Once Upon A December

[Dewey]

All right, with a little nudge from Queen/Headmistress Lies, I've posted this challenge.

A songfic for Deanna Carter's "Once Upon A December". If you've never heard it, here's the lyrics:

Dancing babes, fainted wings,
Things I almost remember
And the song someone sings
Once upon a December

Someone holds me safe and warm
Horses branch through a silver storm
Figures dancing gracefully
Across my memory

Far away, long ago
Glowing dim as an ember
Things my heart used to know
Once upon a December



Someone holds me safe and warm
Horses branch through a silver storm
Figures dancing gracefully
Across my memory

Far away, long ago
Glowing dim as an ember
Things my heart used to know
Things it yearns to remember

And a song
Someone sings
Once upon a December

I look forward to reading it, and I'd be very much abliged if anyone wrote a songfic for it.

-Kathy

[BlazeFourPaws]

Normally I don’t like the wonder couple apart but for this song it is just too hard to not indulge myself and bring them together after years of forcing themselves to deny their own feelings. Here’s a try at the song fic. The second song is Too Ra Loo Ra Loo Ral That's An Irish Lullaby made popular in 1945 by Bing Crosby but a well known song long before that.

Minerva McGonagall found herself looking out of her window at the lightly falling snow and fighting off tears. She despised December more then any other month for the faint half memories it brought to torment her. Everyone always wondered why she drank so heavily at the Yule parties and feast including her closest friends. This year however she could not indulge her yearly fancy. She straightened her dress robes a final time and left her rooms to go to the great hall for the Yule feast. She walked down the stairs and saw the laughing students arm in arm and felt her own mood plummet. She had to step into an empty classroom and try to stop the tears that fell like rain as she was over come by memories of her own seventh year.

Dancing babes, fainted wings,
Things I almost remember
And the song someone sings
Once upon a December

“Oh Albus do you really want to dance with me? I mean it isn’t right is it? Surely you have someone else you’d prefer.”
“No Minerva I would very much like this dance. After all the head girl must dance with a teacher for at least half her dances. You also always provide insightful conversation.”
“I’d love to Albus if you are sure it is proper.”
“It is I checked with Armando myself. Now let me escort you to the floor.”
“Oh Albus…”
“This will be our song Minerva.”
“Albus this is wonderful.”
His voice was soft and mellow in her ear and caused laughter to bubble her lips and love to her heart. She never knew he knew muggle songs especially current hits. She listened contentedly to his soothing voice.
“Over in Killarney,
Many years ago,
Me mither sang a song to me
In tones so sweet and low.
Just a simple little ditty,
In her good ould Irish way,
And I'd give the world if she could sing
That song to me this day.
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral,
Too-ra-loo-ra-li,
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral,
Hush, now don't you cry!
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral,
Too-ra-loo-ra-li,
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral,
That's an Irish lullaby.
Oft, in dreams I wander
To that cot again,
I feel her arms a huggin' me
As when she held me then.
And I hear her voice a humin'
To me as in days or yore,
When she used to rock me fast asleep
Outside the cabin door.
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral,
Too-ra-loo-ra-li,
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral,
Hush, now don't you cry!
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral,
Too-ra-loo-ra-li,
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral,
That's an Irish lullaby.”

“Professor I’m Scottish.”
“Indeed you are Minerva indeed you are.”
“Let us take a walk.”
“But Professor the ball…”
“It will still be here when we return I want to show you something in the gardens something very special.”
“But it is so cold out.”
“I shall keep you warm but you must see the greatest show in Hogwarts.”

Someone holds me safe and warm
Horses branch through a silver storm
Figures dancing gracefully
Across my memory

His arms wrapped his cloak around her pressing her against his warm lean body as they walked completely in step with each other. She leaned her head on his shoulder and sighed happily as they came to a stop. Her voice was soft as she asked him what they were supposed to be seeing.
“Professor…”
“Call me Albus dear. Just watch the clearing.”
She saw the unicorns in the soft white snow and found her heart leaping at the very beauty their grace was. They moved in a courting dance so long practiced that its beauty sent chills into her bones that had nothing to do with the cold and all about the lust it caused. Her eyes met with the twinkling blue eyes of her beloved professor as he held her close and touched her cheek.
“Minerva I love you.”
“I love you too Albus. But we can’t have this relationship it isn’t proper. I wish it was but I can’t bring your reputation into question especially in these horrible times.”

Far away, long ago
Glowing dim as an ember
Things my heart used to know
Once upon a December

Minerva sobbed at the memory that had risen so unbidden from the locked chest of her soul. She wondered now why she had never asked for the relationship Albus had once offered so long ago. Friendship they had and one much deeper then most marriages but still she longed for more but still she would not harm his reputation. Now there was so much more at stake. She closed her eyes and pulled herself together and proceeded to the ball where she would sit and be polite and forget her own memories. Then tonight she would drink the pain away in her own yearly ritual. She found herself dancing and politely making small talk all night and trying to escape her own memories watching her little lions.
The night ended and Albus took her arm to escort her on a walk and she fought the urge to cuddle against him. He felt her shivering in the cold and wrapped his own cloak about her and their eyes met. Both smiled and Albus saw the tears that lay just below the surface. He wrapped his arms tighter around her and nodded to the clearing. She saw the unicorns and tears ran down her cold cheeks a scorching heat on the frozen night. It was so like that night so long ago.

Someone holds me safe and warm
Horses branch through a silver storm
Figures dancing gracefully
Across my memory

“Oh Minerva please don’t cry. I can’t stand to see you cry I never could. Please Minerva don’t cry please.”
“I’m sorry Albus I don’t know what’s come over me they are so beautiful.”
“Like you. Minerva I have waited so long to tell you this. I love you so much and wish you to be my wife. I have consulted with the books of Hogwarts bylaws and there is nothing in them that say the headmaster and the headmistress cannot be married. Please Minerva we have held our own feelings in check too long.”
“Albus if we marry we must not tell the school it would make the children nervous and maybe the board.”
“Say yes and we will do anything we must. But please marry me.”
“I will Albus I will. I have problems even trying to understand why I wouldn’t consent to the relationship the first time.”
Albus laughed and they went inside arm in arm close together under his cloak. Minerva snuggled against his shoulder and laid her head there fitting perfectly as she always had. They would be together after so many painful years of separation in the one way that mattered. As they walked a song faded with time seemed to wisp out of the past and the laughter of a young girl who teased her beloved that she was Scottish.

Far away, long ago
Glowing dim as an ember
Things my heart used to know
Things it yearns to remember

And a song
Someone sings
Once upon a December

[Jestana]

Oh, so sad! But so beautiful! Bravo!

[Sensiblyquirky]

so sad, but well done. I'm glad you let them get together in the end!

Christy

[griseldalafey]

Oh I love this song. Very sweet story, although I'm glad they got together in the end.

[Catwoman99]

A bit sad, but I'm glad they were finally able to be together at the end. Good job.

-April :-)

P.S. Sorry, but the perfectionist in me must say something. (I love that song!) There were just a few mistakes in the lyrics...it should be:

Dancing bears,
Painted wings
Things I almost remember
And a song someone sings
Once upon a December
Someone holds me safe and warm
Horses prance through a silver storm
Figures dancing gracefully
Across my memory...
Someone holds me safe and warm
Horses prance through a silver storm
Figures dancing gracefully
Across my memory...
Far away, long ago
Glowing dim as an ember,
Things my heart used to know,
Things it yearns to remember...
And a song someone sings
Once upon a December

[Dewey]

Yeah, I kind of screwed up the lyrics: sorry about that . Instead of being a good little girl and watching the movie to get the lyrics, I just used an internet site. I watched the movie a few days ago and realized the stupid mistake I made.

Haven't gotten to finish the fic yet, but it's good so far!

With Love,
Kathy.

[TabbyForever]

Awww that was really sad!!!
But so cute at the end!!!
I'm glad it ended on a happy note!!
Jem

[BlazeFourPaws]

That's what i get for only seeing anastasia once. ~Blaze

[amandahleigh]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE that song, first of all... And I really like what you did with the story, and how it all fit together...
Amandah

[QuillofMinerva]

Well I nearly missed this story and I am glad that I didnt!
It was such a sad story but I am so glad that you got them together in the end ;D

Well done