Hey. I dont mean to rant or anything just pointing out that this story is M so if you dont like the sex scene's or the admittedly heavy implication of sex then i apologise for not giving you warning. As the language has been rather light i assumed it was safe not to warn of the sex that gives the fic its rating. I could go on about the intended dynamic between my versions of Hermione and Minerva but i wont. I just hope those of you with issue can simply over look it.
I own nothing.
Hermione was waiting in Minerva's office the following morning a dopey smile on her face as she recalled last nights bedroom antics and the shower they had shared only an hour ago after getting back from the Hall for breakfast. She was so lost in thought that she didn't notice her lover until strong arms wrapped around her from behind.
Hermione smirked as she leaned back into her mate as lips unerringly found a bruise on her neck and a hand slid purposefully under her sweater and up her body until it was cupping and squeezing a full breast. Hermione made a little appreciative sound as she covered her witches hands with her own and forced the hand on her breast to squeeze.
"And you call me insatiable. Horny cat." Hermione husked tilting her head to the side.
"Your are, Slut fox." Minerva smirked when Hermione huffed in indignation.
"You're both sluts. Now unhand our niece." A familiar feminine voice sounded across the office making both witches look up and blush.
The couples gazes rested on Narcissa, who was the one that spoke, and then the two blushing women who were nodding slightly behind the blonde. Slowly Hermione and Minerva smirked and removed themselves from each other. Hermione heard a soft chuckle behind her and Minerva mumbled something to do with Albus.
"Aunties!" Hermione crowed happy to see the three women.
The three newly arrived women all stepped forward and got a hug one by one from their foundling niece who was happily bouncing on the balls of her feet. Andy and Narcissa seemed on slightly better terms than last time when they were in the same room together and this didn't escape Hermione's notice.
"How are you sweetheart?" Molly asked smiling fondly at the brunette.
"I'm good. Great even. Things have been good." Hermione was becoming nervous not sure how to broach the subject of the memories.
"That's fantastic. Also I want to thank you now for talking to Draco and also thank you for not telling him it was Rosmerta. I think it would upset him if he knew that he was encouraging me to accept her offer of a date." Narcissa kissed her nieces cheek ignoring the shocked expressions on all the other women's faces.
"Narcissa... You're going out with a woman?" Andromeda's eyes were wide at this new information.
"Come on Andy are you really that shocked? What do you really think Violet Parkinson and I were doing down by the lake all the time?" Narcissa smirked at the scandalised look on her sisters face and Minerva frowned.
"Well you could do a lot worse than Rosmerta." Molly pipes up when it seems Andromeda is too shocked to respond.
"Like Lucius you mean?" Narcissa asked moving over to the desk and setting her little snow leopard on the top with Ren and Mouser who both greeted him happily.
"Definitely. Arthur mentioned you had asked for a divorce and all I can say is good for you." Molly also moved over and pulled her little animal out placing it by the other three so they can get to know one another.
"Thank you Molly. Now I have to ask though, why are we here?" Narcissa looked from Hermione to Minerva and back again as Andromeda finally shook off her shock.
"Oh yeah right. Well... Bellatrix left me her vault key and instructions to go and get a box from it. When I finally did this I learned she had left me some memories. There are a couple I wanted you three to see. Well one I want all three of you too see and one I want to show Andy and Cissa." Hermione decided to go with an upfront approach.
"She did?" Andy and Cissa both voiced at the same time.
"She did." Hermione nods a small smile on her face.
"Come see ladies." Minerva speaks gently moving to the now open cupboard and pensieve.
Hesitantly the three women walked over to the object and looking at one another they joined hands as a show that they were in this together. Minerva moved over beside her mate and they both smiled to see that the women were linked at the hands, happy that they can put their differences behind them even if only temporarily.
Hermione and her love watched as the three women leaned into the pensieve and then looked to one another. Minerva could see that Hermione was anxious about this part, they both knew this would upset the women but Hermione felt they deserved to know what had happened. How and why Hermione had happened.
It was only a short while, minutes really, before the three women stood straight and stepped away from the pensieve. As they turned they were all damp eyed and it was almost enough to break Hermione's heart. All three older witches sniffled and looked at Hermione, Minerva moved to the pensieve and returned the memory to its vial before tipping the last one in.
"I'm sorry, I know its distressing. Would you both like a minute?" Hermione asked as she pulled a now sobbing Molly into her arms while looking at the sisters.
"No I... I would like to see the next now." Andy spoke up and Cissa nodded in agreement.
"Of course. It's ready when you are." Minerva spoke before discreetly calling Twiggy to ask for a tea service.
The sisters turned to the pensive and leaned into the basin as Hermione attempted to calm her red-headed aunt who was still sobbing after seeing the memory involving her brothers. Molly was both happy and sad that her brothers had captured Bellatrix, happy because they were at least kind but sad because they had abused their position as her captures, at least Fabian had.
Molly had just calmed enough to make a cup of tea when Andromeda and Narcissa stepped back from the pensieve. Turning to face the other women in the office Hermione could see the pure agony on the sisters faces. Andy promptly moved into one of the stuffed armchairs in the room and slumped down in it holding her face in her hands. Narcissa just looked lost for a few minutes until she burst into tears.
"We thought she chose to do those things! We called her monster." Narcissa sobbed against Minerva who had knelt beside the youngest aunt as she had fallen to the floor.
Hermione's eyes welled with tears of her own but she took a deep calming breath and reached into the pocket of her jeans pulling out two small pieces of parchment Standing between Andy and Molly the young witch handed a piece to each woman. Molly was the first to look at hers but Andy still seemed too distraught. Molly's gasp that was quickly followed by a choked sob drew Hermione's attention as she saw the red-head reading the small note.
If I could be standing before them now I would simply thank them for they gave me the greatest of treasures. They were good of heart.
Molly didn't even need to ask where the note had come from but as she sobbed the thought of when crossed her mind. She was too upset to speak her mind at the moment though as she used her handkerchief to dab at her eyes and Hermione gently rubbed her back. It was at this point that Andy leaned back in her seat and lifted the note.
Aeternum sorores meas. In perpetuum intra cor meum. Non paenitenda.
Andy passed the note to a slowly calming Narcissa as she calmed down and then scrubbed at her face. Narcissa sniffled reading the note and then looked up at the teary eyed Hermione Black tilting her head. Before the youngest sister could voice the question on all three Aunts minds Hermione spoke up.
"I was permitted the opportunity to visit Bellatrix yesterday during the shift change. She was allowed to write two small missives for the three of you after I told her I planned to show you all these select memories." Hermione explained a little hesitantly.
The two sisters eyes lit up at this information and they both stood and collected themselves before Andy cleared her throat and spoke.
"How was that for you Hermione? How is she?"
"Honestly? It was one of the happiest moments of my life. I got to meet my mother and she was... perfect. She was everything I had heard only... better. She was a funny crazy not an angry crazy. She was smart and sarcastic and so so loving." Hermione hesitated to start before she knew it the words were just pouring out of her.
"I had made her a Pocket Companion that Portendorfer allowed her to keep after I explained the bonding spells. A black leopard. She called her Nyx. She asked about you both and was glad to hear you are both well. She is proud of Cissa for divorcing Lucius and making her own choices and she is glad to hear that Andy is well and happy and also very proud to hear that Nym is such a stellar Auror." Hermione practically gushed and the sisters smiled even Molly was grinning at the excited girl.
"She even asked about you Molly." Hermione's voice turned soft as she spoke to the red-head.
"She did?" Molly was stunned to hear this.
"She did. She was curious about how you were going and how your family is. She was quite happy to hear about Ron and Ginny." Minerva spoke up for the first time.
"I seriously misjudged Bellatrix." Molly whispered shame on her face.
"We all did Molly." Minerva adds gently the two sisters nodding all four wearing matching shame faces.
"Stop it. Please. I love you all so much, don't be ashamed of what you thought of Mum. She wanted everyone to think it was her choice to do as she did. She was protecting her sisters from a mad man. She was making the best of a bad situation." Hermione spoke passionately and it made the surrounding women smile.
"That's my witch." Minerva voice was soft but full of pride making Hermione smile.
"You've a beautiful soul, Fox." Andy wrapped her arms around her niece who happily returned the hug only to be engulfed by both Molly and Narcissa a moment later.
The Latin translates to 'Forever my sisters. Forever within my heart. No regrets' according to my highly trusted friend... Google Translate... ;)
LKlovesAK - I just have to let you know that your reviews are great and i will admit that they often brighten my day so thank you for being awesome. I'm glad i can apparently inspire some bedtime fun ;) or perhaps pre-dinner fun?