"Whuts these bloomin lights aboot, Elsie?" Wazel held up his hand, watching the twinkling emerald and gold flecks filter through his knobby fingers like dust motes caught in sun rays.
"Minnie and Miss Mione, dearie. Theys magical signatures are minglin." Elspeth said matter-of-factly, despite the wistful smile upon her face. "Donnae you remember the story of Minnie's ancestors, Wazel?"
"Ah noos, donnae start with testin me memory, Elsie, ye knows me prefers to live in'da present."
"Aye, I do, dearie, now goes make us some tea and come settle in and I'lls tells it to ya." Elspeth collapsed into her tufted chair, putting her tired legs on a small ottoman. With a look of stubborn concentration, tongue peeking out of the corner of her mouth, her hands started moving as if around a sphere in front of her. A bubble-like surface started to form as she continued moving her hands and fingers this way and that. Tilting her head first to the left, then right, she smiled and with a firm blow through pursed lips it solidified into a crystal clear unbreakable globe. Holding it up to her big eyes, she shook it gently and watched as the trapped cloud of shimmering particles swirled, bouncing off the glass and colliding within their new home. With a snap of her fingers, she summoned a wooden hinged box lined with dark green velvet tufted with gold buttons and placed the orb inside and shut the lid and clasp. "'Happy birthdays, my Minnie" she whispered, and with another snap of her fingers the box was out of sight.
Wazel appeared with a tray of tea, biscuits, a bottle of vermillion label malt, crystal cut rocks glasses and a small bowl of ice.
Elspeth's eyes were fixed on the scotch, lost in the memory of meeting Minnie and Miss Mione arm in arm by the gates earlier.
"Figured nows a good time to brek into Minnies Christmas present seein as she's lightin up da place." Wazel said with a cheeky smile.
Elspeth chuckled, "Aye, dearie, it does seem the day for the vermilion donnae it? Pur me a double and do sits down alreddy. We needs to go outsides to greet the others soon."
With a puzzled look, not uncommon upon Wazel's face, he poured them each a hefty spot of whisky then sat on his preferred straight-back chair.
After taking a long sip, Elspeth began,"Long, long ago, there lived two lasses, Miss Hera and Miss Helianna, one from the islands and the other from the green country. Theys fell in love and in doings so, often had to runs for theys lives."
"Blast dos close minded humans" Wazel grumbled.
"Aye, dearie." Elspeth continued, "So after a time theys made a home here in the Highlands. Boths were whip smart in plant medicine and theys helped the village peoples from time to time, some o'em even came to study withs them. Anyways, long stories short, theys were the first humans of the North country to unlock theys magic. Legends has it thats from times to times the nigh'sky would fill with a mist of shimmering lights of blues and green and other magic folk, including ours, would feels it calling and come gather. In fact, it's hows our clan was suppose'ta'ave mets Minnieses."
Wazel brought his hand up again trying to catch the gold and green lights as they danced and swirled around his fingers. He laughed. "It feels good, Elsie, likes happiness and loves you can sees."
"Aye," Elspeth took another sip of her whisky, then extending her hand, she wiggled her soft stout fingers through the phosphorescence.
"What o'v Merlin then, Elsie? I thought he was da first wizard up North."
"Aye," a slow soft smile broke across her plump face as she waved her right hand, pushing the flecks this way and that. "He was theys son, Wazel."
Before Wazel could respond, a low, rich frequency seemed to fill the room, growing and growing, then bursting into a rich melodious and utterly captivating sound that pulled at the very strings of the soul.
"Up we go, Wazel, the Phoenixes are here. Brings the tray and gets a few more glasses, wonts ya dearie? Fawkes used to like Minnie's whisky. Maybe these wills too."
Hermione began to adjust to her enhanced sensory awareness and the strange yet welcome sensation of experiencing what her lover was feeling, like an echo around and through her, and she breathed out, "Minerva," as if the word was the most precious incantation. Hearing her name whispered so reverently caused Minerva's vaginal walls to contract firmly, encasing Hermione's finger. Moaning, four eyes snapped shut, Hermione's forehead coming to rest on Minerva's as waves of pleasure wove back and forth, building into a gentle cascading climax that lasted an indeterminable amount of time.
"Hermione, look up, love" Minerva cupped her lover's face to place a gentle kiss on the open lips, before brushing both thumbs over her eyelids, smiling at the reverberated feeling of comfort the touch brought to Hermione. "Gradh, open your eyes. It's quite stunning."
Hermione lifted her head and looked around. The luminescence was almost overwhelming to her blown retinas. Tiny orbs of glowing emerald, not unlike what she had touched to find Minerva earlier, were floating all around her and her lover's head. She blinked, and they all seemed to change to a deep golden colour. Keeping her eyes open and twisting her neck to look over her shoulder, she saw that actually the whole room was filled with the twinkling particles varying in size and in different states between green and gold.
Turning back to gaze into matching green eyes, Hermione mirrored her lover's smile, feeling the wonder flow through them at the brilliant display.
"Is this what usually happens?" Hermione asked, her brain suddenly racking for any hint of information she may have read or heard about such an occurrence. Coming up short, she wondered why she didn't know anything about this magical love making before now. Why wouldn't anyone talk or write about this? Feeling suddenly out of her depth, her thoughts started spiralling, begetting feelings of guilt for bringing down the beautiful moment with her sullen thoughts. She closed her eyes and felt tears start to form beneath the lids.
Witnessing the change in her lover's countenance and feeling first confusion then acute sadness transmit through their connection, Minerva shifted from below Hermione, gently removing her finger from within her, bringing it to her lips. kissing lovingly, before turning them so Hermione was lying cradled beneath her. "Hermione, stop, love. It's okay, look at me. Please, love." Feeling Minerva's loving concern pour through her, she choked out a sob and opened her eyes. "I'm sorry, Min-" Placing a finger on her lips, Minerva silenced her young lover. Speaking clearly if not quite firmly, Minerva began, "Hermione, you have nothing to apologise for, lass." Feeling lips strain against her finger, she pressed again. "Please, lass, let me finish?"
Hermione nodded, taking a deep breath. Smiling, Minerva removed her finger and replaced it with her lips, kissing Hermione once, twice, three times, eliciting a smile from Hermione as she recognized the cadence from the kitchen earlier. "Thank you, gradh. Now, firstly, I'll start by saying I have no idea how this is happening or how long it will last." Waving her hand above them, the particles swirled in a current in her wake. "However, I do recognize and know in my bones, as I know you do too, that it is indeed us . Our magical signatures made manifest somehow." Her face breaking into a wide grin, she looked down into her lover's face. "And we are beautiful , love."
A pulse of pleasure, desire, and a bit of relief ran through their link. Hermione wordlessly reached around Minerva and brought her lover close against the length of her body. Minerva sank into the embrace for a moment before resuming her position, propping her head on her elbow and gently tracing Hermione's face, soothing their bond.
"Now, we have a lot to learn about one another yet, and I am eager for that knowing to unfold." Giving a gentle sigh, she continued, "And if this day is any indication, I'm sure it will happen quite quickly, love." Honey eyes twinkled. Taking a deep breath, she pushed on, revealing herself in a way she had never before, "I've had a handful of lovers throughout my life."
She felt an intake of breath beneath her, followed by a tingling resonance of curiosity percolate through their connection. She smiled when she did not sense a hint of jealousy, just a deep yearning to know her. "And while I felt varying depths of affection and love for all of them, I never asked, nor wanted, any one of them to do what I asked of you." And making herself quite clear to her keen lover, she added, "Nor did I touch any of them with my magic in this way."
Catching the light of a question in Hermione's eye, she continued, "And before you ask why, I'll tell you, gradh. As you know by now, I am a private person by nature and when I was younger, even more so. I was a late bloomer sexually, preferring the safe comfort of friendship, my books," with a gleam in her eye, she added, "and my own hand."
Hermione barked out a laugh that lifted their link. "And then the war happened and it took a night of too much whisky and a muggle woman practically undressing me in the bar for me to give in and explore being with another person. After that, I had several dalliances with witches throughout the years, but with my commitment to Hogwarts and my own intellectual pursuits, it didn't leave a lot of room for someone else." Hermione started combing her hands through Minerva's hair, scratching the scalp before pulling the strands a bit, providing physical reassurance as she felt their bond churn with emotion. Minerva leaned into the touch and continued, "Honestly, I never wanted a partner in the true sense of the word. None of the women I was with shared my interests, nor my level of magical ability. We came together to enjoy each other's bodies, escape our realities for a while, and then we'd leave each other to our own devices." Minerva captured Hermione's right hand, bringing the top of her index finger to her lips. Still smelling herself on her lover's skin, she kissed it reverently. "None of my prior lovers would have even known how to do what you did, love, and I had no desire to teach them."
Knowing there was one more facet to discuss before Hermione could move past this moment of insecurity, she continued, "And as for knowing about it, I have several texts that have been handed down within my family that mention the act of magical coupling." Smiling conspiratorially, "And I'd be happy to share them all with you, gradh. I've read them hundreds of times to my great personal pleasure. Only one book mentions a mist of blue and green, but it does not delve into the magical science or theory behind the projection." Seeing Hermione perk up and open her mouth to ask her final question, she placed her finger back on her lips. "And no, despite great effort I haven't found anything more mentioned anywhere else on the subject, not even the teachers library at Hogwarts." Hermione seemed at a loss for words, never having anyone provide her with all the answers to her questions so succinctly, and she hadn't even verbalised them.
Smiling mischievously, Minerva scooped up her lover and positioned her to be on top once more, causing the wild, fire-coloured mane now bejewelled with green and gold to settle as a curtain around their faces. "So you see, Hermione Granger, my curious, brilliant, beautiful witch… you are my first." Throwing her head back, Hermione laughed and joy erupted brightly through them, lifting any remaining weight of uncertainty and grounding them back to a solid, even foundation.
"Thank you, Minerva," Hermione said earnestly, brushing her thumb over Minerva's perfectly shaped lips.
"Aye, lass. Will you kiss me now, love?"
"Anything you want, love" and she leaned in and initiated a slow, wet kiss, pouring all her gratitude and affection into their connection, their heartbeats quickening, vibrating in the room. Suddenly, an otherworldly sound penetrated the room. The tangled witches clutched each other tightly as they felt the frequency resonate to the very sinews of their bond and unfurl into a full-blown Phoenix Aria.
After a while of just basking in the enchanting song, Hermione lifted her face to gaze into her lover's eyes full of mutual awe, and with a smile lighting up her whole face she leaned forward to whisper in her ear, "Loving you is transcendent, Minerva McGonagall." And the effect of those words triggered another oscillating orgasm that reverberated through the witches before tapering off and pulling them into a deep, dreamless slumber, wrapped around one another.
