A/N: Good morning. I think I beat the Facebook crowd! Amazing.

-0-

Gentle hands eased Hermione onto the bed and she felt Minerva rise. She dozed fitfully while she waited for her woman to return and immediately pounced on her when she came back. Minerva laughed as Hermione settled back on top of her.

"I thought you were asleep," she laughed.

"I am," Hermione grumbled. She turned her head and kissed Minerva's sternum. "My pillow moved."

"How rude of your pillow to do that," Minerva chuckled as she smoothed back Hermione's hair. "I almost feel guilty for getting back in," Minerva sighed.

"Why?" Hermione mumbled. Minerva's nipple was so tantalisingly close to her cheek she could feel it hardening as she spoke.

"I have not taken a holiday in so many years. I do not usually linger in bed, even in my days off."

"We'll have to take more holidays then," Hermione whispered. "So you can get used to it. I recall a time where you were looking forward to staying in bed with me."

"Do not think I do not want to be here," Minerva clarified. "It is my own shortcomings which are plaguing me this morning."

Hermione smiled against her skin.

"You surely do not have any shortcomings."

Minerva snorted indelicately and Hermione used the moment as a distraction and gave into her want. She slid her hand up over Minerva's bare belly and traced her fingers beneath her breast gently. Minerva froze but did not openly protest.

"May I?" Hermione whispered.

"I do not know why you would want to, I am nought but a -"

Hermione breathed out and shifted onto her elbows.

"Minerva McGonagall," she whispered. "You are stunningly beautiful and whoever has made you believe otherwise will be at the end of my wand. You told me that you covet my body." She waited for the woman to acknowledge that statement. "Please don't imagine that the feeling is not mutual. I ache to feel you. I can't wait to explore every inch of you and devote my entire life to making you believe me."

Minerva stared at her like she was waiting for the punchline and Hermione's heart hurt for her. She decided instead of telling, she would simply show.

Her breasts were just the right size to fit in the palm of Hermione's hand and she traced the delicate skin with her fingertips. They weren't as taught as her own, but they were no less beautiful. The pretty, coral nipple swelled when Hermione traced around it and she heard Minerva's breath hitch. Hermione let her head rest against Minerva's ribs. She wanted to take it into her mouth and show Minerva just how she felt, but Minerva held her where she was with a hand on the back of her head and Hermione settled.

"I love you," Minerva whispered. "I'm sorry that I -"

Hermione placed a long kiss against her sternum and then wrapped her arms around Minerva and held on tightly.

"Galleon," she mumbled. Minerva chuckled and the mood broke. "You know you can tell me things, right?" Hermione asked.

"Nothing comes to mind?" Minerva muttered. "I mean, we have spoken about what things we do not want."

"Yes," Hermione acknowledged. "But I would also assume that you'd tell me if there's some things you DO want? Or things you feel. Or things you don't? You don't have to be, and do things, solo."

Minerva hummed and Hermione noted that it wasn't an agreement. She shimmied up her body and kissed her softly.

"When we are ready, my love and not a second before we're going to figure this out together. But in the meantime and forever and always, I want you to tell me things. Anything. Everything." The tension fell from her shoulders and Hermione ran her hand over her head and gave up the topic. "Wanna get up then? We could go for a walk? See the boundaries of our land?"

"Oh," she smiled. "I would like that."

Hermione misjudged just how much Minerva liked that idea when she was dressed and standing at the door with two cups of tea not long later.

"Blimey woman," Hermione laughed as she brought up the rear still tugging on her socks. "Eager?"

"As I said yesterday," she huffed. "I have been chained to my desk for what feels like a year. I need to move."

Hermione smiled and took her tea and they left the house. She locked up with her key and smiled as they entered the field through the same gate.

"Do we know where the property ends?"

"It's not huge," Minerva muttered. "But no, not precisely."

"Well, should we wander that-a-way and see if there's something obvious?"

"Absolutely," she chuckled.

Hermione sipped her tea, smiling as she realised Minerva had put an anti-spill charm on the up so she could drink and walk.

"Oh here's a question for you," Hermione mused.

"Hmm," Minerva smiled indulgently. She looped her arm around Hermione's elbow.

"Parkinson's?"

"Who is that?"

"No," Hermione smiled. "It's a disease. Evidently, not one common in the Wizarding world. It tends, although not exclusively, to affect older people and causes severe shakes," she toasted her mug. "An anti-spill charm on a cup, or a spoon, would be life-changing for them."

"Oh," Minerva mused. "Actually, you are right. I have heard of that but no, not very prevalent in the Wizarding World. William would be the one to ask."

Hermione's mind was already off and racing about how you could spell cutlery and then sell it to Muggles when Minerva took her mug and shrunk them both into her pockets. She did not really even realise she'd been lost in her head until Minerva stopped.

"Min, I'm -"

"Galleon back to me," she sang comically. "I am enjoying watching you think, Leannan. I do believe this is our boundary though."

"Oh," Hermione laughed. She looked up and down the fence, and the wilder looking areas then back towards the house that she could still just about see. "That's a nice size, isn't it."

"Lovely."

She turned to see Minerva looking at her and Hermione smiled.

"You are secretly so romantic, aren't you?"

"Secretly!" Minerva laughed. She wrapped her arm around Hermione's shoulders and kissed her hair. "I shall have to up my game if you are asking."

"You're plenty romantic."

Minerva fell silent for a while and pulled Hermione closer while they stared out over the fence beyond their borders.

"If there is one thing I have not been, Leannan, it's romantic. But," she took a deep breath. "I find myself wanting to be, so perhaps you can still be surprised by me yet."

"Min -"

"No," she said softly. "I am right." Hermione snorted. "In this, I am. You will see. I will work on it."

"I," Hermione muttered as Minerva pulled her into her arms properly. Hermione leaned back against her and tangled their fingers over her belly. "Don't need you to be romantic, Min," she sighed happily. "I just need you to know that I love you, with all of me."

"I know," Minerva whispered as she kissed her shoulder. "I would hope you know the same is true for me?"

"I do," Hermione whispered as she tipped her head back to kiss her softly.

They stood at the fence line and watched a passing bird of prey head out to sea.

"Now that is cool," Hermione said as they turned to watch.

"Sea Eagle, I think. I imagine we will see all sorts of things as we settle here," Minerva muttered. "I would like to revisit the dragons in the glens when we have a moment."

"Oh, yeah," Hermione nodded. "I hadn't forgotten, there's just been a lot going on, I suppose."

"We could do a survey and get an accurate count?"

"We could," Hermione grinned. "I had half an idea to try and recruit them to help us." Minerva peered round at her. "Well it would be amazing, wouldn't it, leading every dragon in the British Isles into battle? Whathisbloodyname would absolutely wet himself." Minerva laughed and nuzzled her neck but Hermione had already moved on. "Not now, though, because right now I'm starving."

"Och we'd best feed yeh then, lass."

"I love you, Minerva."

She leaned her head back and twisted around as far as she could go. Minerva cupped her cheek to take the strain and kissed her gently. She turned and wrapped her arms around Minerva's solid form and deepened it.

"Darling," Minerva whispered as she sank her teeth into the soft part of Hermione's shoulder under her collar. "We should go and eat."

"You like biting me," Hermione smiled. Minerva blushed deeply.

"I confess sometimes I do not know I am doing it. You do as well, though," she chuckled and pulled at her collar.

"Min!" Hermione blinked. "I'm so sorry." Minerva waved her off, but Hermione was already musing. "I wonder if yours is a Minerva thing, a dragon thing." She giggled. "Or a cat thing. Or a bit of all three. I can safely say that mine is all dragon," she laughed.

"Och," Minerva blustered. "Cheeky hen. So you do notice yourself doing it, then?"

"I remember that one, now you've shown me," Hermione admitted. "I'm sorry I left such a mark, though."

Minerva stared awkwardly away for a while before she sighed and looked back at her.

"I am not," she admitted.

"Oh," Hermione blinked. She watched Minerva's retreating back before she shook herself and ran to catch up.

"So you're -"

"I do not understand but I," She took a deep breath. "Find myself almost proud to bear it."

"Well then," Hermione grinned a bit awkwardly. "If it's any consolation, truthfully, I kinda like it on you and I definitely don't mind mine." Minerva hummed but offered nothing further. Hermione decided to change the subject. "Hey, have you tried to transform since this started?"

Minerva paused and thought back.

"Honestly, I don't think I have. And now I think of it, I do not know whether I should. Merlin knows if I get stuck there, you'd have to find Albus."

"I don't think you would. It's a different thing, right?"

"I assume so," Minerva winced. "Though I don't know."

"Wanna try now?"

"Now?" Minerva blinked. "I -"

"You may as well, it's not like you'd breathe fire, right?"

Minerva paused and looked at her with wide eyes.

"You -"

"I'm teasing," Hermione laughed. "But," she grinned, tracing the top of Minerva's ear. "Imagine if that little tabby cat sprouted little black wings as well. Do you know how cute you would be?"

Minerva looked horrified and Hermione laughed as she pulled her back towards the house.

"You're so easy to tease," she chuckled.

"Me!"

Hermione pulled her along with their tangled hands and Minerva continued to grumble as she bumped into Hermione on purpose and then wrapped her arms around Hermione like she couldn't help it. Hermione's stomach had butterflies as Minerva kissed her.

"Tha gaol agam ort, mo leannan."

"Tha gaol agam ort," she hesitated. "Too?" She chuckled.

"Cuideachd," Minerva laughed.

"That as well," Hermione teased. "I love you Min, so much."

"Come," Minerva smiled. "Let me take you out for breakfast and then we shall retrieve my books and perhaps yours. Surely today is a good day to add those things."

-0-

The memories of their quiet moments together soothed Minerva's soul as she sat on the sofa in their new living room. They had enjoyed the most beautiful day she'd had in so long. They'd dressed properly and gone out for breakfast. In the end, owing to the potential for the enemy to be everywhere, she had made a pot of tea after she found a suitable thermos tucked behind the set of pots she'd found (she had already written a note of thanks to Pomona for that, specifically). They picked a delicious spread from a local bakery on the island and Apparated up into the hills on the island and settled there for the morning.

She blushed now as she thought of how soppy they'd been. She'd fed Hermione morsels of delicious, flaky, croissants while she lay with her head in Minerva's lap. They'd continued talking about everything and nothing as well. Eventually they had made out, on top of their little picnic area for what had felt like hours. A warmth developed in her belly that had nothing to do with the fire they'd set in the hearth for the aesthetics.

"Here we are," Hermione said gently.

"Oh, sweetheart, I didn't realise you were -"

"It's only eggs on toast, Min," she chuckled. "I really am going to have to up my game."

"You are?" Minerva smiled. "And what about me? I am just as responsible for feeding you as you are, me? I have done so a total of zero times!"

"Well, I know I can make spaghetti and eggs and toast so if you have something different we might be able to avoid perishing at least."

Minerva chuckled and they ate in silence. It was so unlike she was used to, sitting with her plate on her knee but with Hermione smiling at her from beside her, she didn't have it in her to care.

It turned out she was ravenous and she waited for Hermione to finish before she took them to the sink and set them washing with a wave of her wand. She rejoined Hermione in the living room and was welcomed into the younger woman's arms.

"I think today has been a perfect day," Hermione mused as she let out Minerva hair and ran her hands through it.

"I quite agree," Minerva moaned as Hermione massaged her head. "I have not had such a day in many, many years."

"You realise this is life now," Hermione said. Minerva smiled softly as she heard the smoke in Hermione's voice. "Like, once this infernal war is over, this could be it. Every day."

"Don't tempt me, Leannan," Minerva chuckled. "Merlin knows I have plenty of unused holiday time."

"Ooh where are we going then?"

Minerva looked over her shoulder and realised she was right. This was her life now. There was never going to be a moment when something was too much bother for her to do herself. From now on, it would be we and us.

"Min?"

"I'm alright," she whispered. "I just realised I'm one half of a whole suddenly."

"You are undoubtedly that," Hermione muttered as she kissed her neck. The feeling of Hermione's lips on her skin made her heart flutter and her skin tingle. "Where are we going on holiday, then?"

"Oh," she chuckled. "You're asking?"

"Of course! Have you travelled?"

"Only a little," Minerva shrugged. "I have spent some time in France. A did a year in Belgium, actually, long, long ago." She lay back against her love and chuckled at how different the world was back then. "I imagine it is a very different place now."

"You speak French, don't you," Hermione groaned.

"Not in many, many years," Minerva chuckled. "But I could follow a conversation and I can read in French. Olympe Maxime wasn't as impressed as you, though, love "

"She's a pompous nutter anyway, isn't she?" Hermione giggled. Minerva knew she should disagree on principle but for once, she was as relaxed as she had ever been in another's company and chuckled, without overtly agreeing. "Enough about her though," Hermione insisted. "Do you mean to tell me that the love of my life can speak, what," Hermione grinned. "Four languages?"

Minerva returned that grin.

"Four and a bit," she chuckled. "English, French, Latin, Gaelic, of course, and I can speak some German."

"How are you this fucking sexy without even trying," Hermione groaned. Minerva laughed as Hermione started poking her sides.

"Darling," Minerva warned. "Don't -"

"Don't?" Hermione grinned. "No?"

"Hermione."

"Hmm?" she chuckled. She wiggled her fingers against Minerva's sides and laughed at the high-pitched squeal.

"Hermione!" She squealed as she laughed and tried to shimmy out of the way. "No!"

She did not tickle for long and Minerva leaned over her shoulder and kissed her in thanks. They stared at each other for a long time before Minerva came to a decision.

"Leannan?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm going to get ready for bed. Perhaps, in half an hour or so, you might join me?" Hermione froze and Minerva tangled their fingers together. "If you want to?" Minerva could feel the tension emanating from her love and sought to smooth it. "I am ready, if you are," she whispered.

"Are you certain?" Hermione whispered. "Because it's okay -"

Minerva rolled and kissed her deeply, but slowly and Hermione pulled away with a shuddering breath.

"Half an hour?"

"Yes," Minerva smiled.

Hermione nodded and Minerva got up. She didn't look back in case she lost her nerve so instead, she did what she set out to do and took a very quick shower and spent the rest of the time staring at herself in the mirror. She remembered everything that Amalle and Lucia had ever said to her and she remembered Hermione's gentle love from the moment they had become bound. She stood and stared into her own eyes.

Her body was not as beautiful as it could be, she knew that. She was not voluptuous like Poppy and not many people knew just how scarred she was. Hermione had seen all that and did not seem to mind, though. Quite often, she took great pains to tell her the opposite, but perhaps that was the curse of all women. To look at one's body and wish it were different. Hermione was young and taught and Minerva was very much not but she knew the only thing she had to do was to trust.

That, she could do.

Minerva let out a long, slow breath and pulled on her robe before she stepped out of the bathroom. She should not have been as shocked as she was that Hermione was sitting waiting for her, freshly showered as well.

"Cheater," Minerva chuckled.

"I didn't want anything to get in the way," she admitted. "If you are ready, I wanted to be ready too."

"Well," Minerva said from the doorway. "I suppose that if we begin and then decide that we would prefer to stop at any time?"

"Of course," Hermione muttered. She pulled at her sleeves and for the first time in a long time, Hermione looked young.

"Leannan," Minerva whispered. They stood, what felt like, oceans apart but Hermione still looked unsure. "Leannan, we can wait. You said to me, that we must both be ready and if, now that we've come to it, you are not, it's okay. Both that you are not ready AND that we can wait. You have waited for me for so long, I will wait for you as long as you need."

"It's not that," Hermione smiled sadly. "I just suddenly realised that I don't really know how to -" She made a face. "Please you? I guess."

"Oh mo gaol," Minerva whispered. She joined Hermione at the side of the bed and knelt at her feet. "Hermione, look at me. We are in this together. We will find out together. Alright? I am not going to lie and say that my -" She blushed deeply. "Sex life has been anything spectacular. Or anything even at all for a very long time. And I have never been with a woman, as you already know. So we are both entering into this from the beginning."

"Okay," Hermione finally smiled. "That's helpful, thank you."

"Good. Now, you get in and get comfortable, I'm going to get us some water, alright?"

Hermione nodded and Minerva spent a small moment in the kitchen collecting her thoughts. If what Amalle and Lucia had said, and indeed her own feelings on the matter, were concerned, this would change everything. She wasn't sure how she felt about being a pawn in some game of fate but she loved Hermione, with all that she had. In that, she was certain. It warmed her through and made her toes curl as she filled their glasses. She caught herself smiling gently in the reflection of the window and nodded to herself. If Hermione was ready, tonight they would become more than what they were before.