A/N – The bold italics are speaking in Portuguese. I know I could just translate it on Google, but its important to understand what is being said.

A few days later Hermione received a letter from Ginny.

SHE asked about you again today. I swear that's the 3rd time this week. I am due on the 28th of next month and if you aren't there I will personally track you down. Let me know where you are headed next so that I can keep you updated on the goings on around here.

Love you!

Gin

Such was the nature of most of their conversations. They were always short and to the point and she always let Hermione know what Minerva was up to and how she was doing. She stayed true to her word and kept a close eye on the older professor. She missed her friend but if she was honest, missing her wasn't enough to make her go back to Britain. Not when that would mean having to face HER again. It wasn't worth the humiliation. Her reply was just as simple.

Gin,

You know I will be there. Can you get Harry's cloak like you did for the wedding? I don't mind being there but I'm not interested in any of them knowing I'm there. Her especially. I'll see you soon.

Love you too,

Hermione

The day of the conference rolled around and, just as they said they would, the 2 girls should up dressed in mesh shirts with black bras underneath, extremely short denim shorts, and knee high black boots. They sat in the back of the room. Hermione had brought a notebook and pencil with her to take notes while her friend made faces for her. When they had walked in they had been handed programs for the event. When Hermione scanned the names of the speakers, her eyes fell and stuck on one. Minerva McGonagall.

"Isabella I'm going to kill you." She was furious.

"I know, but don't worry I have a plan," Came the innocent reply.

"I should hope so. If this goes wrong I swear I will only get a one room apartment when we get to Cairo and you can sleep on the couch."

The conference went smoothly. Minerva was the last to speak and when she took the stage, Isabella shifted over in her seat and slung her arm around Hermione's shoulders. Hermione leaned into her and rested her head in the crook of the dark haired woman's neck. Tears slipped silently down her face as all of the memories of that awful day sped through her mind, like a movie in fast forward. She listened to the older witch's voice as it slowly washed over her.

When she paused in the middle of a statement and didn't immediately start back up, Hermione raised her head. Minerva was staring right at her and Isabella, as she began to speak again, jealousy written all over her face as Izz leaned over and delivered several small kisses to her neck and the underside of her jaw. "Let's get out of here, Mia." She whispered. "You were right this was a stupid idea and I'm sorry. Let's just get home and finish packing and leave for Egypt early, ok?" Hermione managed a small nod and stood, just as Minerva finished her lecture. They made their way out of the conference hall, and back to the small apartment they shared.

As they entered Izz flopped down on the small couch and whipped from underneath it a large, unopened, bottle of whiskey which she promptly threw at Hermione. "So, you just saw the love of your life and she looked like she wanted to hex me into about a billion pieces when I kissed you. What are you going to do now?" the dark skinned woman imitated the voice of a television announcer as she said this.

"I am going to get completely sloshed, cry til my heart falls out my mouth, have pure unadulterated sex with my best friend, then wake up in the morning with a nasty hang over and move the fuck on." The brunette responded taking a very large swig from the bottle in her hand.

"Well if that's the way we are playing, then you had better be sharing that bottle." Izzy reached over and snatched the whiskey from her hand and took a long pull from it herself. It was after about her 7th drink that Hermione finally broke into gut wrenching sobs. Isabella who had been slower on the drinks for this very reason reached out and pulled her best friend into a tight embrace. She tucked the brunette under her arm and simply held her, knowing from experience that this was the best way to help her friend.

While Hermione cried Izzy continued to drink, so by the time the heartbroken witch's tears dried up they were both completely and totally plastered. With another long pull from the bottle each Hermione looked Isabella in the eye. The brunette straddled her best friend and leaned in. The other reached up and tangled her dark fingers in the chocolate curls in front of her and hissed when instead of being kissed she felt teeth being dragged across the sensitive skin just behind her ear. Their bodies were already over warm from the alcohol and it didn't take much to get them both so aroused they were begging each other. Hermione dragged Isabella off the couch and the woman shoved her against the nearest wall. Her hands fisted in the British witch's shirt and tore it from her body. Even in her drunken haze she knew that her friend didn't want gentle and slow. She needed to feel something. Much like the first time they had been together. Quickly flicking open her front clasp bra she latched on to her nipple a bit down.

When she felt fingers digging in her hair pulling her closer, she grabbed both the other woman's wrists and pinned them above her head. Hermione arched against her in response. "Please, Izzy… I need…"

"Shhh…I know what you need, love." Their speech was slurred but perfectly understandable to each other. Keeping her hands pinned Izz dragged her fingers down over the quivering stomach of her captive. "Let's take this to my bedroom." Pulling her belt from her attire she wrapped the leather around Hermione's wrists and fed it through the buckle, creating a tight bind on the brunette. Then, using the length as a leash, she led her friend into the bedroom. Both stumbled slightly and were more than slightly loopy. Pushing her down on the bed, Isabella tied the belt off to the wrought iron head board, and slithered her way down to Hermione's breasts.
_

Minerva wandered through the lines of apartments, her nose to the ground following the scent of the young witch she had spent years searching for. It was nearly 3 in the morning. She had spent the last 4 days searching for Hermione Granger. She heard laughter ahead, a beautiful sound that Minerva hadn't heard since Hermione's disappearance. Rounding a corner she came across the young woman leaning against a wall. Several people stood with her, including the woman from the conference. Jealousy filled Minerva, though she knew she had no right to be. She watched as the dark skinned woman wrapped the brunette in a tight hug. The group was speaking rapidly in Portuguese.

Hermione turned toward the older woman, intending to speak to the person directly next to her, and saw the tabby standing there. She froze. Then turned to the other woman again. Though Minerva didn't understand what was being said, she understood the meaning behind them. She was asking questions, desperate questions. The dark woman was answering her calmly and firmly. The tabby sat down to await the answers to those questions.

"Izzy, she's here. What do I do? What can I say to her after everything?" Hermione was panicking.

"What do you want to do love? I'm not going to stop you from pursuing her if that's what you think. If not then we are leaving tomorrow anyway and you never have to see her again." Isabella wrapped her arm around her friend and squeezed her shoulders.

"But why would she come here? Why would she come after me?"

"Probably because she loves you too. Think about it Mia. You were her student. How could she condone being with you. Then you left and she hasn't seen you since. She realizes what she is missing. She doesn't want to let you go again." Isabella reasoned with her friend.

"Izzy you're not…you're not in love with me, are you? We are just friends right?"

"Girl I love you, you are a demon in the sack, and you are my best friend, but no, I am not in love with you. But you are going to have to decide what to do about her soon. We leave in the morning."

"Ok. I need to talk to her first. Then I will decide." Hermione pulled away from her friend and walked towards the tabby that still sat waiting for her decision.