Sorry for the delay. University is... well, time consuming. It's an incredible experience, if stressful.
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In some ways it was like any other day; Hermione was curled on Minerva's sofa, a cup of tea balanced on her lap. There was one significant difference – she was holding Minerva's hand. They were sitting in silence, content to simply be together. Hermione struggled not to fidget or shake. She had never imagined that her feelings would be reciprocated, that she would have an opportunity to live through such a scenario. Now that she had her dream, it was essential that she didn't ruin it by panicking.
"Are you quite alright?" Concern was visible in the light frown Minerva gave her, and Hermione wondered if the older witch felt the same uncertainty that she did, and the same fear of rejection.
"Yes, I- I feel fine." Hermione gave what she hoped to be a reassuring smile, shuffling over in order to move closer to Minerva, whose eyes still contained a shadow of doubt."Happy."
"Aren't you frightened?" Minerva placed a firm hand on Hermione's shoulder, preventing her from kissing the worries away. She spoke slowly, her voice low. "Doesn't it matter to you that people will talk?"
"Not especially, no." Hermione saw Minerva's look of disbelief and decided that it would be better to elaborate. "There are so many important things about life, and idle gossip isn't one of them. You, on the other hand..."
With trembling fingers, Hermione reached out and caressed the side of Minerva's face, allowing her fingers to slip downwards until they were covering the graceful curve of her neck. She could feel Minerva's pulse and the warmth of her skin. The right to act with such familiarity was everything Hermione had hoped for and more.
"Hermione." With a soft sigh, Minerva leant into her touch for a brief moment. "What about your friends? They matter to you a great deal, unless I'm mistaken."
"You're right; I do care about them. They care about me too, though, which means they'll want me to be happy. Harry knows about my feelings for you, and he understands."
Minerva's eyes widened slightly before closing.
"And Ronald? Ginny? What about your parents?" She shook her head. "I can't imagine that they'll prove to be quite so amenable."
"Ginny ... well, she knows that I have no romantic feelings for her brother. Ron's feelings for me complicate things, but we've been best friends for years; he's bound to come around. Eventually." Giving a thin smile, Hermione wondered if she believed that things could ever be the same between her and Ronald Weasley again. The thought of her parents, now Wendell and Monica Wilkins, was a difficult one, and Hermione felt her throat burning. "When it comes to my mum and dad – after I find them, that is – explaining why I modified their memories and fought in a war without telling them is going to be a lot more trying than telling them about this."
Hermione's voice cracked. Even now, her parents didn't know that she existed. The sooner all of the Death Eaters were sentenced, the better. She folded her legs and wrapped her arms around them, determined not to cry when it was imperative that Minerva understand that she could cope with the results of their relationship.
"I'm sorry." Tentatively, Minerva reached out and brushed Hermione's hair back from her face. Unable to speak due to the lump in her throat, Hermione said nothing. Minerva withdrew her hand, and it was obvious that she had misinterpreted Hermione's silence. "I didn't mean to upset you."
"It's not your fault. I just... I miss them." Blinking furiously, Hermione rested her head on Minerva's shoulder.
"That's perfectly understandable – nothing you should be ashamed of." She wrapped a comforting arm around Hermione, and they were quite.
Hearing Minerva discuss family made Hermione think of something that she was ashamed not to have given a great deal of thought, previously. She didn't know if Minerva had a family, large or small, although if she had any living relatives with whom she was close, it was unlikely that she would have failed to mention them to Hermione in the course of their friendship. Curious, Hermione wiped the tears from her eyes and turned to give Minerva her full attention.
"Minerva?" It was, upon reflection, a rather awkward question to ask, and rather personal.
"Yes?"
"Do you- do you have any family?" Immediately, Hermione felt guilty. A sharp intake of breath was her only response. Minerva's expression froze, and she looked rather lost. "It's okay; you don't have to answer that. I shouldn't have asked."
She squeezed Minerva's hand gently, feeling dreadfully inadequate.
"You have every right to ask – it was simply a surprise, although it shouldn't have been. I was an only child, and my parents were killed in the fight against Grindelwald. My father was an Auror, and my mother was a Healer; she was a half-blood, and very successful in her field – perhaps why she was targeted. Just over a week after her funeral, my father went after Grindelwald for revenge. I have some distant relatives, but we're not what you could term family." Minerva gave a tired smile that softened her features.
Hermione cursed her own stupidity, feeling that her tactlessness in discussing her own predicament with Minerva could rival Ron's.
"I had no idea. I-"
"Don't apologise for it. It was a long time ago, and I'll help you find your parents as soon as this is all over. I want to see you happy." Minerva spoke stiffly, as though unsure of how hew proclamation would be received. Hermione felt her relax as she embraced her, taking in Minerva's lavender scent.
"I love you." As she felt Minerva's hand come to rest on her back, Hermione felt completely secure, and confident that she would see her parents again soon.
"And I love you." Minerva turned her head and pressed her mouth against Hermione's in a hungry kiss that caused them both to forget the outside world. They had discussed all immediate concerns, and Hermione was delighted with the reminder that she had the right to share this blissful pleasure with Minerva whenever she chose to.
They spent the morning together, and most of the afternoon, discussing a variety of topics and exchanging several lingering kisses, until Hermione realised that Minerva was distracted – most likely because she had abandoned the reigns and let another deal with the running of Hogwarts for the first time during her brief tenure as Headmistress.
"I had better get going." Hermione stood and put on her cardigan, enjoying the feeling of having Minerva's eyes on her.
"Are you sure? You're welcome to stay." Minerva too got to her feet, and although her offer was genuine, Hermione knew that it would be wrong to keep her from working any longer.
"No, no. If I'm not back for dinner, Mrs Weasley will start to worry." Hermione had to keep herself from grimacing as she imagined the possibilities for tonight's 'subtle' push towards Ron; she didn't want to worry Minerva.
"Ah... well, I meant that you could return here, if you wanted." Seeing Hermione's surprised expression, Minerva hurried on. "I meant in my spare room, although if that makes you uncomfortable in light of today's revelations, then I'd-"
"I would like that very much, but I think that I'll spend the rest of the week with the Weasleys first. I'm not quite ready to leave Harry, Ron and Ginny. We have some things to work out before I can leave the Burrow." Although she wanted to be close to Minerva, Hermione knew that that she had made the right decision. She needed to fix things with Ron and quickly, because the longer she left it, the more damage would be done. It was going to be tough, but having Minerva behind her made all the difference in the world.
"A very good idea." They shared a lingering kiss. "When will I see you next?"
"Harry invited me to come with him and spend the morning with him and Ginny and little Teddy, so probably during the afternoon – lunchtime, if I can manage to get away early." Hermione was looking forward to playing with the baby, but she was already saddened by the idea of being away from Minerva.
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"So, what did Flitwick say? You were gone for hours." As soon as they had eaten dinner, Ginny had all but dragged Hermione upstairs, claiming that they were going to have an early night. She sat on her bed, looking down at Hermione with the same determination that her mother often displayed.
"Well, it was... I..." Hermione sighed, flopping back onto her camp bed. "I wasn't with him for very long, to be honest."
"I knew it!" Her expression triumphant, Ginny clapped her hands in delight. "Tell me everything."
"There's not that much to tell, really." Feeling shy, Hermione looked away, and when she next looked at Ginny she saw that her friend's eyebrows were raised suggestively. Sitting up, she threw her pillow at Ginny.
"Oh no?"
"No. We talked a lot, and we kissed quite a few times as well." With a wave of her wand, Hermione summoned her fallen pillow and got under the covers. She lay down and turned to face the wall, focussing on the poster of Gwenog Jones punching the air. "There was nothing more than that."
"You can tell me, you know." All traces of playfulness faded from her voice as Ginny realised that she had pushed Hermione a little too far. "I didn't mean to tease you."
Hermione had always listened to Ginny when she had wanted to talk about her love life, but never had she chosen to confide in her about anyone save for Minerva, and even then she was far from specific. There was a creak as Ginny stood up, and a moment later Hermione felt her mattress shift as Ginny sat down behind her.
"It's okay." Still, Hermione didn't roll over.
"You love her so much, don't you?"
"Yes. Yes I do." Hermione smiled, thinking that tomorrow she would have the opportunity to tell Minerva the same thing, and again every day in the foreseeable future.
"And you're going to be together, aren't you?"
"We are, but for now we'd rather that not many people knew about it." Hermione rolled over and looked intently at Ginny, willing her friend to understand the importance of their situation. "Please keep my secret, Ginny."
"I promise." For a moment Ginny looked completely solemn, but the corners of her mouth turned upwards after a moment, and there was a mischievous light in her eyes that Hermione knew well. "So tell me what it's like?"
"What? I told you; nothing happened!" Hermione fought the temptation to push Ginny from her bed and onto the floor.
"Not that – being her girlfriend." Ginny's attempt at an innocent expression was somewhat damaged by the way she shook with suppressed laughter. Despite herself, Hermione smiled.
"Brilliant." Hermione covered her mouth as she yawned, pulling the covers up around her. Unfortunately, they made a poor substitute for the arms she was imagining. "Minerva makes me feel so safe and secure, but it's as though there's never been anything so exciting in my entire life. Do you know what I mean?"
"Yeah..." Ginny's expression softened slightly, and she cast a brief look at the ceiling, through which Harry would no doubt be sleeping in his bed. "Yeah, I do."
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"Hurry up, Harry!" Ginny watched impatiently as her boyfriend accepted Mrs Weasley's offer of more eggs and toast. He looked at her and shrugged apologetically. "Honestly..."
Although she could quite happily have eaten another slice of toast, Hermione thought that it would be prudent to abstain from re-filling her plate and avoid Ginny's ire. She folded her cutlery neatly and waited, listening to the conversation between Charlie and Mr Weasley and avoiding meeting Ron's gaze.
"Hermione?" Ron gave a smile made slightly awkward by the fact that he was still chewing. Wisely, he swallowed the food in his mouth before continuing. "Would you like to come out to the orchard and play some quidditch?"
An awkward silence descended, and Hermione was very conscious of the sound of knives and forks scraping plates. Although Mrs Weasley's back was turned as she washed dishes, it was clear from the way she stood unnaturally still that she was listening to every word.
"No thank you." Hermione looked away so that she didn't have to witness the look of hurt in Ron's eyes. "I don't think that would be a good idea."
She stood and pushed her chair in, rushing from the room and up the stairs. Sitting down on her bed, Hermione ran her hands through her thick brown hair. She felt too hot, and it didn't help that the sun shone directly into Ginny's room during the day. She knew exactly what would calm her down. There was nothing Hermione wanted more than to see Minerva, even if she couldn't discuss the situation with Ron. Neither one of them was ready to go public with their relationship, but it wasn't fair to leave her friend in the dark.
There was a creak as the door opened slowly to reveal Ginny, and Harry behind her, both of whom looked surprisingly cheerful.
"Shall we make a move, then?" Harry looked rather keen to leave, although he was shifting nervously.
Ginny nodded in response. She was all but bouncing on the spot, her smile infectious.
"Of course." Hermione followed them down the stairs, keeping her eyes straight ahead as they passed the kitchen; she didn't feel like seeing Molly Weasley's disapproving stare being directed towards her.
When they left the house, Hermione was struck by the beauty of the English countryside. She could see golden wheat fields in every direction, and the sky was an expanse of blue dappled by the odd, wispy white cloud. As she followed Harry and Ginny (at a slight distance in order to give them a small degree of privacy), Hermione couldn't help but wonder if Minerva was taking full advantage of the weather. Somehow, she doubted it. Still, she would make sure that they spent some time outside during her afternoon visit.
"Do you remember where to apparate to or will we try side-along?" Although they were a couple, the way Harry only seemed to address Ginny irritated Hermione – after all, Ginny had been there more times than she had and so was less likely to get lost.
"I'll manage, I think." Ginny poked Harry's side playfully, and he swatted away her tanned arm. "If not, you can rescue me; we all know how much you love to save people."
"I'll let you splinch yourself for that comment. Have a day, 'Mione." Harry grinned, but Hermione felt confused.
"What? I'm coming with you, aren't I?" Puzzled, she looked between her two friends. Ginny shot her a pitying look that reminded Hermione that she was Fred and George's younger sister. Well, George's – there was no Fred-and-George anymore.
"No. You're going to see Minerva, and we're going to go and see Teddy. Afterwards, we're going out for lunch and you are going to... well, I don't need to know the details." Harry smiled sheepishly, taking Ginny's hand. "See you later, and tell her- tell her I said 'hi'."
"Thank you, Harry." It was an incredibly touching gesture, and Hermione knew that he understood how grateful she really was. "Give Teddy a great big cuddle from me."
"Alright, now get going!" Ginny rolled her eyes as though incapable of understanding why Hermione was still with them. Not needing to be told twice, Hermione closed her eyes and disapparated.
When she next opened them, she was standing outside of the familiar Hogwarts grounds. Trying not to consider the atrocities that had taken place in the surrounding area, Hermione focussed instead on what Minerva would be doing. Most likely reviewing the various Professors' requests for equipment to replace what was lost and prioritising paperwork. As she stepped into the entrance hall, Hermione appreciated the coolness of the air around her.
"Miss Granger!"
Hermione turned, trying to locate the voice. It didn't take her long to spot Madam Pince leaning on a walking stick as she hobbled from the Great Hall. It seemed that she was to be forgiven for her excessive borrowing of books and time spent in the library during her time as a student, because the librarian looked positively delighted to see her.
"Madam Pince – I'm glad to see that you're back on your feet." With the exception of a few more grey hairs and an obvious limp, it seemed that she hadn't changed at all, although it was rather strange seeing her smiling.
"After what you've done for the library, you can call me Irma. I was terrified of what I was going to find, but there wasn't a page out of place." Madam Pince – Irma – patted her shoulder and headed towards the library, leaving Hermione in her wake, shocked by the encounter.
"She's right, you know." A voice that made Hermione's heart hammer echoed. She turned sharply to see Minerva descending the stairs. She wasn't wearing an outer-robe, but this appeared to be Minerva's only concession to the weather; her outfit consisted of a full length black skirt, white blouse and a dark waistcoat. "You did do a lot for the school, in particular the library."
Minerva reached the bottom of the stairway, and Hermione was hard pressed not to embrace her.
"It's such a special place..." Hermione trailed off, flustered by Minerva's proximity. She could practically taste her soft, creamy skin.
"It seems as though the two of you have reached a new understanding, Hermione. I trust that Irma has no intention of filching you." Minerva folded her arms and scrutinised a spluttering Hermione. It had never occurred to her that the staff would speculate about the romantic habits of their colleagues; much less reach the same conclusion as the students.
"You're a dark horse." Shaking her head, Hermione climbed the stairs, grateful for the coolness of the castle, its stone walls sheltering her from the relentless heat of the sun.
"Perhaps I am. I had thought that you were going to see Andromeda and Teddy this morning," Minerva sounded a little distracted, and Hermione wondered if she had made the right decision, "Not that it isn't wonderful to see you again so soon after yesterday; a lovely surprise."
"It turns out that Harry and Ginny have taken it upon themselves to provide me with an alibi. I think that they're looking forward to having some time alone together."
"Ah. And how are you going to explain your decision to return next week?" There was an underlying question in her words.
"I'm not certain, but I'll definitely come back." If they hadn't been in a public corridor, Hermione would have slipped her hand into Minerva's.
"Well, I may have a solution to your problem – to two of your problems, actually." Minerva opened her door and gestured for Hermione to precede her into her rooms. "You will return so that we can maximise the time spent looking for your parents. I've spoken to a couple of people in the Ministry, and they will help us to locate your parents, although it's best to leave the restoration of their memories to a professional."
"Do you really mean that?" Hermione couldn't conceal the hope in her voice. She knew that it was a lot to ask for – so much so that she felt a little guilty – but the prospect of seeing her parents again and having them back in her life was too good to even consider refusing.
"Of course. I wanted to be sure that they could do it before I told you, and-" Minerva fell silent as she was winded by the force of Hermione's embrace.
"Thank you so much, Minerva." Her voice shaky, Hermione could only whisper into Minerva's ear. A chilling thought occurred to her. "What about the trials?"
Minerva took her hand and guided her to the window seat. It seemed that some form of cooling charm had been cast throughout the apartments, because even with the sun directly on her skin, Hermione felt comfortable.
"They'll begin before the end of the week. I'd imagine that you'll receive a call to the witness stand for one or two of the high profile cases – Rodolphus Lestrange's, for example." She placed a reassuring hand on Hermione's wrist.
The possibility had occurred to Hermione before, however she had tried to banish all thoughts of the impending court cases from her mind; the last thing that she wanted was to see any Death Eaters again. To lock them away without a hearing would stain the perceived goodness of their victory – which had not been clean or golden – and Hermione understood that the magical community couldn't afford to have its new beginning tainted by a failure to meet the rights of the prisoners. Still, the idea of coming face to face with Voldemort's followers was a chilling one.
"That's good." Hermione couldn't bring herself to meet Minerva's eyes. "I'm sure that I'll be fine."
It was a lie. She didn't want to think about the time she had spent in the Malfoy family's manor or the means by which so many of her friends had died. Minerva didn't contradict her, instead wrapping an arm around Hermione's waist.
"When I realised that... this could be within my grasp, I panicked." The confession succeeded in drawing Hermione's attention. "I was so surprised by the very thought of it that I couldn't bring myself to follow you to the Burrow – do you remember?"
"Yes, I do." It had slipped her mind, but as Minerva spoke, she began to understand.
"And when I kissed you, I was terrified of what you would think of me." Minerva gave a small frown as she reflected upon the experience. "My point is this: although I was afraid, some good came from the experience."
"Only some?" Hermione smiled teasingly.
"Alright, perhaps a little more than that." Minerva laughed musically as Hermione shifted, placing a series of kisses along her neck. It was easy for Hermione to push all unpleasant thoughts from her mind as she continued upwards to Minerva's mouth.
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