A/N: Bit of cleaning up, bit of canon, bit of canon deviation but more importantly...a breakthrough! lol I'm exhausted still. If someone can wake me up when something important happens.

-0-

The pain in her head was overwhelming as she woke. Hermione whimpered and pressed her head against whatever she was leaning on to try and find some relief but it didn't help. She whimpered pathetically until someone pressed gently on her temple. She moaned properly and pressed harder against those fingers.

"Wait Trouble, wait. Let me move a little."

She felt her pillow shifting and she grumbled as Minerva's low voice chuckled in her ear.

"There she is," Minerva soothed. "Hello, my love."

She didn't have the clarity of thought to answer but Minerva's long fingers massaged her temple and then her neck until Hermione sighed and felt the pain ebb. She dozed for a while longer while Minerva's ministrations turned into gentle scratches across her scalp.

"Urgh," she mumbled as she woke up properly. "I had the weirdest dreams." She burrowed into Minerva's arms. "I -" She blinked and looked up. "Oh my god, Minerva, I'm -"

"Don't," Minerva said softly, smoothing her hair back. "Don't apologise."

"But -"

"It's okay."

Hermione stared and stared but Minerva did nothing but smile back at her and trace her face.

"I am sorry -"

"No!" Hermione said, trying to move away. "No, don't you dare apologise. I was awful! I was downright -"

"Okay stop," Minerva said sternly, holding her close. "Stop. Let us agree that neither of us would like the other to apologise and we can go on from there, okay?"

Hermione stared at her.

"I was awful."

"No you weren't," Minerva said kindly. "You were tired and overwhelmed and frustrated."

"I was that as well," Hermione mumbled. "I am sorry for that."

"Then I accept your apology," Minerva shrugged. "How do you feel?"

"I -" Hermione blinked and realised. "Oh!"

"Well?"

"I can't feel it!"

"At all?"

Hermione stilled.

"No!"

Minerva beamed at her.

"I knew you could do it."

"But," she sighed. "What if -"

"Think about turning it back on; feeling it again."

Hermione took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She felt something niggling at her and she blinked as a wave of emotion that wasn't her own came roaring back.

"Whoa."

"Now off again," Minerva coached gently.

Hermione found this harder, but Minerva's soft voice kept her focused.

"Feel it; think about turning it off. Just not feeling it at all. If you need to give yourself a movement to anchor this feeling then do so."

"Like what?" She frowned. "How do you know all this?"

"It is a similar practice to Animagi transformation and I believe she knew that." Hermione made a face and Minerva shrugged. "No idea how, but there we are. For example, I paired transformation with a shoulder roll." She demonstrated and Hermione paid close attention to the subtle shift in her shoulders before she disappeared into a cat.

"You're so pretty as a cat, Min," Hermione chuckled, reacting forward and tickling her ears.

"As well I should be," Minerva preened when she returned to form. "So," she said in that way of hers when a class was getting off-topic. "If you need to pair it with something physical, do so."

Hermione thought about it and rolled her neck. It popped in several places and she sighed.

"Can I do the same as you?"

"Darling," Minerva chuckled. "Do whatever is easiest for you."

Hermione stilled, concentrated, and then rolled her shoulder. She sighed as the bevvy of feelings left and a stream of tears ran down her cheeks as she lay there looking at the ceiling.

"Well done, love."

Hermione sobbed and rolled back into her arms. They lay tangled up together until Minerva sighed.

"I know we must speak on it but I am loath to do so after such upheaval. You need time to rest."

"I should have spoken to you about it all, properly before all this," Hermione admitted. "It wasn't that I wanted it to be a surprise, per se, more so that I wanted you to be excited about it once," she sighed. "Once I had the answer. I honestly didn't realise the other stuff was weighing so heavily on me."

"I -"

"It's fine. I can wait."

"No, love, listen," she sighed. "I," she sighed again and though Hermione couldn't feel it any more, she hurt for her love anyway. "I probably need to come to terms with this all on my own so that I can stop hurting you."

"No Min!" Hermione panicked. "No, that's not what I -"

"It is, darling," she said over the top of her. "That is exactly what is wrong. My behaviour at the beginning of this hurt you deeply. And then I have wavered at every turn."

"No -" Hermione begged. "You haven't."

"Darling?" Minerva said gently. "If I cannot be honest with myself now, there will never be any hope at all. I know that you do not mean or think these things lightly, or with malice. But you do think them, because they are true. There is no denying that. My behaviour has been on show to everyone around us and I must live with the pain that has caused you."

"Min -"

A tear rolled down Hermione's face.

"It is alright that we speak of them. We must learn to be honest with one another, and with ourselves. You have already been - I did not realise that you were struggling so much. And while I meant what I said when I said that I cannot be as brave as you, upon reflection, why can I not be?"

"Because it is different," Hermione argued. "And I know it. Me wishing something is different isn't the same as us dealing with it together. I cannot change my age any more than you can. And I cannot," she blushed. "Just leave to ease that burden, I guess."

"You cannot," Minerva said. She paused before she brought her head to rest against Hermione's. They breathed the same air for a while before she spoke again. "I overreacted last night," Minerva admitted. "And I am sorry for hurting you with that overreaction. In part, I was angry at Albus for agreeing and suggesting that you, of all people, should leave here with average marks after all the work and time and commitment you have put into your studies, and you bore the brunt of that. For that, I am doubly sorry."

"I accept your apology," Hermione mused. "But, if I cannot leave yet, and if you are still here." She paused and picked at the couch cushions until Minerva covered her hand. "What then?"

"Well," Minerva sighed. "We," her cheeks darkened. "We haven't been exactly chaste at times, have we? And, though we have not attempted that particular moment again," her cheeks went darker still and Hermione smiled tightly as she stroked them. "Damn my fair skin," she chuckled awkwardly. She cleared her throat. "Though we have not had an opportunity to, to go back to that," she sighed. "The rules that govern my position are obviously still a factor, but I cannot be honest and say that I am opposed to breaking them." She chuckled shakily. "Even saying it makes me anxious, but I believe you were right in saying that for the most part, I am able to separate it but in moments it creeps back in."

"I want to be free of that doubt though," Hermione protested gently. "And therefore the rules as well. I don't want to put you in that position, even though I know in my heart that nobody would ever give you up. And I realise that I am talking a big game here, considering we are both aware of my -" She was the one to blush now. "Experience, but -" Her hand tightened on Minerva's side. "I want everything with you, but I want it freely, you know?" She stared at Minerva and wondered that she always seemed to know when she hadn't quite finished speaking. She swallowed as her voice dropped to a whisper. "I do not want to make love to you, only to wake up and find you regret it."

"I do, I know," Minerva whispered. She pulled Hermione closer and nuzzled her cheek and settled with her nose pressed into her neck. "I really do, love. I promise you that when it is time, there will be no regrets from me."

"Maybe we have to wait until the holidays?" Hermione whispered. "As much as I don't want that, it would certainly help. And it would probably immediately remove the pressure."

"We are not waiting until the holidays so you can simply not return to school and solve it that way," Minerva mused. Hermione blushed. "But perhaps you are right."

"I had only had the beginning of the thought, not the whole thing."

"Hmm," Minerva hummed, before she cracked and smiled and in a little deviation from the norm ran her hand down over Hermione's shoulder, over her side and to her thigh. "I would not be doing this if I was completely opposed, you know? I value you as a person," She took a deep breath. "And I covet you as a woman. As the woman I care for."

Hermione sighed and arched into the feeling a little.

"I do know," Hermione whispered. "But your life is hard enough, you don't need -"

Minerva kissed her and Hermione moaned against her lips.

"What was that for?"

"It was strategic," Minerva chuckled, kissing her again. "You need to stop worrying about me. I am fine. I will be fine." Hermione watched as a wicked look came across Minerva's face and she gasped as sharp teeth sank into her neck. "I got the girl," she whispered.

Hermione laughed and laughed, but eventually fell quiet in the face of exhaustion. She suddenly realised that Minerva was here with her and not in class.

"Min, aren't you supposed to be in class?"

"I had Filius look after it for me," she chuckled. "You needed me more." Hermione went to argue until Minerva looked at her softly and kissed her nose. "I needed this more." She smiled, allowing the fear that had built to dissipate. "Perhaps after the end of term, once we get this house, you and I can go away for a week or so, and remain in the Muggle world for a time." Hermione beamed. "Oh, that was a good suggestion then?"

Hermione rolled slightly on top of her and kissed her deeply. Minerva did not hesitate and pulled Hermione impossibly closer with one hand in her hair and one on the small of her back. Hermione arched around that hand pressing her closer.

"Oh my love, you do make me feel things," Minerva sighed as they settled.

Hermione leaned up on her hands and Minerva wrapped her leg around her hip with a wicked smile.

"Good things, I hope?"

Minerva smirked and kissed her nose again but didn't reply. Hermione settled and dozed on Minerva's shoulder, nuzzling her neck.

"We'll be okay, right?" she whispered. "Like -"

"We will be alright," Minerva nodded. "Yes. We will be." Hermione took the words at face value and sighed. "No matter what happens I am yours and you are mine."

It was the most concrete, decisive statement that Minerva had ever spoken to her and though she had stopped the empathy, she felt it, in her heart.

"I love you, Min," she whispered as she closed her eyes. "So so much."

"I'm right here, my love, sleep."

-0-

"Hey, Stranger!"

Hermione grinned good-naturedly at Ginny as she strode down the hallway to meet her. She hugged her gently and they wandered down to lunch together.

"We've missed you," Ginny muttered. "Even though we know where you were."

"I missed you guys too," Hermione smiled.

"Liar," Ginny laughed.

She and Minerva had ended up spending the day together, catching up on work, and homework and doing some Transfiguration as well. Minerva had discussed the process of buying a house and they'd eaten a quiet dinner together, going over ideas for how to set out their new living room, deciding that they loved it enough that even if the owners came back with a refusal, they would offer more for it. Hermione had offered her own money to bolster it, but Minerva declined, not because of her previous fears, but because it wasn't necessary. In one single, quiet evening, Hermione rather felt that their relationship had entered new territory.

Rather hopeful territory.

Frankly, it felt like a more equal relationship for the first time. There was still a ways to go, but it was beginning to feel like the 'ever after' part of her life.

"I'm not lying!" Hermione protested. "Even when I wasn't busy," Ginny cocked an eyebrow which Hermione steadfastly ignored. "You are down at the pitch."

"Merlin," Ginny groaned. "Ang' has us literally running laps. Anything for an edge."

"I feel like this is a great year to win."

"You and me both," Ginny groaned.

"'Mione!"

"Hey!" She grinned as Ron dropped down opposite her.

"What's happening?"

"Oh, a bit of this, a bit of that. I was just bemoaning how busy you all are."

"We're training this afternoon, but then tomorrow, Professor Sprout is letting us out of class early today to get an extra session in. Harry is on his way, said he needed to get something."

"She is?" Hermione grinned.

"Apparently McG had a word with most of the Professors."

Hermione laughed and turned to look at her love over a sea of bobbing heads. Minerva didn't look but she could tell from the small smile as she chewed; she knew Hermione was looking. She turned back into her friends discussing tactics and the like. They veered off topic to the best way to preen the sticks on Ron's rather weather-beaten broom and Hermione mused thoughtfully over an idea she suddenly had.

For whatever reason, when Ginny had announced she was serious about Quidditch, the Weasleys had done their best to get her one of the better brooms on the market. Despite Ron's love of Quidditch and his new position on the team, they had opted not to get him the same. They did their best, but he ended up with a decent, second-hand, broom instead. Hermione understood, she really did, but was already calculating what it would cost her to float the idea until she realised that between them, that might actually be an amazing idea.

Harry dropped down beside her after a while and she smiled at his tight-lipped grimace.

"Draco just went back up there. Saw Tonks though," he whispered right into her ear so they wouldn't be heard. "She said to say Hi."

Hermione clicked her tongue but did not comment. She nodded once and let him get some food before she leaned over to him and whispered back.

"Do you think Ron could play on a brand-new broom next Saturday?"

"What?" he said, jerking his head away in shock.

"How long does it take to break one in?"

"Um, not long, it's just about getting the new feel?"

Hermione grinned and they spent a little time whispering back and forth to each other. Harry gave her a few suggestions as to which ones would suit - a Firebolt would have been lovely, for example, but the price tag was astronomical and he didn't really need all that. For Harry, as Seeker, a fast and sleek broom was key and Sirius had been able to afford that for his only nephew. Hermione just wanted Ron to have something new, and his own, for a change.

"I'll write and ask Fred & George," Harry grinned. "They said they might come and watch."

"I'll ask the other Quidditch nut, shall I?" He snorted into his pumpkin juice and grinned up at the Top Table. Minerva must have felt their eyes on her and she turned just a little to check they were alright. Her eyebrow asked the question but they both grinned at her instead and she rolled her eyes with a smirk.

"She's in class but has the final session off and then has a duty after we get out. We have Charms then Astronomy so I can go and see her then, seeing as we're in the Tower tonight."

"Cool. I'll write to Gred & Forge."

She nudged him gently and went back to eating. She didn't dare skip meals anymore. They had learned the hard way that it was no good for anyone if that happened. She ate a few more sandwiches and pocketed an apple and an orange as they got up to go to class.

"Good afternoon," Filius said as they filtered in. "Please get out your books and review chapter 7, we will be moving to a practical lesson in 20 minutes. I do not want to hear any of you speaking while you are reading." She got out her books. "Miss Granger, if you will?"

She blinked and looked up at him suddenly. With her emotions firmly her own, she knew she had missed a few little nuanced things. Early, she realised that Neville had been trying to talk to her for a whole double and she kicked herself for seeming as though she was ignoring him. She'd caught up to him before lunch and smoothed that out, but after so long with it, she had to admit, it was hard without it.

"Yes, Professor?"

He glanced over at the class and saw that most of them were doing as they were told. He stepped inside his office but left the door open so he could still see and very subtly cast a silencing charm over them.

"I have had an idea."

"Oh," she blinked. "Great." She waited for him to say something but when he didn't, she prompted him. "About what, Professor?"

He tutted and she chuckled. The tension between them broke and he nodded her into a chair.

"I spoke with Minerva at length this morning."

"You did?" Hermione blinked. It was kind of awkward to realise - quite unfairly - that Minerva had a life, with friends, outside of those moments they spent together.

"I did. She needed an ear and I understand Albus is quite occupied at the present time."

"He is," she said carefully.

Filius was as intelligent as Min and the little frown between his eyebrows made it clear he had caught the caution in her tone.

"I shall keep that in mind," he muttered. "But I believe congratulations are in order?" She froze and he laughed. "On your new venture together."

"Oh," she groaned. "Yes, the house." She laughed at herself as all the thoughts that had run through her head at that moment petered away. "I'm pretty excited about it, to be honest."

"I understand. In the meantime, my dear, I want you to think about something," he said with a smile. "She told me of your plan, and Albus' rather hasty agreement to it." She frowned. She hadn't necessarily wanted everyone to see how desperate she was. "Please do not worry, Hermione, everything she speaks to me will not leave me."

"No," she sighed. "It's fine. I -" She decided just to be honest. "I forget she has friends, you know? So much of what I experience I can only speak to her about because -" She blushed. "My friends are all my age."

Filius nodded.

"I understand. I know it is hard sometimes. I, too, have been in a similar position."

"I'm sorry -"

"It has been nearly 40 years, Hermione. Love mends all ills. Please know that I am your friend, also. If there is anything you need to speak of that Minerva does not need to know or hear, I am there for you as well."

She smiled at him and he blushed under the scrutiny now.

"It seems silly, now," she muttered. "But I am glad. That you have that happiness but that you are also our friend."

"Not silly at all, my dear," he sniffed. "Quite welcome, in fact."

She nodded as he cleared his throat.

"So," he nodded. "After she spoke to me about what is happening, we spoke a little about what is not going to be happening."

Hermione blushed deeply. He chuckled and patted her hand.

"Again, please don't concern yourself about anything going further than me -"

"It's not that," she chuckled, sheepishly. "If she told you all that, then she told you why. And I trust you, Filius, I genuinely do, I just wasn't totally prepared that someone else would know."

"I understand," he chuckled. "But it's okay to both talk about it with someone you can trust with your life, and also feel all those things. All those things," he smiled gently. "After she left, I had a think and I, not Albus, would like to offer you a solution."

Hermione sat up.

"I realise that our future as it stands, is on a knife-edge. I understand that at any moment any of our futures might be snatched away and though our friendship does not always appear deep from the outside, my love for Minerva knows no bounds. Her steadfast loyalty to us, my family, will never be forgotten." He smiled. "She cared for our children as if they were her own. She regularly stayed here, well beyond time, so we could get away for just a little while without the children, often wrangling a good many of them on her own. I would do this for her, no matter her partner." Hermione felt her heart swell at the love this man had for her love and she nodded. "That her partner is you, Hermione, only makes me feel more strongly about this. Your age, in my opinion, is secondary to your heritage. And though our system of government does not always look kindly upon that, it is true in every moment that matters." Hermione let out a breath she wasn't aware she was holding. "Now, I understand that your intelligence suggests Transfiguration as a speciality for next year. However, I propose that you switch to Charms."

She frowned.

"Why?"

"Because with your marks, your intelligence and your commitment to your education, I have decided that I would love to take you on as an Apprentice. You would technically remain in school to satisfy your enrolment and the protection that brings during," he smirked knowingly at her. "Any other extra-curricular activities you might have and, in time, with the rest of your class, take your N.E.W.T.s but," he was practically beaming now. "You would be above a student, not a problem given your age, and under the supervision of a different teacher to the one you've fallen in love with."

She stared at him.

And stared some more.

"Filius -"

"Have a think about it -"

"I don't need to," she said quickly. "I accept!"

"It will not be easy, there are things an apprentice is required to do, tests to perform. In time you will teach." Her heart rate sped up.

"Filius, I would absolutely love to."

He laughed happily.

"Well then, let me get the paperwork drawn up. You will be paid for your trouble, it is not as much as a teacher, but it is nothing to sneeze at either."

They shook on it, and in a moment of overwhelming happiness, Hermione hugged him before he let her go back to her seat. She was practically vibrating when she sat back down and Harry looked at her sideways as she bit back a smile.

"Tell you later," she grinned.

"Now," Filius said, beginning the practical part of the lesson. "Who wants to go first?"