A/N: Happy World Snake Day everyone. When I'm not penning these, I'm saving snakes from trigger-happy people so yay for today. Gotta do a couple of filler chapters before we get back to the gooey centre...center? Whatever. Won't be long.

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When she woke, Hermione wasn't immediately sure where she was. She stayed perfectly still while she figured it out until she felt Minerva nearby and carefully rolled over.

They were back in the Chamber of Secrets, in the bedroom she'd been in before but now she has time to look around, it seemed to have been made with them both in mind. Hermione could see elements that would suit them both and she grinned at the idea that Minerva, perhaps, had made this just for them.

Minerva, as it was, was fast asleep on her side with her hair pinned back in her bun as if she'd forgotten about it. One hand was curled up near her face and the other was outstretched like she was reaching for Hermione, even in her sleep.

Hermione smiled and watched Minerva's lips twitch just a little as she sighed. She didn't want to wake her and Hermione could only feel contentment emanating from Minerva while she dreamed. Instead, she shifted just a little, nuzzling under Minerva's chin and reaching up to her hair.

She whispered the spell to release it and let it untwist in her hand before she draped it across the pillow.

The contentment deepened and with a soft kiss on Minerva's clavicle, she slipped carefully from the bed. A quick trip to the bathroom was first, then she went out into the main room.

"Good morning," Hermione said as she yawned.

"Well damn, Mione," Ginny grinned from Harry's lap. "Have your legs always looked that fit?"

"Yup," Ron snorted.

Hermione laughed and pulled at her shorts as she dropped into a chair.

"Hello to you guys too."

"Long time no see!"

"How long was I out this time?"

"Four days. I think that's a record. Min's been up and about, though she doesn't stay out here long. Occasionally plays chess with Ron -"

"Nearly beat her the other day, too," he grinned.

"Otherwise," Ginny grinned. "She eats now and then, then goes back to you."

Hermione smiled at the thought and was immediately glad she hadn't woken her.

"What's been going on?"

"There's a couple of weeks left. We're mid-exams," she chuckled as Hermione's eyes widened. "It's fine, Hermione," she laughed. "They'll probably give you marks based on the battle." Ron made a noise of agreement and Hermione preened under their admiration. "Snape is back teaching," she said quietly. "He's -" Harry scoffed. "Polite, at least. And look, his exam wasn't as bad as last year so that's progress right?" Hermione laughed. "But anyway, there's only like a week or so to go, so he's up there marking exams." Ginny grinned. "Pretty sure we're all going to pass."

Hermione laughed again and grabbed an apple from the bowl on the table. She chewed thoughtfully as she tried to get her thoughts in order.

"Albus okay?"

"Honestly, we've not seen much of him," Ron shrugged. "Think he's been at the Ministry a bit."

"Yeah, we actually do have to go to class, you see," Ginny teased. "I mean, we don't have any homework, cos term is pretty much over, but we're not above the rules like you." Hermione poked out her tongue. "But Ron's right, he has been really busy; we really haven't seen him much. He's teaching for Min too, when he can, so between dealing with the Ministry and all that, he's been in and out since the first day after."

"Did the Order withdraw? Has The Ministry been infiltrated?"

"Oh yeah," Harry nodded solemnly. "Most withdrew; Moody & Kingsley are staying. They're yet to be threatened openly, apparently but it's early days. Tonks -" Hermione's lips twitched. "Tonks is at Grimmauld Place with Sirius & Remus."

"Is she? Good?"

"He wrote again," Harry said quietly. "Said we needed to talk about something when we next meet up."

"And how do you feel about that? Knowing it could be that, but it might be literally anything else."

"Dunno," he sighed. "Guess it's okay."

"I know love is difficult for you," she said gently. "But do you love him?"

"'course I do."

"Can you simply be happy that he has found someone to love him as he deserves? No matter what that looks like to you?"

Harry sighed again.

"Yeah, I guess so."

"That is enough, then," she soothed. For whatever reason, she reached out and ran her hand through his hair. He sighed again, happier this time. "What else is happening?"

"Oh," Ron nodded. "Mum and Dad are gonna lock up the house and move to Grimmauld Place. They had a bunch of Death Eaters in the village and Albus is pretty sure they were looking for it. So they're shifting."

"I'm glad they'll be safe," Hermione smiled tightly. The odds of the enemy finding The Burrow were high and she only hoped that perhaps if Albus made it public they were moving, they'd save the house, at least.

"Albus has the other three looking for the locket though," Ginny continued. "So they need to finish that before they can borrow Grimmauld Place while they look for a new place.."

She stared.

"Sorry, why are they searching for the locket?" Hermione blinked. She looked towards the back of the room. Harry stood and walked back there. "Isn't that what -"

"It was a fake," Minerva's softest voice came from behind her. Hermione didn't turn, she'd known Minerva had woken but she did sigh as cool hands came to rest on her shoulders. She allowed herself to be pulled back to lean against Minerva's thighs and her head on her belly. She could feel the exhaustion from the fingers running through her hair so she looked up and smiled. Minerva pressed a kiss to her forehead. "The Horcrux they brought back was not real."

"What? How?" Hermione blinked.

"Sirius," Harry sighed. He passed over the locket and Hermione nearly didn't catch it in case they were wrong. It fell into her palm, though and sat in her hand, completely benign.

"Sirius did this?" She was so confused.

"He had a brother."

"Huh," Hermione nodded. "Okay, and?"

Harry motioned to the locket and Minerva leaned over her shoulders and opened it for her. There was a note inside and Hermione unfolded it as Harry continued.

"He and Creature stole the Horcrux," Harry whispered. "I mean, he -"

"So," Hermione blinked. "Wait a minute," She finished reading. "Have you read this?"

"Yeah," he sighed. "Well, Albus did. I got the gist."

"To the Dark Lord, I know I will be long dead before you read this but I want you to know that it was I who discovered your secret. I have stolen the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as I can. I face death in the hope that when you meet your match, you will be mortal once more. R.A.B." She stared at the note. "So," she shook her head. "He took the Horcrux from under Tom's nose and nobody ever knew?" She glanced over her shoulder. "Seriously?"

Minerva bent down and leaned on her shoulders while she sighed.

"He always was a bright boy. All the intelligence of Sirius without seriousness to use it properly."

"Does Sirius know? Is that why, how, he died?"

"Yeah, Albus thinks so," Ginny muttered. "And no, Sirius doesn't know but now they're looking for the Horcrux at Grimmauld Place."

"How are they looking for something that they don't know exists?"

Ron shrugged.

"That's just what Albus said."

Hermione huffed and leaned heavier on Minerva's thighs.

"What do we do now then?"

"Wait for Al," Minerva soothed. A cool hand pressed on Hermione's forehead, pressing her into Minerva's body. Hermione made a mental note to make sure Minerva was alright, out of earshot. While she enjoyed a touchy-feely Minerva, it certainly wasn't the norm. "There will be a plan and we can figure it out from there."

"Honestly, I'm glad I don't have to be the one, I'm still tired." Minerva tutted. "Have I been asleep the whole time?"

"Yes," Minerva nodded. "Which worried me after the first 24 hours."

"She even took you up to Madam Pomfrey," Ginny grinned.

Minerva fussed at her and sat down beside Hermione, shifting the chair as close as possible. Hermione glanced over at her and took her hand. She relaxed immediately and Hermione took them all in and nodded to the sofas.

"Let's go sit comfortably," she muttered.

She pulled Minerva up out of her chair and held her for a moment before she tangled their hands again and moved over to the sofas. She picked the chair and pulled Minerva onto her knee.

"No, darling -"

"It's fine," Hermione whispered. "Just relax with me. Let them look."

The others did an admirable job at making it seem as though there was nothing out of the ordinary but it still took a little while for Minerva to give up the fight. Eventually, she tutted and settled against the arm and Hermione's side.

"There you go."

She slid her hand around Minerva's waist and rubbed her side with her thumb robotically while she turned back to her friends.

"Draco alright?"

"He's fine," Ron grumbled. "Still a git."

Minerva snorted, which made Hermione chuckle.

"Lucky for him, that is not a punishable offence."

Harry muttered something under his breath that even Hermione couldn't hear and Minerva hummed thoughtfully as they lapsed into silence.

"So," Hermione said finally. "I'm going to ask. Anyone heard anything about You-Know-Who then?"

"Nothing," Minerva huffed as she got up. Hermione watched her prowl back and forth and noted her cat-like actions. "That is the most frustrating thing. We have heard absolutely nothing. I believe Severus even tried to find out more, but the avenues that he tried resulted in nothing."

"Easy," Hermione soothed as she grabbed the woman's hips. "Come 'ere. Breathe."

"Hermione," Minerva hissed as she was pulled into her knee.

"It's alright Prof -" Harry gulped when Ginny hit his arm. "Um, Minerva." Hermione smiled as Minerva gave up. "It's," he shrugged. "I mean, it's not like we don't know."

"Well," Minerva said awkwardly. "Still."

"So," Ginny said as she collapsed back against the cushions. "What now? I mean, aside from Albus' plan."

Minerva groaned.

"So many things," she muttered. "If we are to prepare for war, and that looks more and more likely, we must have an army. There are allies to gather, and alliances to shore up. All that is already being done but now it must begin in earnest. Albus," she sighed and Hermione pressed a kiss to her bicep, which was the closest place she could. "Albus had a plan that obviously did not come to fruition so we have had to scramble to continue."

"I'm glad he didn't -" Ron swallowed and when he met Hermione's eyes, she shook her head to discourage him from continuing.

"As am I," Minerva whispered.

Hermione wrapped her arms around her middle and held her as tightly as she dared. They lapsed into silence before Ginny sat up.

"Min didn't really tell us, 'Mione. What happened when you tried to release Draco?"

"Oh," Hermione chuckled as she craned her neck to see Minerva's face. "Nothing? No clues at all? Just 'he should probably be flailing about like a boned fish'?"

Minerva pinched her thigh, gently.

"I did not understand," she muttered. "How was I supposed to explain more than that?"

"Good point," Hermione chuckled. She shifted and Minerva slid between her thighs. For a brief moment Minerva froze, but Hermione pulled her back into her arms against her chest and as she wrapped her arms around her, Minerva finally relaxed.

"Easy," she whispered. "This is our family." She hummed but didn't argue further. "So," Hermione said finally. "I'm pretty sure we travelled into his mind; a representation of it, at least. My knife turned into a sword and Min made a copy and we chucked it over a cliff. We definitely did something because we had to hightail it out of there sharpish." There was a moment of silence before Ginny snorted and then they all fell about laughing.

"You seriously just threw an elvish steel copy of a sword from before the time of Hogwarts into the mind of You Know Who?!" Ginny squealed. "That's amazing."

"Well, Min did," she grinned.

Minerva rolled her eyes but when Ron got up and put his fist forward, she bumped it and sat back with a very satisfied grin on her face.

"I knew you were badass," Ron laughed as he sat down. "The Twins always said you were."

"Well," Minerva smirked. "Don't spread it around."

Hermione nuzzled her shoulder and sat back.

"I have to ask for selfish reasons," Hermione said. The four of them turned.

"What the hell is everyone saying about me?"

They hesitated and Minerva chuckled and turned a little.

"Honestly, Leannan, nothing."

"What?"

"Nothing," Ginny shrugged.

"You mean -"

"I mean for about the first time in history," Minerva laughed. "Nobody at Hogwarts is talking."

"Not even Slytherin," Ron muttered darkly. "Although I think that's got somat to do with Draco more than anything."

"Whoa," she muttered. "I'm both humbled and hurt," she laughed. "The Professors?"

"Ah," Minerva grinned. "I believe we have Poppy to thank for that. I have been with you since you passed out. In the literal moments I have spent up in the castle, I heard whispers that she read them the Riot Act after the battle and so now," she shrugged. "There is absolutely no talking."

Hermione laughed.

"What are the odds, hey," she mused.

"We don't know what they are saying though," Harry said quietly. "They definitely saw you and we didn't get them all. So now the enemy knows."

"They know I'm something," Hermione agreed gently. "They don't know what."

"But -"

"It will be okay, Harry," she whispered. "I am not going to let anything happen to any of us, okay?"

"You can't promise that," he argued. "My Mum -"

They all turned as something fell and Severus Snape stood in the middle of the room, having dropped the pile of marking he'd been carrying at the mention. His face was bright red under so much scrutiny. She heard Harry scoff and Minerva tensed but did not rise. Both reactions, Hermione was fine with but she equally did not want the Potions professor to suffer. She kissed Minerva on the shoulder and patted her tummy.

"Lemme up," she whispered. Minerva turned and looked at her with one eyebrow cocked but Hermione only smiled. "Come on," she whispered again. "Let me up."

She went over there and picked up his stack of parchment for him. Minerva did not immediately follow and he was still standing there when she joined him. As she handed them back, she caught the looked that passed between them and how hurt he looked afterwards.

"Severus?" she asked.

"I -"

Hermione offered her hand and he took it immediately, clinging to it. The pain and remorse were so great, Hermione swayed.

"Leannan?"

"I'm fine," Hermione muttered, waving Minerva off. "Let's get you -" She didn't clarify but she helped him to his room without worrying about where Minerva was. Once he had let go of her hand, she could breathe again and she took a moment to catch her breath. They entered his room with him and she smiled as she looked around. While she'd never been inside his rooms previously and could not speak to the decor, this was something different. She knew that, for sure. It was dark, but here and there there were tiny instances of colour. A small glowing rock or a tiny vase of shimmering flowers. It was as if he wanted to do more, then chickened out.

While she situated herself in front of him, Minerva hung back and leaned against the wall with her arms crossed. Her face screamed displeasure but she did not draw attention to it.

"Severus?" Minerva said sternly. "What was that?"

"I don't," he shook his head. "I can't -" Minerva didn't give him the quarter and he sighed. "His mother, I didn't -"

"Easy," Hermione said gently. "It's alright."

"I was awful," he admitted. "To her, to him? To everyone."

"The key part to that is 'was'," Hermione interrupted before Minerva could say anything. "You do not have to be that anymore. You can, if that's what you want," she counselled. "There will be ramifications to that, but it is no longer a requirement."

"Miss -"

"Hermione," Minerva corrected in a tone that Hermione had never heard before. Severus stopped and stared before continuing.

"Her-" he winced. "Hermione. I have done unspeakable things. I have -"

"I know you have," Hermione nodded. "I saw."

"You saw -"

"When I released you, I took your pain for a while," she explained quietly. "It was a side effect I didn't intend nor I imagine you particularly wanted, but nobody knows and nobody will ever know what I saw, Severus." Her eyes flicked to Minerva's face and she apologised with a look. "Not even Min."

"I cannot begin to -" She looked at him. "I am sorry, Her -" he glanced at Minerva again. "Hermione. I didn't mean to -"

"You did mean it," she said softly. "At the time you did. And that's something that has happened and will have to be dealt with. And it may take you the rest of your life. I, for one, can cope with knowing that. Others may never be able to. And again, you might have to just be alright with that."

His head fell and he shuddered.

"It was like a terrible dream that I could not wake up from," he admitted. "I banished it from my mind, for 13 years I lived with the pain. And then, there was James, for all intents and purposes, staring up at me with," his voice cracked. "Her eyes. I did not know what to do."

Hermione sighed.

"Severus?" she whispered. He looked up at her with such sadness that she nearly could not say it. She shivered and then stood taller. "Severus, anything. Anything would have been better than what you put him through. And that is something you need to admit to yourself and then," she sighed. "Find a way to let it go. Because you berating yourself for the rest of your life will never heal those wounds."

"I don't deserve to heal," he spat.

"Not you," she whispered. "Harry."

His breath shuddered and he dropped to his knees and sobbed into his hands. Minerva made a noise behind her and got on her knees beside him and held him.

"I am so angry with you," Minerva growled as she rocked them. Hermione's heart clenched at tone but she did not interrupt. "I am so angry that everything they complained about, every lie that I punished them for, that I told them was nonsense, was the absolute truth." She breathed quietly for a moment before she held him tighter. "Oh but Severus, you do deserve healing. You do." She cupped his face and wiped his tears like a child. "And I am so glad you have the opportunity to do so."

Hermione got up when Snape sobbed into Minerva's shoulder and she ran her hand over her lover's head before she retreated from the room. Harry was standing not too far away with an unreadable look in his eye.

"Making sure he didn't kill me?" Hermione joked, seeing through the loitering.

"No," he snapped. He looked away and bit his lip. "I don't like it when people are in pain," he muttered. "I don't want him to hurt; I want him to be better."

"Well," Hermione said kindly. "Perhaps he will be and that will be fine. And perhaps he will never be fine and that is okay too. 'Better' comes with time. He has had a very difficult existence up to now, regardless of his behaviour and that will take time to heal. The important thing is that he has a choice to do so."

Harry nodded but didn't reply and she wrapped her arms around him tightly.

"You are a very good man, Mr Harry Potter. Lesser men would have marched up those stairs without another thought. Lesser men would allow that anger to fester inside and they wouldn't have stood here wishing that someone who was awful to them was no longer in pain."

"I don't want that to follow me," he sniffed. "Like you said, I have to let go of it or it will be in everything I do."

"I knew you were smarter than you looked," she teased.

"Hey!"

"Come on," she chuckled. "We'll leave them to it. Why don't you try and teach me how to play chess? Lord knows I'm terrible at it."

"You really are," he chuckled. "I honestly don't understand how you can be so smart and so terrible at the same time."

They wandered back over to the sitting area and flopped down on the rug. They found a chess board and set it out on the rug so the other two could see and they played and played and played. Ginny and Ron called out pointers to her until they were all dozing off where they sat. Hermione was not so asleep that she didn't hear her love come over and levitate them all to bed, one at a time. She was slightly more awake when Minerva came back for her.

"Hey beautiful," she mumbled as Minerva levitated her into her arms.

"Hello, Leannan."

"He okay?"

"No," Minerva said quietly. "But he will be."

"Are you okay?"

A shudder went through her that they both felt and when Hermione was placed on the bed, she pulled Minerva into her arms as well.

"I'm not ready -"

"Lay with me," Hermione whispered. "Take your comfort from me."

"I have never been so angry," she muttered as she resisted for a while longer. Hermione allowed her to stand but offered an unwavering hand in the hope that she'd take it. "I am so disappointed in him. I knew," she sniffed harshly. "I knew how he was but I just -"

"It's alright," Hermione soothed.

Minerva's upset had woken her right up and she used her wand to Transfigure Minerva's clothes into pyjamas and undo her hair again. She pulled Minerva onto the bed and wrapped her up in her arms. Minerva sobbed against her shoulder. Eventually, the crying subsided and Hermione was left with Minerva's tiny hiccups while she dozed. In an effort to protect her from everything, Hermione pulled her beneath her and rolled so she was mostly on top of her. She nuzzled Minerva's ear and breathed out warmth over everything. Come morning, they would go again, but for now, it was enough.