Just in Time
"So, what do you think?" Hermione asked Minerva, closing their bedroom door with a soft click.
Minerva sighed and sank onto the bed, rubbing her face in exhaustion. "I honestly don't know. It is going to be a huge leap of faith for us to trust her…but…"
"Something in your gut is telling you that she is speaking the truth…" Hermione finished.
Minerva looked up and smiled. "Yes." She said. She began to undress for bed and asked, "Where is Morgaine?"
"I left her with mum." Hermione replied as she began to do the same. "She said I am going to need a good night sleep for tomorrow." Hermione looked down at her hands, turning them over – wondering if she would really be able to control her magic. She felt Minerva's slender arms turn her around and cup her face.
"I know what you're thinking." Minerva said. "You are wondering if you will be able to do this." Hermione dropped her gaze to the floor, as though she felt ashamed of what she had become. "Look at me." Minerva demanded. Hermione look into the deep pools of emerald and listened. "What happened to you was not your fault. The past is past and cannot be changed. It is where you decide to go from here that really matters. You asked me one time if I was ready to be strong…I'm going to ask you the same thing right now. Are you ready?"
Though there were tears in her eyes, Hermione had a look of resolve upon her face and nodded. Minerva kissed her forehead and said "Good. And you won't be going through this alone. We are all going to have our parts to play in this."
Minerva led Hermione over to the bed and they got under the covers. Hermione laid her head upon Minerva's chest, and allowed herself to be held. "I love you." Hermione whispered. Minerva responded with a gentle kiss. "I know lamb." She said. She stroked Hermione's hair and listened as her breathing became steady. Minerva closed her eyes and quickly fell in to a deep sleep. She began to dream. She began to dream of Hermione standing at their bedroom window, bathed in the blue and silver lights of the moon. Her breathing halted as she marveled at her beauty. Hermione turned and gave Minerva a sly smile. She slowly approached Minerva, and led her by her hand to their bed. Minerva dreamt of them making love – exploring every inch of Hermione's body, feeling her heartbeat quicken. Moments later, Minerva realized that they had their wands in their hands. Without words, they were running their wands slowly over each other. Their skin glowing over the areas the wands touched. Heat soon began to build inside of them, their flesh tingled , and their heads spun. An all-too-brief moment of ecstasy left them both clinging to each other, gasping for air, and shuddering. The dream suddenly shifted. She was once again watching Hermione at their bedroom window, bathed in moonlight. Hermione turned with a loving smile, and Minerva gasped. Hermione's hands were running over her large belly. Her pregnant belly. Minerva looked at her feet and saw Morgaine, several months older now, sitting up and playing on the floor. Minerva gazed at Hermione with wonder as she crossed the room and laid her hand on Hermione's belly – feeling a small kick. "Igraine?" Minerva whispered in disbelief. The smile on Hermione's face was all the answer that she needed. "How is this possible?" Minerva breathlessly asked.
"With magic, all things are possible, mother." The answer came from behind Minerva. She turned and saw the teenaged vision of Morgaine, now holding the hand of a younger girl, with dark hair and bright emerald eyes. Minerva felt the tears run down her face, which still bore a look of not understanding. "We are no longer out of time." Morgaine said, letting go of the child's hand as she approached Minerva. "You came for her just in time." Morgaine stood on her tiptoes to give Minerva a kiss on the cheek. Before pulling away, she whispered into her mother's ear, "And you don't have to worry. No Blood Rite needs to be performed – because from the very beginning, Igraine has been yours…" Morgaine pulled back and smiled, pointing at who Minerva now knew to be Igraine. "But…"
"How?" Igraine asked in a tiny voice. "With a little bit magic, and a whole lot of love."
Hermione and Minerva woke at the same time with a start. They gazed into each other's eyes and Hermione asked in a whisper, "Did you…?" Minerva nodded as she finished Hermione's sentence, "have the same dream as you…"
"What can this mean?" Hermione asked. Minerva slowly lifted Hermione's shirt and they both gazed down at her belly. They saw it glow gold briefly, before returning to its natural flesh color. They both gasped at the same time. "How?" Hermione asked. Minerva thought back to the dream they shared…"With magic…" she replied, wiping a single tear from her eye. "What is going to happen?" Hermione asked, with a touch of fear in her voice.
"Nothing." Minerva replied firmly. "Nothing bad is going to happen to you, or the baby. I will die defending my family if it comes to that – but we have to take every precaution that we won't have to resort to those measures." She held Hermione silently for a moment before continuing on. She whispered into her ear. "You cannot leave the castle." Hermione felt a pang of guilt in her stomach, recalling what she had put everyone, including herself, through over the past year. "I know." She whispered back. "I cannot lose you." Minerva continued, "not again."
They lay there quietly for awhile, Minerva resting her chin upon Hermione's head – both of them lost in though. Minerva gazed out the window at the star strewn sky, wondering what this would really mean for them – and everyone else. All she knew for certain was that her daughter was now growing inside Hermione of Hermione, predestined to be essential for their future to continue. She was more than that though. She was going to be far more important than being someone who could very well turn the tide of this battle. She was going to first and foremost be their daughter. A child brought about by love and devotion – not grief and despair. For however much Hermione loved Morgaine with all her heart, Minerva wondered if Igraine's role in this would be to save all of them, or to save Hermione. Her thoughts strayed back to what Narcissa said about Hermione, though – "I am not the hero of this story, dear. You are. And you don't need to be saved."
Minerva became aware of Hermione's steady breathing – aware the she finally fell asleep. Minerva, however – did not sleep a wink, and as she watched the sun rise, bathing the grounds in a golden light – she found that she now had more questions than answers.
Hermione began to stir when there was a soft knock at their door. "Come in." Minerva said. The door opened, and the calm, smiling face of Dumbledore appeared. He strode silently over to them and sat down on the bed. "Hello, Albus." Minerva greeted him. "Good morning to you both." He replied. His eyes twinkled behind his half-moon spectacles, and there was a mischievous grin on his face as he said "I just had the most curious dream…"