A/N: sorry
Thank you for the reviews - I promise to update this one until it's finished....
~
Minerva let Harry lead her out the doors, and to the left. They could hear the next song beginning to play through the stone wall Minerva now pressed her back against, and the large wood doors beside them. Minerva looked at the ground, willing herself to quit the tears. It just wouldn’t do to be crying in front of a student.
Harry stood before her, watching his professor. He had never seen her so emotional, and had he been in third year, he wouldn’t have believed she could cry. He awkwardly put his hand on her shoulder, not knowing exactly what to do. At his touch, Minerva let out the first sob, and gently sunk down to the floor, tucking her feet underneath her.
Minerva felt Harry touch her shoulder, and was reminded that she was alone again. Albus wasn’t going to pull her into his arms to comfort her, and he never would again. Suddenly, Harry sat down beside her, and his arm pulled her closer to him. She looked up from sobbing into her hands, and settled her hands on her knees; this touch no longer felt awkward, as she leaned into his shoulder slightly.
“I’m sorry,” Minerva said, swallowing back her tears. Her eyes were beginning to redden.
Harry felt his heart pull towards his professor, and he shook his head. “For what? Showing emotion?”
Minerva took a breath, and was about to answer, when the doors squeaked open, and Ron appeared. He looked at them, his ears reddening faster than Minerva’s eyes. “Uh...”
“Ron, shut up and sit down. Professor McGonagall was just about to relax for the first time,” Harry sent Minerva a small grin.
Minerva let out a watery laugh, as Ron sat down beside her. She looked back into Harry’s green eyes, and then back to Ron’s. She shook her head in wonder. “You two... have turned into quite the young men. I’m very proud of you.”
Ron blushed his famous scarlet, and Harry’s cheeks began to flush. Surprisingly, Ron was the first to speak. “Thanks Professor.”
Minerva just smiled at him, before she began to wipe the tears from her eyes. “Where’s Hermione?” she asked.
Ron shrugged. “She dragged me to talk to some minister person about training, but when I saw Harry was with you, I followed him. She’s probably still –“
The wooden doors opened, and Gregory Yates walked past the three, leading their Hermione outside. “Mr. Yates, I really should go find my friends. I wasn’t supposed to leave the Professor...”
“It’s Gregory, Hermione, and I’m sure the professor won’t mind my stealing you for a few moments,” he looked back and grinned at her.
Minerva got to her feet, and stepped out from the wall. “Hermione, come here,” she said, her voice finding its strength again.
Hermione turned around, smiled. Tugging her hand out of Gregory’s, she dutifully took her spot beside Minerva.
“I thought I told you to stay away from her,” Minerva placed her hand on her hip.
“I thought I told you she’s of age.”
Minerva took a step forward. She could take whatever crap he sent her way, but the moment he put his sights on Hermione, he signed himself a death wish. “If you value your life, you’ll stay away from her.”
“This isn’t about her, is it?” Gregory sneered. “It’s about you and me. You’re still not over me, are you? Well, you shouldn’t have chosen me over that disgusting old man, or maybe I would have taken you back.”
“Albus Dumbledore is ten times the man you can even dream to be!” Minerva shouted, thankful that the music was too loud for everyone to hear her shouting inside. Momentarily she forgot about her three students, who stood behind her.
“Of course he was – he’s had 80 years over me to practice! Tell me – how did feel like to be used?” His eyes drifted over Minerva appreciatively.
Minerva shivered under his gaze, and folded her arms in an attempt to cover herself up. What was she thinking, wearing this stupid dress? “He loved me!” She found her voice.
“Then why did he let you go?” His grin widened, as Minerva paused. “He let you go because he wanted younger witches; witches who were less maintenance than you.” He took a step forward. “I was the only one who could ever care for you. Can’t you see? How could anyone love someone with as much emotional baggage as you?”
Before Minerva could summon up something to say – she was thinking something along the lines of revealing her secret marriage – one of the forgotten trio pushed past Minerva, leaping on Gregory.
Ron’s first blow against Gregory’s jaw made him stagger back; the second fist to the jaw put him on the stone floor. Hermione saved Gregory from the third blow, pulling Ron back away from Gregory’s now bloody nose. “Ron, stop!” She said, as Ron struggled against her hold. Harry took over Ron settling Ron down, though he was very much happy that Ron acted out what Harry had been envisioning.
Hermione made her way over to Minerva, touching her arm slightly. Minerva could barely feel someone touching her arm. She was feeling so many emotions at once; thoughts ran through her mind a million at time. Albus was dead. Her whole life was just spread out for her three Gryffindors to analyse. Gregory was picking himself up off the floor, holding his bloody nose that one of her students had just given him. A Weasley had just stood up for her. Where was Albus? Albus would help her.
“Professor?” At Hermione’s gentle voice, Minerva’s thoughts stood still in her head. She swallowed, narrowed her eyes, and walked over to Gregory, who was now standing up.
“You better get-“
“We were married.” Minerva said, cutting Gregory off. Her voice was so level, it almost scared herself. “He loved me, which is why he told the world we were no longer together.” She didn’t give him a second look, before turning around and making her way towards Ron, who was nursing a sore hand with Harry.
