Hermione, wandered into the study intent on raiding Lucius's desk to liberate his lighter for her use, only to find Minerva sitting there, waiting for her. She held up her hand when the older woman started to speak. Not only did she not know what to say to her, but she also needed a moment to get over the physicality of her morning with Rolanda. She looked in the desk and pulled out the lighter that he kept hidden in the back of the drawer. She took a moment to light the cigarette that Rolanda had given her before she left their room and took a long drag. Her lungs filled with a tightness that she hadn't realized she had missed.
"Why are you here, Minerva?" She asked on an exhale.
"When did you start smoking?" Minerva growled. She noticed the large love bite on Hermione's shoulder while taking stock of what she was wearing. Loose pants and a shirt that was far too large for her and hung off of her shoulder, left Minerva imagining what else was beneath it.
"Right about the time we managed to get the sword of Gryffindor, thanks to Severus. Now why are you here? I think we left things obviously concluded between us."
Minerva stood and walked towards her, intent on putting out the cigarette, but Hermione moved away to the other side of the room seemingly determined to keep as much distance between the two of them as possible. "Rolanda told me that you had moved in here. Have you lost your mind?"
Hermione was taken aback and stared at the older woman in shock. "What do you mean?"
"I'm not stupid, Hermione Granger. I know that whatever happened to you during the war, happened in this house. The Malfoy's were a part of it. I may not know exactly what they did to you, but I know that they were involved. And now you have decided to move into their manor? Are you out of your-"
"I was raped, Minerva."
"-mind? What? What did you say?" Minerva felt her blood turn to ice. She had feared that something like this had been the cause of Hermione's actions and nightmares.
"I was raped. By a metamorphmagus who wore Lucius Malfoy's face. Is that what you wanted to know? Is that what you have wanted to hear? Since you made the decision that i have to talk about what happened to me is that what I should have come out and said without having the opportunity to heal? Without knowing what happened to him?" Hermione sat on the edge of Lucius's desk and took another drag off of her cigarette. She refused to look up, or even acknowledge the fact that all of the air seemed to have been sucked out of the room. Her heart hammered in her chest as she waited for Minerva to say something.
"Does Rolanda know?"
"No. You are the first person, living person anyway, that I have told."
"And you thought it would be a good idea to move into the place where that attack
happened? Hermione, please, come with me and we can work something out. You can stay at the castle or i will help you find somewhere to go, but-"
"I'm staying here, Professor. This is where I need to be. I already destroyed the room that the attack happened in. I have people here that I can talk to and I am welcome here. I don't want to leave or go back to the castle or find somewhere else. I am not going anywhere." Hermione dragged on the end of her cigarette again, still refusing to look at the older woman.
"Hermione please. This isn't good for you,-"
"No. The answer is no. This time I won't let you tell me what is good for me and what isn't. I am not going to leave the manor. I am not going to leave with you. I am staying where I am."
"So you are going to dig your heels in and act like a child?"
"If she is a child, does that make me a pedophile?" Rolanda walked in, wearing only her pants and an unbuttoned shirt. Minerva's mouth dried up seeing the line of skin that was shown off between the panels of fabric. She remembered a dozen or more nights where her tongue had traced that exact same path and the air left her lungs. "Listen, Minerva. Hermione said no, and the fact that you are still pushing means that you aren't realising what has just happened. For months you tried to get her to open up to you and it didn't work. Now, she has and you called her a child? I would like to ask you the same question. Have you lost your mind?" She turned to Hermione and wrapped an arm around her waist, leaning down to whisper a quiet suggestion into her ear. "I like the idea of you on a desk, but you are wearing far too many clothes for me to take advantage of it." she pulled away, holding the lighter in her hand and lit her own cigarette. "You look good in my shirt, Mia."
Minerva desperately wanted to join them, wanted to wrap her arms around them both and kiss them senseless. She was overcome by the tenderness that was so obvious between them and wanted to be a part of it.
"As I said, Minerva, I'm staying here. I'm sorry."
Minerva turned and stalked towards the door, "This is foolish, Hermione. I only hope you see it before you get hurt again."
Hermione flinched when the door slammed and turned her face into Rolanda's neck. "Well that went well." She whispered inhaling the scent of her lover. Her senses were overwhelmed with the smell of cigarettes, grass and sex. She put out her cigarette in the ashtray on the desk behind her and wrapped both arms around her older lover, burying her face in the curve of chest right in front of her.
"Could have gone better." Rolanda answered and wrapped her lips around the end of her cigarette, taking a long drag. "Talk to me, Mia. What is going through that beautiful head of yours?"
"Right now, all I can think of is having a beautiful woman between my legs and peeling that shirt away from your body." Hermione hissed when Roland leaned forward, pressing herself tight against Hermione and putting out her cigarette next to the younger woman's. "Not fair." She growled.
Rolanda chuckled and put her hands on her lover's hips, pulling her closer. "Relax, my girl. I'm not going anywhere today."
They leapt apart as if there was a fire between them when the door opened and Lucius Malfoy walked in. He took in the scene in front of him and shook his head. "I understand that the two of you are together, but if you wouldn't mind, please keep your amorous activities off of my desk." They shifted to the chairs in front of the desk as Rolanda buttoned her shirt. "Tell me, how did your visit with Professor McGonagall go? She seemed incredibly incensed as she was leaving. Nearly knocked the portraits off the walls slamming the door."
"She was determined to get me to move out. I'm not sure what she hoped to accomplish but I highly doubt she is going to quit trying because I said no the first time." Hermione slid her hand over to rest on Rolanda's thigh. "She is going to come back, probably soon."
"You are free to leave if that is what you wish to do, Hermione. I wish you would stay. I have enjoyed your company over the month and I would like to spend a bit more time getting to know you. I know the same can be said for my wife and my son. You have quickly wormed your way into our family and made yourself one of us."
"Thank you, Lucius. I have no plans to leave anytime soon. I have enjoyed my time here and surprisingly I feel incredibly comfortable here."
"Yes, well, I would like your input on what we should do with the drawing room not that it needs to be remodeled. When you have time, we can sit down and go over the plans."
"I have time now, if you would like."
Rolanda took Hermione's hand from her thigh and stood. "I will leave you two to discuss the changes you want to make. Come find me when you are done, love." She walked out the door and headed for their shared room. She needed to talk to her about several things, their conversation about bringing Minerva into their romance, Minerva showing up, Hermione's reaction to their love making, and what the young witch had planned now that she was done with school and no longer had to worry about a place to live.
When the young woman entered the room, Rolanda took her in her arms.
"Why is Minerva so concerned about where I live?"
"Because she loves you, and she doesn't want to see you get hurt. I felt the same trepidation about you coming here that she is most likely feeling right now." Rlanda ran her hands through Hermione's hair.
Hermione sighed. "I understand that she is afraid for my sanity and my safety, but I would appreciate it if she would trust me. I do love her, you're right, but I can't trust her to let me decide what's best for me. She pushed me, before graduation, to tell her about what happened to me. She wouldn't let it go. Now she has decided that being here is bad for me. I don't know what to do, Ro."
"You explain it to her. Tell her how you feel, and ask her to trust your decision. That's all you can do." She felt Hermione nod against her sternum and tilted her chin up. "Whatever happens, whether we welcome her or not, I will always be right here."
"I know. I guess I should go talk to her, huh?"
"No. Not yet. Give her some time. Right now…" she trailed off as she ran her fingers down the front of the shirt Hermione wore, buttons magically popping free as she went. "Right now, I want to continue where we left off before Draco knocked on your door."
Hermione grinned and gave herself willingly into the kiss Rolanda stole, more than ready for her lover to have her again. She groaned when the older woman pulled away.
"Hermione, love, have you ever done this before?"
"You mean have I ever taken a lover? No I haven't. Is that ok?"
"It's fine, but we should slow down. We got a little carried away earlier and I want us to take our time. I want you to be absolutely sure about what we are doing, love." Rolanda nuzzled Hermione's cheek and ran blunt fingernails up the young woman's spine.
"Ro," she whispered, "I have never been more certain of anything in my life. I have never been so sure. Please, make love to me." Hermione whispered, clinging to her lover's back and capturing her lips.
Rolanda felt all of her self control shred as the young woman's tongue invaded her mouth and fire leapt through her veins. She backed them both up until the backs of Hermione's legs hit the bed and gently pushed her back onto the mattress. She yanked her shirt off over her head and covered Hermione's body with her own, fastening her mouth to the neck that called her. She ran her hands, gently up strong thighs to slender hips.
Hermione wrestled with her desire and a tinge of fear. She didn't want to let her conversation with Minerva ruin this for them both, but it appeared to have brought up something that she wasn't prepared to deal with. Her body tensed as Rolanda's hand caressed her backside and terror threatened to choke her. She fought tears as she whispered, "Stop, Rolanda, please. Stop."
"Whoa," The older witch back off immediately, removing herself from her younger lover as soon as she heard her name, her full name, fall from her lips. She looked down at the brunette and saw the moisture in her eyes. "What's wrong, Mia. You never call me Rolanda."
"I-I" Hermione couldn't speak, the tears fell and her throat closed up as sobs shook her frame and the memories of the attack overwhelmed her. She could distantly hear Rolanda speaking, but couldn't make out the words. She grabbed the edges of her shirt and wrapped them back around her like a shield before she threw herself from the bed, and ran.
A/N - Hello...long time no see. I know it has been like three years since I touched this story, but honestly, I needed that time to get my life back on track. So, my apologies for the insanely long delay. This story is not dead. I will continue to work on it, as well as all of my others. None of them are dead. I promise. As Always, read and review, let me know what you think and of course, I own nothing. I'm just playing with the characters.