Complicated Love (Dramione)

McGonagall's grandson

Minerva returned to her seat, tears in her eyes as she watched the wizard performing the ceremony put a white tomb over her great grandmother. It was perfect. Albus Dumbledore was Minerva McGonagall’s best friend and now they lay side by side at the black lake. Minerva knew that’s what her granny would have wanted, she put her heart and soul into Hogwarts, she would never want to leave.

After the funeral Minerva everyone sat outside. It was a beautiful day and most people wanted to say a private farewell to Minerva McGonagall.

Minerva didn’t move from the chair until she saw someone approaching her, it was a healer.

“Hi, I just wanted to say that your great grandmother was an amazing woman and I am sorry for your loss.” She said kindly, sitting down beside Minerva.

“Thank you.” Minerva said. She had always really admired the healers, they had helped her and her family in so many ways, and even when they couldn’t do anything to save them they would always have been there, just as a comforting smile, healers had always been a great help to her.

Minerva had never thought much about her career path until now, maybe it was being back at Hogwarts, maybe it was burying her granny, but she finally knew what she wanted to do. She wanted to help people.

“Are there any openings at St Mungo’s?” Minerva asked the healer suddenly.

“Actually yes, there is one on the maternity ward, would you be interested?” the healer asked her, smiling as if this was the best thing in the world.

“I think I would be yeah.” Minerva said happily.

The two decided on a time for Minerva to go into the hospital for a proper interview and Minerva walked away from the healer feeling like she was finally about to do some good in the world just like her granny did.

On the other side of Hogwarts grounds Hermione, Harry and Ron were walking together quietly, just remembering all the amazing times they had had there.

“Hey guys.” A voice called from behind them, it was Neville.

Harry and Ron rushed forward to greet him but Hermione didn’t move. She felt so incredibly guilty, no one had told him.

“Hey Hermione.” Neville said, walking forward and giving her a huge hug, which she returned half-heartedly.

“Are you ok?” he asked her. He didn’t realize why she was so upset; he just assumed it was the fact that her grandmother had just died, which certainly didn’t help matters.

Hermione took Neville’s arm and lead him away from everyone else, by the time they were out of anyone’s earshot they were practically in the forbidden forest.

“Hermione you’re scaring me now, what’s wrong?” Neville asked, worry etched across his face.

Hermione reached into her pocket and extracted a photo her grandmother had given her not long before she died. It was the last picture Minerva ever had taken with her girls.

Hermione handed the picture to Neville with trembling hands; Neville took it from her and began scanning it carefully. He smiled at first when he saw McGonagall; she looked so happy and young here, it was a beautiful image of her. But then Neville’s face suddenly became very confused as he recognized someone else.

“Is that..?”

“Yes, it’s your mother.” Hermione said gently.

“How?” Neville asked, still staring wide eyed at the moving picture in his hand. The two ten year old girls were waving up at him as their mother smiled proudly.

Hermione told Neville the story, the story of how their grandmother had did it to protect her girls, how she loved them both so much.

Hermione’s story left Neville in a state of shock; this was the last thing he had expected to hear today.

 “I wish I could have talked to her.” Neville said sadly as he and Hermione finally started to walk away from the forest.

“Well maybe you can.” Hermione said with a warm smile.

A few minutes later they arrived outside the gargoyle that guarded the office, then they realized they needed a password.

“What could it be?” Neville asked Hermione, he was starting to look like he had given up hope of ever talking to his grandmother. Hermione thought about it carefully, then she realized it could only be one thing,

“Minerva.” Hermione said clearly and immediately the gargoyle sprang to life revealing the long spiral staircase.

“How did you know that?” Neville asked her, stepping onto the stairs.

“Because I know that the one person she loved most in the world was my daughter, Minerva.” Hermione said smiling at Neville kindly.

When they finally reached the top Neville didn’t move.

“What if she didn’t tell me for a reason, what if she never wanted me to know?” Neville asked his cousin, looking scared and very upset.

“She loved you Neville, even if she didn’t tell you, she loved you so much.” Hermione said, putting a comforting hand on Neville’s shoulder. Neville took a deep, calming breath and walked into the office.

When Hermione walked in the first thing she saw was her grandmother’s painting beaming down at them.

“Hello darling.” The painting said with a sweet smile.

“Hi grandma.” Hermione said. She felt so weird talking to this painting considering she had just buried her grandmother.

“Neville knows.” Hermione said before her grandmother’s portrait got the chance to say anything else.

“Oh, Neville I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you myself, I was scared at how you might react, especially after all that has happened in your life.” She said sadly. She looked straight at her grandson and anyone could see the love in her eyes.

“I understand, but why did you tell Hermione and not me?” he asked, this seemed to be what hurt him.

“I told her at a time when she was very confused and she needed me more than anything, in your fifth year you were growing stronger and stronger on your own, I couldn’t disrupt that, look at what you have become!” She said, pride beaming from her face.

“How long did you know that I was your grandson for?” Neville asked, taking a seat in front of the head master’s desk.

“I watched my daughters grow up, I watched the day they brought their children home, and I watched you grow up Neville.”

“Really?” he asked, a slight tear in his eye.

“Really, your family thought you had no magic in you, but I saw it clearly. I know I was very strict on you at Hogwarts, but I just wanted to help you become the man I knew you were.” Minerva said, obviously fighting to hold back her own tears.

“I’m glad you were hard on me, I would never be where I am now without that. Thank you grandma.” He said to her with a gentle smile as tears streamed from his eyes. Minerva instinctively held out her arms to hold her grandson, but she couldn’t and it hurt her so much that she wouldn’t be able to.

Instead Hermione wrapped her arms around her cousin, which earned her a grateful smile from her grandmother’s portrait.

“I love you both so much, don’t you ever forget that.” Minerva said quietly as she watched her grandchildren’s embrace with a happy grin.