Disclaimer: Even though I highly doubt that anyone is reading this or
really much cares, I would like to point out that I do not own in any way
anything dealing with Harry Potter. If I did, it would be highly unlikely
that I would be here writing fan fictions as opposed to writing the next
Harry Potter, which I hear will possibly be called Harry Potter and the
Half-Blood Prince. Doesn't that sound like Malfoy?
A/N: I would like to thank all of those who have reviewed and regretfully will have to say that this will, indeed, be my last chapter for this story. You all have been great and I really enjoyed writing this piece.
"That's it. Just a little bit higher. Keep going, keep going. There we are," called Albus Dumbledore. He was instructing a group of constructing wizards on how high he wanted the last piece of the castle to be placed. Once they had placed it where he had said, there was a great cheer from the group of students that stood behind them. Dumbledore turned around and faced them, a huge smile on his face. Minerva stood right next to him.
"Thank you all," he said once he had managed to calm down the group. "For the past month, all the time and money that you all have contributed to rebuilding the old castle really means a lot to me, Minerva, the rest of the staff, and the future of all students that wish to learn their magic in comfortable surroundings."
Once again, there was clapping. Albus looked at the happy group of a hundred or so volunteers that had offered their services to the rebuilding of Hogwarts. Now, it looked better than ever. His eyes finally landed on the group that consisted of Harry and Ginny Potter, Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy, the entire Weasly family (yes, even Bill and Charlie), Seamus Finnegan, and Neville Longbottom. He gave them all a wink and a smile.
It wasn't until after everyone else had left, though, that he and Minerva pulled Hermione, Harry, Draco, Ginny, Seamus, and Neville aside.
"We hope that you can understand our cause for concern once you had discovered my diary and began reading it, Miss Granger," said McGonagall. "We are not yet prepared to have everyone know that we are married." Smiling slightly at the shocked look on the groups' faces, she continued. "Yes, we are married. We have been married for the past five years."
"We just haven't told anyone but a select few that we didn't see any harm in telling. We just wanted to make sure that Voldemort had been defeated before we could make sure anyone knew about it."
"Professors," frowned Hermione. "Might I ask what happened in our fifth year to change the way you are now?" Minerva and Albus looked at each other for a moment, then turned back to the group of their ex-students.
"Here, perhaps you should take this," said McGonagall. She held up the piece of parchment that had dropped from the diary when they were in the park. "It might be better if you should see it for yourself."
"Another porthole," sighed Hermione. "Here we go again."
"Perhaps it would be better if you went alone, Miss Granger," said McGonagall. "If more than one should go, then the memory will become rather fuzzy." Hermione nodded, feeling rather put out that she had to go by himself, once again. She opened the parchment and felt herself being instantly transported to another time, another Hogwarts.
And once again, she landed with a thud onto the ground. Only, this time, she didn't land in some random hall. This time, she had landed in McGonagall's office. She was apparently working on some papers, her quill furiously scribbling along the page.
Hermione walked up to McGonagall's desk, curious at what was to happen. It was only then that she noticed her favorite teacher was sitting very uncomfortably. Minerva rubbed her chest slightly, winced, then went back to grading papers.
Oh yes, thought Hermione. This must have been after she had been attacked with four spells directly to the chest. This must be sometime during the end of the school year.
Just then, Minerva's office door flew open and in walked Albus Dumbledore, worry written all over his face. A startled Minerva looked at him, feeling only minor agitation at being so rudely barged in on.
"Albus, what is the meaning of all this?" she demanded. She knew that she seemed so rude, but she wasn't in the mood to be disturbed.
"Are you alright, Minerva?" he inquired as he rushed to her desk.
"Why, yes, Albus, I'm just fine," she said, her eyebrows nearly touching her hairline. Albus stopped right in front of the desk.
"Oh, Minerva, I have been so worried about you. You have no idea how many times I have attempted to see you in the hospital."
"Then why didn't you?" she frowned. Folding her arms, she looked at him, anger apparent on her face.
"I was held back by my brother, Aberforth, with whom I was staying with. He practically hog-tied me to my bed, telling me that it was much too dangerous to even think about seeing you. Until Voldemort was gone, and that toad Dolores was taken out of Hogwarts, he felt that I should stay back, lest you and the rest of the school get harmed. You know I could never bear the thought of hurting you. And to think that something so foolish as wanting to see you in the hospital could possibly hurt you, well I thought..." He trailed off, not even daring to utter the horrible thought of his darling headmistress dying.
"Well, thank you very much for your concern Albus, but as you can see, I am just fine," shot Minerva.
"Minerva," said Albus, exasperation in his voice. "I'm only thinking of what is best for you. You know how much I care about you." He went around the desk and knelt before McGonagall's desk.
"What are you doing, Albus?" sighed Minerva. "Come on, get up. You're making a spectacle of yourself." Albus looked around.
"As you can see, there is no one here," he said. "Minerva, give me another chance. Just one more chance is all I'm asking you for. If I disappoint you once again, then I swear I shall leave you alone for the rest of your life." He saw that her face was softening, so he cupped her face into his hands.
"Please, I am begging you, not as your boss or senior of so many years, but as a man in love." He traced her lips with his thumb.
McGonagall's mind began to fog up. She couldn't think straight anymore, and Albus certainly wasn't helping any. Sure, she wanted to forgive him. But she had so much pride and she didn't know if she could.
No, she thought, shaking her head. Don't give in to him. She pulled back, stood up, and walked to her window, her arms folded the whole time.
"How can I be so sure that I can trust you again after what you did?" she asked.
"Because I give you my word as a man who loves you that I wouldn't do that," said Albus, walking up behind Minerva. "Please say that I can make it up to you." He carefully wrapped his arms around her waist, trying not to irritate the bandages that still covered a good portion of her upper body. He nuzzled her neck and was surprised when she didn't stop him. "Please marry me. And this time, I promise I'll be there. Not even death itself could stop me from getting there."
Minerva smiled broadly, turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Okay, Albus," she said. "But I must tell you that if you screw this one up, I will not only be forced to kill you, but I will leave this school and perhaps even leave England altogether. After all, I hear there is an opening at Durmstrang." She smiled at the look on Albus' face.
"You wouldn't dare, Minerva," he frowned.
"Try me," smiled Minerva. With that, they kissed each other and Hermione felt herself being pulled out of the memory.
Hermione stood there, and, looking up at the two most powerful figures in all of wizard history, standing side by side, she smiled. Their story was certainly a most interesting one and yes, they looked most happy together.
"Are you satisfied now, Miss Granger?" questioned Minerva.
"Yes, I am," smiled Hermione.
"So, what happened?" asked Draco. Hermione just looked at him and smiled.
"Draconis Lucius Malfoy, how could you?" she asked in a mock tone of shock. "Snooping in other peoples personal life? I'm ashamed of you," she said, placing her hand on her chest. "I would never betray McGonagall like that." And with that, she turned and walked away, leaving Draco and the rest of the group with confused and even angry looks on their faces.
"Now, 'Mione, listen to reason," called Ron as he and the others followed her.
"Just a hint?" questioned Ginny. Minerva and Albus looked after them, smiling. Then, without another word, they turned and walked arm in arm through the new doors of the Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Fin
A/N: I would like to thank all of those who have reviewed and regretfully will have to say that this will, indeed, be my last chapter for this story. You all have been great and I really enjoyed writing this piece.
"That's it. Just a little bit higher. Keep going, keep going. There we are," called Albus Dumbledore. He was instructing a group of constructing wizards on how high he wanted the last piece of the castle to be placed. Once they had placed it where he had said, there was a great cheer from the group of students that stood behind them. Dumbledore turned around and faced them, a huge smile on his face. Minerva stood right next to him.
"Thank you all," he said once he had managed to calm down the group. "For the past month, all the time and money that you all have contributed to rebuilding the old castle really means a lot to me, Minerva, the rest of the staff, and the future of all students that wish to learn their magic in comfortable surroundings."
Once again, there was clapping. Albus looked at the happy group of a hundred or so volunteers that had offered their services to the rebuilding of Hogwarts. Now, it looked better than ever. His eyes finally landed on the group that consisted of Harry and Ginny Potter, Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy, the entire Weasly family (yes, even Bill and Charlie), Seamus Finnegan, and Neville Longbottom. He gave them all a wink and a smile.
It wasn't until after everyone else had left, though, that he and Minerva pulled Hermione, Harry, Draco, Ginny, Seamus, and Neville aside.
"We hope that you can understand our cause for concern once you had discovered my diary and began reading it, Miss Granger," said McGonagall. "We are not yet prepared to have everyone know that we are married." Smiling slightly at the shocked look on the groups' faces, she continued. "Yes, we are married. We have been married for the past five years."
"We just haven't told anyone but a select few that we didn't see any harm in telling. We just wanted to make sure that Voldemort had been defeated before we could make sure anyone knew about it."
"Professors," frowned Hermione. "Might I ask what happened in our fifth year to change the way you are now?" Minerva and Albus looked at each other for a moment, then turned back to the group of their ex-students.
"Here, perhaps you should take this," said McGonagall. She held up the piece of parchment that had dropped from the diary when they were in the park. "It might be better if you should see it for yourself."
"Another porthole," sighed Hermione. "Here we go again."
"Perhaps it would be better if you went alone, Miss Granger," said McGonagall. "If more than one should go, then the memory will become rather fuzzy." Hermione nodded, feeling rather put out that she had to go by himself, once again. She opened the parchment and felt herself being instantly transported to another time, another Hogwarts.
And once again, she landed with a thud onto the ground. Only, this time, she didn't land in some random hall. This time, she had landed in McGonagall's office. She was apparently working on some papers, her quill furiously scribbling along the page.
Hermione walked up to McGonagall's desk, curious at what was to happen. It was only then that she noticed her favorite teacher was sitting very uncomfortably. Minerva rubbed her chest slightly, winced, then went back to grading papers.
Oh yes, thought Hermione. This must have been after she had been attacked with four spells directly to the chest. This must be sometime during the end of the school year.
Just then, Minerva's office door flew open and in walked Albus Dumbledore, worry written all over his face. A startled Minerva looked at him, feeling only minor agitation at being so rudely barged in on.
"Albus, what is the meaning of all this?" she demanded. She knew that she seemed so rude, but she wasn't in the mood to be disturbed.
"Are you alright, Minerva?" he inquired as he rushed to her desk.
"Why, yes, Albus, I'm just fine," she said, her eyebrows nearly touching her hairline. Albus stopped right in front of the desk.
"Oh, Minerva, I have been so worried about you. You have no idea how many times I have attempted to see you in the hospital."
"Then why didn't you?" she frowned. Folding her arms, she looked at him, anger apparent on her face.
"I was held back by my brother, Aberforth, with whom I was staying with. He practically hog-tied me to my bed, telling me that it was much too dangerous to even think about seeing you. Until Voldemort was gone, and that toad Dolores was taken out of Hogwarts, he felt that I should stay back, lest you and the rest of the school get harmed. You know I could never bear the thought of hurting you. And to think that something so foolish as wanting to see you in the hospital could possibly hurt you, well I thought..." He trailed off, not even daring to utter the horrible thought of his darling headmistress dying.
"Well, thank you very much for your concern Albus, but as you can see, I am just fine," shot Minerva.
"Minerva," said Albus, exasperation in his voice. "I'm only thinking of what is best for you. You know how much I care about you." He went around the desk and knelt before McGonagall's desk.
"What are you doing, Albus?" sighed Minerva. "Come on, get up. You're making a spectacle of yourself." Albus looked around.
"As you can see, there is no one here," he said. "Minerva, give me another chance. Just one more chance is all I'm asking you for. If I disappoint you once again, then I swear I shall leave you alone for the rest of your life." He saw that her face was softening, so he cupped her face into his hands.
"Please, I am begging you, not as your boss or senior of so many years, but as a man in love." He traced her lips with his thumb.
McGonagall's mind began to fog up. She couldn't think straight anymore, and Albus certainly wasn't helping any. Sure, she wanted to forgive him. But she had so much pride and she didn't know if she could.
No, she thought, shaking her head. Don't give in to him. She pulled back, stood up, and walked to her window, her arms folded the whole time.
"How can I be so sure that I can trust you again after what you did?" she asked.
"Because I give you my word as a man who loves you that I wouldn't do that," said Albus, walking up behind Minerva. "Please say that I can make it up to you." He carefully wrapped his arms around her waist, trying not to irritate the bandages that still covered a good portion of her upper body. He nuzzled her neck and was surprised when she didn't stop him. "Please marry me. And this time, I promise I'll be there. Not even death itself could stop me from getting there."
Minerva smiled broadly, turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Okay, Albus," she said. "But I must tell you that if you screw this one up, I will not only be forced to kill you, but I will leave this school and perhaps even leave England altogether. After all, I hear there is an opening at Durmstrang." She smiled at the look on Albus' face.
"You wouldn't dare, Minerva," he frowned.
"Try me," smiled Minerva. With that, they kissed each other and Hermione felt herself being pulled out of the memory.
Hermione stood there, and, looking up at the two most powerful figures in all of wizard history, standing side by side, she smiled. Their story was certainly a most interesting one and yes, they looked most happy together.
"Are you satisfied now, Miss Granger?" questioned Minerva.
"Yes, I am," smiled Hermione.
"So, what happened?" asked Draco. Hermione just looked at him and smiled.
"Draconis Lucius Malfoy, how could you?" she asked in a mock tone of shock. "Snooping in other peoples personal life? I'm ashamed of you," she said, placing her hand on her chest. "I would never betray McGonagall like that." And with that, she turned and walked away, leaving Draco and the rest of the group with confused and even angry looks on their faces.
"Now, 'Mione, listen to reason," called Ron as he and the others followed her.
"Just a hint?" questioned Ginny. Minerva and Albus looked after them, smiling. Then, without another word, they turned and walked arm in arm through the new doors of the Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Fin