I own nothing but the plot!
The Rain
Chapter 1 – The Beginning
Thunder boomed and lightening flashed in the graying skies surrounded Hogwarts as the rainstorm intensified. Fat raindrops splattered against the windowpane of Minerva McGonagall's bedroom; however, it did not faze her. She was too occupied with the pink bundle resting comfortably in her arms to notice the weather outside. Nothing was going to spoil this day for Minerva.
It had been an exhausting day for Minerva. She had been woken up in the wee hours of the morning in labor, her soiled sheets a sign her water had already broken. She stretched her arm to the other side of the bed only to realize there was no one. She bit her tongue to keep from yelling out in her sorrow and focused on summoning help. She had left her wand on the desk in her parlor, her owl was in the school owlery, and the house elves were gone for the summer leaving her without a way to summon help.
Suddenly a thought occurred to her, a far fetched idea, but one worth a try she thought silently. Focusing all of her attention, she attempted to make a connection with the red phoenix of Albus Dumbledore. She attempted to send her thoughts of need and pain to the brilliant bird and was thoroughly surprised when a big flash of red light erupted in the room. "Fawkes," she asked hopeful before the red light dimmed properly.
The red light slowly evaporated to reveal a rather confused Albus Dumbledore standing next to her bed wearing his nightclothes. Fawkes was perched on his left shoulder before flying towards Minerva and cooing soothingly as he settled on the bed. Albus watched his familiar attend to sooth Minerva with intrigue before he asked, "Minerva is there any particular reason Fawkes deemed it important to bring me here to you at this hour of night?"
Minerva, who had been holding Albus' gaze, lowered her head and nodding her head yes. With nimble fingers, Minerva grasped the bunched up bedcovers hiding her body from Albus and pushed them aside revealing her swollen belly. She placed a comforting hand on her protruding belly before offering, "I needed help. I left my wand on my desk in my parlor and I couldn't think of any other way to summon Poppy without Fawkes."
Albus nodded his understanding while still staring at her swollen waist. He was dumbfounded at this discovery and with good reason. He had spent most of the week working with Minerva and did not have an inclination of her condition. He realized she had been using a charm on herself to hide it from others, difficult magic to perform daily he thought impressed with the witch before him. Suddenly Minerva gasped and clutched her belly as her face scrunched up in obvious pain. Albus frowned a moment then realized Minerva was in labor. Quickly he summoned a piece of parchment and quill to scribble a quick note to Poppy before sending Fawkes to deliver it. "Poppy will be here momentarily," he reassured Minerva as he sat down next to her on the bed rubbing her back soothingly.
Another flash of light announced the arrival of Fawkes with Poppy in tow. The med witch quickly dashed to Minerva's side and started casting spells. After determining Minerva was fully dilated she settled down at Minerva's feet and prepared for the delivery. "It seems your daughter is ready to make her debut in this world," Poppy had said good-naturedly.
A loud cry from the pink bundle in her arms pulled Minerva from her musings. Smiling at her daughter, she unbuttoned her gown with her free hand and shifted the baby girl to her bosom. She had to coax the little one to take her breast but it was all worth it when the little one latched on and suckled her mother's breast. Minerva smiled with tears in her eyes as she watched her child breastfeed for the very first time. "I love you my dearest Hermione, you must always remember that," she whispered softly to her baby. "I may not be able to keep you but it does not mean I love you any less, it's just not safe for you to be with me right now."
"Why is it unsafe with you Minerva," Albus asked softly from the doorframe.
Minerva's head snapped up at the unexpected voice, she had been alone a few minutes ago, and was meet with a worried filled expression from her best friend. Decades of friendship with the wizard before her made her realize she could not keep him in the dark any longer. Sighing in defeat, Minerva motioned Albus to join her on the bed while she continued to breastfeed her baby girl. "It's all so complicated Albus," she said in a soft tone so as not to disturb her daughter.
He gently pushed a strand of her raven hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ear. He smiled reassuringly at her before replying, "Why don't you take a deep breath and start from the beginning."
She smiled at him momentarily before shifting her baby to her other breast and was surprised when her baby latched on to her breast immediately. Gurgling noises erupted from the small bundle as she drank hungrily. Minerva laughed a bit before breaking into her story. "It all started nine months ago when I had run into a few of my childhood friends. They all had married and had children of their own. It made me realize I had chosen a path of an old maid instead of the family woman I had envision as a child. I was devastated with my discovery and did something completely unexpected. I drank Scottish whiskey until I could not walk straight and had a one night stand, not my best moment I admit but I did it nonetheless. A couple of months passed before I realized I was pregnant and I did not know what to do."
"What about the father," Albus asked curiously as Minerva passed the now full baby to Albus while she covered her exposed breasts. Albus laid the baby against his chest and burped her gently before laying her in the basinet next to the bed.
"That's not important Albus," she continued her story. "What is important is that he is completely untrustworthy and I can not allow him to find out about Hermione. I took great pains to hide my pregnancy from everyone but Poppy and it made me feel horrible but it was necessary to keep her safe."
Albus studied her for a few minutes then asked, "What are you planning now?"
Tears welled in Minerva's green eyes before she whispered brokenly, "I have to give her away to someone else to raise her. Poppy and I have managed to find a nice muggle couple willing to adopt her. I love her Albus but I am not willing to allow harm come to her."
Albus could see the struggle within her eyes as she gazed lovingly at her baby girl. She wanted to keep her more than anything but she was willing to give her away to protect her from some unknown evil. Minerva was a heck of a woman, Albus mused before moving closer to her. He settled down next to her on the bed and opened his arms to her which she welcomed. She rested her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat until it lured her to sleep while Albus held her contently.
Minerva had woken up that evening and found herself still tucked in Albus' embrace. He smiled at her before planted a friendly kiss on her nose prompting her to laugh. She snuggled closer to him before saying, "Thank you for being here for me Albus. I honestly do not know what I would do without you in my life."
He smiled at her before replying, "Minerva, there's no need to thank me, you are my best friend and I would do anything for you."
"As I would for you," she answered honestly before gazing at her sleeping daughter. "Albus, how will I survive without her in my life? I have longed for a child for so long and now that I finally have one of my own I have to give her away. It's so unfair!"
"I know," he said simply.