Disclaimer: Please view chapter 1/n

Dedicated: to my wife. I know you are in a lot of pain these days my darling. I admire your strength to fight but I love your strength to tell me when you can't anymore. I love you baby.

Chapter 9

Minerva felt something extremely soft on her face but couldn't really make out what it was. Too heavy was the veil of sleepy mist that still covered her consciousness.
When she finally opened her eyes she was greeted by a gorgeous smile, two deep, blue, loving eyes and Hermione's fingertips that gently caressed her cheeks.
"You're so beautiful when you are sleeping."
Minerva smiled back and pulled her down and on top of her.
"Come here you lovely thing."
Hermione giggled. Her lover was usually a very articulate woman but in the earliness of the morning her vocabulary seemed to be a little limited.
"You need to get up, darling. Your first lesson's calling..."
Minerva groaned. Hermione was right yes, and on any other morning when she woke up in her own bed, alone and freezing she was eager to get up and down to her students but today... it was so damn cruel to be forced to leave these fluffy covers and Hermione's warm, naked body.
However 20 minutes, one shower and lots of good morning kisses later, she was just about to leave Hermione, promising her a romantic evening together this very evening.
"Min.. talk to Albus about it, will you? If he thinks it too dangerous then stay away tonight, ok. No tears anymore on my side, promised."
Her sincere glance was met by Minerva's sparkling eyes and a pair of lips that took possession of her own once until Minerva let her catch her breath again.
"I will see you tonight my love. The hiding is over, from now on we will spend every single night together until you get fed up with me."
Hermione giggled. "That sounds just too heavenly."
They kissed again and then Minerva turned, heading for her first lesson. When she was already half way down the floor, Hermione called after her.
"And I will never get fed up with you." She smiled.

Ahh, this day was marvellous for Minerva. After her night with this woman she simply felt so very happy. Teaching was a pleasure, the third years were attentive for a change and she ate with great appetite when it came to lunch.
When Albus visited her this afternoon in her office, he was greeted with a warm smile from a very and happy relaxed Minerva McGonagall.
"Oh, Albus, heave a seat and try one of these biscuits. They are simply delicious."
He was offered a plate of chocolate biscuits and as a lover of sweets he took two.
"You're too good to me, my dear. Thank-you."
For a moment he watched her intensely until he said slowly and carefully
"Minerva, when I wanted to visit you last night you weren't in your chambers... am I right to think you were with Hermione?"
"Oh Albus, I know but I wanted to talk to you about that anyway... See, Albus, I cannot stay away from her any longer. I am grateful that you and Alastair take such a wonderful care of me but I simply cannot anymore and Hermione cannot either. We miss each other. We hardly see us during the day and we have no time at all, no time alone that is. It's hard to have a lover and not being able to love her, you understand? If it was only me, Albus but I cannot do that to Hermione anymore."
Albus nodded.
"I know, Minerva. I have watched you two over the passed few days and I haven't missed these sad and empty eyes of our normally so cheerful Hermione. And I agree, that you two should be together."
Now surprise was on Minerva's face.
"Why, I wouldn't have thought... Well, I am glad we have the same opinion on this issue, Albus. Is there are special reason for this change?"
The headmaster clearly hesitated for a moment.
"Alastair and I came to a conclusion..."
"And that would be..?"
"That it might not be you but me who is supposed to get hurt in that game, Min."
What was that now again? Minerva was so sick and tired of these lame theories that were simply lacking any kind of logic that it was hard for her to accept the men's thinking at times.
"Why? How? - Albus, isn't that a bit far fetched?"
"Well, Min, as Alastair pointed out in his first letter so nicely... I would do almost anything to protect you and if anything happened to you, it would hurt me as much as... well..." He silenced himself with another zip of his tea.
Minerva sat there in awe. What was this supposed to mean? Was he in love with her?
"Min, I guess it is about time to tell you something..."
"No, Albus, no! You know I love Hermione! Whatever you want to tell me now..."
"It is not that I am in love with you my dear, though I love you with all my heart."
His words didn't make any sense to her.
"I am your brother, Minerva."

It was a long afternoon, lots of tears were flowing and many words were needed to make Minerva believe that everything Albus had just said was the truth.
Her father was in travelling a lot in his early years. That was when he had met Albus' mother. They had not shared more than a few nights but it had been all it took to make Minerva have a brother now. Of course this had all been long before he had met Minerva's mother, long before they had fallen in love and got married. He never even knew about Albus. His mother had kept this as a secret and Albus had found out the truth only years ago but never found the right moment to tell his best friend that they had the same bloodline.

But now this blackmailing made sense of course. If anything happened to Minerva - Albus would be out of his mind for sure.
He had received another letter this morning that made him believe the author knew about this secret.

Dear headmaster,

you're looking into the wrong direction.
The part of the victim is still free, whereas the author of the crime is chosen already.
Do not miss the forest because of all the trees.

Minerva understood now. She wasn't supposed to be attacked. Albus was.