Glenna appeared in the clearing and spotted her Mistress and Miss Hermione lying down on a flat rock stretched out with Miss Hermione holding onto Mistress's fur. She smiled wide at the scene while she snapped her fingers, a blanket appearing and spreading itself out flat. She then proceeded to pull out the food that she had transported to the location in a basket. Once everything was set up she snapped her fingers one more time: a treat for her Mistress and friend appearing. The effect was immediate as she watched the figures move before disappearing into the lush plants to watch how her efforts were received.
Minerva was the first to wake up when a pleasuring smell wafted her way. Her movement woke up the woman next to her. "Mphm," Hermione rolled over as Minerva raised her head, nose sniffing the air. Hermione took a deep breath and stilled. "Is that…?" Before she could finish Minerva had leapt up and bounded to where the smell was originating from. Hermione transformed and followed as the smell registered in the small part of her mind: catnip!
Having a head start, Minerva was the first to reach the dried weed, batting at it with her paws, spreading it around. When Hermione reached her, the younger cat started to roll in the weed, the bits catching in her fur. Minerva moved back as she watched Hermione roll around in it as she licked off whatever she had on her paws. After some time, Hermione settled down on her belly, licking her own paws, paying no attention to the weed that still clung to her black coat. It was this that, Minerva reasoned, explained why she did what she did next. Moving to the occupied panther, Minerva shifted half her body over Hermione's, straddling her if they had been in human form, and proceeded to lick the weed off of Hermione's shoulder blades and back of the neck. Hermione ceased what she was doing, purring at the feeling of Minerva's tongue running across her neck, lifting it to give the bigger cat easier access. After another more pleasurable lick, Hermione returned the favor to the side of Minerva's face. The action pulled the smaller cat out of her pleasurable haze as she realized just what exactly she had done and the position both of their bodies were in at the moment. Quickly Hermione got up, throwing a startled Minerva off of her, and changed back to human form as her body heated up, a slight blush dusting her cheeks.
Glenna couldn't help but scowl as she saw her Mistress revert to her human form also. They had been so close to mating, she what happened was more than she expected by introducing the cat drug but still, they had been so close. It was obvious to anyone that the two were attracted to one another, and that they would be perfect for the other. They just needed to realize it for themselves and Glenna had no problem giving them a push in the right way. She hoped that maybe her choice in food to pack for the picnic would work where the catnip failed. Rubbing her hands together, Glenna watched as the two women awkwardly sat down on the blanket spread out with an array of food on it.
"Sorry about that," Hermione said, looking down in embarrassment.
Minerva waved her hand. "You have nothing to be sorry for. If anything I am the one that should be sorry."
Hermione looked around her, "Once again, Glenna has outdone herself. There is quite a lot of food."
Minerva looked at all the food that was laid out and found it to be an interesting combination. There were oysters, little finger sandwiches filled with different meats and cheeses, strawberries, bananas, raspberries, chocolate fondue, plump red grapes, fresh French bread, triple chocolate cake, and a bottle of wine that was being chilled. She looked back at the oysters then the strawberries while pouring both herself and Hermione wine and it clicked. Glenna was trying to push them together. The catnip definitely relaxed them, even getting them into a position they easily could have mated in. The oysters were obviously aphrodisiacs while the fruit was something that could be used to tantalize the other with, especially coupled with the chocolate. She planned on having a talk with her House Elf after this while wondering if Hermione noticed the theme of the food also. Her gaze drifted over to the brunette, the picture of her straddling the other flashing in her mind, causing a shiver to go down her back.
"Are you cold?" said the younger woman, pausing before she bit into a strawberry.
"No, just really enjoying this wine," Minerva lied, but took another sip from her glass to back up her lie. It was at the second sip that she made another realization: the usually subtle hints in the wine were more poignant, signaling an increase in her sense of taste and when she sniffed the air, a slight increase in her sense of smell. She started cursing inside as she realized these were the subtle signs that she was going into heat. The lion did warn her about the more she transformed, the more she would want to mate. When it said soon it truly meant soon.
She could only hope that if she did go into heat, it was while she was on the run with the Golden Trio, when the chances of slipping away to find a Muggle village and mate with someone there would be easier to do. If she went into heat while just with Hermione, it would only be by sheer luck that she wouldn't mate with her, especially as there was an attraction to the younger woman and the lion did desire her too. Though not only would it be harder to not mate with Hermione, but it would be harder to get away as the younger woman would instantly know she was missing and would want to know where she had gone. Minerva felt her body warm at the thought of a squirming brunette underneath her as it crossed her mind and she stood up quickly and walked closer to the water.
"Minerva?" she heard Hermione ask before she heard a rustling as the other woman stood up and walked her way. "Are you alright?"
"I'm perfectly fine," she lied.
"You're lying."
Minerva looked over her shoulder at the other woman, "And why do you believe I'm lying?"
"Because you got up suddenly for no reason." Minerva remained silent, still looking over her shoulder, knowing there was more but waiting for Hermione to say it. The younger woman looked down, biting her lower lip. "And I heard your heart increase slightly before going back to its normal rhythm. How I am able to hear your heart beat in the first place all of a sudden… I was wondering if you could explain how that is possible?"
"Has your sense of smell intensified?"
Hermione chewed on her lower lip while in thought as her nostrils flared. After a few seconds, her brows pinched together, her teeth releasing her lip. "Now that you mention it, things are a bit more poignant. What does this all mean?"
"You're going into heat."
Hermione's eyes widened, mouth slightly agape before she swallowed hard. "How long will this last?"
"Leading up to going into heat or actually in heat?"
"There is a difference?"
"Aye. Before going into heat, your body is preparing. Your senses increase exponentially and, well it's different for most, but your body heat will intensify along with your desire to mate. Once in actual heat, everything is at its peak along with your desire to mate. It can be so strong that the longer you try to ignore the more painful it will become."
Hermione looked away. "Why does this happen?"
"It is the cost of being an Animagus, particularly our type." Minerva turned around to face her.
"Do other Animagi have this problem?"
"Some do, some don't. The fact that we're feline and female doesn't work in our favor."
"What do you mean?"
"The natural instinct of cats of our type is survival and reproduction. As women, there is that natural instinct some get to have children. That is why we are more likely to go into heat instead of other Animagi."
Hermione's eyes widened again and she took a step closer to Minerva. "Wait you mean I'll keep going into heat until I'm pregnant?"
"That is the point of mating."
"So how many times does one go into heat and how long does it last?"
"Everyone is different. I have had times where I've been in heat for three days and others for seven. It all depended on how much I mated with another and the wants of my Animagus."
Hermione wrapped her arms around her body before walking past Minerva. "So it could be a while before I actually go into heat?"
"Yes."
"Well let's hope that it doesn't happen for a while. This definitely isn't the time for it to be happening, let alone raise a child." She turned back to Minerva. "And we're going to be on the run for Merlin knows how long. I will be too busy keeping the boys alive… how will I protect my child too?"
Minerva walked over to Hermione and placed both hands on her shoulders. "I will protect you both if that shall come to pass. Do not worry."
"But with Voldemort on…" Before she could finish there were multiple cracks of apparition around them.
"Run!" Minerva shouted and the two women ran back towards the cottage, dodging stunning spells and other hexes being thrown their way. They were able to make it back to the warded area and the cottage unscathed.
"How did they find us?" Hermione panted out, panic in her eyes.
"I don't know." Minerva started to wave her wand. "They're trying to break through my wards. We need to leave. Glenna."
"Yes Mistress," the House Elf said as she appeared by Minerva, wringing her hands.
"I want you to go to Gringotts and tell Griphook to expect a major influx in items in the McGonagall vault and to transfer the amount of money I have told him about earlier into the account I mentioned to him the last time we met. Then go into hiding."
"But Mistress…"
"I will call you when we're in a safer location. Please do this." Glenna nodded her head before popping away. Minerva summoned two knapsacks and gave one to Hermione. "Quickly pack clothes for the both of us and then some books you believe we can use. This has a bottomless and weightless charm on it so you shouldn't have trouble fitting anything."
Hermione nodded and headed towards the bedroom. Minerva started packing the tent, food, and other supplies. As every minute passed she felt the wards weaken, and overtime, some break. Once finished she rushed to the library to help Hermione. The younger woman was closing the knapsack as she entered. "What are you going to do with the rest of your books?"
"They along with a few other possessions have a charm on them to transport them to a Gringotts vault when ordered to or there is something that is threatening them." Minerva flicked her wrist and the remaining books disappeared, just as the last ward fell. A split second later the cottage was bombarded by spells, as Death Eaters rushed in.
AN: And so it begins. Tell me what you think? Working on typing up the next chapter now. The more reviews I get the faster I'll type. :) Thanks for reading and thank you all those who reviewed for the last chapter. Tell me what you think. :)