Post by tartantabbycat on Aug 30, 2004 18:50:54 GMT -5
Captivity
Minerva held back a congested sneeze just long enough for Poppy to remove the thermometer from her mouth. Poppy cringed instinctively as her best friend sneezed and then sniffled.
“One hundred two degrees. Minerva McGonagall you are officially out with the flu!” Poppy announced.
“But Poppy,” Minerva replied, her congestion clouding her voice. “I can still teach, can’t I? The students will simply have to listen for once.”
“Absolutely not. As a matter of fact, both you and Albus should be quarantined until the bug goes away. I don’t need a school-wide epidemic! Every student in Gryffindor Tower would be in my hospital wing within a week!” Poppy groused.
“But Poppy, this could take a week or more!” Minerva moaned, flopping back onto the pillow of the bed she was sitting on.
“I hope Albus has a good substitute teacher list somewhere,” Poppy replied.
“But why Albus also? He has not so much as twitched in an ill manner in 30 years,” Minerva argued. Poppy wrote things on her clipboard as she replied, “If I’m not mistaken, you do still sleep beside him and that means he’s been exposed to it. I don’t know what delightful person in Hogsmeade gave you this flu, but anyone who has had any…direct contact…with you is in danger of getting it too.”
Minerva blew her nose and gave up. Gathering a tartan bag of her things, she allowed Poppy to escort her to the Room of Requirement. Inside was a large, luxuriously made bed and everything they would need in order to cough, sniffle, sneeze, ache and wheeze their way through a week with the flu. The only thing she didn’t see in the room was a dish of Albus’ favorite sweet: sherbet lemons. Minerva chuckled as she considered what it was going to be like to live with Albus when he was not under the influence of his favorite candy. Before she shut the door, Poppy added, “Not to burst your bubble, Minerva, but I’m afraid animagus transformation will be completely out of the question until you are well.”
“But!”
“No buts. Once you are both inside, I’m charming this door to not allow either of you out of the room. The house elves will make sure you have all of the food and drink you need, as well as a pain reliever potion with a fever reducer in it for you. Your temperature is really far too high,” Poppy said firmly. Minerva sat obediently on the bed and Poppy nodded shortly as she closed and locked the door. Fifteen minutes later, Albus joined her there.
“How are you feeling, dear?” he asked once they were alone.
“Congested, hot, and a little achy, but other than that, I’m bloody fine and there isn’t a decent reason in the wizarding world for us to be cooped up in this prison for a week!” Minerva growled. Albus fought a chuckle. She was definitely fine. Any illness that crossed the path of Minerva McGonagall was an illness in danger of extinction if her temper had any correlation with her immune system.
Albus shed his outer robe and joined Minerva near the bed saying, “Would you like a massage, my love? It may help your congestion and most certainly it would ease your muscle aches.” Minerva hardly considered this more than a minute before agreed. Aside from the obvious benefits of one of Albus’ massages, she was fairly certain where else the day could take them—and oh, did he ever take her there!
Minerva awoke two hours later, staring up at the ceiling in the late afternoon sunlight and her sinuses drained. Minerva rolled her eyes. If they had drained a while back she might have managed to derive even more pleasure from her husband’s ‘treatment’. As it was now, Albus lay beside her with his back to her, his long hair laying in ripples down his back. Too tired to suggest another session of his treatments, Minerva cuddled up beside him and went back to sleep.
Day1—
“It’s your move, Albus,” Minerva muttered.
“Ah yes…and if I take this pawn right here that means you kiss--”
“Just—just take the bloody pawn…”
*chuckling* “I do love you, Minerva,”
“Like I say, just take the pawn,”
Day 2—
“This country where magnificent and ancient Buddhist temples gaze out serenely over the restless nation was once known as Burma…”
“The answer is: What is Myanmar? Albus, I thought you said this program was a challenge?”
“When did they change the name of *that* country?”
*rolls eyes* “How did you get a muggle television set to work here anyway?”
“I took a class on non-electrical power sources as a younger wizard.”
*raises an eyebrow* “You took a class on…”
“Hush now, dear one, the show is on again and you and I are on a roll,”
Day 3—
“I spy with my little eye…”
“Probably not much with your myopia, Albus,”
“Really, Minerva, this grousing will not help your flu. Besides, Changing Rooms is on the tele if you should like to watch it with me.”
“Ridiculous. I’m going to take a nap.”
*raises an eyebrow* “I’ve been slightly drowsy all day. Might a humble old man take a nap with you?”
“Humble my hind foot.”
*chuckle* “I do believe you are starting to feel better, love of my life.”
*chuckles in return* “Crazy old man…”
Day 4—
“Have the house elves been on vacation? Honestly, this has lost all of its flavor,”
“No, my dear, I regret to inform you that you have officially contracted my flu virus at last.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
*snort-sniffle-cough* “I think I’m going back to bed, Minerva.”
*grinning slyly* “Would you like a massage, Albus?”
Day 5—
“Minerva, would you mind handing me a tissue?”
“Wait just a moment until the break. That Sean Connery fellow really is quite good….I’m sorry, what did you need again?”
*snort-sniffle* “Tissue…”
Day 6—
*takes a deep breath to still pounding heartbeat* “I do believe you are starting to feel better, Albus.”
“The same could be said for you, my dear.”
“Thank you.”
“Care for another go around to celebrate?”
“…Oh yes…”
Day 7—
On the afternoon of the seventh day, Poppy lifted the locking charm on the door and cautiously knocked. She hadn’t heard a peep out of Albus and Minerva all week even though she was certain she was going to have a fight on her hands about being locked away for so long. Poppy waited and then finally heard Minerva’s reply of, “Come in, Poppy, I know it’s you!”
When Poppy opened the door, Albus was helping Minerva back into her emerald green teaching robes. She straightened the collar and then turned to lean into Albus’ arms and kiss him as though Poppy were not even in the doorway.
“Well, I see the two of you have faired relatively well this week,” Poppy commented.
“Lovely,” Minerva replied.
“Simply divine. We’ll have to come down with something more often, Minerva. That was the most restful vacation I think we’ve had since our honeymoon,” Albus added.
“We had a honeymoon?” Minerva asked, looking Albus in the eye skeptically.
“Poppy, I do believe I’m beginning to feel faint again. I think another week off is in order,” Albus said, his blue eyes twinkling merrily as he locked eyes with Minerva.
“Oh, nom de dieu! See what I’ve created now!” Poppy cried, shaking her head as she stalked back down the hall to the hospital wing, leaving Albus and Minerva laughing in her wake.
Fin
Minerva held back a congested sneeze just long enough for Poppy to remove the thermometer from her mouth. Poppy cringed instinctively as her best friend sneezed and then sniffled.
“One hundred two degrees. Minerva McGonagall you are officially out with the flu!” Poppy announced.
“But Poppy,” Minerva replied, her congestion clouding her voice. “I can still teach, can’t I? The students will simply have to listen for once.”
“Absolutely not. As a matter of fact, both you and Albus should be quarantined until the bug goes away. I don’t need a school-wide epidemic! Every student in Gryffindor Tower would be in my hospital wing within a week!” Poppy groused.
“But Poppy, this could take a week or more!” Minerva moaned, flopping back onto the pillow of the bed she was sitting on.
“I hope Albus has a good substitute teacher list somewhere,” Poppy replied.
“But why Albus also? He has not so much as twitched in an ill manner in 30 years,” Minerva argued. Poppy wrote things on her clipboard as she replied, “If I’m not mistaken, you do still sleep beside him and that means he’s been exposed to it. I don’t know what delightful person in Hogsmeade gave you this flu, but anyone who has had any…direct contact…with you is in danger of getting it too.”
Minerva blew her nose and gave up. Gathering a tartan bag of her things, she allowed Poppy to escort her to the Room of Requirement. Inside was a large, luxuriously made bed and everything they would need in order to cough, sniffle, sneeze, ache and wheeze their way through a week with the flu. The only thing she didn’t see in the room was a dish of Albus’ favorite sweet: sherbet lemons. Minerva chuckled as she considered what it was going to be like to live with Albus when he was not under the influence of his favorite candy. Before she shut the door, Poppy added, “Not to burst your bubble, Minerva, but I’m afraid animagus transformation will be completely out of the question until you are well.”
“But!”
“No buts. Once you are both inside, I’m charming this door to not allow either of you out of the room. The house elves will make sure you have all of the food and drink you need, as well as a pain reliever potion with a fever reducer in it for you. Your temperature is really far too high,” Poppy said firmly. Minerva sat obediently on the bed and Poppy nodded shortly as she closed and locked the door. Fifteen minutes later, Albus joined her there.
“How are you feeling, dear?” he asked once they were alone.
“Congested, hot, and a little achy, but other than that, I’m bloody fine and there isn’t a decent reason in the wizarding world for us to be cooped up in this prison for a week!” Minerva growled. Albus fought a chuckle. She was definitely fine. Any illness that crossed the path of Minerva McGonagall was an illness in danger of extinction if her temper had any correlation with her immune system.
Albus shed his outer robe and joined Minerva near the bed saying, “Would you like a massage, my love? It may help your congestion and most certainly it would ease your muscle aches.” Minerva hardly considered this more than a minute before agreed. Aside from the obvious benefits of one of Albus’ massages, she was fairly certain where else the day could take them—and oh, did he ever take her there!
Minerva awoke two hours later, staring up at the ceiling in the late afternoon sunlight and her sinuses drained. Minerva rolled her eyes. If they had drained a while back she might have managed to derive even more pleasure from her husband’s ‘treatment’. As it was now, Albus lay beside her with his back to her, his long hair laying in ripples down his back. Too tired to suggest another session of his treatments, Minerva cuddled up beside him and went back to sleep.
Day1—
“It’s your move, Albus,” Minerva muttered.
“Ah yes…and if I take this pawn right here that means you kiss--”
“Just—just take the bloody pawn…”
*chuckling* “I do love you, Minerva,”
“Like I say, just take the pawn,”
Day 2—
“This country where magnificent and ancient Buddhist temples gaze out serenely over the restless nation was once known as Burma…”
“The answer is: What is Myanmar? Albus, I thought you said this program was a challenge?”
“When did they change the name of *that* country?”
*rolls eyes* “How did you get a muggle television set to work here anyway?”
“I took a class on non-electrical power sources as a younger wizard.”
*raises an eyebrow* “You took a class on…”
“Hush now, dear one, the show is on again and you and I are on a roll,”
Day 3—
“I spy with my little eye…”
“Probably not much with your myopia, Albus,”
“Really, Minerva, this grousing will not help your flu. Besides, Changing Rooms is on the tele if you should like to watch it with me.”
“Ridiculous. I’m going to take a nap.”
*raises an eyebrow* “I’ve been slightly drowsy all day. Might a humble old man take a nap with you?”
“Humble my hind foot.”
*chuckle* “I do believe you are starting to feel better, love of my life.”
*chuckles in return* “Crazy old man…”
Day 4—
“Have the house elves been on vacation? Honestly, this has lost all of its flavor,”
“No, my dear, I regret to inform you that you have officially contracted my flu virus at last.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
*snort-sniffle-cough* “I think I’m going back to bed, Minerva.”
*grinning slyly* “Would you like a massage, Albus?”
Day 5—
“Minerva, would you mind handing me a tissue?”
“Wait just a moment until the break. That Sean Connery fellow really is quite good….I’m sorry, what did you need again?”
*snort-sniffle* “Tissue…”
Day 6—
*takes a deep breath to still pounding heartbeat* “I do believe you are starting to feel better, Albus.”
“The same could be said for you, my dear.”
“Thank you.”
“Care for another go around to celebrate?”
“…Oh yes…”
Day 7—
On the afternoon of the seventh day, Poppy lifted the locking charm on the door and cautiously knocked. She hadn’t heard a peep out of Albus and Minerva all week even though she was certain she was going to have a fight on her hands about being locked away for so long. Poppy waited and then finally heard Minerva’s reply of, “Come in, Poppy, I know it’s you!”
When Poppy opened the door, Albus was helping Minerva back into her emerald green teaching robes. She straightened the collar and then turned to lean into Albus’ arms and kiss him as though Poppy were not even in the doorway.
“Well, I see the two of you have faired relatively well this week,” Poppy commented.
“Lovely,” Minerva replied.
“Simply divine. We’ll have to come down with something more often, Minerva. That was the most restful vacation I think we’ve had since our honeymoon,” Albus added.
“We had a honeymoon?” Minerva asked, looking Albus in the eye skeptically.
“Poppy, I do believe I’m beginning to feel faint again. I think another week off is in order,” Albus said, his blue eyes twinkling merrily as he locked eyes with Minerva.
“Oh, nom de dieu! See what I’ve created now!” Poppy cried, shaking her head as she stalked back down the hall to the hospital wing, leaving Albus and Minerva laughing in her wake.
Fin
