A/N: My god, this writing thing is a slog! There's always so much of it to do and no time! So I'm so so sorry that this is so late but I'm glad I could get it to you at least. Special shout out to my friend who was having a rough day and was waiting for this. Sorry you had to wait so long, love.
I dunno what happened here, we were going somewhere then they decided they weren't lol Enjoy!
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Having a full seven days of nothing but each other was something Minerva could not have fathomed before now.
In fact, on the fifth day, as she lounged on the sofa reading with her bare feet propped up in Hermione's lap, she could not even recall the last time she took a day off to do something similar. She always seemed so busy. Hermione squeezed her foot and massaged the arch absently while she read and Minerva lay back with a sigh.
"I do love those noises you make," Hermione mused as she turned the page of her own book. "Makes me feel more powerful than anything in these."
They were slowly making their way through the books that Narcissa had liberated from Malfoy Manor. It was slow going; they were so very very dry. So far, most of them seemed to be about the Malfoy line.
"Oh," Hermione muttered. "Here's a thought."
Minerva looked up as Hermione marked the page with her finger.
"Hmm?" She indulged her love as she got lost in thought.
"Sorry," she laughed. "When we were healing Narcissa, did you feel anything out of the ordinary?"
Minerva thought back.
"Not that I recall? In what way?"
"So when we were healing her, I am well versed in the feeling by now; I sort of zone out a little; it does its own thing, if that makes sense. Except something changed and when I looked, Narcissa's eyes glowed as we healed her. I assumed it was because of her Draconvir ancestry."
Minerva shrugged, finding that explanation as simple as any.
"Well she doesn't have one, does she. It's Malfoy, not Black?"
Minerva felt her eyes go wide as she realised.
"Oh," she nodded. "No, you are correct!"
"I sometimes am," Hermione chuckled.
Minerva dug her toes into Hermione's side and made her giggle. Hermione caught her foot and shimmied her fingers up Minerva's leg where she could reach and Minerva, now, was the one to laugh.
"You should perhaps make sure none of your ticklish spots are in reach before attempting that again, my love?"
"Perhaps I am willing to pay that price for a chance to make you laugh?"
Hermione smiled and dropped the book on the coffee table. Minerva mirrored her actions and did not bat an eyelid when sure hands spread her legs and Hermione settled between them.
"So bold," she teased.
"You love it," Hermione muttered against her throat.
Minerva pushed back Hermione's hair and pressed a long kiss to her forehead before they settled against each other in the quiet.
"Why do you think Narcissa's eyes did that?"
"I don't know," Minerva said honestly. "She could be part Malfoy although I recall that her family were quite enamoured with the match as he wasn't part of the family." She sighed again and Hermione snuggled under her chin. "Most of us are related somewhere."
"Us?"
"My mother's family was not one of the 28 but we are old, as it were."
"Ooh, I bet they're all rolling," Hermione chuckled. "That you should sully yourself with such a -"
"Don't," Minerva said sternly. "Do not darken my mood."
Minerva closed her eyes and willed her memories of childhood to stay where she'd put them. Far, far away.
"Sorry, love," Hermione whispered. "I was only teasing."
"I know," Minerva muttered. She tightened her arms around her young lover and sighed against her hair.
"What do you think comes next?" Hermione asked.
"Honestly?" Minerva offered as she pushed her fingers beneath the collar of Hermione's shirt. "I'm unsure. We need to make sure we are as prepared as we can be, the Ministry takeover will happen soon, so we need to make sure we are protected from that. We need to have dinner with Poppy."
"Oh, I had forgotten! We said Friday, didn't we? That's tomorrow?"
"Yes," Minerva sighed. "Though I am loath to see the end of this week of rest, the real world beckons."
"Remember what I told you?"
Minerva looked at her. She could recall many things but she wasn't sure which bit specifically she was supposed to recall.
One day soon, you and I will have this life forever. We will live slowly, travel, and experience new things daily. Not so far away, my love, we will do this forever.
"I cannot wait to spend forever with you," Minerva said gently. Hermione smiled as she felt the honesty that Minerva gave her.
"Seeing as Poppy is due over for dinner tomorrow," Hermione muttered. She leaned up on her arms and kissed Minerva softly. "Perhaps I might interest you in an early night?"
Minerva's mouth went dry as she saw the fire in her lover. They had done as Hermione requested and spent a day in London looking at - she blushed even thinking about it - accessories.
Hermione laughed as she caught her thoughts. Minerva deflected by kissing her and Hermione no longer cared whether Minerva was still embarrassed about their rather interesting new collection of toys.
"Come on," Hermione said against her lips. "Come and play with me."
"Will you be upset with me if I do not want -" Minerva hesitated. "That?"
"Of course not," Hermione muttered as she slid her hand under the hem of Minerva's shirt. "Do you just want something soft and gentle today?"
Minerva felt very juvenile when she shrugged.
"Come on," Hermione whispered. "Let's go and see what happens? Unless?" Hermione eyed her critically. "You don't want to?"
"No," Minerva said, before she panicked and immediately almost shouted yes. "I mean -"
"Calm down," Hermione smiled. "Maybe we can do something else."
Minerva caught a glimpse of something that whipped through Hermione's mind so far she couldn't quite grasp it.
"Ah," Hermione grinned. "I'm going to try and surprise you."
Minerva rolled her eyes affectionately.
"That there are any surprises left for us to experience is only down to your brilliance, Leannan."
"Well, hopefully you'll enjoy my brilliance in a moment."
Minerva watched as Hermione stood, by now one of her favourite pastimes. As ever, having not bothered to even attempt to hide her thoughts, Minerva was caught and Hermione smiled at her so beautifully, Minerva couldn't help but fall in love all over again.
"We are disgustingly romantic," Hermione giggled.
"I'm glad you've included yourself in that this time. I am quite tired of bearing that moniker myself."
Hermione laughed freely and Minerva wondered if they could just stay here forever.
"Soon, mo gaol," Hermione soothed. "As soon as we kick this arsehole's butt."
Minerva, now, was the one who could not help but laugh. She tangled their fingers together and banished the empty tea mugs back to the kitchen. Hermione pulled her through the house and waved her hand towards the windows, turning them opaque.
"Allow me to undress you?"
Minerva's breath still caught when Hermione's hand slipped beneath her shirt again and she felt Hermione's smile on the back of her neck.
"Long may it be so," she whispered.
Minerva confirmed her answer nonverbally and Hermione started removing her clothes. She did not linger, but nor did she rush. As each new section of skin was uncovered, Minerva would feel a kiss against her spine or the back of her knee. The inside of her wrist.
A cheeky bite to her arse.
She was still laughing as Hermione gently pushed her towards the bed. She lay back, not sure why her mind did not seem to be in the correct moment but Hermione, as usual, remained unphased.
"Roll," she soothed as Minerva started worrying why her brain was fighting making love.
She started to speak but Hermione pressed their lips together instead.
"It's okay," she whispered as they parted. "Trust me. I'm not in it for the sex, Min. It's lovely and I love making love with you, but that's not the only way to be intimate with you. I'm in this because I love you. Tha gaol agam ort."
Minerva couldn't quite stop the tear that rolled down her cheek as she thought of all the times she wished someone had listened to what she hadn't said. And then growled because her mind took her back in time to where she did not want to go.
"Easy," Hermione whispered as her gentle hands manoeuvred her on the bed.
She was so lost in thought, she didn't realise she was face down until Hermione's hand slid into her hair. She moaned a little as Hermione's bare body came to rest on her back.
"You must never feel as though you cannot think whatever you think," Hermione whispered between soft kisses over her freckled, scarred shoulders. Minerva thought it rather easy to say but less simple to achieve. "Well," Hermione chuckled, in response to Minerva's petulant thought. "Perhaps I will simply help you forget for a while."
Minerva turned her head as Hermione sat up with her thighs either side of Minerva's arse and muttered the summoning spell. Minerva frowned as a dark green bottle flew into Hermione's hand.
"I loved shopping with you," Hermione said gently. "Because while you were dithering near the nipple clamps, I was choosing a massage oil."
Minerva groaned in embarrassment and hid her face in the covers. She had been dithering. The sheer volume of sex-related paraphernalia was overwhelming. In fact, she laughed into the duvet at the memory, she'd turned around and walked back out when they'd first arrived. It was only Hermione's tight grip on her hand that had prevented her from doing so.
"I'm glad you were able to trust me enough to at least think what you wanted."
"You do so enjoy teasing me, don't you," Minerva muttered as she finally turned her head again. It really was difficult to breathe through all that bedding.
"I do," Hermione chuckled. "Now, I want you to take a deep breath and then let it out really slowly. Because I want to take care of you and I think this will help."
Minerva did as she was asked and as she let it out, something warm touched her back. She shifted just a little until she realised what it was. Hermione's strong hands rubbed from the small of her back, up to her shoulders and drew with it what she realised was some sort of lotion or oil.
"Coconut massage oil," Hermione whispered as she leaned against Minerva's back and heard the deep pop of a few bones letting go of their tension.
Minerva groaned in supplication and smiled at Hermione's soft thoughts of love while she worked out which parts Minerva preferred to those she did not.
"Ooh, you are so beautiful," Hermione whispered as she moved from low to high, working out all the kinks that had ended up being carried in her back. By the time she sat back, Minerva's heart had slowed and her breath was even. She propped her head up on her hand as Hermione slid off her and watched as her lover lay beside her with her own head on her forearm.
A tiny feeling flickered in the back of Hermione's brain and Minerva was startled by it.
"I -" She shook her head and looked back.
"You don't have to do anything if you don't want to? I could? Or we could -" Hermione shrugged. "I dunno."
"No, I mean," Minerva took a deep breath and felt the time and love Hermione had put into her and made her decision. "You should, if you want to. Don't let an old fuddy-duddy like me cramp your style."
"You are so silly," Hermione laughed as she rolled over and kissed her. Minerva couldn't help but appreciate the two breasts against her and the way Hermione's leg draped over her hip.
They kissed without limit. Minerva found the hesitation she had had earlier was no longer quite as present but as visions from Hermione's brain overwhelmed her own, Minerva's grip tightened on Hermione's thigh.
"Help me?" Hermione said quietly.
Minerva nodded and Hermione summoned over the bag they had only unpacked to clean and check everything over. Minerva had promised to order a small chest for it all that could live in the bottom of their wardrobe. For now, though, Hermione seemed to have one in mind.
"Do you think you might want to join in?" Hermione asked, almost breathlessly.
"I do not know," Minerva answered honestly, though Hermione did not need the verbal answer, it seemed she appreciated it nonetheless. Hermione kissed her in thanks.
"If you do, just join in, okay?" Hermione said quietly. "Don't wait."
"I shall endeavour to remember," Minerva muttered.
Hermione smiled that beautiful smile at her and lay back. Minerva, conscious of the oil still on her back, leaned up on her hand and watched as Hermione looked over and apologised in her head before she closed her eyes. Despite it not being a regular occurrence in her life (and despite her embarrassment of things she really should get over) Minerva was not a complete novice. She may not have done this to herself for a very long time, but she had, at one point.
Never with someone's eyes on her though.
She tried not to think about anything other than the pristine vista of Hermione's naked body before her. Hermione grinned, even with her eyes closed and Minerva realised that her mind would play a part of this, regardless of her agreement to join in or not.
"Sorry, Leannan," she said unnecessarily. "I will try to stay where you need me."
"It's fine," Hermione whispered. "I have enough of an imagination to drown you out."
"The cheek of the woman," Minerva muttered as she allowed herself to roll forward and sink her teeth into Hermione's shoulder.
Hermione chuckled and Minerva's breath caught as Hermione's hand started travelling over her flat stomach and up towards her breasts. She watched, wide-eyed and no longer worried about the thoughts in her head as all of them were overtaken with the most sensual display of love she'd ever seen.
"Min," Hermione whispered as she pulled on parts of herself.
Minerva felt the word in her stomach and shuffled a little closer as she noticed Hermione's other hand travelling towards her centre.
"I'm not going to last long," she hissed.
Minerva held her breath as something caught her attention and she blushed as she heard Hermione's arousal between her fingers.
"Oh my god," she whispered. "Min, you -"
A memory of one of their visions from the beginning popped into Hermione's head and she keened. Minerva caught one of her legs as she spread them wide and ran her hand up and down her damp thigh.
"Help me," Hermione whispered. "Please."
Between the visions in their heads and Hermione's scent and the sounds overtaking her consciousness, Minerva did not even hesitate. She leaned over and wrapped her lips around Hermione's nipple and slid her hand straight up her thigh and to her soaked centre. Their fingers rubbed against each other as she realised she was desperate for Hermione to cum under her power and sucked deeper as she slipped her fingers inside.
"Oh," Hermione arched. "Min!"
She did not allow too much hesitation and it really didn't take long for Hermione to scream. She moaned around Hermione's breast and held still as she came down. She did not stop for long. Hermione muttered that same summoning charm and the toy she had decided on joined them on the bed.
"Darling, that's -"
"Hush," Hermione muttered. "I want this."
Minerva nodded, having seen the truth in the litany of visions in Hermione's mind and watched as she widened herself again and pressed the toy against her.
"Oh," Hermione whispered. "Okay."
"Sure?"
"Yep," she nodded. "This doesn't feel very sexy?"
"That's because you're not watching you," Minerva muttered, only half intending to speak the words out loud. "I can tell you, it rather is."
"Well then," Hermione muttered. "I suppose I shall help myself along a little."
Minerva jumped as a noise disturbed them and her eyebrows arched as she realised what had happened.
"I did not realise -"
"Oh shit, Min?"
"I'm here, love."
"Min."
"Hermione -"
"Oh FUCK!"
The way Hermione threw her head back and squealed made Minerva's whole body shiver. She glanced down and realised that she hadn't even managed to use it properly and decided that she might like to see how far Hermione's arousal could take her.
She picked up the toy, feeling it in her hand and pressed it against Hermione again.
"MIN!"
"I have you, love," she soothed as she shifted it away and pressed it inside a little.
"Fuck, can you -"
"What?"
"Turn it off for a minute."
"How?"
There was a bit of a hesitation as Hermione struggled to move her hands where they needed to be. Minerva realised where she was trying to get to and pressed it, only to find it started a different rhythm.
"Bloody hell," Hermione laughed. "Keep pressing it until it stops, hell."
Minerva did as she was told and they laughed as it finally fell silent. She paused and looked at Hermione's wild hair and bright eyes.
"Alright?"
"Yes, keep going."
"I don't want to -"
"Min," Hermione muttered. Minerva chuckled when she realised that her fears were unfounded. Hermione was so wet, she was already covered in it. "Will you fuck me please?"
Minerva shuddered against and pressed the toy in slowly but without any more hesitation. Hermione groaned and Minerva froze. It took a moment for them to figure out what the right depth and rhythm was, but as she started listening to Hermione's body as well as her mind, Hermione's thighs shook as Minerva knelt between her thighs.
"Is this what you want, Leannan?"
"Yes," Hermione whispered. "This is -" She groaned. "Amazing."
Minerva heard the little plea in the back of her mind and pressed the button on the base. Hermione jerked violently and Minerva lost all semblance of reservation. She leaned over her and pressed her hand against Hermione's shoulder and pinned her to the bed. Her thighs pressed Hermione wide and she slid the toy in and out until she watched Hermione's eyes roll in her head.
"Mine," she growled, without really even meaning to.
Hermione's scream was so loud, Minerva winced as she kept moving and before long, she'd tumbled into another and just when she thought Hermione might need to stop, Hermione's mind demanded she didn't. The small anxiety that was building in the wake of such pleasure made Minerva ease down on top of her and kiss her gently.
"Come for me, Leannan. Come in my hands."
She shook and convulsed and the movement made Minerva need to adjust and as she did, Hermione wrapped around her tightly and fell dead silent. She froze and it was only as Minerva realised Hermione was in the throes of a massive orgasm that she, herself, came without even a touch.
They twitched and rocked together. Hermione trembled against her as Minerva pulled the toy free and managed to turn it off. She pulled Hermione tighter into her body and lay panting bedside her until Hermione could form a thought, let alone a sentence.
"I need to buy Poppy a case of whatever she drinks," she muttered. "That was incredible."
"It was rather, wasn't it," Minerva laughed, relieved.
"Oh god," Hermione breathed, curling around Minerva's chest. "Did you come without me even -"
"Um," Minerva swallowed. "Yes. I did."
"Definitely doing that again,then," Hermione muttered. "Wake me up again okay?" Hermione whispered. "I want to go again but I'm not sure I can feel my toes. Hold me."
"I love you, Leannnan. That was -" She had no words, but Hermione didn't seem to need them. She hummed and let out a long, hot breath against Minerva's chest and fell asleep.
Minerva was not too far behind.
