And indeed I did draw that. It would be several months later when I would get around to drawing it, but from the astronomy tower, (how I had managed to avoid the prefects and teachers I didn't know,) I stood, leaning on the balcony, drawing to my hearts content.
The wind blew outside, but even while I only had a thin tartan shawl over my nightgown, I didn't seem to feel it.
Remembering the absurd hat that Dumbledore had worn to the End Of Term feast, I drew it on him. Feeling quite proud of myself, I put my self-inking quill behind my ear for safe-keeping, and ripped the page out of my notebook. I was extremely proud of myself as I held it out in-front of myself. The large full moon shone threw the paper, giving the thin parchment a kind of glow.
"Miss McGonagall?" A adult, teacher voice came from behind me.
I jumped, and almost let go of my hard work.
Slowly I turned around, hiding me picture behind me.
When I saw who it was, I almost flipped right over that rail I was leaning against.
"Yes, Professor Dumbledore?" I asked, hoping I wouldn't be too badly told off.
"Whatever are you doing up here?" He asked, not angry, but merely curious.
"Uhh..."
He walked beside me, and took in the night-sky, before turning to face me again.
"I.. was just admiring the moon."
He followed my gaze, and nodded. "I can see why." He smiled.
"Can't you see it from your room?" He then asked.
"The view isn't the same. Not quite so... real somehow."
He frowned, but nodded. "Yes, can I ask you something else?"
I licked my lips, and nodded.
"What have you got behind your back?" He smiled, eyes twinkling like the stars behind them.
"Ah." I said.
"Oh, come now Miss McGonagall. Surely it's not that incriminating?"
I looked around the room for something to distract the curious professor.
"Oh please?"
I looked back to see the Professor trying 'puppy-eyes' on me, with his head tilted to one side.
I took a step back, "Are you feeling OK Professor?" I wondered.
"I'm fine, merely curious. Please show me...?" He pushed off the rail he was leaning against, standing in-front of me.
He held out a hand, open palmed.
I looked at it, debating whether or not to put my picture there. How I just wanted to put my own hand there!
I looked up into his eyes, which were sparkling marvellously now he had stepped into the dark of the tower, no longer reflecting the bright light of the moon.
Just like the stars,... their own light...
Taking a deep breath, I brought my picture out from behind my back, gave it one last glance, then put it face-down into his outstretched palm.
He looked at it, then walked back over to the balcony, silently.
I followed him, looking for any signs of like, dislike, ... anything.
Before I knew it I had just backed against the steel bar of the balcony rail. Ouch! Did it hurt!
Dumbledore was still studying the picture.
"This is tonight's moon?" He finally confirmed, looking to me sidelong from the picture.
"Uh-huh." I nodded.
"But not tonight's snow." He told me.
"October's - that first day when everyone got the afternoon off?"
"Oh yes. ... Ha." Dumbledore smiled at the memory of creaming Dippet in a snowball fight.
I frowned, but didn't say anything.
Turning his head to the side, he stretched his legs out behind him, and leaned his arms on the rail. "You know, this is very good." He told me.
I beamed, a smile wider and brighter than even the moon.
He watched me smiling, then looked back to the picture. "The shading is amazing, the sheer talent you have Miss McGonagall. Everything is in proportion... Is that the quill you used?" He asked, seeing it properly as I had looked towards general direction of the clock tower as it stroke twelve.
"Uhh.. Yeah." I pulled it out from behind my ear, grinning slightly as it tickled.
He took it, gently from my hand. "'S not one from Florish and Blotts is it?"
Again, I smiled rather sheepishly. "Actually no. It's from my owl, Romania. She moults, and in the summer I just thought..."
Dumbledore gave a almost laugh, "You know I never thought of that. Fawkes would make excellent quills!" Shaking his head at the idea, he inspected the nib. "And did you make this again?"
Once more I nodded.
"But however did you do it? I mean, you're not allowed to use magic outside of Hogwarts.."
"Mother melted some metal for me, and I simply shaped it around the feather, and using a needle created the groove... It wasn't that hard."
Dumbledore's face was in awe. "My word Miss McGonagall, you really are more talented than I thought!"
Dumbledore gave me back her quill, and took one last glance at the picture, before giving it back.
"Oh no you don't!" He practically yelled, keeping hold of the parchment; having just spotted something. "Who, may I ask, is that?" He was pointing to a man standing profile on the hilltop, watching the moon.
"Uhh..." I blushed.
"Is that, by any chance, me?"
I looked away and nodded.
"My dear child! How perfectly wonderful!"
I looked back at him, confused.
He was squinting at the picture, which was held close to his face, "You even got my glasses!"
I smiled, so he did like it? ...!
"And my hat, which is very good by the way, and my robes... and everything. Oh," He suddenly appeared pained. "Can I keep it?"
"Pardon?" I can't have heard right.
"Please can I keep it?"
"Uh... Well..." I turned around, thinking.
A hand was placed on my shoulder, "Please... Minerva?"
I turned around, and we were so close our noses were almost touching. Before I fainted from sheer delight, I answered him. "Yes." It came out a great deal huskier than I wanted it too.
In delight, he pulled me into a hug, before realising the impromptu of the situation, and was then walking, or rather dancing, down the steps and to the door of the tower.
"Oh, and Minerva? I didn't see you here." He said, before winking and walking out, closing the door behind him.
I was so happy I could have flown back to the Gryffindor tower! I practically glided back to my chambers, were I jumped upon the bed and dreamed the night away, wondering of the possibilities of myself and Professor Dumbledore.
But nothing lasts forever...