Minerva awoke to find herself still wrapped up in Harry's embrace. She slid out of bed quietly to use the loo but quickly settled back in bed with Harry who was just waking up. "Evening my love," she greeted with a smile.
"I was awake earlier," he said gently as he leaned in to kiss her lips. "Poppy and Helen had to rush to you last night. Apparently you neglected to see a healer after the battle."
Minerva frowned slightly at the accusation he didn't quite make before shrugging her shoulders. "You were my main priority. My injuries were superficial," she retorted softly. "I most assuredly would make the same decision again."
"Of that I have no doubt," he replied with a grin. "Are you hungry?"
"Famished," she replied with a grin. "Growing a child is tiresome work," she teased.
Harry chuckled at her light banter. "I adore you so," he said as he helped her out of the bed and in the direction of the sitting room where their light dinner awaited them.
As they were finishing their dinner, a knock interrupted the peaceful silence. "Enter," Minerva called out briskly.
Harold, Helen and Hermione entered the chambers. Hermione smiled at Harry's relaxed posture. She feared he would still blame himself for Minerva's delayed medical treatment. "Evening," she greeted happily.
"Why are you so chipper," Harry asked with a grin. He was relieved to see her so happy and carefree.
Hermione grinned her trademark grin. "I finished that project we were working on earlier and set everything in motion," she answered and winked at him. "Hedwig will be busy for a few hours but I didn't think you would mind."
"You're the best sister ever," he said happily as he hugged her tightly. "No problem?"
"Nothing I couldn't handle," she grinned then noticed the bewildered looks on Minerva's and her mum's face.
"What project are you referring to," Minerva asked. She didn't enjoy being out of the know.
"It's a suprise," Harry said as he wrapped her up in his embrace reassuringly then added. "No peeking in my head using the bond."
Minerva frowned and gave him a pout. "I promise; however, I do not like it at all."
Harry chuckled. "Duly noted."
Minerva signed as she finished a long day of meetings. Between the Board of Governors and the Ministry under Amelia Bones' guidance she was exhausted. While yesterday's Final Battle was controlled as possible with minimal deaths on the Light side, it still left massive damage to Hogwarts. Most of the students would be unable to come back until September with the start of the new school year; however, Minerva had practically begged for fifth and seventh year students to be allowed back to finish their OWLs and NEWTs on time.
Minerva had argued these students deserved the chance to stay on track with their testing and that makeshift dormitories could be erected for a two week streamlined testing review that would finish with the normal testing and a small graduation ceremony at the end. She had been estactic when permission had been granted and tears of relief had flowed from her. Her hormones had made it impossible to rein her tears in much to her dismay.
A pecking at the window gave Minerva pause. She usually didn't get post this late in the evening. Shrugging her shoulders, she allowed the owl in and took the small parcel addressed to her. The note from Amelia had read, Tomorrow's Daily Prophet. Suprised, she opened the paper and gasped at the front page.
Two pictures of Minerva were there, one of her arguing with the Board of Governors and the Ministry were there. There was no sound but the image showed how passionately she fought for her students. The next one to her horror showed her crying relieved tears at the approved. "Bloody hell," she muttered to herself.
She moved to the couch and settled down. The Headline screamed attention When Hogwarts Champion Battles! Reading the article, she was suprised it sung her praises as Headmistress of Hogwarts. Her fights against previous administrators were there, her improvement to curriculum during a war-ravaged time, and her inclusion of others were there. Minerva's dedication to Hogwarts and its students were stressed. She was suprised to see quotes from some of her peers and students alike. The most suprising was from Harry. "Many people have compared Minerva McGonagall to Albus Dumbledore and his tenture as Headmaster. Albus made a lot of hard decisions for the greater good, decisions I cringe at still to this day and at the same time wonder where we would be if he didn't make them. However, he lost sight of the students and the professors alike in hopes of saving the Wizarding World. Minerva McGonagall refused to move others around like pawns on a chessboard. She saw the people, their struggles beneath the surface, and pushed them to their own greatness. She understood no one could fight for the betterment of the Wizarding World if they were still fighting their own battles. Minerva's inclusion of others regardless of their personal demons probably saved Wizarding Britain more than I did by finishing Voldemort. I know I would be nothing without Minerva McGonagall and her lioness fierceness."
Harry entered their chambers only to be pushed up against the door by his wife and snogged senseless. Minerva pulled back slightly, her face tear streaked face but a brilliant smile there. Harry then noticed the Daily Prophet in her hand and grinned. Before he could utter a word, Minerva surrounded them in a cloud of flames and flashed them into their bedroom. Harry just chuckled before tugging his wife's clothes off and making love to her.
