Hogwarts: Before Voldemort Was Voldemort, Part Three
A/n: I'm beginning to wish I never started this damn story....okay, so maybe I do prefer the style of writing to the one I use in my Snape/McGonagall series and think that this series is probably better written, but I still prefer my Hogwarts: Behind Closed Doors series! I think maybe it's because I actually care about the other one, but I was always under the impression that things you care about turn out better than things you don't......but I guess this series could turn out alright, I do actually have a couple of ideas that could work nicely........only time will tell. This fic starts in exactly the same place the last one left off.
Minerva gasped suddenly, and pulled herself away from Tom. She jumped to her feet, and started to back away, but stumbled and tripped over backwards, falling and landing hard on her back. Then everything started to go black.
She opened her eyes to find Tom staring down at her, a worried expression on his face. She smiled faintly.
"What happened?" He looked relieved to see she was awake.
"You passed out for a few minutes. I didn't want to leave you, but if you'd been out any longer, I was going to have to have gone and fetched help. You had me worried for a while, I can tell you that!" He was actually geuinly relieved she was awake. He wasn't quite sure how he would have explained the situation if he had had to go for help.
"Thank you, for not leaving me I mean."
"Don't be daft, it was my fault anyway. If I hadn't have gone and kissed you, you wouldn't have tried to run away and then you wouldn't have fallen!"
"Oh Tom, it wasn't your fault-"
"Yes it was, and I won't hear argument. You were in shock, you ran. I'm sorry."
"Oh please don't blame yourself, I'm fine now anyway, it's not worth dwelling on. But you did give me quite a shock." She went a little red as she sat up slowly.
"I probably shouldn't have done that, I don't know why I did." He paused. "Wait, yes I do. I had a sudden urge. Kind of like now....." He moved his index finger to below her chin, and lifted her face up towards his. Moving his other hand to the back of her head to stop her from pulling away, he kissed her once more, as gently as the first time, then slowly moved away.
She was silent for a few minutes, then she sighed, and looked down at her hands.
"Tom, listen, that shouldn't have happened."
"Min, please, don't. I'm sorry, I just felt like kissing you okay? You're a very kissable person if you must know." He feigned embarrassment and looked away. "I just like you okay, is that so hard to believe?"
"Tom, you're a Slytherin."
"So?"
"I'm a Gryfinndor!"
"What's that got to do with anything?"
"It would never work, and goodness knows what everyone would think!"
"I don't care what everyone would think, and that was the most incredibly arrogant thing I've ever heard you say!" Now he was angry, pretend and otherwise. She could be so bloody stubborn sometimes!"
'"Well I'm sorry but it's true!"
"Well screw everyone else, what do you think?" he almost shouted.
"I think you need to control your temper," she muttered, miffed. This time he sighed.
"Sorry."
"Thank you. And as for what I think, I think you're crazy."
"Crazy for liking you? You're seriously paranoid Min."
"I'm not paranoid!"
"No." he agreed. "You're beautiful." She tutted. "Well it's true! Why do you have such a low opinion of yourself? Is it so impossible that I could actually like you? Or does there have to some ulterior motive? You are really, really screwed up!" She grabbed her shoes, stood, and turned to walk away, fuming with rage. He grabbed her arm.
"Let me go Tom." she commanded.
"No." he snapped. "I'm not letting you go anywhere after an outburst like that." He counted to ten slowly. "I really do need to control my temper, you're right. But it's so hard, especially when I'm constantly around a beautiful young woman who refuses to believe that anyone could think that. I really do want to be with you Minny. You're a person I respect and admire, and I have never met a person so beautiful." He stood and kicked at a stone. Eventually, he murmed: "Just think about what I've said, okay?" and walked away slowly, leaving her feeling very confused.
Back in the present day, Minerva McGonagall realised that the lesson had ended and her Hufflepuff class had all filed out. She really did need to stop thinking about back then.......