The forge of Minerva - 8

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"Minerva what happened changed you and you've never gone back to be who you were before... you've never gone over it. During the Yule Ball I asked you for a dance and you rejected me, just a moment ago you wouldn't come in with me on our own..." I explain, "Minerva, are you afraid of men?"

"What a silly thing to..." but she's not even able to finish that, "I'm not," she lies to herself, "I'll admit I changed, but it made me stronger. I decided no other man would ever touch me, that no man would ever desire me... but I am not afraid of anything."

"Give me your hand," I ask opening the palm of my right hand so she can place hers on it, but she hesitates, "come on, poof me wrong."

"I have nothing to proof to you," she answers.

"Why are you afraid? What do you think is going to happen?"

"I am not-" she tries to reply, but I suddenly grab her hand and pull her closer to me. I can feel her heart beating faster and faster and I can see her look trembling. She glowers at me, gets free from my hands and rushes out of the classroom making her heels sound louder than ever.

Later, from my office I hear the children passing by the hall, surely dressed with their best clothes to attend the New Year's ball. I decide to stay in the dungeons. I have no reason to go upstairs and I hate to hear the dull conversations of the professors' table.

After a light supper I reach a book from the shelve and read until almost midnight, when a knocking at the door takes me back to reality.

I cross the office, open the door and suddenly feel astonished by the view of Minerva standing at the hall wearing a sleeveless red dress with an opened skirt that shows one of her large legs and a low neckline badly hidden under a tartan scarf. Her hair is curled and falling down her shoulders.

"You were right," she says inviting herself in and I close the door after her, "I wanted to prove you wrong going to the New Year's dinner like this but, I couldn't even go into the Great Hall. I am still afraid..."

"You came down here..." I point out as a matter of fact and she seems to suddenly realize and tries to hide the neckline of her dress with her arms somehow, but I stop her. I hold her hands with mine and pull her closer. "Stop hiding, you look beautiful and you have nothing to be afraid of."

"I don't..."

"What about that dance I asked you during the Yule Ball?" and without letting her reply, I move my wand in the air and the explendid notes of the Blue Danube begin to play out of the nowhere.

At first I can feel her shyness, she keeps her distance from me, only holding my hands, but as the music increases I notice her coming closer to me, resting her elbow on my arm, peeking at me, smiling, and finally resting her head on my shoulder and letting herself be taken by the music. She's enjoying herself, and so am I.

Later, the noise of fireworks startle us, it's midnight.

"Oh, my goodness, is it that late?" she wondered moving apart and looking for a clock that I don't have on the wall.

"I'm afraid so," I answer, "Happy New Year, Professor McGonagall," I say placing a soft kiss on the back of her hand.

"Happy New Year," she replies, blushing her cheeks.

"Shall we have another dance?"

"Only if you take me to the Great Hall," she says, and I smile.

"My pleasure," I offer her my arm, and she holds it with her small hand as we walk down the empty corridors of the school to the New Year's ball, where everybody is.

Holding hands, we cross the crowd of children staring at us, or better saying, at their transfiguration teacher and her gorgeous outfit, and walk directly to the dance floor. I can notice her fear, so I gently squeeze her hand and make her look at me, she smiles and I lead her through the music. As we dance among all those people who we walk by everyday in the Castle, I wish I could stand with them for a moment, and see her moving around the dance floor with secure steps from the distance, watch her body melt with the music and her hair wave at her movements; but don't really envy them, because she is dancing with me.

After a few songs, I guess Minerva decides she's tired or that she's hungry, and we walk to the teacher's table. Everybody stops their dull conversations to look at her, she looks radiant, it's not only her dress anymore, it's her face, her look... she's different or, let me say, she's herself again, that sweet young girl I met in 1943.

"My goodness, Minerva, what have you done to yourself!?" Hooch exclaimed from her seat.

"Someone said I should let my hair down," she said, and she turned around to me and brushed my cheek with a soft kiss that made me blush, "and he was right."

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THE END.

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A/N: I feel like I must apologize for two things: firstly, for making you wait so much for this; and secondly, for this being such a terrible ending for what I thought was a good story. I really should try to begin thinking of my fics endings before posting them because I always spoil the good ones... I wanted to take this story too far, and a love affair didn't look right to me on this one, so I decided to stop it here. I am sorry if I disappointed (which I bet I did) and if not, then, thanks for being such nice readers. :D Anyway, thank you very much for following the story, for adding it to your favorites and specially for letting me know your thoughts on the reviews. Thanks.