I DO own this story line, but nothing else.

Chapter Seventeen

Minerva looked straight into her loves eyes, kissing the swollen lips of Hermione. The young woman's body shuddered as she extended her neck, offering a canvas of bare skin for the eldest to paint with her lips.

Hermione had awoken in Minerva's arms, her body spent from the previous bout of love making but flushed with a feverous arousal as her eyes connected with her lovers green orbs once more. Minerva had spent no time in hesitation, and proceeded to fulfil the young woman's needs for blissful release.

The elder witch now led flat on her tummy, placing kisses below Hermione's belly-button as her legs widened, her diaphragm expanding in and out rapidly. Oh how Minerva loved the feel of Hermione already; her goose pimpled skin, the firmness in her breast, her curvaceous hips. She revelled in the sights of the faint hair trail from her pubis to her belly-button, the birthmark on her right thigh, the way her jaw wiggled then shuddered as her teeth chattered together in anticipation for Minerva to finally permit her the pleasure she was so desperate to experience once again.

"Mmmm." Minerva purred as she hovered teasingly close to Hermione's centre.

"Oh God... Minerva!" Said Hermione with plead and frustration, using all of her will not to push her hips toward the woman's lips. "What is it?"

Looking up to Hermione between the 'V' of her legs, her bosoms like two valleys framing her face as she pressed her head back gently into the pillow, her brows furrowed as if concentrating on a Runes Translation, Minerva couldn't help but smile.

"You, my dearest: You..."

Hermione groaned and widened her legs; hearing her elder lovers thick burr full of arousal made her insides heat and dance like butterflies.

"So...so very, very beautiful." Minerva moaned quietly, kissing Hermione's thigh.

Hermione gave a louder groan this time; Minerva spotting the damp patch Hermione had begun to create on the silky duvet.

"Please, Minerva... Please..." Hermione begged quietly.

"Hush, my love, I'm here..." Minerva whispered.

As Minerva moved closer to Hermione's seeping centre, she blew gently which made the opening to her lovers entrance spasm slightly. Minerva felt a rush of liquid escape between her own thighs just at the sight; gosh, what this woman, this creature, her love, could do to her. She used her thumbs to part Hermione's slickened folds, gaining access to the plump and ripened goal she had been heading for since the young woman's thigh.

Hermione felt the exquisite blowing cease, and then for a short while; nothing. Only Minerva's hands on either side of her woman hood that throbbed for the elder. A panic hit Hermione suddenly; maybe something was wrong down there. Perhaps Minerva hadn't liked what she had seen and was too polite to say so. Maybe it was because she was all wet and Minerva thought her too easily aroused. Perhaps it could be-

Just as Hermione craned her neck to look down at her lover puzzled, she was greeted with the sight of Minerva's tongue descending slowly onto her tightened nub.

"Ohhh yesss, that's it." Hermione whispered to Minerva.

Minerva hummed and moaned in approval, vibrating against Hermione's organ as her tongue swirled circles of delight. She pouted her lips, squeezing and sucking Hermione fully into her warm and wet mouth. Again, another hum of approval and rolling of eyes came from the eldest woman, as with greater arousal she sucked harder and flicked quicker with her tongue.

Hermione gasped at the sensation; then a surprised and almost exasperated laugh escaped her as she began to mount greatly once more. Between laughs there were moans and shouts of delight that made Minerva smile through the succulent flesh she was devouring. Hermione's hands plunged deeply into her lovers bun, pulling her closer and massaging her scalp.

"Oh, yes! Minerva!" Hermione laughed and moaned, rocking her hips deliciously.

More suddenly than the first, her orgasm hit her like a wall, and screaming shortly she collapsed onto the bed. Her seed spread generously across the duvet and onto Minerva's hand that was stroking her thighs and wet flesh gently and teasingly. Minerva released her thumbs slowly and kissed Hermione's wiry curls, smoothing her slender hands gratefully over the young woman's hips.

Lazily, Hermione lifted her arms and stretched them toward Minerva, curving her middle fingers into her palm several times.

"Minerva... here..." She whispered inaudibly, dropping her arms heavily as Minerva shifted upward, laying her body over Hermione's.

The young woman beneath her smiled broadly, her eyes sparkling with emotion as she ran her hands up and down Minerva's back. The eldest woman smiled back stupidly, running her nose across her lovers slowly and finally resting her lips upon the haven that was Hermione's mouth.

"Everything ok my dearest?" Minerva whispered, pushing back a fly away hair from Hermione's brow.

Her lover beamed ever wider, nodding her head fervently and breathing a quiet 'Yes' onto the elders face. She seemed to squirm under Minerva's body and discomfort flashed fleetingly across her face, so kissing her quickly Minerva rolled off of Hermione who immediately pushed herself upward onto the pillows.

"Oh, now, that's better..." Hermione sighed, sinking into the pillows.

However, she beckoned for Minerva's closeness immediately, who too sat upright against the pillows and placed her hand across Hermione's. They both stared at the door for some time, silence filling the room with a density of unanswered questions. Minerva resumed stroking Hermione's foot with her own, and feeling the chill that was imbedded into her lovers toes, she summoned a blanket from the cupboard.

"Where now, Minerva?" Hermione asked quietly.

Minerva had been busying herself in laying the blanket over and under Hermione's feet; the question had hit her harder than she had imagined, especially as she too had been thinking this herself.

"Well, that would be up to you, Hermione." Minerva smiled falsely, once again fiddling with the blanket to avoid eye contact.

Hermione's hand shot out with force and purpose, but rested with aching tenderness over Minerva's busy hands.

"Minerva, I have already told you: I love you. I have loved you for almost three months. I... I don't want to go anywhere." Hermione stated.

Minerva looked slowly up into the deep brown eyes she knew so well, seeing them radiate with love and truth.

"I love you too Hermione; and I certainly don't want you going anywhere." Minerva said.

Hermione smiled briefly, looking down into her lap.

"But I'm your student, Minerva, and you're my teacher. We can't parade ourselves around Hogwarts... If anyone were to find out you would lose your job and I ca-"

"Hermione, that is for me to worry about." Minerva said authoritatively, bringing herself closer to Hermione and cupping her face.

"But I do worry too." Hermione whispered.

Minerva kissed the creamy cheek of her lover.

"I know love, but trust me." Minerva said softly and fondly.

"I do trust you, Min. But your job is your life, everyone including me knows that: You're the Transfiguration teacher, head of Gryffindor house and Deputy Headmistress. These are things I can't ignore. Being with me, you risk sacrificing it all."

Hermione's eyes were round and glassy as she looked at Minerva, her fingers running circles over the elder's palm.

"Hermione," The eldest woman began. "Albus and I have been dear friends for many years. Much before you were even thought of being born. He is the one person who knows the most about me, and I can confide in him anything knowing he will give the upmost confidentiality. I am sure if I explain to Albus that both you and I are consented in this relationship, and that we promise to keep it professional whilst I am teaching and you are studying, then a problem will not arise in this circumstance. It would become a problem if I kept it from him, and questions would be asked as to why I had remained you a secret: I don't want you a secret, Hermione. I want him to know. Not everyone – I think it wise we keep ourselves to ourselves, like most couples. However, I want to be able to be with you. We will carry on as we have been at school; no one has picked up on it yet."

Hermione smirked briefly, thinking fleetingly of Harry on the sofa with his arms wrapped around himself as he mockingly performed the two women's kissing scene.

"Promise me you won't worry yourself with such thoughts any longer?" Minerva pleaded quietly, stroking Hermione's cheek with her thumb that was still rested in the elders hand.

Hermione nodded and smiled, bring Minerva's hand to her lips and pressing them firmly against the smooth skin.

"And, even if I did lose my job, you'd be first Hermione. I'd give it all up for you." Minerva whispered.

Without warning, Hermione threw herself at Minerva, wrapping her arms tightly around her lover and kissing her ear between silent tears. She felt overwhelmed that anyone would even consider doing this, let alone risking it or even actually doing it.

Once attaining composure, wiping her cheeks quickly with the back of her hand, she released herself from Minerva's grip and came eye to eye with the woman she loved. She smiled gently, moving on.

"Minerva... May I ask you something?" Hermione enquired shyly.

"Of course dearest, you know you can." Minerva replied, hands gently on Hermione's waist.

Sighing, Hermione continued.

"Why do you always wear your hair up?"

Minerva's mouth twitched momentarily into a smirk, and then she regained herself.

"How many versions have you heard?" Minerva asked coyly.

Hermione darted her eyes downward.

"Not many... Just a few really..." She said quietly.

Minerva smiled, knowing Hermione was lying to be kind.

"Horror stories, I've no doubt?"

"Perhaps..."

Hermione's eyes wandered around the room awkwardly; perhaps she shouldn't have asked Minerva after all...

"The rumour that I was really bald and this was a wig was particularly nasty." Minerva smirked.

"I protested against that one!" Hermione remarked sternly, her eyes aflame with aggression.

Minerva laughed quietly and kissed Hermione swiftly, which got the elder a confused look.

"You really want to know the big secret?" Minerva asked, and Hermione nodded. "Very well. Hermione, as we all know, it is a great dream of yours to become a teacher. You will, at some stage, require your very own set of teaching robes. Yes, they look smart and I have to admit they are very comfortable for a long hard days work, however; you will soon come to realise they are stiflingly hot. Especially if, like me, you enjoy the finer things and request them in velvet. I learnt my very first day of teaching at Hogwarts that dark green velvet teaching robes, a Transfiguration room in which the suns rays beat from 12pm until 9pm for four months throughout the summer, and waist length hair that is so thick the magic 'never will break' brush I got handed at sixteen years old snapped the first time I used it, probably wasn't such a good combination. I went back to my room briefly before my next lesson, and because I had never worn my hair up before I had nothing but a quill on my dressing table. So, improvising, I wound my hair into a bun, stuck the quill through it and I was a lot cooler and comfortable for the rest of the day. The quill was replaced with hairpins I bought in Hogsmeade the next day. After that, it became habit that my hair was up."

Minerva pursed her lips together earnestly, nodding slowly as she looked at Hermione.

"Bit disappointing?" She added.

"A tad." Hermione answered truthfully.

They both fell about laughing, hardly being able to breathe. Each woman held tightly to the other as their giggles faded into soft 'Oh's' of delight.

"Can I?" Hermione asked, reaching behind Minerva's head and catching a pin in each thumb and index finger.

"Of course."

Hermione breathed deeply, taking each pin carefully and withdrawing them from Minerva's hair; Nothing. Still in its standard tightness was Minerva's hair. So, placing them aside, Hermione fumbled for another two pins; still nothing. Then once again, she looked for two more... then another two... and another...

"I did say it was thick!" Minerva warned.

But after the twenty-sixth hair pin, Hermione felt something budge. Smiling gently, the young woman's hand resided from Minerva's scalp bringing two pins with her. Minerva's hair cascaded swiftly around her shoulders, and the elder woman closed her eyes as it did so, shaking her head slightly. The tips sat curved upward on the blanket, and this is where Hermione began her exploration.

She fingered the soft hair delicately between her digits, the ends darkened brown, almost a black shade. Toward the middle section, Minerva's hair began to curl in waves from the bun she had inhabited apparently for many many years and was a chestnut colour, much like Hermione's. Toward the top, greying began to weave through with hints of white; however the shine was of none other that Hermione had seen before in any woman's hair. She took a full fist into each hand and held it gently, feeling its warmth and softness.

Then she looked to Minerva, who still had her eyes closed and was smiling weakly. She truly did radiate beauty, especially now as she sat so naked, so relaxed and a complete lifetime away from the Professor McGonagall that everyone knew. And she, Hermione, was privileged enough to experience this woman in all of her true and wonderful glory.

"We can do this, can't we?" Hermione whispered.

Opening her eyes slowly, Minerva took Hermione's face into her hands, looking wondrously into those beautiful and deep brown eyes. Minerva ran her hands through the young woman's hair kissing her lovingly and tenderly, as she always had before, and all without so much of an utter of a word; but Hermione knew, without a doubt, her answer.

A/N: Please let this be ok? Please Please?

PS TBC, more to come guys promise :)