Author's Note:
This is a one shot and assumes that Harry grew up at Hogwarts with Minerva as his guardian. The war with Voldemort is now over and Harry was victorious at the end. Albus Dumbledore is still alive and remains the Headmaster at Hogwarts, with Minerva as his deputy. Arthur Weasley is now the Minister of Magic. There may be slight references to my other story, but you don't have to read it to enjoy this story.
Author's Note 2:
If anyone knows how to extend the spacing between lines or better yet, how to make a line run across the page (to indicate a break in the story), can you please let me know? Apparently, the formatting changes after the chapter is uploaded.
"Oh Harry, he's beautiful!"
Minerva couldn't help but immediately fall in love with the newborn in her arms.
The child already has some of the raven black hair that his father and grandfather had. Although he was less than three days old, Minerva could already see that it was going to be as unmanageable as his father's had been.
She held him for a bit longer, and then carefully passed him to Albus, who was patiently standing besides her, waiting for his turn.
As Albus held him, the babe began to wake and fussed a little. With gentleness Harry had never witnessed before, Albus softly cooed to the babe to calm him down.
Harry shared a glance with his wife, Ginny, as Albus cooed to their son. He reached out for her hand, and she gently squeezed, agreeing to the unspoken request.
Soon, it was once again peaceful in the hospital room.
"Congratulations again Harry and Ginny," Minerva said to the new parents. "You must be very proud."
"Thank you, Minerva. We are" Harry said, answering for the both of them.
"Albus, I knew you were always good with children but I had no idea it extended to infants as well," Ginny said to her former headmaster as he handed her son back to her. "By all means, please feel to visit as often as you wish, especially at night" she added, half-joking, half-serious.
"Thank you, Ginerva. It is because you have never seen me around infants before. In fact, I was in this exact room when I first met your husband. He too was lulled to sleep in my arms the first time we were introduced."
"I never knew that!" Harry exclaimed.
"It's true, Harry. I was also there," Minerva reminisced, thinking back to a time when there was another raven hair man and red hair woman across from her. "Albus was also very gentle with you when you came to live with us in the castle. I remember you always loved hiding yourself in his long white beard when you were little."
Ginny giggled at the thought of her husband now trying to hide behind the long white beard of the former headmaster.
"I'm sorry I don't remember that, Albus. But I do remember being carried around the castle by you when I broke my leg when I was eight. I was so upset that I couldn't run around the castle anymore and you offered to be my legs for one day. I made you take me everywhere in the castle, down every corridor and up every floor. You must have been so exhausted that night!"
Albus chuckled at the memory. "True, my boy, I have not walked so much around the castle since! You were always a busy child to keep up with. I'm just glad that Poppy had re-stocked my medicine cabinet the day before."
More chuckles were heard around the private room.
"And Minerva…you were always there to make sure that I never got too carried away," Harry added.
"Well, someone had to set the rules to make sure that the boy-who-lived grew up to be a proper gentleman."
"Hear, hear!" Ginny said gratefully.
Harry blushed. "Yes, you were strict, but that's not what I remember from my childhood. I remember the warm voice and strong arms that held me and comforted me whenever I had nightmares or when I was hurt…which was pretty often, might I add."
It was Minerva's turn to blush. "That was what a guardian was suppose to do, Harry. I did nothing more."
"But you did so much more. You and Albus never treated me as your ward, but took me in as your grandson instead. I never got the chance to say it with the war going on, but now that it's all over, Thank you. Thank you for giving me a childhood, for taking me in, and for always loving me."
By the end of Harry's little speech, both women in the room were crying, and Albus had very bright twinkles in both his eyes.
Never one to display her emotions to the public, the flustered Professor McGonagall gently scolded Harry. "Stop it, Harry. We were here to meet your new son, not to cry."
"Of course, Professor, my apologies. It's just that I couldn't help but hope that Ginny and I can provide the love that the Weasleys and you two have shown us."
"Actually, Albus and Minerva," Ginny piped in. "I know that Harry has always thought of you two as his grandparents, and even called you by those names when he was little. However, when he grew older, he had to stop calling you that in public. We were both hoping that you two would consider being grandparents to little James here. One could never have too much love and we would love for James to have two sets of grandparents, just like any other child."
Behind the tears that were now falling uncontrollably down her face, Minerva managed to smile and nod. She felt Albus's arms around her for comfort and support.
"I think I speak for us both when I say that nothing would please us more than to be the proud grandparents of James Sirius Harold Potter. Right Minerva?"
Taking a deep breath to regain her composure, Minerva nodded her head and said "I completely agree. And Harry…I think having raised you gives me the right to say, 'you're in big trouble, young man, for making me cry so much today!'"
The laughter in the room broke through the emotional atmosphere of the room. Unfortunately, it also woke up the sleeping babe, who was now screaming at the top of his lungs.
Immediately, the new parents tended to their newborn son.
"Well, I see you have your hands full. I believe it is time for us to return to the castle," Albus said across the noise.
"Oh, well let me walk you out then."
"No that isn't necessary, Harry," Minerva insisted. "You should stay here with Ginny and your new son."
As Minerva approached the door, she stopped by Ginny and gave her and her new grandson (technically great-grandson) each a kiss on the forehead. She then hugged Harry, who is in every sense a grandson to her, and playfully pinched his cheeks with both hands.
"Ow! That hurts grammy!" Harry playfully exclaimed.
Hearing "grammy" made Minerva realize that her grandson had a son of his own and she no longer had to worry about protecting the child, who is now a man himself, against Voldemort.
"As it should, Harry, for making your 'grammy' cry." The hands that pinched his cheeks then gently caressed his cheeks and Harry had to bend down a little so that Minerva could kiss his forehead, like she had done so many times before at Hogwarts.
"Goodbye, Harry. Take care of your new family."
"I will Minerva. Don't worry, we'll be visiting Hogwarts soon."
"Good. I look forward to it." She then stepped outside and waited for Albus.
"I'm very proud of you, Harry, as would your parents. You grew up to be a fine man." Albus said as he also hugged Harry.
"Thank you, Albus. I had a fine example."
The older man patted him on the back to acknowledge the compliment and then joined Minerva outside in the hall as the two prepared to floo back to Hogwarts.
When Harry returned back to his wife's side, his son had already been calmed down and was now sleeping angelically in his mother's arms.
"Oh no…" Ginny groaned.
"What's wrong, sweetheart?" Harry asked, slightly panicking at the tone of her voice.
"Can you imagine the things your son can get away with with one grandfather as the Ministry of Magic and the other as Headmaster of Hogwarts?"
Harry laughed. "Don't worry, my dear. If anything, both his grandmothers will make sure that he behaves!"
