Hermione thanked whatever gods there might have been that they had woken up so early. There were no classes today, Minerva's first official engagement was just before the farewell lunch. It had been a few hours before the older woman had stopped crying and had fallen into an exhausted sleep. Luckily it was still very early, she could imagine the students just starting to get up, tired from the party the previous night.
She laid her head back against the pillow, her arm painfully numb where it was trapped under Minerva's weight but she ignored the pain, not wanting to wake the older woman, knowing that the sleep was healing.
It gave her time to ponder her own feelings.
They had grown so much closer since the weekend they had spent together. She craved the older womans presence, not only physically but mentally and now emotionally. Wryly she wondered if the ritual they were due to undergo could actually bond them any tighter than time already had.
It was some time later that Minerva awoke for the second time that morning, in Hermione's arms. Her eyes were a little red, there was pain in them but none of the desperation that had been there the first time. "Morning."
Minerva smiled up at Hermione, "Good morning." Her smile was a trifle weak and her voice a little hoarse from all the crying but she looked almost at peace.
"How you feeling?"
"Like hell."
"Funny. That's what you look like too." Minerva's smile grew more like her normal one as she responded to Hermione's teasing.
"You don't look so rosy yourself sweetheart."
Hermione laughed, "It's nothing a shower won't cure."
"Care to join me?"
The girl blushed, incredulously gaping for just a split-second until she decided to call Minerva's bluff. "Sure why not?"
The expression on Minerva's face made Hermione laugh. She stopped abruptly when the older womans gaze became intense and a finger trailed across her cheekbone. "Come on then."
Hermione gasped at both the touch and the look in Minerva's eyes. She felt her heart rate and breathing increase. "Don't... start what you can't finish."
Minerva smirked, "I have no intention of starting anything."
Hermione shook her head slightly, "Maybe your impeccable self-control could survive that but mine certainly can't!"
"Alright, separate showers then."
Several minutes later Hermione had finished her shower and gotten dressed, she was sat on Minerva's sofa with a cup of tea waiting for the older woman to appear. It was another few minutes until she walked into the room.
Minerva's step slowed as Hermione's appraising glance made her feel naked. Recovering quickly she moved to sit next to the girl, she slipped an arm around her shoulders. "Do I look better now?"
"Much." Hermione leaned in and gave her a peck on the cheek, hesitant to move things forward, not wanting to rush the older woman. Minerva recognised this and pulled her in closer and slowly, thoroughly kissed her, pulling back before the rising passion overwhelmed them as it did so easily.
Minerva glanced at the clock, it was just past nine. "I can't believe how early it is."
Hermione nodded and snuggled into her side. "It's already been a long day." She yawned.
"Then have a nap."
"No."
"You're tired."
"Yes but I can sleep later." She traced the line of the older womans jaw with a fingertip. "I'm not going to see you after today until Friday night. I don't want to miss a moment of this, of you."
"I love you Hermione. I don't know what I ever did to deserve you."
Hermione shook her head, "You didn't need to do anything. I love you because of who you are." Both of Minerva's arms wrapped around her now, the older woman was blinking back tears once again. Again she buried her head into the girls' neck; she could smell soap, shampoo and Hermione's own scent. Hermione's lips found the top of Minerva's head, her fingers caressed her face, her hair.
Ignoring the snotty look the saleswoman was giving her Hermione again told her what she was looking for. The saleswoman glanced again at Hermione's jeans and T shirt but something about the young womans mannerism made her reconsider. "I believe that I have the very thing you are looking for in stock, wait a moment please."
Hermione sat down and looked at her mother. Michelle Granger smiled at her, "I can't believe that I am helping you pick out a wedding dress."
"Bit sudden."
"You seem happier today."
"Was I not happy last time?"
"No you weren't. You're my daughter Hermione, I know you."
"Things were a little strange that day. We were dealing with a few issues, issues that have since been resolved."
"Sure?"
"Positive." Hermione grinned.
They both looked up as the shop assistant came back into the room with a long cream dress cover over her arm. She hung it on a hook and with a flourish unzipped it. Hermione gasped and walked closer to it, "That's exactly what I wanted." She walked around and looked at the dress from both sides, touching the smooth material as she did so.
"This is the nearest I have to your size, alterations normally take a month."
"I can get those done elsewhere, not a problem."
"Do you want to try it on?"
"Yes."
Waiting for her daughter to change Michelle Granger walked around the room looking at the less exclusive dresses already on display. She glanced at a price label on one and blanched; her and Paul may be able to stretch to that one but not any higher – the dress Hermione had gone to try on was much more expensive looking.
She worried even more when Hermione slowly walked out of the changing room. "Oh wow, you look beautiful."
Hermione truly did, "This is the one I think."
"Where do you think you can get the alterations done by next week?"
"Same place I get my school stuff." Michelle nodded understanding at once. Hermione twirled around looking at her reflection in the mirror, she smiled. When she came back into the room her mother called her over.
"Hermione, how much is that dress?"
"It's alright Mum, I know you and Dad can't afford it." She nodded to the saleswoman who had come back into the room and began to package the dress. She touched her mothers arm gently and walked over to the till, she pulled a credit card out of her pocket and handed it to the woman. Michelle frowned a little but said nothing.
"Gringotts Bank?" The now friendly shop assistant said curiously as she respectfully handed Hermione the receipt to sign.
Scrawling her name Hermione smiled, "It's a specialist bank, very exclusive."
"Indeed, I have never seen it before."
After dropping the package off at Madam Malkins to be altered, Michelle pulled her daughter into a muggle coffee shop. Once they had sat down and ordered Michelle brought up the subject that was bothering her.
"Since when do you have a credit card, let alone one you can put a several thousand pound dress on without a second thought? And paying for its alterations with a handful of gold."
Hermione smiled, "I'm sorry I should have said something, I was just too excited. Minerva gave me a card to her account and some gold so I could buy some stuff. She's very concerned that the wedding should be as perfect as possible, given that her 'illness' has given us a very limited time."
"She isn't going to mind how much you spent on a dress?"
"No." Hermione grinned again, "Money is not really an issue for Minerva."
"How so?"
Hermione stirred some sugar into her Latte, "She inherited quite a bit of money when her parents died. Hogwarts pay a very good wage and she doesn't really spend any of it, obviously it has mounted up over the years."
"It is a lovely dress." Mother and daughter moved on to other subjects.
A letter was waiting for her when she got home.
Hermione... I honestly have no idea how I'm going to get through the rest of my life and get anything done, without going crazy. It's been a few hours and I miss you so much that it hurts.
Did you get your dress sorted? I remember the first time I saw you in a dress – at the Yule Ball, remember? You were stunning, that will be hard to top but somehow I think you'll manage.
Thank you so much for this morning. Some day I will make it up to you.
Friday seems an eternity away
I love you
M
Minerva
I'm glad you feel better but honestly you don't need to thank me. I love you, there's nothing I wouldn't do for you. If you're upset I am going to comfort you, that's how it is and how it's going to be.
In fact I should be thanking you. I know how hard it is for you to open up even about small things and I'm so glad you felt you could tell me the big things.
I have sorted my dress but I'm not telling you about it, you have to wait until the wedding.
I know what you mean, I miss you so much and time is dragging. I can't wait until I see you again.
All my love
Hermione
AN: Thanks for the reviews of the last chapter, was hard to write effectively and must have been hard to read.
I came up with the idea of a Gringotts credit (or more accurately) debit card - if they can change muggle money to galleons they must have contacts in the muggle banks. Wizards must occasionally buy muggle things, Minerva certainly does so a card makes sense.
