Once class had been dismissed, Hermione followed her nose to find her future mate. Minerva's scent trail led around the whole building but was strongest around the Head's office. The wolf knocked on the partially open door, "Come in." Hermione smirked at the possessive, imperious note in Minerva's voice - thinking that the older woman seemed right at home.

She pushed open and went in, uttering a greeting to the attractive witch. "Hey." The older woman returned Hermione's rapidly widening smile. "You look really good behind a desk."

"I'm still here," said Benjy from where he was rummaging through a file cabinet.

"I know," replied Hermione unrepentantly. She went and sat opposite her witch, letting her eyes devour the woman.

"Enjoyed your class?" A knowing brow quirked, as Minerva observed her in return.

"I did. They're fun."

"Good." Minerva paused, "Benjamin here has been kind enough to grant me complete authority for anything I want."

Hermione had wondered why there was a fading hint of submissive pheromones in the room, now she understood. Whatever Minerva had said to the male wolf had left him completely in awe of her. "Hmmm?"

"I need you here. Can you give me a day a week?"

Minerva watched the expressions change on Hermione's face as the wolf considered her words and thought furiously, trying to figure out how to balance the responsibilities and workload. "Yeah, I can make that work, midweek would be better though."

Minerva nodded but whatever she was going to say was cut off by Benjy, "I asked you for a day a week Hermione, and you said no."

The female wolf put a hand on his bicep, "A day a week wouldn't have helped if it was only me."

"The three most important subjects for these young people to master are; Transfiguration, Charms and Potions. The Potions teacher is competent, Hermione and I can handle the other two. Everything else will work out in time." Minerva stood up, "Set me up with individual meetings with the staff on Monday and we'll go from there."

Benjy nodded, "Easily done. I will get that paperwork you requested delivered to your quarters this evening." Hermione smirked at the mention of paperwork at home, thinking back to an earlier conversation with the witch.

"Now," said Minerva in a matter of fact tone, leaving forward and placing both palms on the desk. "Are they likely to give me problems?"

The male wolf exchanged an amused glance with Hermione. "I think you're pretty safe on that score." The witch frowned with a confused expression at his words, "Minerva, I… You're pretty scary. You're also more than qualified. It'll be fine."

Minerva looked at Hermione who nodded in confirmation. "Just do whatever it was you did to him earlier." Benjy growled but was still smiling, so it ruined the effect somewhat.

There was another knock, "Enter." A small chestnut haired boy popped his head around the door. "Hello Callum," said Minerva, recognising the lad from their brief meeting the previous day.

"Hi Minerva. Can you come round for tea? Auntie Hermione too. We're having taco's and I have a new train set."

The boy was wearing a school uniform similar to the children at the magical school, the only difference being that his jumper was black and there wasn't a wand in the logo. He happily came into the room and took a biscuit from the tea tray on the table, waiting for a nod before eating it.

Minerva glanced up questioningly at Hermione who shrugged, they didn't have plans. "Alright Callum, what time?" Spending time with the future in-laws couldn't hurt.

The boy bit his lower lip, worrying the flesh as he thought about his answer. "Sixish."

Hermione smiled at her nephew, but inwardly she was concerned about one aspect of a family dinner, "Is your Grandpa coming?"

"Naw, he's busy." Callum grabbed another biscuit and said, 'I'll let mum know. I'm off to play football with the boys, my sister is going to be in goal. She keeps puncturing the ball with her teeth but I'm glad she's on my team."

"Because you love her?" Asked Benjy.

"No. Because she always catches the ball."

"So go through it again, please Hermione."

"Alright." The wolf exhaled, stopped walking and pulled Minerva to sit with her on a wide windowsill overlooking the valley. "My father was involved with a wolf named Eva, from the South American Conclave. She gave birth to twins, left my brother Blake here and took his sister back with her."

"Was that planned?"

"I'm not sure, that type of thing isn't unheard of but my father is a very hard man to live with. He then married my mother, rather than choosing to mate with her - there is a difference between the two, we can go into that later, but suffice to say that my father doesn't believe in permanence or equality with a partner. My mother died shortly after I turned six, so it doesn't really matter in any case."

Hermione squeezed Minerva's hand, "You've met the kids already and they like you. There's nothing for you to be nervous about. Blake is a nice brother but a little shy and distant. His mate Mandy is cute as hell; she's tiny, funny, outgoing, a fireball really. She makes him a better man and complements him - that's how it should be with mates."

Green eyes interrogated their chocolate counterparts for a timeless moment. "Is that how it's going to be with us?"

Hermione smiled at Minerva, lifting her free hand to brush a stray wisp of hair from the incredulous older woman's face. "I believe so. I hope so. We're certainly compatible. And I…"

"And you?"

"I care about you."

Minerva leant her forehead on Hermione's shoulder, enjoying the way the younger woman's arms tightened around her possessively and instinctively. "Does that mean that you feel this too?"

The wolf kissed the top of her head, "Yes, I do. It's intense and should be terrifying but it isn't." They sat there long enough to be late for dinner, watching the last of the light fade from the sky - entwined in each other's arms.

"Are you two coming in or are you going to cuddle in the hallway all evening?"

Hermione gave a groan and stood up. "Yeah, sorry Sis. Minerva, this is Mandy."

As soon as the witch stood up she found herself pulled into a hug by a woman who stood maybe five feet two inches and that was with shoes. Minerva was taken aback but did return the embrace. "Welcome to the family but you'll have to get used to the hugs."

The older woman chuckled, "I'll try."

"She's really cute," whispered Mandy into Hermione's ear. "Smart, funny too - once you get her out of her shell and she's good with kids. Pretty sure that you hit the jackpot there." The witch grinned broadly, leant back against the table and stared unabashedly at her future mate, who looked up at the scrutiny and returned a smile.

"Yeah I think I did."

Minerva was sitting on the sofa with both kids; Evelyn was asleep lying on the woman's chest and Callum's eyes had just drifted closed as he slumped against them, burrowing under Minerva's arm. The witch had been telling the children a story after dinner and they had all been comfortable enough to snuggle up together, it was the most adorable thing that Hermione had ever seen.

"So what are we going to play," asked Blake, "Monopoly?"

"No way," said Hermione, "It takes too long and always ends up with someone storming off."

"Game of Life?"

"The one where I end up driving in circles with no money and a car full of children? No thanks." Said Mandy.

"Frustration?... No." Blake answered his own question after taking one look at his mate's face.

"Scrabble? Everyone likes Scrabble. Don't they?"

"You would say that Hermione, you always win."

"Does she indeed?" Came a quiet interjection from across the room. There was a teasing note to Minerva's voice and a challenge in her tone.

The three wolves looked from the witch, then to each other. "Well, well, well. This should be fun. I'm up for a game of Scrabble." Mandy stood up, "You two ladies can put the kids to bed and we'll get set up in the meantime." It wasn't really a question and Hermione pulled her wand from the back pocket of her jeans, carefully levitating her nephew.

Minerva eschewed the use of magic, deciding that it was just easier to pick up the small girl in her arms and followed Hermione through a doorway into a small hall. The kids shared a room and for the first time since Minerva's brothers had been little, the witch found herself tucking someone into bed. It had been so long since she had felt like a part of a family and the thought almost brought tears to her eyes but she shook the emotion away with long practice.

It was only a few minutes later that Hermione drew the older woman back into the hallway, closing the door behind them. "You alright? You seem a little overwhelmed all of a sudden."

"I'm fine Hermione, really. I am just unused to… family, children. You're right, it's a little overwhelming." Minerva rubbed her hand on the young woman's denim clad hip, reassuringly.

"We don't have to stay. We could go home. They'd understand." Hermione wanted to say more, wanted the older woman to know how proud she was of how Minerva was coping but knew that the witch would hate it.

"You just don't want to risk being beaten at Scrabble."

Hermione laughed softly, "In fairness, I believe that I will enjoy the challenge. It's been a while since I had a good game and really that's half the fun." She leaned up, wrapping both arms around the woman's neck and brought their bodies flush together. Minerva knew that the young woman wasn't touching her with a passionate intention but it still caused her pulse to race. "I love that sound."

"What sound?"

Hermione bit her lip and looked up into green eyes, "The sound of your heart, the way it speeds up around me."

"You're being soppy."

"D'you mind?"

Minerva chuckled, slipping a hand into bushy chestnut hair, gently scratching Hermione's scalp with her nails, "No. It's just, still so very new."

"That's nice," Hermione meant the touch but was also referring to the open vulnerability in Minerva's voice.

"Mmmm, I like it too." The witch ducked her head and grazed her lips over Hermione's full ones.

A voice rang out from the main room, "Are you coming?"

Minerva chuckled and pulled back, "Scrabble."

"Yup."

They went back into the main room, hands entwined and both a little sheepish. "What is it with you two and hallways?" Hermione let out a low growl but was smiling at her sister in law the whole time.

"Wine ladies? I have a nice white on ice." Blake pulled out a chair for Mandy and let his mate sit down.

"Yes please," said both witches in unison, sitting down next to each other.

"They even talk at the same time, it's adorable."

"Mandy, stop teasing my sister and Minerva." He put down their wine glasses and took the final seat. "Alright, who's going first?" He took the requisite number of tiles from the bag and passed it around.

"We could take a tile and the person closest to A starts first and decide that way," suggested the diminutive woman, "Or just let Minerva go first."

"Why me?"

"Well you're the guest and we're really looking forward to seeing someone give Hermione a run for her money."

Minerva took a sip of wine and glanced at her wolf, who lifted a shoulder in an almost shrug. "Well, going first would give me an advantage and considering the fact, I want to beat Hermione fairly…" She laughed when the younger witch nudged her. "We should draw tiles. It's in the rule book after all."

Mandy laughed, "She's perfect for you Hermione."

"I'm not going to argue because I think she is too." The youngest wolf stuck her tongue out instead, ignoring the eye roll from her witch.

The teasing lasted until Minerva played 'QUACK'; for a triple word score, the Q falling on a double letter square. "How much is that?" Mandy asked.

"Ninety." Came two voices once again in unison, both quick at maths and both correct. Hermione grinned at her future mate fondly, draining what was left in her glass, "I think I am going to need more wine for this game."

Several moves each and another glass of wine later, the bag of spare tiles had just been emptied by Blake and it was Hermione's turn. She was in second place to Minerva's first, by a considerable margin - a few rounds possessing only vowels had messed with her score quite a bit and exasperated she had exchanged tiles on her last go. Chocolate eyes flitted around the board; coming to rest on the open S he had just placed on the otherwise empty bottom row - finishing the word 'SETS', she glanced back at her tiles and gave a predatory smile. Moving efficiently she placed each tile, working backwards from the S, spelling the word WAXWORKS, substituting her blank for the missing K.

"Impressive." Congratulated Minerva, putting a hand on Hermione's thigh.

"How much this time?"

"Seventy two for the word and fifty bonus for using all my tiles." Hermione entwined their fingers.

"And that's the end of the game." Said Blake. "It's going to be close." The scores were tabulated; checked and rechecked by the mated couple. "Well. I don't know what to say." He turned the score sheet around to reveal that the two witches' final points were identical. They just laughed.

"Given the fact that we won… Are you two going to tell us your news?" Teased Hermione, confident now that her niece and nephew were really asleep.

"How did you know?" Asked Blake.

"I can smell it on Mandy and she's been more excited than normal."

"And she wasn't drinking alcohol, nor were you offering her any. Despite there being a 'Worlds Best Tequila Drinker' trophy on the mantle with Mandy's name on it." Joined in Minerva, startling all three of the wolves. "It doesn't take supernatural senses to be observant."

Blake shook his head, "She'll definitely be able to hold her own here. I'm looking forward to Christmas Dinner with Dad now, rather than dreading it."

"We're having a baby, three months along in fact." Exclaimed Mandy. "Besides, Christmas Dinner is always an unmitigated disaster."

"Congratulations!" Said Hermione. "And thankfully I normally miss Christmas Dinner."

"Ah but you forget, you aren't a lone wolf anymore. You can't lie and claim to be on patrol this year."

"Right… Dammit..." Hermione rested her head on Minerva's shoulder with a heavy sigh. "It's a good thing you're worth it."