A/N: Okay, sorry I took off, much stuff-ness going on. Now I feel like crap but that's excellent for you, cos now I have time to do this stuff. Enjoy!

For disclaimer, see Chapter 1.

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He woke her as he started flailing. She narrowly avoided an elbow to the nose as she sat up and rolled into his body, pinning his arms gently by his side.

"Harry?"

He jerked, nearly sending her out of the bed.

"Harry Potter!"

He jerked again, this time his terrified eyes meeting hers as they snapped open.

"Min?"

"I'm here, darling."

He grabbed her, making her squeak in surprise as he crashed his lips onto hers. She let him take control for a little while before cupping his chin and easing the desperation out of it and sliding down beside him.

"Relax," she whispered, pressing kisses over his cheek. "Relax darling, I have you."

"I'm sorry," he mumbled, moving to roll over.

"You have to deal with this," she said, a little more stern than she had planned. "This isn't something you can keep doing to yourself."

"Myself?" he said, stopping and looking over his shoulder. "You think I'm doing this?"

"Harry?" Minerva said, more gently this time. "Look at me."

"No thank you," he grumbled.

Minerva pulled on his shoulder but he didn't budge. Biting her lip, she thought about it for a moment and swallowed her hesitation. She threw off the covers, ignoring his protest and swung her leg over his hip. He fell onto his back with wide eyes.

"Will you look at me?"

He had gone very still and she chose to keep looking at his face, rather than at his broad chest and the toned stomach where she was currently straddled. With barely anything on.

"Will you?" she asked again, drawing his eyes to her face. "Please listen to me?"

His hands were shaking and she kissed his fingertips before resting them on her thighs. They twitched a little on her bare skin, but she breathed softly and held them there.

"Listen to me carefully. I have been through war, love. I have lost people, huge swathes of people. And it hurts. And it is unfair. And it feels like it will never leave you. And you're right, it won't. But you must learn to deal with it so that it does not hurt you later on. Nobody who died would want you to suffer on their part. Not Remus, not Sirius, not Fred," she cupped his cheek as a tear rolled slowly down his face. "My love, you did not lose those that you loved on your own. Remus and Sirius were as," she chuckled. "Very wayward children to me. Fred also. My mother and father, just like you. And it is okay to mourn them, even years later. But let me tell you, having been through this so many times, that you cannot mourn them inside, not on your own. Not without speaking or writing or doing something that takes it from here," she placed her hand gently over his heart. "And out into the open. If it festers, my love," she shook her head. "And if it festers, it may never let you go. Do not let it control your life. Your life is with us. With the living. With Hermione and Rose and Hugo and," she sighed hopefully. "With me?"

He took a very wobbly breath and nodded.

"With you," he said gruffly. "Only you."

"I want you to do something else for me, my darling."

"I would do anything for you," he managed, his breath getting ragged.

"Trust me."

"I -"

"You fear for my life, even now, when I am in no danger at all. You fear you will lose us all if you do not protect us. But," she said, allowing him to pull her down onto his chest. He wrapped his arms around her back and held on. "We are not powerless. I want you to remember that. Had Logan not drugged me, he would currently be in a dark box somewhere living as a cockroach."

He chuckled, sniffing and wiping his eyes.

"I know. I do know it. I wished you could have dealt with him," he whispered. "I didn't particularly like fighting your battle for you. But now, it's like the idea is so overwhelming. I lost so many people."

"We," she said gently. "We lost so many people."

"I love you so much, it hurts."

"It will ease," Minerva whispered, tracing one of his scars with her thumb. "The intensity, I mean. It will spike and ebb. Be patient, darling, and in the meantime, trust me to know what I am doing."

"I love you."

"I love you," she smiled, leaning on his chest. "Can you sleep a little longer?"

"I might," he whispered. "If you kiss me."

She chuckled and leaned up above him, locking her elbows.

She let their lips touch and squeaked when he knocked out her elbows and rolled them, resting between her thighs.

"I love you."

He kissed her so deeply she was afraid she would get lost in him. They kissed and kissed and kissed until she felt Harry's hands flexing in her shirt. She thought about his plans for their date and decided that if this was the moment their relationship progressed, it would not be a bad thing. Ultimately, she would let him decide.

She ran her hand over his, relaxing the grip and pushed him back a little. His hair was mussed and the look of betrayal on his face was almost comical as she held him off of her for a moment.

"Wait," she muttered softly, kissing the corner of his mouth. "Just a moment."

He frowned as she reached down and pulled the singlet up, over her head, throwing it onto the floor. His eyes were fixed on hers and she loved him more for that.

"If you want," she whispered, running her hand down his arm and tangling her fingers with his. She used her hand to direct his, up her side, biting her lip to stifle a moan. She pressed his hand onto her breast, breathing shakily as it dwarfed it. He dropped her gaze then, looking down at her with such awe that she could not believe that she had found herself such a man.

"You are perfect," he muttered, testing the weight of her small breast in his hand. "Absolutely perfect."

He rolled his palm over her nipple and she lost her breath. Her back arched just a little, enough for him to notice and he stopped, meeting her eyes.

"Do you -"

"If you do," she nodded.

He nodded, looking back at her chest.

"I," he swallowed, then rolled off her and to her side, wrapping his arm around her torso and resting his nose against her cheek. She felt a little disappointment in her stomach, but he soothed it, cupping her gently.

"I don't want to," he frowned. "I'm not good at emotions Minerva, I never have been. I'm," he swallowed. "I don't know how they work and I don't know how to articulate them very well."

"You do fine," she said quietly.

"Please just listen," he whispered, kissing the corner of her mouth to ease the sting. "I was locked in a cupboard for nearly all my life until the letter from Hogwarts came. I was treated like a slave. I was beaten, not often but enough for it to make an impact. I was shunned while my cousin was adored, spoilt and given everything he ever wanted." Her heart broke for the man that held her heart. "Pity has been," he shuddered. "A theme in my life. And I don't," he shook his head. "I don't ever want a pity fuck."

She tried very hard not to bristle at the accusation, breathing deeply for a moment before turning to him.

"I would never, ever, do that to you. I only sought to offer you comfort. I chose to make that decision, not to pity you, to show you that you are loved," she entwined her fingers with his where they lay on her stomach. "That you are cherished. That I adore you and want to spend the rest of my life with you."

"You -" He looked amazed and she cupped her face.

"I love you. You have brightened my world. I had no idea that life could be this beautiful. What I had before was muted and grey. What I have for you and with you is full technicolour."

"I told you I'm not good at this."

"Harry, darling, you're doing just fine. If you do not wish to," she sought the right words. "Make love at this moment, we do not have to. If you wish to spend some time together, I have," she shrugged. "As long as we like. I will have Filius take your classes and he and Hermione can take mine when they can. Hermione even suggested we go away for a while?"

"I don't want to always be different."

"You are the most amazing, sensitive, sensual man I've ever met Harry. You will always be different, but it is that difference that makes me love you so dearly."

"Will you hold me?" he whispered, barely audible.

"For all of time, love," she chuckled.

He nodded and settled down on her chest, nuzzling the side of her breast and making her smile as she kissed his hair. He held her tightly, but not oppressively so. Enough to ensure she wouldn't move but not enough to hurt. It was comforting. She dragged her nails gently along his back and kissed his hair periodically, listening to him breathe quietly. He had not fallen asleep but she wasn't worried. She remembered moments where she has felt like this. She hadn't had someone she trusted, so she'd sought to dull the feelings with drink and bad sex. She was glad he didn't have to. She nuzzled his hair gently and kissed him again.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you."