Disclaimer: I'm too poor to own this. The blonde billionaire on the other hand isn't.

Warning: The women of this story are working on getting frisky with each other.

Excuse for the Humungous Delay: Real Life has a way of kicking your ass, dragging you into a ditch, and pissing on you.

A/N: So during my absence, I went back and edited the previous chapters. I figured a lot of you don't even remember what this story is about, so you'd probably skim it again. What better time to do a spit and shine? You don't have to re-read it though. At the end of each chapter, I created a 'Changes Made' section. So, you can just skim that.

A/N: Thanks to those who kept reviewing in my absence. I'm sorry for not replying, but I did enjoy them.


In a secret room away from prying eyes, four very different but good friends relaxed.

A shock of black and a shock of red were pressed close together as two boys fought a violent battle on a chess bored.

On the other side of the room, another shock of red and a shock of brown were bent over separate books.

Out of these four teenagers, only one was seriously doing what they were pretending to do. The other three were slyly exchanging glances trying to goad their friends into raising the topic.

It was the redheaded girl who caved first. Shooting death glares at the two boys, Ginny tossed her Quidditch book to the side and nervously cleared her throat. "Hermione?"

Hermione tenderly flipped another page. "Yes?"

The young Quidditch player rubbed the back of her neck. "You talk to McGonagall right?"

Her eyes stayed focused on the book. "You I know I do."

"Do you think you could ask her something?"

She sighed. She should have went to the library. Sliding her book mark in to place, she softly closed her book."Ask her what?" Her fingers caressed the worn spine.

"We were thinking." She made sure to include her brother and Harry. There was no way she was taking the fall by herself. "It's been a while since we've all gotten together. Mom, dad, Tonks, the twins, McGonagall, and us, I mean. We were thinking, it might be fun if we all got together on Halloween here in the Room of Requirements. We thought maybe you could ask McGonagall to let the twins come to the school after curfew. We could all come here and hang out," Ginny gushed.

"And you can't ask McGonagall yourself?" Hermione teased.

"Nope," Ginny easily supplied. "I am mature enough to admit, she scares me." I also know after this summer there isn't much that woman wouldn't do for you, my friend.

Hermione threw her head back and laughed. It was easy for her to forget the effect Minerva had on others. "I'll ask her."

All three sighed in relief. It was impossible to tell how Hermione would react to something.

Hermione turned back to her book while her friends made plans for their private Halloween bash.

~ooOoo~

Later that night as they reclined in front of the fire in Minerva's personal chambers, Hermione mentioned her friend's request to the reading woman. "Minerva?"

Minerva tenderly flipped another page. "Yes?"

"Ginny asked me to ask you something."

Her eyes stayed focused on the book. "Why could Miss. Weasley not ask me herself?"

Hermione smirked. "You intimidate her."

Sliding her book mark into place, she softly closed her book and focused on the woman who was using her lap as a pillow. "Really? If I may ask, how do I do that?"

"By breathing."

"I will work on that."

Hermione giggled. "I'll tell her. She'll be thrilled to learn she has such an influence with the Great McGonagall."

Minerva huffed. "What is it you, or rather Miss. Weasley, want to ask me?"

"Are you a boxers or briefs kinda girl?"

"Neither," she deadpanned.

Hermione was tempted to ask if that meant she preferred commando. She decided it was best not to have that picture in her head. "Gin wanted to know if you would allow the twins to come to Hogwarts on Halloween night so that the Order can have its own celebration in the Room of Requirements."

"That is asking a lot."

"Isn't it better to have them here where you can watch them instead of home alone at your Manor?"

"I expect for the twins to behave themselves. No pranks and no damage to the school or anyone or anything in the school."

Hermione squealed. "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you." She squeezed Minerva tightly while kissing her cheek. "I'll watch them like a hawk."

"I will hold you to that."

Slightly panting, Hermione laid back down. Her eyes shined with pleasure. "Thank you."

Minerva brushed an unruly curl off her friend's flushed forehead. "Do not thank me until we have both survived the Halloween celebration unscathed."

Hermione nodded then shyly requested, "Would you read aloud?"

"You wish to listen to the effects of rain water on transfigured plants?"

"Yep." She could care less what Minerva was reading as long as she got to listen to the Scottish brogue.

"Very well," Minerva stated dubiously. "Are you comfortable?"

"One moment."

Minerva watched with amusement as Hermione wiggled searching for that allusive comfort. She chuckled as mocha eyes grew heavy with lazy contentment. There were times when she believed the younger witch to be the cat animagus.

"Are you ready?"

"Yes."

The times that Hermione practically purred just added to her belief.

~ooOoo~

The room was decked out with banners, frights, goals, and screams.

Hermione had already had to stop the twins from spiking Ron and Harry's drinks, from spelling Ginny's pants, and cursing Tonks' book. She still couldn't figure out the obsession with that book.

The party was in full swing when Hermione noticed the door. She looked around and realized that no one else seemed to notice it.

Figuring no one would miss her, she walked to the door. It opened into a dark corridor when she approached. She looked over her shoulder, before stepping into the welcoming darkness. Time grew unimportant with each step.

On and on she walked, never halting. What could have been seconds, hours, or days later, she reached a field. The sky was a crisp blue like it had never had the displeasure of meeting a cloud. The grass was as green as a certain witch's eyes. In the distance, a lake sparkled like diamonds from the warm touch of the sun. A lone bird begun to sing a soothing, hopeful melody.

There was a sense of peace, of rightness, about the area. She felt that she belonged there.

Her eyes closed as another melody reached her ears. It was the most beautiful sound she had ever heard. It raged through her, demanding her full attention.

She knew that sound.

She craved that sound.

"Minerva," she purred.

Her eyes opened as she turned to the older woman. Now, the place was truly perfection.

"Hermione."

In this place, there was no fear.

She ran to her friend and threw herself into the woman's arms. She was pleased to realize, Minerva's scent was more primal. Here, there was nothing but the uniqueness of Minerva that coated her skin.

Minerva pulled the younger woman tightly against her, burrowing her nose into the woman's wild mane. Her own body rattled with purrs as lips touched her neck.

Hermione tore away the collar of the older witch's robe. She latched onto the pale skin that covered the pounding pulse of her mentor. Possessively, she nipped at the sensitive flesh, soothing the irritated skin with her tongue while long fingers threaded through her hair, pulling her closer.

Minerva's free hand pulled Hermione closer. Nothing had ever felt like this.

"MOM! DAD!"

Hermione growled as the frantic shouts of Ginny shattered her oasis. She was so damn close.

"I'm going to be sick." Ron's voice followed his sister's.

Exasperated eyes met as the witches reluctantly pulled apart.

"You can't do that!" Ginny screeched.

"I suppose we should go see what all the commotion is about," Minerva suggested.

Hermione nodded as she reached up to readjust Minerva's collar. "I don't think we have a choice. The Weasleys aren't exactly known for their good temperament, especially the younger two."

"Indeed." She tucked an unruly hair behind a small ear. Hermione leaned into the touch, before grabbing the roughened hand and tangling their fingers.

"Do what?" They heard Arthur demand.

"Make out like a couple of teenagers."

The two women smiled before releasing the others' hand. Immediately, they felt the loss. Sadly though, they had a duty to the people on the other side of the door.

They listened as Molly vehemently disagreed. "The Hell we can't."

Hermione grimaced when she walked into the room to see Molly pulling Arthur's head down to passionately kiss him. There were some things that you should not witness.

The room was silent except for the smacking of lips of the older couple. The two youngest Weasleys were as red as tomatoes while the twins both had shit-eating-grins. Tonks and Harry were standing behind the younger Weasleys, leaning against each other to keep from falling to the floor in laughter.

Hermione looked up at Minerva. She was surprised the older woman had done nothing to stop the older couple. Two laughing emeralds looked back at her.

"Definitely fuels the passion."

"Seems to make it all they care about though."

"And that's bad how?"

"It will give people some stories."

"That it will."

Hermione glared at the twins."What did you two do?"

The boys knew that tone. That was the tone their mother used when she was on the edge. They bowed their heads, shuffled their feet, and apologized to the younger girl, "We're sorry."

Minerva chuckled at the predicament that the two deviants found themselves in. It was never a good idea to get on Hermione's bad side.

"And what exactly do you find so funny? Are you not the one who said no pranks?" Hermione huffed. "Yet, here you are, laughing at their inappropriate behavior."

"But..."

"Nothing," Hermione snarled. "Go separate Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, before they do something in front of their kids they will regret." She pointed to the half dressed couple.

Minerva did as told.

Six pairs of eyes followed the Headmistress as she obeyed the orders of a student without question. The twins looked back to Hermione. Their eyes shined with respect. They didn't think there was anyone who could order around their old Professor.

"Bloody hell!" The shout of said Professor brought the twins eyes back to her and their parents. Minerva was holding her nose, as blood slipped through her fingers.

"Do not touch my man!" Molly wagged her finger at the older woman. "There is more where that came from."

Not being one to give up, Minerva spelled her nose to stop bleeding then- once again- she separated the groping couple. This time it was her shin that was hit by a tiny foot. "Woman don't you know how to listen?" Molly grabbed the other woman's robes.

Minerva groaned. What was she supposed to do now? She couldn't very well hurt her friend when she wasn't herself.

Hermione watched in growing anger as Molly proceeded to roughly handle Minerva. Her body was already burning with rage from the smell of her friend's blood. It was taking everything she had not to pull her wand and decapitate the Weasley matriarch. The last straw came when Molly raised her hand to strike Minerva again.

She was between the two women before anyone could blink. Molly took one look into furious golden eyes, and even in her befuddled state, she knew she was in danger.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Molly stumbled back and gulped when her back hit a wall. There was no where to run, and her whole body screamed for her to run.

"I'm sorry," she whimpered.

"You're sorry?" Hermione hissed, advancing on the shaking woman. Her eyes ablaze with unadulterated fury.

The rest of the room wasn't laughing anymore. They were genuinely frightened of their friend.

"Calm down," Minerva ordered. She embraced the woman from behind, pulling her tight against her front. "She is not herself."

"It doesn't matter why."

"Hermione," she tried.

"She hurt you," she growled, lunging for the redhead.

It took all of Minerva's strength to hold Hermione back. She knew she only succeeded because Hermione didn't want to hurt her.

"She is my friend. I care for her dearly."

Seconds of tense silenced followed. Hermione jerkily nodded, before breaking away from the older woman. She avoided everyone's eyes. Her anger was still palpable. "I will forgive her this once. Next time, I will kill her."

No one doubted her.

Hermione ran from the Room of Requirements. She didn't know where she was going, but she knew she had to get away. She had to be free form the castle's walls.

The school, the Black Lake, and many tress of the Forbidden Forest fell behind her. She ran until her chest burned with each breath, until her knees gave in and brought her clashing to the ground of the Forbidden Forest.

She knew Molly wasn't in her right mind. She knew Minerva was capable of protecting herself.

None of it mattered.

She wanted to kill Molly for daring to hurt Minerva. She wanted to kill Arthur so Molly could know a fraction of her pain. She wanted to kill the twins for causing it. She wanted to kill Ginny for suggesting the fucking party. She wanted to kill Harry, Ron, and Tonks for just standing their and letting it happen.

She knelt there for hours until her knees had become chapped from her damp blue jeans.

She was numb as her thoughts raged: What if Minerva decided to walk away? What if she decided she was too dangerous to be around?

Shakily, she pushed herself to her feet. Her steps were slow and heavy and she walked back to the castle.

Courage burned away by her rage, she headed to the Head Girl's room. There was no way she could face Minerva.

Every step she climbed was a burden to her lead feet. Every breath she took was a nuisance to her exhausted lungs.

She kicked off her shoes, her shirt followed. Her pants were last as she dropped them beside her bed.

She slid beneath her covers in the pitch black room, too tired to deal with the hassle of pajamas.

Her eyes closed and her heart slowed.

In and out... in and out... she breathed. Slowly, her heart calmed.

"Where were you?"

Hermione jumped, roughly landing on the floor beside her bed. "How long have you been there?" How had she missed the fact that Minerva was in her bed.

"Hours. Where were you?"

Climbing back into bed, Hermione turned her back on her mentor.

"Where were you?" Minerva insisted, her hand pulling Hermione on to her back.

"The Forbidden Forest."

"You do know that it is forbidden for a reason?"

Hermione let out a cynical laugh. "Probably more than most."

"Why did you go there?"

"I had to get away."

"Because of what happened in the Room of Requirements." It wasn't a question. Hermione only shrugged her shoulders. "I am worried. It is not like you to act so out of control. There have been a lot of changes in your behavior lately. Not to mention the incident with the sword. I want to know why Hermione. I want to know now."

Hermione turned her back to the older woman. "You wouldn't understand."

"Try me."

"You should leave." She buried her face in her pillow when she felt the bed shift as the older woman stood up. She fought to control the shaking of her body as the older woman walked away from her. A sob escaped as the door to her room closed.

She flinched when arms wrapped around her. She sagged against her friend. If Minerva was going to stick around, she deserved to know.

"Every summer, the nightmares would get worse than what they were during the school year. They were bad, but I learned to ignore them... until fifth year. I can still remember it as if it was yesterday. I was taking the exam for Astronomy, when Umbridge decided to kick Hagrid off school grounds. Who would try to stop her but you? It was horrible watching as you were thrown back from the force of the stunners. For a moment you didn't move. For just a second, I thought you were dead, but then your chest raised just a fraction. It was as if the sun had risen for the first time in a millennium. I was so happy. That summer the nightmares got worse. I could remember bits and pieces. Your bloody and broken body haunted me." She turned to face the older woman, to caress the angled face. "I can't go through that again. I know my reaction to Molly wasn't perfect, but I can't lose you."

Hermione watched Minerva, unable to decipher what was going on in that brilliant mind. Her eyes drifted to trace over familiar features, only to stop on the skin that now bore her mark.

She smiled and succumbed to the urge to finish what she started. Leaning forward, she resumed her suckling.

Minerva remained still as her neck was feasted on. Her thoughts were filled with what Hermione had told her. Could she really be the cause of the girl's nightmares, or rather, could her absence be the cause?

She didn't realize she had repositioned herself, so Hermione was on top of her or that her hands idly rubbed over the woman's bare shoulder blades.

Her eyes drooped as her mind begin to give in to her exhaustion. However, when she felt raised skin underneath her wandering fingers, her eyes flew open. She ran her fingers over the vertical 'scar' that ran across the girl's right shoulder blade and then ran her fingers over the vertical 'scar' on the girl's left shoulder blade.

The lips against her neck stilled.

Gently, she raised Hermione's head from her neck. Even in the darkness of the room, golden eyes glowed clearly.

She returned Hermione's head to her neck where Hermione immediately set back to marking her.

She thought about that. She knew now that was what it was. She was being marked even if Hermione wasn't aware of what she was doing. It made sense now. It was so obvious. The gold eyes, the nightmares, the fear of losing her, the protective streak, the touching, the need to hear her heart beat, and the scars on her back.

The only question she had was how it was possible. Hermione was a Muggle born.


Finally, they're starting to figure it out.