A/N: Chapter 40, ey. What a time to be alive. Also, this is not me speed-writing the next chapters because my pre-written stuff only goes up to 41! No, not I. I would never do that... O.o
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Minerva's backside had gone numb by the time she felt Hermione move. She despaired as she pulled away but couldn't quite make herself voice those feelings.
"Do you want to go for coffee?"
"Coffee?" Minerva blinked and looked at her. "What do you mean?"
"I just feel like we could go out and have a coffee as just the two of us. And not here," Hermione shrugged. "Where we are on show and in very distinct roles?"
Minerva blinked and though her brain was recoiling at the connotations, once again, Minerva remembered what Poppy had said about Hermione's eyes. She looked at them now as they met hers and all she could feel was warmth.
"Alright," she said. She had to clear her throat as it caught but she nodded and Hermione pulled her from the floor gently.
"I'll change and meet you back outside the Great Hall in half an hour?"
Minerva nodded, trying not to show how panicked she was as she turned and marched back to the Castle. She sent a Patronus to Poppy and breathed a sigh of relief when she was sitting on Minerva's sofa when she got home.
"That was productive then?" Poppy teased gently. "Off for coffee?"
"I've a mind never to tell you anything ever again," she grumbled.
"Then you'd be dealing with this badly on your own," Poppy chuckled. "Come on, let's find something low-key. I may not know her very well, but I feel like this is not a date?" Minerva gaped at her. "Right," she chuckled. "Definitely not a date."
While she changed out of her robes, Minerva remembered something that Hermione had said and she touched her head, almost without meaning to.
"You alright?" Poppy asked softly. Minerva looked at her and realised that despite the gentle teasing, which to be honest, she probably deserved, Poppy was the best friend a woman could have in these moments.
"Thank you," she whispered. "For being here for me."
"I love you, silly," Poppy said gently. She pulled Minerva's hand from her head. "What's that about?"
"She told me," Minerva swallowed. "That she loves me."
"She did?" Poppy blinked. Minerva rather thought Poppy looked very impressed with Hermione at that moment. She blinked as Poppy continued talking. "And what does our Minerva think of that?"
"I don't know," Minerva muttered, as she looked away. "She told me that she fell in love with me the day we had our first falling out over her parents."
"Odd?"
"I, before that, I mean." Minerva blushed. "Was doing my hair for Filius' party. She watched," she shrugged. "I didn't think anything of it."
"Your hair is beautiful."
"Poppy!"
"It's not beautiful."
"Stop it! How am I supposed to go for coffee with her if she's fine with telling me all that, on a whim."
"On a whim, Minerva," Poppy laughed as she sat on Mineva's bed in between three different outfits that Minerva had vetoed. "It was hardly on a whim."
Minerva conceded defeat and sat beside her. She'd chosen a pair of slacks and a blouse with a cardigan over the top to ward off the cold. As she sat there, she got back up and changed into her jacket. The black one. In soft, buttery leather.
"Mhmm," Poppy grinned as she lay back. "Told you so."
Minerva didn't fall for it this time and did her hair instead. She did it the same way she did it on that fateful day but Poppy was on hand to help as she flipped back over the right way.
"Come here."
She pinned it up, but not in the usual way. It was soft but not too soft and Minerva reached up and squeezed Poppy's hand on her shoulder.
"At the very least," Poppy said gently. "Go and have a nice cup of coffee with someone who thinks on your level. Take a Transfiguration Yearly, or whatever it is, so you can discuss to your heart's content."
Minerva rolled her eyes and pulled on her normal, everyday boots.
"Thank you again," she muttered.
She pressed a kiss to Poppy's head and left, without saying goodbye. For a split second as Michael closed the portrait behind her, she was tempted to turn back around and forget this whole thing but it snicked shut before she could. She looked up and met his gaze.
"Go and remember what it is like to be around her," he said kindly. "She is like the sun, Minerva. And you deserve a life in the light."
She stared at him but could not find the words to say, so she touched his portrait, gently and for once in her life, did as she was told.
"Ah, Min, I -" Albus looked at her and blinked. "Are you going out?"
"Um, I was, I mean I thought I would -"
He took her hand and smiled as he kissed the back of it.
"Go," he nodded. "And have fun. This was not your afternoon for duty and nor should it be. I will tell Filius of my plans."
"But -" She recalled what Hermione had said and she opened her mouth to tell him not to be silly, that of course she would stay at the Castle while he was away.
"Aa ah -" He chuckled. "Go. Filius has a rudimentary understanding of what is going on." She gaped. "Not you, dear heart. But Hermione's," he paused. "No matter. He does not know of you. It is alright, go and enjoy your afternoon."
"Wait," she said, grabbing his arm. "Her -" She shook her head. "I was told you were going away?"
"Just for a short while. I thought Nicolas might help. I will not be gone longer than the week."
"Be careful," she muttered as she stepped back and let go of his sleeve.
"I will. Go," he smiled in that way that often made her feel better. "Enjoy yourself, Minerva. Or at least try. I would see you happy again."
She walked away, unable to help but look over her shoulder at him but she, once again, did as she was told. It only occurred to her as she was on the last step and could see Hermione just outside the doors, that Filius must have realised during that moment when Hermione had let out that noise that seemed to reverberate through her very bones. Hermione caught sight of her just as she paused and her heart broke all over again. She had been the cause of that; her anger and upset had hurt Hermione to her core. It wasn't until Hermione's hand covered her own on the bannister that she looked up and broke through her thoughts.
"Are you alright?"
"Filius knows," she blinked. "What -"
"Oh, yes." Hermione nodded. "I'll tell you on the way, alright?"
Minerva looked at her in shock but nodded and they left side-by-side down the path to the gate.
"Will you let me take you somewhere or would you like to pick?"
"You cannot Apparate, so I will -"
"I can, actually," she smiled. "I didn't realise I could until just a little while ago. Remember when Tonks and I got you that chocolate bar?"
Minerva frowned and couldn't help the noise of surprise when she did recall the meeting that Hermione and Nymphadora had disappeared to get a map book, of all things.
"Oh, yes?"
"Tonks asked me if I was fine or whether she would take me when we were apparating back. I decided just to go for it. So I did."
"But you have only just started the course? You don't have your licence! You could have - I -" It suddenly occurred to her how disrupted Hermione's schooling had been. "Have you been to any of the lessons?"
"Yes, a few." She chuckled. "Turns out, I'm pretty good at it. And I think, for whatever reason, either my original emancipation or perhaps this thing, meant that the Ministry either doesn't know or doesn't care."
Minerva shook her head and opened the gate for them, locking it behind her when they'd stepped through.
"Have you side-alonged before?"
"No," she smiled. "But is it much different?"
"It is heavier, you must not let go."
"You think I'd let you go, Min?" Hermione asked quietly.
Her breath left her and Hermione stepped back.
"I apologise. That sounded far more than I meant it." Minerva blinked as her brain tried to figure out what was going on. "Would you permit me, Minerva? I'd like to take you for coffee."
Minerva stared at her for a little while and then reached forward. If nothing else, Hermione had trusted her every time she had side-along Apparated them, why would she not do Hermione the same courtesy?
They disappeared without a sound.
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Minerva blinked as she looked around. She didn't love side-along, it always left her feeling a little nauseous.
Hermione's hand was warm on her back and she moaned quietly as the warmth eased the feeling.
"Okay?"
She took a deep breath and nodded. It afforded her the time to look around.
"Where the hell are we?"
"Um, Oxford," Hermione chuckled.
Minerva gaped.
"Wait just a moment, are you telling me that the first time you've Apparated with someone as a side-along, you've taken us all the way down to Oxford?!" Hermione blushed under the scrutiny and shrugged. Minerva realised she'd made her uncomfortable and for reasons she could really only equate to their history, sought to ease that. "That is incredibly impressive," she said, somewhat awkwardly. "Well done."
"Thanks," Hermione shrugged.
Minerva nodded and then their eyes met and Hermione laughed.
"We're not doing this very well, are we?"
"I confess to not really knowing what you want me to -"
"Min," Hermione said sadly. She looked as though she was going to say something else but instead she sighed and offered her arm. Minerva stared at her instead.
"I keep upsetting you."
"You didn't upset me," Hermione whispered, dropping the offer of her arm and instead pointing the way. They walked quietly side-by-side around a corner and through a brick archway and it was only as they ambled that Minerva looked around at where they were.
"Where are we exactly?"
"Um," Hermione looked around. "Somewhere between the science buildings."
"The University?"
"Mhmm," she smiled. "There's a nice coffee place around the corner. I thought we might pick one up and wander through the Park?"
"I would like that," Minerva nodded.
"I feel like, before we get to what we're doing, it's important for you to know my intentions."
"Int -" Minerva baulked. "Hermione, I'm not -"
"Hush," Hermione smiled easily. "I just mean that I feel like you'll be better prepared for our afternoon if you know what my thoughts are. I am getting a coffee with you, on this day, because I want to. I don't have an agenda, I don't really even have anything in particular to tell you. I feel like I did, but now I'm here, if you want to wander in silence, sipping coffee, I'd be happy to."
Minerva relaxed a little and really listened to the words Hermione was saying.
"I would enjoy that, thank you."
"Cool," Hermione smiled.
Minerva's gut squelched. She looked and sounded so young at that moment that she couldn't help but look away. Hermione, thankfully, did not call her out on it, but she did hesitate, mid-step, before moving on as if nothing had happened.
They got their coffees from a quaint little thing outside the park and walked down to the river. She cast a subtle warming charm over her's and Hermione offered her own so she could do the same.
"I can't quite get the temperature right at the moment," Hermione chuckled.
Minerva didn't reply but she did allow their arms to brush against each other as they walked. It was a beautiful park. It was well-kept and off in the distance, she could hear people shouting. It worried her slightly, but Hermione smiled and nudged her carefully to get her attention.
"Football," she said quietly and Minerva nodded.
The crunch of their feet on the gravel was the only sound that accompanied them as they walked quietly towards a small waterway. Hermione occasionally pointed to a lone swan or frog, but in general, the world was still waking up after winter and Minerva was quite alright with that. A bell sounded behind her and she nearly squealed as Hermione grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her in front of her as a man on a bicycle flew by, right where she'd been walking.
"WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING, YOU LOON!"
Minerva's hands were shaking as Hermione inspected her for damage.
"I'm fine," she managed to chuckle. "Startled me, is all."
Hermione cast a critical eye over her and then nodded. The encounter had made her wary and Hermione swapped places with her, leaving their little fingers connected. Minerva almost shook it off and then realised that upon reflection, she quite liked it. Despite her better judgement, and that little voice inside her head screaming at her, she allowed it. Indeed, by the time they walked up on a weatherbeaten old bench, her fingers were interlocked with Hermione's and their palms, skin to skin.
"I thought you might like this," Hermione whispered, stopping her in front of it.
Minerva looked around and frowned. They had not walked too far, and she was well on the way to being offended at the idea that Hermione thought she might like a rest when Hermione chuckled and cupped her cheeks.
"Minerva," she said reproachfully. "Look."
Hermione physically turned her head so she would look at the bench and she saw a plaque there. She leaned forward and read it, her eyes widening as she did so.
"Oh," she smiled as she read the inscription dedicating the spot to Tolkien - one of her favourite authors. She looked back at Hermione with glee. "Thank you!"
"Would you like to sit with him for a while? Otherwise, the path goes the whole way across the park."
She remembered her ire moments ago and looked down beyond the path. As she looked out over the water, she could see where Tolkien had gathered his love of nature and nodded to the bench.
Once again, they sat in silence for a while. The coffees were long finished but Minerva was content to lean a little on Hermione as the sun went down. They hadn't sat long when Hermione boldly slid her hand into Minerva's and Minerva sighed as a warmth spread through her from the inside.
"Do you do that on purpose?" she asked.
"What?"
"Warm me when I am cold?"
"No," Hermione blinked. "Am I?"
"I believe so."
"Well," Hermione chuckled. "Good. I am glad to be useful."
Minerva snorted a little indelicately and let go of the rest of the tension. She didn't snuggle into Hermione's warmth, she would not, but she did sit as close as she could.
"Pr -" She paused. "Filius had Harry & Ron on," she sighed and the sound made Minerva's gut clench. "That day. They didn't say anything but he's as smart as you, so," she shrugged. "It didn't take him long to figure out something was going on."
"Have you spoken to him?"
"No," she muttered. "Albus has though. He had guessed some and was told other bits to head off any investigation. Only about me though; we would never betray you like that."
She nodded as the sun kissed the horizon but Minerva knew she would need to be back for dinner. She turned to look at the young woman.
"Thank you for bringing me here," Minerva said gratefully. "I have enjoyed it."
"Me too," Hermione smiled. "Thank you for letting me."
Minerva nodded and Hermione glanced around and nodded to a small copse of trees behind them. They stood and looked at each other for a while before Hermione smiled sadly and disappeared. Minerva frowned and followed, thinking absently that she had never heard anyone Apparate silently before.