Sept 27, 1998, 8:15
The smell of coffee roused Hermione. Stretching as she started to fully wake, she felt a bit sore in places, and memories of the previous night flooded her mind. Minerva. She opened her eyes with a slow smile.
Next to a small table, adorned in a royal blue silk robe, hair in a loose bun with dark strands framing her strong jaw, Minerva sat in a chair facing the bed, sipping her coffee. Hermione rolled over, propping her head on her palms to face her. "Were you watching me sleep, love?" she asked with a teasing smile.
"Aye." With one eyebrow primly raised, Minerva took another sip, eyes glittering behind the cup.
Chuckling, Hermione rose up on her knees, reaching up in another stretch, hands clasping above her head. She leaned at the waist, first to the left then to the right, eyes watching Minerva's track along her body. As she brought her arms back down, Hermione noted that she was once again "alone" in her senses, and she couldn't see any remnants of their magical signatures in the air.
Spotting the red silk robe at the foot of the bed, she climbed off and pulled on the luxurious garment, tying it loosely, then joined Minerva, pouring herself a cup of coffee. Sitting with one leg tucked beneath her, she took a sip. "Mmm, this is excellent."
Minerva smiled, "Mm, yes, Wazel is a bit of a coffee snob and has taken to roasting his own concoction. I'm partial to it as well." As if summoned, Wazel popped into the room.
"Good morning, Wazel" Minerva said with a fond smile upon her face. He turned and gave her a smile in return before glancing at her lover. "Wazel, may I introduce you to Hermione Granger."
With a deep bow, Wazel came and stood before Hermione with wide kind eyes, "'ello Miss Mione, Elsie described ye to a tee, and I musts say yous magics signature dust was a pleasure, I feels ten yeers younger I doos." Hermione blushed to the roots of her hair as she spared a glance at Minerva who covered her smile with her cup, making it clear she was on her own. How am I continually rendered speechless by the McGonagall elves?!
Finding her voice, "It's lovely to meet you, Wazel. And may I say, your coffee is the best I've ever tasted."
Wazel's ears wiggled in pleasure as he broke out into a wide toothy grin. "Tanks ye, Miss Mione" Turning back to Minerva, Wazel added, "Yous brekky is ready for yous on da eastern terrace, Minnies" and with a wink and a pop he was gone.
Minerva let out the laugh she had been holding, bending forward with the force of it. Hermione cast her a glare before joining in, unable to resist at the sight of her lover's carefree, unfiltered happiness, even if it was at her expense. She is absolutely stunning. Mmm, and she's mine. A wave of desire shot through her and she felt her blood pool and pulse in her vulva resting on her ankle, dampening the surface.
Minerva, who was still chuckling, froze, her eyes darting as if magnetically pulled to the split of Hermione's robe. Despite not being magically bonded at the moment, Hermione felt the look as if it were a touch, and she gasped, her insides clenching, coating herself further. With a shaky hand, she managed to put her cup back on the table. Minerva wasted no time. In one fluid motion, setting her cup down and sinking to her knees, she pulled Hermione forward, freeing her trapped leg. Parting the scarlet robe, she inhaled. Looking up at her lover with hooded eyes full of desire, she asked, "What were you thinking about exactly, gradh?"
Hermione, panting in anticipation, reached out to cup Minerva's face, sliding her right hand back into soft ebony hair. "Mm, exact thoughts? That you are stunning and…." Fingers grasping around a handful of hair and gently pulling, causing her lover to growl gently, eyes still locked, she finished in her lowest register, "that you are mine ."
Minerva's eyes widened slightly, dilating as her skin broke out in goosebumps. Her hands sliding inside Hermione's thighs, pushed gently to part her further. Taking another deep inhale and licking her lips, she looked directly at Hermione's centre with one eyebrow raised and asked with a gravelly voice, "Aye, and is this mine?"
Moaning at the cool air as it hit her parted wet lips and her lover's predatory voice, Hermione gently pulled Minerva's head forward between her legs. "Goddess, yes. I'm yours , completely, Minerva." Feeling her lover's breath on her, she cried out, "Oh, fuck, take what's yours, love, don't hold back." Growling, Minerva lunged the rest of the way, her flat, fully extended tongue making contact, pushing its way through sopping curls to reach the source of the nectar she craved.
Panting above her, Hermione took in the erotic scene of her lover devouring her as if possessed, laving and sucking and piercing her with her tongue. "Oh, yes! Oh, Minerva, I love how you want me, love. Fuck, I'm so close." Minerva twisted her head to make eye contact, then growled directly into her vagina, the vibrations moving through her whole body. "Fuck!" Throwing her head back, she dug her nails into her lover's scalp and came with a flood. She felt Minerva smiling into her as she lapped up the weeping moisture.
Head heavy on her neck, Hermione's open-mouthed breathing began to regulate as she came down and loosening her grip on her lover's scalp, she began to scratch lightly. Minerva pushed against her touch, motivating Hermione to bring her head back down and take in the sight of her lover, resting against her thigh, looking the most content and catlike she'd ever seen her, chin still glistening with her juices, head moving to meet her grazing nails. I love her.
"I love you." Hermione said softly.
Emerald eyes parted and a slow, easy smile spread across Minerva's face as she rose upon her knees. Meeting Hermione at eye level, she leaned in for a tender kiss that tasted of both of them and a hint of coffee. Minerva brought both hands to cup her lover's face and brushing her thumbs over the still flushed cheekbones, she looked deeply into brown-gold eyes, and spoke sincerely, "I love you, too, Hermione."
Hermione's stomach rumbled loudly between them, causing them both to smile. Minerva kissed her forehead before using her lover's knee as leverage to get fully upright. Adjusting her robe, she held out her arm, "Come, gradh, let's get you fed." Hermione stood on unsteady legs, re-tied her robe and slipped her arm in Minerva's and with a crack they were on a large half circle terrace filled with various types of plant life, framed by a stone parapet. Continuing up from the stone ledge and reaching far above their heads in a half dome, was a barely visible shield charm, protecting them from the chilly autumn morning. Before them lay a large plush oriental rug with pouffes and cushions surrounding a low table where a spread of breakfast foods was laid out under a stasis charm. Next to the food were two flutes and an ice bucket with a bottle of fine champagne peeking out. Smiling at the bottle, Minerva teased, "Wazel likes you, dear."
Hermione barked out a laugh, "Don't start, it wasn't just my dust, you know. It was ours." Minerva slipped her fingers into Hermiones and brought the top of her hand up to kiss it once, twice, three times. "Aye, so it was", emerald eyes twinkling.
"You have to stop looking at me like that or we'll never eat."
It was Minerva's turn to bark out a laugh. "Fair enough, love." Gently untangling their fingers and moving to the table, she popped the stasis charm and set about preparing their plates. Having eaten beside Hermione most days for the better part of five months, either at Hogwarts or Harry's, she knew exactly the portions to add to her lover's plate. Hermione uncorked the champagne, gave it a quick sniff, and filled the glasses. Leaving the wine to open, Hermione arranged the cushions so they could sit comfortably at one corner of the table. Satisfied, she retrieved the bubbling glasses and settled down as Minerva brought their food, placing a plate in front of her with all her favourite things. Smiling, she squeezed her lover's knee, "Thanks, love, this looks perfect."
Once Minerva was situated, Hermione handed her a flute and raised her glass. Gazing into warm green eyes, she lifted her chin and toasted, "To the indescribable magic of loving, and being loved in return". Minerva beaming at the layered meaning, leaned in whispering, "My clever witch," to peck her lover's lips, then resuming eye contact, they clinked their glasses and sipped. Hermione hummed, "Delicious." And after a brief pause, she added softly, "Thanks, Wazel," eliciting a shared chuckle.
Returning their glasses to the table, they tucked into their breakfast in a familiar, companionable silence. Sated and sipping their second cup of coffee, Hermione tracked her eyes down Minerva's lounging form draped in blue silk and the morning sun. Her mind churned over all the new information she'd learned about Minerva over the last day. I want to know everything about her. "So, how did you get caught in an Acromantula web?" she asked.
Minerva laughed. "I knew you weren't going to let that go."
Hermione smiled, then raised her eyebrows expectantly.
Minerva rolled her eyes, pouring another round of champagne, she began, "As a wee lass, I was fascinated with all stories pertaining to magical creatures. And at my parents' prompting, I began my own field research notebook. In their mind it would be a work of fiction, a way for me to imagine going on adventures and pretending to discover the creatures I'd studied. Needless to say, I took it very seriously and unbeknownst to them began hunting magical creatures in earnest."
Hermione's face broke into a wide grin as she imagined a little Minerva out looking for clues and tracking creatures. "How old were you?"
Picking at the tie of her robe, she answered shyly, "Seven."
"Sweet Merlin, talk about a Gryffindor through and through!" She chuckled as Minerva blushed. "Before the giant spiders, who else did you find? Assuming that is when you were found out and made to stop."
"Aye, that is precisely what happened." Sighing and smiling slightly, "Before being snared by the Acromantula, I tracked a Unicorn, met an Augurey, fought a Clabbert, and befriended a Niffler until she stole my favourite charm bracelet and wouldn't return it." The scowl on Minerva's face at the mention of the stolen bracelet made Hermione's heart swell. She's still mad about the bracelet. Merlin, she's adorable.
"You are incredible, love. Most grown witches and wizards can't boast such a list. Do you still have the notebook?" Hermione sipped her champagne.
"Of course." And rolling her eyes once more. "I'll fish it out one day for you, lass, if you're so keen on it."
Beaming like it was an early Christmas, Hermione exclaimed, "Excellent! Now about the spider. How did you escape the web? Elspeth mentioned you using the Manor wards?"
"Aye, from the time I started showing magical abilities, Elspeth trained me on all ways to interact with the wards. Frankly, I think she was tired of chasing me out of trouble and knew that despite my headstrong nature, I was disciplined and teachable." Minerva reached out and grabbed her lover's hand, "Now that you're a part of them, I'd like to train you too. It's how I deflected the ambush yesterday."
Draining the rest of her bubbly at the reference to the simultaneous killing curses and placing the empty glass on the table, she squeezed Minerva's hand, "Yes please, I'd love to learn. Could you explain a bit of it now? I think…" Hermione faltered, eyes blinking fast trying to prevent tears from forming, she continued, "I think if I could understand and picture what really happened, it might replace these horrible images of what could have happened."
Minerva rubbed her thumb over their joined hands, "Certainly, lass. The long and short of it was that upon arriving I connected the floo to the Manor and pulled the wards inside the network so the Fidelius charm created a corporeal boundary between me and the oncoming curses cast from those who weren't a part of the ward signature."
Hermione's face lit up in understanding, "It was as if you were standing in the Manor fireplace, behind the charm. That's brilliant, Minerva! And no wonder I couldn't floo in. So you suspected it was a trap?"
"Aye, although the note itself didn't raise any red flags, I know how sensitive the issue of your parents is right now and for such an informal meeting, your former residence would be an uncharacteristic change of venue. That, and the floo directive, it just didn't sit right with me."
"And I'm assuming you decided to stay and fight to identify the attackers?"
"Aye," Minerva looked out into the distance, "They were on the backfoot as it were once they saw me reappear and step out of the flames unscathed."
Hermione laughed and looked to where Minerva's gaze had landed, "I can only imagine the tales being spread of you right now."
"And what of you, lass?" Minerva turned her face toward her lover with a smirk on her face. "She, who slowed down time. That was a remarkable piece of magic, by the way. You'll have to teach it to me."
Hermione blushed, "I was actually planning on showing it to you at our meeting yesterday, so we at least accomplished one item on the agenda."
Minerva laughed, lifting Hermione's hand to her lips, she still smelled herself on her lover's skin. She smiled as she placed three kisses on her knuckles. "Would you like to move this conversation to the bath, love?"
"Mm, that sounds lovely. When is Harry expecting us?"
"Around midday, we have some time, yet." Minerva smiled fondly, remembering her interaction with Harry. Standing, she extended her hand to Hermione to help her up, "Come love, I think you'll enjoy the Hungarian inspired bathhouse. It's just inside."
Minerva led her through a wide stained glass door with a beautiful depiction of a Sphinx in a lagoon. Stepping inside, Hermione gasped. They were standing on a stone balcony overlooking a very large, intricately tiled bath. Shafts of multicoloured light cut diagonally across the space through many stained glass windows, illuminating the steam and adding an ethereal quality to the room. Minerva tugged her gaping lover down a stairway to their left.
"This is incredible." Hermione said with her voice filled with awe as she followed Minerva down to the main level.
Smiling as she turned to watch her lover's eyes take it all in. "Aye, lass, I'd say it is the gem of the Manor. Aside from the library, of course."
Hermione's eyes lit up at the mention of the library. Minerva leaned in and pressed her lips to Hermione's in a tender kiss. The young witch smiled into the kiss. Pulling back slightly, finding the sparkling emerald eyes, she spoke earnestly, "Being here with you, like this, is something I never dared hope to dream. These months of getting to know you little by little, as Minerva, have been most exciting, and then to now have you and," leaning in, she pecked Minerva's lips again, "be able to do that ; it's at once the most surreal and the most natural thing I've ever experienced."
"Mmm, well said, gradh. I feel the same." Suddenly feeling the need to be in full contact, Minerva pulled her lover closer by the red silk tie around her waist and then slowly freed the knot, letting the buttery garment flutter open. Doing the same with her own, she stepped into Hermione's space, reaching her hands under the scarlet robe and wrapping around torso, she brought their bodies together and sighed.
After a long moment of just soaking in the embrace, Hermione reached up and grasping the neckline of the blue robe she gently guided it off her lover's frame. Minerva mirrored her actions and soon in a puddle of silk, they stood nude, Hermione's fingers caressing a path from her lover's face, down her arm, then around to her spine and up. She released her lover's hair from the loose bun. "May I wash you, love?"
Smiling into Hermione's hair as she felt her own cascade down her shoulders, "Aye, ya may, gradh" Hermione interlaced their fingers and kissing Minerva softly on the cheek led them to the wall of taps she had spotted on her descent. She turned one on, adjusted the dial and while waiting for the water to come to temp, she reached into the nearby recessed stone shelf housing a variety of bottles and a pile of folded washcloths. Grabbing a cloth, she set about smelling the contents of the bottles.
Minerva was content to lean against the cool tiles, watching her lover focus on the washing preparation with the same intensity and concentration she applied to prepping a potion. Hermione put a few drops from several of the bottles into another, shook and poured it on the cloth. Returning to the tap and bringing it to a lather, she caught Minerva's eyes, "Come, love, do you like this temperature?"
Putting her hand under the spray, Minerva hummed and stepped fully underneath. Tilting her head up, the water rained directly upon her face, sluicing paths down from her eyes, chin, and hair that joined into bigger channels, wetting her entire body. Hermione watched, remembering how incredible it was to feel the echo of her lover's senses. The feeling still fresh, she could almost imagine being the water caressing her lover's skin.
Minerva, now fully relaxed, turned, opening one eye, heart swelling at the look of pure adoration on Hermione's face. Smiling at the sight, she stepped from the spray, reaching for her. Hermione snapped out of her trance at the motion and came up behind Minerva, kissing her shoulders while rewetting the cloth. She began to gently scrub her back, moving higher, lifting her shining hair to smooth up the regal neck, swiping quickly behind each delicate ear before returning to her shoulder. Lifting her right arm she washed the small patch of dark hair, mapping the strong bicep to the firm forearm, circling the wrist that so deftly waves a distinctive fir wand, down to her elegant hands wrapping each finger in the soapy rag, her thoughts on how those fingers had brought her so much pleasure while inside her. Looking up, she could tell Minerva was caught up in the same memory. Smiling knowingly, she released her fingers and repeated the same path on her left side.
Minerva was exceedingly turned on by the time Hermione had moved to face her. As Hermione brought the cloth up to her collarbones, her nostrils filled with her lover's concoction, giving off notes of cedar, orchid, caramel, with a hint of gunpowder. A powerful combination, both subtle and complex, completely unique to anything she'd ever smelt. It suits me. I'll need to have her bottle more of this.
Hermione lovingly washed her lover's breasts, not lingering. As she made her way down her torso, she placed soft chaste kisses on every scar she passed across. Kneeling before her lover, she began scrubbing from her protruding hips down her lover's long muscular leg, and then lifting it to rest on her thigh, she washed a well-defined ankle and high-arched foot, taking her time with each bony toe. Gently placing the right foot down, she mirrored the action on the left side. When done, she folded the cloth and rose, gazing lovingly at Minerva's mound. Leaning in, she kissed the soft curls before cupping firmly with the cloth, lathering through her folds, gently teasing her lover's opening before sliding back to wash her rear. Minerva tipped her head back, moaning at the affectionate attention.
Finished with her body washing, Hermione guided her lover back under the spray while getting up to ring out the rag and pour some hair oil in her palm. Returning to a waiting Minerva, she reached up and gathered long ebony locks, rubbing the emulsion throughout and up to her scalp, where she set about gently scratching in small circles.
"Mmmm, fuck," came a gravelly whisper. Eyes widening at the uncharacteristic profanity, Hermione chuckled and leaned forward, "I think my kitten likes this." Never, ever in her life had anyone referred to Minerva as a "kitten" and in any other circumstance it would have rankled her proud hackles, but standing like soft putty in her young lover's hands the words rang true and she let out a clear and joyful laugh. Tossing her hair from Hermione's hands, she quickly rinsed under the spray. After wiping her eyes, Minerva leaned in to initiate a long, slow, open-mouthed kiss, bringing Hermione's right hand between her legs. Breaking the kiss, panting, she breathed, "Aye, love. It won't take much. You've wound me up so, please, gradh." Hermione, keeping her fingers moving over Minerva's swollen nub, pulled her lover to straddle her thigh. Capturing her earlobe, she murmured into her ear, "You are so gorgeous. I loved touching every inch of you. Come for me, Minerva." With a low groan, Minerva collapsed, trembling, into her lover.
After a few minutes of holding Minerva upright, Hermione murmured, "Mmm, why don't you go soak, love, and I'll quickly wash and join you in a moment?" the sated witch nodded into her shoulder, kissing it gently. As she moved away gracefully, Hermione wasted no time. "Accio soap, accio washcloth," she wandlessly muttered and with two hands grasped the objects in midair, lathering the plain bar on the cloth before methodically washing her body. After quickly washing her hair and ringing it out, she moved to join Minerva in the pool.
Various styles of tiled perches lined the edges, some having tables between them with wizard chess, muggle chess, go, and mahjong tiles. Minerva had chosen a wide lounger, big enough for both of them to recline side by side. Hermione slid in next to her, moaning at how wonderful the hot water felt as she submerged.
"This is heavenly," Hermione breathed out, grasping her lover's hand under the water and twining their fingers. "Mmm," Minerva hummed, squeezing her hand in agreement with her eyes closed. Hermione joined her in resting her eyes as the water gently lapped at their breasts.
Several long minutes passed, each witch lost in their own musings. Hermione was the first to break the silence. "Do you have an idea on who sent the note?"
"Before you woke, I was considering a few scenarios, but none are predicated on any concrete evidence." Turning her head to meet Hermione's gaze. "We'll need to strategize with Harry today on how the three of us will investigate."
"May I hear your ideas now?"
Moving her head back to the midline and re-closing her eyes, Minerva answered, "The presence of Mister Macmillan in the company of known and newly recruited death eaters leads me to believe that the current rhetoric about magically-disposed bloodline superiority is taking root faster than we thought. If we figure that Ernest needed to prove himself, since he did fight alongside us at the battle, this would have been an apt assignment. Now I am still sceptical about his ability to craft that note, but he could certainly have been tasked with passing it along to an Order member. I'd venture to guess that person would also be of either the same genetic disposition or he's maintained an intact reputation with someone despite his prejudice."
Hermione had admired Minerva's suggestion a few months ago that members of the Order avoid using the term pureblood. If they wanted to truly uproot blood supremacy, they'd have to stop perpetuating the "purity" aspect of magic-only bloodlines. Kingsley and Minerva had tried separately to get Rita Skeeter to follow suit in the Daily Prophet, it was the least she could do given the grief she'd caused, but she just scoffed them off saying "magically-disposed bloodlines didn't have the same ring to it."
Processing her words, Hermione could only think of two members who would fit the description and would not be critical of passing along the note. "Ron or Luna," she stated. Minerva smiled, "Aye, those are my two hunches for that scenario, too."
"And your thoughts on if it is a mole?" Hermione asked softly. Knowing that this would be a harder, much more personal line of inquiry.
Minerva squeezed her hand and, moving from her position, pulled her lover forward. She walked them back to a deeper part of the bath and lifted Hermione to straddle her waist.
"I do think this scenario is highly improbable, given the other, but we can't afford not to explore the possibility. And I'm afraid, love, that if it is a turncoat, that it wasn't just about killing me, but also about using you to do so. I've racked my brain and can only think of two people who would have enough information and prior correspondence with you to know how to create that note. One of them was sitting next to me when I received the owl, not to mention the least likely person, and the other has been sparking your ire for months."
Resting her forehead on her lover's, Hermione whispered, "Three."
"Pardon?"
"Three people." Leaning back, Hermione gave a quick peck on Minerva's lips, which were thinned in concentration. Unwrapping herself from her lover, Hermione led them to a seating area beneath a stunning blend of red shafts of light originating from a window depicting a pair of Phoenixes. They sat kitty corner to a stone table inlaid with a golden grid and two concavities hewn into the surface filled with white and black flat go stones. Minerva, trying to read her lover's face, couldn't place this particular expression.
Mindlessly picking up a black stone and placing it in her favourite starting position, Hermione cleared her throat then gazed calmly into questioning green eyes. "I've had two lovers before you. My first was Fleur Delacour, whilst she was staying at Hogwarts."
Minerva's eyes widened in surprise. How would I have missed that?
Sensing some backstory would be necessary, Hermione continued, "After Harry's name came out of the goblet of fire, he and Ron were at each other constantly. I wanted no part of their spat so I avoided them and Viktor Krum and I got to know one another quite well, hiding away in the library. Including the fact we both had a penchant for the same-sex. He was terrified of coming out while at Durmstrang, so I agreed to be his beard while at Hogwarts. He also intimated that Fleur was interested in me and set up an evening for us to share a meal in the contestants quarters. And well, things escalated from there. We spent several months together, how did you put it, "enjoying each other's bodies" and after she left, we kept up correspondences until we realised that our interest in one another was purely physical and wouldn't be something that could sustain either of us in the long haul. So, we amicably ended our relationship. Not too long after, she fell madly in love with Bill."
"You were fraternising with Fleur at Hogwarts?!" Minerva exclaimed, her face transforming from the soft open face of her lover to that of the familiar, shrewd Professor McGonagall.
Oh Merlin, I'm going to have to get used to that. Hermione reached over and grabbed her lover's clenched fist, bringing it to her lips, kissing once, twice, three times. "Yes, love, and it didn't make you any less of an effective Deputy Headmistress that you weren't aware. In fact, Dumbledore winked at me once as I left the room of requirement after one of our trysts and said, "Explorations are good for the soul until they're not." or something equally telling that he knew what we were up to."
"The room of requirement provided you a place to have sex ?!"
"Mm, yes, love, but it would only appear when all of our work was complete." And smiling mischievously, Hermione added in a sultry tone, "I'll have to show it to you sometime. Hogwarts is nothing if not creative."
Minerva barked out a laugh that echoed loudly through the bathhouse. "Oh Hermione, you are full of surprises, lass. Now tell me, is your second lover in the Order as well?"
Hermione smiled and relaxed her shoulders at the return of her Minerva. "No, she was a muggle. A bookshop owner's niece down the way from Grimmauld, just in town for the summer from University. It was a hot and fast fling, nothing more."
Minerva raised her eyebrows.
"What? It was a stressful time, with the Order coming back together and keeping everything from Harry, I needed an outlet." Reaching out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her lover's ear, "You may have been a late bloomer in this area, love, but that was not my experience."
Minerva's face softened as she pulled their still entwined hands to her lips. "Aye, and for that I'm grateful. What of Ronald then? I assumed you had a romantic relationship at some point from his continual dogged expressions."
"In Ron's mind we were absolutely destined for each other, but he is thick-skulled and only hears what he wants. It took us being under the influence of evil Horcrux energy for him to finally get the idea before he stormed off and left me and Harry to the rest of the damn mission. I still haven't forgiven him for that and that is why we aren't friendly. Once he grows up enough to know how to properly apologise and stop making excuses like he's some victim of my sexuality, I have no time for him."
Minerva picked up a white stone and placed it above Hermione's. "Do you think he feels so strongly that it's turned him?"
Hermione answered while pacing a black stone to the left of hers,"He's obsessed, but I don't think he'd sacrifice everything, and you, just to spite me. I could imagine him, however, not thinking twice of passing along the note from Ernie, especially if he read it and recognized all the familiar markers of it being from me."
Minerva nodded, her face contemplative. "And Fleur? Is she over you, truly? The Veela have a history of being quite neutral in the wizarding wars. Having a longer sight similar to centaurs, they are less invested in such matters. I recognize she's part human, but she and I have never been close." And as an afterthought added, "And now I know at least part of the reason why."
"What do you mean?"
Minerva gave her a long, assessing look before answering, "When you were together did Fleur make it obvious that she could smell your arousal, similar to how I am able?"
Not expecting this turn of conversation, Hermione blushed, "Umm, not quite like you, no, but she seemed to know when I wanted her, even from a distance. I thought it was a pheromone response rather than olfactory."
"Aye, well, both are true. I'm sure Fleur's sense of smell rivals my own and with her pheromone awareness she can detect if the state of arousal is directed at her or…" Picking up a white stone, Minerva met honey gold eyes. Placing her stone diagonally to her first, wrapping around the black, she punctuated, "someone else."
Hermione's brow furrowed in confusion, "I'm afraid you're going to have to be more direct, my love. You've lost me."
"Three months ago, duelling practice at our general meeting, you and I in the final round. I think our magic knew where we were headed before we did, wouldn't you say?"
Hermione thought back to that duel and smiled. It had been spectacular, for every curse, an elegant parried response. It was like they were in their own world, testing, teasing, discovering each other in a new way. Their uncanny ability to read each other had been extremely stimulating and… Arousing. "Oh my god." Moving to pull her hand from Minerva's, to cover her face, Minerva held on.
"Lass, you have no need to be embarrassed. That duel was more like a duet, in every sense." Minerva's eyes glittered as she remembered her favourite moments. "It was the first time I think I truly acknowledged the fierce witch and woman you've grown into. When you drew your second wand mid-twirl, you looked every part a flamenco dancer on fire. Mmm, and the way you stalked up to me bending my shield to the shape of yours was utterly captivating. And until last night, that duel was by far the most exquisite and the most intimate magical exchange I've ever had in my life. And while I was neither mentally nor emotionally prepared for it, it is only natural that we'd become aroused after our magic had flirted with each other so shamelessly."
"We? You were aroused, too?" Hermione's eyebrows lifted in surprise.
"Aye, lass, I went for a swim in the black lake after and I cannae remember the last time I had done that."
"It's so sexy when your Scottish comes out."
Leaning around the table, Minerva cupped Hermione's cheek and brought her in for a reaffirming kiss that lasted several minutes until they were both flushed and wanting. "So you see lass, why I'm askin ya about Fleur? She knows about us. She knew before we did."
Hermione, still catching her breath, closed her eyes and thought about her interactions with Fleur over the last few months.
Fleur had joined the Order about a month after the battle, having been busy nursing Bill to health from Greyback's bite. She'd been paired with Charlie since Bill didn't feel ready to fight yet, not knowing if when pushed he'd want to bite others.
"I haven't seen much of her since she's been off with Charlie, but she wasn't happy with me the first time we saw each other after the battle. Apparently, after Ron left me and Harry in the woods, he went straight to her and Bill's house, accusing her of using her Veela powers to turn "his girlfriend" gay."
"Oh, for Merlin's sake, Ronald."
"Yeah, and when they threw him out, he went to the Burrow and told the whole family that Fleur was bisexual and about our relationship. That caused a bit of tension. Ginnie and George already knew and could care less, but Molly has always pinned Ron and I together. And well, apparently, she took up his mantle against Fleur, saying some awful things to her, causing Bill to cut off contact, at least until Fred died."
"I'm so sorry, lass. I had no idea."
Hermione laughed, startling Minerva. "Love, you have had more than enough occupying your attention than this petty drama."
Reaching for Hermione's hands, she had them both rise. "Never underestimate the petty dramas, lass. They are often a match to a bigger fuse, especially if they join forces with other parties who share the same anger. I think our first stop, before meeting Harry, should be a visit to Fleur. She'll know at a glance we are now officially together, and we'll learn a lot from her first expression."
Stepping out of the bath, side by side, Hermione murmured, "Mm, I like the sound of that, officially together."
