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“Minerva, we have to stop meeting like this.”
Poppy Pomfrey, a 6th year Hufflepuff student at Hogwarts, sighed as she saw who was standing in the doorway of the hospital wing. It was her friend (and crush) Minerva McGonagall, also in 6th year but in Gryffindor, and more importantly her friend who was a Chaser for the Gryffindor Quidditch team.
Poppy’s eyes roamed along Minerva’s body assessing what abuse her friend had put it through, during one of the last-minute practices, before the upcoming game against Ravenclaw for the Quidditch Cup. Poppy shook her head as she noticed the way Minerva was holding her arm and beckoned her onto one of the hospital beds.
“You know Pops, you helping the Matron has really come in handy.” Minerva hopped onto the bed and smiled at Poppy who rolled her eyes.
“For your information Minnie, I didn’t decide to help the Matron just so I could personally tend to your and Roland’s Quidditch injuries, or any other injuries our friends gain from any of their silly shenanigans.”
“Correction, our silly shenanigans.” Minerva smiled.
“That point is debateable...” Poppy muttered under her breath having finished her assessment of Minnie’s arm, she noted that somehow during this training session that Minnie’s arm had been twisted in such a way that made it swell and cause discomfort.
“Gimme a minute.” Poppy said before walking away from Minerva, who’s smile was entirely too charming in Poppy’s opinion, to find the potion she needed to help her.
Poppy originally started healing students, especially those in the lower years, because her mother worked as a muggle Nurse and healing had always been interesting to her. In fact, when Poppy was first told that magic existed, she was enthralled by the contrasts and similarities between muggle and wizarding medial practices. Poppy remembers fondly that she started off only healing her friends but by the time 3rd year came about she was known around the school as a kind face one could turn to if they found the Matron too frightening. Eventually, Poppy’s head of house took her aside and while praising her for her work said that it was better if she helped others under the Matron’s supervision.
Poppy having found the potion she needed walked back to Minerva and pulled out her wand, “Now Minnie drink this and I’ll do one more assessment and I’ll send you on your way.”
Gulping down the potion and allowing Poppy to look her over once more Minerva smiled at her friend, “You know Pops sometimes I wonder what I would without you, you’re a true friend.”
And that’s the thing, to Minerva those words are showing her appreciation to Poppy in a way any friend would. But to Poppy, well…she was blushing for starters, she knew that Minerva always finds a way to fluster her without really meaning to, with her sincere words and soft smiles. But they were just friends and that made it so much more complicated. Poppy noticed that she might have developed a crush on Minnie sometime last year, she can’t really recall how it happened, just one day she found herself staring at her and thinking about how good it felt to make her smile or laugh. Poppy was proud of the fact that whenever Minnie and herself hang out together, Minnie’s eyes sparkled just that little bit brighter. There was also the fact that out of anyone in their friend group Minerva only allowed Poppy to call her Minnie.
While all this to anyone else would point to the fact that maybe Minerva also had a crush on Poppy, it was too much of a risk. To Poppy, Minerva’s friendship meant so much to her and if she messed it all up by confessing then…it just wasn’t worth it.
“Right then Minnie, the swelling should start going down soon, and though I’m going to suggest that you rest it before Friday’s game, I doubt that you will.”
“Aye Pops you wound me; I thought you knew me better than that. Of course, I’m gonna rest it tonight, I can’t go against your orders.” With a wink and a smile Minerva was making her way out of the hospital wing, but she hesitated, “Oh and Pops…you’ll be at my game right, in the stands, cheering me on?”
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
Minerva beamed, “Nice, at breakfast before the game I’ll give you my jumper, just to make sure that you’re all deck out in Gryffindor colours. And I’d like to personally invite you as my plus one to the after party that will be happening after we win.”
“Always so confidence aren’t we Minerva. And I would be honoured to be your plus one at the afterparty.” With Poppy’s answer Minerva practically skipped from the wing back to her common room, leaving behind a positively flustered Poppy in her wake.
The Gryffindor team did in fact win the Quidditch Cup. Purely in the rush of the moment, Minerva kissed Poppy’s check as her team did their victory lap around the pitch and once off her broom Poppy flung herself in Minerva’s arm. The afterparty was a great success and compared to previous celebrations the state of Gryffindor tower was salvageable. And Minerva’s jumper somehow found a new home in a certain Hufflepuff’s closet.