Warning: This contains spoilers of Harry Potter and the deathly Hollows, If you have not read the book do not read it, it also contains spoilers from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Does not completely follow the plot of Order of Phoenix though.

Madame Pomfrey paced around the bed in the hospital wing. The Healer was supposed to be here by now. She didn't know how long that she could care for her; she didn't have what she needed to help her in this state. She had been so damaged…though she was not a frail person…it was a surprise that she was even alive…

"Four stunners to the chest." she muttered to herself placing a cold cloth on the older woman's forehead. There had been bleeding…a lot of bleeding. One stunner had barely missed the heart, one put a hole in her left lung, and the other had broken a rib, and crushed her collarbone. She was burning up.

A short looking man trotted into the room. He was squat looking and had dirty blond hair. He had dark brown eyes. "Madame Pomfrey, is this the woman?" he asked trotting to her bedside. "Yes, she is." She said taking the cloth from her forehead. He clucked his tongue in disapproval. "It's a wonder she's even alive." He muttered. He took several strange instruments from his bag. "I just need the basic information then we will take her to Saint Mungo's" he said pressing an instrument that resembled a stethoscope to her chest through the slightly bloodied bandages.

He shook his head. "It will be a wonder if she makes it through the night." He said biting his lip. Madame Pomfrey sighed. "Please don't speak like that." She said putting a hand over her forehead. "She needs to taken immediately to St. Mungo's." he said getting behind her bed. He took a hold of the handles and pushed it towards the door. "All of the students are either in bed or class." Madame Pomfrey said holding open the large wooden doors.

A medium sized woman placed two fingers on the unconscious woman's wrist. "Okay, I need advanced healing potions kit number two." She said confidently. A smaller looking woman handed her a white box. She opened it and pulled out two potions. A strange clear liquid and one that was a pale blue. She poured them both down the woman's throat. She proceeded to do a full body examination. Checking the pulse, breathing, for bruising, and broken bones. She sighed deeply. "There isn't anything more we can do." She said setting down the white box. "Either she makes it or she doesn't."

The woman lying in the sterile white room was Minerva McGonagall; earlier that evening she had received four stunning spells each from a fully-grown wizard. The healer left her bedside. She shut the door behind her disappeared from view. Several machines resembling muggle machines like the cardiac monitor, and oxygen tanks surrounded her supporting her weak, meager existence.

There was a soft pop and then a "whoosh". And all was still. As the smoke cleared a tall man stepped away from it wearing purple robes bearing silver moons and stars. This man was Albus Dumbledore. "Tabby." He whispered. She didn't stir. "Minerva…my dear." He whispered sitting down on the edge of her bed. He saw the clipboard hooked to the edge of the bed and quickly picked it up. He closed his eyes and let out a shaky breath. A single tear rolled down his long crooked nose…the odds were against her.

He took in a deep breath and sighed. He had left her without even saying goodbye, but he was with her now. He didn't care if he was a wanted man; he had to be with her. He pressed a gentle kiss to her sweaty, clammy forehead. He began to speak but stopped. He tried again. He knew what he wanted to say to her but he just couldn't put it into words. "Okay, I don't know how to put this my dear Tabby, so I'm just going to come right out and say it." he said taking her limp hand in his own withered strong one.

"We have spent many years together as best friends, but I have always wanted more." He said slowly. "I have loved you with all my heart for many long aching years, I have always been afraid to tell you in fear that you would not return the love I feel towards you." He stared at the sheets on her bed twiddling them between his fingers. "I thought I should confess…in case you…leave…me." He said with a heavy sigh. He didn't look at her, he didn't think he could. "I…I'm…not g-going…any where." She said weakly. She could barely keep her eyes open. They felt do heavy and sleep was so warm and light.

"You heard what I said my dear Minerva?" he asked urgently. She was silent. "Minerva?" he asked. "Minerva?!" she didn't stir. She had fallen back into her unconscious stupor... He placed another gentle kiss to her forehead and disaparated. She dreamt blurry inconsistent dreams. She saw Albus' face smiling softly at her, she dreamt of Hogwarts, and she dreamt of the days of her child hood. Memories long forgotten flashed fresh and clear in her tired blurred mind.

Albus sat alone in Godric's Hollow in his old house. He lounged in his old room. Ariana's room was two down the hall, and Aberforth's was right next-door. His mother and Father's room was right next to Ariana's incase she were to become sick in the middle of the night. This is where he knew he would be safe. "She was so pale…so frail." He thought looking down at the floor.

"I have to see her again, but I cannot." He thought aloud. "It would put my life and her own in further jeopardy." He thought pacing back and forth on the dusty carpet. "He knelt beside his bed and bowed his head in prayer. "Please…please…let her be alright…" he thought clasping her hands together. "My dearest beloved Minerva." He thought. "She is a wonderful woman, kind, and gentle." He said. "She deserves to live until the day after the end of time." He said his eyes watering once again. "Please, let her live." He said his hands shaking hard. "Please."

For the next several hours she drifted in and out of consciousness. But she wasn't in the clear yet…her fever had gotten higher and was seizing every few hours from her high fever. When she did awaken usually healers and interns would swarm her. She didn't know why all these people were drawing her blood and poking and prodding her. "G-go away, leave me be." She would mutter and if she could she would do a faint shooing motion with her hand. When she awoke and was alone she would try and think…think about what Albus had said to her. But mostly her mind was fuzzy like a radio in the rain.

He continued to pray and beg for her life. He had read her chart. Her death was almost infinite He did not sleep at all that night…he was to worried and scared to sleep. He apparted once again into her room, it was silent and dark. He clicked his deluminator and light appeared in the dark hospital room. The enchanted machine still pumping air into her damaged lungs. "She looked no better no worse…he just needed to know she was alive. He stepped forward taking her hand I his once more. She looked so frail and sick. This was not the Minerva McGonagall he had known…

The woman he had known for all those years was strong and tough. She was tough and reserved. Yet when all hell broke loose she was there by his side fighting. Some would say she was up tight maybe even prudent. But she was strong, she had killed in the first war…not willingly…but it was him or her students.

FLASHBACK

"Stay away, I'm warning you!" A small group of first years huddled behind her. It was the beginning year of Hogwarts and death eaters had penetrated Hogwarts. He was tall and had a cruel laugh. He smiled at her through his mask. He simply chuckled at her. "What are you going to do, stun me?" he asked smugly. She glanced over at her disarmed wand about ten feet from her. She glared at him her arms spread wide acting as a shield. There was no way for them to escape. He had pushed them back into a corner. He proceeded forward still smirking at her. "Take me and leave the students." She said coolly. "I have no use for an old hag like you." He said picking up her wand and tucking it into his belt.

Many students were crying. It was right after the feast and everyone was being evacuated. She and her group of first years were on their way to the secret passage behind the suit of armor on the second floor when he stopped her. A little girl hiding directly behind the teacher slowly withdrew her wand. She was small so she was easily hidden behind the emerald green robes that cascaded down over the floor. She slipped her wand into the older woman's hand. Though on the outside McGonagall was standing tall a clenched angry look plastered to her face, on the inside she was trembling…then she felt a piece of warm wood slip into her hand. She stifled a gasp. "A wand!" she thought.

A small girl was whimpering in fear. Something inside her head snapped and she ran for it, from the group and towards the door. "Aveda Kedev-!" the death eater had yelled. "AVEDA KADEVRA!" McGonagall screamed. Her eyes went wide, realizing what she had done. His placid eyes stared up through his white mask. He was dead…

Dumbledore sighed. His blue eyes leaking tears. So many years…this was the end. He knew that this was her last night in this earth. He didn't know if she had heard his confession. He sat down beside her on the bed and laid his head down upon her chest. He needed to hear her heart beating. It thudded gently in her chest echoing in his ear. He sat up once again. He traced the features of her face. Her nose, her cheek bones, her lips. He wanted to memorize everything about her.

She felt like she was falling. Someone was touching her face. The hands were soft and gentle yet callused and withered. The touch was smooth and warm. It lulled her and made her feel warm inside. She felt a small rush of energy. She lifted her heavy eyelids and peered out from behind them. Albus was there. Holding her hand, stroking her face. She smiled softly. "Minerva?" he whispered. She smiled and blinked softly. "Did you here what I said earlier?" he asked looking serious once again. "Come closer." She muttered. He did. "Closer." She whispered. He lowered his ear almost to her lips.

"Yes." She reached up a hand and turned his head so his lips were resting only an inch apart. Her hot breath fogged his glasses, but he could see the warm happy look in her eyes when he pulled him in for they're first kiss. It was warm, soft, passionate, and tender all in one. Somehow all these emotions had been fused together in a single kiss… true love's first kiss.

She fell asleep once again only moments after the kiss. He smiled softly and disaparated from the room. Even if she were to die that night…he would only have a single regret…that he hadn't told her sooner. The kiss they had shared was magical…earth, air, water, and fire blending together. Air, subtle and lifting, fire, deep and burning, water, strong and shimmering, and earth, luscious and beautiful. She had been beautiful, the candlelight radiating gently against her pale skin, Her chestnut locks cascading down her pillow and over the bed's edge. He dark black eyelashes closed as though she were sleeping...The doorknob clicked as though being magically un-locked. He looked up nervously. He took one last glance at her unconscious form and dissaparated.

A healer stepped into the room only seconds after he dissaparated. The woman looked around. The lights were on, the sheets were ruffled, and there was a cigarette lighter on the bedside table. She looked around again. The woman was still unconscious.Some one had been there...