Unrequited love
Disclaimer - I do not own the rights to Harry Potter or any of the characters in this story (cries). All characters belong to J.K.Rowling (bows down and worships. hehehe)
Chapter one- Enter Gilderoy and Minerva.
Gilderoy Lockhart stepped into Flourish and Blotts where there was already a small crowd gathering to see the famous hero and author. He had not yet been noticed, however, but unlike many other people he craved attention from his adoring fans.
"Ahem." Gilderoy gave a loud cough which turned many heads. Witches gave loud gasps and their accompanying wizards rolled their eyes and turned away; even though they continued to watch Lockhart in awe from the corners of their eyes, trying not to look too interested in the flashy man.
Lockhart strode over to a door at the other end of the store and before he went through it, he gave a toothy grin and a flourish of his forget-me-not blue robes as he waved. It's a hard job being idolised by so many he thought but someone's got to do it!
~~~
A bespectacled witch with her hair in a tight, respectable bun entered Flourish and Blotts half an hour later. She; unlike every other witch; did not seem at all interested at the sight of the many moving paintings of Gilderoy Lockhart, all of which were winking and giving dazzling smiles to passers by. She also didn't seem remotely excited at the chance of meeting the real man either. She knew already that she would be spending far too long a time in the mans company at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry the following school year, which started in a few days time.
"Minerva, I said… MINERVA! OVER HERE!" yelled a woman with short grey hair. She waved furiously.
"Good morning, Helen," said Minerva McGonagall in an irritated tone of voice. "I take it you're here to see that show off Gilderoy Lockhart?" she said more sharply and with a hint of annoyance.
"Well, n-no not-not really" stammered the shorter witch, and turned slightly pink. "I just needed to pick up a new copy of-of-of" she glanced quickly around the store for a book that would give her a feasible excuse. "Quidditch Through The Ages" she replied quickly, giving a sigh of relief. Minerva shot her a look of disbelief but when her fellow professor changed the subject she was more than happy to oblige, as the topic of Gilderoy Lockhart was not one she wished to remain on for too long.
Gilderoy opened the door to the back room slightly to see his public; he was pleased to see that there had been a large turn out and that a photographer from The Daily Prophet had already arrived. He quietly closed the door and began to look at himself in the mirror; he fiddled a little with his blonde hair and gave his reflection a wink before opening the door widely and stepping out into the main store.
~~
Gilderoy gave his fans a smile, rolled up his sleeves, and sat down at a table, ready to sign books. He heard the man from The Daily Prophet telling people to "Get out of the way, this is for The Daily Prophet" then he heard an annoyed reply;
"Big deal"
He looked up. Staring into the crowd, he caught sight of a red-headed boy who was rubbing his foot, and another boy next to him; with a curious, lightning shaped scar on his forehead.
He stared. Then he leapt to his feet and positively shouted, "It can't be Harry Potter?"
Gilderoy dived forward, seized Harry's arm and pulled him to the front. He shook his hand eagerly.
"Nice big smile, Harry" said Gilderoy through his own gleaming teeth. "Together you and I are worth the front page."
He then he threw an arm around Harry and clamped him tightly to his side.
"Ladies and gentlemen, what an extraordinary moment this is! The perfect moment for me to make a little announcement I've been sitting on for quite some time! When young Harry here stepped into Flourish and Blotts today, he only wanted to buy my autobiography- which I shall be happy to present to him now, free of charge" the crowd applauded, Gilderoy loved the attention "he had no idea that he would shortly be getting much, much more than my book Magical Me. He and his school fellows will in fact, be getting the real, magical me. Yes ladies and gentlemen, I have great pleasure and pride in announcing that, this September, I will be taking up the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry!"
The crowd was positively buzzing with excitement at this bit of news apart from a lady at the back who seemed; to Gilderoy; as if she had not even heard the splendid news. After signing autographs he made his way to the lady whom he now recognised to be Minerva McGonagall, his fellow professor who taught Transfiguration .
He coughed, to try and get her attention, but she didn't look up.
~~~
Minerva barely had a chance to say goodbye to Madame Hooch before Gilderoy Lockhart emerged from the backroom, and at the same time Madame Hooch hurtled off to the front of the cue. Minerva rolled her eyes and picked up one of Gilderoy's books that lay on a table beside her she turned it over to read the blurb. The cover, both back, and front was covered with pictures of moving Gilderoys each winking, smiling and waving at her.
How can anyone concentrate on reading his books when they are full of these ridiculous pictures!? She thought to herself. She read the blurb in disgust.
"Complete and utter rubbish!" she muttered. "How can anyone believe this hogswash?!"
"It can't be Harry Potter!" she heard Gilderoy shout. Minerva quickly put the book down on the table, quite to the disappointment of the Gilderoy pictures, as she hadn't even opened the book. She tiptoed at the back of the crowd to see if Harry really was there and sure enough he was, and by the looks of the family of red-heads near the front he was with the Weasleys.
Poor boy she thought; a pitying look on her face. She straightened up and scowled, her pity turned to anger.
Ooh why that pompous, ignorant little… just wait until term starts. I'm going to give him a piece of my mind! She could feel herself shaking with anger. She threw the Gilderoy book off the table and onto the floor with a loud thud, but no one noticed.
Minerva hauled herself up onto the table and picked the nearest book which wasn't written by Lockhart, which just happened to be the copy of Quidditch Through The Ages that Madame Hooch had pretended to have been interested in purchasing.
Whilst reading she was able to calm down. She heard footsteps coming closer to her. Peering over the top of her book, she saw that it was the poser himself - Gilderoy. He coughed, she knew this was to get her attention but she wasn't going to look up until he addressed her properly.
~~~
He coughed again, slightly louder this time, but Minerva kept on reading her book, and from what he could see, it was Quidditch Through The Ages.
"Minerva! I didn't know that you were interested in Quidditch." He gave her his sparkling smile. She looked up at him, and she didn't smile back.
"Oh. It's you." Even though she was sitting lower than he was she still managed to look at him condescendingly. Gilderoy felt his confidence waver slightly under her gaze.
"So did you hear my marvellous speech about teaching at Hogwarts? Isn't it great news?" he rallied, trying to keep calm.
"Yes, just terrific" she said unenthusiastically, looking down at her book. "And your little speech has just saved Dumbledore an announcement at the start of term feast."
"Oh, I didn't mean to steal the old boys thunder I…"
"Oh don't worry. I am sure he won't mind, and neither will the students, it just means that they get to eat sooner, which I am sure they'll all appreciate" She gave a quick grin as she saw his obviously dissatisfied look.
"Ah, yes. Well okay, then, good."
Minerva rolled her eyes behind her book, as if this conversation wasn't pointless enough, he had begun to babble.
"Was there even a reason that you came over here to speak to me, Gilderoy?" she said with a hint of annoyance in her voice.
"Uh, no, no not really" he stammered, his confidence dropping quickly.
"Well then, I really must be off." She swept past him. "See you at school" she called as she walked away, grimacing at the thought of Gilderoy teaching.
"Farewell, Minerva," he whispered gazing after her as she walked out of the shop.
~~~
I can't believe the nerve of that man! She thought angrily as she made her way through the crowds of people in Diagon Alley.
I can't believe that I ever had the lack of common sense to have a relationship with him. Oh it was fine at first, we spent a lot of time together, the odd fan here and there was often an annoyance I'll say that much but when he wrote more books his fame became more important than me. He stood me up countless amounts of times. I'm so glad I left him. She felt tears well up in her eyes, but was determined that was where they were going to stay. She blinked them back and stormed on.
And then after all these years he tries to make small talk with me after not taking an interest in me for ages, I don't know what he was thinking. She gave a low growl. This year is going to be unbearable! She continued to think these comments of how worthless he was and how he was not fit to be bitten by a werewolf let alone claim to be cornered in a phone box by one!
~~~
Gilderoy's face fell; he couldn't believe that he, Gilderoy Lockhart had been blown off like that. Everyone adored him, however she obviously didn't. No matter, he thought. I have plenty of time to win her over during the school year. And with this happy thought planted in his head he eagerly got back to signing autographs.
~~~