AN: Thanks for all the lovely words of encouragement. Y'all make this story a labor of love. Please forgive any medical gaffs I may have made in this chapter. I'm a warehouse chick not a medico.

THE TIES THAT BIND

Chapter 31

VIGIL

The huge heavy gilt framed portrait floated in the entry hall of McGonagall Manor. Larger than the others by at least half this particular portrait had not been in the sunlight in two centuries.

The subject of the portrait was a tall thin man with silver streaked auburn hair. Thick hair that fell past his shoulders in a long straight tumble. With curious dark eyes, he glanced about his surroundings.

The entry hall of McGonagall Manor was as elegant as it was imposing.

Much like the Mistress of the Manor.

Whispers could be heard from the portraits that decorated the onyx marble tiled hall. Portraits lined in neat rows along mahogany paneled walls.

"I can nay bloody believe Izer brought THAT up here!" Fiona McGonagall screeched pointing a painted finger from her portrait at the entrance of the fabulous McGonagall family library.

"There's got to be a good reason." Fiona's wife, Edeen commented as she stood watching the movements of the silent man in the floating portrait.

The subject of the large painting, tugged on his drooping silver moustache, then scratched his whiskered chin, "Who dost place me here?" A deep voice rumbled from the subject.

Izer stepped forward. He was still achy from his ordeal at Camlaan but he would never say so. He was devoted to his mistress and especially fond of Lady-Miss. If the great master was responsible for what befell Hermione, then he must be made to assist.

No matter how much he may resist.

"Greats Master? I's be the one to brings you here."

Dark eyes fastened on the tiny creature, "Why wouldst thou do such a thing?" The subject of the painting was none other than Merlin himself. He glared down at the elf, "If thou were mine elf, surely you wouldst be punished."

There was a flash of bright light and standing before the painting was The Mistress.


Minerva McGonagall looked like she'd been to battle with the devil himself and was plenty prepared for another round. Her deep emerald eyes blazed with fury as she beheld the man from which her line was born.

Merlin eyed Minerva with trepidation. She wore her anger cloaked about her like a shroud. An anger directed solely at him.

The tall, slim witch was clad in a black leather jerkin that had been ripped. He could see a newly healed scar across her muscular abdomen. Her vest was laced with the emerald and ivory tartan of her clan. Her long legs were covered with a blue material Merlin had never seen before. Her feet encased in knee high boots. At her waist, the sword of her family hung within easy reach of her strong right hand.

The witch's aristocratic face was smudged with dirt, sweat and dried blood. A fierce looking laceration adorned her proud brow, just above her right eye. Her thin lips set in a grim line of doom.

Doom for him if he didn't cooperate.

"He is not your elf you bloody miscreant. You will not speak to him in such a manner." The Mistress of the Manor hissed threateningly.

Merlin's black eyes widened in surprise. No one had spoken to him in such a manner in a very long time.

The Mistress gazed up at the portrait for a long moment. Silently appraising the subject with the eye of a scientist studying a laboratory rodent. A look of barely restrained contempt simmering in emerald depths.

Merlin didn't like it.

Not one bit.

At that moment Albus Dumbledore stepped out of the family room. Only the Mistress of the Manor could apparate in and out of her home. Everyone else must use the floo.

Merlin's deep black eyes flickered up at the newcomer, his mouth falling open at the uncanny resemblance to...

"Oran?" He asked quietly. The silver haired wizard standing before him could've been his best friend's twin.

Dumbledore smiled slightly and shook his head, "No Great One. He was an ancestor of mine. I am Albus Dumbledore."

Merlin nodded, "I have heard of thee."

"ENOUGH OF THIS!" Minerva thundered interrupting the two wizard's polite discourse. The slim witch whispered an incantation and a ball of blue flames sprouted from her fingertips.

Albus cleared his throat and said softly, "Easy Tabby..."

Frowning, Minerva replied, "No. This ruddy bastard is responsible for more heartache than Voldemort!" She gathered the blue flames into a small swirl in the palm of her hand and added directly to Merlin, "And if you do not give me what I want, I will burn this portrait to ash."

Merlin's brows knit together in a deep frown, "Thou dost threaten me young tabby? Why?"

Growling, Minerva stepped closer to the frame, "If not for your irresponsible creations, my family would never have been subjected to the pain it has endured for nearly a thousand years!"

Dumbledore noticed that two witches abruptly appeared in the portrait behind the great wizard. He grinned as he recognized Fiona McGonagall standing with balled fists on her hips while her wife Edeen began dusting the furniture behind Merlin.

Minerva finally noticed her aunts in Merlin's portrait as well. She didn't address that though, instead she stated, "Your spell now afflicts my wife. A spell you allowed Mordred to obtain and then did nothing to prevent him from using. 'Somnus Mortem' causes my Hermione to slumber the sleep of the dead. She is with child as well."

Minerva's deep emerald eyes misted as she said softly, "Twins she carries. The future of my family. Your blood you heartless gobshite." Her shoulders sagged momentarily as she allowed her grief to overwhelm her.

Albus stepped close to his dear friend and placed a hand on her shaking shoulder. Looking up at Merlin, he asked, "What is the cure?"

Inside the painting, Edeen continued to tidy. As she came to a painting on the wall to Merlin's left, she let out a gasp. Staring back at her was....

...Hermione????

"What is it?" Fiona asked as she moved to her wife's side.

By then, Merlin realized that he wasn't alone anymore, "Who art thou?"

Ignoring his query, Fiona's eyes widened as she beheld the uncanny likeness of her niece's wife, "Who are you?" She whispered.

The young woman in the painting within the painting blinked. It had been more years than she could count since she'd been spoken to by anyone besides her husband, "I am Morgana, daughter of Gloris and Ygraine."


Minerva saw the surprise on her aunt's faces, "What is it?" She demanded impatiently.

Fiona reached out and gently pulled Morgana's portrait from the wall.

Merlin's dark eyes became slits as his anger rumbled, "Thou shall put thee back!"

The young woman in the portrait ignored her husband, instead addressing the black haired witch, "I wish to knoweth what..." She stopped as the motion of Fiona moving her caused Morgana to see out of Merlin's portrait and gaze upon Minerva and Albus, "Please stop... I wisheth to see thee."

Fiona looked down and saw where Morgana was staring, "Ye can nay communicate with 'em. Ye are a painting within a painting."

Morgana could see the fierce determination burning in the emerald eyes of the witch standing before her husband. She could see the blue flames dancing in the palm of Minerva's hand as well. It was the emerald green eyes that gave the young woman pause.

Eyes so like the man who married her daughter Talia.

Rehgann McGonagall.

"Who is thou witch?" Morgana asked, looking up at Fiona's upside down face.

Fiona looked down at Morgana's upside down face as well. She looked into chocolate eyes. Familiar chocolate eyes. With a sad smile. she replied, "That'd be m'niece. Minerva McGonagall." She shot Morgana a rueful smile and added, "And ye m'dear are the spittin' image of Hermione. Minerva's wife."

That statement caught Merlin's attention, "The one who hath been afflicted?"

Fiona nodded and looked out at her niece. She turned Morgana fully outward so Minerva could see.


"Hermione??"

Minerva gasped, her eyes glued to the painting within the painting. She stepped closer to the huge portrait.

There was a charged moment of stunned silence, then Albus asked Merlin, "Please Master, could we have the cure?"

"I cannot heareth what thee one who looketh so much like Oran hath sayeth." Morgana stated, addressing Fiona. The latter relayed everything that had been said thus far to the woman who looked so much like the Witch of the Light. A fact that Edeen wasted no time in informing Morgana of.

Something Fiona made note of was the fact that at no time during any of this had Morgana addressed her husband.

Not once.

"Why don' ye speak to ye husband?" The ebony haired Fiona asked. Her gaze raising to take in Merlin.

Black eyes dropped to the floor in shame.

"I haveth nothing to sayeth to a man who hath knowingly allowed his works to become perverted." Morgana spat angrily. Her deep brown eyes glaring at the man who stood with shoulders slumped. She snorted and continued, "Thou couldst haveth stopped Mordred but thou did not."

Edeen had come to the front of the portrait and was whispering to Albus and Minerva everything that was being said. They could not hear Morgana's words anymore than she could hear their's.

Albus Dumbledore tugged on his long beard, "Great Master? Why would you have allowed this? Why would you have allowed Mordred to twist your work?"

Merlin heaved a great sigh and addressed both his wife and the man who looked so much like the long-dead Oran, "I kneweth of Mordred's misdeeds. He hath coveted mine spellbook. I kneweth of this and prepared a book for him to taketh. It contained false spells. True to mine knowledge of Mordred, he cameth to mine cauldron whilest I was out. As I predicted he tooketh the book."

Albus realized that there was a second spell book.

There had to be.

"You made it appear that the first book was the real one by leaving certain spells intact?"

The Master nodded, "Aye yes. The others I leaveth certain ingredients out or unfinished."

"Such as the cure to Somnus Mortem?"

Again Merlin nodded.

Dumbledore looked deeply into black painted eyes, "Where is the real spell book?"

There was a moment of stillness as Merlin gazed at Dumbledore, then to his blood relative Minerva. He turned and looked into the painted face of his dear Morgana. Finally to Edeen and Fiona.

"It hath been beforeth thee all this time."

He waved his wand and the painting blurred for a moment, then reappeared. Super-imposed over top of the characters in the painting was ancient script covering the entire surface of the canvas.

Albus could see both the writing and the characters behind it, "Brilliant!"

Merlin gazed up at the various spells. The writing was very tiny. It had to be in order for it all to fit. The great wizard tapped at a few spells, enlarging them to see what was written. He searched for the proper spell until he finally found it, "This one..."

Dumbledore conjured parchment and a quill. As Merlin read him the ingredients and the instructions, he carefully recorded every detail.

Finally there was one ingredient left. Merlin looked at Minerva as he said, "There is but one ingredient remaining. It is precious in so many ways." He stepped as close to edge of his side of the portrait as Minerva was to her side and whispered, "The blood of thee unborn."

A roar of outrage echoed throughout McGonagall Manor as it's Mistress realized just what the Great Master meant.


Morgana's eyes widened as she heard what her husband whispered to the green eyed witch.

Fiona and Edeen stared, completely flabbergasted.

Dumbledore dropped the parchment, the quill clattered to the floor.

The other portraits in the entry hall went eerily silent.

Howling, Minerva dropped to her knees in despair, "Oh you fecking bastard!" Her heart pounding as tears slid from her burning eyes.

Merlin growled, "Calleth me vile names as thou must. This is thee only way to endeth Somnus Mortem. Now thou seeth why I couldst not allow Mordred to knoweth thine truth?"

Fiona snorted, "Only a bloody sick bastard like ye would even think of usin' baby's blood." She handed Edeen the portrait of Morgana, "I think maybe we'll jus' take ye to our portrait."

Morgana smiled and nodded silently.

Merlin was having none of it, "No! Morgana is mine wife!"

Fiona let a low growl escape her lips as she grated, "Not any more she ain't!" The fierce green eyed witch whipped around and walloped the greatest wizard of the ages with a powerful punch to his long nose.

The force of her blow had sent Merlin toppling over into the painted canvas and down to the floor of his painting.

She stood over him with clenched fists on her shapely hips and added, "And ye can nay hex someone who's already dead!" She turned to her wife, "C'mon Edeen. We're goin'!" Fiona hissed as she and her wife exited Merlin's painting taking Morgana with them.

"Morgana! No!" Merlin cried as he rose to his feet and attempted to follow, running straight into the magical barrier that he himself set up hundreds of years ago.

Imprisoned for all eternity by his own magic.

"A taste of your own medicine." Minerva growled as she too rose to her feet extinguishing the blue flames she still held in her hand. She spun looking for her elf. Spying him cowering by the library she frowned and said, "You are never to obey another command from this... this atrocity! Ever again!"

The tiny creature nodded vigorously, "Yes Mistress."

Drawing the McGonagall family sword from it's worn scabbard, Minerva swung it through the air and with a loud thwack imbedded it in the thick gold frame of Merlin's portrait, "As for you. I shall never wish to set eyes upon you again!" She turned to Albus and growled, "Finish it. Gather what you need from..." She pointed at Merlin, "... it. Then return to the clinic and make the potion."

Wisely Albus nodded, not uttering a single word.

With a flash of lightening and a clap of thunder, Minerva McGonagall vanished.

Albus beckoned Izer over to him. Leaning down, he whispered instructions into the house elf's ear. Seeing the sense in what the venerable wizard was saying the tiny creature nodded. His great green ears flapping, "Ifs the Mistress finds outs, Izer be's a dead elf!"

Dumbledore grinned, "Just leave that to me."


When Dumbledore reappeared at the clinic, he was immediately besieged with questions. Apparently Minerva hadn't said a word to anyone when she'd returned. She had quietly gone to Hermione's room and had sat herself at her wife's bedside.

Not moving.

Not uttering a sound.

"Santa? What's going to happen?" Dawn asked as soon as Dumbledore entered the lab area. He gestured for Poppy to come near as he laid his parchment out, "We need to make the most important potion of our lives. Too bad Severus is dead. We could use a potions master right about now."

Corny poked his bald head into the room, "Did someone say they needed a potions master?"

Hooch snorted at the American, "You are a candy maker."

Corny grinned, his dark eyes dancing, "All the best candy makers have potions degrees."

And thus Albus Dumbledore gathered before him a candy maker, a medi-witch, a muggle dentist, a little squib sister who began humming the theme from the "A Team", and a Flying Instructor.

"We are going to make the elixir of life."

Poppy's faded blue eyes widened, "Nicholas Flammel's?"

Dumbledore shook his head, "No. Merlin's version. It's the only thing that will wake Hermione." He motioned for Jean to come near, "The main ingredient must be harvested without the use of magic."

Hooch frowned, "Why is that?"

The bearded wizard's crystal blue eyes focussed solely on Jean, "Because any magic used on Hermione at this stage will kill both her and the babies."

Gasping, Jean looked up at the elderly wizard, "What do we need to make it?"

He pointed to the list, "All of this which I'm sure Hermione has in her stores and..." He trailed off, not sure how to tell a grandmother that the blood of her unborn grandchildren was also required.


Jean Granger stared at Dumbledore with an expression of total disbelief, "You have GOT to be kidding me?"

The sad glimmer in the elderly wizard's light blue eyes was all the answer she needed. Tears formed in her own mocha orbs and rolled, unchecked down her cheeks.

Poppy wrung her hands in agitation, "How am I to draw the blood? I cannot use magic!"

Jean slowly raised her head as an idea struck. Impatiently, she wiped the tears from her face. Her dark eyes fastened on Dumbledore, "I know how."

She marched into Hermione's equipment storage room. Neatly labelled and lining walls and shelves in straight lines was row after row of all manner of gizmos and gadgets. Albus was astounded. Here he thought he had cornered the market on doo-dads.

Not so.

Jean stepped over to a large machine containing a computer monitor, keyboard, buttons, switches, toggles and a long paddle-like appendage.

"This is an ultra-sound machine. We can see what we're doing with this."

Hooch stepped up to her love, "Do you know how to use this?"

The muggle woman shot her partner a smirk, then reached into a side pouch on the monitor and pulled out the instructions manual, "No problem."

Dawn shook her head at her mother and snorted, "'Mione showed me. She showed Susan too. Come on."

Carefully the group manoeuvred the ultra-sound into Hermione's room startling Minerva into drawing her wand on the strange looking machine. The Headmistress had to be physically calmed by Albus.

"It's all right Tabby. This is going to help with things."

It took about an hour to set the unit up with Dawn directing the group and Susan assisting. The young nurse had finally received the summons and had immediately left her home and hastened to the clinic.

Jean stood next to her daughter's bedside. Reaching out, she gently ran her fingers through Hermione's thick, chestnut mane. "Oh sweetie, I hope this helps make you better." She whispered as Minerva protectively leaned near. The muggle woman reached over and squeezed the Headmistress' shoulder feeling powerful muscles tense up, "It will work."

Minerva looked up at her mother-in-law. A single tear escaped an emerald eye and slowly slid over an elegant, high cheekbone.

Jean reached out and with the pad of her thumb, carefully caught that single tear and wiped it away.


Dumbledore and Hooch stood back gazing in wonder as the computer monitor began to show blurry images. Slowly Susan Bones moved the sensor over Hermione's exposed protruding tummy.

Seeing her sister's big belly, Dawn couldn't help but tease, "Damn Stick you got 'Mione good and pregnant didn't ya?" Her only answer was a soft cuff to the back of the head. Considering Minerva's current mental state, that action was magnanimous.

The tall, slim witch stared at the monitor as it suddenly revealed her unborn children. Dark green eyes widened and with a deep inhalation of breath, the Headmistress slowly reached out and touched the screen. Then she looked down at her wife's belly. Then back to the monitor.

"My children..." Came an amazed whisper.

To everyone present, it was the loudest thing they'd ever heard.

Dumbledore and Hooch shot a huge grin at the other.

Michael and Michaela appeared to be fussing quite a bit. The larger baby floated placidly. As the young one moved it became apparent that this was Michael.

"Wow Stick! Is that a McGonagall trait?"

There were amused chuckles throughout the room.

A raised eyebrow shot Dawn's way and a sardonic, "Well I would not know as I was born female," caused even more laughter.

All eyes immediately fastened themselves back onto the screen as the smaller baby showing a head full of riotious curls began performing somersaults. This movement caused the larger child, Michael, to push his sibling out of the way. The smaller baby, Michaela apparently didn't appreciate that as she promptly pushed back.

"They need to settle down a bit in order to do what we need to do." Jean commented as she reached for a long, thin syringe.

Minerva gently lay her hand upon her wife's exposed tummy. Slowly caressing the soft skin, she murmured, "Easy now my little ones. Mummy's life depends on you being very still."

The children must've understood their parent as they calmed down and as one reached up to place their hands where Minerva's lay upon Hermione.

"Awwwww." Dawn whispered, her mocha eyes tearing up.

She wasn't the only with suspicious looking moisture in their eyes either.

Dumbledore turned his head to see Corny staring at him. Great tears leaking out of the candy maker's chocolate orbs.

Hooch caught Jean's gaze in a moment of pure love. Yellow eyes welled and with a growl the tough witch wiped her face and coughed in embarrassment.

The muggle woman smiled softly at her lover. She knew Rolanda Hooch was a secret mush ball. In the next moment, she moved decisively to her daughter's side and raised the syringe to Hermione's rounded belly.

"Keep still my grand babies." She whispered as she inserted the needle into Hermione's abdomen.

Poppy guided her movements by watching the monitor, "A little to the left... Minerva keep them still!"

The Headmistress focussed her magic. Now that she realized how to tap into her bonding with her wife, it seemed quite easy. Using their combined magic, she sent a reassuring wave to her unborn cubs. Once again, they reached their tiny hands for Minerva. "Aye my wee bairns... soon we shall meet."

As Jean guided the thin needle into Hermione's uterus, the children did not flinch as it penetrated first Michael, then Michaela. Only a few drops were required and swiftly Jean accomplished her task. Withdrawing the syringe, she handed it to Dumbledore and said, "Now finish the potion and let's get my daughter better."

The elderly wizard took the needle, cradling it like it was the most precious item in the universe.

In many ways, it was.

"Come Dawn, Corny... you too Rolanda. I could used some help chopping ingredients."

Susan Bones cleaned the tiny wound caused by the syringe as Jean and Poppy worked to shut the ultra-sound down. As they were just about to pull the sensor away from Hermione's belly, Minerva said, "Wait..."

The three women watched as the older witch placed her hand, once again, over her wife's tummy and whispered, "Well done my children."

Flashing up on the monitor, two tiny faces smiled.


"What is this again?" Dawn asked, her face scrunching up in disgust at the slimy greenish thing Dumbledore had given her to finely chop.

The elderly wizard looked up from the goat horn he was grinding into a fine powder. Squinting at the gooey mess under her fingers, he replied, "Oh that's lizard gizzard."

"!!!!"

The young woman's mocha eyes widened as her mouth fell open in a fairly decent imitation of a goldfish.

Ron grinned from where he was leaning in the doorway, "I could never get past the slime factor in potions. Snape loved making me chop junk like that."

Titters echoed throughout the lab.

The fleshy mass Dawn was trying to chop decided at that moment to sail across the room and land on Rolanda's shoulder.

"Dawn! Get your guts off of me!"

The young woman finished the remaining chopping, then scooped her ingredient into a small dish and placed it on the table next to Albus. "Do not give me any more gooey things to chop. I love my sister dearly but I draw the line at gizzards, brains, eyeballs and other slimey things!" She threw a smirk Rolanda's way as she watched the Flying Instructor flick the bit of flesh from her shoulder with a look of utter disgust.

The bearded wizard grinned and held up another dish, "I guess boar testicles are out then?" He laughed at the withering stare the young woman shot him.

"You can keep the pig balls to yourself thank you." She sniffed and abruptly left the lab dragging Ron with her.

Corny chuckled from his place beside a large bubbling pewter cauldron. He carefully stirred either clock-wise or counter clock-wise depending on the ingredient being added to the potion. Wiping a bit of perspiration from his brow, he asked Dumbledore, "What else is there?"

Albus looked down at the parchment and said, "Pig intestines. Bugger me if I know where that is." He shrugged at his paramour not understanding the odd look that came over Cornelius' face, "What is it?"

The tall candy maker shook his head, "In the states we call 'em 'Chitlins'. God knows how Merlin came across that one."

Dumbledore moved into Hermione's potions storage and sure enough, came out with a vile neatly labelled in Hermione's distinctive script the word "C-H-I-T-L-I-N-S".

"Damn she's good!" Corny muttered as Albus measured out two pinches and proceeded to mince it finely. He had to agree. Hermione McGonagall was amazing. The condition of her stores was first rate. Everything labelled neatly and easily accessed. He made a mental note to make sure everything was left as pristine as he'd found it.

Otherwise Doctor McGonagall might become slightly vexed.


Jean and Poppy finally departed Hermione's room to go in search of Dumbledore and his potions gang. This left Minerva alone with her wife. The older witch glanced about the room taking care to make sure no one was still present. Satisfied that they were well and truly alone, she whispered to her wife, "Alone at last my dear."

With a saddened sigh, she reached out and tenderly brushed an unruly chestnut curl off of her wife's smooth forehead. "I have never felt so frightened in my life as I do at this moment." She drew a shuddering breath and stared down at her beautiful wife. A misty sheen shining in her deep green eyes.

Sighing, she gently caressed the dove soft cheek on the still woman lying before her, "I do not know what I will do if you are lost to me." She felt the tremors of her heartache threatening to erupt. Using every ounce of self control, the Headmistress pushed the emotions back lest they overwhelm her already taxed physical well-being.

"I must be strong for you and the children and yet all I wish to do is curl up in a corner somewhere and cry myself unconscious."

Another soft stroke to Hermione's cheek followed, "You never cease to amaze me my love. Your power continues to grow every day and still you are as decent and self sacrificing as the day I met you." Green eyes sparkled as the memory of placing the sorting hat onto a head full of wild, unruly curls surfaced.

A moment later, a cascade of tears slipped down ebony lashes, "Please do not leave me. I cannot bear this aloneness. Hermione my love, you have become a part of me..." She wiped away the wetness on her face, "... a part I cannot live without." The last bit came out as a strangled whisper as strong shoulders finally bowed and shook. Tears, desperately fought, streamed out of emerald orbs as the heart Minerva McGonagall had fiercely protected all of her life finally broke. Great gasping sobs could be heard as the older witch lowered her head to her wife's generous bosom.

"I love you my Kitten. Please come back to me."


The potion finally glowed an iridescent orange as Corny diligently stirred. His arm was going to be sore for a week but he didn't care. Hermione was a wonderful witch and he would do his part to help her.

"What else?" He asked as Dumbledore stepped over to inspect the brew.

"Just the blood." The silver haired wizard muttered as he reached into his robes and drew out the syringe Jean had given him earlier. The medical instrument held but a few drops of the crimson fluid. Blood so precious that all the galleons in the world couldn't equal it's value.

Ever so gently, Albus added the blood of Minerva and Hermione's unborn children to the potion.

There was a spectacular shower of sparks. Bright white and gold light bathed the metal cauldron in an ethereal glow. Whirls and swirls of silver magical spirals spun on the surface of the bubbling potion.

It was done.

"Now we must administer it to Hermione without using magic." The elderly wizard stated as he stroked his long beard.

"How?" Corny questioned as he rubbed his bald head in frustration. He needed to go make taffy or something. The total intensity of the situation was getting to him.

Jean Granger stepped into the room, "We need to set up an IV drip."

The wizards, not understanding a word of what she'd just said, looked at her with raised eyebrows. Rolling her eyes, Jean stated, "Both Susan and Poppy know how to do it."


drip

Minerva watched as the bag that hung from a metal rack beside Hermione's bed slowly dropped the precious potion into her young wife's veins drop by drop.

drip

Her eyelids began to droop as the mesmerizing droplets soothed the exhausted witch into a much needed unconsciousness. Her weakened body draped half on her wife's bed and half across Hermione's chest. Strong arms held the body of the beautiful young witch so lovingly. So desperately.

drip

A troubled brow creased even in sleep as the Headmistress' subconscious reviewed the events of the day. Her body began to jerk as the battle with Leta Pendragon replayed itself over and over.

drip

Small cries escaped thin lips every so often. Usually accompanied by a muffled curse.

It was a rather strong, "Fecking evil bitch!" that finally penetrated the unnatural sleep brought on by the 'Somnus Mortem' in Hermione. The young witch's brow creased as she fought her way through the darkened fog-like state in her mind. She became aware of a weight resting on her chest and a God-awful need to pee!

It was an odor that finally brought her around though.

A stench really.

"Merlin what stinks like shite in here?" Came a croaked whisper.

A whisper that sounded louder than any scream as Doodleberry suddenly rematerialized and exclaimed loudly, his squeaky voice cracking, "She wakes! Lady-Miss wakes!!!"

There was a thunder of hurried footsteps sounding quite like an approaching herd of hippogriffs as the door burst open and Dumbledore, Corny, Dawn, Ron, Jean, Hooch, Susan and Poppy stormed in. The racket was deafening and yet...

Minerva's snoring keep right on. The poor Headmistress was out like a light.

Seeing this, Dumbledore stopped in his tracks only to stumble forward as his entourage bumped into him.

"Ooops sorry Dumbles."

"Whups!"

"Ow Ron! That's my foot!"

"Blimey! ... oooh sorry Love."

The group spread out just inside the door and watched as a small hand gently combed through tangled ebony tresses. A twig was plucked out, then a leaf, then another twig, then something completely unidentifiable.

"Oh Tabby, what have you been doing?" A soft, loving whisper was heard as dark chocolate eyes blinked open. A small nose wrinkled as a whiff of the Headmistress' pungence assailed delicate nostrils. "Have you been rolling in dragon dung or something?"

It was that particular question that roused the older witch. So much so, that she sat bolt upright exclaiming, "Baby? Are you with me?" Frantic emerald eyes flew over Hermione's features, finally resting on the sweet face and two mocha eyes gazing up at her with such love glowing in their endless depths.

"Hey you..." Hermione said with a gentle smirk. She noticed Minerva's eyes immediately tearing up, "What love? What is it?" She reached a small hand up and gently caressed a dirt smudged cheek, "What have you been doing?"

Minerva blinked back the tears, desperately trying to stem the flood of emotions that were churning out of control. Her hands began to tremble and her shoulders heaved as she collapsed once again across Hermione's generous bosom. Great sobs echoed throughout the suddenly silent room as the legendary self control of Minerva McGonagall finally gave way.

The audience solemnly filed out, trying to give the two witches some space.

All except Jean. She walked over to her daughter and leaned down placing a sweet kiss to her daughter's forehead and whispering, "Welcome back sweetie."

The muggle woman turned and headed for the door, joining Hooch who'd reached out a strong hand and clasped her own.

There was a puzzled expression on Hermione's lovely features, "Where exactly did I go?" She mused as her wife sobbed buckets across her breasts. The young woman tenderly stroked heaving shoulders and cooed, "Oh Tabby... It's alright. Shhhh. Shhhh... I'm here love. I'm here."

It was a kick to her own breasts that caused Minerva to sit up, "That's right rude." She grumbled at her wife's large belly.

A loving smile creased Hermione's face as she gazed at her wife's antics. Her luminous dark chocolate eyes were lit with the overwhelming love she had for Minerva. Reaching out, she touched her older wife's hand. The latter looked up from her scolding of her unborn younglings and into those tantalizing eyes.

"Tell me how you managed to get in such a..." Hermione paused searching for the right words to express her curiosity at Minerva's physical state, "... disheveled manner." A dark chestnut eyebrow rose as the young witch added, "And why you look like Xena Warrior Princess but smell like a swamp?"

Minerva looked at her wife with the oddest expression of disbelief on her elegant yet mussed face, "It is quite the story my dear."

They both looked up as the door opened and Poppy bustled in. She figured she'd given the love birds plenty of time to get sorted. Her nostrils wrinkled a bit at Minerva's aroma.

"Everyone else has managed to get cleaned up. I think you need to do that too. You are quite... ripe."

Hermione grinned at the blush that colored her wife's face a deep scarlet. Looking at Poppy who was now waving her wand over the young doctor, she said, "I'm OK. I need to use the loo though and I should like to shower as well."

She didn't mention that she wanted to join her wife in the shower. Seeing her mate all suited up in her warrior garb proved quite the turn-on for the young witch.

Minerva McGonagall was just so bloody sexy!

Poppy knew what Hermione wanted just by the twinkle she could see sparkling in those mischievious dark eyes. There was really no reason the young woman couldn't join her wife in the shower. Based on her diagnostic scan, Hermione was fine. Although strenuous sex this far into her pregnancy might be a bit much.

"No strong exertion young lady." Poppy muttered shaking her finger at the young doctor. The medi-witch then turned to her Headmistress and added, "No acrobatics or deep penetration."

Both witches watched slack jawed as Poppy Pomfrey marched out of the room with a huge grin adorning her handsome face.

"Oh my..." Minerva mumbled as she helped Hermione up from the bed and over to the door to the loo.

"Indeed." Hermione answered, the cheshire cat grin blooming once more.


-to be continued

AN: I apologize for not getting these chapters out in a timely fashion. Unfortunately when you have to get up at stupid o'clock in the morning to go to work and go to bed while the sun is still shining there's barely enough time to talk to your love, let alone write. I'll try to do better.