"Yeah."

So they can sit, and she can relate to Anathema everything that happened in the closed room.

Anathema leans against her, frowning. "So... Without asking her for clarification, that sounds kinda like part of my panic in fourth year? Before we started dating. I didn't want to tell you I had a crush or ask you out, because I didn't want it to mess up our friendship or for you to decide to date me just because of my feelings, not yours? So I wanted you to be the one who asked me out."

"And that was the extent of it? But she's got that uncertainty and this whole kind of... Thing? That any relationship between you two would be coercive, and I bet it probably will look coercive to outside people? Even if we make it not technically illegal, if you guys openly date she... That's the type of thing I bet people would stop being friends with her over. But she might not want a secret relationship, but... I think the thing she'd be most scared of is what if it's secretly coercive?"

"It'd be terrifying if I was constantly being told dating you would be predatory, and I agreed in the abstract and in every case I saw that didn't involve us, and then I fell for you anyways. Because it'd be hard to believe this time it's okay when it never has been before. So... She's probably scared that if she expresses something she wants, you might decide to try and make her happy even if it's not something you want. And she's scared of... The same thing you are. Doing right by you. She doesn't know what will make you happiest, so... She's just letting you decide."

"It - might be more than that, too? She didn't seem stressed when she came out, even though it sounds like she was super stressed in that conversation? Making people you like happy can be really nice - I like doing stuff for you... So it might be. Letting you make decisions also means she doesn't have to worry and can offload all the anxiety and second guessing, and that she's definitionally doing things you want."

"I dunno if that makes sense as a whole thing..."

"I think so."

"Can you- help me make sure I'm telling her to do the right things?"

She nods. "Yeah."

"I do think one of the first things you should tell her to do is give you some boundaries? Or... At least say explicitly if she doesn't have any. And tell her that she should let you know if she's enjoying something that's happening, and also do that with specific stuff - I think that'd be okay in a way that asking for wants isn't?"

Nod nod.

Hug. "Wanna go talk to her, then?"

"Before that... Do you think it would be a good idea for her to quit teaching?"

"...I think you shouldn't date her while she's a teacher, even if you're not a student. I don't think she'd like being a secret? But if you quit school to date her, and everyone kind of just immediately knows about that, it'll make things really hard for her, like, socially."

"I don't think she'll mind quitting and going somewhere else, though. We've killed Voldemort. There's a lot to be done still with cleaning up the mess, but... We've done a lot. Someone else can clean."

"Okay." Hug. "Thanks."

Hug. "You're welcome."

"Sorry this ended up kinda hard."

"Would have been worse if you hadn't stuck your cute little nose in, I think."

She laughs and kisses her wife. "True. Seeing you two pine was painful."

"You fixed that, at least."

"Glad I could be of service."

Kiss!

Time to go talk to Fay again.

Fay's waiting for them. "Talk go well?"

"Yeah, it did."

"Okay. I'm glad."

She hesitates, a bit, then - "Did you decide what to do about Hogwarts?"

"Um, before that... I need you tell me if there are any things you don't want me to tell you to do. Lines I shouldn't cross."

She hums, gaze drifting off a bit. "I'm... Unsure..." Pause. "There's very little I wouldn't do for you, but I don't - want to commit to 'I would do absolutely anything without question' while it's still all - new."

"Anything involving other people we should discuss, at least, and... I think I'd be unhappy if I ended up socially isolated or permanently disabled... And in general I've been unhappy in past relationships where I wasn't somehow materially useful."

"I'm aware it's possible we'll find some brand new line out there, of course. I'll tell you if you do something or give me a command that's - actively unpleasant. It's not... I don't want to make you have to worry about me not telling you if I actively don't want something."

"I do want you to tell me if you don't like something... but also tell me if you are enjoying something."

"I can do that."

"I enjoyed kissing you, earlier, and I enjoyed doing what you were telling me to."

"Good."

"I want you to quit teaching at Hogwarts so we can travel the world this year."

She takes Ellie's hand. "Alright, though I'd like to stay on long enough for the Headmistress to replace me somewhat more gracefully."

Smile. "Okay."