Post by Kamdra on Dec 13, 2004 2:00:49 GMT -5
Albus’ Birthday Surprise
Challenge #15
Minerva hurried to Albus’ office. Her meeting with him should have started ten minutes ago but she was running late. It was very unusual for her to be late for an appointment and she tried to think of a reason as she rushed. She couldn’t very well tell him she was trying to think of a birthday gift for him.
She mumbled the password and let herself into his office. She wasn’t completely surprised not to find him there. He had the attention span of a gnat at times and probably went back to his rooms. She knocked on the door to his sitting room. There was no response but she heard noises from within so she opened the door and peeked inside.
“Albus?” she called.
“Come on in, Minerva,” answered Albus from his bedroom.
Minerva crossed his sitting room and stood in the doorway of his bedroom. Her eyes widened at the sight in front of her. Albus was rummaging through boxes and pulling out clothing.
“What are you looking for?” she inquired.
“I thought I’d wear my blue socks with this outfit but I can’t find them.” Albus was wearing green and yellow robes with his garish purple boots. Why he thought blue would look good she was uncertain but Albus had a mind of his own when it came to clothing.
“Why not look in your drawers?” She looked around the room. Boxes were everywhere and she noticed the only furniture in the room was his bed and his bureau.
“Albus, you’ve been here for thirty years. Why are your things still in boxes?”
“I haven’t had the chance to unpack. I’m not good at picking out furniture. I’ll get around to it.” He picked up a blue pair of socks from the bottom of a box and held them to the light. “What do you think, too somber?”
“They’re perfect, Albus,” responded Minerva rolling her eyes.
Their meeting lasted until lunch, which they shared together in his office. Minerva kept glancing around his office looking for something to spark an idea in her mind. It was only as she laid her head to her pillow that night that she came up with an idea for a gift. She would decorate his room. She had wonderful decorating taste in her opinion.
She raced into Hogsmeade the very next day to look at furniture. The prices were far beyond her budget but then she remembered the house elf that delivered her things to her room asking her if she preferred one sofa or two in her sitting room. Hogwarts probably had lots of spare furniture.
She did buy a lovely mirror to hang above his bureau and had it delivered to her rooms at the castle. She had arranged for Alastor to meet Albus the morning of his birthday so she would have many hours to work. Alastor promised to keep Albus busy until after lunch.
Minerva with the help of three of Hogwarts house elves chose several pieces of furniture for his bedroom. They replaced his bed with a larger, grander one and added a comfortable chair and table. She found portraits in one of his boxes and hung them in his room. She hanged curtains and placed rugs on the floor. She unpacked every box and found a place for each item. She was especially pleased with the organization of his clothing. She had admired several items as she unpacked. One in particular caught her eye. A pocket watch similar to the one he carried was in a case. It was obviously very old and valuable. She wondered if it were an heirloom or perhaps a gift from a grandfather or even older ancestor. She tried to figure out the time on it but like the watch he carried, she had no clue. She reluctantly put it down and continued directing the elves.
She dismissed them just before lunch and hurried to her rooms. She ordered up a few sandwiches and pumpkin juice that she ate while lolling in the bathtub. She refused to admit to herself why she went to so much trouble for him. He was her dearest friend and she was not going to ruin the most important friendship of her life.
She dressed in velvet blue robes, brushed her hair out, and wore it down. Albus often commented that he wondered what her hair would look like if she wore it loose.
She paced the entry hall waiting for his arrival. It was nearly an hour later that he strolled through the double doors.
“Albus!”
“Minerva, are you waiting for me?”
“I have a birthday surprise for you.”
Albus’ eyebrows shot up and his face lit up. “A present?”
“Yes, now come on.” She grabbed an arm and pulled him towards the staircase. He eagerly caught on to the excitement she was obviously feeling and quickened his pace.
She led him directly into his sitting room.
“Now, close your eyes.” He complied and she led him carefully into his bedroom.
“Open your eyes, Albus.”
She watched as his eyes opened and a smile covered his features. He walked around his room examining the furniture and opening drawers.
“Thank you, Minerva. This is wonderful. Everything is in its place. You even found room for all my socks.”
“Yes, that was my greatest challenge.” She smiled back at him pleased that he was happy with the room.
“What did you do with my boxes?”
“I unpacked them. Look here.” She opened his closet and there were more drawers inside as well as shelves where many of his items were placed.
“Let’s have dinner. I’m starved,” announce Minerva.
Over roast beef and potatoes Albus kept praising her decorating skills and Minerva found herself blushing at the attention.
“Did you come across a pocket watch? Where did you put it?”
Minerva thought carefully. “I remember the watch. It was so lovely. Was it a heirloom?”
“My great-grandfather Arugulus Dumbledore bequeathed it to me. He was minister of magic from 1675 until 1690. I don’t mind telling you the watch is worth thousands of galleons.”
Minerva paled. She tried to think of where she placed it but drew a blank.
“Why don’t I go get it? You finish up,” she suggested. “It’s probably in one of three places.”
She left the table in his sitting room and entered his bedroom. She searched all the logical places hurriedly for a few minutes but came up empty. She was in a panic. She left the room on leaden feet.
Albus was sitting on the couch waiting for her.
“Albus…”
He turned his face towards her. He looked so content and carefree. Minerva hadn’t the heart to let him down but she couldn’t hide it much longer. She sat beside him and took his hand in hers. She was quiet for a moment and he kept his eyes on her.
“You look lovely tonight, Minerva, although you look lovely every night.”
“Thank you, Albus.” She looked into his eyes. They were twinkling brightly. Taking a deep breath she began.
“I wanted to tell you something,” she began.
“I want to tell you something too,” he smiled and brought his hand to her face. He caressed her cheek gently. “I’ve wanted to…” but her lips on his stopped his words.
She kissed him with her whole heart. His caress had been so gentle, so loving that she was sure he felt more than friendship for her and it gave her the courage to kiss him passionately.
The kiss lasted for several minutes.
“How long?” he asked. She immediately knew what he meant.
“I don’t know. I just know I’ve wanted more than friendship for some time.”
They continued kissing and touching until his desire for her was pressed into her stomach. She placed her hand over his clothes and stroked him until he groaned. He picked her up and carried her into his room where he slowly and leisurely made love to her.
Minerva pulled the sheets over their bodies and placed a kiss on his nose. “There’s something I didn’t tell you before.”
“I love you too, Minerva.”
He reached to pull her closer and the sheet slipped lower. Desire darkened his eyes again and he began kissing her breasts. He made his way down her body until she was squirming and writhing.
“Ooh Albus,” she cried.
He popped his head up from beneath the sheets. “Yes dear?”
“I need to tell you about your pocket watch,” she began.
“This one,” he said holding the watch up in his hand.
“Where did you find it?”
“It was between the sheets.” He rubbed his hand between her legs. “I knew there was buried treasure in here.”
“Albus!”
He grinned devilishly and slid beneath the sheets again.
“Albus!”
Challenge #15
Minerva hurried to Albus’ office. Her meeting with him should have started ten minutes ago but she was running late. It was very unusual for her to be late for an appointment and she tried to think of a reason as she rushed. She couldn’t very well tell him she was trying to think of a birthday gift for him.
She mumbled the password and let herself into his office. She wasn’t completely surprised not to find him there. He had the attention span of a gnat at times and probably went back to his rooms. She knocked on the door to his sitting room. There was no response but she heard noises from within so she opened the door and peeked inside.
“Albus?” she called.
“Come on in, Minerva,” answered Albus from his bedroom.
Minerva crossed his sitting room and stood in the doorway of his bedroom. Her eyes widened at the sight in front of her. Albus was rummaging through boxes and pulling out clothing.
“What are you looking for?” she inquired.
“I thought I’d wear my blue socks with this outfit but I can’t find them.” Albus was wearing green and yellow robes with his garish purple boots. Why he thought blue would look good she was uncertain but Albus had a mind of his own when it came to clothing.
“Why not look in your drawers?” She looked around the room. Boxes were everywhere and she noticed the only furniture in the room was his bed and his bureau.
“Albus, you’ve been here for thirty years. Why are your things still in boxes?”
“I haven’t had the chance to unpack. I’m not good at picking out furniture. I’ll get around to it.” He picked up a blue pair of socks from the bottom of a box and held them to the light. “What do you think, too somber?”
“They’re perfect, Albus,” responded Minerva rolling her eyes.
Their meeting lasted until lunch, which they shared together in his office. Minerva kept glancing around his office looking for something to spark an idea in her mind. It was only as she laid her head to her pillow that night that she came up with an idea for a gift. She would decorate his room. She had wonderful decorating taste in her opinion.
She raced into Hogsmeade the very next day to look at furniture. The prices were far beyond her budget but then she remembered the house elf that delivered her things to her room asking her if she preferred one sofa or two in her sitting room. Hogwarts probably had lots of spare furniture.
She did buy a lovely mirror to hang above his bureau and had it delivered to her rooms at the castle. She had arranged for Alastor to meet Albus the morning of his birthday so she would have many hours to work. Alastor promised to keep Albus busy until after lunch.
Minerva with the help of three of Hogwarts house elves chose several pieces of furniture for his bedroom. They replaced his bed with a larger, grander one and added a comfortable chair and table. She found portraits in one of his boxes and hung them in his room. She hanged curtains and placed rugs on the floor. She unpacked every box and found a place for each item. She was especially pleased with the organization of his clothing. She had admired several items as she unpacked. One in particular caught her eye. A pocket watch similar to the one he carried was in a case. It was obviously very old and valuable. She wondered if it were an heirloom or perhaps a gift from a grandfather or even older ancestor. She tried to figure out the time on it but like the watch he carried, she had no clue. She reluctantly put it down and continued directing the elves.
She dismissed them just before lunch and hurried to her rooms. She ordered up a few sandwiches and pumpkin juice that she ate while lolling in the bathtub. She refused to admit to herself why she went to so much trouble for him. He was her dearest friend and she was not going to ruin the most important friendship of her life.
She dressed in velvet blue robes, brushed her hair out, and wore it down. Albus often commented that he wondered what her hair would look like if she wore it loose.
She paced the entry hall waiting for his arrival. It was nearly an hour later that he strolled through the double doors.
“Albus!”
“Minerva, are you waiting for me?”
“I have a birthday surprise for you.”
Albus’ eyebrows shot up and his face lit up. “A present?”
“Yes, now come on.” She grabbed an arm and pulled him towards the staircase. He eagerly caught on to the excitement she was obviously feeling and quickened his pace.
She led him directly into his sitting room.
“Now, close your eyes.” He complied and she led him carefully into his bedroom.
“Open your eyes, Albus.”
She watched as his eyes opened and a smile covered his features. He walked around his room examining the furniture and opening drawers.
“Thank you, Minerva. This is wonderful. Everything is in its place. You even found room for all my socks.”
“Yes, that was my greatest challenge.” She smiled back at him pleased that he was happy with the room.
“What did you do with my boxes?”
“I unpacked them. Look here.” She opened his closet and there were more drawers inside as well as shelves where many of his items were placed.
“Let’s have dinner. I’m starved,” announce Minerva.
Over roast beef and potatoes Albus kept praising her decorating skills and Minerva found herself blushing at the attention.
“Did you come across a pocket watch? Where did you put it?”
Minerva thought carefully. “I remember the watch. It was so lovely. Was it a heirloom?”
“My great-grandfather Arugulus Dumbledore bequeathed it to me. He was minister of magic from 1675 until 1690. I don’t mind telling you the watch is worth thousands of galleons.”
Minerva paled. She tried to think of where she placed it but drew a blank.
“Why don’t I go get it? You finish up,” she suggested. “It’s probably in one of three places.”
She left the table in his sitting room and entered his bedroom. She searched all the logical places hurriedly for a few minutes but came up empty. She was in a panic. She left the room on leaden feet.
Albus was sitting on the couch waiting for her.
“Albus…”
He turned his face towards her. He looked so content and carefree. Minerva hadn’t the heart to let him down but she couldn’t hide it much longer. She sat beside him and took his hand in hers. She was quiet for a moment and he kept his eyes on her.
“You look lovely tonight, Minerva, although you look lovely every night.”
“Thank you, Albus.” She looked into his eyes. They were twinkling brightly. Taking a deep breath she began.
“I wanted to tell you something,” she began.
“I want to tell you something too,” he smiled and brought his hand to her face. He caressed her cheek gently. “I’ve wanted to…” but her lips on his stopped his words.
She kissed him with her whole heart. His caress had been so gentle, so loving that she was sure he felt more than friendship for her and it gave her the courage to kiss him passionately.
The kiss lasted for several minutes.
“How long?” he asked. She immediately knew what he meant.
“I don’t know. I just know I’ve wanted more than friendship for some time.”
They continued kissing and touching until his desire for her was pressed into her stomach. She placed her hand over his clothes and stroked him until he groaned. He picked her up and carried her into his room where he slowly and leisurely made love to her.
Minerva pulled the sheets over their bodies and placed a kiss on his nose. “There’s something I didn’t tell you before.”
“I love you too, Minerva.”
He reached to pull her closer and the sheet slipped lower. Desire darkened his eyes again and he began kissing her breasts. He made his way down her body until she was squirming and writhing.
“Ooh Albus,” she cried.
He popped his head up from beneath the sheets. “Yes dear?”
“I need to tell you about your pocket watch,” she began.
“This one,” he said holding the watch up in his hand.
“Where did you find it?”
“It was between the sheets.” He rubbed his hand between her legs. “I knew there was buried treasure in here.”
“Albus!”
He grinned devilishly and slid beneath the sheets again.
“Albus!”
Wonderful challenge response
