A/N: Well done, all. Lots of reviews. Makes me happy. Now on to Part III, in which we FINALLY get a happy ending. It takes some doing, but for those of you who are familiar with my writing, I don't like it when my characters aren't happy.

Part III: Love of a Lifetime

Chapter Ten

A loud CRACK echoed through the grounds of Hogwarts. Ogg looked up from his work in the vegetable garden. "Apparition. Bad one, by the sound of it. Go see who it is, boy," he said in a gruff voice.

His apprentice, Rubeus Hagrid, immediately did as he was told. The twenty-four year old lad wiped his enormous hands on his pants, trying to extricate the dirt that covered them. Ogg treated him like a house-elf, but Hagrid didn't mind. He got to stay at Hogwarts for the rest of his life, working outside with amazing creatures and helping the students and teachers he admired so much.

As Hagrid reached the sloped walkway, he looked down at the gates to see who had arrived. There was a crumpled mass on the ground. As he got closer, he realized it was a woman in a blue dress with black hair. He raced down the hill to go to her. She was completely unconscious and barely breathing. As he turned her over, he gasped. Minerva McGonagall. She had always been so kind to him, helping him with his homework and tutoring him with his spells. When he had been expelled, she still treated him just the same. And even though she had dated Tom Riddle, the reason for his unfair expulsion, she never treated Hagrid with any sort of contempt or disdain as so many in her position might have. She was a good witch, and Hagrid could see why Dumbledore liked her so much.

But what had happened to her? She was not injured in any obvious way that he could see, but she was barely alive; that much he could tell. Very carefully, he lifted her into his arms and carried her quickly up to the castle. Her heartbeat was very faint and her breathing far too shallow. She couldn't die. He couldn't let her die.

Dumbledore. Somehow he had to get her to Dumbledore, and then she'd be alright. He would know what to do. He always knew what to do. As Hagrid burst into the Entrance Hall, he shouted the professor's name.

Albus happened to be coming down from the Headmaster's office when he heard a crazed and desperate voice calling his name. He hurried down the stairs to find its source.

"Hagrid? What is it?" he asked. But he saw the answer right in front of him: Minerva's limp form. The image made his stomach drop and his heart skip a beat. "What happened? Is she…?" He couldn't finish that question. It was too awful to even contemplate.

"She's alive, sir. But barely. I dunno how she got here, but she won't wake up."

"To the Hospital Wing, Hagrid, quickly. I'm sure Madam Hardcastle will be able to fix her up." He led the way up to the infirmary. As they walked, Albus continued to talk. He had to. If he were left with his thoughts, he wouldn't know what to do. "Where did you find her?"

Hagrid sniffed, holding back tears. He was never very good in desperate situations like these. His friend was in danger, and there was nothing he could do. Even Dumbledore was worried. That wasn't a good sign. "At the gate, sir. Heard a loud crack. Ogg had me see who apparated. She was just lyin' on the ground at the gate. Can't have been there long. But I dunno what happened to her or how she ended up here."

"I have my suspicions, but I hope for her sake that I am incorrect."

"Is she still with Tom Riddle, sir? I don' mind telling ye, Pr'fessor, that he's a bad wizard."

"You are very much correct, Hagrid. He is a very bad wizard. And Minerva was, until now, still involved with him. She will not be returning to him if he has had anything to do with her current state; that much I can guarantee." Albus's blue eyes burned with determination. His jaw was set in a strong manner. Hagrid would not have wanted to be Tom Riddle at that moment.

They reached the Hospital Wing, and Hagrid gently deposited Minerva on one of the beds. Madam Hardcastle, the school nurse, came rushing in. Hagrid explained the circumstances in which she had been found while the nurse did her diagnostic spells. The two men waited anxiously for her results.

"Well, she's alive. Whoever did this to her did a fine job trying to finish her off, but she has a magical signature stronger than any I've seen in a while. She'll live, but I can't say what state she'll be in when she wakes up."

"Why? What did this to her?" Albus asked.

"I thought you'd be able to tell, Albus. She's been Cruciated. Very strong curse, too. Most witches and wizards might not have survived, and those that would might not be able to lead any sort of life when they wake up. But as I said, she's a strong one. I'll keep a close watch on her."

His heart fell at her words. He would not let Minerva out of his sight until she recovered. He needed to get to the bottom of what had befallen her. Albus wouldn't let her go again. "I'd like to stay, if that's alright."

"Of course, Albus. She was your favorite, if I remember correctly."

Albus grunted noncommittally and conjured a chair beside Minerva's bed. Hagrid told them he'd be back later. Ogg was expecting him back. Madam Hardcastle bustled around, making Minerva more comfortable.

Not caring what the implications of his actions might be, Albus reached over and took her right hand in his. Her skin was cold, but he as he ran his finger down her wrist, he could feel her pulse growing slightly.

Madam Hardcastle smiled. "That right arm of hers. Do you know how many times I had to repair her broken wrist during her career as a Chaser?"

"Four," Albus answered.

The nurse was taken aback. The question was meant rhetorically. But if anyone would know, it was Albus. The way he looked at this girl was incredible. There was such adoration in the professor's face. His eyes shone with a desire to protect the patient lying helpless in that bed. Madam Hardcastle had seen enough people sit at a loved one's bedside to know love when she saw it. This was pure, selfless, enduring, true love. In the back of her mind, she wondered how long he had felt this way about his former student and if she knew how he felt. The age difference between them was conspicuous, but not unheard of between two mature individuals. The nurse couldn't help but feel as though there were nothing more natural than seeing Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall together. If he loved her as much as he looked like he did, and she loved him in return, they deserved to be together.

Albus didn't know what to do. He felt the strangest urge to take her into his arms and weep over her form. It shouldn't have come to this. It never should have come to this. Albus suddenly felt very angry. Tom Riddle was to blame for this. Albus should have done a better job of protecting her. He should have taken her away when he had the chance. He should have done something, anything, to keep her safe.

As he imagined such a scenario when he hadn't failed to act, a smile crossed his lips. He could just picture Minerva's expression with that flinty look in her green eyes. She would have never allowed it. Had he forced her, she would have hated him for it.

At least this way, as desperate and terrifying as it was, she had escaped by her own volition. She left Tom. Tom hadn't discarded her or killed her, as Albus had feared. Minerva finally took her life in her own hands and brought herself to safety. And she had come to Hogwarts. A part of him wondered why she had not gone to her parents, but it warmed his heart to think that maybe, just maybe, she wanted to be with him.

Minerva slowly became aware of her surroundings. Her eyes were closed still. She could not yet bring them to open. She was lying in a bed. That was good. Much better than the hard ground she had landed on at first. There was something on her hand. It was warm. It was someone's hand. From what she could tell, it was vaguely familiar. It wasn't Tom's cold touch. It wasn't her mother's soft skin or her father's doughy palm. But the feeling was so right. Her fingers twitched slightly, and the hand shifted its grasp.

It was time to open her eyes, Minerva decided. After a few flutters, some blurry images appeared. Shocking blue entered her gaze. A few more blinks. Blue eyes. Sparkling blue eyes, filled with worry. Minerva smiled. She was home. The effort of keeping her eyes open was too taxing. They closed, and she slipped away once more.

Albus called the nurse back, telling her that Minerva had opened her eyes. Madam Hardcastle ran another set of diagnostic spells.

"She's recovering. But she's still quite weak. Give it time, Albus. I'd be surprised if she woke up at all before tomorrow. In the meantime, I think you might want to alert the Headmaster and perhaps contact anyone you think you should about the girl's condition."

Albus sighed, squeezed Minerva's hand gently, and stood up. "You are quite right. I shall inform Armando that Miss McGonagall will be staying in the castle. Then I suppose I should send an owl to her parents." He left the Hospital Wing to do as he had said.

When he reached Armando Dippet's office, the Headmaster was waiting for him.

"There you are, Albus. I heard Hagrid shouting for you. I assume you took care of it. What was the problem?"

"We have a visitor to the castle. Minerva McGonagall apparated herself to the front gates in quite a state. Hagrid found her unconscious. We brought her to the Hospital Wing, and Madam Hardcastle is caring for her." Albus wasn't quite sure what else to say. He was far too distracted. His mind was back in the infirmary with Minerva, not in the office with Dippet.

The old wizard sat down behind his large desk and ran a hand through his curly white hair. "What state, exactly, is she in, Albus?"

The Deputy slowly paced the floor. "She is still unconscious. She was a victim of the Crutiatus Curse. But Madam Hardcastle is optimistic about her recovery."

Dippet's eyes were wide. "The poor girl. Do you know who performed the curse? The authorities must be notified, of course."

Albus hesitated. Something in his gut told him that alerting the authorities to Riddle would not be in everyone's best interest. "I will leave that to Minerva when she wakes up," he replied dismissively.

"Albus, you are being evasive. You know more than you are saying. I do wish you wouldn't do that."

He sighed. "I'm sorry, Armando. It…distresses me…to see her like this."

"That is understandable. She was your protégée, and I do believe you two have kept in contact since she graduated. How many years has it been?"

"Eight years. And yes, we've kept in contact as much as we could. She is a dear friend to me."

The Headmaster smiled kindly at his young friend. "I believe she is more than a friend to you."

"You are mistaken. She has always simply been my student, and now my friend."

"Until now, yes. But we do not know what the future holds."

Albus shifted uncomfortably. "I do need to send a letter to Lord and Lady McGonagall. I just wanted to inform you of her presence. When she wakes up, I intend to allow her to stay in the castle as long as she needs, if that is agreeable."

"Yes, of course. Whatever would be best. You know, there is nothing wrong with the way you feel, Albus."

He cleared his throat awkwardly. "I'm sure I don't know what you mean, sir. I should write that letter." Albus turned and left to go to his study.

Headmaster Dippet smiled after his Deputy. Albus had been alone for so long. He gave so much to the school and to the rest of the Wizarding World. He deserved some happiness of his own.

Meanwhile, once Albus was far from the infirmary, Madam Hardcastle sat beside Minerva's bed and said softly, "That man there loves you. Whatever led you to end up like this is tearing him apart. You're a good girl, Minerva McGonagall. Don't break his heart."

Somewhere, off in the distance, Minerva could hear someone calling to her. She couldn't quite get there yet, but soon, she'd be able to wake up. Soon, she'd understand why she was exactly where she needed to be. And maybe she'd figure out that it was really where she wanted to be all along.