Fic and Art - The Heart Still Beats - 1/1

[evandar]

Title: The Heart Still Beats
Author: Evandar
Fandom: Harry Potter
Rating: G
Genre: Fluff
Pairings: Minerva McGonagall/Hermione Granger
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and am making no profit from this story.
Summary: The day after the battle, Hermione and McGonagall meet in an abandoned classroom.
Author's Notes: Written - and drawn! - for hp_crossgenfest. This was my first ever attempt at submitting art for a fest.



“I’m glad to see you up and about, Miss Granger.”

Hermione jumped at the sound of her professor’s voice and turned sharply to look at her, a faint blush rising on her cheeks. She’d been wandering the castle; whether she’d been trying to escape the damage the battle had done or see the true extent of it, she wasn’t sure, but she’d ended up in the Transfiguration classroom.

Her favourite class. Her favourite teacher. Both, miraculously, unharmed.

Professor McGonagall seemed older now than she had ever done before. There was more grey in her hair. The lines around her eyes and mouth seemed deeper. But there was still that steely glint that Hermione had admired from the day she’d met her: when McGonagall had sat her parents down at their dining table and transformed their fine china into a swarm of butterflies and back again.

“You as well, Professor,” she said. “I –“

She wasn’t sure what to say – what she even wanted to say because there was just so much – so she pressed her lips tightly together and looked away so that McGonagall wouldn’t hide the tears that were forming. She’d been so afraid. For the whole year, she’d been afraid. To be standing here, unharmed, in a place that showed no signs of war, was like something out of a dream.

Arms closed around her. They were slim, but strong and warm. McGonagall said nothing; she simply stood and held her until slowly, carefully, Hermione relaxed – and then she held on to her tighter. It didn’t seem to matter that, when she rested her head against McGonagall’s breast, her hair was still damp and slightly flat from the shower; it didn’t matter that the hands she’d lifted to McGonagall’s waist must have been gripping her uncomfortably tight. What did matter was the steady beating of McGonagall’s heart.

She could feel McGonagall’s lips against her hair. She thought she imagined the kiss, but she knew for certain that the smile was real.

She breathed out, shuddering slightly. For the first time in a year, she felt no fear at all.

Comments

[gracerene]

The first of many, I hope! :D

[hikarievandar.livejournal.com]

Heh, maybe. I don't draw very often, but the response to this has been pretty positive, so...

[lynndyre.livejournal.com]

This is really lovely, I can see this working really well. Hermione and McGonagall are both strong, but they'd be good for each other. And good on you for the art! ^.^

[hikarievandar.livejournal.com]

Ah, thank you! I was intrigued by the prompt because of how well those characters would work together - even though I hadn't ever thought of pairing them together before! There would definitely be a lot of mutual respect going on.

And thanks XD I was so nervous about the art!