A/N: So this is AU, because Voldemort's dead. Just because. It's set in Harry's sixth year. As always, I own nothing. Oneshot.
Approval
One Saturday morning in late October, Minerva McGonagall sat at the staff table, fixing herself a breakfast of bacon and toast. As was her habit, she paused from assembling her breakfast to look up and check on her Gryffindors.
None of the students present looked about to start a duel or argument.
Satisfied, she reached for the coffeepot and was about to begin fixing her drink when Harry Potter caught her attention. He was looking at his breakfast a little more intently than he usually did. A moment or so later he selected a piece of bacon and was about to cut it when he stopped. He smiled at it for a moment before folding it between two pieces of toast and starting to eat.
Curious, Minerva set down her coffee and looked at her own bacon. There was, as far as she could tell, nothing remarkable about it. It was properly cooked. It was slightly crispy. It was the ideal in-between of not greasy and not dry.
It was bacon.
As she watched, Harry pulled a piece of parchment from a book and tapped it with his wand. The parchment folded itself into the shape of a butterfly, which then flew off the table. Minerva watched its fluttering wings propel it to its destination, but it flew out of the Great Hall and away from her sight. It seemed that Harry was communicating with someone - a female someone, if the butterfly was anything to go by.
Minerva frowned to herself as she tried to guess who it might be. Harry frequently spent time with the girls on the Quidditch team, but by now they were like older sisters. Ginny Weasley was seeing one of Harry's dormmates, and Hermione Granger was seething quietly over Ron Weasley and Lavender Brown.
She sighed as she continued trying to speculate. Of course, she was imagining that the note was for a girlfriend and not just a female friend.
Pomona and Poppy both heard the sigh and shifted attention from the students to her. Years ago, the women had begun having afternoon tea on Saturdays and it had long since become tradition.
Tradition or no, three p.m. would see the women gather to gossip, complain or share advice.
As always, promptly at 2:55, the women appeared in Minerva's quarters and sat down to a tray of tea and pastries.
After discussing classes, patients and students, the topic turned to one Harry Potter. Since he'd begun at Hogwarts, they had made a conscious effort not to talk about him too much. The next quarter hour was therefore dedicated to speculation as to whom Harry might be seeing. Pomona quickly ruled out the Patil sisters, after the time Harry had taken Parvati to the Yule Ball in his fourth year, along with Cho Chang. Poppy, meanwhile, was expounding on the likelihood of the girl being a Slytherin.
Minerva had to admit, a Slytherin wasn't too likely. There was, after all, too much competitiveness between the two houses.
Finally the possibilities began wearing thin and Poppy was called away to fix a broken arm. After she'd flooed out, Pomona commented that probably they'd find out in due course.
The next few weeks passed easily. On occasion, Minerva saw Harry alone, walking through the corridors. She suspected, judging by his pace, that he was in a hurry to meet someone. Resisting the urge to follow him, she continued her own path to where she needed to be.
In early November, Dumbledore announced a Christmas ball would be held before students went home for the break.
One Hogsmeade day, Harry spent some time searching for flowers before selecting a bouquet of freesias. He opted to have them sent to Luna at school and deliberately left off his name. They had agreed, eight months ago when they had begun dating, to stay quiet about things between them. Harry didn't want her to be hounded by everyone from day one of their relationship, and it seemed it had worked. During school, they had been meeting in secret or just spent time together between classes. Dobby had been only too happy to help and sworn not to tell anyone.
Over the summer, Harry had stayed at the Burrow. It had allowed him and Luna, who lived nearby, to meet up occasionally, going to nearby places for picnics or just to take a walk.
Luna had asked recently if he would consider opening up to people and telling them that they were together. Harry was now considering it, and he wondered if she would agree to making it public at the Christmas ball.
A few days later, the flowers were delivered to her. That evening, Dobby brought him a note to meet in the Room of Requirement.
Once he was safely inside, Luna greeted him with a warm hug. The room transformed itself into a cozy sitting room with a blazing fireplace, couch and two chairs. She pulled him over to the couch where they cuddled up to discuss the idea of telling people at the ball.
Luna agreed to it and Dobby brought them dinner to save them from having to go the Great Hall and rushing to get something to eat.
After dinner and pudding the pair returned to their dorms undetected, courtesy of Harry's Invisibility Cloak. Harry walked Luna back first and just before she stepped through the portrait she blew him a kiss over her shoulder.
November lapsed into December, and Minerva was still none the wiser as to who Harry might be seeing. She, along with Poppy and Pomona, had debated every female student in the school and found reason why Harry wouldn't be dating her.
As she prepared a cup of tea, Minerva went over the list. Being in his sixth year, Harry likely wouldn't date anyone third year or below. He might date a seventh year, when she recalled his crush the previous year on Cho Chang.
The walls spoke, but even they were no help. The portraits weren't giving up any information, and Minerva wondered if they were in some kind of agreement with Harry to keep things secret.
The next few days went by in an end-of-term frenzy: gift shopping, homework and essays, preparations for the ball. Harry and Luna had agreed on dinner before the ball, courtesy of Dobby who - as always - was only too happy to help.
Minerva was still in the dark as to who might accompany Harry to the ball-though, when she asked, the smile on his face was a good indication that he at least liked his fate, even if she didn't say who she was. Minerva found it rather maddening.
She hated not knowing, especially when it involved on of her Gryffindors.
On the evening of the ball, Harry and Luna met up in the Room of Requirement first. After a simple roast dinner prepared by Dobby, they headed for the Great Hall.
Minerva was supervising the entrance to the dance and watched in some surprise as Harry and Luna Lovegood appeared, arm in arm. Harry was wearing navy robes, while Luna wore a shimmery silver dress. Tucked behind one ear was a deep purple flower, and her long hair was loose and wavy.
The first song, a slow song, began and Harry turned to Luna. From the looks of it, he was asking her formally if she wanted to dance.
She accepted and they took the dance floor, dancing close together. At the end of the song, they separated with a quick kiss.
Apparently oblivious to their surroundings, they left the dance floor for refreshments.
A couple of hours later, Harry went outside for some fresh air. Minerva was walking around outside, patrolling to make sure no one was up to mischief, when she encountered Harry.
He stood calmly, not looking upset or annoyed or like he was trying to make an escape. They stood quietly for a few minutes, before Harry broke the silence.
"Do you approve?" The question was not at all what Minerva had been expecting, and it caught her slightly off guard.
"Of you and Miss Lovegood, you mean?" she clarified.
Harry nodded, a slight flush rising to his face. "Well, you're about the closest mother figure I have, so your opinion matters."
Minerva's eyes stung suspiciously for a minute. Looking away, she blinked furiously to regain her composure.
"I think she's good for you. So yes, I approve."
Harry smiled shyly at her, looking relieved. They stood in a comfortable silence for a few minutes longer, and Luna appeared a few minutes later.
She linked her hand in Harry's, intertwining her fingers through his. They said goodnight to Minerva, and she watched with a pleased smile as they departed.
It had been a while since she'd felt like she was more than just a teacher.
fin.