A/N: Shoutout to my Spin, whose headcanons are my headcanons lol
-0-
When they turned up in Minerva's rooms, even Hermione was shocked at the progress they had made. Filius was fiddling with something while he sat at Minerva's desk, Harry was arranging books by hand into crates, while Pomona Sprout was wrapping the knick-knacks they seemed to have repaired and rescued and placing them in boxes beside the fireplace.
Hermione bit her tongue as Minerva reached for her hand and squeezed it gently before she stepped away and cleared her throat.
"Ahem."
"Minerva!" Harry gasped, glaring a little at Hermione. "Um. Happy Birthday! It was Hermione's idea. I just do as I am told. I mean, we wanted to, of course. Anything for you, but it was most definitely Hermione's fault. Um," he winced. "Idea."
The babbling and the panic in Harry's eyes made Minerva laugh and she chuckled as she walked over to him.
"I am indebted to you, Harry Potter, for so many things." Hermione laughed as Harry prepared to be transfigured into something and instead, Minerva hugged him tightly. "Thank you, all of you," she said, smiling at Filius and Pomona as well. "For doing this for me."
"Ginny was here for a while but she had to go to training," Harry said gently. "Poppy is -"
Hermione watched as that little frown appeared between Minerva's eyebrows but then she gasped as the woman herself stepped out of Minerva's bedroom.
Minerva glanced at her before following her gaze to her bedroom door.
"I was terribly rude to you, Miss Granger," the woman said, looking at Minerva carefully, though she glanced behind her to Hermione before continuing. "I beg your forgiveness."
"You have it," Hermione said easily. "I understand."
"I," Minerva's voice cracked as she stepped away from Harry towards Madam Pomfrey. "Was horrible to you, and I apologise to you, Poppy."
"I didn't deserve it," the woman said. "But I," she looked around. "Why didn't you say anything?"
Minerva shrugged. Hermione smiled as Harry wrapped his arm around her as they watched.
"I thought this was mine to bear," she muttered. "Everyone else has so much to do as well, I didn't think -"
"Minerva," Poppy said gently. "You are so proud sometimes. Too proud. Ask for help next time."
"I will try," Minerva muttered, glancing back at Hermione. "I really will. Though I desperately hope there will not be a next time."
"Well," Pomona Sprout said cheerily as Poppy and Minerva hugged. "I expect you'll want us out of your hair."
"Actually," Minerva said, stopping them in their tracks. "I wonder if you all might like some refreshments?"
Hermione pulled the pizzas from a bag she'd hidden behind her back and Minerva drew two bottles of wine from her pockets and invited everyone to sit in the newly righted furniture. The party was raucous for just the six of them but before long Filius and Pomona left and then Poppy, after promising Minerva that they'd meet the following week, leaving Harry laying on the vacated sofa while Hermione gathered up the rubbish.
"You, young man," Minerva muttered as she perched on the arm above his head. "Are a wonder," she chuckled as he yawned. "You staying there?"
"Just for a bit," he mumbled.
"Alright then," she smiled, standing and offering her hand to Hermione. "We'll collect you on the way out."
"'kay," he yawned, turning towards the back.
Hermione smiled down at Minerva and accepted the offered hand she held out.
"Help me?"
"Always," Hermione shrugged.
Minerva smiled and stood, wandering with Hermione into the rooms at the back of her living area.
"A small kitchenette," Minerva chuckled. "A guest bedroom and my room."
"Simple and effective," Hermione smiled. "What would you like me to do?"
"Keep me company?"
"Sure," Hermione shrugged. "I can match socks though if that's any help."
Minerva snorted and nudged Hermione with her hip as they walked into Minerva's bedroom. Hermione took the time to look around, knowing that Minerva would expect her to do so.
"Well?"
"Exactly as I thought it would be," Hermione shrugged. "Cosy, dark woods and tartan," she quipped, rubbing the blanket on the bed with her thumb.
Minerva laughed this time and cupped Hermione's cheek before drawing her wand.
"You were right," Minerva said before she started. "Before, I mean. If the towers are not stable enough to be worked on, I should not be staying here."
"True," Hermione shrugged, settling on the edge of the bed. "But I know why you did and look, if you don't want to stay at mine, we can -"
Minerva's lips stopped any other words and thoughts from even entering Hermione's mind as they kissed hotly at the end of the bed.
"I would be honoured to stay with you, Hermione. I know that what we are experiencing is incredibly new," she sighed. "I am still so discombobulated, but I would much prefer to be with you than in a hotel or different establishment."
"Good," Hermione grinned, her head spinning from the kiss. "Good."
"Now," Minerva said, standing back and settling her feet. "I think we should liven this up a little."
Hermione lifted herself onto the bed, wrapping the tartan blanket around her shoulders and burrowing into it so she could be surrounded by the scent that was purely Minerva as the magic in the air ramped up a little.
"Ready?" Minerva asked.
"I'm all ears," Hermione smiled.
She was glad she was, too. Minerva spoke a few careful words and waved her wand and the doors to her wardrobe flew open and all of her clothing sailed across the room, folding and trucking themselves into the bag that Minerva had opened at her feet.
"Expandable bag?"
"Your idea," Minerva nodded.
Hermione grinned and correctly assumed that Minerva would simply slide the spell around the room and pack her things in very little time.
She had been asked to keep Minerva company and though she spoke very little, she caught Minerva's eyes a few times and they smiled at each other until most of Minerva's belongings were tucked inside the bag at her feet.
"Would you like to do something for me?"
"Definitely," Hermione smiled.
"Would you pack up my dresser? Jewellery, hair things etc? They don't enjoy being told what to do."
"I absolutely will," Hermione grinned, walking over to it and sitting in front of it. She stared a little at the organised chaos before realising that she was being afforded a privilege to be able to even look at these things.
"Do you ever wear these?" she asked casually as she ran her hands over a little crystal dish of rings. A few were more ostentatious than she would have pegged Minerva to wear, but a few matched her personality. Muted to an extent, expensive but quietly understated.
"Sometimes," Minerva shrugged, walking over to Hermione's side and leaning on her shoulders a little while she looked.
"Some of them were gifts?"
"Yes," Minerva chuckled. "Some I inherited. Can you pick which ones?"
"Yes," Hermione snorted. She separated the ones she had picked and stared up backwards at her love.
"You know me very well, love," she chuckled, pausing as she seemed to hear herself. Hermione held her breath as Minerva blinked down at her and smiled softly.
The moment passed as she looked back at her dresser and ran her finger over a few of them.
"My mother's," she indicated. "My grandmother's." She paused and glanced at Hermione before taking a deep breath. "This belonged to -" she stopped and bit her lip.
"A lover?" That pretty blush was back and Hermione spun on the stool and took Minerva's hand. "What was her name?"
"I -" She tried to pull away but Hermione didn't let her.
"Min? It's okay. I know you've had lovers and loves and flings and whatever," she giggled. "One night stands."
"Hermione," Minerva protested.
"There's no denying you are older than I," Hermione said seriously. "I know you have had other lovers. I know there have been people in your bed."
"You're making me sound like a harlot."
"No," Hermione chuckled. "I don't mean to. It is logical and completely alright that you have other people in your life, Min."
"Amelia," Minerva whispered. "Her name was Amelia."
Hermione blinked as she considered the only Amelia she knew of.
"Bones?"
"Hmm," Minerva muttered.
"Oh Min, I'm so sorry."
"We were separated, a few years before," she revealed.
"Still hurts."
Minerva nodded and sighed, leaning a little more on Hermione's shoulder.
"You and the Heads of the DMLE," Hermione joked, trying to lighten the mood.
Minerva stepped back and looked down at her for a long minute before she covered her mouth and let out the silliest giggle Hermione had ever heard.
"Hermione!"
"What!" Hermione chuckled. "Who's the next one hmm?"
Minerva laughed and leaned down to kiss Hermione's head.
"How did you know about Elph? Not many do?"
"I know you worked with him for a long time. And then you lived outside the castle once he retired, I must have picked that up in passing once because I don't recall you saying anything about it. And that Madam Pomfrey said you were married to a man." She saw Minerva's frown and sought to head off any annoyance. "She didn't mean to, I don't think. But I put two and two together."
"You are wickedly intelligent, Hermione. Not many other people would have put that together."
"Not many other people know and," she swallowed. "Love you, like I do."
"Perhaps this is fate," Minerva smirked as she bent down to cup Hermione's cheek.
"How so?" Hermione asked.
"Maybe that means you are the next Head of the DMLE."
She stole a kiss and sauntered back into the bathroom with a sway of her hips while Hermione was left gaping before she too, laughed in response.