A/N: I honestly nearly forgot. Thank the gods for Lib McGranger otherwise, I would have passed out on my new mattress and probably would have woken up well-rested and completely oblivious.

Also if you aren't reading The Bound and the Binding by LastHershey, why the heck not? I never read WIP but this one I am HOOKED.

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Poppy rocked her gently as they stood hugging for a while before something flashed as it came into the room. A beautiful little Patronus was hovering in front of them. Minerva gasped as she looked at it. She knew for certain that Hermione's Patronus was an otter, but this was something else entirely. A stunning, tiny, shimmering dragon that danced in the light. She stared at it as it waited for them both to acknowledge it.

"Apologies, Madam Pomfrey, I hope I am not intruding." Hermione's voice filled the air. "Min, I have an idea that might help. Will you meet me outside? Behind the Greenhouses, by the corner of the West Tower. At your leisure. No rush. I'll be here until sundown."

The dragon seemed to grin, almost, and dissipated in a flash of fire, leaving them staring at the space it had been in.

"Have you ever seen a Patronus take a form like that?" Poppy asked.

"No," Minerva sighed, rubbing her forehead. "But at this point, what do I really know?"

"Minerva," Poppy chuckled, taking that hand. "Don't punish yourself for being uncomfortable. It stands to reason that it would change, don't you think?"

"They do, sometimes, change," Minerva nodded. "And yes, I suppose in this instance we should not be surprised, though I have never seen it become a dragon."

"Again, not too surprising," Poppy chuckled. "Are you going to go and meet her?"

"I don't know." She sounded petulant, even to her ears.

"I think you should," Poppy nodded, even as she ignored the tone. "She isn't oblivious. And she is just as smart as you are. I pity anyone that comes up against the two of you, no matter what happens. Perhaps this is exactly what." She paused as Minerva looked up. "And who, you need."

Minerva sighed and nodded, standing up and rubbing her hands on her robes.

"I have no idea what I'm doing."

"I doubt she does either," Poppy said kindly. "Just like all those that fall in love for the first time." Minerva did not dignify that small dig with an answer. "You know one thing you have yet to bring up?" Poppy muttered. Minerva looked at her as she turned, waiting for it. "She's a woman." Minerva frowned. "Have you ever -"

"Not really. I don't have friends besides you and perhaps Albus and Filius. I don't get too close to people, women especially find me caustic, I think. And these days, especially, they are far too enamoured with the image than who I am."

"She has never been like that, and you are dodging the question."

"I know," Minerva nodded, accepting that truth. "But no," she whispered after a pause. "It does not matter to me that she is a woman."

"All this time, Minerva. You never once -"

"Well, as I said, I have not been close to many. Amelia, perhaps, but she was too professional to ever even think of it," she shrugged. "As was I. I have never had these -" she paused as she realised what she was saying. "I -"

"I know, love," Poppy smiled gently. "And you are nothing, if not a dark horse." Minerva snorted and looked pleadingly at her sister-in-law.

Poppy saw it and went over to her again. She hugged Minerva tightly, one last time, and whispered into her ear that it would all work out.

"She's going to wait for you until sundown. Anyone willing to do that in this fluctuating weather has some serious feelings, Min," Poppy chuckled. "Go and get it over with. And be gentle. Be kind. She is struggling, just as you are, but she doesn't have a best friend to lean on like you do. You were her best friend and I doubt this would be something she'd share with Mr Potter."

"Oh they know," Minerva muttered. "And I deserve all the filthy looks they give me, I suppose."

Poppy snorted and rubbed her back.

"They love her. As most people that know her do," she grinned at Minerva's sharp look. "Don't be silly. Go and speak to her. Open and honest. Share your feelings, for once."

Despite her hating all of that advice, Minerva nodded and left with a half-hearted wave. She wandered through the grounds, pretending she couldn't see the students still milling about outside, trying to soak in as much sun as they could in the waning weekend. She walked around the back of them to see Hermione standing at the corner of the Castle staring off into space. She stopped and took a moment just to look.

Poppy's words echoed in her brain. She really didn't care that Hermione was a woman. She had been propositioned by the odd woman before but it was not a common experience. She had never taken a female lover before, though, and now she thought about it, she wasn't sure whether it was because she'd just never found the right one. The point seemed moot now, as she looked at Hermione. Despite her entire mind recoiling at the thought, she could see the power that this new thing had brought with it. A barely noticeable change in form. Perhaps most would miss it, but Minerva seemed to know Hermione's every inch and that made her blush as she kept looking. Whereas before, Hermione was a beautiful young woman, now, she looked powerful as well. She looked steady and strong like she was ready for anything. Muscles were hiding just under her skin that flexed when she moved and Minerva didn't like the way her throat dried when she caught a glimpse of it.

She's like an animal, a snide part of her brain provided.

She shook off the thoughts and walked slowly towards her. She saw the moment Hermione knew she was there, even before she turned. She froze and waited, trying to appear relaxed, though the muscles in her back rippled when she moved.

"Hey," Hermione smiled when she turned. Minerva didn't reply. "So, I want to give you time to talk it over with me, without everything interfering." Minerva frowned. "I hadn't realised before, but I guess in the same way I find you utterly bewitching, your -" She blushed and Minerva couldn't help but find out pretty. "Your scent drives me crazy, it must be difficult for you, right?" Minerva didn't reply but she did file that little tidbit away for another day. "So I want to do something about you not being able to think when I'm around. Here," she said, pointing around the building. "I think this will help."

Minerva leaned around her and looked, finding a little picnic blanket and a cushion placed against the stonework. She frowned and Hermione pointed to one Minerva hadn't noticed on this side as well.

"The wind is blowing Westwards," she shrugged, pointing away from them. "I can sit here, you can sit there, or vice versa if you'd prefer, and we can talk without any of it being in our faces or even looking at each other. I think that might help?"

Minerva bit her lip at the kindness in her suggestion and blinked hard, trying not to cry.

"I don't want to upset you or make you sad. I feel confident in this, Min, but I still barely know much more than you do. I do think we do need to talk?"

"Yes," Minerva said, clearing her throat when it sounded a bit gruff. "Yes, I think that's wise."

Hermione offered her the choice and she picked the one just a little in the sun, letting Hermione take the one in the shade. With this new change, it seemed that Hermione was warmer than the average person anyway. She blushed when Hermione set a few spells, warding their area and putting a silencing spell over them so nobody could listen in. She was so out of it, she burned with embarrassment.

"Now," Hermione said loudly enough for Minerva to hear but without shouting. "Tell me your greatest fear?"

"You first," Minerva croaked.

"That you will never get over this feeling, and you will continue to find me abhorrent and you will leave me and I will never see you again."

It hit Minerva deep in the gut that of all the things they were facing, Hermione found that the most terrifying. She paused and looked in Hermione's direction but the woman was not there. She wanted desperately to say that at no point did she find Hermione abhorrent but the words would not come. Instead, Minerva frowned and nodded before remembering that Hermione couldn't see her.

"I," Minerva decided that careful, but brutal honesty was the best policy. "Have a great many fears, Hermione. Before this, I would have said that my greatest fear was that we would lose the war and you would get hurt and Albus and Harry would -" She stopped herself and took a few deep breaths. "Now, I do not know what I fear the most. You are all far more involved than I would ever want. And with this new thing," her voice wobbled and she took a deep breath to calm herself. "This new thing is so beyond the realms of anything we've ever experienced. Everything that I thought I knew has been torn asunder."

"I'm still the same person, Minerva."

"And yet you are not."

"Does that scare you?"

Minerva scoffed.

"If our situation does not scare you, Hermione, you are far more naive than I thought you to be."

There was a long pause and as Minerva replayed her voice in her head, she winced at how it had sounded.

"Do I scare you?" Hermione said finally.

"Yes," Minerva said without thought.

"Because you're scared I would hurt you?"

She answered slower this time, after some thought.

"I do not believe you would mean to," she said, trying to keep her voice steady. "But yes," she said finally, deciding just to do as she meant to. "You -" She bit off what she was saying, knowing that to speak such words would reveal things she was unprepared to reveal.

"Min," Hermione whispered, though it carried. "Please tell me."

She didn't want to but the words spilt out of her tight throat.

"You have more capacity than anyone to hurt me."

"What? Physically?"

Hermione's voice had crept up a notch and Minerva's gut clenched at the distress in it and the naivety in the younger woman to not understand what she was alluding to.

"No," Minerva muttered. "I don't believe you would hurt me physically. But then I am well used to that."

"Min," Hermione sighed. "God, no, I would never -"

"I have a problem, Hermione, with the way that this has worked out." She recalled Poppy's words for their prior arguments. "And while I know I sound and look angry - and I am - I do realise it is not entirely your fault. I am angry at being put in this position." She waited but Hermione seemed to be letting her speak. "I do not know whether my," she swallowed. "Fondness of you from the time you entered this school is because I saw something in you that reminded me of me and wanted to help you navigate that, or now because I was forced to by whatever this is. Because something made me. It drew me to you. I do not know whether the feelings that are tearing me apart inside are because I have built such a beautiful friendship with you, or whether I am being forced to adore you. The consequences of this are both distasteful and insensible. I am not a monster. I would never -"

"Min -"

"I have no say in this and it is infuriating."

"But you do -" Minerva jumped as Hermione came around the corner. "Min, you do. You have every say in this. I would not dream of -" Minerva could barely breathe for fear that all the clarity she had gained would fall under the weight of Hermione's closeness and Hermione suddenly realised it. "Sorry," Hermione blinked, taking a few steps back. "Sorry. I just -" She knelt and Minerva took an experimental breath and nodded. "Min," she whispered. "I don't, for one moment, believe that we're being forced into this. In fact," she said quickly before Minerva could reply. "Take what happened, after the thing," Minerva nodded. "You held me. You warmed me, from death, practically. You took our clothes off." Minerva blushed and covered her neck where it was warming. "I -" Hermione frowned. "Didn't mean that as it sounded. I just mean -" She pulled her hair at the roots. "I truly believe that had Ginny been closer, she probably would have done something similar, because she loves me which," Minerva watched as she looked up and met her eyes. "I think it's the point I'm making."

They sat quietly while Minerva let that sink in.

"The point I am making," Minerva muttered. "Is that there is a vast difference between your school friend Ginny Weasley -that you have become friends with over the time you have been in the same Common Room- and the -"

"Friendship," Hermione supplied. Minerva tried not to roll her eyes.

"Whatever we created out of what?"

"Friendship," Hermione shrugged again.

Minerva, this time, growled in frustration.

"Look," Hermione sighed. "I'm glad it was you, though if it was Ginny, how can we be sure this wouldn't have happened differently? Ginny is someone I love as a friend. As a sister, even, but not like -" she bit back what she wanted to say but Minerva could see it on her face. Not like you.

They sat quietly for a long time until Hermione shifted again and Minerva looked up.

"I have been trying to think of a way to ease this for you. But the only thing I can come up with is to tell you, again, that I adore you, Min. I admire you and I respect you, above all. And, again, any feelings that I have now, I truly believe they are only louder versions of feelings I had before. When you were at the Triwizard ball? In that tartan set of robes? I mean, the wreath on your hat was truly ugly," Minerva snorted. It had been. "But you looked so beautiful. Achingly so, though I did not understand it at the time. You were so powerful and free when you danced with Albus. I was arrested by how much you enjoyed it. I was dancing with Victor Krum, but a part of me kept watching you over his shoulder just to see that happiness and bask in it. It was the first time I've really ever noticed an appreciation of Albus and how much he adores you."

"You are not jealous?" Minerva asked quietly; curiosity getting the better of her. "Some have been."

She hadn't meant to acknowledge that Hermione might be in that same position, but she had said it now and she was interested to hear the answer.

"Of Albus?" Hermione chuckled. "No. It's quite obvious there's nothing there beyond genuine love. Like Harry and me. But I was so pleased to see him dancing with you. Forcing you to have fun."

Minerva snorted again and let her head rest against the stones. It brought comfort to her, somehow and she was reminded of something she'd meant to ask before.

"This has nothing really to do with anything," she muttered. "But, what is your opinion on our," she paused. "The weapons now?"

"Do you -" Her eyes wandered over Minerva's person. Had she been feeling better, Minerva might have laughed at Hermione's sudden realisation of what she was doing. She did, however, take in the pretty blush on her cheeks.

"I do," Minerva muttered, though she did not elucidate. In truth it was wrapped around her middle, the blade horizontal across her back with a Notice-Me-Not charm on it. After deciding that they really were not imbued with dark magic, Minerva leaned into the idea of having a backup plan.

"Right," Hermione cleared her throat. "Anyway, they must be some sort of pact, right?" Hermione nodded. Minerva could see that she understood the reason for the change in subject. "I mean. I was thinking about this the other night, actually. Everyone who got one, I gave it to them. I literally handed them out as gifts. That must mean something. Albus didn't get one, but I offered mine to him, against your judgement. And now," she shrugged and held up her wrist. "He's one of us."

"Yes," Minerva snapped. "But what are we!"

"That, I don't know, well, not really." She sighed. "But I plan on figuring it out before we get into all this," she winced. "Other stuff with Harry. I think I need to know my capabilities, don't you?"

It was frustrating how comfortable Hermione was with her fractiousness.

"It would probably be quite helpful, yes," she snapped before realising she was being unfair. She apologised with a look. "Albus has no clues?"

"We both came to the same conclusions on our own, actually, but he's going to speak to Mr Flamel tomorrow, he says. To see if he can remember hearing anything."

Minerva nodded and they fell silent again. Albus hadn't mentioned it yet, but it was not unusual for her to return to her desk with a note of his absence on it. For now, Minerva enjoyed the breeze as it blew and took a deep breath. It was a beautiful day, despite it being chilly in the shade. She was thankful for it, shifting so she was more in the sun.

"I'm pretty sure I know the moment I properly fell in love with you," Hermione whispered, though it rang in Minerva's ears as if she'd shouted it. She turned and stared at Hermione in shock. "I hadn't realised that was what had happened but in hindsight, that was the moment. When you flicked your hair upside down in your room before Filius' party? I watched you get ready and it felt so intimate, somehow. I had all these visions of you getting ready in front of a mirror and putting lipstick on and in part," she groaned. "In part, I think it was why I was so discombobulated during the party. I just kept imagining you putting your shoes on while I helped you keep your balance or standing behind you in the mirror. Or, I dunno, just normal domestic stuff. It wasn't even about -" Minerva watched that pretty blush, back again, creep up her neck and lighten her cheeks. "Anything else, it was like," she looked up and caught Minerva watching. "Just being with you, living life, with you. Beside you is -" She made a noise of amazement. "I was just so privileged to have that opportunity, first and foremost. I feel so lucky. I treasured those moments behind the facade, Min. Those moments of you pinning up your beautiful hair or glancing at yourself, critically, in the mirror. Every time I see your hair down, I just want to run my fingers through it or," she smiled. "When you're looking in the mirror, I want to tell you not to be so critical of yourself because you're utterly beautiful." Minerva blushed now, but Hermione wasn't finished. "And, look, I realise that that makes this so much easier for me to deal with, but I just," she frowned. "I can't tell you in any other way that I don't, I'm not." She sat up and put her shoulders back. "I don't expect anything from you, Min. I'm not demanding anything or even asking for something. I - what I have said, what we are, is true. I know it as I know my own name but until I know exactly what it even means, it's just a word. More than anything I want to remain your friend. Because you are. You're my best friend, you hear me and see me beyond what everyone else can comprehend. And I don't ever want to be without that."

"And what if that is connected to this."

"What if it is?" Hermione shrugged. "It feels nice, doesn't it?" She blinked and looked sharply at Minerva. "Does it? I mean -"

"It did," Minerva soothed, feeling bad for the panic on the younger woman's face. "It does. I do not like being told what to do, Hermione. I never have. And this," she shook her head. "This has the potential to alter the course of my whole life. I have been married before -"

"You have?"

"You see!" Minerva almost cried. "There is so much we don't know about each other. We are as close as two friends could be, but it is folly to think that that will automatically lead us to the other!"

"Were you not friends with your husband?" Minerva gave her a withering look and Hermione took it and smiled in return. "I just meant that there should always be something already there, right? This isn't an arranged marriage!'

Minerva recoiled from the suggestion but took her meaning and sighed.

"Hermione," she whispered, finally giving up all pretence and remembering what she said to Poppy. "I am terrified."

The revelation brought Hermione to her and she tried not to breathe as the younger woman sat beside her.

"It's okay," Hermione whispered.

"It's not okay," Minerva said, trying not to cry. "In one fell swoop I have had all my prior judgements called into question, I have had to second guess my friendship to you, one that I previously cherished beyond all others and I -"

"I don't want you to be scared, Min," Hermione whispered. "What if we start back at the beginning?" Hermione soothed, her fingers squeezing Minerva's shoulders a little. It was heaven and, despite her thoughts being all over the place, she drew comfort from the warmth that Hermione was giving off. "We can start again, get to know each other better, as adults, and move on from there?"

"And what if we decide that this," she looked at Hermione. "Whatever it is. Is not, what if it doesn't -"

"Then we'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Hermione whispered. She hesitated and then traced a finger over Minerva's temple. Minerva shivered but didn't protest. "But I think, based on the fact that we were at least friends before, we should try?"

"I will commit to getting to know you better," Minerva said with finality. "But nothing more."

"Deal," Hermione whispered.

Despite her thoughts and feelings on the matter she sighed and leaned more heavily against Hermione for the time being. Hermione looked at her but she didn't return it. Instead, Hermione seemed to come to a decision and shifted back a little. She wrapped her arm around Minerva's shoulders and pulled her as close as possible. Minerva tried not to sink into it but it was nothing but pure comfort and no matter how she railed against it, she could use all of that she could get.