A/N: I totally thought I hadn't written this yet but here we are. It's not quite as long as usual but it's still up there. Just a little bit of movement going on here and the next there's a whole shove in one direction so be prepared.
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Hermione woke up alone and took a few moments to figure out where she was. Minerva's darkwood bedroom was immediately recognisable and she huffed as the memories of the evening came back to her. She rolled over and saw a glass of water and a small crystal vase next to it, holding a single bluebell. Hermione was immediately transported back to their jaunt around the Highlands.
"Oh," she whispered as she touched it gently.
She guzzled the water down and lay back in the bed, surrounded by Minerva's scent and dozed for a while before the door opened.
"Madainn mhath."
"There you go again," she mumbled with a tired smile.
Minerva laughed as she sat on the edge of the bed. Hermione peered through tired eyes at her and sighed pathetically.
"Good morning. Even though I am afraid to inform you it is no longer morning."
"Wha' time is it?"
"Two. You've missed breakfast and lunch but I will have them send something for you."
"I'm fine," she muttered. "You okay? Everything -"
"I am fine and so is everyone else. You are overdoing it."
"Can't really not, can I," she mused. She reached out and tangled their fingers together. "You going to kiss me?"
Minerva stared at her for a long time and Hermione wondered whether she'd overstepped until Minerva chuckled and leaned over her.
"You are so much trouble."
"Your Trouble."
"Mine," Minerva grinned.
They kissed softly until Hermione's hands wandered up to Minerva's hair.
"Ack!" Minerva chuckled as she pulled away. "No, I have to go back to class. You, take the rest of the day off and rest. I have duty straight after, then the night off."
"Oh," Hermione smiled. "Will you be home?"
They both paused at the phrasing.
"Yes," Minerva nodded with a small smile. "I'll be home about five."
Hermione blushed.
"I hate this," she mumbled. "I'm so needy."
"Hermione," Minerva chuckled. "You're the least needy person I've ever met. You are merely exhausted."
"I don't want you to remember -"
Minerva frowned, but Hermione bit her tongue to stop herself from saying anything else. It did not take Minerva's vast intellect very long to join the dots. She sighed and took Hermione's hand.
"I think," she whispered. "That no matter my," she shrugged. "Prior thoughts?" She made a face. "Or even some of my current thoughts, that ship has sailed, don't you?"
"I don't want you to go back to the -"
"Darling," Minerva whispered. "We're buying a house. You're in my bed, instead of in class. I want this with you." Hermione blinked as she understood that phrase for the first time. "I know that we have had to take a very long and winding road to get here but I am here, my darling. I want this. With you. Now."
Hermione beamed and sat up and wrapped Minerva up in her arms.
"I am so discombobulated, I'm so sorry, but thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you."
Minerva chuckled as she rubbed Hermione's back before they let go.
"Please relax while you're here. Stay in bed, read, do something that has nothing to do with saving the world or taking care of anyone other than yourself. I will return at 5 and then we shall spend the evening together, alright?"
"Yes please," she grinned.
"Good. Rest. And eat. No exceptions."
Hermione smiled as Minerva leaned over her and kissed her but got up before she could start anything. Minerva's eye twinkled with the mischief and she shook her head even as she laughed.
"Trouble."
"I love you, Min."
Minerva reached forward and cupped Hermione's chin. Her thumb ran over her cheek and she smiled so sweetly that Hermione couldn't help but feel it. A soft and gentle wave of warmth and she smiled too.
"Rest. I'll be home later."
Hermione nodded and Minerva left her to it. Not too long after a tray of breakfast arrived and she chuckled as she said thank you to anyone who was around to listen. She took a bath and did as Minerva had asked her. She lay on the sofa and read.
It was closer to 5:30 when Minerva returned home and Hermione stretched as Michael disappeared to let her in.
"Hi!" Hermione marked her place with her finger and got up. "How was your day?"
"Fine," Minerva smiled. "Long, in the end."
"That doesn't matter. What do you need? Would you like a bath?"
"Oh, as tempting as that is, I have marking to do -"
"I'll do it."
"Hermione," Minerva chuckled. "You can help me, but I must do the 7th years."
"So let's get that done and then we can go from there?"
"Fine."
They reconvened at the table and Minerva passed over a pile of essays and kept one for herself. Hermione saw her glance over at the fireplace and wondered why until she turned and looked.
"Please don't change what you'd usually do because I am here, Min. If you want a drink, you should have one."
"I admit," she said quietly, tracing the edge of the table. "Occasionally when I do so, I am reminded of how old you are. Because you cannot."
"Oh," Hermione whispered. "Sorry."
"I am unsure if I am ever going to be totally okay with when this started, Hermione," Minerva mused. "But I cannot deny it. I have tried and it simply does not work."
"I think maybe that might have to do with the dragon thing?"
"Perhaps. I feel weak for not fighting more."
"You fought plenty," Hermione chuckled. "And it is more than okay if you -"
"No," Minerva interrupted. "I do not want that."
"Good," Hermione whispered. "Because letting you go now, even for a short while, would feel terrible."
Minerva nodded and Hermione got up and hugged her tightly.
"We'll just do the best we know, okay? Between us, that's actually gotta be quite significant."
Minerva chuckled and kissed Hermione's temple. She went over to the little bar cart she had and poured herself a whisky.
"Can I smell?"
"Of course," Minerva shrugged. Hermione took a deep breath and winced as the fumes burned her eyes.
"Bloody hell," she laughed. "Okay, no hang on."
She did so again but held it a little away from her so it wasn't quite so overpowering.
"Oh," she said, taking Minerva's hand where it was around the glass and breathing deeply. "Oh, I can smell so much of that!"
"Beyond," Minerva stuck her nose in the glass. "The alcohol?"
"Yes!" Hermione blinked. "I -" And then blinked again. "I can smell better? Surely not."
"What does it smell like?"
"All sorts of things. Wood? Maybe even burnt wood? There's something sweet, apple, maybe? And things I don't have a name for but they're in layers."
"They are," Minerva chuckled. "And it is apple, in this one. Smoked applewood."
"Ooh," Hermione blinked. "That sounds delicious actually."
"Well," Minerva grinned as she pulled the glass from Hermione's fingers. "In time."
Hermione grinned and Minerva sat down in front of the 7th-year essays.
"Alright?" she asked as Hermione settled.
"Yes. Let's do it."
They laboured for more than two hours. Hermione finished her last one and despaired at how many Minerva had to finish. She considered what she could do to help and then watched Minerva roll her neck as she signed her name at the bottom.
"Is there nothing I can do to help you?"
"No darling, thank you."
Hermione recognised that she was in the zone and left her to it. She returned to the sofa and pulled open her book again. Not that she read it. She watched Minerva marking, the way her frown appeared in moments and a look of sheer joy and pride in others. The satisfied smile on an essay well done. It didn't take her too much longer and Hermione stood when there were only a few left.
"I'm running you a bath," she whispered as she walked past Minerva and trailed her hands over her shoulders.
"Oh, that would be lovely, thank you."
She turned on the taps, using the one that had the most wear on it and sat waiting while it filled. It wasn't necessary but she did not want Minerva to think she was hovering. Just as it turned off, her overly sensitive ears picked up a final sigh from the other room and she went to fetch her love.
"Oh," she winced as her neck pulled. "The quality is always better at this end of term but it is still a slog."
"You did well," Hermione chuckled. She squeezed Minerva's shoulders and the woman groaned deeply.
"Oh, darling."
Hermione found she quite liked that noise and carried on. She stood massaging Minerva's shoulders until she reached up and stopped her hands.
"My bath will be cold."
"We're witches Minerva, didn't anyone tell you?"
She chuckled and got up, pulling Hermione in and kissing her softly.
"Thank you."
"You are welcome."
"I'll leave you to it."
"You don't have to," Minerva muttered. "I mean after I -"
"Do you -"
They both paused and looked at each other. Hermione giggled as Minerva shook her head with a laugh.
"We are hopeless. Don't go, let me get in and then you could come and sit with me?"
"Sure," Hermione nodded. "I'd love to."
She sat on the bed waiting until Minerva's voice floated through the door.
"You can come in now."
Hermione did so and smiled at the bubbles and the little squishy cushion next to the bath.
"Only if you want to, I thought it might be nice to eke out as much time as possible."
Hermione wholeheartedly agreed and leaned over to kiss her softly then settled on the cushion.
"How was your day?" she asked as Minerva settled into the water.
"Long," she chuckled. "The end of the year is such an interesting time for a Professor."
"How so?"
The conversation took all sorts of twists and turns until Minerva yawned, quite unexpectedly.
"Och, darling, excuse me."
"Don't," Hermione said softly. "It's fine. It's getting late and I need to get out of your hair."
"Darling -"
"No," Hermione smiled. "It's time."
"This really is turnabout, isn't it," Minerva chuckled sadly. "I wanted to discuss so many things and instead we've just talked about me!"
"I quite enjoy talking about you, you know," Hermione smiled as she kneeled up beside the bath.
"Aye, but I want t' talk about you!"
"Minerva," Hermione chuckled. "There's time. There will always be time."
"We have a whole lifetime of it," Minerva whispered.
Hermione beamed and leaned forward to kiss her. Minerva's hand came out of the water and slid around Hermione's neck to draw her closer. Hermione didn't mind the water trickling down her arms, she only wanted more of Minerva.
"Oh," Minerva gasped as she pulled away. "That is -"
"Yeah," Hermione nuzzled her cheek. "I love you."
"My darling," Minerva whispered, kissing her temple.
Hermione smiled and kissed her softly once more and stood.
"I am going to go before I get into trouble." She grinned. "Even though that's kinda what I am."
Minerva's laughter echoed in the bathroom.
"I'm sorry it has not been an exciting evening," Minerva mused, biting her lip.
"Hey," Hermione whispered. She bent down and kissed the same lip that had been between Minerva's teeth and in a fit of bravery, nibbled on it herself. "That's for me to do, right?"
"Hermione Granger," Minerva sighed as she lay back and Hermione stood. "More trouble than I could possibly have ever imagined."
"Your Trouble though."
"All mine," Minerva mused. She held out her hand and Hermione took it and kissed the back of it. "See you tomorrow. I might even go to class for a change."
Minerva's laugh echoed again and Hermione grinned.
"I've never actually asked what they all say about it?"
"They don't ask," Minerva shrugged. "I assume it's because you are so often with me or Albus that they just assume it is acceptable for you to not be there. Though if anyone ever does, I am unsure what I am supposed to say."
"That I'm taking my N.E.W.T.s early," Hermione shrugged. "It's mostly the truth."
"Darling -"
"It's fine. It's late and not the time for that. You finish up your bath and get to bed. I will go on up to bed and tomorrow we can attempt a normal day."
"Merlin, don't go on jinxing it," Minerva winced. "Oh," she blushed. "Darling, I apologise. I did have something to tell you. Ginny and I spent a while talking last night."
"You did?" Hermione blinked. "Oh, I suppose I didn't see her today, did I?"
"I told her about the house. I asked her, I didn't ask you first, but I asked her if she would potentially be our Secret Keeper."
"Oh," Hermione smiled. "I like that."
"You do?"
"Yes," she smiled. "Because everyone will assume it is Albus or Harry."
"My thoughts exactly."
"Did you -"
"I did," Minerva smiled, sitting up a little. Hermione tried her very hardest not to let her eyes wander as she saw more skin on show. "It is with them to put to the owners but it was not too much under what they were asking. So I do not envision they will baulk at it."
"Awesome." She leaned down and kissed Minerva one last time. Her fingers splayed out over where Minerva's heart beat steadily in her chest and grinned at the blush tinging the woman's cheeks.
"I really tried not to but I'm weak, I'm sorry."
"Get out of here, you menace," she grinned. "I'll see you tomorrow."
"You will," Hermione nodded and she stood and stepped away. "Thank you for taking care of me, Min."
"Thank you for loving me," Minerva said quietly.
Their eyes met for a few moments more before Hermione turned and left, lest she hurl herself in her bath just to be close to the woman. She stood in the living room and rolled her neck.
"Alright?"
"Yes," she nodded without opening her eyes. When she finally looked up at Michael, she recalled her words to him the night before. "I apologise for my behaviour, I am not totally certain I was completely awake."
"I've had worse," he chuckled. "S'long as everything is alrigh' now."
"It is," she smiled. "I had a really great day."
"Good."
He seemed to pause and she looked up at him expectantly.
"I have news."
She frowned as she tried to recall why Michael would have news for her before she recalled.
"Oh!" she blinked and sat down. "Tell me."
"It's not a lot," he chuckled. "Don't get excited. But they were tucked up quietly in a hallway near the Dungeon yesterday. It has passed through a few frames so I cannot guarantee the information but Professor Snape was discussing a plan with Mr Malfoy. About how they must be careful as there are others watching now."
Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Bloody hell."
"I take it that makes sense to you?"
"Yes," she sighed. "It really does."
"That's all they heard," he shrugged. "I think they noticed that the portrait was paying attention."
"Keep your ears open. Tell everyone to be a little less obvious if they're going to be spying," she chuckled. "But thank you."
"You're most welcome, lass."
"Keep an eye on her, will you? I have a feeling something is coming."
"Aye," he nodded. "I'll keep both on her when ah can spare 'em."
"Thanks," she nodded. She pulled on Minerva's coat to make it seem like she had been coming from outdoors and slipped out of the door and back up to the dorm.
With Snape and Draco well aware that the Order were in the Castle, she realised it was probably time to confront Albus with the knowledge. Though she had planned a proper day of actual school tomorrow, she reasoned there was time. Her dream had become clearer through the day and she had definitely been fighting for Minerva. She wasn't sure where it was as it was obscured, but she felt like it was here. In the Castle. She groaned as she approached the portrait in front of the Common Room and smiled as the Lady stood straighter.
"They are all at Quidditch practice," she said officially. "I believe Mr Potter and Miss Weasley left together. Mr Weasley was later."
"Thank you," she smiled.
"I will always do my best to help, My Lady."
Hermione was still chuckling when she went up to bed. She had forgotten it was the Quidditch finals soon and she knew she'd be on her own for a while. Shrugging to herself she got into bed and then threw off the top cover which still smelled of burnt and settled around her pillow again.
"Let's have no more nightmares," she muttered to herself. "There'll be no end to it if I set my curtains on fire."
She closed her eyes and despite the day of rest and the long sleep the night before, she was out before she knew it.