A/N: You have permission to hate me. That's all.

Disclaimer: I take ownership for nothing.

Chapter Ten: New Beginnings

*June 23rd, 1953*

"Minerva McGonagall!" Professor Dippet announced grandly, turning from the audience to face the stage. Minerva walked across the stage, a blushing smile spreading on her face. She could hear the customary applause, yes, but the cheers that were gracing her ears loudest of all were those of Esmeralda, Nathaniel, and her mother. Nathaniel had stood, whistling along to the sound of Minerva's high heels clicking on the stage. Minerva reached Professor Dippet's place on the stage and exchanged smiles with the headmaster.

"Congratulations, Miss McGonagall," Professor Dippet said charmingly, "congratulations. It's been a long time since I've shaken hands with a graduating student as talented as you. Thank you for a wonderful seven years- I always knew you would make an excellent Head Girl."

"Oh, why, thank you, Professor," Minerva bowed her head in thanks while inwardly smirking. She knew, as well as he, that this was the one time during seven years in which he was exceptionally nice to her. Minerva suspected it was due to her low-cut emerald dress- her school robes normally hid anything that Professor Dippet would find attractive.

After Professor Dippet had finally released her hand, Minerva continued walking across the stage to Albus. His smile was the brightest of all, and that thought made Minerva's heart beat faster than normal. She extended her hand, not taking her eyes off of his for even the slightest second.

Albus gently took his hand in hers. "Bravo, my dearest tabby, bravo."

Minerva grinned before walking away: it may have seemed like the least intimate thing Albus could have said, but she knew that they would talk later. Now that she had officially graduated, they had nothing to hide. Minerva couldn't wait to talk about what the future held in store for the two of them. For now, though, she had to push those emotions aside in order to concentrate on cheering for her graduating friends.

"Rowena Ravenclaw!" Professor Dippet called after another fifteen names. Minerva clapped, her face beaming as her best friend crossed the stage. Nothing had changed between them in seven years, and Minerva was proud to call Rowena her closest confidante- with the exception of Albus, of course. She waited for Rowena to join her back in her seat before enveloping her in a hug.

"I can't believe we did it, Ro," Minerva exclaimed, "I can't believe we did it."

"Oh, I can believe you did it. I was worried about me for awhile!" Rowena laughed before she heard Professor Dippet call "Ekaterina Romanov!".

Minerva's lips pursed and her eyes narrowed, but she clapped politely nonetheless. Rowena noticed the change in her friend's demeanor and leaned over. "Merlin, Min, that would make a great teacher's face one day!"

"Well, if it does, it does. I'm just concentrating my energy so that I don't stand up and hex the girl," Minerva patted Rowena's knee reassuringly before saying, "oh look! Aidan's up next!"

"He looks very dashing, wouldn't you say, Min?" Rowena giggled. "I think he looks positively handsome."

"Ro, you've had a crush on him for the last year. Dance with him tonight. Afterwards, he'll be too busy studying abroad with his political program to worry about relationships. Just dance with the boy before it's too late!" Minerva advised her friend. "Look, he's coming, say something!"

Aidan reached the two girls and enveloped them both in a hug. Minerva gave Rowena a telling glance over his shoulder before releasing herself from his hold. "Congratulations, Aidan."

"Oh, well congratulations to you too, Min! And to you, Ro. I love the bow in your hair," Aidan's compliment made her blush.

"Why, thank you, Aidan," Rowena smiled, her face turning a soft tinge of pink. "You look very nice yourself."

It was Aidan's turn to blush. "Oh, shucks. Thanks, Ro. So ladies, now that this boring ceremony-"

"Boring ceremony?" Minerva gasped. "Aidan, this is our graduation ceremony! Why on earth would you say that it's boring? We are finally moving on from the clutches of childhood to the glorious life of adulthood, where we can make our own decisions! This is not a boring ceremony."

"You'll never stop interrupting him, will you?" Rowena jokingly admonished her friend, which gave her an excuse to place a protective hand on Aidan's arm. "Now, what were you going to say, Aidan?"

"Only that now that the ceremony is complete, maybe we should greet our families before heading into the Great Hall for our farewell ball. And Min, you know it was a boring ceremony, because we were talking before and after our names were called!" Aidan smirked, knowing that Minerva wasn't one to argue with logic.

Min pursed her lips for the second time that evening, not exactly relishing the thought that she had been outsmarted. "Fine. I agree. Let's go see our families."

The three walked by other students greeting their families before meeting their own. They came across Rowena's parents first and stopped to greet them.

"Congratulations, my darling," Mrs. Ravenclaw smiled at her daughter before giving her a hug. "We are so proud of you."

"You have served our family's name well," Mr. Ravenclaw nodded at Rowena before checking his watch. "Sylvia, we must leave soon. Their dance starts in precisely seven minutes."

"Yes, dear," Mrs. Ravenclaw winked at the children. "I'm just so proud of them! Come here, Minerva, let me give you a hug."

Minerva willingly walked into her open arms. Rowena's mom had filled the role her mother was supposed to represent: Minerva had talked to her about any and every problem she ever had, and they had known each other since she was a little kid. She was her mom, in every sense of the word.

"Oh, Min, congratulations," Mrs. Ravenclaw whispered into her hair, "congratulations."

"Thanks, Mrs. Ravenclaw." Minerva murmured into her arm. She felt a kiss being bestowed on her head before she was released. "Are you staying in town, or are you going back home?'"

"Home, which is precisely why we need to leave now!" Mr. Ravenclaw tapped his watch pointedly.

Minerva, Rowena, and Mrs. Ravenclaw shared a knowing smiling. Rowena's father was well-known for his well-intentioned impatience and his dislike for all places other than his house.

"Very well. Nice to see you again, Aidan," Mrs. Ravenclaw smiled, "and congratulations. Now, dear, let's go," she winked at the trio and took her husband's arm. "Have fun tonight!"

"Thank you!" The group chorused. They continued walking to Minerva's family when Aidan's parents intercepted them.

"Oh, crap," Aidan muttered, "I wanted to avoid this."

"Aidan, we've been best friends since we were eleven, and no one has met your parents yet," Minerva whispered out of the corner of her mouth.

"You're right, and there is a perfectly good reason for that!" Aidan straigthened up from his whispering position and faced his parents. "Mother, father."

"Do we need to stay for the dance, or can we go home? I think my blood is becoming more and more impure with each moment that I spend in this castle." Mr. Scrimgeour sighed and looked at his son.

"You are free to leave, father. Although I don't know why you're concerned about the purity of your blood- you did study at Hogwarts, so if it had created any lasting impressions, they most surely would have been identified by now." Aidan rolled his eyes as if this type of conversation were the only one he ever had with his father. "Thank you for coming to the ceremony, but as you can see, everyone else's parents are leaving, and I wouldn't want to taint your blood any longer, so..."

As Aidan trailed off, Minerva and Rowena exchanged a worried glance. Even before speaking, the girls could see why Aidan never introduced anyone to his parents. His father was tall and good-looking, but Aidan had said he was "extremely busy", and judging by the way he was swarmed with patronuses from important people, the girls could tell he never had much time for his son. Mrs. Scrimgeour looked exactly like the housewife the girls had pictured after Aidan had told them she was a "ministry executive's wife, and therefore just needed to look pretty". Her nails were perfectly manicured, and her hair looked like Cruella de Vil, a villain from a muggle movie. She was skinny, and dressed in a large fur cape even though it was eighteen degrees celsius.

"Yes, Roger darling, we should be leaving," Mrs. Scrimgeour drawled, and the girls were shocked to learn that her voice sounded scratchy and whiny. "We have a party tomorrow night, and you said I needed to look pretty enough to get you a promotion."

At this last sentence, Minerva gasped and refused to hold her tongue. "Shouldn't your husband be awarded a promotion based on merit, and not on his wife's sex appeal?"

"Who are you? I hope you're not Aidan's date, you don't have the look of a classical beauty," Mrs. Scrimgeour peered down at Minerva and scoffed. "Aidan, why is she here? Are you a Slytherin? We really only like to spend our time in the company of Slytherins."

"Exactly, I know how much you hate everyone. Thank you for coming, I do appreciate it, but as you mentioned, you both have urgent matters you need to attend to. I'll see you all tomorrow after the train arrives in London." Aidan bid his parents good-bye and ushered his friends away.

"Aidan, I had no idea that your parents were so stereotypical!" Minerva gave him a one-armed hug. "I admire your stoicism, I would have hexed them long before now!"

"Well, now you know why I didn't want you to meet them," Aidan grimaced. "Oh, thank Merlin, someone else's parents!"

Minerva turned to see Nathaniel, Esmeralda and her mother waiting for her with a bouquet of flowers. She ran and gave them all a hug. "Thank you for coming!"

"It was our pleasure, Minnie!" Nathaniel chuckled and messed up her hair. "I can't believe you're all grown up."

"I know, you've all aged much too quickly," Mrs. McGonagall sighed. "Your father wanted me to pass along his congratulations."

"Pass along my gratitude, if you please, Mother," Minerva smiled. "What are you all doing tonight? Are you staying here in Hogsmeade?"

"I'm going back to my apartment in London," Esmeralda said. "I have a meeting with Spain and Portugal in the morning, so I need to be semi-rested."

"Oh, my sis, the big international relations consultant for the Ministry!" Nathaniel teased, earning an elbow to the stomach.

Esmeralda laughed and said, "Where are you off to, Nate, partying?"

"How dare you think such a thing?" Nathaniel gasped jokingly. "Nah, for tonight, I'm going back home to spend the weekend with my parents."

"Oh dear," Mrs. McGonagall sighed, "you lose one to gain another!"

Everyone laughed at that. Minerva smiled, feeling more in touch with her mother than she had in a long time. She knew that she and her mother shared many differences, but they could also get along if the situation presented itself.

"Thank you all for coming. It truly means a lot," Minerva grinned at her family, happy to see them all together again.

"I think that's Minerva's way of telling us to leave so she can party," Esmeralda winked at her sister. She gave Minerva a hug, who in turn hugged her mother and brother, and then three of the McGonagalls walked towards the castle gates.

"Ahhh! Now that that's done, we can get ready for the dance!" Rowena grabbed Minerva and started dragging her towards the castle doors. "We'll see you there, Aidan!"

"Ro, why are we leaving Aidan behind? The dance most likely just started, and all we have to do is cast a few spells to change our hair!" Minerva sighed and banished the bouquet from her family to her dormitory.

"I wanted to get there first and make it look like we're having fun. That way, he wants to join in," Rowena explained.

"Ro, I'm sure he'd dance with you even if we had all walked up together," Minerva shook her head. "Besides, I'm not in a hurry to get to this dance."

"I know. Which is why I needed to get you there," Rowena winked. "Now, look, we're here."

The two girls took in the sight of the Great Hall and gaped. It was beautifully decorated with silver and gold tinsel, and twinkling disco balls were floating in the air.

"Okay, Min, make me over!" Rowena twirled, and Minerva obligingly twisted her hair into a classic up-do. "Thank you, now spin!"

They reversed roles, and Rowena released Minerva's hair from its hold, letting it flow in soft curls down her back. "There! I've been wanting you to have your hair down for quite awhile!"

"Have you ever thought that maybe I keep it up for a reason?" Minerva raised an eyebrow. At Rowena's confused look, she laughed and linked their arms together. "Ready for one last magical night?"

"Like never before," Rowena grinned and together they walked into the Great Hall.

/

It was almost midnight, and the girls were having the time of their lives. They made sure to see everyone they wanted to say good-bye to, in case they didn't catch them the next morning. Rowena got her slow dance with Aidan- three, actually-, which left her on a high for the rest of the night. Eventually, Minerva sent her to bed before she started to bother the poor boy. Aidan had left the ball to start packing - 'boys,' Minerva had thought-, and so Minerva was the lone person left in the trio. She was bored with the ball by this time, as it was all couples, so she made her way down to the Black Lake. Minerva sat down and sighed, thinking about the many nights she had sat down in this exact spot, and how the sight of the lake had calmed her down.

"Am I interrupting alone time, my dear?" Minerva spun around to see Albus standing there. "May I join you?"

"No, you are not interrupting, and yes, you may sit down," Minerva patted the ground next to her.

Albus lowered himself to the ground. "Today must have been an exciting day for you, Tabby."

"It truly was, but I'm proud of all that I've done here, and I know that I can't do anything more until I leave. It's bittersweet." Minerva smiled sadly. "I'll truly miss this castle, and all that it's done for me. I wouldn't be the same person I am today. Nor, would I have met you, and apart from my education, that is the best gift that Hogwarts has given me."

Albus looked into Minerva's eyes, knowing that those green eyes were shining with love and truth. "My dearest Tabby, if only you could know how happy I am that I have been able to teach you. Your intelligence and bravery, your passion and your integrity- these traits make you into an incredible young woman, one whom I am very glad to have met."

"Oh, Albus," Minerva breathed, "stop with the compliments."

"Why don't you make me?" Albus questioned, but before the last syllable left his mouth, he felt Minerva's lips crash upon his. It was wonderful, he thought, to finally kiss her after two years of fantasies. Albus responded enthusiastically, gripping her face in his hands. When the pair unwillingly broke apart for air, Albus brushed a stray piece of hair behind her ear.

Minerva blushed and held his hand. She relished the moment before coming to a startling realization. "Albus!"

"Yes, my dear?" Albus asked, quite alarmed at her sudden outburst. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes, well...oh, it seems childish now," Minerva ducked her head, "but I just realized that I haven't danced with anyone tonight. Not a slow dance, anyway."

"Then we must correct that fact, now mustn't we?" Albus rose, extended his hand down to grasp hers, and pulled her up. "Do you prefer Mozart or Beethoven?"

"Mozart, I suppose," Minerva answered. She was about to question why when she heard soft music playing from underneath a nearby tree. After looking at the tree, Minerva could see that Albus had conjured a record player. "Oh, Albus."

"Would the fine lady do me the honour of a dance?" Albus questioned, bowing down and kissing her hand.

Minerva giggled shyly. "Why, of course I will."

The pair danced in silence for a few minutes, each content with the other in their arms. They seemed to be in a reverie, one which neither of them wanted to break, but soon enough, Albus found that he had just cause to do so.

"Tabby, I seem to have forgotten something," Albus said, startling his dance partner. "You look positively beautiful today, my dear. You look gorgeous with your hair down, and I love the green dress against your skin tone. Minerva, you are radiant."

"Thank you, Albus," Minerva murmured softly. "I would like to add that you look quite handsome in your suit."

"Thank you for flattering an old man," Albus ran his fingers through her hair. "Minerva, I want you to know that I've been waiting for this day for some time. I couldn't wait to hug you, to kiss you, to hold you in my arms- it's been absolute hell having you so close but not being able to love you the way I wanted to."

"Albus, we once said that we would wait until after I've graduated before doing anything," Minerva began, hoping she wasn't about to ruin the moment, "and I want you to know that I too have longed for today. I have loved you for forever and a day, and I know you love me, too. We may have never said it, but it's always been there between us. Merlin, I hope I'm not making a fool of myself, but Albus, while that suit looks amazing on you, I'm sure it would look even more splendid off of you, if you understand what I'm trying to say."

"I understand, my dear, I understand completely," Albus said seriously. "Are you sure that's what you want?"

"I want this more than anything I've ever wanted before," Minerva answered firmly.

"As you wish," Albus said, and clutched Minerva to him. She felt a pulling behind her navel, and when she looked up from his arms she realized they were in his private quarters.

"Albus, how did you do that?" Minerva wondered aloud. "No one can apparate when inside the Hogwarts grounds."

"Oh normally not, but you can if you are Albus Dumbledore," Albus grinned before picking her up and pinning her against the wall. She looked at him with surprised eyes, but quickly kissed him feverishly. She expertly unbuttoned his suit jacket, and threw it onto the floor behind them. He broke away from her, his eyes dark with lust. "If you're positively sure, Tabby, I would not object to moving into my bedroom."

"Albus, stop asking me. Simply know that I said yes, that I'm saying yes, that I'll always say yes, and for Merlin's sake, just carry me to the bed already, would you?" Minerva countered smartly.

"What the tabby wants, she'll get," Albus whispered. He grabbed her waist, swung her around so that she was comfortable in his arms, walked into the bedroom and closed the door.

Throughout the night, even though it was long forgotten about in the heat of the moment, the old record player sat under the tree, continuing to play what would be known as their love song.

A/N: You can hate me, but I want you to know that I haven't abandoned this story -I promise- and if you're still out there reading, thank you so much. I hope y'all can forgive me and review, because I've never written anything that implied nighttime activities, and I desperately want to know what you thought of this chapter. Thanks for reading, and until I can figure out what I want their reactions to be -suggestions welcome!-, Laura. :)