A/N:Liverpool are 0-1 at home and that makes for some tense moments, but as with life we will simply trust that all will be well by the time the next 45 minutes have finished. (We need to win this year... please please please let us win)
N.B. That went terribly. I mean. Terrible. We've all suddenly decided we can't play football anymore? What is this...So here's another chapter while this household mourns lol

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A whole day and night of love and care and affection passed before their rumbling stomachs and burning muscles forced them to stop. Minerva chuckled as she lay on the bed and watched Hermione stretch out her hamstrings. The wince, as she rolled her shoulder, caused her to sit up.

"That very well might be my fault," Minerva winced as she saw the raw wound on Hermione's shoulder where her teeth had broken the skin more than once. "Come here!" She accepted the kiss as Hermione bent so she could look at it. "That is quite something, sorry about that, love."

"I'm not," Hermione grinned. "You should see you!"

Minerva looked down at herself and saw the little bruises Hermione had dotted about her person and laughed. Hermione gripped her hips and pulled her between to the edge of the bed, where she straddled Minerva's thighs.

"You look so beautiful with my teeth all over you."

Minerva felt it under her warm gaze.

"You really are a hopeless romantic, do you know that?"

"I try," Hermione grinned at her. "I wear this wound proudly, knowing how it it got there."

Minerva laughed and let Hermione push her back onto the bed. She sighed as her stomach rumbled again and she groaned when Hermione created another little mark for her to feel for a few hours.

"It's one of the worst parts about this healing thing," Hermione grinned. "It doesn't last long enough to feel it for a few days."

A bark of laughter was all Minerva could manage as she looked down at Hermione's wild hair on her belly.

"Come on, Trouble," she sighed, pulling on a tight ringlet. "I need to eat before I can even think about showering."

Truth be told, she was beyond hungry and Hermione's stomach rumbled just as hard as they got up. She pulled on her robe, not even bothering to put actual clothes on, before she dragged Hermione into the kitchen and asked Feedle as much food as she could muster up. Thankfully, the elflings had been practising and in no time at all they were eating quietly with only hums of delight accompanying them. They ate ravenously for a long time before they both slowed down. It was Hermione that spoke first and she stared for a little while before she did so.

"So," Hermione said softly as they eased back. "I believe I owe you an apology."

Minerva swallowed her mouthful and frowned at her love. She cast her mind back over the last few days and then further as she tried to find a reason that Hermione might owe her an apology.

"I am at a loss, Leannan. What are you talking about?"

"Well, it's twofold," Hermione said thoughtfully. "One is an apology I owe you from me, another is one that has sort of inadvertently happened. And I didn't realise until now."

"Darling, I still have no idea what you are talking about."

"This is going to sound awful," Hermione chuckled. She rubbed her face and sat back. "I apologise for," she winced. "Inadvertently treating you like you couldn't do things." Minerva stared. "The irony is so awful I almost cannot bear it. I think it started as me trying to take the pressure off you, in deference to all you have done and do, every day. And then, suddenly it turned into "I need to do everything for everyone"." Minerva blinked. "And my second apology is for making you feel like you needed me to do things." Minerva was horrified as a tear rolled down Hermione's cheek and she got up quickly to kneel at Hermione's feet. "When the reality could not be further from the truth."

"Love, no!"

"No," Hermione smiled sadly. "I'm being serious. I'm so very sorry, Min. I really am."

"Please, stop this," Minerva soothed as she got up and knelt at Hermione's feet. "Please. I don't feel that, at all! I -" She sighed and thought about it for a moment. "I enjoy having you in my life. I enjoy sharing the load of leading with you. And I -"

"I cloistered you so hard that when you were faced with doing something that, a year, two years ago, you would have done without hesitation, you spent so long worried that you could not do it," Hermione whispered. She cupped Minerva's cheek and Minerva leaned into it sadly. "And when you did, you did it with so much aplomb you were home for dinner. I have fallen short in celebrating you, as the greatest witch I know, and I am so sorry for that, Minerva. I'm just like your -"

"STOP!" Minerva practically yelled. "No! My love," Minerva pleaded. "Mo leannan, listen to me." Hermione met her eyes. "Cha tug thu a-riamh orm a bhith a' faireachdainn nas ìsle. I have never felt that from you. You are nothing like my parents. You have given me everything and more; you have taken the pressure off me. You have allowed me time to come to terms with all," she chuckled. "All of this." She held Hermione's hands and they felt their bond settle their emotions. "It has not been easy on me, as we well know, and you have given me the grace to allow me to grow into this. You, who is so brave and so forthright, saw my hesitancy in the beginning and sought to give me as much room and time as you could." [You have never made me feel inferior.]

"I love you," Hermione said simply.

"Oh, my love, I know, Leannan. I feel it every single day and I am so so thankful for it."

"I saw your visit to Hogwarts," Hermione whispered. "Last night, while you slept. I saw what you said to Lucia."

"And that is okay," Minerva soothed. She glanced down at her knees on the stone floor and spent just a moment rejoicing in her much-renewed joints. "It is okay that there was a moment of doubt in my mind; this is new and I did not have you to back me up after so long being right there beside me."

"But I don't ever want you to feel like you need -"

"I will need you every second of our lives, mo ghaol." Hermione huffed in frustration but Minerva refused to give in. "Listen." Minerva sighed as she got up. She smirked to herself as she nudged Hermione's feet together and straddled her thighs. Hermione's hands were sure on her hips and she settled as her hands traced Hermione's features. "This. Is. New. This is all new. And there is no manual for what we are doing. It is right that I was unsure of myself; and it is right that I likely will not feel that again. Lucia's words helped me gain the perspective I needed after a little time of following where you lead."

"You are our First," Hermione whispered. "I may be, but you really are."

"Bidh thu leam gu bràth."

"And what does that mean," Hermione asked. Minerva watched the tension ease from her shoulders and she chuckled.

"You will be mine forever," Minerva whispered as she leaned down for a kiss.

They kissed softly until a little squeak, behind them, disturbed their solitude.

"Mistresses," Feedle winced. "Um, there's a wizards outside."

Minerva blinked and looked up. Hermione stood and took her with her, settling her on her feet as they both looked towards the back of the house.

"Oh," Hermione whispered. "It's -"

"Alec?"

Minerva transfigured both their robes into something a little more proper as they opened the back door.

"Aunty -"

"Alec! What is it?"

He fell to his knees and Minerva did not hesitate. She transformed into her Animagus and sprinted across the field behind their home and leapt to his aid before he could hit the floor. He was covered in blood and Minerva's brain immediately sprung into action.

"Her -"

"I'm going, be right back."

She lifted her beautiful nephew into her arms and raced him into the house as Hermione disappeared. Feedle had opened the doors to the spare room and hovered in the corner of the room while she stripped him down.

"Feedle -"

"I will bring everything," Feedle whispered.

In no time at all, nearly every surface was covered in potions and balms while Minerva tried to wake him.

"Alec, little love, can you hear me?"

"Aunty -"

"Baby, look at me." She tipped a pain-potion into his mouth. "What happened?"

"London, there's -" He coughed and winced. "Snatchers."

"What?"

"Snatchers. In Diagon Alley."

"What are -" She shook her head. "Okay, what happened?"

"Duelled them. Didn't know who I was, I stepped in to protect -" He gasped. "They tried to take them -"

"It's okay, my little love, they can't follow you here. Where does it hurt?"

"Everywhere," he groaned. "The potion helped. Mum's going to kill me."

"Oh, darling what a mess," Minerva breathed out as she rested her head on his. "I thought we were losing you. Are you with me? Can you tell me where you're hurt?"

"Pretty sure I might have splinched myself? I was in a rush and they were firing and -"

"I'm going to roll you, okay?"

He nodded even as he winced. He had as well. The back of his calf was down to the bone and she winced at the look of it.

"What else?"

"Dunno," he coughed. "I wasn't even -"

"It's alright, little love. Just breathe. Mum will be here in just a tick." As she stroked his hair off his forehead, she felt her hands get warm and she nearly smacked herself silly as she realised. "I'm an dolt," she chuckled. "Roll back, let me look at your leg."

He did so and she watched on, almost out of her body, as her hands caught fire and she reached over above his wound.

"Take a deep breath, love. This will probably hurt."

He clutched the pillow to his face as she let her body take over. Her hands covered as much of the damage as possible and he arched with a cry.

"Easy," she whispered. "Easy, little love, Aunty has you."

She heard the crash of the door and footsteps running but she didn't move. Hermione pulled Poppy back at the last minute as she raced into the room and the look on her face chilled Minerva's blood.

"Easy," Hermione soothed. "Let her finish what she's doing while you do what you need to. Don't interrupt her for now."

"That is my -"

"I know," Hermione said again, her arms like bands around Poppy's middle. "I need you to be calm. They both need your calm."

She got a look that would melt the flesh off anyone else but Minerva saw Hermione's resolve as well. They settled into an impasse and Hermione let go.

"Alec, my baby. Talk to me?"

He couldn't, but Minerva couldn't explain either.

He's splinched. There's probably a bit of spell damage somewhere as well. There were, she shrugged in her mind. Snatchers? Whatever they are. He was in London.

"He has some spell damage, probably, and Min is fixing the splinching."

Poppy looked up angrily, but Hermione held her ground until Poppy got to work. She was relieved Poppy was here, she could feel herself beginning to shake as the healing went on and on.

"Easy, mo ghaol," Hermione whispered as she knelt down behind her. "This is our Alec and we will not let this go."

Minerva's resolve strengthened as Hermione's hands traced her arms and joined with hers over his leg.

"Ahh!" He almost yelled. Poppy was casting left and right, summoning potions into both hands until Minerva felt it turn, somehow.

"There we go," Hermione soothed her. "It's closing, it's going to be okay."

With a ripple and Minerva's last bit of strength, Alec's leg wound seemed to knit together with only a faint line where it had finished. Minerva collapsed and it was only Hermione's solid body behind her that stopped her from hitting the floor.

"How is he?" she managed as they looked up at Poppy.

"Going to be okay," Poppy managed as her casting slowed. Hermione kissed her neck and stood.

"What can I do?"

Poppy glared at her for just a moment.

"I need to see his front."

Hermione helped him turn and Poppy banished his shirt as well. There was some wicked bruising and there was a momentary pause before she passed Hermione some bruise paste.

"Well, this isn't weird at all," Alec managed as Hermione sat on the bed.

Despite her exhaustion, Minerva chuckled as she found the strength to get to her feet and sit on the bed. She held onto his foot as his mother read over the results of her cast and Hermione soothed the pain on his ribs.

"Fine," Poppy declared finally. "Nothing lasting."

"Tell that to my ribs," he chuckled as Hermione finished what she was doing.

"Alec, I -"

"It's okay Mum. Aunty saved me most of the pain. I couldn't think, I just needed to get somewhere safe."

"You came to the right place," Minerva said gently. "You did so well, little love."

"You haven't called me that in so long!" he grinned as he looked down at her.

"You haven't been little for such a long time," she chuckled as she tucked his legs under the blankets.

"Sorry about Mum," he grinned up at Hermione. "She gets a bit -"

"Alec," Minerva said gently, but firmly.

Poppy was staring down at him like she couldn't believe anything she was seeing and as Minerva gathered the strength to stand, Hermione shook her head at her and stepped around the bed.

"Come here," Hermione whispered. Poppy sagged as Hermione took her into her arms and Minerva's rather impressive hearing heard the quiet sobs as well.

Alec looked between them in a panic.

"Mum, I didn't -"

"It's okay," Minerva smiled as she squeezed his foot. "Just give her a moment."

Alec watched on as Hermione rocked them gently until Poppy nodded and stepped back while she wiped her eyes.

"Alec Robert Pomfrey, I swear to Merlin, if you ever -"

"Come here Mum," he chuckled as he sat up. "I really am okay. I'm fine."

Minerva reached for Hermione, who helped her to her feet. They left them in the spare room to recover from the shock. Hermione wrapped her arms around Minerva once they were outside and for a long time they simply stood in each other's comfort.

"It's hard having a big family," Hermione chuckled as she pulled away. "You have to worry about so many people."

"Darling, I -"

A Patronus took that moment to appear before them and Hermione frowned as she looked at it.

"It's Filius'," Minerva gasped. "Go."

"POPPY!" Hermione yelled as they ran through the house, summoning their cloaks and wands as they did so. "HOGWARTS."

They didn't wait for her. Instead, Hermione reached for Minerva as her wand flew into her hand and she managed a deep breath before her lover stepped forward and they left the house in a flash of flame.