A/N: Hey!! I'm back. Sort of. My life is finally calm enough to write again. So I am. Although I'm having a terrible block on The Legacy and The Ward of Hogwarts is slow going, so don't expect those to be updated for a while unfortunately, however this is the next to last chapter of this story so expect this one to be done soon, and hopefully I'll have some new stuff on the way. And if anyone has any ideas that might shake my other two stories loose, email me!!!! Anyway Enjoy, and my apologies for taking so long.

Chapter 9: Healing and Moving on

            There was a knock on the door to the Headmaster's office just as he poured himself a cup of tea. The person on the other side didn't wait for an invitation, just after the timid knock sounded the door creaked open and Minerva poked her head in, a hesitant look on her face. She'd been crying. That much he could tell, but he wasn't surprised. He was, however surprised to see her there. It had been a week since she and Ginny Weasley had been attacked and in that time he'd seen very little of her. "Come in Minerva." He invited her gently.

            She slipped in the room and closed the door behind her. Her eyes were wide and sleep ridden, and she tucked the long strands of hair back behind her ears as she curled up in one of the chairs in front of his desk. He waited, not knowing why she was suddenly seeking him out. "I told you about what I wanted when I was young." She looked up at him from under her lashes and waited for his nod. "Well because of that, perhaps Malcolm and I weren't as careful as we should have been. My seventh year I found out I was pregnant. I don't know how he found out….but Tom did, and he was furious. We'd gone to the Yule Ball once, fifth year, but that seemed to be enough for him to be possessive….He cast a charm in the hallway, I don't know what it was, but my stomach began cramping terribly. I screamed, and that brought the teachers running. Tom, pretending to help guided me to the hospital wing."

            She broke off her narrative, tears spilling down her cheeks. Minerva covered her face with her hands and curled up in a ball. Albus felt his heart clench with where this story was leading. He quickly left his desk and knelt next to her chair, drawing her into his arms. She cried for a moment before calming herself with deep ragged breaths. "He killed my baby. He threatened Malcolm…that's what he was doing when you saw him, when he was holding my neck." She pulled away from him there and dropped her head, but not before he could see the shame burnt into her face. "I was so frightened; he told me that if I obeyed him he'd leave Malcolm alone... He made me do things….put me under the Imperius curse if I wouldn't do them of my own free will, but not before he'd punish me. It hurt so bad, I kept waiting to numb to the pain…." She sniffled. "All those students with the dark mark in their skin, Albus, I was responsible for all of them. I can tell you…what he did to all of them….I saw it all…"

            She was waiting for him to chastise her, to rail at her, to declare her evil and incapable of being saved, he realized as she stood before him. His best friend for years, and she was standing in front of him, unwilling to meet his gaze, certain of a lie. Albus crossed to her quickly and wrapped his arms around her. He didn't force her gaze to his, merely held her as tightly as he could. He ran his hands through her hair and kissed the top of her head. "He used you my dear. You are not at fault here, and no one would blame you. I am so sorry Minerva, for all of it."

            A small left over doubt in Minerva's long burdened mind told her he was lying, told her she didn't deserve his understanding and his friendship, told her it wouldn't be long until he realized that as well. Her answer to the ember was to slip her arms around Albus's waist and hold tight. "I am so sorry about your baby Minerva." He told her in a whisper.

            She pulled her head from his shoulder and smiled up at him. Her eyes were finally dry and clear, and something shined deep within them. "I miss them both Albus, but I meant what I told you before. I'm as happy as any woman could hope to be here."

            He smiled although his eyes seemed a bit sad, far deep within. "No more dreams to haunt your heart?"

            That made her laugh and she shook her head as the musical sound echoed in the room. "Don't be silly. Of course there are still one or two things I want…"

            "Like what?" He meant it to be light, but some bit of earnestness must have slipped in, because her laughter died and another one of those strange moments came over them.

            Minerva tried to slip out of his arms; nervous at the tension in the room, but for once he wouldn't let her. "What do you see in the Mirror of Erised Minerva?" He asked.

            "What…what do you see?" She countered in a squeaky voice.

            His sapphire eyes bored into hers and she felt suddenly breathless and parched. "You."

            One word and the cord around her chest that kept her from breathing snapped. She let out a shuddering breath just as his lips descended on hers. She clung to him as if her life depended on it, their kiss quickly becoming fevered. A knock on the door interrupted them. Luckily, unlike Minerva, whoever was on the outside decided to wait for an invitation before coming in.

            Ginny clutched the book tightly in her hands as she ran along the corridors. It was close to curfew, there was no way she'd make it back in time, but she rather hoped she would make it to her destination before curfew at least. And she did, with thirty seconds to spare. The office was dark as she made her way in and she slipped the book on the table and began to creep back out. "Not even going to say hello Ginny?"

            She jumped and turned back around as light flooded the room, revealing that it hadn't been empty at all but that Remus Lupin was sitting on the couch watching her. Ginny's face became as red as her hair. "I..I didn't see you there." She managed to stutter.

            "What were you doing?"

            "It's just….I was leaving you a thank you present….for everything you've done."

            He smiled and crossed over to the book on his desk. "You didn't have to Ginny. I was glad to help." His eyes skimmed the title on the leather cover and he looked up in wide eyed surprise. "Edgar Allen Poe?!"

            Ginny blushed as he started to open the book with awe. "It's a first edition. My Grandfather gave it to me the year before he died."

            Remus looked up swiftly from the inscription she had written to him. "Ginny I can't accept this."

            "Sure you can. I like Poe alright I suppose, but he's your favorite poet. You'll appreciate that book far more than I will. Besides, knowing how much that book is worth, both to you and monetarily, should give you an idea of how much everything you've done for me means."

            "Ginny…."

            She walked slowly back over to him and put her tiny fingers over his lips to stop him. "I want you to have it Remus Lupin. Stop arguing with me."

            "Thank you…you're incredible Ginny."

            She blushed again, but this time she ducked her head in her hair, hoping to hide it. "Not incredible, just really, really grateful."

            "No. Incredible." He tipped her head up so that she was watching him with wide hazel eyes. "You've gone through so much Ginny, and you've survived with grace and strength. Through it all though, you were never so lost in your pain that you forgot others, and you just proved that again, by remembering something I said in passing months ago."

            "I remember everything you've said!" She blurted out before she could stop herself.

            He raised his eyebrows in surprise and a look of horror settled over Ginny's face. But then the surprise faded and the gentle brown eyes of her protector began to sparkle. "I could have said the same thing if I had the guts."

            "Professor?"

            He hushed her in a soft, husky voice. "Not Professor. Here, now, I'm just Remus Ginny." Her mouth formed a little 'o' of surprise and he took advantage of it, leaning down to kiss her gently.

            For a few seconds they stood apart his lips gently touching hers. Then Ginny's thin arms wrapped around his neck and her slender fingers tangled in his hair. That was all the permission Remus needed. He took her in his arms and deepened the kiss, exploring her mouth with his tongue, intoxicated on her unique honey-like taste.

            The world stilled around them. Until the sound of a throat clearing in the fire brought them back to reality.