A/N: My darlings, what are we doing here. Are we throwing cannon out of the window and proceeding? Are we skirting the line of cannon while we figure out how to win? I just do not know. For now, however, we shall simply enjoy it.

-0-

Hermione woke suddenly as she felt Minerva come to bed.

"Wha'sgoin'on?"

"Nothing, Leannan, keep sleeping."

"Are you alright?" Hermione muttered as she tried not to wake up totally. "I think your sadness woke me?"

"Then I am doubly sorry," Minerva muttered as she settled in and rolled. She pushed back into Hermione's body with a sigh. "I really did not want to wake you."

"S'ok," Hermione muttered as she wrapped around Minerva's body as the woman wanted her to. "Wha'sup?"

"I went to visit Albus."

"Ah," Hermione nodded as she woke up properly. "Did it not go well?"

"It didn't go badly," Minerva muttered. "We spoke honestly and I left him with plenty to consider. I am just sad that we had to speak as such."

"Perhaps I can take your mind off it," Hermione muttered quietly. Her fingers walked over Minerva's hip but Minerva's hand trapped it where it was.

"Would you be terribly upset -"

"Babe," Hermione muttered affectionately. Minerva snorted and wiggled her hips against Hermione's. Hermione kissed Minerva's fingers and wrapped her arms around her and pulled her close. "Come 'ere."

She nuzzled Minerva's shoulder and kissed the soft skin there. She tucked Minerva's body under her and pressed her hand against Minerva's stomach and breathed out over her.

"That's better," she mumbled. "Missed you."

"Sleep, lover," Hermione breathed. "I've got you."

Minerva pulled Hermione's arms tighter around her and breathed out a sigh.

"I love you, Hermione," she whispered. "Until we are space dust and magic."

"I love you, beautiful," Hermione smiled.

Minerva fell right to sleep, and left Hermione to her thoughts. Her fingers traced absent patterns on the skin of Minerva's stomach until she realised she was keeping her lover from sleeping fully. She entwined their fingers and let her thoughts drift as she watched over her love while she slept.

Minerva's sadness was not her own. She loved Albus because she loved Minerva and her love for the old man was deep. Her own sadness was more that she had given him chance after chance to simply trust her and he could not seem to even do that. It bothered her more than she was willing to admit. She sighed again as Minerva did and sought to calm her thoughts.

She pondered other things - the upcoming mission, Draco, Remus and Severus' barely-there feelings for Mrs Malfoy. She wondered at Molly's turnaround and Sirius and everyone they knew that was now a part of this. It filled her head with such turmoil that Minerva muttered in her sleep and whined as she felt it.

Hermione changed tact and purposefully thought about their time away. She allowed the memories of those days to play in her head and felt Minerva wake properly.

"Well now I'm definitely awake," Minerva husked as her fingers tightened around Hermione's.

"I didn't mean to wake you," Hermione muttered as her thumb began tracing patterns again. "I was just trying to think happier thoughts."

"Bloody menace," Minerva groaned. "How am I supposed to sleep with all that pulsing through you?"

She pressed Hermione's hand against her and pushed it down her body.

"Are you ready to go right now?"

"I'm tired," Minerva muttered sleepily. "But if you're offering, this feeling is irresistible." Her breath caught as Hermione slid her fingers beneath her underwear without preamble. She used what space she had, wrapped around Minerva's back, to build her lover up, just so she could break her. "Fuck," Minerva hissed as Hermione slid her fingers either side of her clit. "Herm -"

"Tell me what you need, lover? How can I repay you for your kindness."

"Just you," she breathed out shakily. Hermione did as she asked, roaming over her clit gently until Minerva shook her head. "Leannan, I need, more -"

"Come 'ere," Hermione muttered. She rolled off her and grinned at Minerva's whine. "It's okay, lover, I'm not going far. We just need a bit more room for what I have in mind."

She gripped Minerva's hips and lifted them off the bed. Minerva's face was pressed into the pillows but the groan reverberated through Hermione's soul at the position Hermione put her in. She banished their clothing, draped herself over Minerva's back and slid her fingers inside. Minerva arched and Hermione's hips jerked against her will.

"Fuck you are so sexy," Hermione hissed as she sped up. "Can you believe we get to do this? I get to fuck you whenever I like? Take you however I want?" Minerva squealed and moved in counterpart to Hermione's thrusts. "Can you imagine when it's your turn to take me like this and -"

"FUCK!"

Minerva's entire body clenched and she flattened on the bed with Hermione's hand trapped between her thighs. Her muscles spasmed, emanating from where Hermione's fingers were wedged inside her, between her strong thighs. Hermione grinned as she pulsed her fingers inside to keep it rolling.

"Hermione!" Minerva squeaked and fell into another one.

Hermione reached between her own legs and pressed against her clit, which only made Minerva wail again and they rocked through their aftershocks together. When Minerva calmed and then relaxed, Hermione withdrew. She settled atop Minerva and pressed her lips against her skin, holding them there and waiting for their minds to calm.

"I -"

Minerva shook her head and Hermione realised that she needed a moment. She kissed the salty skin beneath her and slid from the bed, detouring to the bathroom to wet a cloth and fill a glass of water.

"Here," she said softly. "Let me care for you."

Minerva had rolled and was staring up at the ceiling blankly, but Hermione did not force her to speak. She wiped the sweat from her face and pressed her hair back. Her hand was sure under Minerva's head as she lifted her head so she could drink and then she trailed the cooling cloth down her lover's body. When she was done, she deposited it into the bath and rejoined her lover.

There were tears rolling down her face and into her hair.

"You don't have to speak," Hermione whispered. "But are you alright?"

Minerva nodded and rolled over. She tucked herself into Hermione's arms and pressed her face into her neck.

"Happy tears?" she asked. Minerva wasn't sure so Hermione stopped trying and ran her fingers through the long hair she adored and whispered her love against the cooling skin of Minerva's forehead.

"Overwhelmed," she finally whispered.

"That's okay. I'm right here."

She wasn't sure how long they lay there, lost in their thoughts until Minerva cleared her throat.

"I have never felt so much at one time. I have never had someone so deep in my mind."

"It's confronting, no doubt. I didn't mean to -"

"Don't you dare apologise," Minerva muttered. "I have never felt as feral as that. Never. I wanted so much more than you gave and could not even begin to elucidate what that meant."

"We should do it more often, then," Hermione teased. "To get you used to the feelings so you can tell me what you want." Minerva pinched her side and yawned as Hermione giggled. "Seriously though," Hermione said gently. "When you can speak on it, I want you to try and tell me." She kissed Minerva's closed eyelids. "I want you to tell me everything that you might want from me."

"Darling," Minerva muttered. "I am not a young woman, I fear I would have a heart attack."

Hermione chuckled and bit down on her shoulder.

"I would never allow it," Hermione soothed. "But I will absolutely do whatever it is you want and need to make sure you're -" She walked her fingers up Minerva's chest and rubbed her thumb over her nipple. "Fulfilled."

"Bloody hell," Minerva chuckled as she buried her face in Hermione's neck and yawned. "I will pay for this tomorrow and the following morning we must be up early. But, Hermione, I didn't -" She buried her face back in Hermione's shoulder. "I mean, you didn't, did you? This time -"

"Oh I totally did," Hermione chuckled. Minerva blinked sleepily up at her. "Sleep now, beautiful," Hermione whispered. "We'll be ready, I am not worried. We will rest tomorrow so that we are prepared to give whatever we need for the mission."

"Stay with me?" Minerva whispered as she breathed a deep sigh.

"Until we are nothing but space dust and magic," Hermione whispered.

-0-

Minerva paced in front of the doors to Hogwarts as they waited for the arrival of Draco, Kingsley and Moody. The plan was relatively simple - they would send Draco inside the wards, get him to cancel or alter them and then waltz into the Manor as they were invited. They would retrieve the Lady Malfoy and the books she'd managed to conceal, and be on their way before anyone was the wiser.

Hermione was well aware that even under the best of circumstances, the chances of them getting in and out undetected were slim.

"Where are they," Minerva growled.

"They're coming," Hermione soothed. "Breathe, lover."

Minerva glared at her and Hermione chuckled at her nervousness.

"Are you always this on edge when you go on missions?"

"Yes," she muttered. "I prefer just to go, instead of this incessant waiting."

"They aren't supposed to arrive for another five minutes, calm down." Minerva took a deep breath. And then another. "That's better," Hermione nodded. "Now come and sit with me in the sun."

Minerva grumbled, but did as she was told, sliding between Hermione's thighs on the steps and taking in the sun's rays. Their fingers tangled together and for just the briefest of moments, Hermione felt Minerva relax. And then the two pops of Apparition sounded and she was up again. Hermione smiled after her as she rushed down the path to the East Gate to let them in. She quizzed them all to confirm their identity and finally they were ready.

"Are you fine to take Draco?" she asked Kingsley.

"O' course," he nodded. "We'll get 'im d'ere in one piece."

Hermione smiled in thanks and waited while the three of them stepped back outside the gates and left before she turned to Minerva.

"Listen to me," she said quietly, before they followed. "Nothing happens to you on this mission. Nothing, do you hear me?" Minerva stared at her with a look of incredulity on her face.

"To me, yeh say?" she drawled. "I coul' say the same about you, lassy. "

"Then do so, but be careful, alright?"

"I promise you," Minerva whispered as their lips met. "That I will be as careful as I can."

Hermione took it for what it was worth and settled into Minerva's arms so she could take them to the meeting spot.

"God," Hermione heaved as she landed. The Apparition was bad but the stench of darkness was pungent. She threw up her breakfast and only Minerva's iron will prevented her from doing the same.

"I know," Minerva muttered as she rubbed Hermione's back. "I know."

"Right," Hermione groaned as she stood. She freshened up and wiped her mouth. "Draco, you're up. Get us in as quickly as you can, alright?"

He nodded and they made their way to the little garden wall that surrounded the immediate grounds of the house. They watched him disappear inside the wards and they waited for his signal.

They waited.

And they waited.

Hermione's hand slid into Minerva's as they watched for any movement; the barest hint of it. None was forthcoming and Hermione swallowed around the lump in her throat.

"Steady," Moody growled. "He's a smart lad, he'll get us in."

Hermione smiled that it was Moody who was keeping them calm and turned back to the dark structure that they all knew was there but couldn't quite see for the magic obscuring it.

She was just about to get properly worried when Draco reappeared.

"They've changed the wards," he muttered. "So I had an idea." He stood tall and offered his hand to Hermione.

"I Draco Lucius Malfoy, Lord of this House, welcome you, Hermione Granger, to Malfoy Manor. Sanctimonia Cor Vincet Semper."

Minerva made a noise of astonishment as Draco took Hermione's hand and bent over it. Hermione felt something in her magic and her wings stretched out.

"Draco," Minerva said urgently. "You misspoke -"

"I know," he grinned, looking childlike in his glee. "I'm pretty sure it worked, though." He glanced at Hermione. "Right?"

Hermione blinked and shrugged. "I think so." She nodded to her wings. "Something definitely happened. What does it mean?" She looked up and took a step back. "Whoa," she breathed. "Yep, that worked."

"Our family motto is 'purity will always conquer'," Draco muttered. "Despite how I acted, I never liked that and I certainly don't want to swear you all in over it. My best friend isn't even a pure blood. So," He grinned. "I tweaked it a bit."

"What did you change it to?" Hermione blinked.

"Draco, I have so many questions," Minerva chuckled. "As usual, however, your Slytherin ingenuity won out. He said 'purity of heart will always conquer'."

Hermione grinned.

"Yeah yeah," he blushed, even in the dawn light. "Come on, we need to get inside."

Hermione had just had that thought as she vanished her wings and drew her wand. She stood at the ready while Draco formally welcomed everyone else to the Manor.

"I don't imagine they'll be awake," he muttered. "But we're going to need as much luck as we can get."

Finally able to enter they slipped inside the gates. Draco led them through the grounds towards a little summer house that they would use as their staging point.

"Everybody know their task?" She asked as they looked at the map. She turned to Kingsley and Moody. "The minute you feel weird about anything, get out. Okay?"

"We'll not be leavin' yeh behind," Kingsley said steadily. "We'll do what'n we have to and then come back here. And if we need to, we'll come to yeh."

"If I say go, then you need to do so," Hermione insisted. They all looked at her and she hardened her gaze until they all nodded.

"But -" Minerva's hand on Moody's arm stopped him from arguing and he rolled her eyes. "Fine, on your guard, Malfoy. Constant vigilance."

Hermione grinned at Draco.

"Ok, ready?" She looked at the other two, reserving a long look of love for Minerva. They all took a deep breath and refocused on the mission. "Let's go."