A/N: Double posting tonight! The rating has been changed to reflect things that will happen in later chapters and more adult themes. Let me know what you're thinking of the story so far! I'm trying to write as much as I can, but I'm at a busy point in the semester with a lot of writing in the forecast.

Amelia's Flat

Warm sunlight crept into the bedroom as Amelia smiled contentedly as she snuggled into the witch lying next to her. Minerva was still sound asleep, sleeping in after a few late nights doing some of her research now that school was out for the summer. Why couldn't this be life for them every day, or even every weekend? Amelia looked around the sparse bedroom, clear of any personal touches lest she need to find another apartment on a moment's notice or if someone were to track her to her residence.

The dark-haired witch stirred, letting forth a cascade of dark hair over the pillow. Amelia knew she'd be annoyed by how it seemed to get everywhere were it not for the fact that Minerva only slept over about once a month, at most.

"Hey you" Amelia whispered, planting a kiss on the crown of Minerva's head. Minerva in turn rolled over and looked at her paramour.

"Good morning, dearest" Minerva replied, this time kissing Amelia on the lips.

Amelia sighed, relaxing next to the witch beside her. Minerva traced the scar on Amelia's collarbone, evidence of some of the battles they faced and the healing that brought them together.

"Love, what are you thinking about?" Amelia looked up at Minerva expectantly.

"You"

"Aww, are you going soft on me?"

Minerva rolled her eyes by way of response.

"Touché. I could say the same for you, Min." Amelia smirked, looking at the tangled sheets and pile of clothes by the bed, evidence of their earlier activities.

As affectionate as they were with each other, they could only be Minerva and Amelia in the safety of Amelia's warded apartment, squirreling away hours together.

"Hermione wrote to me about you."

"Oh, did she now?" Amelia smiled, raising an eyebrow.

"She seemed quite ecstatic to have found a potential mentor in you. I'm just glad she wasn't scared away or anything from us. She's got a good sense of character, our girl."

"That she does." Amelia quipped back.

Over breakfast Amelia proceeded to tell Minerva about their lunch meeting and how grateful she was that the both of them can be mentors in their daughter's life, hoping to make it to the point when laws keeping them apart can finally be abolished. Minerva shared that the Grangers were extremely supportive of Hermione when she told them about finding her biological mother.

"I miss this, Min. I miss this so much. Gods, I don't like staying here without you."

"It's a necessary evil I'm afraid." Minerva replied matter-of-factually, leaving Amelia with a bad taste in her mouth.

Amelia huffed but didn't respond. It wasn't worth getting into another argument about their relationship. Knowing that she could get harmed in her line of work regardless of her illicit relationship and child, Amelia was keener on taking risks than Minerva was. Back when Hermione would have been around six or seven, they got into a huge argument after Amelia found out where Hermione was going to and stood outside, glamoured of course, during after school pick up the first few days of the school year to watch her daughter from a distance. Unbeknownst to her at the time, she wouldn't see Minerva again for another six months, in part because of the Pureblood vitriol and terrible treatment of gay witches and wizards at the time that scared both of them more than dueling dark witches and wizards. Minerva was scared, that she knew, and when they finally saw each other again they set up some ground rules to keep the both of them as safe as possible. They wouldn't spy on Hermione and the Grangers, but they could interact with her in ways that would make sense if she were any other magical child.

Returning her thoughts to the present Amelia asked, "What do we do, Min? What do we do if she finds out who I am? I mean, you told her what it feels like to touch your child…or…or your soulmate?"

"I gave her the basic information and she will file it away somewhere in her brain. What? It's not like you'll make a habit of touching her. You just shook her hand, that's all."

"Right, but I'll still be around her. I'm starting to think this was a bad idea and I was leading by my emotions too much."

"Listen to yourself woman, we are both highly trained witches who have learned to operate with discretion. It would be utterly cruel to suggest doing something stupid like putting a confundus charm on her at this point. If she does find out, we'll figure out a way to keep her quiet and out of trouble, not like there's much of a choice. I don't think she's spoken to anyone else about me in confidence."

Amelia nodded her ascent. "I don't see the Minister doing anything about these laws, as you know, my hands have been tied. All of us on the Wizengamot can't resign or he'll replace us with terrible choices, Death Eaters the whole lot of them. Of that I am sure. So we stay, utterly powerless yet able to still make some important decisions from time to time."

"I know, I'm painfully aware of that and I would never accuse you of doing anything less than your best to keep things under control. We can't promise each other safety, but I'm beyond grateful that all three of us are connected in some way now."

Amelia nodded again, looking out the window so as not to look at Minerva directly when she responded.

"It's easy to be a mentor, but if I had the chance, I'm not sure I'd know how to be her mother."

Minerva extended her hand and placed it over Amelia's on the table.

"You're already parenting her, Amelia, you are her mother. Whether she knows that or not, we're both on her side."

The kitchen clock chiming 10 A.M. startled both of them and Minerva stood up.

"I know" Amelia said, disappointed that Minerva would have to leave.

"I'll be back next weekend, don't miss me too much."

"Really?!" Amelia was shocked, Minerva hadn't been spending much time with her that summer compared to usually.

"I don't suppose why not? Things seem safe at the moment, what could change in a week? I'll be in touch."

With that, Minerva was off to take care of some things that Sunday as Amelia would begin to prepare for the week ahead and facing Hermione one on one. Oh how things had changed so fast in just a few weeks.