A/N: What is there to say? Not much I don't think. Much love to you all. Thank you so much for all the lovely reviews you write. I do try to reply to most of them whenever I can.
Thanks be to Lib McGranger for her work and her goodness and her support.
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Dinner, as she thought it would always be when Minerva did the cooking, was delicious. And that lovely, easy feeling that she'd been worried might never come back after all they'd been through, came back before they'd taken their seats. Minerva had not Transfigured any shoes, so Hermione slipped hers off as well when they got downstairs. It made her feel more vulnerable, though she'd been without enough times at her parent's cottage.
The feeling amplified tenfold as she sat in their window, watching the snow top the mountains. She shivered and rubbed her arms to stave off the feeling.
"Hermione?"
Hermione jumped. The teacups went flying and landed with a crash at their feet.
"Wait -" Minerva said quickly, her arm catching Hermione's middle and stopping her from running. "Love, wait," she muttered, wrapping her arms tightly around Hermione's body. Hermione's knees went weak but Minerva managed to slow their descent to the floor. "It's alright," she breathed against Hermione's ear. "It's all alright."
Hermione burst into tears. She was supposed to be beyond all of that and she had been scared. Of Minerva. How was she supposed to have a relationship with someone when she was so damaged.
"Breathe, my love," Minerva soothed her, rocking them gently while her long fingers combed through Hermione's hair. "Just breathe. Everything is fine."
Hermione followed direction and leant on Minerva tiredly.
"I'm sorry."
"Why," Minerva whispered against her ear. "Because your nerves are shot? Next time we see Poppy, ask her what happened when she woke me, the week after the Battle?"
"What did you do?" Hermione asked.
"Well, it took her two weeks to heal the burn and another month and a half to grow her hair back.
"Oh no," Hermione said, biting her lip. She watched as Minerva's eyes danced and couldn't help it. She snorted and then slapped a hand to her mouth but she could not contain it. She burst out laughing and before she knew it, she had wrapped her arms around Minerva's shoulders and was chuckling into her neck.
Minerva grunted a little as she stood, bringing Hermione with her.
"I thought I was okay," Hermione murmured, remembering the conversation with her mother. "I feel," she blushed. "Like I need to be prepared." Minerva frowned as Hermione struggled to articulate her fears.
"What do you mean, love?"
"It's the shoes," Hermione said, chuckling at how ridiculous it sounded. "I feel like if I need to run, I need my shoes."
"You are okay," Minerva whispered. She altered her hold and slid one hand down Hermione's spine where she let it rest in the small of her back and held one of her hands against her shoulder.
"What are you doing?" Hermione asked as Minerva pulled her away from the window.
"Dancing," Minerva muttered as though it was the most logical conclusion. "What are you doing?"
Hermione smiled and laid her head back on Minerva's shoulder.
"Watch," Minerva whispered into her hair.
Minerva drew her wand and performed a long but uncomplicated movement and Hermione stopped, looking down at her feet.
"The intention -"
"Is everything," Minerva said gently. "Designer works," she flicked her wand and Hermione's socks changed to a pair of Louboutin high heels. "Mm," Minerva smirked. "Lovely." Hermione blushed. "Or necessity," Minerva continued. Another wave of her wand and a pair of Quidditch boots appeared. "Equally lovely for similar but different reasons."
Hermione laughed.
"Like this?" She copied the movement and Minerva's feet we clad in Black high-heel boots. It put her a few inches taller still and Hermione looked up at her with all the love she had in her eyes.
"You are amazing," Minerva muttered, shortening the heels a little and pulling Hermione into a slow waltz. As they danced, Hermione felt safer and safer in Minerva's arms. After a time, Hermione waved her hand and they were both wearing thick, fluffy socks.
"There she is," Minerva whispered proudly.
The comfort it brought her, just to be touching Minerva was something she hadn't expected. She knew that love was all-encompassing, but the act of being able to physically touch Minerva was more than she could have imagined. She smiled and pressed a kiss to Minerva's cheek. She lay her head back on Minerva's shoulder and let the soft sounds of their clothes swishing and the muted footfalls on the carpet soothe her. It made Hermione sigh comfortably into Minerva's neck.
"Do you think it will always be like this?"
"No," Minerva mused. "Sometimes it'll be better. Sometimes, it will be different. But," she dipped Hermione expertly over her arm. "As long as I am with you, I think we shall be alright?"
"That was my conclusion too," Hermione smiled as she stood back up.
The clock along the hall chimed ten and Minerva looked into Hermione's eyes.
"Shall we go to bed, love?"
"Um -"
"To sleep," Minerva soothed. "I don't think either of us is quite ready for that, are we?"
"I -" Hermione took a deep breath. "Don't know."
"Then we shall assume no and move forward together."
Hermione liked that answer and looked back at the teacups. She waved her hand over them and they reformed themselves and leapt onto the table.
"You are so very good at that," Minerva smiled, her hand wrapping possessively around Hermione's waist. She contemplated telling Minerva about all the times it had saved her life and then decided that they would get to that later.
"I had a fabulous teacher."
Minerva preened and doused the lights as they left the room.
"Where would you like to sleep?" Minerva asked gently.
"Oh," Hermione frowned "I -"
"I would love to sleep beside you," Minerva said gently, placing her fingertips over Hermione's lips. "But I am comfortable with whatever you need."
"I've been away from you for so long," Hermione muttered, taking Minerva's hand and kissing her palm. "I don't want to be away from you anymore."
Minerva beamed and opened the door to her room leading Hermione inside.
"Why don't you get ready for bed. Shower, bathe, whatever you wish, and I will make us some more tea?"
"I'd like that," Hermione nodded. "Are you -"
"Yes?"
Hermione stared at Minerva for a long time before she shook her head.
"Nevermind. Would you," she blushed. "Kiss me? Before you go?"
"I will always kiss you, love. Always tell me if there's something you need."
The feelings that had been swirling around, inside her head, fluttered away as Minerva wrapped her up and kissed her deeply. Hermione's eyes rolled and she held on for dear life as Minerva seemed to consume her soul.
"Oh," Minerva groaned against Hermione's lips. "You are so beautiful. I adore you."
"You are," Hermione mumbled, pulling out her hairpins. Minerva smiled as her hair unwound and tumbled down her back. "I think I might be the luckiest woman in the world."
"No, love," Minerva chuckled. "That would be me."
"We'll agree to disagree, shall we?" Hermione quipped, pecking Minerva's lips.
Minerva laughed and cupped Hermione's cheek before she left, closing the door behind her and leaving her to it. Hermione took stock of the room and fell in love with it as she had the first time. She giggled when her suitcase appeared on the end of the bed.
"Thank you," she called.
She took a deep breath, feeling lighter than ever. Minerva loved her and she loved Minerva and she laughed to herself as she unpacked her things and walked into the bathroom. Her mum was right. There was no getting ready for this. You either were or you weren't.
And she was definitely ready.
She showered, luxuriating under the water for a little longer than normal. She washed her hair and appreciated running water as she had done since they'd returned from the wilds. She dressed in warm pyjamas and peered around the door to see Minerva had showered in the other bathroom. She was sitting in bed, a book perched on her knees with her glasses on her nose. Her hair fell in soft curls around her face and as Hermione took a step out, she looked over and Hermione fell in love all over again.
"You are so beautiful," Hermione breathed once again. "I don't care what you say, I am the luckiest woman alive to be able to see you like this."
Minerva's eyebrow arched over her glasses and she chuckled when Hermione didn't back down.
"Eventually that will wear off. I certainly don't look very put together when I wake up. I've even been known to snore. In fact," she went on, ignoring Hermione's smirk. "If I kick you in my sleep, just make sure that you -"
Hermione sat beside her on the bed and gently put her fingers on Minerva's lips.
"Have you ever just taken a compliment?"
"No," Minerva chuckled. "Not really."
"You'll get used to it eventually."
Minerva beamed at her and Hermione used the opportunity to slide her fingers into Minerva's damp hair and pull her into a kiss.
"Oh," Minerva breathed, throwing her glasses and book to the other side of the bed.
As Hermione's fingers curled in her hair, Minerva slid her hands around Hermione's waist, her thumbs stroking over her ribs gently. Hermione didn't want this one to stop.
As Minerva drew back scant moments later, Hermione chased her, throwing caution to the wind. She slid her tongue between Minerva's lips and was met with a moan so deep she felt it in her stomach. She could feel Minerva's hands, clenching and unclenching in her shirt and she glanced down to find them, before sinking back into their kiss. Taking Minerva's hands, she placed them under her shirt, directly on her skin.
The touch was so sensory, it almost burned her and she arched into Minerva with a sigh.
"You can touch me," Hermione whispered, resting her head on Minerva's temple. "Whenever you want."
She traced the shape of Minerva's ear with her finger and bit down gently on her lobe. She felt Minerva's sharp intake of breath, the way her hands gripped her sides and smiled. This is what she wanted and what felt right. She took a deep breath and knelt up on the bed. She smoothed Minerva's worried frown and swung her leg over Minerva's thighs and let her weight rest on them gently.
"Hermione -" Minerva breathed.
"Okay?" she asked, a touch of worry creeping in.
"Mhmm," Minerva whispered, her hands stroking from Hermione's waist to the bottom of her ribs. "Very much okay."
"Good," Hermione smiled.
She kissed Minerva again and shuddered as she felt Minerva's hands slide around her hips and onto her backside as she was pulled closer.
"Oh, love," Minerva breathed as Hermione pulled away breathing hard. Minerva's eyes were the deepest green she'd ever seen. "I never dreamed -"
"I have," Hermione muttered, her fingers sank into Minerva's curls and she let their foreheads rest together. "I've dreamed of this moment for years. Since you fell off that silly broomstick."
Minerva laughed and kissed Hermione gently. It was softer now, and Hermione made peace with the idea that perhaps tonight was not the night for, well, all that.
"One day, you'll have to tell me about that."
Hermione blushed and settled further in Minerva's lap.
"Am I too heavy?" she asked.
"Not at all," Minerva said gently, brushing Hermione's curls away.
"I have a confession to make," Hermione blushed. "I," she tugged on one of Minerva's curls. "Have never done anything like this."
"I cannot wait to learn something new, together," Minerva said easily.
"But not tonight?"
"You tell me," Minerva smiled gently.
"Not tonight," Hermione nodded, frowning at herself.
"Don't fret, my love. We have all the time in the world."
"I'm not," she swallowed. "Inexperienced, I just -"
"I have had a few partners in my," she cleared her throat. And then mumbled. "Sixtysomething years -" Hermione laughed and shuffled down the bed to lay directly on Minerva's chest. "Wait a moment," Minerva paused, moving the book and her glasses to a safer place and wriggling down the bed so they were lying side by side. "Come 'ere," she grinned, opening her arms. Hermione did so and she lay with her ear about Minerva's heart, soothed by the feeling of the woman's fingers scraping over her scalp. "As I was saying. I had had a few partners during my life. I was even married once," Hermione looked up at this. "To a man, he was a dear friend and he asked me every time he saw me for about twenty years. He was old, I was old, I thought it would be my one chance at," she frowned and twirled a piece of Hermione's hair in her fingers. The sadness in her eyes made Hermione want her to stop talking, but the new information about her love was everything. "A little happiness, I suppose."
"What -" Hermione swallowed, looking apologetic.
"He died," Minerva muttered. "Venomous tentacula of all things. We lived in the house your parents are currently residing in, actually. I did not want to live in Hogsmeade under everyone's noses and Aberdeen had direct access to the Ministry, where he worked."
"What was his name?"
"Elphinstone -"
"Urqhart? The Head of the DMLE?"
"Of course you would know of him," she chuckled, looking off into the distance. "What else did your books tell you?"
"Not a lot, certainly not that. Only that he was a great Department head; a fair leader."
"He was lovely."
"But -"
"But," Minerva said gently. "Though he loved me very much and I loved him, I was not in love with him." Hermione opened her mouth to ask a question but Minerva shook her head. "At least, not like I am with you." Hermione's breath caught. "I have never felt anything close to what I feel when you are near. And when you are in my arms, Hermione, my love, I -" She sighed. "It is incomparable to any feeling I have ever heard told."
"Must be magic," Hermione whispered gently, leaning her chin on her hands to meet those green eyes.
"We are both very good at magic," Minerva agreed.
"So," Hermione said. "To sum, you're saying that while you might have had hundreds," she grinned cheekily as Minerva spluttered. "Of partners, that you'd never had this."
"Yes," Minerva snorted. "That is exactly what I am saying. I feel as though this will be my first time as well, in a way. So," she said matter-of-factly. "There is no rush. We will learn each other in time and when we are ready, we can take that step together. No matter how long it takes or doesn't take. As long as we are together, all will be well."
"I do love you, Minerva McGonagall."
"I love you, Hermione Granger."
