A/N: One hundred and forty, huh. Who'd have thunk it. I'm quite proud of where we've got to loves. I think it's pretty epic. In other news, let us not discuss the Euros, okay? We'll just pretend that it's not happening. At least, the English version of it. Anyhoo, I hope you are all continuing to enjoy it. I have a little somethingsomething else that I'm trying to get polished to post this week so keep an eye out for that. Sometimes I just don't want to look at this cos the pressure of getting it perfect is HEAVY. But hey ho. Let's try, either way. Love to you all!

-0-

The landing was rough, Minerva would readily admit, but she couldn't bring herself to be upset. Having only ever experienced this form of travel with Hermione directing it, she was rather pleased with herself when they landed on the mountaintop where they had met the dragon, what felt like aeons ago.

The power that was consuming Hermione seemed to throb and the younger woman spun around with a glare. Minerva swallowed her fear but didn't miss the handful of fire Hermione had. It shone blue in the dark haze that blocked out the afternoon sun and Minerva slid her feet back and pulled her wand into her hand. She wasn't afraid, but she wasn't an idiot either.

"My Hermione wouldn't look at me like that." She decided just to try everything. "My Hermione wouldn't dare." Hermione's face contorted into a sneer. "You cannot have her. She is in there somewhere and you will not take her from me."

Another moment of clarity showed in Hermione's face and Minerva had to physically stop herself from moving towards her.

"Leannan?"

"Mmmm-" she hummed, as if she was in pain. "So -" Hermione's voice wobbled as she tried to speak. "Much power!"

Minerva contemplated how foolish she might feel in the clarity of time and decided she didn't care. She took a step forward and stood toe to toe with her love. She ran her hand over Hermione's face.

"It is not good power, my love. It has never been a good power. He is a snake; you know this. He has sought to destroy everything we have stood for. Everything we have worked to fix, he will tear asunder and my darling?" Minerva took a deep breath and cupped her cheek, wishing for clearer eyes and a clearer head. "My darling, we cannot let him win. You will not be taken from me."

There was a noise, just a faint echo of something as Minerva held her. A roar, from an actual dragon split the sky and Minerva clung harder to her love as they were surrounded.

EVIL

Not her, Minerva sought to explain as she turned and did her best to protect Hermione from their anger and simultaneously not allow the woman to turn her attention on her either. Not her. The item in her hand. It is evil. It is part of someone who is evil; the same man that seeks to destroy us all and enslave you.

There was a great wave of something that began with the dragon they had found first. It was part growl and part hum. So low that Minerva couldn't really hear it, as much as she could feel it. It echoed in her chest and took the breath from her, but in that moment she didn't care too much how it felt. She only cared that, for a moment, Hermione's eyes cleared.

"Min?"

"You have to destroy the Horcrux, my darling. No good can come from something so evil. Let it go, love."

The feeling intensified as the cloudiness struggled to fill Hermione's eyes again but this time, she could see her love fight it.

"Min!"

"I am right here, love. Keep fighting."

Minerva was desperate to help in any way she could but she had to stand and watch. It was the most useless she'd ever felt.

Hermione groaned in pain and Minerva cupped her cheek.

"This will kill us," Minerva said softly as she realised. "This will kill all that we love. Let it go, Leannan. Let it go and let's go home."

Hermione stared at her, and her eyes cleared again. She blinked and looked down at her hand, as though she had never seen it before. Minerva could see her trembling and she wrapped both her arms around the straining forearm of her lover.

"I can't -" Hermione winced. "I can't let go."

"Then let's let go together."

"No, I mean." Hermione dropped to her knees with a squeal. Her wings whipped out like a shot and she screamed into the air. "It won't let me -"

Minerva blinked as the big dragon stepped up to her and nuzzled her middle. With her big head, the dragon pushed her back and folded her into her wing.

Must stay. Dragons will aid.

Minerva was still looking around as the rumbling intensified and then, suddenly, roaring hot beams of fire engulfed her love and made her disappear before her eyes.

"HERMIONE!"

Wait.

She struggled against the big creature but it would not be moved. Minerva drew her wand, but the dragon still did not move as a great hissing sound began to scream against the flame.

"NO!" Minerva sobbed. "NO!"

It built and built and built. In her bones, the noise echoed until there was a burst of nothing. It hit them all so hard in the chest that the dragons took a step back and Minerva was knocked into the legs of the one that was preventing her from joining Hermione in her death.

The absence of everything was stark and Minerva was trembling when she stood. She wiped the tears from her eyes and looked at where her love had made her last stand and blinked. She wiped her eyes again and blinked some more.

Hermione was kneeling on the smoking grass. Her hair was smoking but intact but her clothes had fallen to ash around her.

Most importantly, she was there.

Her scars were shining as brightly as the midday sun around them. A flash of memory, from when they had been playing with each other's bodies and Minerva had pressed on them and made a ripple in the dark. The golden streak bestowed to her by Lucia and Amalle made Minerva squint as the light gleamed off it, but she was there. Hermione was right there, in all her naked glory.

"Mac na galla," Minerva hissed.

She vaulted over the dragon's outstretched foot and ran to her love.

"Hermione!"

Hermione blinked and looked up at her as she skidded to a halt on her knees before her love.

"Min?"

"Are you -" Minerva twisted her this way and that. "Are you alright? Are you hurt?"

"No," Hermione whispered. "No, I think I'm okay."

Minerva rubbed at whatever was tickling her chin and her hand came away wet and she realised she was crying.

"I was so -" She sobbed finally and wrapped herself around Hermione's body. "I can't believe it. I thought you were dead."

Hermione's strong arms went around her and Minerva sobbed, even harder, into Hermione's shoulder.

"Dragons are born of fire, Min." It sounded so simple that Minerva looked up and smacked her shoulder. "Ow," she chuckled.

"You ass! I thought you were being killed before my very eyes!"

"I burned for you before, remember?" Minerva swallowed at the determination reflected in Hermione's eyes. "Now I've burned for everyone else. Fire can't kill me." She got to her feet and Minerva pulled off her robes and slipped them around Hermione's shoulders. She smiled in appreciation and kissed her softly. "Like I would ever leave you, anyway. Not even death could take me away from you, you realise that, right?"

Minerva snorted and laughed as they kissed again before Hermione turned to the dragons. They seemed to be watching on with interest as Hermione stepped up to the one that had started it all and pressed her hand against its nose.

"Thank you," Hermione whispered. "I am indebted to you."

You are not ever in our debt. We know what you did for our brother. You are ours, as we are yours. Minerva made a noise of surprise, but she didn't dwell on it. We will come to your aid when you call. The majority took off but she stayed and nuzzled their middles again. You are born of dragon, strange one. We look after our kin.

The last of them took off and Minerva looked down at her young love in awe.

"You are so -" She sighed as the last of the terror left her. "Fucking cavalier." Hermione laughed and picked Minerva up and turned her around in a circle. "Put me down! I want to tell you off."

"How about you get me off, first."

Minerva's laughter echoed in their minds as Hermione Apparated them away and back to Hogwarts.

-0-

They arrived outside the gates, but Minerva stopped her before she could enter.

"You are in nought but your skin," she chuckled as she did her best to alter the robes to at least go around Hermione's body. "Let's get changed and then we can regroup?"

"Will you go and make sure they all got home?"

"I will do you one better," Lucia said from the, now, open gate.

They turned and both gasped at the woman. She'd cut off the majority of her hair and now sported a close-cut, short style that framed her face impeccably.

"Oh my god! That looks amazing!"

Minerva stared at her as her memories overwhelmed her. It was only when Hermione touched her hand that she snapped herself out of it.

"I'm sorry, you -" She blinked and then laughed, though it sounded more like a sob. "You look just like my grandmother."

"I didn't make another error, did I?"

Minerva considered it and then smiled.

"No," she chuckled as she wrapped her arms around Lucia and sighed against her shoulder. "No, my grandmother was so very dear to me and you should wear your hair as you like." She leaned back and smiled as she took it in properly. "It suits you so well."

"She's probably going to have to give you a list of hairstyles that are off limits," Hermione joked.

She did it so gently, and so normally, that even Minerva laughed. She met Hermione's eyes for just a moment and was immediately grateful when Hermione took her hand in hers and kissed the back of it.

"What did you say before we realised you cut off all your hair?" Hermione asked absently.

"They are all home safe."

Hermione seemed to sag and Minerva was quick to put her arm around her love and hold her up. Hermione sighed against her hair and breathed quietly for a moment.

"Let me go and get changed and then we'll come down. I'm so hungry."

"Albus is keen to discuss -"

"I know," Hermione whispered. "But I am not ready yet."

Minerva met Lucia's eyes and a quiet understanding passed through them as Minerva steered Hermione up to the Castle. They didn't speak as they made their way and even Michael seemed to understand their need for quiet as he swung outwards and followed them inside. Hermione dropped Minerva's robes by the door and headed straight for the bathroom. She stood staring at herself in the mirror until Minerva could join her.

"I saw the most horrendous visions," Hermione whispered as their eyes met in the reflection. "You -" She swallowed and Minerva placed her hand on the small of her back. "You were making love -"

Minerva turned her around and cupped her cheeks. They stared at each other for so long, it felt like a lifetime all by itself. Minerva nudged her back and lifted her onto the bathroom counter.

"Listen to me," she said softly. She traced Hermione's face with her fingers and left kisses on every part of her skin she could find. "I love you." She hesitated as the gravity of the day caught up with her. "I love you so much, Leannan. I would never, ever, stray from you. I couldn't. I could not bear to be away from you for longer than a moment."

"I tried so hard to fight it but I couldn't. I couldn't do it, Min." Her eyes were wide with a fear that Minerva had not seen for a very long time. "I was completely helpless. What does that mean for -" She swallowed. "I couldn't stop myself from wanting to -"

"You didn't hurt anyone, my love. I don't believe you were even capable of it."

"I wanted to -"

"Wanting to and doing are two very different things," she counselled gently. "You know for a fact that I get frustrated, but I would never hurt or punish anyone because I was frustrated!" Minerva sighed and kissed her softly. "I got through to you by reminding you that we are good people. That we love and not power. Both times I tried, you heard me."

"But I didn't -"

"Love?" Minerva stopped her and held her face so she could not hide. You did nothing wrong. The magic in a Horcrux is dangerous. It's why he used them. You fought tooth and nail to get back to me and you won, mo Leannan. You won with love.

I was so scared. I couldn't fight Albus without hurting him. I didn't want to but then I got it from him and I couldn't -

You did everything right. Everything. I'm so proud of you mo leannan. So so proud.

Hermione burst into tears and Minerva didn't hesitate to hold her tightly against her. She sobbed until she couldn't cry any more tears and Minerva pulled back a little and moved her hair away from her face.

"Would you like to bathe?"

"Yeah," Hermione whispered. "Guess so."

"Come, I will help you."

She helped her off the counter. They laughed a little when her bare skin stuck to the vanity, but by the time Minerva had helped her into the bath, Hermione was quiet again. Minerva sat on the side and used a shower-head she transfigured to wash her love. It was a labour of love and Hermione looked up at her with such big eyes when the thoughts between them settled and opened up for both to see.

"You thought I'd -"

"I genuinely did," Minerva nodded sadly. "She was kind to me, the dragon. But I thought I'd lost you."

"I swear to you, I won't ever leave you."

"You cannot swear that to me, Leannan. Not now. Not now that we've seen what we have seen."

"I can," Hermione looked up at her. "I can and I do, Min. I won't ever leave you. I'm sorry we split up, I am, but I wasn't -"

"Hermione -"

She stared down at her young love and wished she had just a little more life on her side. Hermione frowned at the thought and she apologised in her head even as she opened her mouth to do so as well.

"I didn't mean it like that," Minerva said quietly. "I apologise, I didn't mean to make it sound like I think you are naive. But I have lost, Leannan. I have lost so many and every one of them did not think they were going to die. And then they did."

"But they're not me, Min. I'm never leaving you. Not without you, at least. Maybe when we're 300 years old and we've helped our great, great, great grandchildren grow up, we can think about it, okay?" Minerva sobbed as she laughed. "But I'm not ever leaving you."

"I cannot hope, Leannan. I cannot. I have been hurt too many times."

"Then let me do it for you."

Minerva nodded and they finished up. Hermione, finding her strength, stood and took Minerva into her arms. She was soaking wet from the water, but neither of them cared. Minerva clung to her as she was carried into the bedroom and laid down on their bed.

Their bed.

"I love you, Minerva McGonagall. Thank you for saving me." They kissed slowly, but deeply until just the thought of their lives to come was enough to make Minerva keen as Hermione slipped her fingers into her centre. "I will always come home to you," Hermione whispered against her throat. "I will always be here when you get home. To love you. To hold you. To cherish you, until the end of time."

It was slow and deep when she came but Minerva burst into tears and held Hermione tightly. The fear, that she'd been overwhelmed with, petered away under the constant reassurance that Hermione was alive and well and in her arms. In contrast to Hermione's love, Minerva felt a sort of craziness descend over her. She spun them around and engulfed Hermione's breast in her mouth. The helpless cries of her lover only wound her up further and before she knew it, she sank her face between Hermione's legs. She wound her up so many times, again and again before Hermione was pleading for the end. She was crying as she finally gave in and they lay trembling together while they caught their breath.

"I'm sorry -"

"Don't you dare," Hermione chuckled. "That was amazing."

"But I -"

"I know," Hermione whispered as she picked her head up off the bed and ran her hands through Minerva's hair. "And you were right to think it. I scared you today and I'm sorry. You didn't hurt me, if anything you rewarded me -" Minerva snorted. "So I guess we can call that even for a while."

Minerva laughed and buried her head in Hermione's stomach. She kissed the soft skin over and over before Hermione sighed and dropped her head back to the bed.

"Come on. I really am hungry and I know Albus is no doubt dying to tell me how badly he failed."

"Like you did, you mean?" Minerva smirked ruthlessly.

"Yeah," Hermione sighed. "Just like that."

"Hermione?" Minerva said as she stopped her from disappearing into the bathroom.

"What is it, Min?"

"You saved him." Minerva didn't have to explain, their minds were wide open to each other. She wondered if she even needed to speak, but she did because she wanted to make Hermione hear her.

"Go on then," Hermione sighed as she turned around properly.

"You saved him. And when you had the opportunity to destroy everything, you saved everyone else. Not one moment of this was a failure. You destroyed those records, you found Arthur's courage. You saved Albus and then, you saved everyone."

"You did that," Hermione whispered as she realised. "You stepped all the way to Scotland!"

"Not my best work, but do not distract me. I am telling you something important."

"I get it -"

"Do you? Because today, you saved my best friend, freed countless people who were enslaved by a tyrannical government and destroyed a Horcrux. As days go, mo ghaol, that was a good one."

Hermione finally laughed and a little worried piece of Minerva let go.

"Alright, alright."

"Good, now get changed. We're going to have a picnic with our family, alright?"

"Sure," Hermione nodded. She left to get changed and Minerva turned to throw herself on the bed, but a warm hand on her arm stopped her. She turned back around and smiled into Hermione's kiss. "I love you, Minerva. More than I think any other being is capable of."

"I love you with all of me and more," Minerva whispered against her lips. "Gus am bi sinn mar dhuslach fànais agus draoidheachd."

"So fucking romantic," Hermione teased as she slipped away to dress.

Minerva did allow herself a moment, then. She flopped on the bed and slid her hands into her hair and pulled just a little. She tried not to admit, even in her head, that she had been worried but aside from a small pulse of love, Hermione let her think what she needed to. She closed her eyes and tried not to replay the moment she thought she was alone in this world. Hermione managed to slip back out of the bathroom without her noticing and if it wasn't for the soft noise she made before she started kissing Minerva's belly, she might have jumped.

"I'm here," Hermione whispered. "I'm here, with you." Hermione's arms wrapped her up and they stayed like that for longer than Minerva knew they had. Hermione brushed her worries aside, though and only held her tighter. "They can wait," she said softly. "Until we are ready."

"But we are -"

"They can wait."

Minerva gave up and let it happen. Hermione chuckled and rocked them gently until their bond seemed to remember it had a job to do and it pulsed through them rather strongly.

"Whoa," Hermione coughed. "That's new."

"Perhaps because of the level of emotion it is having to deal with?"

"Perhaps," Hermione smiled gently. "Feel okay enough to go down?"

"Yes," Minerva admitted. "I do."

"Good," Hermione smiled. "Come on. Did I mention I was starving?"

Her rumbling stomach did nothing to stop the laughter from Minerva as they exited their rooms and went down to the lawn