Unexpected ball

"Augusta!" exclaimed the Professor once she saw the old woman come with the grandson Neville, really surprised.

Of course she had to come right now. As if it wasn't difficult enough to forget about the past…

"Don't make that face, Min, just greet your old friend!" answered said woman with a big smile.

"I suppose you're the one who organized all this, aren't you?" Minerva commented, with a stern face, but with a look which showed that she wasn't really angry.

"Me? How could you think that? I've never done anything of that sort before!" laughed she.

"Ah, so it was the other Augusta Longbottom who organized a party in the Common Room during her third year?"

"Uhm… all right, but that was a occasion which had to be celebrated! Dumbledore became the youngest member of the Winzengamot! Oh, Minerva, loosen up a bit! We have won, You-Know-Who has been defeated! There isn't anything wrong!"

Minerva felt her heart shatter when the woman named Dumbledore. Again. All her memories weren't enough… every time she heard his name or something about him it was like a knife stabbing her in the heart.

And still, not even when he was alive his name let her indifferent…

***************

Hogwarts, third year of Minerva McGonagall, Griffindor's Common Room

"You really have a crush on him, haven't you, Min?" asked a happy voice, next to a girl with raven hair combed in tresses, bent on her books.

"I'm not, Augusta! Just shut up!" she answered annoyed, yet blushing furiously.

"Look at how you've blushed! And you spend all your Transfiguration lessons staring at him!"

"That's called listen to a lesson" replied Minerva.

Augusta snorted.

"And how is it that you don't ever listen so intently during the Potions lessons?"

Minerva seemed to be at loss of words.

"I… I just prefer Transfiguration over Potions, so what? That's not a crime!"

"I see. I'd rather say that you prefer the Professor of Transfiguration over the one of Potions!"

"I….DON'T…LIKE…HIM!"

"You aren't even able to pronounce his name!" Augusta teased her.

"ALBUS DUMBLEDORE!"

Minerva turned, started.

"What?" she asked anxiously. Augusta looked at her laughing under her breath.

"Albus Dumbledore has just managed to become the youngest member of the Wizengamot since centuries" explained the boy who had just come in.

"Well, this is a great occasion to celebrate! After all he's our Head of House, isn't he?" shouted Augusta eagerly.

"What? Augusta…" pleaded Minerva. Why did she have to always have her crazy ideas? She was sure they were going to be in trouble.

"Don't worry about anything! This evening, at seven, in the Common Room. Make sure everyone of Gryffindor knows it. We two will think about everything." She concluded, pointing at her and at the boy, who immediately consented.

***************

Punctually at seven the Common Room filled in, though the disapproval of Minerva (officially because she wanted to study, but actually – but she didn't even confess it to herself – because she was afraid of angering Dumbledore).

The Common House was decorated with huge posters of a smiling Dumbledore, with the writing "BEST GRYFFINDOR, BEST PROFESSOR AND NOW YOUNGEST MEMBER OF THE WIZENGAMOT" on a target in his hand, the only work which Minerva had consented to do and pride of her house.

Besides that there were lots of banners with his name on it, golden birds which flew through the room (Augusta had studied Minerva's notes) and a table full of food stolen from the kitchens.

As Augusta waved the wand, the room was filled with music, initially slow, then faster and faster, and everyone started to dance, toasting at Dumbledore. Of course there was such a noise, that at about nine the door opened and guess who stand there… who, if not Albus Dumbledore itself?

He throw an amused glance at the posters and at the banners, then at the students and at last at Minerva, the only one who was sitting in an armchair with her Transfiguration book.

"So, the only one in here who is studying is miss McGonagall?" he asked smiling. She blushed. The room became silent, waiting for the next sentence.

"My dear, I think you have studied enough, don't you think so? I give you my permission to come unprepared to my class tomorrow, as much as I think it impossible. It's time to have fun" he chuckled.

Everyone started to dance again, cheering for Dumbledore. He went towards Minerva and, taking her hand, smiling, he took her dancing.

"You should learn to relax a bit, Minerva".

He had called her by name, she noticed. She beamed and began to dance. From a corner, while speaking with the boy who had helped her organizing this, Augusta was looking at her smiling deviously.

That evening Minerva didn't care about anything else than the party. She had danced with HIM. Just once, and he had danced with other girls, but what did it matter? He had danced with her. She had been his first choice. And he had smiled for her, just for her.

That was everything she needed, and she was prepared to love him for the rest of her life without him knowing it.

"I suppose that those posters are a work of yours, Minerva" smiled Dumbledore pointing at them.

She nodded blushing.

"I imagined so. You have a special touch on everything you do, you know."

"Even then you didn't want to consent to organize the party, Min. Don't you think that this one could go well, too?" asked Augusta, bringing her back to present.

Minerva smiled sadly.

"I suppose anything I say won't matter, will it? It has always been like this with you."

"Right you are, so it'd be more elegant to consent and stop this nonsense". Neville looked surprised at his grandmother.

"I think so." Minerva smiled.

"I knew it, Min! Thanks!" Augusta cheered as if she was a young girl again, and hugged her happily.

"And, Minerva… Have fun" she added with a smile.

"With you, it's quite impossible not to have fun" she replied. Thank you very much tough cookie and Sylvia Dragon, for your kind reviews. I'm sorry I'm updating so late, but I've been very, very busy. Please let me know if you find any mistakes, I try to correct them, but, as I'm not native, it's quite difficult for me.