A/N: The problem with writing a mammoth story with no Spin is that I forget things lol Chapter 112 had Hermione meeting Will for the first time, except they'd already met back in chapter 60-something, so I had to use the limited time I had on Wednesday to fix that. I've basically written this during the time I could find at work and between constructing a new chest of drawers. Hopefully it isn't too choppy.
Also, thank you all for making sure I knew you were still here. It helped immensely xx
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Minerva glanced over the few people remaining in front of the fire. The boys, the three of them, were playing gobstones half-heartedly and Ginny was watching from the sofa. Her easy smile as she looked up reminded Minerva of her plan. She nodded for Ginny to join her and linked arms with her when she stepped beside her.
"You are moving out of that room and into the one next door," she said softly. "It's not that I don't trust you all, it's that I am first and foremost still your teacher and secondly, your mother is now here and I do not want to give her any excuse at all to take her worries out on any of you."
Ginny laughed and leaned against her as they came to a stop in front of the room in the corner.
"I figured," she laughed. "It's okay. Harry and I aren't doing anything though, like -" of all the Weasley clan, Ginny seemed to blush the least, but she did now and Minerva smiled.
"As your Head of House, I am incredibly glad to hear it even though, as your friend, I realise that is a little hypocritical of me."
"What you and Hermione have is very, very different, Min," Ginny said quietly. "The boys are boys, you know? But I know the difference. And we know how much trust you've all put into all of us. We're not going to mess it up."
"Oh, darling," Minerva whispered as she kissed the flaming red hair. "I know. Minerva pulled her into her arms and they rocked together for a little while before Minerva grinned at her and opened the door. Inside was a rather large room with a shared bathroom and two separate rooms. "Do you mind sharing with Hestia?"
"Not at all," she grinned as she realised what she was seeing. "Thanks Min."
"You're welcome, darling."
They stood looking for a little while before Minerva chuckled and waved her wand. The wall behind the bed turned a beautiful deep green with gold stripes. Ginny laughed hard and leaned against Minerva's side.
"I knew you were funny," Ginny teased.
"You could do worse, love."
"Do you really think I could? The Harpies are -" She scoffed. "Special."
"A lot less special in recent years," Minerva shrugged. "You are a fabulous chaser. As someone who did not get to explore that, I think you should consider it at the very least. You would not lose anything if you chose to try out and did not get in. But if you did -"
Ginny's eyes lit up and Minerva adjusted the wall to be a little less on the nose and wrapped her arm back around Ginny's shoulders as they went back to the fire.
"She seems sad."
Minerva didn't have to think to realise who she was talking about.
"I think she is, love," Minerva sighed. "I think she thought she could save everyone."
"There's quite a while before two, Min. Go and be with her."
"I am," Minerva soothed. "I wanted to tell you before your mother started. You alright though? All of you?"
"Yeah, it's weird though, ya know? Hogwarts is ours and now everyone's here."
"I absolutely understand and agree," Minerva chuckled conspiratorially. "Which is why I didn't move you out of your rooms and into your family's. So enjoy it. You are, all of you, welcome in our rooms as well and once term goes back you will be upstairs."
"Love ya, Min. Thank you."
"Love you too, sweetheart," Minerva chuckled. "Keep an eye on Narcissa, okay? She's doing better but if she needs something -"
"We got it, don't worry. Snape isn't all that bad now he's doing the gooey eyes thing "
"Ginny!" Minerva laughed and smiled proudly at her truly keeping an eye on things. "You are so special, thank you, darling."
Minerva left her to it and waved to the boys as she slipped into their room. Hermione was laying on the bed, looking up at the ceiling with glassy eyes. Minerva didn't speak, she unbuttoned her robes and let down her hair and knelt beside her love on the bed.
"Tha e àbhaisteach a bhith a' caoineadh, mo gaol." [It's normal to cry, my love.]
"He shouldn't have died," Hermione muttered as she wiped her eyes.
"That he did is not your fault, nor your doing. Listen to me, Leannan, nothing you did or didn't do could have prevented it. They were caught unawares and attacked without mercy. He did what any of us would have done and protected who he could."
"I -"
"Will you listen to me when I say that it is important that you listen to your own words, Leannan?"
"I know you think -"
"No," Minerva said softly as she settled beside Hermione's middle and traced the scars on her chest. "I need you to understand it. You will not save everyone, my love. I know you want to, but even you cannot cheat Death when he comes for us. We will save a lot of people, more than we would have had we not embarked on this journey, but I do not doubt that Dedalus will not be last. And none of it will be your fault, anymore than it will be mine. No matter how deeply it wounds us."
"I -"
The tears started and Minerva flicked her hair over her shoulder and lay down beside her. She pulled her close and in a trick she'd learned from Hermione herself, pulled her love beneath her body.
"I love you, Leannan. But do not take this on as yours to carry. We will mourn him, and then as he would wish, we will defeat this arsehole and all his minions."
"I feel terrible," Hermione muttered between sobs.
"Why, love?"
"Because of all of them, I knew him the least and I am almost glad that it wasn't someone else."
"I know," Minerva whispered as her own thoughts were put into words. "It's okay."
"Is it though?" Hermione sniffed. "These people are supposed to be our family."
"Hermione," Minerva whispered as she cupped red cheeks. "Breathe, my love. It's okay. Everything you are feeling is normal and okay. What do you always tell me? Let our bond handle it, okay? So let me take it from you for a while."
"I feel like I need to feel it," she sobbed. "Like it's my -"
"Self-flagellation never works, sweetheart. Take it from someone who knows. Let me take it." Hermione shuddered and tightened her arms around Minerva whilst Minerva pressed endless kisses to her hair and face. Hermione's tears wet her lips, but she didn't stop until she felt a shift within themselves and Hermione finally sighed. "I love you, Leannan. It's going to be alright."
"Why do you think it does that?" Hermione asked quietly. She was exhausted, but Minerva knew they really didn't have the luxury of being so and knew, almost immediately, that that was the answer.
"Because we cannot be all that we need to be while we are so emotional. When we should be wailing in the halls, we do not have the luxury of doing so. When we are tired, our bond gives us energy and strength. It explains Amalle's almost apathetic nature?"
"Perhaps," Hermione nodded as she considered it. "That's a good point, I never really thought about it."
"I do have them occasionally," Minerva chuckled. Hermione pinched her side gently. "Now, do you want me to tell you where I put everyone, or is that neither here nor there for you?"
"I am not bothered as long as they're happy."
"I believe they are. Molly and Arthur are in a place on their own. I did not put their children with them." Hermione snorted. "But there is also a Hospital Wing and what look like shops, I suppose, for storing robes and potions ingredients and the like. Some good spaces I feel."
"Good," Hermione muttered as she pressed her face into Minerva's neck. "Tell me something that isn't to do with anything? Just for a little while?"
Minerva considered it for a while before she grinned.
"What colour flowers do you want at our wedding?"
She felt Hermione's smile but more than that, she felt the happy feeling in her stomach grow.
"I don't actually know," she said softly. "I don't know a lot about flowers and while it seems silly, the ones I do know about aren't really wedding-type flowers."
"Who said they had to be any special type?" Minerva smiled at the thought as well. "This is our wedding, Leannan. What is your favourite?"
"I don't know many," Hermione muttered. "But I have always liked sunflowers." Minerva's mind supplied her with an image of Hermione standing in a field of them and she glanced down at her love. "Oh, now I want to find a field full of sunflowers just so you can see that in real life," Hermione muttered. "If it brings you that much joy, I need to find that for you."
Minerva chuckled.
"I often think your eyes are like sunflowers, Leannan. So I think they are a rather apt flower to celebrate our love."
"How about we get married in a forest somewhere, under the trees, with the sun shining through? Oh," she laughed. "Barefoot with daisies wound in our hair."
Minerva blinked at the beautiful vision that conjured.
"Leannan," Minerva muttered with a grin. "It's like you can read my mind."
Hermione laughed and scooted back just a little to look at Minerva properly. Her fingers traced Minerva's features before she kissed her.
"I love you, Minerva McGonagall. Don't you ever forget that you are the one who holds my heart."
"My darling, your love gives me strength every single day. I could never forget that."
Hermione smiled and held Minerva's cheek while they kissed. Despite what felt like a lifetime of fighting her love, kissing Hermione was glorious. She was so soft and so sensual that Minerva rather forgot herself as her hands got lost beneath Hermione's clothes, tracing soft skin with abandon. She didn't feel too bad, however, as she felt Hermione's hands slide between the buttons of her shirt and cup her breast.
The knock startled them and when the door opened and Ginny's head popped round the edge, Hermione giggled and pressed her face into Minerva's chest.
"Come on, you love birds. Lunch is getting cold. Get your hands out of her shirt, Hermione, and come and eat."
Luckily, Ginny really was a good Chaser and ducked back out of the room as two identical stinging hexes flew at the wall beside the door. Hermione laughed even as she blushed and Minerva chuckled along with her as they looked at each other.
"I suppose I should do as I'm told," Hermione muttered, taking an extra moment to run her thumb over the soft skin of Minerva's belly before withdrawing.
"She gave me no such instructions," Minerva grinned. She pushed Hermione back and straddled her middle as she looked down at her.
"Tha gaol agam ort mar teine, mo Leannan." Hermione breathed out quietly as Minerva pushed up her shirt and kissed her stomach. "I love you so much, I do not even have the words to speak it."
"I know," Hermione whispered as she ran her hands through Minerva's hair. "I know."
"I suppose we must join them."
"Are you going to leave your hair out and give them an eyeful?"
Minerva grinned evilly and got up.
"Would it bother you if I did?"
"I want to see whether Severus blushes."
Minerva laughed and was still chuckling as they exited the room, hand in hand and the whole table turned to look at them.
"Damn, Aunty," Alec groaned.
They laughed as they took their seats. Minerva made a noise of amazement as Hermione flicked her fingers and Minerva's hair plaited itself.
"Where did you learn that?"
"In a book," she shrugged.
Lucia mentioned once that their magic was elemental, almost. It made me realise that I could perhaps perform magic with only intent rather than specific instructions.
And you tried it on my hair?
Hermione laughed and Minerva smiled as she leaned down over her shoulders.
"I practised on myself first."
"I could have lost yours as well?"
"So silly," Hermione grinned.
Minerva accepted the kiss on the cheek and ignored the stares from a few of the others while she filled up her plate. She would not feel shame. Not anymore. She was done with the themes of her old life. It was time to be reborn.
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After everyone was fed and sitting quietly at the table, Hermione looked at Albus.
"Do you want to say something?"
He nodded and stood. He looked down at the beautiful table for a moment and then up at the rest of them.
"Dedalus Diggle was a loyal member of the Order of the Phoenix since its inception all those years ago. He was a stalwart defender of the innocent and though he lost his life, he did in pursuit of peace and in defence of someone he considered friend." Hestia took a shuddering breath and smiled when Hermione caught her eye. "If we are in agreement, I have looked and found no family, I thought we might lay him to rest on the other side of the Lake, overlooking the castle."
"He'd like that," Hestia said quietly.
Hermione nodded her agreement and Albus took his seat.
"Anyone else?"
Quite a few people shook their heads and Hermione sighed. Minerva's fingers tangled in hers and her worry ebbed.
"Alright," she nodded. "Here's the thing. I'm going to put everything I can on the table and then we will discuss what we can. Some of it will be up to others to discuss -" She met Severus' eyes, knowing that Draco could only give them so much, and then Narcissa as well. Narcissa smiled and her arm moved under the table and Severus' shoulders dropped just slightly and he faltered and turned to her. They looked at each other for a long while before he looked back and nodded. "Good, thank you."
They discussed everything that hadn't been discussed yet. Severus filled in the gaps and Narcissa as well. They outlined their ideas for a communication system and Albus had some good ideas for that as well. By the time Hermione sat back, she felt so much better about everything.
"Before you all go," Minerva said over the busy din. "At this stage, after the year I have had, I am quite looking forward to a summer holiday. The Castle will cater to you here in the Chamber but, and I mean this in the nicest way possible, I do not want to see you above ground." There was a rather amused chuckle from the majority, but Hermione could see the sense in it. The last thing they wanted was for all and sundry wandering about the Castle and grounds. "To that end, please view the Castle as an endpoint. If things turn bad, beyond what they are right now, then of course you are welcome. If you are openly attacked, then you will always have a home at Hogwarts." She paused and Hermione grinned as Minerva worked out how to say what she wanted. "But for now, please don't stay."
Hermione, Harry and the Twins all laughed, which soothed any prickly feelings and Hermione got up and wrapped her arm around Minerva's middle.
"Right," she chuckled. "Let's split into teams and work on communication. Al? What do you need?"
"I think only Poppy for the moment," he said gently.
Hermione nodded as Poppy nodded and they walked back to the room Dedalus was in. The chairs scraping heralded the rest of them moving and Hermione focussed back on her love. She followed Minerva over to where Severus and Narcissa were talking quietly and interrupted softly.
"Will you help them?" Hermione asked softly. "We would like to speak to Narcissa."
He turned and checked with her, but the woman chuckled.
"Go on," she muttered. "We must help; they have given us so much freedom."
"Then I shall," Severus muttered. Hermione smiled as he picked up Narcissa's hand and kissed her wrist before going over to join Filius and Kingsley at the table, pouring over a piece of parchment.
"He is a good man," Narcissa muttered as she watched him.
"I have been telling him so for a very long time," Minerva chuckled. "Can we have a moment of your time, Narcissa. It is about your heritage."
"My -" She glanced between them, but Hermione didn't budge. They had agreed separately and then together that they might want a few more answers about Narcissa's history and her possible Draconvir ancestry. "Certainly. Will you join me?"
"Absolutely," Hermione nodded.
Her hand settled on Minerva's lower back and she felt Minerva lean into her as they waited for Narcissa to grant them entry.
You okay?
I am feeling out of sorts. But I think it is simply that everything is up in the air. And I am tired, mo gaol. So very tired.
We'll have to have another holiday, Hermione grinned at her as the door opened again.
Don't tempt me, lover. I shall take you up on it.
"Won't you come in."
"Thank you," Hermione smiled.
Narcissa had added a small sitting area and she motioned to the area now. Hermione and Minerva sat apart and after a moment where Narcissa leaned on the back of her chair, she sat with a sigh.
"Would you like to take my hand," Hermione asked.
"It is alright."
"I was recently told that self-flagellation is something that does not work," Hermione grinned as she looked over at Minerva. "Perhaps I might tell you the same thing?"
Narcissa looked at Minerva for a long time.
"You do not understand -"
"Oh, my dear, I absolutely do," she said quietly. "What happened in your family is not your fault. What happened to your sister is not your fault. I am sure, if Severus were in here, he would agree with me." Hermione watched a single tear roll down Narcissa's cheek. "However," Minerva said, even softer. "I also know that at night when my love is asleep, in the scant moments I have to myself, that all my decisions for all of my life present themselves for my perusal and more than one of them causes me to feel like my decision resulted in me losing someone I loved. So I understand." Minerva leaned forward and took Narcissa's hand herself. There was a long moment where both women held their breath and then Hermione felt Minerva's body relax, even though they were not touching. "I really do. This is not your burden to carry, dear heart. Let it go."
"It is always easier to say, and agree, than it is to do."
"She knows that," Hermione chuckled. "It's the same conversation we have weekly."
"One so young should not be so wise," Narcissa smiled as she squeezed Minerva's hand and pulled away. "But I am thankful that you are."
Hermione nodded her thanks and after she made sure Minerva was alright, she sat back as well.
"Shall I just -"
"Please," Narcissa nodded.
"We would like you to work on our lineage with us."
"I beg -"
"When we healed you," Hermione continued. "Your eyes glowed, rather like ours do. And yet, Draco's did not. That, I could perhaps understand as we were fighting tooth and nail to get him out from You-Know-Who's thumb, but you, Narcissa, have Draconvir in you."
"I -" Narcissa blinked. "I do not think that is possible?"
"No? There is no relation to Malfoy at all? Did they check?"
"You know they do," Narcissa nodded. "They draw from all the Annals. They looked at every juncture. It is why they allowed it."
"Well," Minerva groaned. "We do not know how to account for it, then. Would Andromeda know?"
"Probably not," Narcissa shrugged. "She left long before any of that could happen. Rabastan was only a discussion when she escaped."
"That is a term I have not heard you use."
"I have a clarity I have not ever had," Narcissa chuckled. "Thanks to you both."
"We are happy to give it," Hermione nodded. "I suppose we shall search elsewhere for some Draconvir then. Did you happen to read the books you procured for us?"
"I did not."
"Perhaps you might?" Hermione asked. "Draco is quiet proud of the woman and scholar you are, I might like to hear what you think of it all."
"I concur with Draco," Minerva chuckled. "You have always been a brilliant mind."
"Then I shall, thank you."
Minerva stood and Hermione followed, but not without first squeezing Narcissa's hand.
"I'll send the ones we've finished round. Take your time, though. I imagine it's going to be a moment before we know even a sliver of concrete information."
"Thank you." She bowed her head. "Not only for saving my son and my -" She swallowed but Hermione smiled at her without change. "Lover. But for giving them peace. They are both good men and I am so glad that they will have the opportunity to prove that."
"As am I, my dear," Minerva muttered. Hermione's heart broke as an image of Minerva's youngest brother flashed through her mind. "As am I."
