"Albus, I know the girl is in Gryffindor house, but I don't understand why you're so upset over her health and the health of her baby! Please quit hovering over me!" Madam Blackmar examined Minerva and tapped her wand around the girl's uterus. The young witch was as pale as a ghost, unconscious to the chaos that surrounded her. "I'll tell you this, Albus, there is no way the baby is going to make it, I'm sorry to say. It might be a relief for the unwed, teen mother."
Albus grabbed the healer's arm and turned her to face them. "Madam Blackmar - Elizabeth. Please hold your judgment. That baby is mine, I'm in love with Minerva, I DO have a personal stake in this."
Her mouth opened in shock, trying to comprehend what she was told. Not Albus Dumbledore… with a student? "Albus, I have a hard time understanding this, but I am so sorry for your loss. Miss McGonagall will survive this with few bruises, but I doubt she'll be able to carry any more children. I'll do everything I can. As to what you've done … with a student … we will address that later."
Albus looked at the withered healer with gratitude, that she wasn't kicking him out of the wing or running immediately to the headmaster. He took Minerva's hand and vowed to stay with her until she awoke, as he felt like he must be the one to break the news.
Meanwhile, outside of the hospital wing, the mood of the castle was… off. All the students knew something terrible had happened to Minerva but the details were unclear. Many students saw her bleeding from under her robes and so the rumors of a miscarriage were alrady floating around. But an equal amount of her peers couldn't believe that Minrva McGonagall of all students would be pregnant. And of course, Professor Dumbledore's reaction at the Dueling Tournament led to much gossip about the circumstances of their relationship. Many staff and students had picked up on the amount of time the two spent together, although Minerva and Albus were oblivious to that, and so naturally the residents of Hogwarts now came to their own conclusions regarding the two.
Pomona and Rolanda shot down any rumors coming from within the Gryffindor common room. Approaching a group of gossipy third-year girls, Rolanda screamed at them, "Minerva has been the most responsible Head Girl, she's won us the Quidditch cup, she's done more for you than you'll ever acknowledge and this is how you treat her? Gossiping about her sex life? Slandering a good professor? Shame on you all."
Everyone in the common room sheepishly shut up after that. Pomona asked Rolanda, "Do you think we can go visit yet? I know Dumbledore will be there but Min needs her friends to support her."
"To hell if we 'can visit', we're going right now!" Rolanda grabbed Pomona's arm and they marched across the castle.
Minerva was awake and in shock. Healer Blackmar had just told her that the baby was gone and that she most likely would never be able to have children. Blackmar quickly left Albus alone to comfort her.
Albus paced above her, not really sure how to help the silent girl. Then Minerva spoke for the first time.
"Do we know the sex? Was our baby a boy or a girl?" She tried to ask the question detached, clinically, but couldn't keep up the disinterested facade. Minerva was devastated - she loved her little family.
Albus whispered, "A girl." He choked up himself as Minerva started to sob and shake.
"A baby girl…. Albus… we had a little girl…" Albus knew what he needed to do. He got into the bed with Minerva and wrapped his arms around her torso, holding her tight as she sobbed and shuddered.
Kissing the crown of her head, he murmured, "Shh, shh. It's alright. This is, if anything, my fault. I urged you to do the duel."
Minerva responded as she caught her breath, "Albus, I won't have any of that. You know I made this choice myself. Just lay here with me- please?"
The two stayed in this position in silence for what felt like hours, until Pomona and Rolanda softly knocked and came in. They were shocked to find Albus in bed with Minerva.
"Professor Dumbledore - this is a really public place. Madam Blackmar can see you and so can the second year girls who accidentally fused their hair together in the common room." Pomona mentioned.
"Good evening to you too, girls. I don't care anymore, let them judge. I love your friend, we both lost a child. I'm staying right here with her until she can leave."
Pomona and Rolanda were impressed. They'd always felt that Dumbledore was using their friend and was happy to keep her a secret. They spent the evening trying to get Minerva's spirits up, sharing jokes and stories, and it honestly was working.
Madam Blackmar cleared Minerva to go whenever she was emotionally ready to. The girl would feel some pain for the next few days but the fetus had been removed. Eventually, around nine, the girls had to get to their commons, and Albus prepared to take Minerva back to his quarters for the night.
After the girls left, Headmaster Dippet appeared in the doorframe of the hospital wing. Albus was still sitting on the bed, holding Minerva's hand and reading her the latest copy of Transfigurations Today. Albus looked up.
"Miss McGonagall - it is so good to see you up and alert. I hear you're good to be checked out this evening! You've missed Saturday dinner - I'll have the house elves bring you something while I speak with Professor Dumbledore in my office." Armando gave the wizard a pointed glance. "Albus… we need to talk."
Albus reluctantly left Minenrva's side, giving her hand a gentle squeeze, and followed Dippet out the door and to his offices in a painful, awkward silence.
Once closing the door, Dippet asked, in the manner of a disappointed parent, "Albus, are all these rumors true? I mean, looking at the two of you today in the hospital wing and watching your reaction to her injury, it's clear to me you at least have romantic feelings for the girl. But these rumors of a pregnancy? And you as the father?"
Albus breathed in sharply. "It's true. All of it. I fell in love with the girl within months of working with her. We slept together shortly after her eighteenth birthday. We tried to keep it secret. She is above age, and let me add, wise and brilliant and talented and lovely beyond her years, but I know I'm breaking my staff contract."
"So you understand my dilemma. You're the most talented professor we have and your love for Hogwarts is undeniable. And I know this proves an excellent cover for while you're fighting Grindelwald. But I am going to have to ask for your resignation before news of this gets to the governors."
"I know, Armando. I understand and hold no ill will towards you. And ultimately, I did break the rules. My resignation will be on your desk Monday morning. Please, please protect Minerva. You know that teenagers can be so cruel to anyone who has experienced anything abnormal. And watch Mr. Riddle carefully - I know you adore him but, that attack in the duel was deliberate. If you don't mind, I would like to spend my last two nights here saying goodbye to Minerva - we will be discrete."
The old man gave Albus a sad nod, and shook his hand for a last time.