19 Years (HP - Drarry)

Chapter 51: Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow

A/N: This is it, you guys! Well, except for the follow-up one-shots that I hope to get to between working on my novel next month for nanowrimo. Thank you again for reading and commenting and giving me the motivation to complete this ambitious project. I love you all! <3

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Friday, June 29, 2018

Minerva McGonagall always got emotional on the last day of term, and this year was no exception. She'd had many years of practice at keeping her stoic mask in place, but, even so, she could feel it cracking on her face, pulling at the skin, like the heavily-caked stage-paint she'd worn in a play once, as a girl.

There was just something about the final day of term, full of endings, yes, but also the excitement of new beginnings. For the younger students, of spending summer vacation with their families and then returning to their friends a little older, a little taller; for the graduating 7th-years, the excitement of embarking on a new adventure, the whole world laid out before their eager feet; and, this year, for Minerva herself, standing at the threshold of a door marked "retirement" but still not quite sure she was ready to walk through it.

She smiled as she looked out over the Great Hall - packed like never before, with the parents of nearly every student involved in Neville's crazy Muggle Art Appreciation scheme. They were putting on the play tonight, before the End of Term Banquet, and the mood in the room was full of a jittery, bouncy anticipation. She caught Neville's eye as he entered the room, and offered him a congratulatory smile. Even if the play turned out to be a complete disaster, she was willing to concede his experiment a success. He grinned back at her, shooting her a quick thumb's up, then strode to the podium in the center of the stage - the Great Hall having obliged him by rearranging itself that afternoon - and clapped his hands for silence.

"Ladies, gentlemen, and everyone else," he began, "Students, professors, parents, staff - family and friends of Hogwarts - I am delighted to have you all here this evening. This is an historic occasion for this school, and this Headmaster. Without further ado, let me introduce to you the wonderful professors of this term's pilot Muggle Art Appreciation program - the first of its kind, I believe, in a Wizarding institution such as this. May I present: Ginny Potter, nee Weasley, Astoria Malfoy, nee Greengrass, Hermione Granger, Pansy Parkinson, Blaise Zabini, and the incomparable Luna Lovegood."

The audience cheered as they stood and waved, and then Ginny ran up and whispered in his ear, and he turned back to the microphone, grinning. "I have been informed," he said, "that our very own Professors Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy were instrumental in getting this project off the ground." He winked at her. "Would you boys come up here, please?"

They did, hand in hand, with much eye-rolling and identical wide grins.

Neville beamed at them. "I am also pleased to announce that Ginny and Astoria have accepted full Professor positions for next year, and that the others will be joining us frequently for seminars and guest lectures. And, now, without further ado, I will hand the microphone off to Professor... should I call you Potter or Weasley?"

She grinned. "Well, Potter would just confuse things, wouldn't it? I'll answer to Professor Weasley, I suppose. Tori?"

Astoria nodded at her. "Good thinking, Gin. I'll be Professor Greengrass, Headmaster, to avoid similar name confusion."

"Excellent. Professor Weasley, everyone."

Ginny accepted the microphone and bounced across the stage, holding it up and waving enthusiastically at the crowd. "Hi guys! My name's Ginny, and I - and my fellow Muggle Art Appreciation professors - are thrilled to welcome you to Hogwarts' first production of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet! But first —" she glanced over at the others, who nodded. "First I think Harry would like to say a few words."