Complicated Love Dramione

by Brianna Minerva

Hermione and Draco's relationship can be complicated. No matter how much she hates him she will always hold love in her heart for him, because he was her first. Not only that, he is also the father of her child. This story follows the life of that child, with shocks and surprises along the way that will excite you until the very end.

Chapter 1:

Hermione Granger hated Draco Malfoy sometimes. He was a cruel, evil boy. But when Hermione looked into his eyes she saw everything good she knew was inside him. Hermione couldn't help but love Draco with all her heart. Every time Hermione passed him in the corridor and their hands brushed against one another she got a tingle up her arm. Hermione didn't want to feel this way, she hated herself because she couldn't help but feel like she was betraying her two best friends.

Her feelings for Draco grew stronger the longer she knew him and when she was in fifth year she somewhat felt like he may return her feelings, sometimes when she went to look at him she caught him looking back at her, but they both quickly turned their head every time they were caught by the other.

On Halloween night Fred and George had organized a secret Halloween party down in the dungeons, the entire of Gryffindor tower was going, even Hermione. Fred Weasley had decided it was time for Hermione to loosen up a little so he poured a potion he had made into her pumpkin juice; the potion was basically very strong, tasteless alcohol. Without even knowing it Hermione was hammered after half an hour. She had a great time at the party; she was dancing and just having a laugh.

Two hours into the party a group of Slytherins turned up out of the blue, Draco Malfoy was among them. Usually when Hermione saw Draco she froze and got really awkward and nervous, but not today, today she felt confident and strong.

"Hey Draco." She said to him happily. Draco was so shocked by her pleasant greeting he replied with his usual nastiness

"Don't talk to me you filthy little mudblood!" He sneered at her. Deep down it hurt him to say such things and he was alarmed when he did not see that hurt reflected in Hermione's eyes, instead she walked towards him slowly, placed one hand tenderly on his shoulder and whispered seductively into his ear,

"Why don't you come with me and see how filthy my blood REALLY is." She grasped his arm and dragged him into the nearest broom cupboard.

Draco's life was now complete, he had gotten everything he had ever wanted, his pleasure was short lived however when suddenly the door of the broom cupboard swung open and light flooded in.

"Miss Granger! Button up your blouse this instant, I expected more of you, 50 points from Gryffindor!" Professor McGonagall said, her voice full of disgust. Hermione giggled uncharacteristically which earned her another stern scowl from McGonagall.

"Same goes for you Mr. Malfoy. Honestly two students having sex on school grounds, I've never heard the like!" She shouted, promptly taking Draco by the scruff of the neck and dragging him out of the broom cupboard. Draco had never been happier to be embarrassed in his life, because it was all worth it.

Hermione woke up in the girl's dorm the next day with a banging headache, it was around 1pm and she could barely remember last night. She got dressed quickly and when down to lunch, trying to avoid large crowds if possible as they just made her head ache worse.

"Hey Hermione." Draco said to her shyly. This was so shocking to Hermione, he'd never said hello to her before, never mind nicely!

"Hi Draco." She replied, a little awkwardly.

"So I had a great time last night." He said with a wink and when he saw that no one was looking he gave her a swift kiss on the cheek. At his touch Hermione stiffened and as she watched him walk away she started to see images flashing across her mind. Draco kissing her neck. Draco pulling up her skirt. McGonagall dragging Draco away from her by the neck.

'OMG' she thought to herself, totally shocked. Everything from last night had come flooding back to her and she had never felt so ashamed of herself in her entire life.

When Hermione walked into Transfiguration she immediately knew she was right, McGonagall gave her a look that clearly said she was disappointed in her. Hermione kept her head down for the rest of class; she had never been so embarrassed!

Hermione tried to stay away from Draco for the next few weeks. She couldn't believe what they had done, practically in public too!

Hermione was sitting in Transfiguration one day when McGonagall came over to her desk.

"Miss Granger could I speak to you for a moment?" She asked in a cold voice.

Hermione followed her out of the room, her face bright red; she looked back at Draco who was looking rather uncomfortable.

"Yes professor?" Hermione asked with a smile even her stomach was turning.

"Miss Granger I wanted to talk to you about Halloween night." She said, looking almost as uncomfortable as Hermione felt.

"Professor I'm really sorry, I don't know what came over me." Hermione said, she was starting to feel dizzy and she felt like she was going to be sick.

"I'm hope you realize how stupid it was Miss…" Hermione holding up her hand and then swiftly running towards the nearest bathroom suddenly interrupted McGonagall.

McGonagall wasn't stupid, she had seen these signs before, but she hoped with all her might that she wasn't right.

When she saw Hermione walking back towards her, looking very pale, she decided to cast a spell that would reveal if she was right or not. McGonagall muttered the incantation under her breath. The tip of her wand lit up.

'Oh No!' she thought to herself.

"I'm sorry about that professor, I guess I ate something bad a lunch." Hermione said faintly, she was still as white as a sheet.

"It wasn't something you ate Hermione dear." McGonagall said to her gently. Out of their entire conversation this was what made her the most nervous, McGonagall barely ever called her by her first name, never mind added 'dear's the end.

"What do you mean professor?" Hermione asked

"Hermione, your pregnant!" said McGonagall, swaying slighting on the spot then sitting down heavily on a chair that had just appeared beneath her.

"No, professor I can't be! How could you know?" Hermione asked. This may not be what she wanted to ask but she was in so much shock she didn't really know what to ask.

"I did a spell. Your pregnant by Draco Malfoy of all people!" She exclaimed, putting her head in her hands.

"Professor, I know this is really bad for me, but why are you so affected?" Hermione asked her. She was so scared but this was really confusing her.

"Hermione, I never told you this but I think it's about time you knew. I'm your grandmother!"

Chapter 2:

"What? How is that possible?" Hermione asked, her mouth hanging open in utter shock, she couldn't get her head around this.

McGonagall took Hermione's arm and lead her into an empty classroom. They both sat down.

"When I was in my 20s I met a muggle, he was the most wonderful man i had ever met, but he was quite refined, he would never have believed me if I told him I was a witch. The night before our wedding I ran away, I couldn't lie to him anymore."

"Where did you go?" Hermione asked, now deeply engrossed in her story.

"I went to the leaky cauldron. I stayed there for a while, a few weeks after I arrived I found out that I was pregnant."

"You must have been terrified." Hermione said.

"Yes I was, but they I gave birth to two beautiful twin girls, and I loved them both with all my heart, even though one of them was a squib."

"My mother." said Hermione.

"Yes. When the twins were 10 I was approached at my home by death eaters, they were recruiting for Lord Voldemort. I knew they wouldn't be safe with me now, so I wiped their memories, sent them to orphanages, but I decided to give your mother to a muggle orphanage as she could easily pass for a muggle and that way she would be the safest."

"So you still loved them?"

"Oh course I did, I still do. I watched their lives develop, I watched them grow up, have children of their own, watched their children getting their Hogwarts letters." she smiled.

"So you saw me?" Hermione asked with a happy smile on her face, she was beginning to feel a little better about the whole situation.

"Yes, I have watched over you and your cousin closely, trying to protect you the best I could."

"But who is my cousin, who is my mum's sister?"

"My other daughter is called Alice, and my grandson is Neville Longbottom."

"Wait, Neville's my cousin?" asked Hermione, completely gob smacked. She hadn't had so many surprises in one day.

"Yes, and I love you both so much." She said.

"Does Neville know?" Hermione asked her.

"Not yet, but Hermione wee are straying off the point, dear you are pregnant!"

"I know, what am I going to do?" asked Hermione, putting her head in her hands, starting to cry.

McGonagall got up and went over to her granddaughter, putting her hand on her back.

"I think I have an idea, but it will take some sacrifice on your part."

"Anything!" Hermione cried.

"Ok darling, well I have a spell that can hide the bump, then when the time is right I will bring you to St. Mungo's, you shall have the baby and then your parents can look after it, your mother will look after the baby no problem, she has a kind heart." she said

"Ok, it's going to be so hard letting go though isn't it." Hermione asked, tears in her eyes.

"Yes it is baby." McGonagall said, putting her arms around Hermione and her granddaughter melted into them.

Hermione hated this. She walked around the castle for the next while, having to leave suddenly between classes to throw up, and people were starting to talk. They were speaking jokingly that she might be pregnant but a few months later when she showed no signs they stopped talking.

But Hermione was still pregnant, she had a hard time hiding it, every night she went to see McGonagall who renewed the spell, but the problem with the spell was it just made the bump invisible, it was still there, so if someone bumped into her they would feel it, if she hugged someone they would feel it. So Hermione tried to distance herself as much as possible from her friends, she still hung out with them but she never let them hug her. In a way she actually felt quite lonely even though she would obviously never be alone for a while, she would always have that little person with her. And no matter how much she tried not to, she couldn't help but love the child growing inside her, and she dreaded the day it would no longer be there and she would have to let it go.

Chapter 3:

Hermione woke up grasping at the air in front of her stomach, gasping in pain. It was 4am and when she got up she found that she had been lying in a puddle of water, her water had broken. Hermione tried to suppress her screams but she couldn't.

"Hermione, what's wrong?" Parvarti asked her as she got put of bed, rubbing her eyes.

"I'm fine." Hermione gasped before letting out another scream of pain. Hermione doubled over and as she did this the spell that was on her stomach wore off and her 9-month pregnant belly was clearly visible.

"Holy shit Hermione, your pregnant!" she said, stepping back in alarm.

"Please can you just help me get to McGonagall?" Hermione pleaded.

Parvarti grasped Hermione under the arm and helped her down to the Gryffindor common room, they then walked as quickly as possible to McGonagall's office, the fact that Hermione kept stopping and screaming didn't really help matters.

"Grandma, OMG Grandma, it's started!" Hermione yelled, hammering on the door to Professor McGonagall's bedchamber. Minerva McGonagall rushed out, her long hair flowing down to her waist and wearing a dressing gown, this was mostly because it was 3 am and the entire of Hogwarts was asleep.

"Wait, grandma? OMG, this is so weird!" said Parvarti, totally shocked.

"Thank you miss Patil I will take it from here." McGonagall said, taking out her wand and saying,

"Obliviate."

Parvarti walked away from her, totally forgetting everything that had just happened.

"Oh my dear!" Minerva said, supporting her granddaughter as she screamed.

"What should we do now?" cried Hermione gasping in pain.

"I'm afraid we can't go to St. Mungo's now darling, it's happening too quickly, we'll have to go to the hospital wing."

"But then the whole school will know!"

"I'm sorry darling but we don't have a choice." Minerva said as she supported her granddaughter, guiding her towards the hospital wing. When they finally got there Hermione was in complete agony.

"Poppy! Poppy, we need help!" Minerva yelled in the direction of Madam Pomfrey's door.

"Minerva, what's going on?" she asked, rushing out.

"It's Hermione, she's about to have a baby!" She told her as Hermione cried out again.

"What? Honestly, this school, full of surprises!"

"Could we hurry it up please, my granddaughter is in labor!"

"Your granddaughter... oh never mind, I'll find out later." she said after a very stern and threatening look from Minerva.

Minerva stayed and held her granddaughter's hand as she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. Minerva's heart swelled with love and adoration as she looked down at her great granddaughter's smiling face.

"Oh she's beautiful dear!" Minerva said, handing the baby to her granddaughter.

Hermione looked down at the little girl's smiling face.

"I wish I didn't have to let her go grandma!" Hermione cried.

"I wish that too darling, but when your school is over you will be able to see her all the time." Minerva said quietly.

Everyone wondered where Hermione was the next few days, but no one knew anything, as Poppy had kept quiet.

Two days after the birth Minerva walked into the hospital wing her Hermione and the baby lay.

"I think its time darling," she said, kissing her granddaughter on the forehead.

Hermione knew she was right. She got up and took the baby girl in her arms.

"Let's go then." Minerva said, taking Hermione's arm as she dissaparated.

They arrived at Hermione's parents house immediately. They walked together up to the front door, and Minerva rang the bell.

Minerva's heart stopped when the woman opened the door, she was so beautiful, and she looked so happy, her daughter had gotten everything she had ever wanted for her.

"Hello Mrs. Granger, I am professor McGonagall, I am deputy head mistress at Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry."

"Yes of course, is Hermione alright?" she asked, concern on her face. Minerva stepped aside to reveal Hermione and the baby, her daughter gasped.

"Hermione! Your here! Is that yours?" she asked, nodding at the bundle of blankets in Hermione's arms.

"Yes mum, I'm so sorry mum." Hermione said, beginning to cry.

"It's ok darling," her mother said, giving Hermione a gentle hug.

Minerva watched as her girls embraced, feeling so proud of them both.

"Mum, I was wondering if there was any way you and dad could care for her, I want to finish school."

Hermione said worried.

"Yes darling, of course we will!" said her mother.

"Thanks mum." said Hermione, hugging her again.

"I think we should go now dear." Minerva said, looking at her granddaughter's sad face.

"Yes of course professor." she said.

Minerva went of to them and kissed the baby on the head

"Bye bye darling." she whispered.

Minerva watched as Hermione said goodbye to her daughter. She kissed the baby and gave her a gentle hug before handing her over to her mother.

"Bye darling." Hermione said, waving at the baby and her mother as she and Minerva walked around the corner and dissaparated.

When they arrived back at Hogwarts Hermione began to cry again.

"I miss her so much already grandma." she said, wrapping her arms around Minerva's neck and crying into her shoulder.

"Me too darling, me too." she whispered, rubbing her back soothingly.

"I've decided on a name, I'm going to call her Minerva. You have been so much help to me these past nine months and I've never trusted anyone more, I love you grandma," she said, not moving her head.

"I love you too baby." Minerva said. She had never felt so much pride and love in her life as she held her weeping granddaughter in her arms.

Chapter 4:

The next day Hermione returned to classes. When she turned up at breakfast that morning everyone in her year looked at her, by now they had probably all come up with their own ideas about why she had been gone the last view days but she was sure none of them were as crazy as what had actually happened.

"Hey Hermione where were you?" asked Harry.

"Are you all right, we were all wondering where you were." said Ginny.

"We thought you know who had got you." Laughed Fred.

Hermione looked at them all, she hated to lie to them because she loved them all like they were her family but she knew she would never get her life back to normal if she didn't.

"I had the flu, it was pretty bad actually, Madam Pomfrey refused to let me leave the hospital wing." she told them. She looked around at all their faces and immediately she knew that they believed her, why wouldn't they, she had never hid anything from them before.

"You all better now?" asked Ron, looking at her with a worried expression on his face that never registered with Hermione properly.

"Yes I'm fine, so what have I missed?" she asked them, trying to get back to normal.

"Well Snape's been Snape, but McGonagall has been really weird, in class she never shouts, barely asks us to do work and just sits there looking worried and sad. It's really weird." Said Harry, shrugging his shoulders.

"I'm sure it's nothing, she'll be back to giving us too much homework in no time." said Hermione with a confident smile. Obviously she knew why her grandmother had been so sad and it made her feel a little better that she wasn't the only person in the world feeling this way.

Hermione left breakfast early, she walked out of the great hall and as she started walking to her first class she heard someone walk up behind her. Before she had the chance to turn around and see who it was a cold hand covered her mouth and dragged her into a broom cupboard. She bit down on the hand hard.

"Hey! Hermione that hurt!" said Draco, rubbing his hand.

"Good, what the hell were you doing?" she asked him.

"Well I miss you, after Halloween night I thought we might be able to have a relationship of sorts, but you ignored me. When you disappeared I started thinking about it again, I really missed you Hermione." he said gently. This was everything she had ever wanted from Draco, and the softness of his touch just reminded her of Minerva.

"Hermione what's wrong?" Draco asked as Hermione broke down into tears once again, she had been crying all night, she couldn't help herself.

"I'm sorry Draco, it's been an emotional few days," she said, leaning into his shoulder. When he put his arm around her she felt like everything could be ok again.

"It's fine, tell me, I'm here for you." He said to her as he stroked her hair gently. Hermione knew he needed to know, he had a daughter, and she couldn't keep something like this from him.

"Draco, I didn't have the flu. I was having a baby.," she said softly.

"What?" He asked her, stepping back looking shocked.

"I'm sorry Draco, I didn't know how to tell you."

"I have a baby?" he asked, he looked more confused than ever.

"Yes, after Halloween night I didn't know how to tell you. She's beautiful Draco, she's got your white blond hair and gorgeous grey eyes." Hermione said, at this point she looked into his eyes again and all she was the daughter she missed so much.

"It's a girl, I have a daughter." He said, more to himself than her, he was starting to smile. Hermione was so glad he didn't hate her for this.

"Yes, her name is Minerva."

"Minerva, as in McGonagall?" he asked, the look of confusion returning.

"Yes, she was so much help to me, she helped me figure out what to do, she helped me hide the pregnancy. She's my grandmother, it was a secret but she told me a few weeks after Halloween."

"Really? But think God you weren't on your own through all this." he said, wrapping his arms around her once again.

"So you aren't mad?" Hermione asked him, looking up into his eyes.

"I could never be mad at you Hermione, I love you too much." he said and he lowered his head and kissed her softly, he could taste her tears and it just made him love her more.

Chapter 5:

Hermione was sitting in on the Hogwarts express with Harry, Ron and Ginny. She was so excited; she just couldn't sit still long enough.

"I'll be back in a minute." she said and quickly left the carriage. She walked down the train and slowly entered a carriage that had its blinds shut.

When Hermione slipped inside she saw Draco Malfoy sitting there completely alone.

"We're nearly home." said Draco, taking Hermione's hands in his and squeezing them tightly. Hermione sat down on his knee, kissing him passionately and excitedly.

"I know, I can't wait to see her, she'll be so big by now!" Hermione said, she just couldn't stop smiling.

"Tell me again what she looked like." Draco said, leaning back in his seat. Hermione leant into him.

"She has beautiful blond hair and gorgeous grey eyes you could just drown in. When I brought her to my mother she was so tiny, but her little fingers were so strong, when she grabbed my finger I couldn't let her go." Hermione whispered in his ear.

They sat like that until the train finally began to slow down and the carriage door opened.

"Are you ready?" Minerva McGonagall asked them.

"Yes grandma." Hermione said, getting up from Draco's lap and grabbing her trunk.

They all walked off the train together, hurrying past all their friends so as not to get sidetracked.

The three of them practically ran towards that little house where their happiness lay.

When they got there Hermione practically hammered the door down.

"Alright I'm coming!" shouted a voice from inside the house. They listened as Hermione's mother tried to shout over the crying baby.

The door swung open and all three of them gasped. Hermione's mum was standing there holding a beautiful girl in her arms. The child had curly blond hair that looked like springs; she had little chubby cheeks and was wearing a little grey dress that brought out her enchanting eyes.

Hermione stretched out her arms and took the little girl from her mother. Minerva immediately stopped crying as soon as her mother held her close.

"Hello darling! Mummy's back, mummy's back." she whispered into her ear, swaying her gently from side to side. Hermione turned around to show her to Draco, he was standing at the gate, looking intently at the baby, his eyes filled with tears.

"Minerva, this is your daddy." Hermione said, putting her in Draco's arms.

She stood back with her grandmother and watched as Draco bonded with his daughter, it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.

"I'm never ever going to leave you." he chanted, hugging her close.

They sat in the Granger household all day, they had their dinner and Draco and Hermione took turns feeding their daughter her dinner. Afterwards they all went into the living room together.

"I don't want to ever let her go again grandma." Hermione whispered, hugging her daughter close.

"I don't want you to either baby. We're going to have to arrange weekly visits next year." Minerva said to her.

"That would be amazing grandma, thank you." she said, giving her a gentle hug.

"Can I come?" Draco asked. He was so worried about never seeing his little girl again.

"Of course you can, she's your daughter too, right grandma?" Hermione said smiling at him.

"Yes, Hermione's right, you need to be able to see her." Minerva said.

Draco visited the Granger household in secret almost every day over the summer, when it was nearing the end of summer Hermione went to stay with the Weasleys and she had to leave her daughter behind. She knew she would get to see her again very soon but it still hurt so much to leave her.

"I love you baby." Hermione said to her.

"Wuv you mummy." Minerva replied. She had started talking at the start of the summer and the day she said "mummy" was the most magical day of Hermione's life.

Never the less Hermione was happy to just be with her friends again, it was a relief in a way to just talk about school and normal things.

Hermione went with the Weasleys to dragon alley to see 'Weasley wizard wheezes', she expected to have a really fun day but when they followed Draco and his mother to 'Borgin and Burke's' her entire life turned sour. She insisted she hadn't seen the dark mark on Draco's arm, but she had.

Hermione tried to ignore Draco when she got back to Hogwarts, hiding in classrooms to avoid him.

"Hey Hermione, when are we going to see Minerva again." he asked her one day when he caught up with her after potions class.

"You? Never." she said and quickly tried to walk away.

"Wait Hermione please, why not?" he asked, he looked genuinely confused.

"Draco you're a death eater now!" she screeched, pulling up his sleeve to reveal the dark mark.

"I'm not, not really." He said, hastily yanking the sleeve back down again.

"Don't give me that! You will never see your daughter again!" she hissed and walked away, leaving Draco standing there, a single tear running down his face.

"Hermione what's wrong?" asked her grandmother, looking worried.

"It's nothing, just a fight with Draco, but I really need to see Minerva." Hermione said.

"Yes of course, would you like me to come with you?" she asked her.

"Thanks grandma that would be great." Hermione said, giving her a hug.

When they arrived Hermione went up to the bedroom that was now her daughter's while her grandma waited down stairs.

"Mummy!" the little girl cried, standing up in her cot and putting out her arms to be lifted.

"Hello darling." Hermione said, picking her up.

"Where daddy?" she asked, her little eyes gleaming, they were exactly like Draco's.

"Daddy won't be coming over any more, but he still loves you so so much, don't you ever forget that." Hermione whispered to her, tears dripping into Minerva's hair.

Chapter 6:

Hermione loved her daughter more than anything, and she tried to visit her as much as possible, but things kept getting in the way, being on the run, her love for Ron, and eventually her own family. Minerva loved her mother so much it didn't matter, at first.

One day when Minerva was 10 years old her great grandmother (granny as Minerva liked to call her) came to visit her once again, she came at least once a week, but this time she had some news.

"Your mother is getting married," her granny told her gently.

"Really? To that nice red headed guy?" asked Minerva, she had only ever seen him once but she knew he loved her mother by the way he looked at her, and that was good enough for Minerva.

"Yes, do you want to go to the wedding? No one there knows about you but that doesn't mean you can't still see your mother get married." Her granny smiled.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Minerva said, giving her a huge hug.

A few months later they attended the wedding together, sitting at the very back. Minerva watched her mother walk up the isle, looking more beautiful than she had ever seen her. When Hermione got to the alter she looked around at all the guests, when she spotted her daughter at the back her smile widened.

Minerva was so pleased to see her mother get married, she knew how happy she was going to be, but when she saw her afterwards she wasn't as happy. Her mother was standing with her new husband and newborn baby daughter Rose, they were the perfect family, Minerva was just the accident her mother was too embarrassed to tell anyone about. She hated herself for being so jealous of her baby sister but she couldn't help but pray for everything that hold had.

That night she went home and cried, wishing more than anything that she could have a normal family.

Nearly a year later Minerva got her Hogwarts acceptance letter, her mother had dropped by to offer her congratulations and warn her not to tell anyone her second name, she also now had a baby boy with her husband, they were the perfect nuclear family.

When Minerva got to Hogwarts she was so excited. The second she entered she felt so nervous yet so happy, because she was home! This was where her parents had met; this was where she was born.

At the sorting ceremony her granny placed the hat on her head, it shouted "Gryffindor" immediately and she was so happy, she knew she couldn't have been in any other house, she had already been so brave, that's what her granny had said anyway.

Her granny beamed at her when she removed the hat from her head and Minerva went to sit down at the table, she couldn't help but wonder if her mother would be proud of her too.

Chapter 7:

All throughout Minerva's first year at Hogwarts she felt so lonely, she couldn't really get close to many people because of all the secrets she had to keep. Every evening she went to the head mistress's office, she and her granny sat there and had tea, talking about their day. This was the best part of young Minerva's day; it was the only time she actually felt like she had a family. But her granny hated seeing her great granddaughter like this, so lonely, it broke her heart. So she decided she needed to do something about it. She decided to start up a new school club; she encouraged her great granddaughter to join. Professor McGonagall accompanied little Minerva to the first meeting of the club; she left her great granddaughter there, hoping more than anything that she made a new friend or two.

The next day Minerva returned to her great grandmother's office and she walked in with a huge smile on her face.

"Well how did it go?" She asked her, gesturing for her to take the seat in front of her.

"It was really good, I met this girl called Amy, and she was really nice," said Minerva, smiling even more. She was so happy to see her great granddaughter so happy, every time she had walked into her office looking depressed it had broken her heart just a little more.

Minerva didn't go to visit her granny as much once she started hanging out with Amy, she still went at least once a week but it wasn't the same. Her granny was so happy she had someone her own age to talk to but she felt distanced from her great granddaughter, she missed her.

When Minerva was in her second year she met a first year boy in the Gryffindor common room, he looked lonely, she could relate to that.

"Hi, I'm Minerva." she said, offering him her hand.

"Teddy." he replied, taking it a little hesitantly.

Minerva really liked Teddy; he was such a nice guy, she was happy to have another friend. At first Teddy confused Minerva, she knew he could change his appearance, he was very obviously a natural metamorphmagus, but he was also a little strange in his dietary needs, he often ate really rare steak and he disappeared once a month. Minerva, being an incredibly smart witch, had the ability to link all these things together, she went to the library often after she connected the dots, the library brought her comfort, she didn't know why but the smell of the books made her happier than anything. One day she was flicking through a large book on rare diseases when she came across a passage about werewolves. As soon as she saw the symptoms she knew that Teddy was a werewolf. She went in search of a book all about werewolves and she immediately knew she was right, in the back of the book was a list of famous werewolves; she saw the name 'Remus Lupin', Teddy's father.

"Hey Teddy." she said when she returned to the common room that night, Teddy was looking a little pale and Minerva now knew it was because it was just after a full moon.

"Hi Minerva." he replied quietly.

"Look Teddy, I know what you are." Minerva piped up, there was no point beating around the bush.

"What? How could you?" he asked her, quite shocked.

"I'm your friend Teddy, I notice things, and I just want you to know, you can trust me with anything, I will never judge you." she said with a smile.

"Thanks Minerva." he said, giving her a hug.

After this day they grew closer, and the two shared everything.

When Teddy was in his third year he developed feelings for Minerva, not his usual feelings, these feelings were different, they were stronger, and he was attracted to her.

He decided he wanted to tell her; she was the most amazing girl he had ever met.

So he waited for her one night in the common room, the same place they had first met.
"Hey Teddy." said Minerva, blushing.
"Minerva, could we like, go out sometime?" he asked her nervously. He waited as he watched her face change from total shock to extreme happiness.
"Yes, I'd love to Teddy!" she said, kissing him lightly on the lips. The couple were very much in love

Teddy loved Minerva more than anything in the world, and for the next two years they had a wonderful relationship, but eventually Teddy realized something, he didn't know much about Minerva, especially not her family, hell he didn't even know her last name!

Teddy decided he really wanted to know this stuff so he organized a romantic date by the lake for them.
"Hey Teddy." she said smiling at him, her long hair blew around her in the breeze, and he couldn't help but forget all he wanted to ask her.
"Come meet my family this summer." he blurted out without thinking.
Suddenly Minerva's face went white.
"What, have you told them about us? Teddy I asked you not to!" she said, she seemed afraid now, this really confused Teddy.
"Minerva what's wrong?" he asked her, shocked. She tried to walk away from him, tears in her eyes.
"No wait please." he said grabbing her arm.
"Tell me everything," he whispered kindly. She sat down with him on the grass and told him all about her past, about her parents, her great grandmother, everything.
"You're aunt Hermione's daughter?" he asked her, he couldn't get his head around any of this.
"Yes, please Teddy, don't tell them, I don't want my mum to get hurt." she said desperately.
"I won't don't worry, I love you Minerva, I'd do anything for you." he said to her. This was the first time either of them had confessed their love allowed.
"I love you too Teddy." she said and began kissing him passionately.
It was on that very day that they both lost their virginity; it was the best day of both their lives.

Chapter 8:

Teddy and Minerva's relationship just got better from there, they loved spending time together, and they never even spent a day apart.

One day at the end of October Minerva was sitting in Herbology class, when she got a terrible, sharp pain in her stomach, she screamed out.

"Minerva! Are you alright?" Professor Longbottom asked her, a worried expression on his usually happy face.

"I don't know professor," she said, doubling over and screaming out once again.

"Amy, take her to the hospital wing, I will contact the head mistress." He said, wiping out his wand. Amy took her friend by the elbow and guided her up to the castle.

When they got to the entrance hall, Minerva collapsed to the ground.

"I can't go any further Amy, I don't know what's wrong with me!" cried Minerva.

"It's ok, you'll be fine! Come on, in here." said Amy, helping her friend into the nearest bathroom.

Amy watched as her friend collapsed against the sink, trying and failing to support herself. Amy was nearly as scared as Minerva was; she thought her friend was going to die!

"Minerva, what can I do?" Amy asked her.

"I don't know Amy, get Teddy, please, I need him."

"I don't want to leave you Minerva," said Amy, sitting down beside her and taking her hand. Minerva was covered in sweat and breathing heavily. Amy took a tissue out of her pocket and wiped Minerva's brow.

"You'll be ok Minerva, I promise." said Amy, trying to soothe her friend. Minerva kept screaming, clutching at her stomach.

Amy heard Professor McGonagall calling out in the hall,

"Minerva, darling where are you!" she screeched.

"Professor, she's in here!" Amy cried at the top of her lungs, second later the head mistress rushed in the bathroom door.

"Oh my dear, what's wrong, what happened?" she asked, sitting down on the floor beside them.

"I don't know, we were in class and she screamed, is she going to die?" Amy asked, starting to cry.

"No, of course not, Amy go get madam pomfrey will you?" she asked her, trying her best to keep clam.

"Yes, of course." Amy blubbered as she left the bathroom, tears still streaming down her cheeks.

"Granny, what's wrong with me, my stomach is in so much pain!" Minerva screamed again.

"It could be a lot of things dear, lets just wait for madam pomfrey ok?" she said, stroking her great granddaughter's hair. She was so worried about her, she had an idea about what could be wrong with her but she wasn't sure, she just wanted her to be okay.

A few moments later Madam Pomfrey hurried into the room.

"Where's Amy?" asked Minerva, she felt she really needed her friend right now.

"She said something about going to find Teddy." Madam Pomfrey said, kneeling down beside the head mistress.

"Really Minerva, again?" Madam Pomfrey huffed, looking at Professor McGonagall and shaking her head disapprovingly.

"What do you mean?" asked young Minerva, looking up at the two women.

"Hunny you're pregnant." said Madam Pomfrey.

"Wait, what? How can I be pregnant, I had no idea!" Minerva cried, was this even possible?

"Sometimes this can happen, it's very rare but it is possible, the pregnancy doesn't show like normal, you barely put on any weight and everything is the way it should be." Said Madam Pomfrey.

"I can't believe this is happening again! I distinctly remember you turning up in the middle of the night with your pregnant granddaughter nearly 17 years ago!" said Madam Pomfrey to her great grandmother.

"Poppy just help her will you?" Professor McGonagall said anxiously, squeezing her great granddaughter's hand comfortingly.

"Of course I will, all I'm saying is your girls need to learn about a little thing called contraception!" said Madam Pomfrey as she made towels and stuff appear in mid air with her wand.

"Is now really the time?" McGonagall asked, giving her a glare like death.

Her granny sat there and held her hand until the bathroom was filled with the sound of a baby's cry, Madam Pomfrey put the baby boy into her granny's arms, he was perfect in every way.

"Well at least this one can't get pregnant!" said Madam Pomfrey but with a look from Professor McGonagall she promptly left.

"I'm so sorry Granny, I didn't know, really I didn't." Minerva said, looking at the beautiful boy that lay in her granny's arms.

"I know baby, we all make mistakes." she replied, rocking the baby.

"Do you hate me?" Minerva asked, starting to cry.

McGonagall put the baby in her great granddaughter's arms.

"I could never hate you baby, I love you too much." she said, putting her arms around Minerva.

"I love you too granny." Minerva said, they sat there for a while, Professor McGonagall leaning against the wall, Minerva leaning into her and the little boy asleep in her arms.

Chapter 9:

Professor McGonagall waited until classes had started again before she brought Minerva and her son out of the bathroom and up to the hospital wing, the last thing a new mother needed was all those people judging her.

When they got up to the hospital wing Minerva lay down on the nearest bed and immediately fell asleep, no wonder after the day she had had.

Professor McGonagall sat in a chair beside her bed, cradling the baby boy in her arms. As she watched him sleep his hair turned to a bright blue, he was just like his grandmother, Professor thought to her self, suddenly missing Tonks and Lupin.

Suddenly she heard a boy outside the hospital wing, shouting to get in, he couldn't because there were teachers out there making sure nobody got in.

At the sound of his shouting Minerva opened her eyes.

"What's going on?" she asked, sitting up.

"It's Teddy darling, he wants in, should I let him?"

As soon as McGonagall had finished her question they heard him yelling again.

"Minerva! Are you in there?" he yelled.

"Let him in." Minerva said. Professor McGonagall handed the baby boy to her great granddaughter then got up and opened the door.

Teddy charged in, he didn't even look forwards; he just stopped and talked to Professor McGonagall.

"What's going on Professor? There is a rumor going round that Minerva had a baby!" Teddy said. McGonagall just nodded towards the bed where her family lay.

When Teddy looked and he saw them lying there he was shocked, he hadn't really believed the rumors until now.

"You did, you had a baby! How is that even possible, you didn't look pregnant!" he said, collapsing into the seat beside her bed.

"I know I didn't, I don't really understand it either." she said, starting to cry again.

Teddy got up and lay on the bed beside her, putting his arm around her. Minerva leant into his shoulder, trying to stop her tears, she didn't even notice when her granny left.

"Does he have a name yet?" Teddy asked her.

"Not yet, but I was thinking of one." she said, slowly looking up into his eyes.

"What?" he asked.

"Remus." she replied gently.

"It's perfect Minerva, I love you so much!" Teddy said, also starting to cry, he had never loved someone so much in his life. He finally felt like he had a family.

A few days later Minerva McGonagall came to visit her great granddaughter with some great news.

"Darling, I remember how hard it was for your mother to let you go, and I don't want you to have to go through that, so I arranged for you and Remus to have a private room, with a room for Teddy right next door." she said.

Minerva's face immediately lit up.

"So I can really keep him here with me?" she asked, very excited.

"Yes baby, it will be hard, kids can be mean, but I have told them about your situation and they will be punished if they do or say anything to you." she said, starting to look a little mad.

"It's fine granny, I know they will be mean, but I can handle it." Minerva said, looking strong.

Minerva hated school now, the other students tortured her, calling her a slut and other things that made her cry herself to sleep at night. Minerva had loved Hogwarts, it was home to her, it was where her parents had met, it was where she was born, and it was where she had friends, but now she despised it and couldn't wait to leave, Hogwarts was only good when she had friends but even the teacher looked down on her now. The only thing Minerva looked forward to was time spent with Teddy, Remus and her great grandmother.

One night Minerva heard a soft knock on her door, she opened it quietly to see Amy standing in front of her, looking a little scared. She hadn't really seen Amy since the birth of her son, and she had missed her best friend.

"I'm so sorry I wasn't here for you Minerva." Amy cried, throwing her arms around her best friend's neck.

"Shhh!" Minerva whispered, rubbing her friend's back soothingly.

"Oh sorry, is he sleeping?" Amy whispered.

"Yeah." Minerva replied quietly.

"Oh Minerva, he's beautiful!" Amy whispered.

"Thanks' Amy, that means a lot. Listen, your my best friend and I don't really have much family, I was wondering, would you be his god mother?" Minerva asked her. She watched as Amy's eyes lit up and filled with tears.

"Yes, thank you so much Minerva!" she replied, the tears spilling over. Amy went over to Remus's cot and kneeled beside him.

"I will never let you down Remus." she whispered to the sleeping child.

Minerva watched as Amy's eyes filled with love and she knew she had made the right choice.

Chapter 10:

Teddy and Minerva were sitting together in a carriage on the Hogwarts express with 8 month old Remus asleep in Teddy's arms.
"Come home with me this summer." Teddy said suddenly.
"I can't Teddy. You know that! My mum didn't tell anyone about Remus, Harry and Ginny have no idea you even have a girlfriend, never mind one who is their best friend's secret daughter that you got pregnant!" Minerva exclaimed.
"We don't have to tell them that you are auntie Hermione's daughter. Please Minerva, I really want them to meet you and Remus." said Teddy, pleading with her. The look in his eyes was so heart breaking, she didn't want to disappoint him.
"Yes, we'll come Teddy." she said, giving him a small smile. The delight in his eyes immediately told her she had made the right decision.
They spent this rest of the ride back to London whispering quietly about their plans (Remus was asleep).

Minerva went quickly home to her grandma and grandpa's house to introduce them to their great grandson. They were pleased to finally get to meet him and they spent the next week doting over him, her grandma bought him countless baby grows and toys in some muggle shops near her work.

A week after summer started Minerva had all her and Remus's things packed, ready for Teddy to bring them to his home. She was so pleased to see him when he arrived, it felt like they had been apart for a years.

"Hey baby." Teddy said, picking her up and spinning her round while kissing her passionately.

"Oh I missed you Teddy!" she said, he never wanted him to leave her sight again. He then went over to Remus and gave his son a huge hug.

"I missed you guys so much." he said as he perched his son on his hip.

"Have you told them yet?" Minerva asked him.

"No, I want it to be a surprise." Teddy said, but he looked very nervous about the prospect of telling them.

"Well then lets go." Minerva said, using her wand to pick up all their stuff.

"Could we make a little stop on the way there first?" Teddy asked her. She could see that whatever it was it was very important to him, so she immediately agreed.

Teddy brought them to a small village she had never been in before. He led them down many different roads and alleys until they reached a small church with a graveyard behind it. Minerva didn't say a word as Teddy led her to a point right in the centre. He kneeled down in front of a large headstone, there was an indent in the grass as if someone had spent a lot of time in that exact spot, and he sat Remus on the ground in front of him. Minerva looked at the headstone, it read:

Remus and Nymphadora (Tonks) Lupin

Beloved parents R.I.P

"Hey mum, dad, this is my son. I called him Remus after you dad. I know you would have been proud of him and loved him as much as I know you loved me, I really wish you could have watched us both grow up. You both really would have loved Minerva too. She's strong and beautiful, just like you mum. I just wish you could watch Remus grow up to be as wonderful as his grandparents."

Minerva watched this silently, tears quickly falling from her eyes.

"I really wish they could have been here for this Minerva. That's why I wanted to do it here, so they could be." he said, turning round to her.

"What are you talking about Teddy?" she asked, picking Remus up from the ground. Teddy put his hand into his pocket and pulled out a little white box, he opened it to reveal a dazzling diamond ring.

"Minerva Malfoy Granger, will you marry me?"

Chapter 11:

Minerva couldn't believe this, she hadn't been this happy since she had seen her son in Teddy's arms.

Minerva smiled at her amazing boyfriend who was staring up at her expectantly, the diamond ring catching the light. It was a beautiful sight.

"Yes, of course I will!" she cried excitedly. A relieved Teddy stood up and slipped the ring onto her finger gently and kissed her. Remus seemed to know what was going on as he playfully clapped his little hands together.

Teddy was a lot calmer now as he brought his new fiancé and son to meet his family, but as he approached the door to the burrow where they were all gathered he started to panic.

"It'll be fine." Minerva said, resting the hand that was not holding Remus on his shoulder. At her touch Teddy took a deep breath and opened the door. As Minerva walked down the hall she could help but feel a little sad. There were photos of a family of 4 people, smiling a waving at the camera, in each picture the two children got older, there was also a picture with about 24 people in it (the majority of them with bright red hair) she recognized her mother in this picture as well. Teddy walked ahead of her and Remus, following the sound of a lot of voices. He walked down the hall slowly until he reached a door near the end. With a deep breath he opened the door.

"Teddy there you are dear, we were beginning to get worried." said a woman who's face Minerva could not see.

"I wanted to introduce you guys to someone." He said quietly.

"Of course, when?" the same woman asked.

"Right now." he said, swinging back the door so that his entire family could see her and Remus. Minerva heard someone choking in the corner and she turned her head to see her mother sitting beside the red haired man from the photos eating her dinner with a shocked look on her face.

"Hermione are you alright?" he asked her, looking concerned.

"Fine, fine." she said, taking a sip of water. Minerva looked around at the rest of the room, there were about 12 kids sitting on the floor, their legs folded and about the same number of adults eating their dinner, looking at her curiously.

"Who's this?" asked the same woman, Minerva could now see that she had long red hair and was sitting beside a man she recognized as Harry Potter.

"These are the people I wanted to introduce you too. This is Minerva, she's my girlfriend, well fiancé now." He said calmly. At this statement Minerva's mother actually dropped her glass and it shattered all over the ground.

"Are you sure you're alright dear?" the red haired man said, taking out his wand and clearing it up.

"Of course yes." she said with a nervous giggle.

"Teddy you have a fiancé? I didn't even know you had a girlfriend!" said Harry; his mouth was wide open in utter shock.

"Yes and I love her very much." he said, taking her hand.

"And this must be her little brother, hello darling!" said a kind looking woman, going over to Remus and picking him up. She was much older than the others, but like them she had flaming red hair.

"No Grandma, this is Remus, our son." Said Teddy calmly. Now Hermione wasn't the only one to drop their glass, hell the woman holding Remus damn near dropped him she was so shocked.

"Teddy, why didn't you tell us before? You know you can tell us anything!" said the woman beside Harry, looking stunned.

"I only found out this October, and I couldn't explain everything in a letter."

"But that baby looks about 8 months old, how could you have only found out then?" she asked him.

"Because I never knew that I was pregnant." Minerva said quietly.

Teddy put one arm around her and took Remus with the other.

"Minerva and Remus are part of my family now, I guess I just hoped that they could be part of ours too." he said, looking hopeful.

"Of course they can, I'm sure we will love them just as much as we love you." said the young woman beside Harry, getting up and giving Teddy a huge hug, pulling Minerva and Remus into it at the same time.

"Well I already love this little one." said the older woman, taking Remus from Teddy once again.

"Would we be able to stay here for a bit?" Teddy asked the older man.

"Of course you can, you can stay here as long as you like." The woman cradling Remus said before her husband even had the chance to open his mouth. Minerva was so happy, she finally felt like she had a real family.

Chapter 12:

Two years after the little family arrived at the burrow they were still there, they never had the chance to get a place of their own, this was because they had spent the little money the earned on their wedding, Teddy wanted it to be perfect for his wife to be.

On the morning of the wedding Minerva was in her and Teddy's room getting ready, all the girls were there, her mother, Ginny, Mrs. Weasley, and Fleur, even the kids.

Still no one knew that Minerva was Hermione's daughter, and they planned to keep it that way. Minerva had grown so close to everyone over her two years here, she loved them all like they were her real family, Harry was even giving her away with Rose, Lily and Victoire as her bridesmaids.

In another room in the burrow sat the guys, they were having a little trouble. Remus was not being very helpful as he refused to wear is suit and Teddy, Ron and Harry literally spent the entire morning chasing him around the room and trying to wrestle him into his page boy suit.

"Oh Minerva you look beautiful!" Mrs. Weasley gasped as Minerva walked out of the bathroom in her wedding dress; it was simple, but very beautiful.

"You look like a princess!" Lily said, hugging Minerva.

Minerva smiled at them all gratefully.

One by one they each left the room to see how the boys were getting on, all except Hermione.

"Baby you really are breathtaking." Her mother said kindly, giving her a hug.

"Thanks mum, I really wish dad was here though." said Minerva, looking in the mirror at her reflection. Her mother put her hands on Minerva's shoulders and looked into the mirror too.

"Me too darling, me too." she whispered, and for a second they both imagined Draco standing beside them.

The wedding was beautiful, Hermione, Mrs. Weasley and Minerva McGonagall had all cried when the couple said their vows.

A few weeks later was Christmas, and Remus was very excited!

"Mummy, Daddy, Mummy, Daddy!" Remus chimed, jumping up and down on their bed at 7am the next morning.
"Go annoy grandpa Harry." Teddy said, rolling back over.
"Teddy!" Minerva said, slapping his shoulder.
"Okay, I'm up." he said, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. The three of them went down stairs where the rest of the family were already in the hall, the rule was they weren't allowed to get their presents until everyone had arrived.
"Is that the last of us then?" asked Arthur, clapping his hands together.
"Yep." Minerva said, taking Remus's hand and leading him into the room.
They were all thrilled by the gifts they saw, everyone had a stocking and a pile of presents, even the adults. Remus sat opening his pile with happiness in his eyes. There was a toy broom, lots and lots of chocolate and so many other toys he didn't have enough time in the day to play with them all. Everyone received a Weasley jumper for which they were all extremely grateful. Remus loved his last present most of all. It was a giant painting of Remus and Tonks. This way he was able to talk to them whenever he wanted.
"Thank you Santa." he said to himself before he started a conversation with the painting.
"That was a wonderful idea Teddy, he really loves that." Minerva said to her husband, kissing him lightly on the cheek.
"I thought it would be good for him to get to know them, they would have loved him so much." Teddy said smiling at his son who was in deep conversation with his grandma.
"Open your present." said Teddy, handing her a little purse. She undid the strings to find a single key inside.
"It's the key to our new house baby, it's all ours." he said with a smile.
"OMG Teddy that is amazing! She said, hugging him happily.
"Now it's your turn." said Minerva, handing him a long rectangular box that was carefully wrapped. She watched happily as he carefully undid the paper and opened the box. When Teddy saw what was inside his face lit up.
"Minerva this is absolutely amazing! It's the perfect Christmas present" he said, kissing her passionately on the lips.
Inside the box was a pregnancy test, with a little pink plus sign.

Chapter 13:

Minerva and Teddy were really excited about the birth of their next child; they could really enjoy this pregnancy, because they actually knew about it. They weren't the only ones excited, the whole household couldn't wait!

But a few weeks before Minerva's due date tragedy struck the burrow.

"Why didn't you tell me before Molly?" sobbed Arthur, taking her hand in his.

"I didn't want to worry you, I thought I'd be alright."

"You will be, we can fight this." He said, determination returning to his face.

"How will I tell the kids?" Molly asked her husband, this was what had frightened her most.

"Together, we will tell them together, you will never be alone Molly, I promise you that." Said Arthur, kissing his wife's forehead.

Arthur walked out of the ward at St. Mungo's; he broke down as soon as he was out of his wife's line of sight. He couldn't bear to loose his Molly, she was the family's rock, and without her there was no family.

He sat on the floor for a few minutes, just thinking, all the worst scenarios circulating through his head. Finally he decided he should call his family, so he sent out his patronus.

Within seconds his entire family was standing beside him.

"What's wrong dad, did you make your toe disappear trying to use a toaster again?" laughed George, but his face quickly sobered the second he saw his father's facial expression.

"Teddy, Minerva, will you take the kids to the cafe please" said Harry, handing her some money.

"Course dad, come on guys." Teddy said, taking Lily's hand as the others followed her.

"Dad you're scaring us, what's happened?" asked Bill, grasping his wife's hand for support.

Without an answer Arthur lead his family into the ward where they were shocked to see their mother lying in a hospital bed, looking so thin and pale, she looked like she was an inch from death.

"Mum!" shouted Ron, being the first to run over and kneel at her bedside.

"Hello darling." She said, putting her softly hand through his bright orange hair.

"Kids, there's something you should know, your mother has cancer." said Arthur, sitting in the seat at her bedside.

"But they can treat this can't they? Magic can treat cancer!" said Hermione.

"Not this one, it resists magic, our only hope is muggle medicine." said Arthur, fighting to control his tears. Ginny started shaking as tears poured from her eyes like an endless waterfall.

"I'll be fine, they are doing everything they can." said Molly, taking Ginny's hand.

They all stood there, not a single person wasn't crying.

"Where are the kids, I want to see them." said Molly, trying to sit up.

"Are you sure your up to it mum?" asked George.

"Yes, I need to see them, just in case."

"I'll go." Said Harry, wiping his tears.

"I'll come too." Said Hermione. Fleur soon followed her. Now it was just Arthur Molly and their children, they needed some time together, after all these years Harry, Hermione and Fleur still felt like impostors at times like this.

"Hey guys." said Harry as he walked into the cafe and saw all 13 kids sitting around a table.

"What's happened mum?" asked Victoire giving her mum a hug.

"It's your grandmother, she's very ill, and she wants to see you all." Said Fleur to the family.

They walked back to the ward but before they reached the door Lily stopped and took her father's hand.

"I'm scared dad, what if she dies?" she said, he little eyes wide and filled with tears.

"Don't even think that that Lily, your grandmother is the strongest woman I know, and she will get through this!" said Harry, giving his daughter a hug. He hated to see the fear on his children's' faces. When they entered the ward Victoire gave out an involuntary gasp, she had never seen her grandmother look so weak and vulnerable.

Molly looked up and a huge smile stretched across her face as her grandchildren entered.

"Oh my darlings, come here." she said holding out her arms.

One by one they went up to her and gave her a hug, Teddy hung back with Minerva.

"Teddy, Minerva, what are you doing?" said Molly, giving him a stern look.

"I'm not your grandchild, I don't belong here." He said, looking down at the ground.

"I just married in." Minerva said, clutching her swollen stomach and trying not to cry

"The hell you don't, I love you both so much, it doesn't matter if it's not biological, I have always and will always love you." she said holding out her arms to them

"Don't die grandma!" Teddy said, running over and giving her a hug, tears falling freely from his eyes.

"Of course not baby, I'll be fine." She whispered into his ear, rocking him, as he sobbed in her arms.

Minerva hated seeing her husband like this.

Every day Molly's family went to visit her at St. Mungo's. They sat by her bedside and watched her get weaker by the second; it killed Minerva to watch her family go through it.

"I'm going to the cafe, anyone want anything?" Minerva asked them, they all shock their head soberly.

Minerva walked out of the ward, wiping the tears from her eyes that formed there often. On her way down the stairs to the cafe Minerva felt a sharp pain in her stomach, as she doubled over in pain she lost her footing, Minerva tumbled down the stairs and crashed to the bottom, unconscious.

Chapter 14:

Teddy was sitting at Molly's bedside, waiting for Minerva to return. Thirty minutes had passed since she had left and Teddy was getting worried.

"Where could she be?" Teddy asked Harry, he was petrified she had gone into labor without him.

"We'll find her son, come on." Harry said, leading Teddy from the room.

They walked around the hospital for ages trying to find her, but she was nowhere in sight.

"Dad, she's not here!" Teddy said, his hair was turning color drastically as his fear grew by the second.

Harry walked over to the nearest healer.

"Excuse me, have you seen a heavily pregnant young woman?" Harry asked her.

"Well there was a girl found at the bottom of a staircase less than an hour ago…" the healer said.

"What?" Teddy cried.

"It might not be her Teddy." Harry told him calmly, even though on the inside he was so frightened.

"Could you please describe the woman?" Harry asked the healer, fear in his eyes.

"She was very young, around twenty, long curly blond hair, dark grey eyes…" the healer stopped abruptly when she saw Teddy's face.

"It's her, oh god it's her!" he cried, crumpling to the floor.

"I'm so sorry, she is in very critical condition at the moment, I will take you to her immediately." the healer said, helping Harry bring Teddy to his feet.

They walked to the intensive care unit, no one speaking a word; Teddy's devastated tears only broke the silence.

When they got to the private room Teddy tried to walk in the door.

"I'm sorry you can't come in here." a healer said, closing the door in Teddy's face, just before the door closed Teddy got a glimpse of Minerva hooked up to machines, tubes coming out of her body and lots of healers bustling around her.

Teddy slumped into a chair outside her room. Harry hated to see his godson go through this, he remember what it was like when him and Ginny went through this terrible ordeal and he just prayed Teddy wouldn't have to go through the same.

"Where is she, where's my baby!" a voice shouted down the corridor.

"Hermione?" Harry asked, confused.

"Harry, where is she, please tell me she's going to be okay?" Hermione cried, breaking down as he hugged her.

"There's no news yet, Hermione what do you mean your baby?" Harry said, stepping back from her. Hermione wiped her eyes, trying to speak through the tears.

"She's my daughter okay! Minerva is my little girl!" Hermione cried, when she turned around she saw that her entire family had gathered behind her.

"Your daughter? Hermione how is that possible?" Ron asked, staring at her in shock.

"I was in fifth year, I got pregnant! It wasn't meant to happen." Hermione said, trying to stop crying.

"Will you stop talking about this? My wife could be dying in there!" Teddy exploded.

"I'm sorry Teddy." Hermione said, sitting down beside him and putting her arm around his shoulders.

"Who's her father Hermione?" Ron asked her. Before she had the chance to answer there was a cracking sound to their left.

Draco had arrived.

"Where is she, is Minerva ok?" he cried, seeing all their upset faces.

"Him! You had a baby with him!" Ron screamed at her, his face turning as red as his hair.

Hermione was about to reply when the door in front of them opened, everyone stood up to great the healer.

He looked straight at Teddy and shook his head.

Chapter 15:

Hermione collapsed to the ground at the shake of the healer's head, Ron and Draco both went to catch her, but Draco got her first.

"I'm afraid it's not looking good Mr. Lupin, your wife is literally on the brink of death and I'm afraid your daughter didn't make it. You can now come in if you like?" The healer asked Teddy, stepping to the side. Teddy swallowed the lump in his throat and followed the healer into the room.

It was cold and empty, nothing happy could happen here, Teddy looked over to the bed and saw his wife. She was so pale, she looked freezing, there was still a bump in her stomach where their baby had been, Teddy then saw a female healer over in the corner was cleaning something gently, it was his daughter. She wasn't too small, she was the perfect size, she was beautiful, but she was so still, Teddy wished with all his heart that his daughter would move! Breath! Cry! But nothing could bring back the dead; he knew that better than most.

"Can…can I hold her?" Teddy asked the healer timidly. The healer gave him a sad smile before placing the little body in his arms, he looked down at his beautiful daughter, her hair was pink, but not a bright pink, it was dull and tainted, tainted by death and pain.

Teddy was looking at his baby daughter so intently he didn't even notice when two people entered the room.

"Teddy, is she ok?" Draco asked him, nodding towards Minerva's still body.

"No, there's nothing, she's just barely alive." Teddy said, a tear running down his cheek and dropping onto his daughter's still face.

"Oh my darling!" Hermione said, running over to her daughter and dropping to her knees by the bed.

"I'm so sorry I wasn't here for you enough, I love you so, so much!" She cried, squeezing her hand, willing it to move. But of course it didn't, and Teddy feared it never would again.

For the rest of the day everyone sat in the room, saying their goodbyes to the little baby they never got to know.

Teddy didn't move from Minerva's side, she had been with him through so much in both their lives, he couldn't bear to loose her, it was just too painful, but as each second passed he felt her slipping further away.

Later on that day there was a commotion out in the hall.

"I'm fine, I need to be here!" a voice was saying, the voice sounded angry, and very worried.

Into the room walked Mrs. Weasley.

"Grandma! You shouldn't be out of bed!" Teddy said, giving her his seat.

"Yes I should, I came as soon as I heard, I'm so sorry Teddy." She said, giving him a hug.

"I know grandma, but what matters now is that you get better!"

"I feel stronger now, some people get stronger when their families are weaker, I am needed here, so I will get stronger Teddy, I will get stronger and help you both through this terrible ordeal." Mrs. Weasley said, sitting down in the chair and grasping Minerva's hand.

Teddy hoped she was right, but if he lost all three of them…

"Teddy, what about Remus, don't you think he needs the chance to say goodbye to his mother? Just in case?" Hermione said, getting up from the chair for the first time all day.

Teddy knew she was right, so he went down to the crèche to collect his son.

Remus was so young, only four years old, he would never understand what was going on, and in a way Teddy didn't want him to. When they got back to the room Remus ran in ahead of Teddy.

"Mummy!" he screamed excitedly, but when she didn't look at him he started to get annoyed.

"Mummy, wake up mummy! Wake up!" he cried at her.

Everyone stood around and watched the heartbreaking scene; Teddy didn't want his son to experience the pain of growing up without a mother.

Remus lay down on the bed beside his mummy, tears running down his face.

"I love you mummy." he said, giving her lifeless body a hug.

Minerva opened her eyes.

Chapter 16:

Minerva opened her eyes slowly. She felt the warmth of a hug against her body and when she looked down she saw her beautiful son, he was crying.

Minerva lifted her hand and stroked his dull green hair.

"Mummy!" he cried, jumping up and giving her a real embrace.

At his cry every eye in the room turned to her.

"Minerva! Darling your alive." a man said, running over to her.

"Dad?" she asked hesitantly, she hadn't seen her father since she was very young but she saw her eyes.

"Yes darling, it's me." he said, stroking her hair as tears fell from his face. He was smiling from ear to ear.

"I've missed you dad." She said, leaning into him.

Minerva looked around at everyone in the room, everyone looked so happy, she was glad everything was all right.

Minerva absent-mindedly ran her hands over her stomach, but the bump had shrunk, she knew there was no baby inside her.

"Where's my baby?" she asked excitedly, she couldn't wait to meet her second child. As she finished her question every face in the room fell, and suddenly there was coldness about the place.

Teddy went over to a healer who handed him something carefully. Minerva shut her eyes tight, she knew what he was holding but she couldn't bear to be right.

"Minerva, they tried their best but you fell too hard." Teddy said, walking slowly towards her.

"No, please Teddy no!" She cried, shutting her eyes even tighter.

"There was nothing they could do Minerva. She died, our daughter died."

Minerva felt the bed go down at one side as Teddy sat down. It was a girl; she had had a baby girl. Minerva slowly opened her eyes, dreading the sight she knew she would see.

Teddy was sitting there with a bundle of pink blankets in his arms.

Without a word Minerva stretched out her arms and Teddy laid the bundle there carefully.

Minerva looked down at her to see the most beautiful face she had ever seen. She was incredible, she looked a bit like Remus had as a baby, but her hair wasn't bright like his was, it was dull and sad.

Minerva stroked her daughter's face It was cold as ice.

"I can't believe she died!" Minerva said as tears raced down her cheeks.

Her mother came and sat on the bed beside her

"I know baby, I know." she said, cradling her crying daughter.

A healer came into the room twenty minutes later to check on Minerva.

"You are doing wonderfully, in a few days you will be ready to go home." he said, smiling weakly at her.

"Thank you." Teddy said, shaking his hand graciously.

"I'm afraid to say we need to take your daughter down to the morgue, it is St. Mungo's policy." the healer said sadly.

"Ok." Minerva said sadly, hugging the little body close to her chest and getting up from the bed.

"No, I'm sorry Mrs. Lupin, you are not strong enough." the healer said, putting one hand on her shoulder.

"No. I'm coming with her." Minerva said, determined.

Minerva and Teddy accompanied their daughter to the morgue, neither spoke; they just looked at their little baby.

When they arrived the healer stood and waited as they said their goodbyes to her.

"I love you so much my darling." Minerva said as she kissed her daughter's pale forehead.

"Love you baby." Teddy said, doing the same.

Teddy put his arm around a weeping Minerva as the healer took the baby girl into the morgue and shut the door.

"Come on Minerva." Teddy said, putting his arm around her and guiding her back to her room.

"Are you ok darling?" Ginny asked when they came back.

"Yeah I think so, thanks." Minerva said, squeezing Ginny's hand comfortingly before climbing back into bed.

Minerva fell asleep the second her head hit the pillow, but everyone still stayed with her, she was glad, she could never get through this with her family.

Minerva woke up barely two hours later to raised, panicked voices.

"Mum! Mum! Wake up mum!" a voice was shouting.

Minerva opened her eyes to see everyone gathered round a chair. As a healer moved slightly Minerva saw what they were all looking at, Mrs. Weasley was in the chair, she wasn't moving.

Chapter 17:

A healer used her wand to make a stretcher appear, onto which they laid Mrs. Weasley. Arthur ran along side the stretcher as they brought her to another room in the intensive care unit instead of back to the cancer ward.

"What happened to her?" Minerva asked, she was so worried, Molly was one of the nicest people she knew, she couldn't bear to loose her too, not today.

"I don't know, one minute she was fine and they next she wasn't moving or breathing." Teddy said, wiping tears from his eyes.

Minerva tried to get out of bed once again.

"Aaggghh!" she screamed, clutching her stomach.

"Minerva what's wrong?" Teddy asked her, alarmed.

"It's ok Mr. Lupin, your wife is fine. After such a major procedure she is bound to be in pain. But she should stay in bed for at least a day. Her pain is quite severe so after she leaves here she will need to be in a wheel chair for a week or two" A healer said, helping Minerva back into bed.

Minerva lay still, as long as she didn't move too much she couldn't feel pain, physically anyway.

Teddy lay down in the bed beside her. Harry and Remus walked in seconds later.

"How is she?" Teddy asked Harry, fear obvious in his voice.

"Critical, but stable." Harry said, releasing Remus's hand. Harry then walked out of the room, leaving the little family alone together.

"Is grandma Weasley going to be ok?" Remus asked them. Teddy leant down and picked up his son, placing him in-between himself and Minerva.

"I hope so son, I hope so." He said as he stroked the boy's hair soothingly. Eventually Remus fell asleep and his soft snores filled the room. Minerva and Teddy both tried to get asleep, but neither could. All the couple did was pray, pray for the best woman they knew and pray for the soul of their beautiful little girl.

Teddy and Minerva weren't the only ones praying that night, every single Weasley and Potter was praying too. When George closed his eyes he saw only one person, Fred. George prayed to his twin, knowing how much he would want to help their mother.

"Please help her Freddie." He whispered aloud.

Fred never spoke a word but he smiled slightly at his brother.

After this George fell asleep. When he opened his eyes it was to a glorious sight.

His mother was sitting up in bed with her children sitting around her, all smiling from ear to ear.

"Mum! You're awake!" George said, getting up from his chair and sitting on the bed beside her.

"Yes, the healer said I am getting loads better really quickly." She said, giving George a hug.

George couldn't be happier that his mum was getting better and he knew in his heart it had something to do with Fred.

Minerva opened her eyes about eight hours after she had fallen asleep; it was now 6am the next morning. Teddy and Remus were still asleep at her side so she decided not to get up, she just watched her boys sleeping, they looked so peaceful, but she knew it wouldn't last.

Five minutes after she woke up there was a gentle knock on the door.

"Come in." she called quietly. Minerva couldn't believe her eyes when Mrs. Weasley walked in.

"Mrs. Weasley, you're ok!" Minerva said, shifting too quickly, waking Teddy and Remus.

"Grandma!" the boys said together, both bouncing out of bed. Remus ran over and hugged her tightly, Teddy not far behind.

"Yes I'm fine, the healer said I'll be able to go the same day as you." Molly said, walking over to Minerva's bed and giving her a hug. For the first time in weeks Minerva smiled.

A few days later both Mrs. Weasley and Minerva were released from hospital, this should have been a happy time for the entire family, but it wasn't, because the next day the family were holding the baby's funeral, and Teddy and Minerva still didn't have a name for their little girl.

Hermione wheeled her daughter's chair at the funeral as Teddy, Harry, Ron and Draco carried the tiny coffin. The only person there who was not family was Minerva's best friend, Amy. Amy had always stuck by her best friend and she was the only person outside of her family that Minerva trusted.

After placing the little coffin in the ground beside baby Luna's grave Teddy stood beside his crying wife. Minerva couldn't help herself; this was the saddest day of her life.

Minerva sat there with her son on lap, he didn't fully understand the extent of his mother's sadness but he whispered to her,

"It's ok mummy, don't cry." Remus said, leaning into her and giving her a hug. This soothed Minerva, without him Minerva could never have gotten through that terrible day.

Everyone laid a little flower on top of the baby's casket, but when it got to Molly she walked over slowly and laid a tiny pink teddy bear that was the same color as the child's hair.

"Teddy." Minerva said, looking up at her husband.

"Yes?" he asked her, bending down so that she could whisper in his ear.

"I think we should call our daughter Molly." She said.

"It's perfect, our baby Molly." Teddy said, looking at his grandmother and knowing there wasn't a better name in the world for their child.

Chapter 18:

After the funeral everyone returned to the house Teddy had bought for Christmas. When Minerva walked in she missed everything they had had. There was a picture on the mantel of her, Teddy and Remus when she was pregnant.

Minerva missed being pregnant; she missed having her daughter alive inside her.

Molly pushed Minerva's chair to one side of the room.

"Arthur took this picture and I thought you might like it." Molly said, handing Minerva a framed photo.

Minerva looked at the picture, she barely remembered this being taken, it was she, Teddy, Remus and baby Molly, her and Teddy were crying but it was still a beautiful picture.

"Thank you Mrs. Weasley, this is amazing." Minerva said as Mrs. Weasley bent down to give her a hug. Minerva rolled her chair over to the mantel and placed the picture of them right beside the other. It was a sad sight, yet so beautiful.

Minerva and most of the other women were sitting in the living room chatting when they heard a commotion coming from the kitchen, Hermione was first to her feet and she brought her daughter in to see what was going on, and what they saw was not good.

Harry had his arms around Ron while Teddy was trying to pull Draco back; both men were trying to curse each other, unsuccessfully.

"What's going on?" Hermione asked them, shocked.

"A bit of a fight started over you I'm afraid Hermione." Harry said as he tried to wrestle Ron's wand from his hand.

"Stop it both of you!" Hermione shouted, stepping in between the two men.

Draco was the first to relax, Ron quickly followed suit.

"What on earth started this?" Hermione asked them both.

"Weasley said you never loved me!" Draco shouted, glaring at Ron over Hermione's shoulder.

"And he said I was second choice!" Ron bellowed back, his face as red as his hair once again.

"Stop it both of you. I did love you Draco, but that was a long time ago, we have both moved on. Ron of course you weren't second choice, I have always loved you, even if I didn't know it at first." Hermione said, taking her husband's hand and smiling at him. Eventually Ron's face retuned to its normal color.

"Look Weasley. Ron. I'm sorry ok? And Hermione, I'm sorry I was such a jerk that you couldn't love me." Draco said. A few years ago they would have thought he was lying but he was being genuine, and Minerva knew this. Minerva had heard all about her father's many thoughts and mistakes but she also knew that none of them mattered any more, she still loved her dad.

Draco offered his hand to Ron who, to everyone's surprise, took it with a kind smile.

An hour later everyone was sitting in the living room, reminiscing about Hogwarts in Minerva's mothers day. It was interesting to hear all about it, Teddy and Remus especially loved it when they talked about their third year.

"Why didn't you tell us Hermione?" Ginny asked Hermione suddenly.

"Yeah we could have helped." Harry said kindly.

Hermione looked at her best friends and husband, knowing that they were most hurt that she never told them; they felt she didn't trust them enough.

"I'm sorry, I was frightened, and I didn't want to tell anyone, only my grandma needed to know." Hermione said sadly.

"Where is Professor McGonagall anyway?" asked Ginny, suddenly bringing it to everyone's attention.

"She came to visit me in the hospital the second she heard about the baby, she said she had to go away for a while, she wouldn't say where though." Minerva piped in, suddenly feeling a little worried about her granny; it wasn't like her to miss such things.

"I'm sure she'll be back soon." Said Mrs. Weasley happily, obviously seeing the worried expression on Minerva's face.

"So anyway guys, have you thought of a name for the baby yet?" Harry asked them with a sad smile.

"Yes actually, Minerva thought of a really good name for her." Teddy said, taking his wife's hand.

"Go on then." said Arthur with a smile.

"We've decided to call her Molly, there is no nicer or stronger a person for our daughter to be named after, and we think she needed a good, strong name, she is after all our first daughter." Minerva said, smiling at Mrs. Weasley.

Mrs. Weasley shed tears of happiness when she heard this.

"Thank you." She said to them, dragging them both into bone crushing embraces full of warmth and sanctity.

Chapter 19:

Teddy was really worried about his wife; she hadn't left the house in weeks, not since the funeral. Minerva lay in their bed all day; the only person she would really talk to or show emotion for was little Remus.

Teddy and Remus went round to the burrow one day for lunch with the whole family, Minerva decided against it.

"Where is Minerva dear?" Molly asked her grandson curiously.

"She wasn't feeling up to it." Teddy replied quietly.

"Has this been happening a lot?" Hermione asked him, very worried about her daughter.

"Not really." he lied.

"Mummy never leaves her bedroom." little Remus piped up sadly.

At this revelation everyone looked at Teddy, sad expressions on their faces.

"Honestly its fine, I can handle it." Teddy said, trying to look confident.

Hermione went over and sat beside Teddy, putting Remus on her lap.

"You don't have to honey, we're here." Hermione said, putting one arm around Teddy in a half, but loving embrace.

Teddy was embarrassed that he couldn't help his wife, that he couldn't keep his family strong, but when he knew that he had help he felt a lot better, he knew this was the right thing to do for his wife.

Hermione and his grandmother accompanied him and Remus back to their little house; they didn't want too many people to be there in case it stressed Minerva out. He hated that they were treating her like she was sick, but in a way he supposed she was.

Hermione knocked on her daughter's bedroom door when they got back, Mrs. Weasley right behind her. But they got no reply.

Hermione pushed the door open to see her daughter lying on the bed; her eyes were wide open and bloodshot, tears running down her face as she cried silently.

"Minerva." Mrs. Weasley whispered quietly.

Minerva twisted her head round to look at them; her eyes were blank and empty, like there was nothing inside her but a black hole.

"Hi darling how are you?" Molly said, sitting down on her bed.

"I'm fine." Minerva replied, her voice was scratchy as if she hadn't spoken in days.

"No your not, come on, we'll go down stairs for a bit yeah?" Molly asked her gently.

"No, I want to stay here." Minerva said, she sounded like a child, but then again she was only 21.

Molly patted Minerva's leg then walked slowly out of the room, giving Hermione a look as if to say 'your turn'. But Hermione followed her out of the room, she needed to call someone first.

Hermione was so glad to see Draco when he arrived; she just flung her arms around his neck. She didn't realize how sad she was until she broke down into floods of tear.

"Hermione, what's wrong?" Draco asked her alarmed.

"It's Minerva, she's so upset and hurt, she's barely even there any more, she hasn't left her room in a month!" Hermione said, she hated seeing her daughter in so much pain, she would do anything to take away even a drop of that pain, and she knew Draco would too.

Together her and Draco walked into the room, Draco reached out and took her hand, and in that moment Hermione remembered how wonderful it was to be loved by Draco.

"Hi baby." Hermione said to her daughter softly. Once again Minerva turned around but when she saw her father Hermione saw some light return to her eyes.

"Dad, you're here!" she exclaimed, obviously shocked and happy at this.

"Of course I am, you need your family around you right now." he said, stroking her hair soothingly.

"I can't face it here dad, everywhere I look I am reminded of Molly, even when I look at Remus!" Minerva said, fresh tears forming in her eyes.

"Well then we will go away, just you me and your mother, how about that?" Draco asked her, a smile on his handsome face.

"What do you mean?" Minerva asked him, not quite understanding.

"A little holiday, just for a few days, we can spend some time together as a family." Draco said, looking at Hermione for confirmation that this was ok.

"Yes darling, it would do us all some good, what do you think?" She asked her daughter.

"Yes, thank you." Minerva said, getting up from the bed and hugging them both at the same time.

Draco looked at Hermione over Minerva's shoulder, giving her a triumphant smile.

Even though her and Draco weren't in love any more didn't mean that they didn't still love each other.

Chapter 20:

"I love you baby, I'll be back soon." Minerva said, kissing her son on the head gently.

"Bye darling." Teddy said, kissing her lovingly.

"Love you Teddy, have fun boys." Minerva said, waving at them as she walked out the door. She knew that she was going to miss them dearly, but this was what she needed, this was what her family needed.

Minerva met her parents outside her mother's house; her dad was already there, chatting to Ron, which was really weird actually because usually they didn't get on very well.

"Oh there you are darling, are you ready to go?" Her mother asked her happily when she saw her daughter approaching.

"Yes, where are we going?" Minerva asked her parents; they had refused to tell her.

"It's a surprise!" her dad said with a cheeky smile.

Hermione kissed Ron lightly on the lips then gave Rose and Hugo huge hugs.

Draco then took Hermione and Minerva's hands, then they dissaparated.

They arrived on a small beach Minerva had never seen before, there wasn't a footstep in the sand, the water was so still and bluer than she had ever seen the sea, it was beautiful.

"Where are we dad?" Minerva asked him curiously.

"France, my dad bought a house here years ago, he gave it to me as a birthday present, I thought it would be a good place to take a break, somewhere no one knows about my family, this is a mostly muggle town actually." He said, turning and looking just behind them.

Minerva looked and saw a large but beautiful house, it was a bit like a beach house, but much grander.

"Wow dad, that's amazing!" Minerva said, totally gob smacked by how amazing it was.

They spent the rest of the day there, just being together as a family.

"Should we go out for dinner?" her dad asked them happily.

"Yeah that's a great idea." Minerva said smiling.

They all got dressed up, the last time her and her mother had looked this nice was at her and Teddy's wedding!

The three of them walked into the midst of Paris, Minerva was enchanted by what she saw, and it was amazing.

"So which of these restaurants are we going to dad?" She asked him; with each step she took she saw somewhere she wanted to go.

"None, we are going somewhere a little different." Draco said.

He lead his girls down a dark alleyway, when he got to the bottom he took out his wand and tapped the bricks, he tapped them in a zig zag pattern, it reminded them of Diagon alley.

An archway formed in the wall and the three of them walked through, but it was nothing like Diagon alley. Everything was old, sophisticated and looked like amazing antiques.

"Wow!" Minerva and her mother said together, taking everything in.

Draco walked on ahead of them towards a small café to their left. He walked in and started speaking fluid French to a waiter who then brought them to a private table.

It was an amazing night. Minerva laughed with her parents, they all had fun, it should have been so strange but it wasn't, it felt natural, like this is how it should have been the entire time.

The next day Minerva went out onto the peaceful beach alone, she just wanted to sunbath, to just relax.

She was lying there when she heard a little happy squeal, she turned around to see a little girl with bouncy brown curls running up the beach, her parents right behind her. The little girl just made Minerva think of Molly again, this is how she could have looked in two years time, a happy, alive child. Minerva watched the little girl playing in the water, but suddenly she gave out a terrified scream and ran straight towards Minerva, looking for safety. Minerva instinctively put out her arms and hugged her, stroking her hair while speaking soothingly to her.

"I'm so sorry!" The woman who was obviously the child's mother said, walking over to them with the man and picking up her daughter. She spoke in an Irish accent.

"It's no problem, what's her name?"

"Sabrina, she's our little ray of sunshine. Aren't you darling." The woman said tickling her daughter's nose.

"She's beautiful." Minerva said, holding back her tears.

"Thanks, I'm Niamh by the way." The woman said, holding out her hand.

"Hi, I'm Minerva." She said, shaking it.

"Ricardo." Said the man, but his accent wasn't Irish.

"Where are you guys from?" Minerva asked curiously.

"Well we live here at the moment, but I'm from Ireland and Ricardo's from Portugal." Niamh said happily.

The couple sat down beside Minerva and they started talking.

After a while Minerva saw something sticking out of Ricardo's back pocket, it was a wand.

"Are you a wizard?" Minerva asked him quietly.

"What? Of course not!" he said, quickly covering his wand.

"It's ok, I'm a witch." Minerva smiled at him.

"Really?" Ricardo asked her.

"Yeah I am." She said happily.

Minerva loved spending time with the couple, and their daughter was the most amazing little girl.

Minerva found out that the couple wasn't that much older than her; they were both 23 and had met at school like her and Teddy. The spent a lot of time talking about Hogwarts.

"We were thinking about putting Sabrina's name down for there, as we are moving to London in a few years and Hogwarts is the handiest wizarding school." Ricardo said, looking at his little girl who was currently playing in the sand.

"It is amazing, I know a lot of people still remember the disasters that happened there 20 years ago but it has changed a lot, and it is still one of the top wizard schools though." Minerva said, happy to be able to talk about some of the best days of her life.

"Do you think it will be a good place for her?" Niamh asked, this was obviously something she thought about a lot.

"Yes definitely. My son's name is down for it, he is four so they would see each other there, if you want I could ask my great grandmother to put her name down, she is headmistress at Hogwarts." Minerva said to them.

"Yes, that would be brilliant, thank you." Niamh said, giving Minerva a gentle hug and smiling widely.

Minerva was happy, she felt like she could really be friends with this couple.

"Well when you get to London, call by." Minerva said, writing down her and Teddy's address on a piece of parchment.

"Bye Minerva." Niamh said as Minerva got up to leave, before she left Sabrina wrapped her arms around Minerva in a warm embrace. Minerva laughed at the little girl, but all she could think about was what it would be like if Molly could do that.

When Minerva got back to the house she expected to see her parents laughing and carrying on the way they had been these past two days, but when she walked into the living room it was the total opposite, her parents were sitting together on the sofa, her dad had her arm around her mother who was curled up on the sofa, biting her lip anxiously.

"What's wrong, what's happened?" Minerva asked, she couldn't deal with any more heartache.

"It turns out your great grandmother wasn't just away on a holiday, she was at a hospital in Belgium. It focuses on Wizard Alzheimer's." Her father said, tightening his arms around Hermione.

"We've got to go there, we need to see her!" Minerva said panicked, she couldn't loose her granny as well.

"She's been moved to St. Mungo's, we'll go there now." He said, standing up, helping Hermione to her feet at the same time.

Draco grabbed their hands tightly. Minerva glanced over at her mother before they left, Hermione looked so petrified.

'Please let her be ok!' Minerva prayed silently.

Chapter 21:

They appeared in St. Mungo's moments later, Mrs. Weasley, Teddy and Remus were already there.

"Minerva!" Teddy cried, he looked relieved to see her and immediately ran over and hugged her. Minerva felt so much better to have him in her arms, he would always sooth her.

"How is she Teddy?" Minerva asked him. She was so frightened.

"My mum and dad are in with her now, she's talking normally so it seems like a good day for her." Teddy said. He was so glad that she was ok for his wife to see her; he couldn't bear for his wife to have the heartache of seeing her granny forget her name or something horrible like that.

Teddy took Minerva's hand and together they went into the ward, closely followed by Hermione. Draco waited outside with Mrs. Weasley and Remus.

"Hermione, Minerva! There are my girls!" She said, holding out her arms to them as soon as they walked into the ward.

Minerva McGonagall was sitting up in bed, she had a pleasant smile on her face, but she was pale, and Harry and Ginny looked scared.

"Hi grandma." Hermione said, kissing her grandmother gently on the cheek.

"Hey granny." Minerva said, also kissing her on the cheek.

"How was your holiday?" She asked, pretending like nothing was wrong.

"It was great grandma, but we are more worried about you at the moment!" Hermione said, sitting down in a seat beside the bed.

"I'm fine, it's not that bad darling, honestly." She said, giving Hermione a reassuring smile, it didn't convince any of them.

They sat there with her for the rest of the day, people coming and going, Hermione and Minerva were the only ones that never left.

All day she was fine, she talked to them like normal, they talked about the past, about when Hermione was at school, when Minerva was at school and even when she herself was at school.

Minerva loved listening to her granny's stories; they made her feel so calm and relaxed.

Hours after they had arrived at the hospital Minerva finally fell asleep, it seemed like years since she had met the Cardoso family on the beach in France.

Minerva dreamt about that little girl. Sabrina. But in her mind the little girl's hair was a bright pink. She was beautiful. Ever since Minerva had found out about her great grandmother's illness most other things had been pushed out of her mind, there were even moments when she forgot about the pain of loosing Molly, but it came flooding back in her dream, and the pain was worse than ever.

What felt like seconds later Minerva woke up to see that her mother was fast asleep. Minerva sat up, wiping her eyes. She looked over at the bed where are granny had lay, but now the bed was empty.

"Granny?" She called out, standing up quickly. She looked swiftly around the ward, there were lots of full beds, but not a single person was awake.

Minerva was starting to panic now. She walked around the ward, and then out to talk to one of the healers, no one had seen her.

"Mum! Mum wake up!" Minerva said, shaking her mother's shoulder vigorously.

"What is it, what's wrong?" She mumbled, her eyes didn't even open.

"I can't find granny, I'm really worried mum!" Minerva cried.

Hermione's eyes shot open at her daughter's worried voice.

"What do you mean?" Her mother said, standing up.

"She's gone, no one can find her!" Minerva said, running her hand through her hair.

"Don't worry baby, we'll find her." Hermione said reassuringly, giving her daughter a swift hug, but she didn't believe it.

The two women split up to search the hospital, they went everywhere.

Minerva walked outside into the garden and scanned over it so quickly she almost missed the old woman sitting on the ground beside the tree.

Minerva sighed with relief when she saw her granny.

"Granny, there you are!" Minerva said, a huge smile stretching across her face.

But when she saw her great grandmothers face her smile faded immediately. Her granny was sitting there staring into the distance with a blank expression; her face was covered in long bloody scratches.

"Granny what happened?" Minerva asked her shocked; she had never seen her great grandmother look so vulnerable.

"Who are you?"

Chapter 22:

Those three little words just broke Minerva's heart. She knew this would happen but after yesterday she hoped it might not.

"Come on granny, let's go." Minerva said, willing the tears that had formed in her eyes to disappear.

Her granny got up obediently and walked with Minerva back into the hospital. Minerva led her up to the ward where the entire Weasley and Potter clan were waiting.

"There you are grandma!" Hermione said. Like Minerva had she was beaming at first until she noticed the scratches and her blank expression.

"What happened?" Teddy asked Minerva, alarmed.

"I don't know, she was like this when I found her in the garden, she didn't even recognize me!" Minerva said, breaking down into tears in her husband's arms.

Teddy stroked Minerva's hair, he hated to see her like this, the holiday was supposed to help her feel better, but she just returned to more pain and suffering.

Hermione brought her grandmother back onto the ward and helped her into bed.

"Where am I?" She asked as she climbed slowly into bed. Her face looked so confused as her eyes darted around the ward, trying to take everything in.

"Your in hospital grandma." Hermione said, trying to avoid her eyes, it was just too painful to see the confusion and emptiness there.

"Why?"

"Because your sick grandma, now get some rest, I'll be back soon." Hermione said, wrapping the blankets around her and walking towards the door, just before she left she looked back at her grandma who was still looking around blankly.

Hermione swallowed the huge lump in her throat and walked out of the ward to her family.

"How is she doing?" Mrs. Weasley asked her the second the door closed behind her.

"She still doesn't recognize me or where she is, it's worse than I thought." Hermione said, wiping the tear away that had just fallen from her face.

Ron quickly walked over to her and embraced her softly, letting Hermione cry on his shoulder.

Minerva was sitting on a seat beside Teddy, leaning close to him for support; Remus was fast asleep on her lap.

A healer walked out of the ward and went straight over to Hermione.

"I'm afraid your grandmother's brain is deteriorating faster than we had originally anticipated, she may still have some good days but the bad days will out way them by far." The healer said, looking at all their sad faces.

"But what happened to her face?" Hermione asked the healer, but she wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer.

"We found blood and skin tissue under her fingernails, which I rather think means she did it to herself. It's not terribly unusual for Alzheimer's patients to exhibit this sort of behavior, they get confused and frightened and they self harm." The healer said, trying to avoid Hermione's terrified gaze.

"I can't believe she did it to herself!" Hermione said, putting her hand over her mouth in shock.

"I'm so sorry." He said, before walking slowly away from them.

This was what the had been expecting, but they weren't ready to hear it, Minerva McGonagall was someone they saw as invincible, someone who could never get ill, could never die, but they had now learnt that that wasn't true, it couldn't be true for anybody, not even someone as amazing as her.

Chapter 23:

Minerva visited her great grandmother every day, for at least 2 hours she would sit with her and talk, a lot of the time her granny couldn't remember the recent years and they talked about her past, about her muggle father, her talented witch mother, her two younger brothers and all the secrets she had had to keep as a child.

Minerva liked hearing about her granny's childhood; it made her feel closer to her granny.

Often Hermione was there at the same time as Minerva. They sat together and listened to her talking about anything, just because they still could.

Minerva hated leaving her granny at night but she had to, she wasn't spending enough time with her husband and son.

Minerva went home that night to find her son was already tucked up in bed. She had wanted to say goodnight to him, read him a bedtime story if she could but there was no such luck, he was already fast asleep.

Minerva walked back down stairs sadly, wishing more than anything that she had been there, but she promised herself that she would be in the future, she couldn't miss any more of her son's life.

"Hi Teddy." Minerva whispered as she snuggled up on the sofa beside her husband.

"Hey, you're home." He yawned, smiling at her happily.

"Yeah." She said, wrapping his arm around her.

"How is she?" Teddy asked his wife.

"Not so good, she couldn't remember the last 50 years of her life today, she kept talking about a time when she was a lot younger." Minerva sighed.

"I'm sorry Minerva." Teddy said, kissing her softly on the forehead.

The next day Minerva returned to the hospital to find her mother and Mrs. Weasley already there, they both looked extremely anxious.

"What's wrong?" Minerva asked, thoughts of body bags flashed across her mind.

"Don't worry, she's still alive Minerva, but last night she went for another stroll." Mrs. Weasley said, putting her arms around Minerva.

"What happened?"

"She went into the bathroom and got hold of a razor, she tried to cut her wrists!" Hermione said, breaking down into tears, by the look of her bloodshot eyes this wasn't the first time.

"Why would she do that?" Minerva asked, shocked.

"She has been diagnosed with clinical depression baby." Mrs. Weasley said to her, stroking her hair calmingly

"How can we stop her from doing this?" Minerva asked, she would do anything to save her granny.

"Someone is going to be here with her every second of every day, she will never be alone." Mrs. Weasley said, hugging Minerva tighter.

After a healer said that she was ready for visitors again the three of them walked in together.

Minerva McGonagall was sitting up in bed, her expression was blank once again and the only person she recognized was Mrs. Weasley.

"Well hello Miss Prewett, have you seen my wand anywhere I seem to have misplaced it." She said with a smile at Mrs. Weasley, she took her hands out from under the covers to reach for her glasses on the bedside table, there were bandages on her wrists, a line of blood showing on the underside of it.

"No Professor, I haven't seen your wand." Mrs. Weasley said sadly, taking a seat beside the bed.

"So are you still seeing Mr. Weasley? He's a nice boy."

She continued like that for the rest of the day, she seemed to have no clue who Hermione and Minerva were, McGonagall barely even registered that they were there.

But Hermione and Minerva were happy enough to watch this strange conversation, because at least she was smiling.

Chapter 24:

A month had passed since Minerva McGonagall's suicide attempt; luckily there had been none since. She never had the chance to; she was never alone, because someone was always by her side, usually Hermione or Minerva.

Minerva was in visiting her granny once again; she was so upset when she was walking onto the ward but when she saw her granny all her troubles disappeared from her mind. Her great grandmother was having a good day.

She was sitting up in bed having a hearty conversation with Harry about quidditch.

"Minerva darling, how are you?" her granny asked when she saw her approaching. Minerva almost broke down into floods of happy tears, she lived for these days, and they were wonderful.

"I'm fine granny, how are you?"

"I've never felt better darling." She said, smiling widely.

As Minerva sat down beside the bed Harry got up.

"I'll leave you two alone for a bit." Harry said, putting a comforting hand on Minerva's shoulder before exiting the ward.

Minerva looked at her granny's smiling face, her eyes were glistening and there was real color in her cheeks. She looked healthy again.

"Now darling, you tell me what's going on, because you are not fine." Her granny said, taking Minerva's hands and pulling her towards the bed.

Minerva perched herself on the side of the bed nervously.

"It's nothing, I'm just glad your feeling better." Minerva said, swallowing the huge lump that had formed in her throat.

"Darling I know you better than that, please tell me." Her granny said, running her finger along Minerva's palm in relaxing circles.

"I'm just so frightened!" Minerva cried out suddenly.

"Of what dear?" she asked softly.

"What if history repeats itself, what if I lose it again?" Minerva cried, jumping off the bed and starting to pace around the room.

"Lose what darling?" she asked her, though she already knew the answer.

"My baby, what if I lose my baby!" Minerva cried, placing her hands on her flat stomach as if shielding it from the world.

Her granny stretched out her arms once again and pulled Minerva onto the bed, this time into a comforting cuddle.

"Just because it happened before doesn't mean it will again darling." She whispered into her great granddaughter's ear as the girl cried furiously.

They lay there like that for hours, Minerva taking comfort from the warm embrace, it was the one place she felt that her baby could be safe forever.

Chapter 25:

A week later Minerva still hadn't told anyone about the pregnancy other than her great grandmother, and she didn't even remember that because after that wonderful day her granny went straight back to her confused, suicidal self.

But Minerva knew she had to tell people, she had to at least tell her husband.

So one day Minerva left the hospital at 6pm, she was home in time to tuck up her son in bed, she even had time to read him his favorite story, The Warlock's hairy heart.

She kissed her son lightly on the forehead and walked down stairs to talk to her husband.

"Is he asleep?" Teddy asked, smiling at his wife.

"Yeah, look Teddy we need to talk." Minerva said, sitting down beside him.

"Baby what's wrong?" he asked her, looking alarmed and grabbing her hand.

"I'm pregnant Teddy." Minerva said, avoiding his gaze.

"Really? That's wonderful!" he exclaimed, moving in to kiss her.

"No it's not Teddy!" she said, pushing Teddy away from her.

"Why not?" he asked her, looking confused.

"Molly died, what if this baby does too?" Minerva cried sadly.

"Minerva, it won't die, nothing will happen to you because I will be by your side every second of every day, I will protect you both with my life!" Teddy said, putting his hand on Minerva's flat stomach protectively.

Minerva melted into her husband's arms, thinking to herself that with him at her side this may just be a wonderful thing.

6 months later Minerva McGonagall was still at St Mungo's hospital, and her great granddaughter still went to visit her every day. Since Minerva had told her husband that she was pregnant Teddy hadn't left her side for a single moment, Minerva loved this because when he was there she felt like her and her child was safe.

Minerva hated being pregnant; she was on edge every second and her stomach was so abnormally big that she could barely see her feet!

Every day after visiting her granny Minerva and Teddy would walk out of the ward together, hand in hand. But one day they were about to open the door when a healer accidentally pushed it at the same time and it slammed into Minerva's stomach, hard.

"Minerva are you ok?" Teddy asked her, looking alarmed and very scared.

"I think so." She had, running her hands along her stomach.

Suddenly she felt a sharp pain in her stomach.

"Aaggghh!" she cried out

"Minerva!" Teddy exclaimed anxiously, wiping out his wand and making a wheel chair appear from thin air. Teddy immediately grabbed the chair and pushed his wife towards the maternity ward.

"Please help us, I think my baby might be hurt!" Teddy shouted, running his hand through his hair helplessly as it turned the dark black it usually did when he was scared.

A healer quickly took Minerva into a private room, Teddy right behind them.

Teddy watched anxiously as the healer laid Minerva on the bed and started performing spells over her stomach. It felt like he was waiting there for hours.

"The babies are fine, they weren't even touched." The healer said with a relaxing smile.

"Excuse me, did you say babies?" Minerva asked her, shocked.

"Yes you are expecting twins, did you not know?" the healer asked, looking very confused.

"No we didn't." Teddy said, a smile forming on his face.

"I'll leave you two alone, don't worry you are completely fine." The healer said, putting her hand on Minerva's shoulder before exiting the room.

"We're having twins!" Teddy exclaimed delightedly to his wife, going over to the bed and kissing her gently.

Minerva smiled back at her husband, she was delighted in some ways but she couldn't help but worry about the fact that she now had two babies to protect.

Chapter 26:

Almost two months had past since Minerva had found out that she was having twins and her granny wasn't getting any better, her brain was deteriorating very quickly and she had one good day every 3 weeks if they were lucky.

Teddy was still glued to Minerva's side because she was so frightened of loosing her children; there was barely a moment when her arms weren't wrapped around her swollen stomach protectively.

Minerva, Teddy and Remus were sitting at home together watching some muggle television; Teddy found it fascinating, when the patronus of an otter appeared in the middle of the room with a message for Minerva.

"Hurry to the hospital darling!" her mother's echoy voice said.

Without a word Teddy put Remus on his hip, took Minerva's hand and immediately dissaparated.

The family appeared at the door of Minerva McGonagall's ward to see their entire extended family.

"What's happened grandma?" Teddy asked Mrs. Weasley, putting Remus down on James's lap.

"She's had a heart attack." Mrs. Weasley said sadly.

"Is she ok?" Minerva asked anxiously.

"She's conscious but the healer says she doesn't have long left." Mrs. Weasley said, starting to cry uncontrollably.

Minerva looked at her family's sad faces in shock, her granny had been here for almost a year and Minerva had thought she might avoid death, apparently not.

Minerva and Teddy walked together onto the ward, hand in hand. Minerva saw the back of her mother's head; it was blocking the bed from sight.

Minerva almost let out a terrified scream when she saw her great grandmother. She was lying in the bed, white as a sheet, she looked dead already. But she was talking to Hermione, her voice was strained and she thought that Hermione was a healer but at least she was talking.

Minerva and Teddy sat with them, her granny didn't even realize that she was there but they were able to talk to her mother.

"I can't believe she's not going to get better!" Teddy said sadly, even though he wasn't related to Minerva McGonagall by blood she had still been a huge part of his life.

"I know." Minerva cried, leaning into her husband's chest, she felt like she could lay there forever.

Suddenly Minerva felt a sharp pain in her stomach and she doubled over, letting out a cry of pain.

"What's wrong?" Teddy asked her, his eyes wide with shock.

"I think the babies are coming!" Minerva exclaimed as her water broke.

"Oh my!" said her mother, aiding Teddy in helping Minerva out of her chair.

"You guys stay here with grandma!" Hermione said, shutting back at her family.

As Minerva was about to leave someone grabbed her hand. She turned around to see her granny looking up at her.

"You'll be fine baby." She said with a confident smile. Minerva was about to reply when she was hit with another painful contraction and was rushed away, but she felt so much better now.

Minerva was rushed straight into a delivery room. Her mother and Teddy were her side the entire time.

"You'll be fine darling." Teddy whispered into his wife's ear when he saw the fear in her eyes as she lay on the bed.

Minerva loved the fact that her mother was here for her too; Hermione never let go of Minerva's hand.

"Ok, are we ready?" The healer asked her with a hearty smile.

"Aaggghh!" was Minerva's only reply.

"Ok then." The healer said with a cheeky smile.

Teddy and Hermione held Minerva's hand tightly as she screamed in pain, Teddy hated to watch his wife go through the agony and he spent the entire time with his eyes closed, praying that there would be no complications.

The room was suddenly filled with the sound of a baby's cry as the first child was born.

Teddy opened his eyes to see a healer wrapping a beautiful baby up in blankets.

"Say hello to your daughter Mr. Lupin." The healer said, handing Teddy the baby girl. As soon as that little girl smiled at him Teddy burst into floods of joyful tears.

"Let me see her!" Minerva said, looking at the beautiful scene before her. Minerva was so exhausted; all she wanted to do was hold her daughter and sleep.

Teddy was about to lay the baby girl in his wife's arms when she let out another cry of supreme pain.

"Ok time for baby number 2!" the healer said cheerfully.

Hermione glared at the healer, he was the same healer she had had when she was giving birth to Hugo and she knew all too well that his peppiness was the most annoying thing in the world.

Minerva cried in agony as she gave birth to the second baby, but in the end it was all worth it, because when she heard the screaming of that baby join the other's she knew everything was going to be ok, there was no complications, her and her children were safe.

Minerva lay back in the bed, completely exhausted. Her mother came over to her cradling the other baby.

"It's another girl darling, you have twin girls!" Hermione said, laying the baby in her daughter's arms.

Teddy sat down beside Minerva and they just sat there and cooed over their beautiful daughters.

Minerva was still worried about her great grandmother though so she and Teddy decided to bring their babies down to see the rest of the family and while they were there Minerva would be able to check on her granny.

When they arrived on the ward they were immediately greeted with excited squeaks from their family as the all rushed forward to see the children.

Minerva handed the baby in her arms to her mother and went straight over to her granny's bed.

"How are you granny?" she asked the frail looking woman hopefully.

"I'm ok darling." Minerva McGonagall lied with a slight smile.

Minerva felt a hand on her shoulder and she looked up to see Mrs. Weasley standing there.

"Her organs are failing." She whispered sadly.

Minerva fought back the tears that were threatening to fall from her eyes.

"So, where are these beautiful girls of yours?" Her granny asked happily.

Teddy and Hermione approached the bed with the girls so that she could see her great great granddaughters.

"They are perfect darling, I am so proud of you!" she said, tears running down her hollow cheeks.

"Don't die granny!" Minerva cried.

Her great grandmother pulled Minerva over to the bed so that she would lie there with her.

"I've had a wonderful life, and I can die a happy woman knowing that my girls are safe." she whispered.

"I love you granny." Minerva said.

"I love you too darling." Minerva McGonagall said.

They lay there like that, tears falling from both their eyes, until Minerva could no longer feel her granny's breath on her neck.

Chapter 27:

Organizing her great grandmother's funeral was one of the hardest things Minerva had to do in her life. She and her mother spent every waking hour thinking about ways to give Minerva McGonagall a funeral that did her justice, but nothing seemed to be good enough.

But one thing Minerva did keep putting off was naming her twins; she couldn't think of names for them at a time like this, she wanted names that would make her smile, names special for them, and Teddy was getting impatient, they were all pretty tired of calling them 'baby one' and 'baby two'.

It was the night before the funeral and Minerva still didn't feel like anything was good enough.

"Minerva, take a break!" her mother said to her at seven o'clock that evening.

"I can't mum, there is so much left to do!" Minerva cried, running her hand through her hair from frustration.

"No there's not, everything is perfect, now there is something we need to do." Hermione said, taking her daughter's reluctant hand and guiding her into the living room of the burrow.

Teddy, Remus and the twins were sitting there with most of the Weasley family, the girls were being cradled by Lily and Rose at the moment (they seemed to think that they were their dolls).

"We need to name them Minerva." Teddy said, looking at his daughters lovingly.

"Well I have been thinking about one name…" Minerva said hesitantly.

"Really?" Teddy asked her excitedly.

"Yeah, I was thinking maybe Isobel, like my granny's mum." Minerva said happily.

Minerva had spent hours listening to her great grandmother's stories about her childhood, talking about her brave and amazing mother. It was the perfect way to honor her granny.

"It's amazing darling!" Hermione said, giving her daughter a gentle hug.

Minerva picked up the little girl that was in Lily's arms. Her daughter's hair was bright turquoise like her father's and her eyes were the same shade of green as her granny's. She was to be Isobel.

"But what about this little one?" Teddy asked, taking his other daughter from Rose. This little girl's eyes were exactly the same as her sister's but her hair was pale blond like her mother's and had never changed, maybe this one had a lot less metamorphmagus than her other siblings.

"Call her Annabel, it sounds like Isobel!" little Lily piped up happily.

"That's actually a lovely name Lily." Minerva said, looking up at her husband.

"I agree; she would make a lovely Annabel." Teddy said, bouncing his daughter up and down on his knee, she began smiling.

Minerva was happy that they had finally named her daughters, but she still had to get through tomorrow.

Minerva had barely slept that night, the twins had kept her awake but she had been glad having them as a distraction, she wouldn't have slept anyway.

Minerva and her family stayed in the burrow that night, none of them could bear to be without each other on that terrible night, because in the morning they had to say goodbye to the most amazing woman any of them had ever met.

When morning finally came everyone dressed in his or her best robes, it wasn't the usual havoc in the house, everyone was too sad to make much noise.

When everyone was finally ready each of them stepped into the fireplace and used the floo network to go to the funeral. Minerva stepped into the fireplace cautiously with Isobel in her arms. She covered her daughters face as she dropped the powder and clearly stated their destination, but when she arrived she felt sadder than ever.

Minerva stepped out of the fireplace in the head teacher's study at Hogwarts; a portrait of her great grandmother was already behind the large desk.

Minerva smiled sadly to herself as she remembered all the wonderful times she had had in here with her granny, all the cups of tea and all the long talks, it was sad to think she would never have that again.

Once everyone had arrived through the floo network they walked down to Hogwarts grounds, the entire castle was silent, peeves wasn't even there to disrupt the calm, and when they got outside they saw why, most of the wizarding community must have been there that day.

There were ministry officials, teachers, parents and every student in the entire school, the whole grounds was full.

Minerva and her mother walked up to the front hand in hand, Ginny and Victoire were holding the girls.

Minerva and Hermione walked past many people they recognized, everyone who had survived the war, all the healers who had cared for her, the Hogwarts ghosts were even there, including Peeves, he was holding a cane in his hands gently like it meant everything to him.

When they finally reached the front of the crowd they couldn't help but let out a huge sob, Minerva McGonagall's body was lying on a long, marble table, it brought back terrible memories of Dumbledore's funeral for Hermione and most of the other people there.

Hermione held her daughter's hand throughout the ceremony, she hated to see her daughter in floods of tears once again, she had had such a hard life and she wasn't even 25 yet!

Half way through the ceremony Minerva got up from her seat to talk about her grandmother to the crowd and as she quickly scanned across them she knew she wasn't the only one hurting. All her past pupils were shaking with uncontrollable sobs and it was at that moment that Minerva realized how important her granny had been, how she had changed everyone's life in tiny little ways, in wonderful ways.

"My great grandmother…" Minerva whispered, she swallowed the lump in her throat, wiped her tears and continued, "My great grandmother was the most amazing woman I have ever met. She was strong, brave and the most caring woman to have ever walked the planet. She took care of me every day, if I needed anyone she was always there, with open arms and a cup of tea. She was my idol. I will raise my children with stories of Minerva McGonagall, the best headmistress Hogwarts has ever seen, I will bring them up with her morals and her values, they will know that where ever they are, their great great grandmother will look after them, because she loved all her family, and she loved all her students. And I will spend every day trying to live up to my name, because I love her more than anything, I always have and I always will."

Chapter 28:

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.

Chapter 29:

Neville and his family spent a lot more time in the Weasley household now that he knew that Hermione was his cousin. Neville didn't have any nieces or nephews as neither he nor Luna had any siblings so they were glad that their daughter Annora got to have a larger family.

Five-year-old Annora was best friends with little Remus Lupin and they played together all the time.

Now that Minerva was a healer and Teddy had a new job at the ministry they needed someone to look after Remus, Isobel and Annabel, and Luna Longbottom was more than happy to care of the children.

Minerva adored her new job; she got to spend every day looking after newborn babies and their parents. She saw children die more often than she would have imagined and it broke her heart each time, but she loved to sit with the families, because she knew she was helping them.

One day in the weeks leading up to Christmas another healer asked her to cover a patient for him. Minerva walked into the patient's room to see three people she had almost forgotten about.

"Niamh, Ricardo!" she said to them, a huge smile forming on her face.

"Minerva?" Niamh asked smiling, holding out her arms to embrace the healer.

"When did you guys move here?" Minerva asked, rubbing little Sabrina's head affectionately.

"About a month ago, we wanted to get everything set up before this little one was born." Ricardo said, holding up the newborn baby girl in his arms.

"She is beautiful, she looks just like Sabrina, what's her name?" Minerva asked smiling as she sat down.

Four-year-old Sabrina clambered up onto Minerva's knee.

"Ava." She said, her brown curls bouncing as she looked at her little sister with adoration and love in her eyes.

"That's a beautiful name." Minerva said, smiling at Sabrina affectionately.

"So how've you been?" Niamh asked Minerva happily.

"Wonderful, I had twin girls two months ago, Isobel and Annabel."

"Oh congratulations." Ricardo said happily.

"Thanks." Minerva replied.

They sat there talking for a while until Minerva had to go back to work.

For the next couple of days Minerva visited the little family and when it was time for them to go home Minerva still visited them, she brought her family to meet them too.

That Christmas was a wonderful time for the Weasley family, as they did every year they all stayed at the burrow and opened their presents together, this included Neville, Luna and Annora.

Minerva watched the delight on her son's face and her and Teddy bought their twins little clothes and toys, they couldn't appreciate it yet but they still loved treating their girls.

"Merry Christmas Teddy" Minerva said, handing him a parcel.

Teddy ripped off the wrapping and took a warm cardigan dropped into his hands and tears formed in his eyes.

"It was your father's, Harry found it at number 12, I thought it might make you feel closer to him." Minerva said, smiling sadly.

Teddy took his wife in his arms and hugged her.

"This is why I love you Minerva." Teddy whispered as his wife buried her head in his broad chest.

A minute later Teddy pushed Minerva away.

"I have something for you too." Teddy said, getting up and leaving the room momentarily, returning with a large wood rimmed canvas. Teddy turned it around to show Minerva something that made her immediately burst into tears.

"Don't cry darling." Her grandmother said.

Chapter 30:

Minerva never had any more kids, she was perfectly happy looking after the three she already had, each one was a shining star in their own way and they all meant the world to her and Teddy.

The proudest day of her life was when she sent Remus on the Hogwarts express, her, Teddy, her mother and father all hugged him and warned him not to get any girls pregnant, only half joking.

Hermione visited her daughter's house almost every day and they both spent a lot of time talking to the portrait of McGonagall, it brought comfort to them when times were tough.

Little Isobel became particularly close to the portrait of her great great grandmother and Minerva would often hear her sneaking it into her and Annabel's bedroom late at night.

When Remus was in his seventh year at Hogwarts and the twins were in their third Remus announced to his family that he was going to be married to a (not pregnant) girl he had met at Hogwarts called Sabrina, she happened to be Ricardo and Niamh's eldest daughter.

Everyone turned out for this wedding, all the Weasleys were there, the Potters, the Longbottoms, everyone they knew in the wizarding world, they were all there to see Remus marry the love of his life. Minerva and Hermione sat in the front row, crying their eyes out; Hermione had her grandmother's portrait on her lap, as she wanted to see this union more than anything.

Teddy and Minerva were blessed with 7 beautiful grandchildren and they loved each one with all their hearts. Each of the children was brought up with the stories of Hogwarts Minerva's mother and granny had told her.

Minerva and Teddy lived a long happy life together, neither of them regretting a moment of it, until they both grew sick.

They were in the same ward at St. Mungo's and they spent the rest of their days together, seeing their loving family every day.

This couple's love was so strong it could create miracles. Their love brought them away together, Minerva in Teddy's arms the way it was always meant to be.