Chapter 1
Tears rolled down her cheeks as she held the redhead in her arms.
"You did so well darling. So, well."
Lily looked up at her, tearing her gaze away from the cooing, red skinned, baby with tufts of black hair sprouting across his bald head. A weary smile was given as a response, before all eyes were turned back to the new-born.
"Thank you for being with me. Both of you."
Minerva smiled and held her cub tighter. If she had it her way, she would never have to let go. It wasn't her who answered though.
"Where else would we be dear?"
The Hogwarts matron turned temporary midwife stood from where she was, vanishing some towels that had faced a brave battle but now had no chance of recovery. The blonde cleaned her hands and joined the two Gryffindors on the bed.
Minerva glanced up briefly, holding her arm out to include her wife in the embrace. She held both her girls close to her, still captivated by the sight of the squirming baby boy held in Lily's arms.
"Do you have a name chosen for him yet?"
The redhead nodded, her fingers trailing the along the wrinkled lines on her child's forehead.
"Harry James Potter."
Harry yawned and the frown on his forehead deepened as he squirmed, trying to get closer to his mother.
"Well then", Poppy reached out a finger that Harry eagerly gripped onto, "it's a pleasure to meet you Harry".
They held each other close as both new mother and baby fell into an exhausted and well-earned slumber. It didn't take long until Poppy's head also fell, leaned against Lily, eyes closed, mouth hanging slightly open and now Minerva was the only one awake.
Disentangling herself from the huddle, she made her way quietly around the room collecting various bloodied and mucus-stained towels. Going down the stairs, she made her way through the halls, straightening various squint photo frames and vanishing the odd mark on the walls. Lily had flooed her and together they had made their way up the stairs to the bedroom. The redhead had held onto the wall for lack of a better partner and often wall was replaced with photo frame.
Her fingers ghosted over the glass, and she found herself smiling at the pictures guarded behind them. A group of schoolboys with ties around their heads and lopsided grins huddled together, a group of schoolgirls waving from the water of the great lake, holding something unidentifiable but most likely some creature. The next few pictures were the groups merged, Marlene and Dorcas standing, arms around each other, Sirius Black messing up Remus Lupin's hair, Pettigrew standing of to the side but a grin on his face all the same, and the two who had drawn her into this messy family. Lily and James stood in the middle, hands held, both looking at the camera with stars in their eyes. They hadn't even been together at this point, apparently.
At the very end there was one picture that was her favourite of all. She, Lily, and Poppy stood together in the dressing room on Lily's wedding day. The girl had almost run away, her heels were in her hands, and she had somehow managed to bundle her wedding dress on top of her broom. She and Poppy had talked the redhead down, had sat with her and had redone both her hair and her makeup before helping her into a different, slightly more comfortable, dress.
Both had walked Lily down the aisle in place of her muggle parents who weren't around any longer. Poppy had a new camera she was experimenting with, and this picture had been the first one that had not caught fire, it had been a perfect moment between the three of them.
Minerva moved further down the hall and spotting a laundry basket she took that with her into the kitchen. A kitchen she was proud to see had a fully functional, muggle, washing machine. It was probably the favourite new toy of James' for quite a while until he learned what chores came along with it.
Starting a wash, she grinned as the familiar chugging cycle of a muggle made machine started. Poppy didn't allow them in their home, her own fault really, she should have known that transfiguration and muggle technology was not an idea to try in the house.
A bang sounded in the front room, and she pulled out her wand holding it in front of her, spell already half cast. Upon seeing James Potter and his band of vagabonds or 'marauders' sans Pettigrew, covered in dirt and wide eyed like puppies with a tennis ball, she put her wand down and raised an eyebrow.
"Where have you been?"
They all had the decency to look suitably chastised as she raised her wand again to rid them of the debris they were coated in.
"Never mind, I don't want to know. James, your son and wife as well as my wife, are sleeping. So, for once in your life do something quietly. Please."
She rolled her eyes but couldn't help the twitch of her lips as he rushed past her, a grin on his face like the cat who got the cream.
"It's a boy Minnie?"
She nodded, chuckling as Remus and Sirius gripped onto each other and danced about the room. A laugh sounded from behind her, and she turned to see her wife coming towards her. Poppy yawned and wrapped her arms around Minerva's waist, tucking into her side.
"Hello boys."
They stopped dancing for half a second so that Remus could throw a wolfish grin at the pair.
"Hello Poppy."
The matron laughed as Remus came towards her, placing a soft kiss on her cheek. Sirius came round to Minerva's side and gave her hand a squeeze, not one to be left out.
"Do either of you two want a cuppa?"
Both men nodded, sensing that the two women needed time to themselves and retreated to the living room, waiting for permission to go and see their godson.
In the kitchen, Minerva switched the kettle on, pretending not to hear the sigh from her wife at her delight in finding another muggle item. Arms wrapped around her waist, hand clasping over her stomach and she felt Poppy lean her head against her back.
"Our children have children."
Minerva turned and to face her wife, pulling her close to her body.
"I think that means we're grandmothers now Darling."
"So, it does."