Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, just this little side-story I've dreamed up. I'm not making any money on it. I'm paid in reviews—so thank you so much to those who have reviewed!

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CHAPTER 24

(Summer 1996)

Minerva shut the door to her quarters, took off her pointy hat, and breathed a sigh. The term was over. The students had all gone home, and she was about to go home too. There would be meetings and work to do over the summer. Meetings and work for the Order, meetings and work for Hogwarts, letters to send, muggle-born students to visit, so many tasks….

She would be busier than ever. Trying to provide security and structure and knowledge, whilst trying to protect and defend all that was innocent and good. It would require so much strength, so much energy and dedication and—as Moody would say—constant vigilance. She would do whatever she had to do.

Yet she was so tired. Though the healers had professed amazement at the rapidity of her recovery, to Minerva it had felt frustratingly slow and painful. And hearing about the raid at the ministry and Sirius Black's death had set her back, mentally and emotionally.

He'd been her student. He'd been brilliant, charming, and extremely infuriating. She'd known his home life was terrible and had tried to act in the role of a parent—but he'd frustrated her efforts by insisting on flirting with her at every opportunity.

Sirius's tenure at Hogwarts had been when Minerva had taken to always styling her hair up in a tight bun and wearing very conservative, dark robes; though he'd been undeterred. Annoyingly, he'd noticed her efforts and remarked—loudly and during dinner in the great hall—that her "new style" did not sufficiently disguise her attractiveness enough to put him off from his "true love." She'd given him a week of detention, but he seemed unphased.

Despite the immature antics of Sirius and his fellow marauders, she'd come to genuinely like all four of them when they'd grown into mature adults. She'd forgiven their youthful indiscretions—reminding herself how much she hoped that anyone who'd known her in her youth would forgive hers.

Minerva had been dismayed when she'd thought that Sirius had betrayed James and Lily. When she'd discovered, over a decade later, that he'd been innocent, she'd anxiously asked his forgiveness at the first opportunity. He had frankly forgiven her and insisted on a hug and a kiss as reparation. She'd been so relieved at his good-natured forgiveness that she'd laughed, pecked him on the lips and embraced him—then shoved him away with an indignant glare when he'd run his hand down her back to her arse.

He'd just laughed and said, "Can't blame a man for trying!"

"Oh, yes, I can!" she'd retorted.

"You've still got it, by the way." He'd winked, and she'd rolled her eyes and huffed, but had been secretly relieved to see that some of his old jovial nature had survived the dementors of Azkaban.

And now, after all he had suffered and overcome, Sirius Black was gone. And Harry Potter had lost another person who was dear to him. Thinking of it made her want to weep.

No, she told herself, no tears right now. Time to go home. She hadn't seen her babies for three weeks, and she needed to hold them tight.

Minerva looked around the room. Everything was in its place. She strode to the safe, hidden behind the bookshelf, and extracted the portkey. She closed the safe, double checked that her wand was secure in its holster, picked up the portkey and her walking stick and said "familius." There was a familiar tug at her navel, and Minerva McGonagall disappeared.

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"Mommy, I missed you so much!" Hugh exclaimed before burying his face into Minerva's tummy and wrapping his arms tightly around her hips.

"I missed you too, my little lad." Minerva smiled, her voice shaking with emotion as she combed her fingers through his sand-colored curls.

"Mommy! Mommy!" Anna bounced around her with glee.

"Let Mommy sit down, Anna," Daniel said, scooping her up in one arm and helping Minerva lower herself to the couch with the other. "And then she can hold you."

When Minerva was seated and had propped her walking stick to the side, she held her arms up for Anna. Daniel placed her on Minerva's lap and she squeezed the tiny girl tightly in her arms, while Anna's soft, dimpled arms squeezed her just as tightly around her neck.

"I missed you, baby girl." Minerva sighed and breathed in Anna's baby scent through her dark ringlets and kissed her soft cheeks and neck with delight.

Hugh climbed up next to her, and Minerva kissed his rosy cheeks and savored his hugs and cuddles. Oh, how she had missed her babies! And, oh, how she longed to always keep them safe and happy!

She couldn't help but think again about Sirius…and James and Lily…and Cedric…and so many other students, friends, and loved ones she'd been unable to protect. And Harry. He'd be in more danger than ever now—as would they all.

She held her babies closer, tighter, until her chest burned, until Anna complained "Mommy, too tight!"

"I'm sorry, lovie." She said, slackening her grip.

"Mommy, why are you crying?" Hugh asked, and she realized that she was. Hot tears were streaking down her cheeks.

"Oh," she smiled softly at him. "Not all tears are because of pain or sadness, sweet boy. Sometimes we cry tears of joy or relief too. And I'm overjoyed to see my two sweet babies again! I missed you both so much!"

There was a knock, then the front door opened, and Lizzy's voice said, "Anybody home?"

"We're in the living room!" Daniel called.

Lizzy came in, a basket of food in her arms. She set it down and rushed over to the sofa to hug Minerva.

"I'm so relieved that you're alright!" She said.

"Thank you for taking care of my children, Lizzy!" Minerva hugged her back. "I don't know what we'd do without you!"

Will and Liam, now a lanky 14-year-old, and Sadie, now 11, had also come into the room, their arms laden with food.

Will kissed Minerva's cheek and said, "Welcome back! We missed you!"

"Especially me!" Liam grinned. "I haven't had anyone to take me flying!"

"I'm afraid I won't be on a broom for a while, Liam." Minerva grimaced.

"Oh, well." He said. "I guess you can help me with my transfiguration summer homework."

Will snorted. "Gee, thanks, Liam! Just what Minerva wants to be doing!"

"It's alright, Liam." Minerva smiled, knowing that the boy really just wanted to spend some quality time with her. "I'd be happy to help you. And I'm sure we can think of plenty of things to do together over the summer."

Liam nodded, relieved that she seemed to understand.

Sadie hugged her and said, "And I'm almost old enough to babysit by myself, and I'm taking a course in first aid and CPR, so you and Uncle Daniel can go on double dates with Mom and Dad!"

"How lovely!" Minerva smiled. "I was meaning to talk to you about being a mother's helper this summer, so I can still spend time with the children while I'm recuperating."

"Really?!" Sadie exclaimed.

"If it's alright with your parents."

"That would be awesome!" Sadie squealed. "I'd be getting so much experience!"

"Sounds like a win-win to me!" Lizzy said. "But right now, we're going to go set up dinner while Minerva sits here and cuddles with her family." And she picked up her basket of food and ushered her family into the kitchen.

Daniel scooped Hugh up and sat on the couch with his arm around Minerva's shoulders. Anna was still on Minerva's lap, and giggled when Minerva leaned into Daniel's side and kissed him softly on the lips.

"Mommy, you're kissing Daddy just like the princess in my book!" she giggled.

"That's because Daddy is my Prince Charming!" Minerva replied.

"Are we going to live happily ever after?" Hugh asked.

"Oh, yes!" Daniel smiled down at his children and looked into his wife's eyes. "Aren't we, Emmie?"

"Yes, my love, together." She smiled. Then the two small children giggled again while their parents hugged them close and kissed over their heads.

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Later that night, Daniel helped Minerva into bed then pulled her into his arms, spooning her back to his chest. He burrowed his nose into her hair and softly kissed the nape of her neck, sending a thrill down her spine.

They cuddled comfortably together for a few minutes, just enjoying the familiar comfort of being together.

Daniel could sense that Minerva was contemplative.

"Penny for your thoughts." He said.

"I was just thinking about our honeymoon." She said, her voice slow and sleepy.

"Oh!" Daniel said. "Which part, specifically?" He asked and brought his hand up from her hip to cup her breast.

She chuckled and said, "The part where we got to the cabin late at night and didn't realize how close it was to the neighboring cabin, nor how thin the cabin walls were, nor how well sound could carry in the clear, mountain air."

Daniel started laughing too. "We were pretty hot and heavy, weren't we?"

She brought one of her hands up to cover her eyes. "I still blush when I remember us, lying there…in the afterglow…"

"…after all those weeks and weeks of sexual tension…" Daniel grinned

"Weeks of foreplay, you mean."

"Mmmm." He gave her breast an answering squeeze.

"We were so…"

"Loud?" he offered.

"Yes!" she admitted.

"And then…" he prompted.

"And then, we could hear the people in the next cabin over…" she moaned in embarrassment.

"…whispering." Daniel finished.

"Whispering!" She said, the mortification clear in her voice. "We could hear them whispering, Daniel! I still can't believe it!"

"I can't believe you're still embarrassed about it!" he laughed. "All these years later!"

"Well, maybe I wouldn't be if we hadn't run into them the next morning and been forced to introduce ourselves!" Minerva replied, turning onto her other side to face him. "That was the first time I was introduced to someone as your wife, and all the while we were all thinking about what they'd heard us doing the night before!"

Daniel was laughing harder now. "And you've never forgotten to cast a silencing charm since!"

"Indeed!" she agreed, laughing now too.

"And have you cast one tonight?" he asked, stroking her from hip to breast again.

"Indeed." She gazed lovingly at him and pulled him in to welcome her home properly.

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AN: I think this is the last chapter of "A Separate Life." I may do a sequel or a few one-shots, but we'll see. Things are so crazy with this COVID-19 pandemic that I don't get any time to write. It was really difficult to carve out the time to finish this story, but I didn't want to leave it hanging.

I hope I'll get to pick it up again someday. I'd love ideas for their future or scenarios that you'd like to see.

And please review and let me know if you enjoyed this story!

Thank you for reading! Health and happiness to you all!