A/N: Well, that didn't go quite to plan, did it. The rush around Christmas and then going 'home' and leaving my family was kinda awful, to be honest, so I'm mostly a little down right now. This has been a hard slog, so I hope you enjoy it. I will try for Wednesday as well, but if not, I promise - like truly promise - it'll be Sunday again. If nothing else we need to get back into a routine, so let this be the first step. I hope this is the beginning of the most amazing year for you. Because you've earned it.

-0-

It had taken a short bath, a swallowed pain potion and a glass of water to send her love off into slumber. Minerva rose with a groan. She may have been getting more limber by the day but kneeling the bed would have nearly killed her months ago. Now, it was just good, old-fashioned uncomfortable.

She stretched and felt her back pop when she arched. She smiled ruefully and chuckled as she doused the candles. It has taken her so long to set up, but she could do it again. It was enough to bring Hermione a little comfort and laughter before she fell asleep.

Her thoughts always did lead her back to her love.

She watched as Hermione slept. Not peacefully, but peaceful enough. She leaned down and soothed the frown forming and kissed her forehead softly. She had never been soft with anybody but Hermione made her gentle, somehow. Hermione made her want to be soft at times.

It was all rather odd.

She sighed and left the room, finding no sight of any of the elves that she could see. She called out.

"Hello?"

"Mistress."

"Och," Minerva chuckled. "You'll not need that here. My name is Minerva, my mate is Hermione. Please do not stand on ceremony."

"It is proper," the elf insisted.

"I -" Minerva sighed and sat down at the table. "I am afraid you will find us rather odd. We do not like owning living things, we do not like this at all. I agreed that we would take you so that you could train the young ones in a place I knew they would be protected. You are not one of the young ones. You know what they might come up against in time. You do not need to be so formal around us. I will allow the young ones to act as proper as you would like them to, but I would prefer it if you can find it in yourself to call us by our names."

The elf looked at her for a long time. It was a female, Minerva thought, though sometimes they did look similar. It was just as she was trying to find an identifying feature that the elf sighed.

"My names is Feedle."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Feedle. Hermione is currently ill in bed, but if you will please introduce me to the young ones when you get a chance, then we will get on quite well, I think."

"You wants to -" Feedle frowned. "All of thems?"

"Yes please. They are part of our household, I would like to get to know them."

"They is," Feedle said. "Very young."

"All the better. I will not ever ask anyone to punish themselves and I am so sorry to do this Feedle, but as your master, I forbid you from doing it as well."

"Wha -" Feedle gaped. "Mistress!"

"No," she said gently. "I am a teacher; punishment has never been a good learning tool and I will not be party to prescribing it. Making mistakes is natural and learning from them is what will happen in my household. That is my only stipulation; the rest I leave to you and will accept any other suggestions you have."

"Not best for elves," Feedle muttered.

"Nevertheless, please do not subject them to pain on our account. This is their first instance of servitude, I refuse to have it be painful."

Feedle stared and then bowed their head.

"I understand, Misstr -" Feedle paused. "Minerva."

"Thank you. I will leave it to you to decide the best way otherwise. I am sorry to be so difficult."

"The Old One warned us," Feedle sighed. "It's no matters."

Minerva chuckled.

"I, more than most, know the types of people who do cruel things to their elves. I would shelter them from that pain for as long as I can," she whispered. "And where possible and providing Ùisdean is in agreement, perhaps they can simply join the elves at Hogwarts when they are through."

"I do not knows the Old One's plans," Feedle muttered. "But your Hoggywarts is a good life's for a elf. We is never doing things we is not wanting."

"I am glad to hear it. What made you do this instead then?"

"I is told," she shrugged. "Old One knows I am bests at it."

Minerva smiled and nodded. Feedle hesitated once more but then snapped her claws and Minerva almost embarrassed herself as four small elves appeared before her. They were utterly adorable, even if they weren't pretty.

"This is Mistress," Feedle instructed. "She and her mate is your master. If shes asks you to do something, you will do it. If you fail her, you will be -" Feedle paused and glanced at Minerva. "Dealt wiv." Minerva bit her tongue. Feedle stepped before then like a general in an army. "These is Siff," she said as she pointed. "Covey, Dex and Fizzle."

"It is a pleasure to meet you all," Minerva said quietly.

All four of them looked terrified but Minerva held her tongue. She had already pushed her luck with Feedle, she did not want to sew the seeds of ill will.

They popped away again and after a time, Feedle returned.

"Very young," she muttered without Minerva asking.

"I apologise that I do not know enough about Elvish lives. Do you have -" she paused. "Elflings?"

"Siff," Feedle whispered.

"You are afraid I would be displeased?"

"I is afraid you will separate us. It is the way of elves," Feedle sighed. "But it hurts us."

"As I said," Minerva said gently. She reached forward and touched Feedle gently on the claw to stop her from wringing her hands. "You will find me, us, very different to any other master you might have met or heard of."

Feedle made a noise not dissimilar to a sniff then nodded.

"Feedles brings you tea."

She popped out of existence and left Minerva feeling rather tickled. She decided that once they settled, they'd likely all get on rather well.

-0-

Minerva spent the time Hermione was asleep writing letters to contacts that she knew might have a lead on the Chocolate Frog card Draconvir. She had no idea where to find them and even less sense of where to start.

Agreed never really paid attention to Chocolate Frogs; chocolate had never been one of her favourites, though she knew that was odd to most other people.

"Here here, you big weirdo," a tired voice came from behind her as she sat in front of the windows.

"Oh," she exclaimed. Hermione pulled the papers off her knee and sat in the space she'd made. "Hello, love, how are you feeling?"

"Better," Hermione mumbled. Minerva wrapped her arms around her to make sure she didn't tumble to the floor as she got comfortable. "That was weird."

"So much of our life is weird, Leannan," Minerva chuckled. "We shall just chalk it up to you being so special."

She felt the chuckle Hermione gave, rather than heard it. Thankful for the break, she leaned back against the sofa with a sigh.

"You okay?" Hermione asked unnecessarily.

"Aye," Minerva muttered. "I got a lot done."

"Good," Hermione muttered. "I feel like I've done three rounds with a Cave troll."

"Well, you don't look too worse for wear." Minerva pushed her hair back off her face and smiled as tired eyes looked up at her. "Back to bed after your tea?"

"You've eaten?"

"No, actually. Not for a while. But that was not my question."

"Oh," Hermione sighed. "Yes, probably. Between everything, I'm knackered."

Minerva snorted and kissed her nose. They shifted and Minerva dropped her papers onto the coffee table that was already littered with the others. They rearranged themselves so they were laid out on the soft cushions, with Hermione between Minerva's legs, resting on her chest and Minerva's hand in her hair, resting on the back of her head.

"I feel like we should be doing something," Hermione huffed.

"I know," Minerva muttered as she kissed Hermione's crown. "But this is something. Being prepared for anything is doing something."

"I'm not prepared."

"You are. If something happened -" She reached over and knocked on the table. "Touch wood - you would be ready, just as I would be. Taking respite between big moments is not nothing."

"You're so sensible," Hermione huffed as she buried her face into Minerva's neck.

She squirmed as it tickled, but chuckled when Hermione soothed it with a kiss.

"Faigh tlachd às an t-sìth, mo ghaol. Bidh sinn a' sabaid a-rithist a dh' aithghearr."

"I understand maybe two words of that."

Minerva laughed musically and lay back with a sigh.

"Enjoy the peace, my love," she whispered. "We will fight again soon."

Hermione hummed her agreement and Minerva, despite not being particularly tired, closed her eyes as she felt Hermione do the same.

-0-

They stayed at the house for nearly a week, all told. Minerva flitted back and forth and Hermione did her best to not moan too much as she ran out the rest of her week. The enemy was suspiciously quiet which meant they had a peaceful week of nothing.

To be honest, Hermione had loved it.

She'd read and slept and eaten her weight in good food. It made her feel funny to think about it, but Feedle was a far better cook than her or Minerva. They'd enjoyed some good food while they'd been resting and now she was coming out of her time, she was restless.

"Good morning, Leannan," Minerva said jauntily as she came in the back door.

"Hi love," Hermione smiled as she dropped her head back for a kiss. "How was the Castle?"

"I have a mind to take Michael back. If they're going to keep calling on us for the most inane things imaginable, I am no longer interested."

Hermione chuckled and poured her a cup of tea.

"Did you eat?"

"Just about to. Did you? What time did you leave?"

"Just about five, I think. Feedle did make me tea, so I am not in total despair."

"Well then pull up a pew and join me for breakfast, okay?"

"Definitely," Minerva kissed her hair. "Let me change, I'm not interested in going out again, not even if His Nibs is at the bloody gates of Hogwarts."

Hermione laughed as Minerva disappeared down the hall and she smiled as Feedle appeared with breakfast.

"Thank you, Feedle. I'm quite sure you've saved the both of us this week."

"Feedle is only doing as she does, Misstr -" She paused and sighed. "Hermione."

"Does it hurt so much to call us by our names?"

"No," Feedle mumbled. "Just what we does."

"We don't mean to be difficult."

"Feedle knows." Hermione looked at her for a little while, then chuckled.

"Can we do anything, Feedle? Anything to make your life easier."

"Mistress," Feedle sighed. "You should stops this."

"I'm only asking," Hermione chuckled. "I genuinely want to help, if we can."

"You cannots help us, Mistress. You should leave the elves to themselves."

"Alright," Hermione nodded. "But -" She reached out and touched Feedle's shoulder. "Will you please promise me that you will ask, if you need it? I'm not ordering you, but I would like you to ask us."

"Feedle will trys, Mistress."

"That's all I ask," Hermione chuckled. "Thank you."

Feedle disappeared as Minerva joined her and Hermione pushed out the chair with her foot while Minerva settled.

"I think I upset Feedle again."

"Again, darling?" Minerva chuckled as she dished out breakfast. "That's three times this week."

"I only asked that she promised to ask us for things if she needed them. Anything to make her life easier."

"Oooh, yes, you should not have done that. Merlin forbid we make their lives easier."

Hermione laughed and felt something shift in her chest as Minerva's hand came to rest on her leg.

"I have missed you too, sweetheart."

Hermione felt the feeling echo in her chest and they eased into breakfast in the quiet. It was something Hermione loved, the quiet, gentleness of them being together. It was so easy just to be.

"Amen to that," Minerva whispered as she reached out and cupped Hermione's cheek.

"Have you noticed it's easier to ignore me?"

"What!" Minerva nearly choked on her bacon. "Darling, I -"

"Oh," Hermione laughed. "No, Min, I didn't mean it like that." Minerva gave her a look. "No, I meant can you feel me getting quieter in your mind?"

"Oh," Minerva whispered. She sat back and thought about it for a while.

Hermione felt it in her soul while Minerva was examining her thoughts. She saw the moment Minerva realised and met her eyes when she looked up.

"It's like we can still talk and feel and see, but when we're not trying it kind of -"

"Mutes itself."

"Yes!" Hermione smiled. "Maybe I can buy you that surprise Valentine's Day gift after all."

Minerva laughed and leaned over for a kiss.

"Perhaps it'll be me that surprises you." Minerva smirked. "Cuiridh mi iongnadh ort, ceart gus am bi thu fo mo dheidhinn." [I'll surprise you, right until you're beneath me.]

"I don't know what that means, but it sounds sexy when you say it like that."

"Maybe I'll teach you in time," Minerva grinned. She kissed her again and they went back to breakfast.

It was copacetic, mostly, and while they ate, Hermione let her mind wander. She'd been doing that more and more while Minerva was otherwise occupied. They needed so many things; things she couldn't quite figure out how to get.

"Perhaps if you let some of us think about them with you, we might be able to," Minerva chuckled as she took the knife from Hermione's hand and placed it on the table.

They'd attempted to help Feedle at one point but she'd rolled her big eyes at them and snapped her fingers so all the dishes were clean and dried and put away and it had embarrassed the both of them enough that they hadn't tried again.

"Alright then," Hermione muttered. "Come and think with me then. Maybe you'll figure out who we can use to go and spy on him."

Minerva tutted and pulled Hermione up from her chair and into the living room.

"Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm fine," Hermione shrugged. "Why?"

"You're incredibly maudlin. We may be making some headway in muting things between us in here -" She pressed her fingers gently against Hermione's temple. "But this?" She placed her hand over Hermione's heart. "I can still feel as bright as day."

"I am frustrated that we freed Severus."

"Her -"

"No -" she sighed. "Not like that. I'm not. I just -" She sighed again and dropped onto the sofa in front of Minerva. "I wish we had someone on the inside."

"No you don't," Minerva whispered. "You don't, Leannan. Because you could not do to someone what Albus could. See the pain and the suffering and allow it to continue. I understand why he did it, I do, but you are not him. And neither am I."

Hermione huffed and dropped her head back on the sofa.

"I know what you said about us recovering, and that aside, we cannot simply enjoy our holidays while they are out there preparing for war. You know that, right?"

"I do," Minerva said gently. "Which is why Severus and I are going to see the Draconvir next week on Thursday. I think I've found where he is and Severus has agreed to come with me."

"And what if it goes south?"

"Then we will adjust accordingly."

"Min -" Hermione swallowed. "I don't like the idea of -"

"I know you don't, but I shall remind you that despite us pretending it doesn't exist there is a significant portion of my existence, Leannan, where I did this for a living. There is an even larger proportion of my life where I did this and came home in time to teach a couple of hundred children how to turn a bird into a water goblet." Hermione chuckled and pulled Minerva onto her lap. They sat, taking comfort in each other until their bond eased it. "There," Minerva whispered. "Now you can look at it objectively."

"I don't think I'll ever look at you putting yourself into dangerous positions objectively."

"Fair enough," Minerva soothed.

"What am I supposed to do while you're off endangering yourself then?"

"Oh," Minerva chuckled. "I don't know, can you knit?"

Hermione tipped Minerva sideways and laughed at the noise she made at the sudden movement.

"Oh yes," Hermione grinned. "I do prefer that you can't quite see what I'm up to until it's too late."

Minerva rolled her eyes.

"I'm serious, Leannan. What are you going to do? I won't have you standing around, pacing."

"I suppose I shall go to the Castle and discuss what Narcissa has learnt. We'll likely both be nervous wrecks so I suppose that'll help some."

"If it comes to it I'll ask them about that, shall I?"

"I had a thought the other day, actually."

"Hmm?"

"Well, if she was Lucius' mate, she'd have some Draconvir tendencies, wouldn't she?"

"Yes, but they don't seem to have presented that way?"

"Well, we don't know, do we. She did love him, we think?"

"She did, at the time, yes. And -" Minerva chewed her thumb. "She did birth a Draconvir baby, didn't she."

"Oh, good point there too. So yeah," Hermione chuckled. "Ask him, I guess. I haven't seen Lucia for ages, you?"

"No," Minerva smiled. "But she did not look too well last time we saw her."

"It's all so bloody much."

"War is hell."

Hermione chuckled and they fell silent as they watched the clouds roll in off the sea.