A/N: Just an FYI, this takes place right after the scene in the movie version of the Half-Blood Prince, when they all light their wands in a salute to Dumbledore.
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Eventually they all lowered their wands. The hated Dark Mark had been driven away by the light, but now darkness fell once more. Slowly the crowd began to disperse. Ginny and Madam Pomfrey led Harry off, probably to the hospital wing. A few seventh year boys carried Professor Dumbledore's body away.
Luna made to leave as well, but she looked back and saw Professor McGonagall standing alone in the courtyard. The professor was looking down at where Professor Dumbledore had lain. Luna couldn't quite see Professor McGonagall's expression, but she looked up for a moment, glancing around the castle, and her features were illuminated. Luna stopped suddenly. There was something in her expression that Luna recognized.
Professor McGonagall looked back down to where Dumbledore had lain. Luna heard her exhale shakily, as though she was holding back tears. She lowered herself to the ground and lightly touched where Professor Dumbledore had been. It was then that Luna realized where she'd seen that expression before.
After her mother died, her father had worn the same expression for months. She saw the all too familiar pain and loss of hope in Professor McGonagall's eyes.
Luna figured this made sense, after all, Professor McGonagall had just lost one of her closest colleagues. But suddenly, Luna realized that the word "colleagues" was wrong here. There was something different between these two professors. Perhaps there was a reason Professor McGonagall's expression was so similar to that of her father's...Luna suddenly understood that there was something much deeper here. Something words like "dating" and "a couple", couldn't and didn't define...something more...
Then, Professor McGonagall reacted in a way completely opposite to her father.
Minerva McGonagall stood up.
Minerva McGonagall stood up, squared her shoulders, straightened her chin, and steeled her expression. The pain was still there (it would always be there), but that lack of hope was gone and a strong, unyielding determination took its place.
Luna smiled despite the situation. Professor McGonagall's strength had given Luna much needed hope. Luna saw that no matter what, Professor McGonagall would never give up and would never give in.
Lord Voldemort had tried to scare them, he had tried to defeat them, he had tried to break them. But Luna realized, as the professor stood, that Lord Voldemort had instead done something he had never intended to do. He had ignited a fire right here at Hogwarts, and it's burning core was Minerva McGonagall.
And she was a force to be reckoned with.
This request was very interesting to write...I don't ship these, but I could definitely see it, assuming Dumbledore wasn't gay ;)
So since tomorrow's Valenitne's Day, I'm going to try to post two chapters. One is a request for a dramione (which I have no experience with so please bear with me) and one for my Harry Potter OTP. So that's the plan!
Please review/request!