A/N: My darlings... I have a problem. This is the last pre-written chapter I have and I'm going to have to write more! Luckily I'm not working this weekend so I *should* be able to do that. But please bear with me.
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When Minerva opened her eyes, she frowned, despite there being nothing she could find to frown about. She recalled so much pain in her dreams and realised the absence of it now she was awake and looked up at her young lover. Hermione was so peaceful in sleep and sometimes Minerva envied that. Other times, Minerva was more pragmatic and knew that the coming war was just one of many things Hermione would need to deal with that would likely leave scars they could not see.
Her body was so tired, she didn't bother to move from Hermione's chest. It was a comfort to simply lay still and not have that pain within her. She frowned deeper at the total lack of it; the last time she had had such an attack she had lingering aches for a week.
"Hey," Hermione mumbled. Her hand was in Minerva's hair and she stroked her fingers gently over her scalp. That didn't hurt either and Minerva looked up at her critically.
"What did you do?"
"Dunno," Hermione shrugged. "You were asleep on my chest and my hands did the thing."
"The thing? Hermione -"
"Ooh, you've called me Hermione more times in the last week than you ever have," she chuckled. "I must really be annoying you."
Minerva bit down on Hermione's ribs ineffectually and smiled when the younger woman laughed.
"Leannan," she said instead. "What happened?"
"Just as I said," Hermione explained. "You woke up screaming bloody murder at some point last night and then again a second time and I couldn't take you being in pain any more. You slept on my chest for a while, sitting up, until my body started to get restless. Apparently it really can heal you, it just needs a bit more stamina."
Minerva snorted and blushed as her thoughts ran away from her.
"You are in no need of stamina, my love." Hermione laughed. "Though yes, perhaps a little more in your magic would be useful."
"Between Bellatrix and the travelling and healing you right after I woke up, I think we both needed the rest." Hermione hesitantly reached out, but Minerva caught her hand and pressed it to her cheek. "Do you feel better?"
"Much," Minerva nodded. "My hands are tight and I am truly exhausted, but I no longer have the spasms and the skin pain."
"It really must be awful, I am sorry you have to deal with that."
"Let us hope the next one is not for many years."
"If you feel it coming back, tell me, okay? We'll figure something out." Hermione's stomach rumbled. "Bother," she chuckled.
"I am reminded that we really need food here, or perhaps go back to Hogwarts. I am sorry, Leannan, but I do not have it in me to cook."
"Who said you had to do all the cooking? I was only teasing before," Hermione chuckled. "It's okay, love," Hermione smiled. "I'll think of something."
"You are always one step ahead."
"Not always, but I try," Hermione laughed. "I had a lot of time to think last night. I think we will stay another day here, then once we see to Mrs Malfoy and I want to drop in on Albus as well, we will take a week here and get settled. Not what we had in mind, of course, but I think between my run in with Bellatrix and your last few days, worrying about me, then this? We need that." Honestly, it sounded heavenly and Hermione caught her thinking that when she did. "I know," she said softly. "I think we've earned a holiday, don't you?"
"What about Albus? The children?" Hermione snorted at the wording, which made Minerva hide her face in Hermione's chest. "I just meant -"
"I know," Hermione soothed. "I think we can trust them not to go and burn it all down in a week, right?"
"Merlin, I don't know. We were gone a week last time and look what happened!" Minerva sighed. Her exhaustion was making her brain foggy. "And quite honestly, Leannan, right now I cannot bring myself to care."
"I know," Hermione muttered. "Don't worry. You're going to stay in bed and I'm going to go and get some groceries. It's only been 4 years since I last went inside a supermarket. I'm sure it will be fine."
Minerva chuckled and leant tiredly on Hermione's sternum. The thought of her leaving to go out into the world alone left a cold feeling in her stomach.
"It's going to be okay."
"I do not like the idea of you going alone, but I know I do not have it in me to help."
"Where do Elves get their food from?"
"They order it," Minerva explained. "Then then receive and store it." She yawned and had to hide her face as it lingered.
"Gabh do chadal, mo ghaol."
"Using my words against me," Minerva muttered. "I love you like fire, Leannan."
Hermione rolled them over and Minerva grumbled as she pulled away and tucked her in.
"You'll grumble more if you're already asleep and I try to go."
"Be careful," she muttered, fighting with herself to stay awake. "Please Leannan, be -" She yawned again.
"I will. I love you."
Minerva mumbled, but couldn't enunciate any love and dropped off to sleep surrounded by her lover.
-0-
As Minerva settled in sleep, Hermione slipped from the bed. She pulled on some clothes and spent a few minutes in the kitchen cataloguing everything they had.
It really wasn't much and what was worse, she wasn't sure what to do with it once they had it. Her mother had been a decent cook but her father had been great at it. Neither of them had ever taught her more than just the basics and now she was with Minerva, she felt the absence of this knowledge keenly.
She wanted to be able to care for Minerva in the small moments, as well as the large. She wanted to make Minerva something to eat when she was hungry.
She turned her nose up as she realised.
She wanted to provide.
"Amalle doesn't much like that feeling either," Lucia smiled as she appeared.
"Hey!" Hermione squeaked. She reached out tentatively and sighed when Lucia, who was very much tangible, pulled her into her arms.
"Easy, we're here."
"Amalle too?"
"They were not sure you would be open to another visit after your last so they elected to stay."
"I was angry at the time, it felt like they were pressuring her."
"I did make them see that," Lucia chuckled. "You are both incredibly intelligent but sometimes, you are as subtle as a malleus."
"I don't quite know what that means, but I take the meaning," Hermione chuckled. "Min is sleeping. Can you appear for both of us? I've noticed, after we sent Amalle away, you don't really do that."
"We can," Lucia shrugged. "As far as I know. You usually need me more urgently than she does."
Hermione leaned against the woman, so alike Minerva in looks but not at all in other moments.
"You are tired," Lucia muttered. "You need rest."
"Min was tortured," Hermione whispered. "When she was just a bit older than me. She remembered, and saw the memory and because we are bonded, so did I." Lucia sighed. "It was -" she sighed. "Confronting."
"Ah," she nodded. "The sharing of memories is always difficult. It would be so, especially, when one party has so many memories."
"She's scared again, but in a different way."
"She is allowed to be, she has been through so much, for one so young."
Hermione chuckled sadly and smiled at Lucia's attempt at levity.
"I know she is, but I'm not upset about seeing. That part fascinates me, I guess maybe I'm just nosey. I want to see her whole life but more than that, I just want her to be happy. But you should tell her that she's young next time she's feeling maudlin about her age. Although that seems to be on the backburner considering the rest of this stuff we have to deal with." She sighed. "I need to go and get some food, I need to -"
"Breathe," Lucia smiled softly as she pulled Hermione back into her arms. "Minerva is happy, any blind fool can see that. Being uncomfortable with sharing your memories is quite normal, but will ease in time. Despite the love you have for each other you are still brand new at this." Hermione acknowledged that with a sigh. "Now," she said as she clapped her hands. "I do not know much of what goes on here, but your Castle will provide for you, if you ask it."
"What?"
"The same magic that feeds you there can feed you here, if you ask it."
"But this is a muggle -" She winced. "This isn't a magical house. The elves feed us there and -"
"You're in this non-magical house, aren't you?"
"But -"
"Come," Lucia said gently, pulling Hermione to the table. "Place your hands here."
"No, but you don't -"
"Hermione?" she said softly. "Listen to me, you are an extension of our home. Not the other way around. Our magic is sentient and loyal, no matter what magic has been placed there since."
Hermione blinked at her.
"Wait, what?"
"Here," Lucia chuckled. "Stubborn as a mule." She leaned over Hermione's back and placed their joined hands on the table. "Now, feel your magic. Your base magic, the part of you that is the same as us."
Hermione took a deep breath and tried to find that feeling. The one that appeared just before something insane happened. Like a warmth, almost, at the back of her brain.
"Just like that, little one," Lucia whispered. "Look at your hands."
Hermione did so and found they were glowing with a subtlety that was not usual.
"Like Hogwarts," Hermione muttered.
"Yes," Lucia smiled as she nuzzled Hermione's cheek. "Just like that. Now ask it for what you want."
"What do I want?"
"An extension of the tables that serve the students that reside there."
"But -"
Lucia gave her a look and Hermione rolled her eyes. She thought about it and asked, feeling rather stupid doing so, for exactly as Lucia had said. The table shimmered beneath her hands and then went back to being exactly the same.
"Now ask them for some breakfast."
"I don't want a House Elf," Hermione almost whined. She sounded petulant, even to her own ears.
"Elves have served our kind for centuries. We did not create them," Lucia interrupted before Hermione could air her thoughts. "Whatever Wizards have done to corrupt that bond now, in my time, they chose to serve us - and we appreciate their service though they ask for nothing but protection in turn."
"Can I ask for anything?"
"I don't know," Lucia smiled. "I only know that you can ask."
Hermione swallowed and felt rather foolish again as she stood in front of their dining room table and clenched her hands together in front of her.
"May I please have two boiled eggs and some toast?"
She nearly added on another please, but in that moment the exact thing she ordered shimmered onto the table and she stared at it.
"I don't understand any of this."
"I know," Lucia chuckled. "But it will be less of a bother to you in time. Now you can stay at home and care for your love for the time being."
"She was in so much pain. We fought, I mean, we -"
"I have been keeping an eye on you," Lucia smiled. "I know."
She suddenly realised something.
"Wait, was that you? And the stunner?"
"Yes, I believe so," Lucia blushed. "Though I did not mean to, nor do I know how I did it. I stopped the spell as it hit you and it seemed to bounce away. Honestly it was more of a reflex than a conscious decision."
"I think you used my magic," Hermione blinked. "Poppy said I was exhausted, technically, not figuratively. I bet that had something to do with it."
"You did a lot," Lucia chuckled. "I am not surprised. Stepping through time like you did, through all those wards? That was something magnificent."
"It felt like nothing," Hermione whispered.
"That is why you are the First."
Hermione nodded and looked to the hallway.
"She was in so much pain and my hands healed her."
"Yes," Lucia nodded.
"Can they," she frowned. "Is there anything that cannot heal?"
"Our world is not of your world,"Lucia said as she ran her hand over Hermione's hair. "The magic in our time is different; elemental, almost. I do not know that anyone ever needed to test the theory."
"Min healed me too."
"A result of your bonding."
"Would I be able to do the same healing on someone else?"
"It would be different," Lucia said quietly. "What do you feel when you heal your young love?"
Hermione snorted.
"Love," she said simply. "I didn't have enough energy when I first woke up, I started with her hands but it only really eased it. Once she was in a full blown thing and I had rested, then it took over. But all I felt was how much I loved her."
"It will be different on other people, then," Lucia nodded. "It may be less effective or less powerful."
"I pretty much passed out afterwards."
"Yes." Lucia nodded. "Healing requires all of your power at that moment."
Hermione sighed and ate her breakfast. She had no idea what time it was or what day it was or anything but her eggs on toast were just the thing to feel a bit normal. In the end, though she was glad not to have to go to the supermarket on her own, she knew they might have to anyway. They would run out of tea eventually and that would be a disaster.
"Life is quite full, isn't it," Lucia said with a smile.
"I don't know where to start. We've been so busy and we're so tired. We rescued Draco's Mum and got a million new questions. She and her family are descendents of one of your people," Hermione smiled tightly. "As a unit, they weren't good people."
"You are making them better," Lucia said gently. "All peoples have the capacity to choose good."
"What do you do with those who choose to do the opposite?"
"Who do -"
"Albus. I want to believe he's a good man, but he is making choices that endanger Harry." A wave of anger filled her until Lucia took her hand. "Sorry," Hermione muttered. "He is -"
Lucia hummed and sat back.
"The time may come that you will need to take action."
"He's the most powerful wizard in our world."
"No, little dragon. He is not," she chuckled. "You are."
"I think, in part, he is smarting from that." Lucia hummed again but let her talk. "Which would be fine. I can deal with bruised egos and pouting boys but if he continues to try and get at Harry -"
"Someone who endangers your family cannot be part of your family."
"I'm not sure we're ready for that."
"In time," she sighed. "You may have to be."
"You need to go," Hermione said gently. "You're tired."
"Yes."
Lucia got up and pulled Hermione into her arms. She pressed a long kiss to the crown of her head and stepped back.
"Now your immediate issue has been taken care of, go and love Minerva for a while. She will appreciate the opportunity."
"You both secretly love cuddles, don't you?"
Lucia grinned cheekily and tapped Hermione's nose.
"Stay safe, dear one. We will try and come back soon."
"Tell Amalle I am not angry with them anymore." Lucia snorted and nodded.
"We will return."
Hermione watched her fade from view and sighed. Her plan had been derailed but it wasn't a total loss. They would go out together and figure out what they needed together and to be honest, she liked that plan better.
She shuffled back into the bedroom and stripped off before sliding under the covers with her love. Minerva didn't even wake as her body naturally gravitated to Hermione. Once she was settled and wrapped around Minerva's back, Hermione closed her eyes and went to sleep.
