A/N: And here... we... go. The beginning, at least :)
-0-
Minerva looked up sharply from her work and stood, immediately.
"What has happened?" she asked with no preamble.
"How do you know something has happened?" Hermione asked softly.
"I -" She paused. "Honestly, I do not know, but I know it as sure as I know my own name."
"Albus has found a Horcrux," she sighed.
Minerva's face paled and she let out a long breath. Before Hermione could continue, she walked over to the bar and poured a drink, knocking back half of it in one go and turning back to look at Hermione.
"The last one was awful," she whispered. "He struggled so much. He nearly -" She shuddered. "It was a ring, it had -" She took a deep breath. "He said it had the power to bring back the dead. The only thing in history. He nearly -"
A tear ran down her face and Hermione's heart broke knowing what she had to say next.
"He took Harry with him."
The crystal glass, solid and chunky in Minerva's slender hands, exploded as she curled her fist. The cascade of glass shards was shocking but the blood that followed, steadily dripping from Minerva's hand, was what made Hermione move. She rushed to Minerva's side and drew her to the sofa.
Minerva stared at her hand and then onto Hermione's eyes.
"He -"
"It's okay," Hermione promised, glancing up into her eyes. "It is, I promise you. But let me deal with this first."
Minerva looked back down at her hand as if she had finally seen it.
"Oh," she blinked. "I didn't -"
Hermione lit her wand and checked the wound for remnants, even going as far as summoning any pieces that had been embedded in Minerva's skin.
"Ow," the woman hissed as one or two little shards flew out. Hermione kissed one of her fingers in apology while she pressed a clean handkerchief into the wounds in an effort to clear the field so she could check a final time.
"I have to check." Minerva stared blankly and when Hermione manipulated the palm; pulling the lacerations apart so she could triple-check, Minerva hissed in pain. "I know," Hermione whispered. "I'm sorry."
"Why didn't you stop him?" Minerva asked as Hermione sat up.
"You know why," she muttered. "He was needed and I do not disagree with the notion that he should be involved."
"But -"
Hermione was peering over Minerva's hand and suddenly, as if she was not in control of her body, pressed her hand on top of Minerva's.
"Oh," she blinked. "What -"
"Hermione?!"
Her hand set alight and they stared as both hands were enrobed in flame. Hermione blinked as something in her eased and the flames went out. She picked her hand up and started at the clean and healed palm beneath.
"Ok, that's new," she muttered.
She inspected Minerva's hand and left a long kiss on her palm.
"Hermione," Minerva huffed as she pulled away. "Harry -"
"Albus will keep him safe or he will not return," Hermione said quietly. Minerva paused and looked at her. "He has had his warning and he will remember it."
"Sometimes," Minerva whispered as foreheads came together. "You are terrifying."
Hermione chuckled and pulled her across her thighs and into her arms.
"Hi," she whispered.
"Oh, mo ghaol," Minerva whispered against her cheek. They sat in silence until Minerva shifted. "I am not heavy?"
"I don't think you've been heavy a day in your life," she soothed. "Your bum is quite boney though."
Minerva chuckled and Hermione buried her face in her neck. They rocked back and forth for a long while so they could get their bearings. Hermione kissed under Minerva's chin and when Minerva pulled away to look, she smiled. Minerva's newly healed hand cupped her face and Hermione sighed as their lips came together.
"There's more," she whispered as they parted.
"I cannot bear to hear more bad news."
"And yet -"
"No," Minerva said, attempting to get up. "No, I cannot, I should warn Filius that we are here alone."
"In a moment," Hermione breathed. She let go as Minerva struggled but kept hold of her waist so she could not leave. Minerva stopped and looked down at her in resignation. "Draco's behaviour has escalated. He was excitedly whooping, apparently. For whatever reason, Trelawney was in there and was thrown out. That means, more than anything, that he had the ability or power to do that. It sounds like he may have completed whatever he was trying to do."
"What on earth was she in there for?"
"Unimportant," Hermione muttered. "But she was definitely inside."
"You won't tell me?" Minerva blinked, meeting Hermione's eyes. "Really?"
"I only know because I didn't mind my business. It feels doubly wrong to share it."
"But I am -"
They stared at each other with the unspoken declaration between them like a chasm. Hermione finally sighed and gave in.
"She was stashing her bottles, alright?" Minerva scoffed and stepped away. "She sees things, Min. Beyond her nonsense, she has some power." Hermione stood and moved over to Minerva's side. "She gave the prophecy that currently rules over all of us. Is it any wonder that sometimes she wishes to quiet the voices she cannot comprehend?"
"It is still -"
"Is it worse than you?"
Minerva glared at her.
"I am not an alcoholic."
"Min," Hermione said gently. "Her day-to-day practices are forced and, at times, utter nonsense, but she does not deserve your vitriol. She has not hurt you, she has not besmirched you."
"She is a fraud," Minerva huffed. "She besmirches teaching every damn day. She is a hack."
"No, love," Hermione whispered as their foreheads came together once more. "You are so noble," she chuckled. "To a fault, sometimes. She is broken. Damaged, even. And she needs our protection. Albus told us of the prophecy. She is the one that made it. She can never fall into enemy hands. It would be a fate worse than death."
"She is another pawn then," Minerva hissed.
"No," Hermione chuckled at the sudden turn. "She is just a witch in need of a home. And this," Hermione indicated all around them. "Our home? It can do that for her. There is no need for this, Min, it is unnecessary. She will get better, now," she nodded. "I'm sure of it."
Minerva stared at her for a long time and huffed.
"You are so sure of yourself, it is galling sometimes."
"I know," Hermione apologised. "Come here, though."
Minerva did and Hermione pulled her into her arms.
"Back to Draco," she whispered. Minerva grunted and pressed her face into Hermione's neck for a while before she pulled away with a sigh.
"I cannot fathom that he would do anything totally evil?" Minerva mused. "He can be a little toe rag but I do believe under it all, he is not evil."
"Then he should perhaps try to say and do kinder things," Hermione muttered.
"If he is forced into this by his father's failing, no wonder he is cracking. If they have his mother?"
"That," Hermione blinked. "Is something I hadn't considered until now. No wonder he nearly gave in to Harry."
"I really do need to go and speak with Filius," Minerva apologised. "I will be back in a moment."
Hermione pulled her back before she left and kissed her hard.
"I love you," she whispered as she traced Minerva's eyebrow. "I cannot begin to tell you how important you are to me. So be careful, okay? Just -" She looked at her softly. "Please be careful."
"I will go and find him, he is either down the hall at home, or in his classroom. I will not be long, darling."
Hermione gave her a look and pulled her in again.
"Are you wearing your knife?" she asked quietly.
"Can you find it?" Minerva teased.
Hermione rolled her eyes and pressed herself into Minerva's body. The small gasp made her stomach clench as she let her hands roam over the long, sweeping curves that she loved so much. For as long as she could, she pretended that she couldn't find it and just caught a tiny moan from Minerva as she ran her hand over her stomach and then settle on her hip. Hermione did it again and met Minerva's eyes as she pressed them impossibly closer. As she squeezed Minerva's backside, she found it, strapped to her lower back. Where she knew it would be.
"I love you," she rasped.
Minerva could not seem to speak and instead, reached up and pulled her into a fierce kiss. It lasted a shorter time than Hermione would have liked as Minerva pulled away, cupped her face and smiled before she left without another word.
-0-
The walk calmed her significantly, and she nodded to the portrait guarding Filius' rooms and waited a moment until it returned.
"My Mistress would love to host you, however, she is in the middle of repotting a -" the Fawn paused mid-apology. "Something she does not think you would enjoy seeing." Minerva's gut clenched as she realised and took a step back. "My Master is in his classroom. I will convey your answer."
"Wait -" Minerva managed to choke. "Please tell her to be careful."
The Fawn bowed his head and disappeared. The notion had thrown her and she walked, by rote, to the Charms classroom.
"Min?" Filius said as she entered. "Is everything -"
"Your wife is repotting a Venomous Tentacula?"
"Ah," Filius said quietly. "Is that today? I am sorry, Min."
"It's -" she sighed. "It's alright. Threw me, is all."
"Would you like me to get Hermione?"
"What?" Minerva blinked. Filius' eyes had nothing but understanding in them. "No, no, it's fine."
"Must be odd," he said gently.
"She does not think it so," she sighed as she rolled her neck. "Though I cannot help but agree with you."
"She is wiser beyond her years."
"Indeed," Minerva mused. "She told me I should talk of -" She blushed. "Him, them, if I want to. She does not mind it."
"And you?"
"I feel like it only makes our differences more apparent."
"That will pass in time," he said, moving over to her and levitating himself onto the table where she was leaning. "Next year will be different."
"Oh Filius," she chuckled, tears gathering at the corner of her eyes. "If only you knew how you have settled my soul."
"You are worth it, Minerva McGonagall, for the love you have given to me and mine. I am only proud to serve you."
"Don't," Minerva chuckled as she wiped her eyes. "Don't you dare. You are an equal. My family. That is what we are, it just took me a long time to understand it."
"Then it is I, who is blessed."
"We are, all of us, lucky," Minerva chuckled. "And at some point, we should get your wife in on it."
"She will be much obliged, I'm sure."
"Good," Minerva nodded, almost to herself. "Good."
"Did you come down here for something, Min?" he asked carefully. "Are you alright?"
"Oh!" She shook herself and sat up, letting those other feelings float away. "I need to inform you that Albus has left the Castle," she frowned. "With Harry in tow. Hermione thinks something is coming and I cannot help but agree with her. I can feel it, resting on my shoulders. Something is building and I do not wish to be unprepared."
"Does it feel urgent?"
"I do not know," she grumbled. "Only that it has been building all day."
"Perhaps a pre-emptive notion then? A curfew? A sudden need for students to return to their dormitories?"
"Is that worse, to group them all together?" Minerva mused. "I just do not know."
"What does your heart tell you, dearest?"
Minerva thought about it for a while and sat back on the desk. She tried to feel it out, this entity in herself that she could not name, but did not wholly feel like herself. It pulsed, almost, and the notion of it felt like the dragon in the cave and she stood, quite suddenly without meaning to.
"I feel we must act, though I do not know how long for."
"Then let us do a trial run. I will inform the other professors to join us down in the staffroom on this level and you inform the students to return to their dormitories and to clear the corridors."
"It is folly," she muttered. "What if -"
"Then we will see how well these students can behave unsupervised for a while. And tomorrow we can pretend like nothing happened. Albus does it all the time, I'm sure it'll work out just as terribly as when he does it."
She chuckled and squeezed his shoulder before marching out of the door. She cast a Sonorous charm over her voice and started speaking.
"All students are to return to their dormitories at once. Any student caught in the corridors after 30 minutes will be placed in detention and lose 50 House Points."
She turned and looked at Filius before she set off back to her rooms to tell Hermione. It would have been perfect, had a scream not echoed around the castle and the clattering of footsteps indicated that all was not well.
Minerva looked back at Filius and they rushed after a group of students moving to the West Wall. The light was fading but Minerva's breath faltered and her blood froze in her veins as she looked up at where everyone was pointing.
"Tha iad an seo," she whispered, almost to herself. Filius made a face and she shook her head as she realised they were out of time. "They're already here. All of you, go to the closest dormitory, right now." She glanced around and took stock of where that was. "Hufflepuffs." Two students step forward. "Take them, now."
The corridor emptied in a hurry and she followed Filius back to his classroom but when he went to open the door, it would not budge.
"Surely not," he groaned.
"Professor?"
He blinked and Minerva leaned forward.
"Are you alright?"
"Yes," the voice came. "We came in here and the door closed behind us."
Minerva sighed and nodded to Filius.
"Sit tight, the Castle will protect you."
"Come, we must find the others."
She strode quickly to the Staff Room, trying not to think about Hermione stuck up in her rooms. She had no idea whether they would have closed on her as well, but she was secretly glad she was tucked away.
"What is going on?" Aurora Sinistra said. Minerva liked her ordinarily, she was not prone to exaggeration or panic.
"I am yet to receive all the details. Based on the Dark Mark in the sky, I believe there are Death Eaters in the Castle. They will undoubtedly be somewhere on the 6th floor and we must rise to meet them. Albus is absent but there are reinforcements in the Castle already. Perhaps one or two Aurors who were already here."
"What -"
She glanced around and noted two absences. Sybil, who she very much doubted would make an appearance, but more importantly, Severus.
"I -" She swallowed. "Has anyone seen Severus?"
There was something in the air that shifted as they all looked at each other.
"We will remain vigilant," she muttered. "Prepare yourselves, and above all, protect the students."
As she turned, she felt them fall into step behind her and she thanked whatever gods were listening that she had made Albus choose capable Professors. Not one of them had faltered at her words and she heard the clattering of boots above them as the last of the children hurried to wherever they were going.
"Come," she muttered. "We go to war."