A/N: I totally did mean to post on Sunday and then my new desk arrived and I spent all day making 2 desks; my back is hurting and then I ate too many nachos and now here we are on Wednesday. Honestly, it's probably for the best cos I hadn't even got more than about half a page on Sunday so yeah, It's Wednesday my dudes lol (Youtube it, you won't regret it)

But yeah that's my bad fam. Wednesday and Sunday from now though :) Promise.

-0-

Their disaster of a dinner with Poppy and Will seemed to signal a turning point in their relationship. Ironically, as that settled, everything else seemed to speed up. She had really only had a glimpse of Minerva at Dinner and Breakfast for the last week as their Apparition test drew nearer and their classwork grew exponentially, but when they got word that Aragog had died, Hermione refused the invitation.

"If I don't get this done, Harry, I'm not going to be able to and then I will not have it during the exam," she muttered when he'd looked at her pleadingly. "I realise that Hagrid cared for Aragog but he tried to kill us, remember? Plus," she looked around. "If Professor Flitwick can tell, I'd rather not put that burden on Hagrid."

"Yeah but -"

"You know you'll need that on the test, right?"

"What do you know?" Ron blinked as he looked down at his Transfiguration revision. Hermione snorted.

"Absolutely nothing. As if she'd tell me anything. If anything she's as likely to tell me less than anything just to make up for the fact that we're," she paused. "Ya know. I might even have to take my exam with Albus." Ron rolled his eyes. "Speaking of," Hermione turned a stern look at Harry. "Slughorn?" He scratched his neck and she groaned. "Harry! You have got to figure this out."

Ron snorted as he marked something on his homework.

"It'd be so easy if you just put some Felix Felicis in your tea."

Hermione paused, mid-word and looked up.

"What did you just say?"

"Nothing," Ron shrugged. "Just like," he shrugged again and Hermione had to grip her quill hard to stop herself from reaching out and shaking him. "Well, like when he pretended to put it in my Pumpkin Juice that time," he glared at Harry with a grin. "Imagine actually taking some and just asking Slughorn to give up the memories."

Hermione really did reach for him then.

"When did he get some of that?" she hissed and then turned to Harry. "When did you get some of that? And why on earth haven't you used it yet."

"It's special!" he protested.

"Harry bloody Potter," she cried. "I do not know how the hell else to tell you that we need that memory. Like a month ago. SIX MONTHS ago."

He stared at them for a long time before he grabbed the bottle from his pocket. His pocket, no less, and took a small sip. She watched as his eyes cleared and he got a determined look on his face.

"I know what to do."

"Good," Hermione groaned. "For the love of god, go and get it."

He left them alone in the Common room and disappeared into the evening. Hermione knew enough about Felix Felicis to know that he would be fine, but despite her frustration, she would still worry about him. Hagrid was harmless, but Slughorn was still an unknown and she liked him less and less the more they got to know him. She looked down at her work and then over at Ron.

"Get Ginny," she muttered. "We're going to see the Headmaster." He got up and she grabbed his hand at the last minute. "Bring your homework."

He snorted and ran up the stairs three at a time and just managed to get to the top before it turned smooth. He called out to Ginny as he slid back down and she slid down after him where they joined Hermione at the Portrait.

"Harry's going to get the memory," she muttered as they left the Common Room. "He's really going to get it tonight, so we need to be prepared for when he gets back."

"So -"

"Go and ask the Gargoyle for entry, or to find Albus if he isn't in. And I'll get Minerva."

"'Kay," Ginny muttered. "What if it takes ages."

"Then it does," Hermione muttered. "But it will be tonight. Get Albus to help you with Transfiguration."

Hermione rounded the corner away from them and almost bumped into Filius as he walked the other way.

"My apologies," she muttered. "Have you seen Min?"

"I believe she's in her rooms. She has a duty in 15 minutes."

"Would you take it for her, please? Or find someone to do so? She and Albus will be otherwise engaged."

"Hermione," he said carefully. "What can you tell me?"

"Nothing," she muttered. "Only that we will not be available for some of the night."

"Are you," he chewed on his bottom lip. "Are you to remain in the castle?"

"Yes," she nodded. "But I doubt his Gargoyle will disturb us once it is time."

"So you must wait for something."

Hermione looked at him and chuckled at his shrewd face.

"If you see Harry running back through the castle, direct him to us, please." She said, refusing to say anything else about it.

"And you and Min?"

"We seem to have turned a corner," she smiled. Mentally, they had. Mentally, it felt like they'd done a full-degree turn. "But of course, as we get busy, there is very little time to enjoy that notion."

"Let me take her duty tonight and the one on Saturday night as well. I would like to gift that to you."

"And I would be extremely grateful," she smiled, squeezing his shoulder.

"Then yes, I will swap her duty with mine tomorrow. Please let me know if there is anything else I can do."

"I will," she nodded as she left. "But honestly as long as you can take care of things here, that is all I could ask of you right now."

He bowed just a little and she stopped him with a smile before she turned and walked quickly down the corridor. She smiled when Michael grinned at her.

"This is a surprise."

"Have you any idea how busy this end of term gets," she chuckled. "I barely have time to eat."

"You are both very similar, do you know that," he grinned. "Go on up, she's getting ready for her duty."

She thanked him and knocked on Minerva's door.

"Oh," Minerva blinked. "Hello. Did we -?"

"No," Hermione smiled, wanting desperately to reach forward and hug her. "Harry has gone to collect the memory and he's going to do it this time so I've sent the others to Albus while I collect you."

"Oh," Minerva muttered. "I have -"

"And I bumped into Filius on the way here who will take this one and Saturday's duty for you."

"What!"

"So I'm asking you on a date on Saturday."

She considered the tiny panic in Minerva's eyes a bit of a win. It was a lot to throw at her in one moment but Minerva took a deep breath and reached forward for Hermione's hand. Minerva yanked her in the door and tucked herself under Hermione's chin. Hermione chuckled as she wrapped her arms around her and rocked them gently.

"We're going to Albus' now?" Minerva muttered.

"Yes, though we are not in too much of a rush. Harry has taken Felix Felicis." Minerva looked up sharply. "I know," Hermione chuckled at the unaired question. "I said the same thing."

"Did you really keep an eye on Draco like you told him you were going to?" Minerva asked quietly as she went back and pressed her face against Hermione's neck.

"I didn't not keep an eye on him," Hermione whispered as she pulled away a little to look at her. She traced a line from Minerva's temple to her chin with her thumb. "I had a lot of other more important things to do."

Minerva snorted and pulled Hermione to the sofa. Hermione could do nothing but grin as Minerva, lost for words, simply pushed Hermione onto the couch and then pushed on her shoulder so she'd lie down before she lay down beside her and pressed her back into Hermione's front. Hermione spent a little while waiting before Minerva huffed.

"Will you hold me please," she whispered. Hermione had to strain to hear it but she slid her arm beneath Minerva's neck and pulled her tighter.

"Forever," she whispered, leaving a kiss against Minerva's shoulder.

"I've missed you," Minerva muttered. "I'm so busy, I am unaccustomed to missing someone and it is making everything harder."

"I know," Hermione soothed. "I have found the same thing. I need to talk to you about that and I want to take my exam with Albus, would that be okay?"

Minerva made a noise and there was a little shuffling as she turned and curled into Hermione again.

"I had not had that thought, but yes," she sighed. "Oh, Hermione, if this -"

"It won't get out," she said gently. "The people that know are as loyal to you as they are to me. Anyone that might find out respects the hell out of you, even if they're not my biggest fan and they certainly wouldn't go to the Ministry. They'd more likely betray us to the enemy and even then," she kissed Minerva's nose delicately and laughed as it scrunched up in protest. "I don't believe for a second that he would."

Minerva didn't reply but she did lay there quietly for a while before she sighed again.

"I remember what happened last time we spoke about Severus," she whispered. "And I was wrong to push you like that. I was bull-headed."

"Ah," Hermione chuckled. "As was I. And I was hungry and impatient and frustrated. That was as much my fault as it was yours. So let us let bygones be bygones and allow it to just be in the past. Albus was not so interested in what I had to say about Severus either so I guess it does not matter. I will simply trust that you, as people who know him best, trust him enough to trust him."

"I do not know how you are so able to let go of things," Minerva frowned. "So easily."

"It's easy," Hermione smiled. "I love you."

Minerva blinked and looked up at Hermione. Hermione watched her pupils dilate and felt her hands tighten in her jumper but she didn't point it out. She noticed Minerva's eyes drop to her lips for a second but then they fixed themselves to Hermione's eyes and didn't waiver.

"Alright?" she asked softly.

"No," Minerva muttered. "How does one ask for something one shouldn't ask for?"

"Like this," Hermione muttered as she leaned forward and kissed her.

Minerva gasped and gripped Hermione's shoulders tighter. Feeling a little freer this time, Hermione sank her fingers into Minerva's hair and pressed her hand into the small of her back. Minerva groaned without censure into Hermione's mouth and Hermione's entire body felt like it was burning.

"Oh," Minerva whispered as Hermione kissed her cheek, her temple, her forehead and back down again. It was the sweetest sound Hermione had ever heard. "Hermione, I -"

"Tell me if we need to stop," Hermione muttered as she nibbled on the tendon straining down Minerva's neck.

Minerva's hand found Hermione's cheek and she was directed back to Minerva's lips where she, this time, moaned when Minerva's tongue traced her lip. Without really meaning to, her hand moved from Minerva's back down over her hip and she squeezed Minerva's thigh as it shifted onto her own.

"Wait," Minerva said suddenly. "Wait, I -"

Hermione blinked and released her leg immediately but Minerva didn't remove it. In fact, she wrapped herself tighter around Hermione and let her head rest against Hermione's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, I -"

"No," Hermione whispered. "It's alright. I didn't know that I'd -"

"I liked it," Minerva whispered. "It is just -"

"A lot," they said in unison.

Hermione chuckled and nuzzled Minerva's cheek as Minerva caught her breath.

"You're okay though?" Hermione asked.

"Marvellous," Minerva mumbled.

Hermione grinned and pecked her lips again. Minerva kissed her simply in return before she pulled away and rolled onto her back. She squeaked as she nearly fell off but Hermione's quick hands saved her from falling to the floor.

"Blimey, woman," Hermione laughed. "You sure you're okay?" Minerva blushed deeply and laughed at herself as she shifted closer so she wasn't hanging over the edge. "We should probably go to see the others. I honestly don't know how long we've been here and I don't know how long Harry will be.

"Oh," Minerva looked horrified as she sat up.

"Easy," Hermione soothed as she followed.

"They'll know!"

"Minerva," Hermione laughed. "No, they won't, calm down."

"But what if they -"

"Hey," Hermione said softly, interrupting the panic by taking Minerva's face in her hands. They breathed together for a short while before Minerva nodded. "Every single person in that room knows and loves you and me. And every single person in that room knows about us. And they are and will remain, our friends. So take a deep breath. We don't have to explain, we can simply show up now that we are ready to go."

"Oh," Minerva groaned. "Sometimes when you speak these days," she explained bashfully. "You feel so old and I feel so young."

"Would you like to walk the long way around and I'll explain my theory to you on that?"

"I don't think we have time," Minerva said regretfully. "But I would like to hear it sometime."

"Then perhaps when we have the whole evening to ourselves on Saturday, we might discuss it then?"

"Oh," Minerva blinked. "Okay."

"If you want to?"

"I do."

"Do you want to go out, or is it okay if we stay here? What would be your preference?"

Minerva very uncharacteristically shrugged and Hermione laughed.

"Alright, guess I'll think of something."

Hermione glanced back at Minerva, but she seemed to be lost in thought so Hermione stood and offered her hand.

"Come on then, let's get where we're going."

Minerva slid her hand into Hermione's and activated the Floo. They spun out of the grate one after the other just as Harry got there as well.

"Oh," Albus beamed. "How fortuitous."

"You got it all?" Hermione exclaimed.

"I did!" He grinned. "Honestly I got him drunk -" Minerva made a strange noise in her throat as Hermione laughed. "- but eventually he agreed in part because I distracted Hagrid so he could grab some Acromantula venom but otherwise, easy as pie."

"What goes on in this school!" Minerva squeaked.

Hermione rolled her eyes as Albus took the memory and poured it into the Pensieve, completely ignoring Minreva's complaint and rushing them over to the basin.

"Wait here, we will be back," he said to Minerva as he beckoned Harry over.

"You might want to ask your actual teacher about your homework, Ron," Hermione grinned as she bent over the surface.

"Hermione," he blushed.

Minerva, looking a little less unsure as their entrance had been tempered by Harry's arrival, chuckled and sat down beside him.

"If you will try and concentrate," she said softly. "I will help."

He nodded and Hermione left them to it and looked over at Albus.

"Ready?"

"Yep," Harry grinned.

"Let's go."