A/N: Thank you to the lovely person who reminded me that I needed to post this, and I'm sorry it took me so long. They reminded me an hour or two ago and here I am now...Still touching it up lol

In my defence, my wife does talk so much in moments lolol

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The mood between the three of them was grim as Professor Sprout ended the lesson early as planned. Harry looked sick as he followed Ron from the Greenhouse and Hermione tidied the rest of their things away and wandered back up to the Tower with Neville and the others.

"What dya reckon happened?" Neville muttered to the group. "They're saying Draco was gutted like a fish."

"He wasn't," Hermione replied tiredly, ignoring the looks she got from Seamus and Dean. "It was a cut - a bad one, but just that. He'll be fine after Madam Pomfrey is through with him."

Even speaking the words made her feel a bit sick. She made a note to go to the Room of Requirement. After having time to think about it, she was now sure that Harry was telling her to go and she wondered if that was where he'd stashed his knife. She had missed the beginning of their interaction but surely Snape had asked him to turn over his wand at the time. She resolved to ask him later - after he'd faced Angelina and his teammates.

That was going to be punishment enough.

"Hey," Ginny interrupted her thoughts, marching the other way.

"Hey, did you -"

"Yup," she nodded grimly. "I'm standing in."

Hermione pulled her aside while the rest of the class carried on.

"I will be in the Transfiguration classroom later," she muttered. "I do not know how long I'll be."

"She was a bear this afternoon," Ginny grumbled.

"I know, she's upset and disappointed."

"You know he didn't -"

"I know, I was there. He was wrong, no matter how you swing it. I can think that and still love him Gin." She made a face and pulled away from Hermione. "Gin -"

"I gotta go, I'll see you later."

Hermione watched her go and decided that seeing as none of her friends were up at the Tower, she wasn't required to go and make face time with anyone. She spun around and went back down to the main corridors.

Minerva really was feeling out of sorts because as everyone else had been let out early, it seemed that her class was forced to remain inside. She dropped her book bag by her feet and leaned against the wall. The cool stones were a relief to the uncomfortable heat that seemed to be making her temper worse. She considered what she'd offered to Min earlier and smiled ruefully. A duel with the emotional powerhouse that was Minerva McGonagall may not have been the smartest idea she'd ever had, but she was here now and she was going to make do with whatever happened.

One thing she knew for sure, no matter what Minerva was feeling she would never hurt her and Hermione would never let her.

Scraping chairs heralded her opportunity and she made herself scarce around the corner while they filed out quietly. After the last straggler left, she slipped into the classroom and closed the door. Minerva didn't look up but she did let go of the rod-straight posture she was holding and dropped into her chair. Hermione locked the door and placed a spell to be sure and walked down to meet her.

"Hey," she whispered as she dropped her things by the door and walked up onto the podium and eased herself onto Minerva's desk.

"What the hell was he thinking?"

"I don't know," she whispered, reaching out to rub her thumb over Minerva's frown. "Between Albus and whatever they're doing, he let his heart overtake his senses. That happens sometimes." She looked at Minerva pointedly. "To the best of people."

"And he nearly killed someone?"

"He didn't," Hermione soothed. "It was bad," she interrupted before Minerva could argue. "It was, but it broke the skin and nothing else. The way he explained it, as he pulled it from the sheath, it sliced across Draco's middle. While I'm not condoning Harry's behaviour, Draco swung first and grabbed Harry's wand. And I believed Harry when he said that happened. As I do still."

Minerva sagged and Hermione smoothed her hair back softly.

"Do you want me to go?"

Minerva looked at her and reached for her hand. She tugged gently and Hermione smiled as she was pulled onto Minerva's knee.

"Don't go," Minerva whispered as she settled across her lap. Minerva's arms were sure around her and the older woman tucked her face into Hermione's chest and sighed deeply.

Hermione undid that customary bun and started massaging Minerva's scalp with steady pressure. Minerva groaned and leaned more into Hermione's body as she came down from her ire.

"My trust in him has not waivered," Hermione whispered. "I simply remember that beyond anything they are young." Minerva snorted and looked up at her. "I'm an old soul," she whispered as she leaned down to kiss her softly. "Remember?"

Minerva tutted and met Hermione's lips with her own. They kissed softly until Minerva's fingers tightened in Hermione's hair and she deepened it almost desperately. Hermione went willingly. Minerva's hand smoothed over Hermione's knee and as it travelled up over her thigh, Hermione moaned and arched into Minerva as her hand smoothed over her stomach.

"God," Hermione gasped. Minerva shuddered and let go, almost immediately.

"Sorry," she muttered, only sounding a little contrite. Hermione chuckled and kissed her gently then slid from her knee.

"Come on," Hermione coaxed. "Come and train me."

Minerva stared after her with a little smirk on her face.

"One should note, my darling, that duelling should never be done with heightened emotions."

"Will there ever be a moment when we are together that our emotions are not heightened?" She'd meant it as it was worded but as Minerva's pupils dilated, she realised how flirtatious it sounded. "I mean -"

"I take your meaning well, mo leannan."

"There she goes again," Hermione breathed, knowing Minerva would hear her.

"Alright, darling, if that is your wish?"

Hermione took off her jumper and transfigured her clothes with practised ease. She ended up in a tank top and leggings to help her move and while she waited for Minerva to get ready, she bunched her hair on top of her head with the tie around her wrist.

"I do like your hair up like that," Minerva said quietly as if she was scared to utter it out loud.

"Want to know a secret?" Hermione called from her side of the room as Minerva waved her wand lazily and all the furniture in her room slid to the sides. She withdrew something from her pocket and threw it into the middle of the room and Hermione grinned as a slightly bigger version of Filius' duelling arena popped into being.

"I want to always know what is on your mind, darling," Minerva said softly, but in earnest.

"I rather like the way you kiss the back of my neck when my hair is up." Minerva blushed deeply as Hermione leaned against the desks and waited as Minerva finished setting it up. "This is rather cool," she chuckled as she looked around.

"It had better be for the money I spent on it," Minerva grumbled. It made Hermione laugh and she twirled her wand in her fingers just like Minerva had shown her. It seemed like a lifetime ago now.

"Come here," Minerva said, beckoning her over as she stepped inside too. "The minute you step out of this, you are safe. I am, once again, reminding you that this is not a sensible idea. I am out of sorts. I am -"

"Hurt and disappointed and angry," Hermione soothed, as she cupped her cheek. "I trust you and I know you. I want you to work through some of that with me. It will be alright, I promise."

"Hermione -"

"Listen to me," Hermione breathed as their heads came to rest against each other. "I will protect myself if need be, but I will be fine no matter what happens."

Minerva opened her mouth to speak again but Hermione kissed her jaw and smoothed her hand over her side as she walked backwards.

"Darling, I mean it, I -"

"Come on, Min," Hermione grinned, sending a very lazy stunning spell just to the left of her person. "Come and get me."

Those words again darkened Minerva's pupils and she growled in frustration. Hermione watched as she stood dead still for a good moment and then rolled her shoulders and clicked her neck. She moved her arms around for a little while and held up a finger before starting to unbutton her robes. Hermione, in a fit of puckishness, wolf-whistled at her love. Minerva, despite her serious mood, snorted as she dropped them outside on her desk.

"Darling -"

"Yes?" Hermione said airily as she sent a lazy stunning spell at Minerva this time.

"Hermione!"

"I told you, come and get me, lover."

Those words set Minerva off and with a speed that Hermione had been prepared for, started firing. She did not have time to think about the last time they had duelled, she did not have time to consider how much she now knew and how strong she felt as she gave as good as she got. The unfortunate thing about being in the dome was that there was nothing to aid her, so she had to rely on her magic alone.

The fortunate thing was that her magic was now something spectacular.

For every three spells that Minerva sent at a breakneck pace, Hermione managed only one, but they were placed in a way that before long she had Minerva ducking and weaving. As a rather passable Devil's Snare wound around Minerva's feet, Hermione could feel the woman falter and for just a moment she rejoiced in her head until Minerva spun her wand around her in a circle. Hermione watched agog as Minerva created a ring of fire, with barely a whisper, that wrapped around her from head to foot and destroyed the Devil's Snare. As Hermione was forming her own spell knowing Minerva was going to come out of that with some power, Minerva spun in a tight circle. Out of one-half turn, a spell like the one she had shown Hermione back in the before time erupted out of her wand. It curled around the dome like a cruise missile from one of Hermione's Dad's movies. Hermione's eyes widened as she realised but Minerva's continued movement made her pause. Another half turn and in what Hermione could only describe as a backhanded cast, another spell flew from Minerva's wand the other way and Hermione knew she was beaten.

Two beautiful golden spells were hurting towards her, curling dangerously around the room when Hermione had an idea. She threw herself forward as they collided over the top of her. She rolled sideways, sending spell after spell from her kneeling position. She remembered Filius' suggestion of less power with more frequency and went to town with it. Minerva adjusted accordingly and suddenly there were tiny explosions everywhere. Hermione was forced to roll this way and that to avoid them, sometimes casting spells from her back and then, right as Minerva had wrapped her wand all the way around her body and was arching into what would no doubt be her final spell, Hermione felt that feeling in her feet and grinned. She stepped forward and, despite the protections offered by the duelling dome, arrived in front of Minerva not two inches away from her and kissed her hard.

Minerva's wand dropped to the floor mid-cast as Hermione was grabbed and held close. Their tongues rubbed against each other manically and Hermione squeaked when Minerva's teeth sank into her lip when she withdrew. Her knees, no longer able to keep them upright under such feelings, went weak. Minerva followed her down, her hands tracing every curve on Hermione's body, making her feel as though she was going to properly catch fire.

She wasn't sure how she was supposed to breathe but when Minerva's lips descended onto her bare chest, she had even less understanding of how she'd lost her shirt.

"Min -" she groaned, knowing that she had to stop them before Minerva got lost completely. "Minerva."

Her whole body clenched as soft, hot lips wrapped around her nipple and she cried out when Minerva bit down on that too.

"Minerva."

She put enough force into it that it sounded through the room like a roar. Minerva's head popped up comically and she stared into Hermione's eyes.

"Easy," Hermione whispered as she reached forward to take Minerva's head in her hands. She pulled gently, needing Minerva to know that everything was fine without having to state it. "Come here."

She could see Minerva's brain firing and she did something she never thought she'd have the courage to do. In a move she'd really only ever read about in a book that she'd found on Ginny's nightstand at The Burrow, Hermione wrapped her legs around Minerva's waist and pushed up with her shoulder. It wasn't as smooth as she would have liked and had Minerva not been on the way to a full-blown panic attack, she was sure it would not have worked at all, but after a little bit of effort, she was astride Minerva's middle, leaning over her. She had no clue where her shirt was, no clue how long they'd been duelling, but she locked eyes with Minerva and held her there.

"Breathe with me," Hermione whispered as she let her body come to rest on Minerva's and nuzzled Minerva's chin. "Stay with me."

"I just -"

"Shh," Hermione whispered, kissing along her jaw and back again, ending with a soft kiss on her lips. "It's alright. Breathe."

Minerva shook her head and pushed on her shoulder. Hermione held fast but Minerva pushed again.

"Let me go."

"Not until you calm down."

"Let me go!"

"Minerva!" Hermione said gently, but firmly. "Calm down." She looked into her eyes pleadingly. "Please stay with me."

She could see the whites of Minerva's eyes and she made a decision that she would wear the consequences of, if necessary. She kissed Minerva softly in apology and reached around and squeezed her neck. As soon as she did, Minerva stilled with a quiet moan and Hermione held on for barely a few seconds and kissed her cheeks again and again as she let go. Minerva sobbed when she let go and wrapped her arms around Hermione tightly and cried onto her shoulder.

"Easy love," Hermione whispered as she adjusted so she wasn't bent over. It means she was resting completely on Minerva's body but the woman didn't seem to mind. "I have you."

"I nearly -"

"You didn't nearly anything," she soothed despite her body quaking. "We got carried away, as usual," she chuckled. "While you were in an emotionally heightened state. I knew the risks, and the potential consequences and it is alright."

She leaned up on her hands and Minerva's eyes wandered naturally down to Hermione's chest.

"Oh," she whispered. "You are so beautiful."

"I feel it," Hermione smiled back as she brought Minerva's hand to her mouth. She kissed her palm and then placed it over her breast while she kept her eyes on Minerva's. "You make me feel beautiful."

Minerva's eyes fluttered as her palm cupped Hermione's breast and she breathed out shakily. She rubbed her thumb along the soft skin and nodded. Hermione sat up and suddenly felt quite self-conscious about how she looked as they calmed.

"Tha thu iongantach. Tha gaol agam ort le teine."

"Minerva," Hermione moaned. She eased back down and kissed her hotly, pulling away at the last moment with a gleeful smile. "At what point are you going to tell me what you're saying?" Minerva smiled but didn't offer an explanation so Hermione sat back with a groan. "I'd best get my kit back on before we get," she paused dramatically. "Into Trouble?"

"Oh, mo leannan," Minerva groaned around a laugh.

Hermione chuckled and pecked her lips before she got up. She held out her hand and pulled Minerva with her, taking a moment to cup Minerva's cheek and nuzzle her cheek before she stepped back.

"Did you do this? Because I'm not sure I did?"

"Darling," Minerva blushed deeply. She chuckled as she retrieved Hermione's bra and held it in her hand for just a moment, running her thumb over the cup before she swallowed thickly and passed it over. "Quite possibly, though I do not recall. I'm -"

"Don't," Hermione laughed as she turned around and put it back on. "It's not quite what I imagined when I suggested a duel but I'm not remotely upset by it."

Minerva stepped forward as Hermione started to do the clasp behind her back and stopped her hands. Minerva kissed her bare shoulder, letting her lips linger on her warm skin.

"May I?"

"Yes," Hermione whispered.

Hermione was thoroughly unprepared for how intimate it would feel to have Minerva's cool hands against her skin, dressing her. She had purposefully Transfigured her clothes away from her uniform and it proved to be the correct decision as she let Minerva help her with her jumper. She smiled as it was pulled over her head and her hair was gently collected back on top of her head.

"Thank you," Minerva muttered as she wrapped her arms around Hermione's middle from the back. "For being so kind to me. For being -"

"I love you, silly," Hermione smiled over her shoulder. "Remember? Forever?"

"I do recall you saying something to that effect, yes," Minerva teased. She kissed the back of Hermione's neck and as if she remembered what Hermione had said, did it again and lingered there. "I know you do not want an apology, Hermione but I feel I must -"

"No," Hermione sang as she danced out of Minerva's arms. "I'll not have it."

Minerva chuckled at the turn of phrase and sighed.

"But -"

"No," Hermione insisted. "Minerva, you, we did nothing wrong."

Minerva stared at her for a long time and Hermione took pity on her and held her ground as Minerva moved into her space and rested her head against Hermione's shoulder.

"Then why do I feel like this?"

"Because you are a good woman," Hermione soothed. "A beautifully, morally perfect, decent human being." Minerva snorted. "But we are something beyond that. You know that too."

"Mo dhìomhaireachd àlainn."

"What are you saying?" Minerva blushed, but Hermione ducked to meet her eyes. "Min, what is it?"

"My beautiful mystery."

Hermione wrapped her arms around Minerva and kissed her softly.

"My beautiful woman," Hermione smiled. Minerva blushed as Hermione looked at her expectantly.

"Mo bhoireannach àlainn." Minerva blushed further. "Mo bhean bhòidheach."

Hermione kissed her and rejoiced in the way that Minerva's hands gripped her tightly. The bells for lights out rang out across the Castle and Hermione sighed sadly.

"Guess I'd better go."

"Hermione," Minerva whispered.

"Good night, Minerva."

The woman opened and closed her mouth more than once and then sighed.

"Goodnight, mo leannan."

"In two days, you're going to be so very happy when Gryffindor wins the Cup for the first time in a long while and we'll see then how eager you are to wish me goodnight then."

"Get out of here," Minerva laughed while pulling Hermione back in. She was kissed quickly, but deeply and pushed away again. "Trouble."

"Good trouble," Hermione teased as she walked backwards towards the door.

"The best."

"'Night, Min," Hermione smiled.

"'Night, love," Minerva winked, finally giving up all pretence. "I will be preoccupied tomorrow, though I will be free Saturday night and Sunday," she winced. "Assuming I am good company."

"Whether you are good company or not, I will see you," Hermione promised. She waved as she slipped out of the room and closed the door behind her.

It wasn't until she walked past one of the portraits in the corridor back to the Tower that one of them commented.

"You look a sight," the proud portrait huffed. "Pull yourself together."

She blinked and looked at her before she went over to a suit of armour and caught a glimpse of herself in the reflection. Her laughter echoed up and down the corridor as she took in her bright eyes, flushed cheek and wild hair.

"What the hell," she muttered to herself before she took herself into the Common Room and straight up to bed.

As she luxuriated under the covers, for half a second, she ran her hand over her stomach and felt almost sick at the thought that popped into her head. She wanted Minerva and only Minerva and instead, she rolled onto her stomach and pulled her pillow under her and imagined curling around Minerva for the rest of their lives.