Disclaimer: I own nothing recognizable.
Warning: Femmeslash and character death.
Hermione sat on the bed in her flat, crying softly into her hands. All those years of pining, fear of rejection, and finally getting her courage had led to the most glorious thing the young woman could ever know existed. Four years of being with the most intelligent, talented, beautiful witch she had ever known ended yesterday.
Minerva was dead.
Six Death Eaters had appeared in front of her and Stunned her. After the incident with four Stunning Spells about seven years ago, it was a well-known fact amongst Death Eaters that the almighty Minerva McGonagall could be brought to near death by two. It seemed a forgone conclusion that six would be enough to severely incapacitate her at the least. She had died instantly.
Hermione lifted her head to the mantle, where a picture of the two of them in ball gowns, taken three years ago at the Yule Ball, sat. Hermione sighed, letting her mind travel back to that night.
Minerva had been reluctant to follow Hermione outside, but hardly had the will to refuse whatever plot had that devious smile planted so firmly on the young DADA teacher's lips. The stars danced in the ebony sky, and soft, silky music played as they neared their destination.
"May I have this dance?" Hermione asked her girlfriend of three months with a half-joking chivalrous tone. Minerva gave a small smile and took the other woman's hand.
"Only, my dear, if I may lead." Minerva joked, wrapping an arm around Hermione's waist to pull her close. Hermione chuckled before settling in against Minerva's form comfortably.
Hermione allowed herself to recall the three hours during which they danced in the night, lost in the embrace and the other's eyes. She remembered how Minerva had answered the Order's questions about the promise ring she wore, a simple gold band with small sapphires and rubies swirled around each other that Hermione had helped craft.
"It is a token of affection. Does it surprise you all so much that I could be in a relationship?" She had answered with a slight edge to her voice. She would, of course, show it off on her own time, not the Order's. The Order did have pressing business, since there were still Death Eaters at large and they were all targets. Five years of hunting had them down to eight uncaptured, and now six of them had…. Hermione shook her head as though she was shaking off a bad dream, walking over to the mantle and taking down the Yule Ball photo and one from Harry and Ginny's wedding, where Hermione had caught the bouquet and Minerva joked that she should have gone for the garter.
Hermione pored over the pictures for hours before Ginny Apparated into the middle of the living room. She looked over at her distraught friend and decided to console before inform. Backwards from her original plan, yes, but a necessary change. Wrapping Hermione in her arms, Ginny softly whispered that it would be ok, that it would just take time. Hermione's only response was sobbing.
After a long while, Hermione began to regain composure and Ginny told her of the Order's plan to capture the remaining three Death Eaters. Hermione nodded sadly, sniffing, listening intently for her part, which never came. Neither did Ginny's. Finally, Ginny looked into Hermione's red, puffy, pain-soaked eyes and asked the question on the minds of anyone with half a heart in the Order of the Phoenix.
"If you had known this was gonna happen, would you have not gotten with her?"
Hermione shook her head no, smiling softly and wiping away drying tears. "I could have missed the pain, but I would have had to miss the dance."