When Harry woke up the following day, he was still in the Hospital Wing, but he only needed a second before realising that he wasn't alone in bed. One look to his side told him that Minerva laid beside him and had her head pillowed on his right shoulder. Closing his eyes once more, he laid his head on top of hers and inhaled her scent, suddenly it was like something rang in the back of his mind, this fresh flowery scent he had smelled before, long ago, almost in another life in Slughorn's first potions class. Of course, back then, he had thought of it to be Ginny but to be honest, he had no idea what Minerva had smelled like back then.

"What are you thinking about?" not opening his eyes, he smiled.

"Your scent."

"I know I had no shower in one week, but you could be a little more subtle about it," she answered.

"No, you don't smell bad, you smell good, great in fact, I…it might sound weird but, in one potion class, Slughorn made us guess the potions, and one was armortentia. It smelled like treacle tart, a broom and something flowery and fresh, like the first day in spring...it smelled like you."

For a while, they were quiet, "I don't think I ever smelled armortentia in my life, but I'm sure it would also smell like you."

"And what would that be?"

"I don't really know, you-" she turned her head and buried her nose in his neck, "smell like...you, natural, like fresh herbs, a little bit of wood and leather and just a waft of something sweet." she mumbled in his neck. "your scent is the most sensual I ever came across."

"I couldn't agree more, and good morning. How are you feeling?" Harry asked and pressed a kiss to her forehead. Minerva's hand, which had laid on his bandaged shoulder, now slid down to his chest.

"Good morning to you too, and I feel fine, way better than yesterday. I think I'm good to go."

"Really? You know that nobody would hold it against you if you stayed another day."

"Yes, I know, but I can at least try, and I'm sure I'll be okay," Minerva said and gave him a reassuring smile.

"Okay," he answered and pressed another kiss to her hairline.

"And how's your arm and shoulder?"

"Both good as new, and now that you are awake and laying by my side, I'm feeling great." he paused for a moment before he continued. "You know, in two days, it will be weekend again. Would you like to spend it together?"

"I'd like to do nothing more than spending the weekend with you," Minerva answered honestly and placed a small kiss on the underside of his jaw. Harry leaned down to meet her lips for another little kiss, but what started as an innocent kiss quickly grew into a very passionate one. Harry had never felt anything like this. No other kiss could compare to it. It was like electricity shot through his body; every nerve was tingling excitingly.

He felt how Minerva's hand slide up to the side of his face, and Harry pulled her even closer to him, ignoring the sting of pain as he let his left hand ran through her hair. Harry thought his heart would jump out of his chest when Minerva gently brushed her tongue against his lips. He opened his own more than willingly and moved his tongue to meet hers in a fierce dance to gain the upper hand. She tasted like nothing Harry had ever tasted before, and he didn't care what it was, but he wanted more. He wanted it for the rest of his life, and nothing could compare to it, he was addicted the very first moment.

Just then, the curtains around Minerva's bed were forcefully pulled aside, and Poppy stood before them, arching her eyebrow, while the two of them quickly broke apart. "I see you two are feeling better. Just for the record, I normally don't allow my patients to sleep in the same bed."

"We very much appreciate you making an exception for us, especially considering that your normal patients are hormonal teenagers," Harry answered, and the eyes of the Matron narrowed, but the corner of her mouth slightly twitched.

"Even hormonal teenagers don't dare to snog in my Hospital Wing," she remarked dryly, and Harry could feel how Minerva was slightly shaking beside him. He glanced down only to see that it was because she was suppressing her laughter. "Now get out of that bed, Potter." Harry couldn't help but grin, he leaned down to place another kiss on Minerva's lips before he got up, and Poppy closed the curtains right before his nose with an annoyed look on her face.

He waited until the Matron was done with Minerva's procedure, which seemed to have been successful because when the curtains moved aside, Minerva walked towards him, followed by Poppy.

"Alright, you can both go, but you still need to rest for a while, so no dangerous Missions or other tiring activities in the next week."

"But it is fine for us to engage in hours of tiresome activity next week or not?" Harry couldn't help but say and earned himself another annoyed look from Poppy and Minerva's elbow to his uninjured side.

"Thank you for saving our lives, Poppy," Minerva said after turning to face the older witch.

"You are welcome," she said with a smile and then turned to Harry. "And you, don't forget to put on the cream for the next two days before going to bed," she told him in a stern voice.

"I wouldn't dream of it, thank you for everything, Poppy." with that, Harry leaned down and kissed the cheek of the Matron, who blushed furiously.

"Oh, get out, you two!" with that, Madam Pomfrey turned around, but both Harry and Minerva saw the small smile on her lips.

"It's quite early, I don't know about you, but I'll take a quick shower before breakfast," Minerva told him as they walked down the still empty corridors to her chambers.

"Yeah, I could use a real shower and a change of clothes as well, Scourgify helps, but it's just not the real thing," Harry answered and squeezed her hand slightly, for a while, they walked in silence, taking shortcuts and secret passageways whenever they heard early risers, and Harry's knowledge of nearly all of them was more than helpful. Just as they hid from a group of third years, Harry decided to speak again.

"You didn't change your mind about the thing with Dumbledore?" Harry asked her quietly. Though he was sure nobody was listening to them, he was avoiding saying everything out loud.

"No, it might not be the most comfortable way, but we have to know," Minerva answered as quietly as he had, Harry didn't know how, but he had the feeling she was expecting him to try and talk her out of it.

"Okay, if you are absolutely sure, then I'll support you. I just don't want you to think that you have to do it because of anybody else," he said as he intertwined their fingers, and now it was Minerva who gave his hand a slight squeeze.

"I don't. Thank you for caring about me but also understanding that I have to do it. I know I heard something important, the memory is there; I just can't reach it." Minerva said, quite frustrated.

"Hey, it's okay, I promise we'll find out." they reached her office, and upon entering it, Harry kissed her goodbye and flooed to his own chambers. It felt strange to leave Minerva alone after spending so much time by her bedside, but at least he knew she was okay and safe and held no grudge against him for not being there to get her out of the house like promised.

With that thought, the guilt came rushing back to him, nearly physically knocking him down like a raging troll. Minerva trusted him, and he was lying to her, he felt disgusted with himself, but he didn't know how to tell her. Harry knew he had to tell her, he wanted to, but he couldn't do it as long as he hadn't figured out the problem with the Unspeakables. He couldn't tell her until Harry knew for sure he was going to stay in this time. Trying to occupy himself with anything, he quickly stripped off his clothes and stepped into the shower, subconsciously wanting to wash off the guilt he felt.

Involuntarily his thought wandered back to Minerva, and he imagined her under the shower. First, he only wondered if she was also thinking about what had happened, but then his imagination ran wild, and he began to think only of Minerva. How her wet hair was falling down her back, clinging to her body, water running over her skin with steam drifting around her.

Harry could almost feel her soft skin under his fingers as he imagined himself in the shower with her. How he ran his hands over her body, cupping her breasts, how her hard nipples pressed into his palms and how Minerva pushed back against him and his hardening cock. It took Harry a lot to force his thoughts back to his own lonely shower, and the fact that he hadn't had sex in five months wasn't helping at all. Still, Harry also knew he had no time to properly take care of his erection, so he simply turned on the cold water and thought about Ron's Aunt Muriel, which was always a safe way to get rid of a hard-on.

After getting dressed in clean clothes, he flooed back to Minerva's Quarters and arrived just a moment before Minerva walked out of her bedroom dressed in a simple green dress and putting her long hair up in its usual bun. Harry couldn't help but smile when he saw her. Minerva didn't notice him until she finished putting her hair up and turned around to look for her robes and flinched when she saw him standing next to her fireplace.

"Harry! You scared me half to death!"

"Sorry, that was certainly not my intention," Harry said as he walked towards her and kissed her cheek.

"I hope so," Minerva replied and wrapped her arms around Harry, who immediately returned the gesture. "Just hold me for a moment before we have to go out there and pretend we feel nothing more than friendship," she mumbled, her face buried in his neck, and so he did. He simply held her.

"Minerva, if we don't go now, I won't leave this room, and neither will you, and as much as I would like to do that, I can't imagine Astro fraud teaching DADA one more time," Harry said quietly, and Minerva chuckled amused.

"Alright, let's go." he waited until she had put on her cloak, and then they left for the Great Hall. As it was already breakfast time, they met no students. Before the two would walk around the corner and towards the Great Hall, Harry leaned down for a last little kiss, and Minerva smiled at him. When they stepped inside the Hall, the conversations died down, and all the students looked at them. Some of them even stood up to get a good look.

Students turned to their friends to whisper in their ears. Some told them they were glad the two Professors were back; most of them were Gryffindors who were happy their Head of House was back and doing well. Saying 'thank you here and there, the two made their way up to the Head Table to sit down. Their colleagues also welcomed them back, and Aurora wrapped her arms around Minerva for a quick hug.

"It's great to see you two doing better." the Astronomy Professor told them, and Harry gave her a smirk.

"You said 'you two' are you going soft on me now, Astro fraud?" he asked while pouring himself a cup of coffee.

"Oh, shut the hell up, shitty glasses. I was giving you some time off to get better!" Aurora growled as she glared at him before she leaned to her best friend, who rolled her eyes.

"See, I try to be nice, and this is what I get."

"Merlin, you two are going to be the death of me and just for the record, don't believe I don't know that you two got along just fine while I was unconscious."

"That was something different. You were hurt after all." Harry explained to her, and Aurora nodded.

"A truce, nothing more-" Seeing the look her best friend threw at her, Aurora quickly shut her mouth, but behind Minerva's back, she looked at Harry and formed the words 'Who blabbed?' but he could only shrug his shoulders. As neither of the two wanted to make Minerva angry, they didn't say another mean word to each other for the rest of the breakfast. Harry couldn't believe how much he had actually missed teaching the last few days in which he had been conscious and recovering. Even the things and the few students who annoyed him weren't that bad on this day.

After ending his last lesson of the day, which happened to be his parents' class, Harry spoke up again. "Could I have a word with you and your friends Mr Potter?" he said and gestured to Sirius, Remus, Marlene and Lily. The five stayed behind, and a few of the other students looked curious about what he'd wanted to talk about, especially Snape, but after he told them to hurry up or he would assist them, the classroom cleared faster. With a flick of his wand, he warded the door from curious ears.

"Well, you hopefully remember that I told you I would train you. I expect you to show up tomorrow at seven-thirty on the seventh floor, opposite of that tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy." he was met with quite confused faces, but none of them questioned what he had said.

"Alright, that would be all you're dismissed. I see you tomorrow." four of the five walked out of his classroom, but James remained in front of Harry. "Can I help you with something, James?"

"You actually can. You just said you wanted to see the five of us, but what about Peter?" James asked. Harry could tell that his father wasn't happy with the idea that his friend was being excluded, even though said friend would betray him and be the reason for his and his future wife's death.

"It's not because I don't like him, even though that's true- don't look at me like that, James, I'm an adult and not Helga Hufflepuff. I don't have to like everybody. I won't do it because Peter didn't manage to get the necessary OWL to be in my class, he is already behind you, and I need to focus on you. I can't waste my time teaching him the basics he had time to achieve in five years. But if it's so important to you, then you can teach him yourself." Harry told him, and James was clearly angry, wanting to defend his friend even though he knew that Harry wasn't having it and it wouldn't change his decision.

"So you are alright with not training him, knowing he might die out there?"

"Yes, and you won't be able to talk me into feeling guilty or change my decision. I won't tell him or anybody to fight; that's everybody's own decision and that alone. I won't feel guilty about things I can't control, I'll do my best in training you, but that's all I can do. And if Mr Pettigrew is going to fight, then he is also doing this willingly and with knowledge of his lack of skills." Harry retorted.

He knew James probably thought the anger in his voice was directed at him, though it was towards Peter in truth. Harry had thought about it since he had made the offer, but he just couldn't bring himself to teach Pettigrew only for him to murder more people.

"Fine, then I'll teach him. I really expected more of you." James said with anger in his voice.

"I can live with that. Now, will you be able to get over this and let me train you, or will you stay angry at me for something so ridiculous and be unable to follow my orders? Because in that case, you don't have to show up." Harry said, and James thought about what he said.

"No, I want to be trained by you."

"Alright, now hurry, or you'll be late for your Quidditch practice," Harry told his father as he sat down in his chair and began to read some essays.

"Bye." James retorted shortly and left the room. Harry wasn't happy that his father was angry with him, but he just couldn't do it, and one day, when James would give his life for his wife and son, all because of Peter's betrayal, he would hopefully understand.

He nearly finished all of his paperwork when he was interrupted.

"Not finished for today?" he looked up and saw Minerva standing in the doorway to his classroom.

"Hello there, don't tell me you're already finished?" he asked while she closed the door and walked down to him.

"I am. It seems like Albus was better at maintaining the paperwork than Ro."

"Yeah, actually, I'm quite sure she added some of hers..." Harry mumbled as he got up and leaned against his desk. Minerva smiled a little, but it seemed off, his eyes narrowed, and he gently pulled her closer.

"What's on your mind?" he asked and laid his hand against her cheek.

"How do you know?" Minerva asked, a little surprised.

"Well, I know you, I know you when you are feeling just fine, and I know when there is something on your mind and worrying you. What is it, Mina?"

"I have a meeting with Albus in, well, ten minutes, so we can find out what happened. I was actually just on the way to his office, but...I know I said I wanted to do it, and I do, I really do, it's just..." Minerva turned around suddenly, feeling stupid, but a set of muscular arms held her close before she could escape. "I'm not scared about doing it... I'm scared about what we might find out," she whispered and closed her eyes, but Harry didn't say anything for a while. He just held her close, then Minerva was pulled back even closer to him, and Harry pressed a kiss to her cheek.

"Do you want me to come with you?"

"Yes."

"Good, then I will be by your side," Harry said quietly and laid his head against hers. "How was your day?" he asked and felt how Minerva relaxed against him, laid her head back on his shoulder and her arms over his, which were now wrapped around her middle.

"Brilliant, I only ever remember how much I love teaching when I was away. My first years actually gave me a giant box of chocolate frogs and a card they all signed. It was such a sweet gesture I even ate one." she told him with a smile on her lips. But her words still caused Harry to frown a little.

"But you don't like chocolate."

"I know, but I couldn't tell them! They were so excited, so I handed them out, and we spend the first few minutes eating chocolate frogs. Now there are only two left, so it's a win-win." Minerva finished, and Harry chuckled.

"It's a win-win because they made you happy, you got rid of most of the chocolate frogs, and I'll be getting the ones left, am I right?" Harry told her, and Minerva turned to look at him with a slightly apologetic look on her face.

"Well, almost. I only have one for you. Ro ate the other."

"That woman-" he began only to shut up a second later, instantly forgetting about the chocolate frogs when a pair of soft lips laid on his.

"Who cares about chocolate frogs," he mumbled against her lips, and Minerva smiled.

"We should go, or we'll be late," Minerva said once they parted, and Harry nodded. When they arrived and entered Albus' Office, they were met by a surprised look on the Headmaster's face.

"Oh, did I forget you mentioning company Minerva?"

"No, I just asked Harry to accompany me. Is that a problem?" Minerva asked, but Albus only smiled.

"Of course not, dear. Have a seat." they both took the offer and sat down in front of the Headmaster. "Before we start, I would like to tell you that I was able to remove the memory of the imprisoned Death Eaters that you are an Animagus Minerva."

"Thank you."

"Alright, when you told me what you planned, I searched for easier ways. I didn't want to invade your mind this way. So I might have found a way, if your memories are blocked because you subconsciously don't want to remember, then we could try a form of the memory spell, it is barely known, you'd have to be asleep, but then I'd be able to get the memory in a less forcing way."

"And if the memory is not blocked because of that?" Minerva asked.

"Then we can still try Legilimency if you want to," Dumbledore said, and Harry reached over and took Minerva's hand in his, then gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"Alright, then we should start." Dumbledore stood and conjured up a couch. Minerva stood too and then laid down on the new piece of furniture in the Headmasters office. Harry took his chair and sat next to the sofa, and Minerva reached up and took his hand, he gave her a reassuring smile, and Minerva then nodded at Albus. He handed her a potion, and only a moment after she had taken it, she fell asleep. Harry watched closely while Albus waved his wand over Minerva's head and murmured a spell. After a few minutes, Dumbledore held the tip of his wand to her temple and slowly extracted a memory.

Harry conjured a vial with his free hand and held it towards Albus, and watched how the memory filled it. Albus then gave him the antidote for the sleeping potion and stood to get his Pensieve from the cupboard, while Harry knelt next to Minerva and gently gave her the potion to wake her up. It only took the potion a few moments to work before her eyes opened. Minerva blinked at him, and Harry smiled at her.

"Did it work?" she asked as she sat up and looked over to Albus, who had placed the Pensieve on his desk.

"There is only one way to find out. Are you ready to watch it?" the older wizard asked, and Minerva nodded and stood up. She and Harry walked to the desk as Dumbledore poured the memory in the Pensieve, and the three lowered their faces to watch the memory.

They watched and listened to what the Death Eaters talked about, and when Greyback and the other Death Eater arrived, they watched how Minerva was discovered, and the first time Avery placed her under the Crucio. Albus moved to take them back, but Harry turned towards Minerva, who was frozen next to him and staring at herself getting tortured.

"Do you allow me to stay? I won't if you don't want to, and I will never ask you again." Harry said it hurt him physically to see her in so much pain, but he had to see with his own eyes what had happened to her because he couldn't keep his promise.

"Yes." Minerva stepped closer to him when the screams of her memory self intensified, and Harry held her in his arms as both stood and watched what had happened to her. When Avery raised his wand to undress her, Minerva closed her eyes. As cruel as it was, she remembered this well enough. Finally, when the memory was over, and they were back in Albus' Office. They all sat down, and for a while, it was quiet.

"Please believe me when I say that I am inconsolable about what you endured for all of us Minerva, I hope you know that everything you heard was most valuable, and I will make sure that you did not go through all of that for nothing," Albus told them quietly, but Minerva only nodded and looked at Harry.

"I never liked taking lives, even this time, something deep inside me told me I was wrong to do it. But now, I am glad I ended as many of them as I could. They didn't deserve less for what they did to you and to so many others." Harry said and then looked at Minerva before he took her hand again. "I hope one day you can forgive me that I wasn't there to prevent this from happening."

"Harry, there is nothing you need forgiveness for. You were attacked, there was nothing you could have done, and you still saved me. This memory ended the way it did because of you; if it weren't for you, Merlin knows what they would have done to me. I don't blame you for anything, Harry, I'm grateful." her small smile tore him apart. He couldn't lie to her.

"You have no reason to be grateful Minerva, I wasn't honest with you. In fact, I willingly lied to you," he said, and it broke his heart when her smile faltered, and confusion appeared on her face.

"Harry-" but before Albus could say anything else, Harry had raised his hand in a silent plea to stay quiet.

"I wasn't attacked, and I'm not the man you think I am... I'm a time traveller."

Hello again!

I'm really sorry it took me so long to continue, but I hope you liked the chapter and might find the time to tell me about it in a review!

Thank you for reading, reviewing and all the follows and favourites, it really means much to me!