AN: Well, looks like Hurricane Irene passed me by. To those of you who met her face to face, Bless You. This chapter picks up immediately where the last one left off.

THE PAMPHLET

Chapter Seven

Intimacies and Communication

Darkened chocolate orbs blinked open wetly. Something about the gentleness in Minerva's kiss touched Hermione's soul.

She peered into emerald eyes that gazed intently back at her as if waiting for her to scrunch her face up in disgust.

She didn't do that.

A small, tentative smile turned up her lips as she whispered, "Do that again."

Emerald eyes twinkled brightly, "Indeed?"

Minerva didn't wait for an answer. Slowly, she pressed her mouth once again onto the softest, plushest lips she'd ever had the pleasure of kissing.

"Mmmmmm." The young woman moaned, causing the elder witch to inwardly smile... At least she could do this right.

Moments later, they separated when the need for air overcame the desire for more kissing... at least momentarily. After several deep breaths, Hermione grabbed Minerva and smooched her once again.

Muffled chuckling caused the young witch to pull away, "Are you laughing at me?"

"With you my dear, with you." Came a soft reply as Minerva reached out and gently caressed her wifes cheek. Her expression was one of astonished wonder as she whispered, "Such lovely magic you are."

Hermione's eyes watered with emotion, "Are you finding yourself attracted to women now?"

Minerva shook her head, "No, just one woman... you." She leaned in and tenderly kissed sweet lips one more time.

Grinning, Hermione said, "I like your kisses."

A huge grin spread across Minerva's proud features, "You keep me coming back for more."


The rest of the afternoon found the newlyweds strolling about the grounds of McGonagall Manor. Hermione couldn't get over the sheer vastness of the estate.

"I can't believe that this is your place. It's huge!"

They were standing on a heather covered hill overlooking the house itself. Minerva sighed and reached out for the young witch's small hand.

"It is your home too."

Hermione smiled tremulously as she squeezed her wife's hand, "I never realized that the McGonagall's were as... "

"Ostentatious? Upper crust? Stinking rich?"

Hermione laughed at Minerva's descriptions, "Something like that."

Nodding her understanding, the Headmistress stated, "The McGonagalls have never been a family to flaunt their wealth."

Hermione interrupted saying, "Like the Malfoys?"

Snorting, the older witch nodded, "Something like that."

Continuing, she added, "My family has always believed in putting the money to work. We have heavily invested in a great deal of Scottish industry."

She paused as a thought made her grin, "Lucius Malfoy would have a coronary if he knew just how many muggles we employ."

"Yet your family is pureblood." Hermione's statement sounded slightly accusatory.

Raising an eyebrow, Minerva commented, "Not all pureblood families are like the Malfoys or the Blacks."

Hermione took a deep breath as she gazed thoughtfully gazed about, "How is it that your family are not involved in magical politics and such?"

A deep chuckle sounded from the older woman. "The McGonagalls were never interested in the falseness of politics. There are plenty enough buffoons out there without any one in my immediate family joining in."

She frowned darkly as one particular family member came to mind.

Focussing on the chestnut haired woman, she noted just how lovely Hermione was standing there with the breeze ruffling her mane of burnished dark bronze. There was a wildness about the young witch that Minerva was finding more and more appealing.

Turning her dark, penetrating gaze to her taller wife, Hermione asked, "So your family kept to themselves?"

A small smile turned up thin lips, "For the most part. I do have the odd cousin or two who managed to get themselves involved in this and that."

"Anyone I know?"

Minerva's nostrils flared as she replied, "Cornelius Fudge."

Hermione's mouth fell open, "Oh my God! He's your cousin?"

"Distant cousin." Came the sardonic reply. "Very distant."

Hermione snickered, "No wonder you always seemed to get right in his face."

Minerva cocked her head, "Well... He always was an idiot." Like that explained everything.

Laughter rang out over the rolling hills of McGonagall Manor. The first time the huge estate had heard that lovely sound in decades.

It was nice.


Hours later, after returning to Hogwarts to prepare for the beginning of the new week, Minerva sat in bed. Her back against the headboard and her knees raised. The pamphlet lay open against her legs as it recited...

'Intimacy is a special kind of connection. When we are in an intimate relationship, we feel loved, understood, accepted, known and appreciated. Intimacy comprises being close emotionally and sexually...'

Minerva paused. Her gaze locking on the closed door to the en-suite. She could hear the water running in the shower.

'Ahem, hem... shall we continue?" The book spoke up, slightly peeved at being ignored.

Growling, the older woman looked back at the missive on her lap, "You can be quiet the pain in the arse you know?"

'I am just doing my duty thank you.'

"Bollocks!"

Ignoring the outburst and knowing it had the Headmistress' attention, the book continued...

'... it involves sharing thoughts, feelings and experiences...'

Minerva's thoughts flew back to the events of her day spent with Hermione. They were growing closer. She could feel the differences in the way she thought about the young woman both physically and emotionally.

'It also includes negotiating differences and fighting.'

Minerva smiled ruefully at the thought of actually fighting with the feisty young woman. She wasn't completely sure that she would win against this new, stubborn, forthright witch.

'There is a natural flow of intimate connection that includes separateness, contact and merger.'

Minerva smirked as she thought about what their merger would be like.

'Being separate is being apart; focussing on different things. Contact is being together; focussing on the same thing. Merger is focussing exclusively on each other.'

Minerva chuckled as thoughts of a decidedly naughty nature filled her mind.

Ignoring the older witch, the pamphlet continued...

'Intimacy is the connection we can achieve when we are able to tolerate our anxiety as we move along this continuum of togetherness and separateness.'

Minerva snorted, "The only anxiety I feel right now is why I have to listen to this rubbish and not line my litter tray with it!"

Offended the pamphlet screeched, "Of all the nerve!"

Growling, the witch hissed, "I'll show you nerve.."

"Yiiieeeeeeee!" The book screamed as it was thrown out of the bedroom door and into the living room. The oak door slamming shut.

Minerva lowered her wand to the bedside table with a satisfied smirk.

Suddenly the en-suite door opened and Hermione stepped out...

Completely naked.

The young witch padded across the room to her wardrobe much to the wide eyed shock of her wife.

Opening a drawer, the younger woman glanced at the bed, "Whut?"

Emerald eyes as wide as saucers stared unblinkingly.

Hermione turned to face her wife, "Whut?" She repeated.

A strangled whisper sounded, "You.. you...are naked."

Looking down at her body, Hermione stated, "So?"

"But you are naked." Came a quiet prim and proper gasp.

Grinning, the young woman turned and bent low as she rifled through the open drawer. The view she was giving her wife was spectacular.

Minerva's eyes devoured the rounded globes of Hermione's shapely backside, the creaminess of her skin, the gracefulness of her movement. Her mouth fell open as the young woman once again turned back giving her another full frontal view.

Ample, rounded breasts capped with dusky nipples took Minerva's attention. She watched as they hardened to appealing peaks partly from the slight chill, but mostly from her unabashed stare.

"Like what you see?" The young woman teased as she ran her hand over the skin of her tummy.

Minerva's eyes followed the movement of her wife's hand as it slowly trailed downward to tangle in a dark brown thatch of wiry curls.

The older woman felt a familiar pulse in her lower regions as emerald eyes darkened.

Grinning, Hermione stated, "Well, I've seen your... business. I figured it's only fair that you see mine." With that, she trooped back into the en-suite with a snicker.

Trembling hands wiped away drops of perspiration as Minerva muttered, "Oh Merlin help me." She pulled the quilt away from her body as a hot flash suddenly engulfed her.


'Differentiation is the ability to endure emotional discomfort enough to risk moving closer or farther apart, without the guarantee of how the other person will respond.'

Hermione sat in the living room with the pamphlet on her lap. She had arrived back from classes just after two in the afternoon and after finishing her assignments, had found the pamphlet half under the sofa.

Thinking that it might be a good way to pass the time, she'd asked the pamphlet to show her what Minerva had been reading the night before.

"You are not going to line her litter tray with me are you?" The book had asked anxiously.

Thinking that it actually wasn't such a bad idea, the young witch had shook her head and instead asked to read what her wife had been looking at.

'It is a crucial skill for developing intimacy and it helps us avoid the many ways we accommodate to each other to keep from being anxious.'

Hermione was thoughtful as she mulled over what she was hearing.

'Knowing that there is a natural ebb and flow of separateness, contact and merger, and that no one place is permanent can help partners give each other space.'

"Space we have plenty of." Hermione muttered as she closed the pamphlet and placed it on the coffee table. "But what I wouldn't do for a little merger or two."

A titter could be heard from the ministry missive, "Sometimes you have to take what you want my dear. Hee-hee."

Grinning, Hermione whispered, "You know that's not such a bad idea."


Meanwhile, the Headmistress was sitting in the spectator seating that encircled the quidditch pitch. She was watching Rolanda Hooch put her first years through their broom flying paces.

Sitting next to the proud, elegant woman was Hooch's wife, Henny.

The spiked dark haired witch cast an assessing gaze over Minerva, "What's got your wand in a knot?"

McGonagall raised an eyebrow, "What says my wand is knotted?"

Grinning, Henny's blue eyes sparkled, "That's easy. You never come out to watch the first years learn to ride."

Minerva's silence was speaking volumes.

Henny patted the elder witch's knee, "Come on! Tell Henny Penny your troubles."

Both witches smirked as Hooch's aggravated voice drifted over, "No Simpkins the bristles face the rear!"

Not deterred, Henny pressed, "Come on... give."

Snorting, Minerva growled, "You are an awful pain in some place very personal."

The younger witch laughed, "So Ro keeps telling me."

She could see that the Headmistress was troubled by something... or someone. Venturing a guess, she asked, "So how's Hermione?"

Seeing the older witch's reaction caused Henny to grin. Yup... Hermione was on Minerva's mind.

Sighing deeply, the ebony haired woman muttered, "My wife is a nudist."

Giggling, Henny asked, "What?"

Frowning, Minerva grumbled, "You heard me."

Both women smirked as Hooch's voice drifted over once more, "Petunia Thimblefoot! We do not use these brooms for sweeping!"

"Huh?"

Both witches turned to see Hooch gesturing at the small girl who was sweeping the... grass?

"Must be a Hufflepuff." Minerva sniggered.

Henny elbowed the older witch, "Hey! I was a Hufflepuff!"

Piercing emerald gazed into dancing blue, "I rest my case."

"Grouch! You're just mad because your wife is a nudist."

She thought about it for a moment, then added, "You know if I had a twenty year old wife who wanted to parade around naked, I think I'd be inclined to let her."

Those sparkling blue eyes were gleaming madly.

Exasperated, Minerva stared fully into Henny's face, "That is all well and good for you. You are a lesbian. I am not!"

"Lesbian or not, I bet you couldn't keep your eyes off of her." Henny accused.

The older witch started, "Well... that is different. We were in the bedroom and she walked out of the en-suite without a care in the world. Naked as the day she was born."

Henny snickered, "But certainly a bit more grown up I'd say."

Minerva smirked, "A bit."

Henny's face became more serious, "Minerva just because you aren't a lesbian doesn't mean that you can't become attracted to a woman. It happens all the time."

"Not to me." Was said in an imperious tone.

Henny wasn't intimidated in any way, size, shape or form, "Welcome to real life honey."

"Bah!" Minerva spat as she rose from her seat and stomped away.

Seeing the movement, Rolanda Hooch flew over to her wife, "What was that all about?"

Henny grinned madly, "I believe our esteemed Headmistress is falling in love with her new wife."

Hooch shot a fist in the air, "Score!"

"Not yet, but soon." Henny said conspiratorially, all the while waggling her eyebrows suggestively.


Hermione looked up as the door opened and her wife marched in. Minerva had the look of doom on her features so the young witch wisely kept silent.

For the moment.

Without a word, the older women headed straight for the liquor cabinet and grabbed a bottle of firewhiskey.

"Bad day?" Hermione asked quietly.

Taking a huge gulp of the fiery liquid, the Headmistress looked at her wife and grumbled, "Bah!" Turning on her heel, bottle in hand, the older woman stomped into the en-suite slamming the door.

"Well damn." Hermione muttered staring at the closed door. "Sounds like she needs a little stress relief."

A wicked, wicked expression made its way over her lovely features as wicked, wicked thoughts filled her wickedly scheming brilliant mind.


-to be continued

AN: Thank you Morbid Crow for the litter tray idea.