A/N: This one's short. Thanks so much for the great reviews. They're really motivational.
Chapter 15
The next morning, Jasper was his happy, mobile self, and exploring Hermione's room on toddly legs while two proud witches looked on; trying, unsuccessfully to keep their hands off each other.
"We'll leave for Surrey tomorrow and come to Tarbert on Friday week, all right?"
Minerva's mind swam up from the sea of pleasure she was drowning in. "What? Oh, aye lass, that'll do. Perhaps I'll actually be able to get some work done while you're away."
"Darling, I was 'away' for nearly a month. Are you saying you spent that time lounging on the sofa, eating bonbons?"
Hermione was nestled between Minerva's legs, her strong back pressing confidently against her lover's soft breasts while Minerva ran her hands over every inch of creamy skin she could reach under the dressing gown. She swept silky curls from a delicate neck and placed a sweet kiss in the space between neck and shoulder. "Leannan, I spent that entire month prowling my office and drinking whiskey, trying to figure out how to get you to speak to me. The things I said were so unforgiveable. You never left my mind."
Hermione couldn't hold back a smile. "I may have overreacted." She stopped Minerva's response with a finger to rosy lips. "I may not have. It doesn't matter now. You have more than made up for it." She replaced her finger with her lips and became lost in Minerva once again.
Breathlessly they parted and Hermione turned around to kneel as one hand wandered beneath Minerva's loose tunic. "Hermione, stop. Jasper – "
"I know, love. I just can't get enough of you." Her lips explored Minerva's leaping pulse point.
"Off, heathen, before your son ends up accidentally flooing to Borneo." She placed one final perfunctory kiss on Hermione's adorable pout and removed herself to find the boy in question while Hermione flopped across the bed, groaning out her frustration.
The morrow brought a difficult departure and a productive morning for the Headmistress. She threw herself into her work as soon as Hermione left. She flooed Duncan, her estate manager at Talbert to have him open the North Wing of the castle and make sure the house elf staff were all back in residence in time for her guests' arrival.
Hermione, for her part, apparated into her parents' living room, prepared with a spit rag for Jasper's inevitable nausea, laden with baby and suitcase and sporting a tired smile.
"Mum! I missed you. Hi Daddy."
"Hello dear, rough trip?"
"Scotland is a ways to apparate, Mum, and your living room is a very specific destination. It takes a bit out of me. She handed her wiggling son to his grandmother and gave Richard an affectionate hug. "Nothing a spot of tea won't fix."
Jean Granger helped her daughter and grandson get settled in her old bedroom while Richard put together tea and toast for the lot. An hour later, Jasper was fighting sleep in his muggle high chair, his mouth half full of mushy banana, so Richard carried him to his crib, leaving mother and daughter to their own devices.
"So," Jean reached out and trapped Hermione's hand before she could begin clearing up, "are you going to tell me what's going on, or do I have to guess?"
"I don't know what you're talking about, Mum."
"Bollocks, Hermione, I'm your mother. Out with it."
Hermione sighed, knowing she came by her bullshit detector honestly. "You aren't going to like it, Mum. You're probably better off not knowing."
"Ah, Minerva then." Jean sat back and cast a wary eye on her daughter over her teacup.
Hermione's jaw dropped. "How on earth? Mother. I –"
"Oh, hush, child. Did you honestly think I didn't know? Something happened though, recently, yes?"
Astonished, Hermione knew she had no choice but to share with her mother. She closed her eyes and wished with all her might the dining room floor would open up and swallow her.
"We… had an argument, about a month ago, after the Beltane ritual. I was stupid and divulged my… feelings. She didn't take it well, insisted we weren't well-suited. We both said some things. I walked out on her."
"Minerva is a very smart woman, Hermione, are you sure she isn't right."
"Minerva's always right, but that doesn't mean she always does the right thing. I know we don't make any sense together in any traditional sense, Mum, but she has given me more and been more to me than any lover I've ever had."
"Well, in all fairness, dear, you haven't had many."
Hermione's eyebrows raised and her mother understood the silent 'Are you sure about that?'
Jean shrugged and waited for Hermione to continue.
"On the last day of school I sent her a letter, indicating that I may not be returning to Hogwarts next year, which was perfectly true. She, ah, didn't take well to the news and charged my room and, well, snogged the fight out of me, for lack of a better phrase."
Jean choked on her tea and delicately wiped her mouth with the tea towel. "I see."
"Jasper and I are spending the summer with her after we leave here."
Jean nodded. She knew she'd never change Hermione's mind. She raised her daughter to know her own mind, but she was still the mother here and would make her mind known as well.
"Just be careful, dear. You are still in a very vulnerable place after regaining your memories. I want you to continue with your therapy and deal with the present. If she makes you feel happy, that's wonderful, but don't mistake that feeling for healing, all right."
Hermione nodded, unsure how to respond.
"And don't make me send your father after her with his shotgun."
Hermione giggled. "Mum, Daddy's shotgun wouldn't stand a chance against Minerva McGonagall's wand. I promise you. She'd send him home in an animal cage."
"Well, it's the message that's important, not the outcome anyway."
"I love you, Mum. Nothing will ever change that."
"Oh, darling. I just want you to be happy. You've been through so very much." She reached out a hand to hold her daughter's chin. "You are the smartest witch of your age, so they tell me. You can take care of yourself. But, allow your father and me to take care of you sometimes too."
"Yes mother." Hermione smiled.
Chapter 16
Her last day in Surrey, Hermione was packing while Richard and Jean took Jasper out for a 'muggle day on the town.'
"He's got to learn to be a muggle too, dear, if he's going to spend any time with us." Jean had said as they had set off for the zoo.
A faint tapping on her bedroom window revealed a juvenile snowy owl with a missive tied to its leg.
"Hullo, Liza! And how are Harry and Ginny?" she fed the owl a treat from the window sill and untied the letter.
Dear Hermione,
Hope all is well in Surrey. Sorry to hear you won't be joining us for the summer. Hopefully, we'll get to see you before school starts up again. Ginny is dying for the story. She's convinced it's to do with McGonagall. I'm sure you'll tell us when you're ready.
I wanted to give you an update on our search for McLaggen. This is all supposed to be classified, but I have received clearance from my boss to divulge this much. He's holed up in his father's estate in the highlands, which we've finally managed to locate, but it is protected by blood wards and cannot be breached. Sorry, love, can't tell you where it is. We're close, Hermione. The Unspeakables are working on breaking through the blood wards and are confident we'll have him very soon.
I'm sorry you've had to go through this 'Mione. Just know that Ginny and I both love you very much. Let us know if there's anything we can do for you.
Ron sends his regards as well. Have a drink with him sometime, all right? No ulterior motives, I promise, just to attempt to be friends. He'd like that.
We'll miss you this summer. Baby Potter is getting excited to meet the world and his Auntie Hermione. Ginny is huge (don't tell her I said that mate.)
All my love,
Harry
Hermione packed the letter next to the bookmark in her Wizards of the Highlands book and finished packing.
That night, after getting Jasper put to sleep and kissing her parents goodnight as they retreated to their room, she sat in front of the fire with her book and a glass of wine. Harry's letter fluttered to her lap and she reread it. Then she read it again, and again. Something was niggling in the back of her mind, telling her something, she just couldn't place it. She shook it off, gave it up for lost and turned in.
Deep in the night she awoke, gasping. For the first time in a month, though, she wasn't awoken by a nightmare, but a revelation.
Tears sprang to her eyes as she realized what it was she needed to do. Quickly and quietly, she palmed her wand and made her way to her son's crib.
A series of spells numbed Jasper's hand, made a tiny cut in his palm and conjured a small vial. She collected several drops of Jasper's blood, banished the sealed vial to her suitcase and with a whispered "Episkey" watched the small wound on her son's hand close efficiently.
"I'm so sorry, baby boy. Mummy loves you so much. It's all going to be OK, I promise." She stroked his soft curls and tried to ignore her tears dropping onto his tartan blanket.
She hardly noticed the soft glow coming from the two jasper amulets in the otherwise dark room.
