Love, Me, a harry potter fanfic

A/N: Songfic based on the song "Love, Me" by Collin Raye. It's a bit country, but ah, well. ;)

Disclaimer: Not mine! Song and characters don't belong to me and never will.. :(

Rating: K -- Mostly happyish.

Enjoy!

I read a note my grandma wrote back in 1923
Grandpa kept it in his coat and he showed it once to me
He said boy you might not understand
But a long, long time ago
Grandma's daddy didn't like me none
But I love your grandma so

James Ronald Potter raised his shining brown eyes-so like his mother's-to Albus Dumbledore's face, searching the older man's features for some sign of where they were going and what they would do there. Although he trusted the old man by his side with his life, he had inherited a curious streak from his father, the legendary Harry Potter. He was always asking questions and demanding answers. Right now, however, all he wanted to know was why his surrogate Grandfather seemed to be leading him around the width and berth of England, for he had no desire to see more cows or cities than he already had.

The great wizard knew where he was leading this blossoming young man, and he also knew that he was waiting for the right moment to launch his small surprise. The boy trusted him, and would follow whether there be a prize or not, but Albus wanted this to be a lesson for the lad.

Finally, after what seemed like ages to the slightly impatient boy, the white haired man stopped at the crest of a hill, a village laying below, placing a hand upon his thin, strong shoulder, and looked him in the eye, telegraphing to James that what Grandfather Albus had to say was important.

Old, weary hands that had seen death and life and love trembled as Albus reached into his great purple cloak, pulling out a yellowed, crinkled sheet of parchment, and James could see the curling, emerald writing of his Grandmother Minerva on the paper. In a voice weak and wizened with age, the man said, "Ah, my boy, I am past my youth, unlike you, and yet I still retain my Minerva's love. Lad, I can only hope that you shall someday understand what it is like, having such a great, beautiful woman to rule your life, but for now, the memory of mine must do. She gave this to me so many years ago, and I have always kept it as a sign of her love for me, but I think you are now mature enough to see what lies on its pages and to comprehend love."

First, young James, you must understand that when your grandmother and I met, fell in love, she was a student and I, her Transfigurations teacher. Her family and mine looked down upon it, for the age difference was so great, but her father detested me. He thought that I had bewitched his young jewel, to have her beauty and wealth of love for mine own. Try as we might to convince him otherwise, we simply couldn't. He was too stubborn in his ways, the old ways, and so Minerva McGonagall and I planned to elope."

We had this crazy plan to meet
And run away together
Get married in the first town we came to and live forever
But nailed to the tree where we were supposed to meet instead
I found this letter
And this is what it said

James listened as his grandfather told him all this, the piece of parchment still in Albus' hand, and they began wandering, as one, down the slight rise to the small town, nestled between two green hills, and watched his grandfather's face intently, the emotions written there visible and yet flitting. When Albus continued, James was just as enraptured as he had been before, his swell of pride at being considered "old enough" quickly forgotten.

"I remember her telling me, on her last day at Hogwarts, that she would find a way to talk with me, to send letters back and forth, anything to stay in touch. And I remember her professing her undying love for me, her wish to marry me, with or without her father's blessing the union. I was shocked that this young, lovely girl could want me so much, and I was touched, as well as equally determined to keep the relationship going. I knew, in my heart of hearts, that this was a true love, a lasting one, and that not even her fierce Scottish father could tame or extinguish the flame!

"However." The pause seemed almost definite, as if Albus was rethinking his choice to tell young James all of this, and the boy urged him on with a small smile and a child-like tug to his withered hands. A resigned sigh was soon followed by a continuation of the story.

"However, after she had left, it was nearly impossible to catch her alone and to speak with her, but the times we had together were filled with happiness and love. I knew, again, that it was right. If only her father would have been able to see.. Anyway. During one of our chats, this one a bit longer, as it was a midnight over the holidays, we began planning an elopement, for we wished more than anything to be wed. As the plan grew, so did our hopes and dreams, and our love shone brightly. Once the plans were in place, we were sure everything would run smoothly.

"This was not to be, though, and I'm sure that her father knew of our plans, because after weeks of careful thought and attention to detail, he assigned Minerva a long list of things to do, most of them under his watchful gaze. Those that were not, he knew Min would carry out on her own, feeling guilty and honor bound to do so. When I arrived at the meeting spot, a large, lovely oak-" He pointed with one long finger at a tall, blooming tree that grew a little in the distance, its green leaves casting an obvious shade around its thick trunk. "-all I found was this letter, this piece of parchment in the place of my beautiful wife-to-be and I thought for a moment that she had changed her mind! I knew this could not be so, because of her stubbornness and love for me, but I was worried, nevertheless! Upon examining the note closely, I found all she said believable and quite true. I did go home, disappointed, but I knew what I had to do."

Extending his shaking hand, Albus placed the parchment gently, lovingly, into his surrogate grandson's young, pink one and waited with his normal patience and calm as James read the words his dear Minerva had penned so long ago.

If you get there before I do
Don't give up on me
I'll meet you when my chores are through
I don't know how long I'll be
But I'm not gonna let you down
Darling wait and see
And between now and then 'til I see you again
I'll be loving you, love me

When James looked up again, Albus' blue eyes had taken on that twinkle of old, and were glazed over with memories. Continuing his long story, he began leading James towards the small chapel that lay a little off to the side of the quaint village, its stone old but sturdy, green with moss in places, and the ancient inscriptions of protection worn away with the erosion of time. "When I had read these words, my boy, I knew what I must do. I must go to Minerva's short-tempered father and ask his blessing upon the union, for only then could it be complete, and he would know truly how much I loved his only daughter. So I went. I went, trembling-yes, me! The Greatest Wizard of all time!-and I begged, James! I begged for Minerva's hand, determined to show my love for her! Yet, half way through my long and winded speech about my love for Minerva's dark hair, he held up a calloused hand and said, in that dark Scottish bur, "Sir, I ken that ye love me lass, but I is just wantin' the best for her! She's my little lassie, no matter how old she gets, and I'll always be wantin' to protect her wee heart from danger. I ken she loves ye, too, ye great fool, so go to her. I give ye my blessin'. Just be careful how ye handle her, lad, for I dinnae care how powerful ye might be, I've a clan of hot tempered laddies at me disposal, and I willnae hesitate to sic them on ye if ye hurt her!" And so I went to Minerva."

I read those words just hours before my grandma passed away
In the doorway of a church
Where me and grandpa stopped to pray
I know I'd never seen him cry in all my 15 years
But as he said these words to her
His eyes filled up with tears

"I told her my news, and of her father's blessing, andshe was so happy, James! I've seen her happy, but I shall always remember the way her eyes lit up, how she threw herself into my arms. Ah, my child, there are some things that a man cannot forget, no matter what else plagues him."

As the entered the stone protection of the church, James knew that his grandfather spoke of Minerva's sudden illness of late, and as he watched, Albus' blue eyes sparkled with tears and love for the only woman of his life. Leading his young companion between the old stone pews, he knelt painfully before the delicate, detailed altar, which reminded him so much of his wife's qualities, and he looked once more at James.

"I don't do this often, my boy, but this is for her. For my Minerva."
Listening to the deep timbre of his elder's voice, which seemed weaker yet more hopeful at every word, James had sudden possession of a knowledge so great, it buckled his knees.

If his Grandmother Minerva died, there would be no reason for Grandfather Albus to live. The light of him, that once shone so brightly through the darkness, would finally fade, flicker and die, leaving both his family and the wizarding world mourning the loss of not one, but two of the most brilliant magical persons of all time.

By the time Albus had finished, the tears were streaming down his face, as though he had been hit by the same realization James had. His eyes, which had been so hazy and distant of late, suddenly took on a sharp, clear look, and as he boor his sky blue eyes into his grandson's brown ones, he whispered, "I always thought she would outlive me, James, but I know now that it isn't to be. I can only hope that, someday, you will find someone who is as capable of loving so many as Minerva was, with as big a heart as her's, and..." His weak voice trailed off, and James struggled to hear the last words. ".. And someone who will embrace you with all the love and acceptance and joy in her soul."

Fin