Minerva McGonagall & Godric Gryffindor
The Forgotten Year.
July turned into August, August to September and they had only grown closer together though it never went beyond a make out session, they were always close by Godric even moved his classroom closer to hers. Rowena had a habit of teasing the pair, but they didn't mind. Today the trio were going over Rowena's note's to send her home and to her everything looked sound but they would wait until after Christmas at least.
"Minerva, may we show you some of Hogwarts secrets?" Rowena asked with a twinkle in her dark brown eyes. Minerva nodded with a small smile, of course she had found some of them when she was in school and the chamber had also been opened while she was a student but she didn't let her friends know.
Gently a hand took her own and she looked away from Rowena and found Godric standing proudly next to her. "First stop, the room of the founders as I am sure it is called in your time." He chuckled as the two lead her down secret passages she had never seen, hidden doors that would vanish if not asked correctly. Finally they stopped at a set of doors almost as grand as the entrance. After placing his hand over the lock the door opened to reveal a room, each wall painted with the colour of each house. Gryffindor to the left, Slytherin to the right, Hufflepuff on the wall by the door and Ravenclaw by the window. Minerva smiled as she stepped further inside, she had only ever heard about this room but never actually seen it… No one had since the founders died. "It's beautiful." Minerva exclaimed as she moved over to the deep red wall and brushed her fingers against it. "There are wards on this room." Rowena started to explain but Godric cut in when he wrapped an arm around Minerva's waist. "Only Sal, Helga, Ro and myself and open that door, unless we end up with children of our own." He explained giving her a gentle squeeze.
Minerva turned to look at him before looking at Rowena for a moment. "I am sure you will have heirs to access this room for generations to come." She assured them with a smile. Inside she was thankful that Tom Riddle never found this room, though Hagrid was blamed for opening the chamber she was sure it was Riddle which made him the heir of Slytherin.
Godric kissed her softly before taking her over to one of the sofa's by a fire. "Though everything is ready to send you home, Rowena thinks it's best we wait until closer to the date you arrived, even slightly after to have the best outcome." He explained softly. Rowena gently sat down to the other side of Minerva and placed a hand to her knee. "And we would like to spend at least one Christmas with you." Ro added softly. Minerva smiled at her friends thankful for everything that had done for her while she was stuck. "I could never thank you two enough." Minerva spoke softly as she rested her head on Godric's shoulder. "Whatever happens, I will look out for Hogwarts until my last breath." She promised the pair which lead to a group hug and a few tears. In a way she was a fourth founder, although she didn't help build the castle, Godric and Rowena had added small details to make her a permeant part of the school. Godric had appreciated Minerva's ability to read people so they mixed some of her essence with Rowena's wisdom to create the sorting hat, Rowena had made a secret room in the library for her with wards much like the founder room although Minerva could enter as well from any timeline. It was little things and they were like family now, having little secrets between the trio that no one else knew.
"When I'm gone, can you two take Senga under your wings?" Minerva asked softly wanting to make sure her ancestors were taken care of. "She will need a motherly figure again, I have tried to keep my distance to not cause her as much pain when I leave, though I am afraid she may break… I'd hate to go back and find out she went down the wrong path because of the loss of her parents and myself."
Rowena pulled her into a hug and looked at Godric who nodded. "Of course, we will look after her, I'm sure Godric wouldn't mind making her an honorary Gryffindor." She chuckled at the thought but knew he would for someone he loved.
Godric placed a hand on her back with a smile although she couldn't see him while in the hug with Rowena. "If that's okay with you, I will do that… Rowena is like a sister to me and could become like an aunt to Senga."
Minerva pulled out of the hug and looked at him for a moment not believing what she was hearing. "You would do that? Take a McGonagall as part of your family even after I leave?" He nodded with a smile. "Of course, I would! If you didn't have to go, I would ask you to become my wife." He admitted softly.
"If I didn't have to go, I would gladly accept." Minerva admitted in return with a sad smile. "I couldn't have asked for a better family while I was here." She added leaning back against the sofa so she could look at them both.
After they talked for a while Godric and Rowena showed her other secret places in the castle that will open for people when they need it, including the room of requirement. She was amazed that she knew of only a few of them after living in the castle most of her life. They had even taken her to the heart of the castle.
September slowly turned into October and Samhain was celebrated and November was ending. Minerva and Godric were spending ever moment they had together, sometimes with Ro but mostly without. They walked by the lake where they first met, they read together and talked about almost everything.
The night of the first snow fall they found themselves tangled in each other's arms in Minerva's quarters. "I love you, Minerva." He whispered as he ran his fingers through her hair. "You are a true Gryffindor." He added before capturing her lips with his own, she deepened the kiss and gently pulled him down on top of her now lying on the sofa. "Minerva…" He pulled away with a breath causing her to shake her hand and pull him back down. "The future be damned…" She whispered against his lips. "I love you too, Godric." She had finally admitted it, not just to herself but to the man who had somehow stolen her closed off heart.
That night they made love for the first time, ending up in Minerva's bed forgetting the rest of the world until morning light. She woke up early and smiled seeing a mass of red-hair beside her, he was still sleeping soundly. She smiled to herself as she gently slipped out of bed to make them some tea. She stood by the counter and watched out the window. She loved a man truly for the first time, somehow even more than Dougal and that made her heart swell, but the thought of leaving him put a tight chain around it. Lost in her own thoughts she didn't notice Godric had woken up until she felt his strong arms around her waist. "Good morning, love." She whispered leaning into his touch.
"Good morning." He almost beamed as he turned her around in his arms. "What's on that pretty little mind of yours?"
Minerva shook her head as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "Just the thought of finally knowing what it's like to truly love, only to leave it soon." She sighed and looked away before moving from his arms. "For months I tried to keep myself at a distance, to not fall in love, but there you were every step of the way." She explained now leaning against the counter facing him.
"I am sure you know I feel the same, Minerva. I may not understand the importance of rules about time magic but I am starting to understand the rules of the heart… You have given me the bravery to love completely." Godric told her softly as he walked towards her to hold her hands. "Since the moment you arrived I knew it was fate that brought you here with the help of time magic, and I knew you couldn't stay for as long as I would like… I want you to know my love for you will travel through the thousand years that separate our lives and I will be with you somehow when you return…" He took a breath before kissing her softly. "I don't understand it all, but I believe fate knows what she is doing."
Minerva couldn't help but look at the man in awe, he was saying everything she needed to hear and deep down she believed every word. "I may marry in my own time, or I may not… But know I will never love another the way I do you." She told him as she placed a hand to his chest.