Oh, look, RP13 is back. Yay!

Thanks, everyone for your patience with me. I hope I haven't lost any readers! Suffice it to say Real Life decided I had been neglecting it and pitched a fit, so between work and plans for a desperately needed vacation and having to hash out the details of a trip to be taken with a friend during said vacation, as well as searching for a better-paying job, my head has been whirling.

For this chapter, we, or rather Hermione and Severus, are back to real life. Chapter 7 was a pleasant little interlude, but we must continue with the story. We haven't even hit the biggest conflict yet. And no, that wasn't me not-so-subtly dropping a hint to pester me with questions regarding what happens next. Wait and see, oh impatient reader, you.

Disclaimer: No es mio. The only thing in this chapter that's mine is the cabin. Minerva, Severus, Hermione, and everyone else mentioned belong to their respective creators, neither of whom is me.

Chapter Eight

~Minerva~

It was around three in the afternoon when Severus was awakened by his rumbling belly, and he realized neither he nor Hermione had eaten any lunch. He carefully extracted himself from her arms, leaving her asleep in the middle of his large bed – he took a moment to relish the feeling of satisfaction that came with knowing Hermione was asleep in his bed because she was exhausted from having sex with him – and after a moment's hesitation, decided that just his trousers would do for dressing himself. He'd fix sandwiches for the both of them.

He left the room, closing the door so he wouldn't disturb Hermione while she slept, and headed for the kitchen. He pulled bread, a block of cheese, some of the roast chicken left over from when Hermione had cooked the other day, and a few other things from the refrigerator, and set about making lunch.

He was halfway through, having finished Hermione's sandwich and started on his own, when he heard the fireplace flare to life in the living room. He poked his head around the doorway leading from the kitchen to the living room to see an image of Minerva McGonagall's head floating in the green flames. Such an image was all his wards would allow; no one would be able to Floo into the cabin without the express permission of either himself or Hermione.

"Severus? Is this a convenient time? I have news," Minerva's voice said through the image of her head.

"Yes, by all means," he replied. With a careless wave of his wand, he dismantled the wards about the fireplace, allowing Minerva to step through in a rush of whirling green flames.

He disappeared back into the kitchen, knowing she'd follow. When she did, he looked up, his mouth open to offer her some refreshment or other, but he stopped short when he saw her gobsmacked expression. Puzzled, he blinked. Minerva never gaped like that.

Belatedly, he realized three things. One, he was only in his trousers. Two, Minerva hadn't seen him only in his trousers since his days as a student at Hogwarts, and then he'd been very young, likely only a first- or second-year. And three, his trousers happened to be hanging a bit low on his hips.

"I beg your pardon, Minerva," he said, flushing. "Your call caught me by surprise. Give me a moment to make myself more presentable." He picked up his wand and with a wave of it, a white shirt and the black dragon-hide boots he wore while teaching Potions joined his trousers on his body.

Minerva looked as though she dearly wanted to ask the reason for his state of undress, but she wisely decided to hold her tongue. It wasn't her business, and after all, there were much more important things on her mind than the whys and wherefores of Severus being only in his trousers. Lucius Malfoy's disappearance, for one. And Hermione for another. Since Severus had mentioned finding her the other day, Minerva had been wanting desperately to see her former student, having not seen her since she'd disappeared only a couple of weeks after the Final Battle and Voldemort's defeat.

She accepted Severus's offer of tea and decided to give him her news while he prepared the tea and what looked like a very late lunch for himself and Hermione. Which begged another question: Why were the two of them eating lunch so late when she knew they both stuck to a routine of lunch at twelve-thirty?

"There have been sightings of Lucius Malfoy," she told Severus now. "We've had reports from the American Ministry of Magic based in Washington D.C. that members of the Wizarding community in Seattle reported to their local authorities sightings of a man matching descriptions of Lucius Malfoy broadcasted on Wizarding and Muggle radio and on Muggle news television as well as published in Wizarding and Muggle newspapers. The reports state that he's been sighted by Seattle residents throughout Seattle as well as by Seattle residents visiting Port Angeles and other neighboring towns, including Forks." She accepted the saucer and full teacup he offered her and blew on her tea a bit before taking a small sip to test the temperature. She took a larger sip when she didn't burn herself.

"He has indeed been in the area. In fact, this morning, while I was running a few errands, he stepped right into the outermost edges of the wards Hermione and I had set to alert us of a magical presence," he replied.

Minerva nearly choked on her tea and had to put it down lest she drop it. "What?" she said hoarsely after a brief coughing fit.

He explained what had happened that morning, telling her exactly what Hermione had told him. He told her how Hermione had picked up on the intrusion of a threatening magical presence and had decided to investigate, taking on the form of a wolf once she'd stepped out of the cabin. Then he explained how Hermione had tracked Malfoy, following him until she found a chance to attack, and how she'd failed to capture him as he'd Disapparated when her cover was blown. Then, when Minerva frowned at him, confused, he had to backtrack and explain the appearance of the Quileute wolves and how the Cullens had helped to smooth things over between the wolves and the witch and wizard, which meant that he had to backtrack again and remind Minerva of the Cullens, whom he'd told her about yesterday afternoon after he and Hermione had met them.

When he finished his explanation, informing her about the meeting he and Hermione would be having with both the Quileute wolves and the Cullens tomorrow night, Minerva's expression was one of disbelief and amazement.

"And here I thought Potter was the one always getting himself into trouble," she commented.

Severus's lips quirked into what had to be the most genuine smile of amusement Minerva had seen on his face in a long time. She added that to her list of points of interest, filing it away for examination later, along with Severus's state of undress upon her arrival and the fact that he was making such a late lunch for himself and Hermione. But she decided to say nothing about all that until she was able to make something of the whole situation.

"Yes, well, it seems Potter managed to rub off on Hermione after all during their time as friends. Such Gryffindor tendencies do rub off on other people, you know," Severus answered, amused.

The Head of Gryffindor House snorted. "You don't have to tell me that, Severus, any more than I have to tell you that the longer you're friends with a Slytherin the more adept you become at sneaking about and talking your way out of trouble," she teased him. She was rewarded with a smirk from the Head of Slytherin House, her friend and rival for all intents and purposes for almost all of the twenty or so years that he'd been teaching.

The two of them fell silent for a while as Minerva sipped her tea and Severus continued making his sandwich. They were both reminiscing about the days between the first war against Voldemort and the second, where neither of them had anything to worry about other than making sure their students passed their classes and which of their Houses would come out on top in the bid for the Quidditch Cup that year.

It was perhaps five minutes later, once Minerva had drunk the last few drops of her tea, that she was about to ask Severus what they should do about Malfoy. But before she could even open her mouth, there was a faint gasp from the doorway between the kitchen and the living room and a soft voice exclaimed, "Oh! Professor!"

Both Minerva and Severus looked toward the doorway for the source of the voice, and Minerva just barely managed to keep her jaw from hitting the floor. There in the doorway, looking quite disheveled, as if she'd just woken up, and seeming suddenly extremely uncomfortable with a blush staining her cheeks, stood Hermione Granger in naught but an oversized black button-down shirt that Minerva thought looked suspiciously like one of Severus's. Said button-down shirt came to about mid-thigh, the sleeves were rolled up to just below Hermione's elbows, and only half the buttons were done.

The three of them eyed each other awkwardly. Well, Severus carefully avoided Minerva's gaze while attempting – and failing – to be discrete as he examined Hermione from across the room for signs of physical discomfort. He was still feeling faintly guilty for having worn her out so much. Hermione tried to meet Minerva's gaze nonchalantly, as if nothing was out of place, and avoided looking at Severus, afraid that if she did she'd give away what they'd been up to. She failed as well.

Minerva looked back and forth between her two former students, one of whom was also a colleague, with rapidly mounting comprehension. She was quickly connecting the dots between Severus's state of undress upon her arrival, the late hour at which he was making lunch for himself and Hermione, Hermione's appearance in what looked remarkably like one of Severus's shirts, and her wild, tangled hair (which to Minerva looked suspiciously like sex hair).

Minerva wasn't entirely certain at first what to make of the situation, but she did know that she was extremely glad she hadn't called earlier. Her first thought was to be furious with Severus for taking advantage of one of her precious cubs, but almost immediately after that came the memory of what Severus's own youth had been like and how one such lion cub had broken his heart all those years ago.

Minerva also knew that while there were similarities between Lily and Hermione – they were both Gryffindors, after all – Hermione was also far more emotionally mature at this age than Lily had been. And while Hermione's temper was more easily provoked than it had once been and she could hold grudges just as well as Lily could, she was also much more capable of being objective than Lily had been. Lily had often been hasty in the judgments that determined whether or not she would hold a grudge, but Hermione tended to first examine the story from all possible angles before making similar judgments.

Minerva rather felt that on some level, Severus subconsciously recognized all these differences between his former love and Hermione and simply latched onto the chance to avoid making the same mistakes he'd made with Lily. She also thought that Severus, having been so badly hurt once before, might have entered into whatever it was he had with Hermione with greater caution.

Her initial shock had dissipated and was rapidly turning into delight. While many people would be horrified at the thought of a nearly-forty-year-old man in a romantic relationship with a former student almost twenty years younger than him, Minerva was a romantic at heart. Add to that the fact that the two people in question were probably the two she cared for most, left alive anyway, and the fact that intellectually speaking, Hermione was matchless among those witches and wizards of her age group. She'd be bored out of her skull with the majority of young men her age and needed someone older and more experienced, whose sharp mind would stimulate her own. Severus Snape certainly fit the bill. So Minerva was happy to toss any reservations she might have had otherwise about their relationship out the window. Their lives had been difficult, Hermione having lost so many loved ones and Severus having had few to love him to begin with, and if they made each other happy, well, then, the old Gryffindor matriarch would be the first – and loudest – to stand in their defense.

Hermione spoke, avoiding both Minerva's and Severus's gazes, her face bright red. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize…please, erm, give me a moment, I'll go change. I'll…I'll be right back," she stuttered, and before either of the two professors could say anything, she whirled from the room and was gone.

Severus finally dared a peek at Minerva; something devilish inside the old Gryffindor matriarch prompted her to fix him with a stern look. "What the devil is going on, Severus? Why are you making such a late lunch for yourself and Hermione? Why were you in nothing but your trousers when I first arrived? And why the deuce was Hermione Granger in nothing but what looked an awful lot like one of your shirts?"

He sighed. "Minerva, I can explain…"

He sounded so defensive and yet so pained, as if he feared someone would try to take something from him. No doubt it was Hermione he feared would be taken from him, and as she looked into his face in that instant before he launched into an explanation, she saw something she hadn't seen in his face in more than twenty years. It was a look he'd worn once before his falling-out with Lily Evans, when he'd thought they could be something more, only this time, with Hermione, it was ten times more powerful. And Minerva knew that if Hermione's love were taken from him as Lily's had been, it would break him. So she took pity on him.

She smiled softly at him, confusing him and effectively cutting off his explanation before she even said anything. "Relax, Severus, I was only teasing. It doesn't take a genius to figure out what you and Hermione have been up to. And I am not going to stop you. You're doing nothing wrong. She is no longer your student, and she has been of age for a year. Two, if you count her rather extensive use of a Time-Turner in her third year." She paused and smiled again, this time with a bit of humor. "And if I recall correctly, her cousin Isabella is more than eighty years younger than her husband, his immortality notwithstanding. You both deserve every bit of happiness you can find after everything you've been through and done for the Wizarding World, and if you happen to find it with each other, then I shall be the first person to stand up in your defense should anyone protest."

She tried not to laugh as she finished speaking and saw his gobsmacked expression. If it was rare for Severus Snape to laugh, it was almost completely unheard of for him to be shocked speechless.

Minerva was not much of a Legilimens, but she had known Severus for so long that she often had some idea of what he was thinking, and had learned to read the tiny nuances in his expressions that gave his feelings away. Those infinitesimal changes were so subtle that aside from herself, Albus Dumbledore, and Poppy Pomfrey, none of the other staff had ever picked up on them. They saw him as an incredibly stoic, intensely private man who forbade any emotion from crossing his face beyond his control. And right now, that control was slipping ever so slightly. She could see clearly that he was half wondering if she might be pulling his leg, or if she had jumped into her statement with typical Gryffindor brashness and would most likely, given time to think it over, change her mind about her support.

"I'm serious, Severus," she said firmly. "You and that girl will do each other a world of good. The war has damaged you both, and you will be able to help each other. You will protect her, and she will teach you how to be young again. And intellectually, you are a far better match for her than any of the young men her age. She would be bored to tears with them."

She fell silent for a bit as they waited for Hermione to come down, but when the younger witch had made her appearance, Minerva made no mention of the clothing – or lack thereof – that Hermione had first appeared in, or of the possible connotations thereof. Instead, she told Hermione what she and Severus had been discussing before her arrival the first time around.

Severus wordlessly offered Hermione the plate with her completed sandwich, which she accepted with a brief, grateful smile. He took his own plate, and the three of them turned to sit at the small kitchen table while they talked.

In the end, not much was decided except that they would keep an eye out for the return of Malfoy or any other rogue Death Eaters. Minerva wondered if perhaps, once they'd learned more about both the Cullens and the Quileutes, the vampires and the wolf pack might be able to help. They also decided that if a Death Eater were discovered in these parts again, then the American Ministry of Magic would be contacted; hopefully they'd dispatch a small task force of Aurors to Forks and the surrounding area to increase security until Malfoy at least was found.

Once those details had been hashed out, Minerva had to return to her Headmistress duties at Hogwarts. As she made ready to leave, she paused and regarded Severus and Hermione. "The two of you might want to make a visit to the Burrow. Since you contacted me about having found Hermione and I made it known that she was alive, Molly's worked herself into a dither wondering what sort of condition she is in and when she will see her again. She's convinced herself that you've been starving to death wherever you've been living, Hermione, and is anxious to have you back in the nest. And there are quite a few others who are rather…put out with you for having made them think you were dead." She fixed the younger witch with a stern gaze that told Hermione in no uncertain terms that she herself wasn't entirely happy about Hermione's disappearance, either.

Hermione sighed, knowing that Minerva was right and that it was indeed time for her to make a reappearance in the British Wizarding World.

"All right, all right. I'll come back, but only for visits for now. I can't just leave now when things are so uncertain with my cousin. They still plan to turn her, you know, once her baby is born, and there will be other challenges there, like making certain she doesn't become a soulless murderer. I know the Cullens will take good care of her, but I have to make certain. She's the only family I have left." Hermione fidgeted for a moment, not meeting either Minerva's or Severus's gazes, but then she looked back at both of them.

"Actually, I was thinking of setting up a more long-term residence here in Forks and getting a job, just until she's stabilized. With her stubbornness and the Cullens' care, I think it will only take a couple of years." Her gaze implored them to understand.

Minerva and Severus exchanged a glance, considering. They both knew that it wasn't Severus's approval she needed to concern herself with. Minerva wanted him back at Hogwarts to teach, but to be honest, she wanted Hermione there as well. As for Severus, well, he had gradually and subconsciously concluded over the last few days that he would follow Hermione wherever she went; she was the best thing that had ever happened to him. Minerva knew it, too. If she had to wait a couple of years for Hermione to decide it was safe to leave her cousin in the hands of the Cullens in order to get both her and Severus back at Hogwarts, well, then she knew how to be patient.

Minerva gave Hermione a small smile. "Very well, but you do realize you only have about a week to make your visit before they come looking for you themselves."

Hermione smiled back, amused and very aware of just how impatient her friends could be. "Yes, I know. Tell them not to worry, I'll see them soon, one way or another."

Minerva nodded to her, then hesitated for a moment. Then, catching both Hermione and Severus by surprise, she pulled her young protégé into a tight hug. "I'm so glad you're safe, Hermione," she said, her voice sounding suspiciously husky to Severus.

Before Hermione could say anything or do more than briefly return the hug, still slightly shocked, she pulled away and looked at Severus. "Now that you've brought her back, you take care of her, my boy, or I will come find you and castrate you," she said sternly. The fact that she was wagging a finger at him as she spoke – something she never did – let them both know she was only teasing. Sort of.

"Very well, Minerva, but you shall have to wait in line. Hermione herself has already told me that if she thought I were abusive she would…how did you put it, love? Ah, yes, she would 'pull my testicles out through my arse and then shove them down my throat and make me swallow them' if I laid a hand on her."

Minerva eyed the younger of her two former students with approval. "Good." She glanced at Severus. "Just so you know what to expect."

She turned back to Hermione, and said, "And don't let him get too overbearing with you, Hermione. If he does, just give him a good crack about the head until he comes round. Heaven knows you're about the only woman stubborn enough to put up with him when he gets in one of his moods. You won't let him get too far before you hex him good and proper." And with that last bit of sage advice, she tossed a handful of Floo Powder into the fire, which flared emerald, stepped in, and called, "Hogwarts School, Headmistress's Office!" As she whirled away, they both thought they heard her muttering excitedly something about grandbabies.

As it turned out, Hermione and Severus did in fact see the Weasleys, Harry, and several others much sooner than they expected.

Annnndddd, there we go. Nice little clue there at the end as to what could possibly happen - or rather, who they could possibly encounter - in the next chapter. Here's one more: keep in mind Minerva's excited muttering about grandbabies. Now I'm going to sit back and wait for your responses and reviews, wishing I could see your faces as I watch you chew on that little tidbit. Love,

RP13