke exploded from her nose as she couldn't hold in her guffaw. It was the second time that the younger witch had prompted that response and she cursed again.

Hermione stood up, laughing herself and grabbed a tea towel off of the worktop and helped the embarrassed woman clean herself up. Initially Minerva stopped her from blotting at the moisture on her chest but after a few moments she let her arms fall – it was the same time when the younger witches hands slowed and she realised where exactly she was dabbing.

Chocolate eyes darted up to meet emerald another second passing in wordless communication. Hermione kept her left hand on Minerva's chest but moved the cloth upwards in her right to gently dry elegant features. All the while they maintained the intense eye contact. The older womans arms drifted up to encircle Hermione's waist.

The young witch tossed the tea towel back where she had gotten it heedlessly before sliding her fingers into Minerva's hair. The saying that the third time was the charm was certainly true in this case. The kiss started off slowly with a series of short pecks that left them wanting more, lips began to caress each other in a way that managed to be both tender yet hungry.

Their embrace tightened and Hermione's tongue brushed over pale lips, begging for entry which was readily granted. Softly, slowly the younger woman began to explore Minerva's mouth. When their tongues met both women moaned. The intensity of the kiss ramped up and they were left trembling with passion.

Neither knew how long it had been when they finally separated, they just held each other tightly, almost clinging together as they gasped for air. "Fine... You can stare all you want."

Hermione giggled and pressed a brief kiss against those heavenly lips. "I definitely will if that's my reward."

Minerva's hand cupped the back of the younger womans head and pulled her into another searingly hot kiss. It was frustratingly short, leaving them both needing more. Hermione gave a sound that was midway between a groan and a growl. "Patience... I have to finish preparing dinner."

The young witch groaned again but released Minerva from her embrace and walked back to the table. She banished the mass of parchment to the desk in the living room and waved her wand, laying the table for dinner. She was about to grab her book when an almighty racket sounded from the kitchen door. Hermione shook her head ruefully and unbolted the cat flap, almost immediately a herd of multi-coloured felines poured through the small gap in search of dinner.

"Hermione?"

The young woman looked up to see Minerva hovering at her open bedroom door, she was lying against sumptuous pillows reading by lamplight. "Well hello."

"May I come in?"

"Sure." Hermione shuffled closer to the wall and gave the older witch room to sit next to her. She took a moment to ogle the Headmistress who was wearing nothing but a nightgown. While not revealing the garment was nevertheless a lot more revealing than what she was used to seeing her wear.

"I saw your light on." Minerva slowly crossed the room and sat down, demurely keeping her feet on the floor.

"Is everything alright?"

"Yes. I am merely... unused to sharing parts of my life with someone else."

"And it's making you a little reticent?"

The older witch turned her head to gaze at Hermione, obviously surprised at the young womans insight.

"Minerva, I have no intention of rushing you or crowding you. We are both used to our own space, you a bit more than I. This will take some adjustment. Besides it's been a bloody awful year and we're only just starting to recover from it."

Despite the season it was still cold this late in the evening and the older witch began to shiver. Hermione reached out and pulled the sheets aside, "Cover yourself up, I don't want you catching cold while you're talking to me."

Minerva gave a huff, "Yes Mother." Despite the sarcasm she slid her legs under the blanket and leant back against the spare pillow. "Happy?"

"Yep."

They smiled at each other warmly. "You just wanted to lure me into your bed."

"Well technically Minerva it's your bed."

The older witch snorted in amusement.

"Secondly, would you mind if I lured you into bed?"

"Assuredly not. However I believe that it is something that we need to discuss."

"Bed?"

"Sex Hermione, sex."

"Oh that."

"Yes that."

"Are you flirting with me again?"

Minerva ran a hand through her hair exasperated. "Yes somewhat but that's not the point I was trying to make."

"You 'Wanna talk about sex baby?'"

The older woman frowned, knowing that Hermione was quoting something but had no idea quite what it was. "If you would rather not..."

"Not at all, sorry I was just teasing you."

Minerva merely rolled her eyes again, "Quite."

Hermione leant over and softly brushed her lips against the older womans, "Better?"

"Much." Minerva's body relaxed and she let herself melt into the pillow. "It has been a long time since I have been involved with someone and it is going to be a hard adjustment for me."

"I know and I really do understand. Plus there is the added complication of our prior relationship."

"Yes." A shadow passed over elegant features, as Minerva considered the kind of things that were liable to be suggested about their liaison.

"I'm happy to go on record and state the facts."

"Thank you but I sincerely hope that it does not come to that. In the aftermath of a war like the one we have experienced, I am hoping that we will be given the benefit of the doubt – or at least some degree of understanding."

"Filius knows. He never said it exactly but he has known for some time I think. I would not be surprised if the other staff had guessed either."

"You are probably right."

Hermione leaned over and rested her head against the older womans shoulder, "What happens next? I mean that... we've spent a fair bit of time snogging, we've confessed how we feel... I mean where do we go from here?"

"You have never been in a real relationship before have you?"

"No I... Not really."

Minerva quirked her lips at the embarrassed tone from the younger woman. "There is nothing to be shy about."

A deep breath, "Then no."

"You... once alluded to having some experience with noises in the bedroom? Have you been intimate with anyone?"

The young witch blushed but fought down the reaction. "I have, yes."

"May I ask?"

"Yes, um, Josie is an old school friend of mine. It was just a one time thing but you know... nice."

Minerva smiled and kissed the younger womans forehead. "While I do have considerably more experience than you, it does not mean that I know what to do, we are going to have to learn to deal with this together. I suggest that we continue as we have been doing, spending time together and just allow things to progress from there."

"Ok."

"You do not sound so sure."

"Well I just figured that there would be a more set plan."

The older witch laughed, "This sort of thing does not adhere to strict scheduling but how about a private dinner tomorrow? Will that suffice for now?"

"Will you have the time for that?"

"I'll make the time."

They chatted for several minutes before falling asleep, though they hadn't discussed it – both were very comfortable curled up together and soon all that could be heard was a soft purring.