A/N : This story is for Trastamara Trash's birthday on the 30th of August. Consequently it features her two OTPs : Remus/Luna and Minerva/Hermione!
Happy Birthday (sorry for being late for your present) and much love!
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Grimmauld's place, Winter Holiday 1996
Minerva McGonagall arrived by floo network in the fireplace of 12th Grimmauld Place: the former ancestry house of convicted criminal Sirius Black and now property of the Boy who lived. She dusted her travel robes and dropped her medium-sized tapestry bag on the coffee table in front of her. She brushed the back of her elegant left hand on her hot forehead and sighed, although a smile lingered on her lips. She rubbed the back of her neck and stretched, moving her head from side to side. It had been an entertaining six days of festivities but her responsibility at the Hogwarts Christmas party and then the late-hour bash at the Weasleys for New Year had tired her a lot. Christmas vacations were, after all, intended to provide rest and relaxation and she thought she could get that at Grimmauld's place. Along with some catching up on personal reading, because Hogwarts never rested and the Burrow was too crowded in this time of the year, while her own family house would be too far from London, and though she wanted peace, she did not want to be isolated from the world or the Order either.
She decided to make some tea for herself before she would climb to the second story to pick out a room where she could spend the following week. The burning liquid warmed her throat and slowly descended in her oesophagus. She immediately felt less tense. She chose a comfortable armchair to sit in and laid her head against the cushions hugging herself over her deep forest green turtleneck sweater; it was quite cold here when there was no one to light the fire, which she did. Her tight bun annoyed her though and she slowly removed the numerous pins and set them down on the coffee table, letting her salt and pepper mane fall freely around her sculptural oval-shaped face. She trailed her fingers through the slightly wavy locks to separate the few knots that had formed. She was finally all set to start her leisure reading session. She picked up her brick of a book and started where she had put the bookmark; she had only gotten to the 33rd page because of her lack of free time with work.
She was disturbed less than an hour later by footsteps coming from the staircase just outside the room she was in. She drew her wand from her pocket by habit and waited for the intruder to come in. She lowered her wand when she saw who it was and gave him her best rare grin.
Remus Lupin, one of the former students that had made her the proudest but also worried her motherly heart the most because of his sad setbacks in life, had entered the room and froze when he saw Minerva pointing a wand at him.
"Watch it, Minerva dear, maybe I do look as washed out as a Death Eater sometimes but I'm not one, really." He had an amused smile on.
Said Minerva's grin widened.
"Quite the contrary Remus, you actually look pretty in shape. I think this holiday is doing you good."
"I always knew you secretly thought I was very handsome, Professor."
Remus visibly was in a very Sirius-like mood and wanted to tease.
"How did you discover my deepest, best kept secret?" Minerva said in a mock shocked tone, putting a hand over her mouth, before smirking. "Though I would do something about these clothes, if you would let me…"
"Certainly. You know, fashion and me… no comment."
"Yes, I know." With a flick of her wand Minerva transfigured Lupin's discoloured navy trousers into fresh-looking dark brown jeans and his pale grey t-shirt and old woollen pastel green jersey into a neat red and brown striped shirt.
"Now you look most handsome!"
"Thank you, my dear."
"No problem. But Remus, what are you doing here if I can ask? Weren't you and Tonks going to go somewhere under the sun?"
"Oh, hum. I understand you did not get the news by Molly."
Minerva raised an eyebrow, waiting for Lupin to tell her.
"Tonks left me a little before Christmas but we didn't want to spoil everyone's fun at the party by saying so."
"Oh, I had no idea, Remus, I am profoundly sorry." Minerva had a concerned look written in her soft green eyes and once again she couldn't believe the bad luck her friend had sometimes.
"Yea, it was quite the complex break-up." Lupin chuckled darkly. "I would have preferred not having been left for another man though. I feel like I hadn't even the chance to improve myself. No… there was another and the subject was closed." Remus sighed and crossed his arms, lost in thought and sombre.
"I thought you made a great couple, I'm very disappointed by these news." She put a comforting arm on his shoulder. "But like a wise man said to me someday… love always comes back for those who still hope. If it's not her it will be someone else!"
"I bet that were Dumbledore's words!" Lupin smiled and Minerva nodded. "I think he's right but I'm not ready to look for anyone yet. The right one will show up at the right moment, I guess. As for you Minerva, I also think you should keep looking, have you given up hope? You are a formidable woman and I can't believe there's not an equally wonderful woman waiting for you somewhere."
"You're right, I seem to have given up on relationships. Since Amelia's death, you know, nobody could really compare. I don't know if it's me being too picky or just chance not operating in my favour but, oh well…"
"We do look like two totally hopeless singles, don't we?" Remus tried to lighten up the atmosphere with some of his own brand of humour.
Minerva chuckled softly. "We sure do Remus, we sure do." She put an arm around his shoulders and brought him to sit with her at the kitchen table. "Were you drinking tea upstairs too? How about we change to wine? I think we need it." She had an humorous quality in her usual lilt.
"Marvellous idea. Let's drink and forget."
Minerva accioed the full bottle of wine she had had the presence of mind to bring in her luggage and magically opened it and filled two glasses she enchanted to fly her way from the cupboard.
"To celibacy." She said holding her wineglass in mid-air.
"To celibacy… and hope." Remus added, clinking his crystal goblet with hers.
"And hope."
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Minerva and Remus heard noises two hours later coming from the front door of Grimmauld's place, the sound of the oak door closing and footsteps echoing in the corridor. They were not alarmed because only the Secret-keepers of the house's location could open the door and no one other than Order members were included in that select group. They were startled though, when they saw the two girls that were unexpectedly visiting: Hermione and Luna. Minerva sprang up with her usual swiftness.
"Girls, is something wrong? Hermione did something happen?" She asked quickly, worried.
"No, not at all, Minerva!" Hermione shook Minerva's anxiety away, smiled her Cheshire-cat grin and pulled her into a hug. They had become good friends since the beginning of the summer, since Hermione became an Order member. Out of school Minerva was not Professor McGonagall to her anymore and she was not Miss Granger.
Remus smiled awkwardly at Luna and drew his hand from his pocket to give her a little wave of his hand.
"Hi, Luna. Spent a nice Christmas?"
"Oh yes, it was brilliant, thank you Mr Lupin." She smiled with her usual dreamy expression, staying a little behind Hermione.
"To waste with those formalities, dear. I'm not your professor anymore and Hermione may tell you I've never been fond of abuse of last name either."
"He's not." Hermione smiled and put her hand on Luna's back for a few seconds in an affectionate manner. Minerva's eyes flashed from Luna's pretty youthful face to Hermione's hand resting on the girl's back. She felt something like a sting of… no it couldn't be jealousy, could it?, upon witnessing Hermione's tender gesture. She shook the thought away just as quickly.
"What did you girls came here for, then?" She asked gently.
"I was about to go get my stuff upstairs, actually. I had left some of my belongings here before my short stay at the Burrow and because Luna and I are going to my house for the rest of the holiday, I need to fetch them."
"I see. Your parents must miss having you with them, indeed."
"Yes, and I invited Luna to come over so we could catch up also. At Hogwarts we have no choice but to spend most of the time in our respective Houses."
"Of course. I hope you will enjoy yourselves." Minerva put a hand on Hermione's shoulder before heading towards the lounge and excusing herself.
"If you will excuse me I'll go back to my book again. Tell me if you need something."
"I might choose a book upstairs too." Lupin said. "I think there is a very impressive library here, but I never had time to peek through it"
"Yes, it's quite remarkable." Hermione approved. She turned towards Luna. "You should go check it out too Luna, while I assemble my things. It will be less boring than to watch me."
Luna nodded and followed Lupin upstairs. Hermione shot a last, a little too longing look in Minerva's direction and sighed ponderingly before taking suite up the stairs and going into the room she had slept in previously, to get prepared.
Xxx Part two will be up by Monday! I know, I know, I'm already late lol! Hope you liked the beginning though!
Read and review please everyone!