Post by maritelske on Jan 2, 2007 0:17:59 GMT -5
With thanks to minniequill for reading over this for me, and for being a large inspiration in getting it written.
Rating: PG (rating to go up in consequent chapters)
Summary: Minerva is engaged to another, but the past is not so easily forgotten.
LOOKING FORWARD TO THE PAST
Leave me out with the waste
This is not what I do
It's the wrong kind of place
To be thinking of you
It's the wrong time
For somebody new
It's a small crime
And I've got no excuse
[Damien Rice, 9 Crimes]
“Hello, Albus”
Her voice was soft, quiet. But he could recognise it anywhere.
“Minerva” Lifting his eyes off the stack of papers a top of his desk, he looked up at the determined witch before him.
Albus Dumbledore had not found himself so lost for words in ten years, since the last time he had seen her.
She had been seventeen then – merely a girl. But she had been so much more than a girl to him, though it could never go any further. At her graduation ball, he had danced with her for the last time. She had been impossibly beautiful then and time had not changed a thing.
Now, she left him quite breathless.
“Long time, no see” Minerva gave a small smile, waving her hands around his office as if searching for something – anything – to take her mind off the way he was looking at her, “This place has grown since I was here last. Or perhaps you just have more things in it”
“The later, I believe” The deputy headmaster of Hogwarts smiled warmly as he stood to greet his ex student as he should have in the first place, “You look very well Minerva”
“Thankyou. You look tired, I must say. But I imagine that is the new work load?”
“Yes, of course” Albus nodded his head as he sat on the side of his desk, marvelling at her honesty. She twisted her hands nervously before him, and he wondered where her courage had gone.
That last time they had seen each other; she had been in his arms as they danced. He had wished her every happiness – and tears had filled her eyes.
What Albus had dreamt of during her student days had been impossible, immoral. He had never acted on his feelings and sometimes Minerva had wished he were less noble.
But she had graduated, and left him behind – training to become an auror in her own way, busying herself with life in a desperate attempt to forget her professor.
Life seemed to have escaped her, and somehow the years had washed away without her ever having contacted him. They had grown apart, though that had not stopped her thinking of him any less.
She would be doing the dishes – or something equally as mundane – and would remember something he had said. In those moments, Minerva would smile to herself – remembering the schoolgirl crush she had held for the bewitching Professor with bright, blue eyes.
“And you, I hear – fame, glory” Albus repeated the words he had read in the Daily Prophet only yesterday.
“Ah, it is all nonsense” She said with an idle wave of her hands, “I had no idea what nonsense it all was, but... well, there you have it”
“I doubt it is nonsense, Minerva. You worked hard to become an auror”
“Yes” She agreed, and then smiled to remember the past, “I could not have done it without your help”
“I believe you could have” His words were painfully elusive, as always, but that was Albus – and Minerva had grown to learn his ways, “You are an extraordinary witch Minerva”
“You are no squib yourself” She said with a wry smile, twisting her hands together once more. He could tell, simply by the way she stood, that there was something she was longing to say.
It had been over a decade, but he had not forgotten what she was like.
“So, tell me Minerva – what have you been up to?”
He wanted to hear that she had thought of him constantly, that she had missed him. Not for his own ego, but because he had thought her everyday. Every single day for ten years, he had pondered over what could have been. His pensieve was full of hopeless thoughts of her, and sometimes he found himself quite lost within them.
“Besides from being an auror?”
“Besides from that, yes”
“Oh, well... my brother died”
“I did read that. I am sorry. I sent an owl...”
“Yes” She raised an eyebrow, ostensibly so she could determine if he truly did care, “Thankyou”
“I am sorry I did not do more”
She shook her head in the negative, now admiring a golden orb that was perched on his desk. It was her way of signalling the end of the conversation, and he chose to change the subject.
“And your mother?”
“Just as meddlesome as ever”
“And rightly so. Her youngest daughter as an auror, I doubt not a day has gone past when she didn’t worry about you”
“And you, in life?”
“I am quite content. Deputy Headmaster, as you see”
“Yes” Minerva smiled, tracing her hand along the wooden mahogany of his desk – admiring his beautiful handwriting on the parchments that lay strewn across the piece of furniture, “Albus, did you ever think of marrying?”
“Of marrying?” He looked confused – his forehead creased with lines.
“I mean, have you... well, you are seeing someone? There is someone in your life?”
“No, there is no one”
“You haven’t found the right person?” She asked, trying to hard her shock.
He wanted to say that he had found the right person, that she stood before him now as beautiful as ever. That she had captivated his heart all those years ago and that he kept her graduation photo in the depths of his desk drawers.
Instead, he shook his head once more.
“I find it hard to find time even for myself at the moment. With Grindelwald and...” His voice trailed off, and she struggled to determine if perhaps there had not been a tinge of sadness in his words, “And you, in love?”
“Albus, I – ”
“ – Albus!” Armando Dippet’s voice broke her words as he rapped on the door lightly. Minerva spun around in frustration and Albus sighed heavily.
“One minute” He promised her as he went to answer the door to the headmaster, “Hello Armando. You remember Miss McGonagall?”
“Yes, yes – of course. Hello dear” The headmaster smiled warmly at her, shaking her hand as he did so, “You are looking very well”
“Thankyou sir”
There was an awkward silence as Armando assessed the situation before him. He was surprised to see Minerva back, particularly in his deputy headmaster’s office. But instead of saying something, he held his tongue and asked Albus whatever it was he had come for.
“Just the parchments, Albus... Ah, there they are. Yes, thankyou very much” The headmaster smiled warmly again and then bid them both goodbye, leaving the office in somewhat a hurry.
“I am sorry, he has shocking timing”
“No, that’s fine” Minerva smiled, her hands now hanging hopelessly beside her.
“You were saying?”
“Um, yes...” She looked as though she were battling with her own self, torn between telling him or keeping it has a secret, “Albus, I have met someone”
His eyes met hers, and for a moment – he was sure that he had seen regret fill them. It quickly disappeared however and Albus was suddenly aware that she was waiting for him to say something.
“He is everything I could hope for. He... well, he looks after me” Minerva explained, rather despondently, as though she had nothing else to say. As though she was trying to convince even herself that this man was the right one for her.
“I am very happy for you Minerva”
“Thankyou” She whispered, trying desperately not to meet his eyes for fear that he would soon uncover her secrets, “We are engaged Albus. We will be married by October”
“October?” He was obviously doing the maths in his head, “In seven weeks?”
“Yes” Minerva nodded, finding herself quite devoid of the Gryffindor courage she had always possessed.
“And who is the lucky man?”
“Keiran McAullay. He is – ”
“ – On the Wizengamot, yes”
“You know of him?”
“I know Keiran well” His voice was heavy; he suddenly seemed more tired than beforehand.
“You must come to the wedding Albus. I would not wish for anyone else to be there more than yourself. You taught me so much”
“I was your professor, Minerva. That was my job”
“Yes, but – ”
“ – You do not give yourself enough credit”
“Please say you will come”
“Of course I will be there” He assured her, though as soon as he spoke the words – he wished he hadn’t. He could not bear the thought of seeing Minerva with another, least of all as someone else’s bride.
“Thankyou, Albus. I am... well, I had better get going. You look as though you have a lot to get through” She gestured to the stack of parchments which still remained on his desk and the deputy headmaster nodded his head just once.
“It was good to see you”
“You too” She smiled, extending her hand, “It is always good to see you”
And with that, she left his office.
Rating: PG (rating to go up in consequent chapters)
Summary: Minerva is engaged to another, but the past is not so easily forgotten.
LOOKING FORWARD TO THE PAST
Leave me out with the waste
This is not what I do
It's the wrong kind of place
To be thinking of you
It's the wrong time
For somebody new
It's a small crime
And I've got no excuse
[Damien Rice, 9 Crimes]
“Hello, Albus”
Her voice was soft, quiet. But he could recognise it anywhere.
“Minerva” Lifting his eyes off the stack of papers a top of his desk, he looked up at the determined witch before him.
Albus Dumbledore had not found himself so lost for words in ten years, since the last time he had seen her.
She had been seventeen then – merely a girl. But she had been so much more than a girl to him, though it could never go any further. At her graduation ball, he had danced with her for the last time. She had been impossibly beautiful then and time had not changed a thing.
Now, she left him quite breathless.
“Long time, no see” Minerva gave a small smile, waving her hands around his office as if searching for something – anything – to take her mind off the way he was looking at her, “This place has grown since I was here last. Or perhaps you just have more things in it”
“The later, I believe” The deputy headmaster of Hogwarts smiled warmly as he stood to greet his ex student as he should have in the first place, “You look very well Minerva”
“Thankyou. You look tired, I must say. But I imagine that is the new work load?”
“Yes, of course” Albus nodded his head as he sat on the side of his desk, marvelling at her honesty. She twisted her hands nervously before him, and he wondered where her courage had gone.
That last time they had seen each other; she had been in his arms as they danced. He had wished her every happiness – and tears had filled her eyes.
What Albus had dreamt of during her student days had been impossible, immoral. He had never acted on his feelings and sometimes Minerva had wished he were less noble.
But she had graduated, and left him behind – training to become an auror in her own way, busying herself with life in a desperate attempt to forget her professor.
Life seemed to have escaped her, and somehow the years had washed away without her ever having contacted him. They had grown apart, though that had not stopped her thinking of him any less.
She would be doing the dishes – or something equally as mundane – and would remember something he had said. In those moments, Minerva would smile to herself – remembering the schoolgirl crush she had held for the bewitching Professor with bright, blue eyes.
“And you, I hear – fame, glory” Albus repeated the words he had read in the Daily Prophet only yesterday.
“Ah, it is all nonsense” She said with an idle wave of her hands, “I had no idea what nonsense it all was, but... well, there you have it”
“I doubt it is nonsense, Minerva. You worked hard to become an auror”
“Yes” She agreed, and then smiled to remember the past, “I could not have done it without your help”
“I believe you could have” His words were painfully elusive, as always, but that was Albus – and Minerva had grown to learn his ways, “You are an extraordinary witch Minerva”
“You are no squib yourself” She said with a wry smile, twisting her hands together once more. He could tell, simply by the way she stood, that there was something she was longing to say.
It had been over a decade, but he had not forgotten what she was like.
“So, tell me Minerva – what have you been up to?”
He wanted to hear that she had thought of him constantly, that she had missed him. Not for his own ego, but because he had thought her everyday. Every single day for ten years, he had pondered over what could have been. His pensieve was full of hopeless thoughts of her, and sometimes he found himself quite lost within them.
“Besides from being an auror?”
“Besides from that, yes”
“Oh, well... my brother died”
“I did read that. I am sorry. I sent an owl...”
“Yes” She raised an eyebrow, ostensibly so she could determine if he truly did care, “Thankyou”
“I am sorry I did not do more”
She shook her head in the negative, now admiring a golden orb that was perched on his desk. It was her way of signalling the end of the conversation, and he chose to change the subject.
“And your mother?”
“Just as meddlesome as ever”
“And rightly so. Her youngest daughter as an auror, I doubt not a day has gone past when she didn’t worry about you”
“And you, in life?”
“I am quite content. Deputy Headmaster, as you see”
“Yes” Minerva smiled, tracing her hand along the wooden mahogany of his desk – admiring his beautiful handwriting on the parchments that lay strewn across the piece of furniture, “Albus, did you ever think of marrying?”
“Of marrying?” He looked confused – his forehead creased with lines.
“I mean, have you... well, you are seeing someone? There is someone in your life?”
“No, there is no one”
“You haven’t found the right person?” She asked, trying to hard her shock.
He wanted to say that he had found the right person, that she stood before him now as beautiful as ever. That she had captivated his heart all those years ago and that he kept her graduation photo in the depths of his desk drawers.
Instead, he shook his head once more.
“I find it hard to find time even for myself at the moment. With Grindelwald and...” His voice trailed off, and she struggled to determine if perhaps there had not been a tinge of sadness in his words, “And you, in love?”
“Albus, I – ”
“ – Albus!” Armando Dippet’s voice broke her words as he rapped on the door lightly. Minerva spun around in frustration and Albus sighed heavily.
“One minute” He promised her as he went to answer the door to the headmaster, “Hello Armando. You remember Miss McGonagall?”
“Yes, yes – of course. Hello dear” The headmaster smiled warmly at her, shaking her hand as he did so, “You are looking very well”
“Thankyou sir”
There was an awkward silence as Armando assessed the situation before him. He was surprised to see Minerva back, particularly in his deputy headmaster’s office. But instead of saying something, he held his tongue and asked Albus whatever it was he had come for.
“Just the parchments, Albus... Ah, there they are. Yes, thankyou very much” The headmaster smiled warmly again and then bid them both goodbye, leaving the office in somewhat a hurry.
“I am sorry, he has shocking timing”
“No, that’s fine” Minerva smiled, her hands now hanging hopelessly beside her.
“You were saying?”
“Um, yes...” She looked as though she were battling with her own self, torn between telling him or keeping it has a secret, “Albus, I have met someone”
His eyes met hers, and for a moment – he was sure that he had seen regret fill them. It quickly disappeared however and Albus was suddenly aware that she was waiting for him to say something.
“He is everything I could hope for. He... well, he looks after me” Minerva explained, rather despondently, as though she had nothing else to say. As though she was trying to convince even herself that this man was the right one for her.
“I am very happy for you Minerva”
“Thankyou” She whispered, trying desperately not to meet his eyes for fear that he would soon uncover her secrets, “We are engaged Albus. We will be married by October”
“October?” He was obviously doing the maths in his head, “In seven weeks?”
“Yes” Minerva nodded, finding herself quite devoid of the Gryffindor courage she had always possessed.
“And who is the lucky man?”
“Keiran McAullay. He is – ”
“ – On the Wizengamot, yes”
“You know of him?”
“I know Keiran well” His voice was heavy; he suddenly seemed more tired than beforehand.
“You must come to the wedding Albus. I would not wish for anyone else to be there more than yourself. You taught me so much”
“I was your professor, Minerva. That was my job”
“Yes, but – ”
“ – You do not give yourself enough credit”
“Please say you will come”
“Of course I will be there” He assured her, though as soon as he spoke the words – he wished he hadn’t. He could not bear the thought of seeing Minerva with another, least of all as someone else’s bride.
“Thankyou, Albus. I am... well, I had better get going. You look as though you have a lot to get through” She gestured to the stack of parchments which still remained on his desk and the deputy headmaster nodded his head just once.
“It was good to see you”
“You too” She smiled, extending her hand, “It is always good to see you”
And with that, she left his office.
Nice coincidence.
?
