A.N.

Nightwing509, Em and allthesame thanks you so much for reviewing.

Em I would suggest you go see the AN from chapter1. yes it will be slash. Although as I said previously the fic will be rather long and slow. So if you want you can read a little more or not. Do as you wish...

It means a lot to me. Thanks you allthesame.

7. The day after...

Yesterday had been rough and emotional. It was no wonder both women were so tired that they fell asleep. What was surprising though, was waking up engulfed in her crush's arms.

But it felt so very good...

Hermione immediately chided herself. It wouldn't do to let herself dream impossible dreams. She was above all pragmatic and knew this situation had to have a perfectly logic and rational reason...

The memories of the evening fell on her like a ton of bricks. Damn, her professor didn't see her in the best light! First a babbling idiot, then a hysterical girl who couldn't even manage to get rid of a prick by herself and who completely collapsed in tears when complimented.

Hermione sighed. In doing so, she shifted in bed, which reminded her that she wasn't alone in it, although it should be rather difficult to forget something like that. The curves of the older woman were pressing against her own and proved to be an interesting wake up call.

'Think pure thoughts Hermione!' However, a long and ebony strand of hair came to caress her face and tickle her neck. 'Right, as if I could ignore how soft she feels, how nice she smells, how...'

DING.DING.

That made Hermione's thoughts derail abruptly and woke a sleepy Minerva who yawned and stretched like a cat. The younger woman kept her eyes glued to the toned abdomen the move revealed. She then straightened herself and looked in two of the most beautiful jade eyes she had ever seen, they were full of sleep, that added to her messy hair made Hermione feel dizzy.

DING.DING.

"Rotten bell!" With that curse, the young owner of the house rose and stormed to the door. Behind her she heard her professor chuckle. It was a blushing and very annoyed Hermione who answered the door.

And it were two contrite and sad-looking policemen who greeted her. It was obvious they didn't want to be there. "Good morning. Miss Granger, I guess...'

Hermione nodded, dumbfounded. She was still sleepy and a little perturbed. She knew their presence was normal, but for the life of herself, she couldn't remember why.

The policeman who had talked threw a pleading look to his partner, the latter doing his best to ignore it. "Right, er... is there an adult in the house with whom we could talk, please?"

Minerva chose this moment to make her presence known. "Yes sir, is there anything I can do for you?"

The policemen nodded, a bit relieved. "We have bad news, I'm afraid. May we come in and talk with you in private please?"

"Certainly, come this way, please. Hermione, why don't you go and get ready for the day. I'll take care of that." The latter threw her a look, but then simply nodded and went to her bedroom while Minerva led the police officers to the kitchen.

Some time later Hermione heard the frontdoor opening. She had remembered what all that was about while bathing and dressing up.

It was a good thing she hadn't been there to hear the news. She wasn't a very good actress and anyway, she much preferred not having to hear the announcement of her parents's death, even if it wasn't true.

She went down to the kitchen where she found Minerva smiling to her while cooking some eggs and bacon.

"Hello dear. I hope you slept well. We have a rough day ahead of us. They found the plane. They will keep on searching for the corpses, though they aren't optimistic. The weather is rather bad in this part of the mountains."

Hermione contented herself to simply nod while devouring her breakfast. It was delicious. She didn't know why she was so hungry, but it allowed her to stay silencious. She didn't know what to say. She had nothing to add about the presumed death of her parents and she didn't think it would be wise to talk about this morning and how she so obviously ogled her professor.

Minerva wasn't more at ease and thought it would be best to eat and see how things would play from there. It had been some time since she'd actually cooked, but she surprised herself in finding this activity very relaxing. And it made her very happy to see the obvious pleasure with which her pupil ravaged her dish.

She was too thin for her own good. She knew it was from overworking and not taking the time to eat properly, because she was the same. However, it wasn't a reason for not trying to improve her diet and her health by the same occasion.

Minerva had decided to take care of her young charge properly. And she would succeed! She had felt so old and useless the other times...

The death of Harry's godfather, the four stunners she received and who relentlessly kept hurting her, the rise of death eaters, the gloom feeling of her Gryffondor cubs, all that and more made for a very sorrowful Minerva.

She tried to hide it and work more, tried to help a tired Dumbledore and be there as much as possible to help people, but she had the feeling nothing she did would ever be enough...