Disclaimer: All Harry Potter people, places, things, or ideas (all Harry Potter nouns) belong to J. K. Rowlings.
Chapter 12: Secrets.
Minerva woke in the early morning as the fog began to invade the city. She found herself comfortably wrapped in Severus' arms. As she stretched, the movement woke him. At first he looked at her with surprise, as if he never believed that what had happened the previous night would ever be possible. Then he smiled and kissed her warmly.
"I wish I could wake up like this more often," she whispered.
He smirked. "You're not the only one."
The digital muggle clock to his right read 5:10. He sat up straight after looking at it. She pulled the covers up around her and raised a concerned eyebrow. "Minerva, I need to leave. If I stay any longer, both of our lives could be in jeopardy."
She nodded. "You had best be going then."
After showering and dressing the two stood near Minerva's front door, not entirely certain as to what should be said. Finally she spoke. "Severus, will I ever see you again?"
He pulled her close and held her in an embrace, resting his forehead against hers. "I can't say for certain. I would like to think that we should meet again; however, it is not only a risk but a difficulty. I won't make promises that I don't intend to keep, at least not at the moment."
She smirked, but then it faded. "I don't want to say goodbye," she whispered.
"Then don't," he stated before sliding his hand under his chin and kissing her fervently. She returned the kiss and then he was gone, having apparated elsewhere. Minerva felt a chill descend upon the room as soon as he had left and she grabbed a sweater out of her closet.
When the term began in September, nearly six weeks after their meeting, Minerva still had not heard from him but decided to continue her teaching duties as usual. However, teaching began to draw more energy out of her than she had expected it to. If she stood up too fast, she would feel light-headed and have to place her hand on the desk for balance discreetly. Breakfast had not been sitting well either. I wish this would go away. I only hope that Benford's Disease didn't return, she thought to herself with slight worry.
At the end of the first week Minerva met with Dumbledore to discuss plans for the year. As they sat across from each other drinking tea, Minerva rested her chin on her hand, propped up by her elbow. She knew that Dumbledore had asked her a question but she was not exactly certain as to what he had said.
Realizing that she looked as though she were nodding off, Dumbledore stood and walked over to his deputy. "Minerva? Minerva are you listening to me? Have you been getting enough sleep?"
She sat up straighter and blinked. "I'm perfectly fine Albus, it has just been a long week."
"I suggest that you visit the infirmary and verify that there is no problem. The entire staff is worried about you. We scarcely see you at breakfast anymore and you look exhausted when we do see you. Have I given you too much work?"
Putting a hand up to silence his worries, she replied. "For the last time, I am fine and capable of teaching my classes."
He resumed his seat and shook his head. "I just don't want to lose such an excellent teacher. Just a few years ago you gave us all quite a scare."
She nodded. "I shall try to be more considerate. Now if there are no further qualms, may I go?"
"Of course," he stated.
Though she had said there was no problem, when she stood the world seemed to spin. She tried to regain her balance by standing perfectly still, but it did not work and her world went dark. She woke to smelling salts and opened her eyes to find a worried boss and an irritated medwitch.
"Minerva, I am thoroughly disappointed with you. I had thought that after last year you would come to me if you felt ill," the medwitch remarked with her hands on her hips.
The Transfiguration Professor sighed. "Poppy, I've only been tired. Everything is-"
Poppy cut her off. "Minerva, you fainted! How can you tell me that everything is fine?"
"Poppy, just perform the diagnostic spell so that I can prove to you that I do not have Benford's Disease," Minerva suggested curtly.
The medwitch used her wand to cast the diagnostic spell and raised an eyebrow at the colour of the aura around her colleague. If the problem had been something like Benford's Disease, the aura would have been a sickly yellow. But it was a shade of light-pink.
"Well, there you have it. I told you I was fine," Minerva stated, hoping to leave.
Poppy put a hand out to stop her. "Minerva, do you know what the colour means?"
Dumbledore was standing behind Poppy, watching the exchange. The deputy headmistress shook her head. "The results of this colour warrant further explaining, Professor McGonagall," Dumbledore mentioned in a tone that bordered between worry and authority.
Minerva raised a confused eyebrow. "Poppy, what is he talking about?"
"You are with child," the medwitch blurted out.
At first Minerva stared back at Poppy, stunned. Then as she realized the ramifications of what the medwitch had said, she looked down at the ground. Oh Merlin, this is one fine mess I have gotten myself into this time. How on earth do I explain this? If I tell them about Severus, I would put him at risk. If I tell them nothing, I could lose my job. I will wait and see what they ask before saying anything, she decided.
"Minerva, since you seem unwilling to volunteer information, I'll just ask you now: who is the father?" Poppy probed.
When she still did not answer Dumbledore spoke. "Minerva, what on earth is going on? In all the years that I have known you, a situation like this has never come up. Are you, or are you not my deputy? Please, I need to understand why all of the sudden you would do something so contrary to your behavior over the years."
Minerva shifted her position and took a deep breath before looking into his concerned blue eyes. "The whole situation really began a few years ago. He was in love with me but I was unable to return his affections for reasons that will remain my own. He visited me a little over a month ago for the first time, trying to make amends. I cannot reveal his identity to you because it might affect his safety and put his life at risk. Can you accept that answer?"
Dumbledore nodded slowly. "I suppose that will do for now. But in the future, I expect a bit more discretion from you regarding your activities. My dear, do not get yourself into situations that you cannot get out of. Poppy, give her a concealment potion if she asks for one."
Minerva nodded and Poppy retrieved the potion after he had left, the medwitch not making eye-contact with Minerva. "I suppose I should ask this now rather than later, but do you intend to carry the child to term, or are you planning to terminate the pregnancy?"
Green eyes livid, Minerva answered without a second thought. "Of course I plan on keeping the child! Granted, this was not planned at all, but I will not attempt to erase what I have done!" she exclaimed. Then her tone became quieter. "It would be unfair to the father to make a decision like that without giving him a say in the matter. I would rather keep the child and explain the continuation of a new generation than try to explain another death."
Before the Transfiguration Professor left, the medwitch asked one more question quietly. "Do you love him, the father?"
"I believe so," Minerva replied, heading out of the door.
As the months passed, the concealment spell worked efficiently and the staff remained unaware of Minerva's condition. On the twenty-third of April, a Thursday, Minerva's son was born. Dumbledore stopped by after having received a note from Poppy. Holding the baby in her arms, she looked up as he entered.
"I decided to check up on you. I hope you are both well," he conveyed. She smiled and nodded. Then he handed her a piece of paper. "This is his birth certificate. I am leaving it with you to write on it what you wish. You can also charm it to do whatever you think is necessary."
"Thank you," she added. He left quickly and she wondered what he had meant. Then suddenly she realized that she would have to write down a last name for the baby. She ran various charms through her mind for something that could help her. She chose a charm that would allow the last name to only appear if one of his biological parents was looking at the birth certificate.
"What to name you though," she said softly, smiling at the infant. "I think I should include my father's name, but what should I contribute of your father?" Then an idea occurred to her. Once the name was written down, her mind drifted to the baby's father and she pondered why he had not contacted her for so many months. I truly hope he is still alive.
(My thanks to Miss eo-Wyn and Leta McGotor for reviewing :D)