Post by QuillofMinerva on Nov 1, 2005 6:02:52 GMT -5
A/n: This is a rather late response, I had started writing it as soon as the challenge was posted but then my muse left me and refused to come back. I know that this story will certainly have no chance of winning the challenge now but that’s not even why I wrote it so I don’t know why I am even saying this lol. I’ll shut up now and let you get on with reading the story! Enjoy!
Challenge 46 response: The Dinner Party
Albus glanced up at the large; overbearing grandfather clock that stood in the far left hand corner of Minerva McGonagall's living room and sighed to himself, time was ticking away quickly and Minerva still hadn't appeared out of the bathroom. She was never one to keep people waiting and so he couldn't imagine what was keeping her from them leaving on time for the dinner party they had been invited to. They had ten minutes to get to Mansfield House and get seated before they were late, from a previous experience; Albus knew that it didn’t go down well if you turned up late at Mansfield House.
"Minerva!" he called out "Are you okay sweetheart?"
"I'll be out in a minute!" came her answer through the door.
Albus couldn't help but smile; she had said that ten minutes and she still hadn't appeared. He couldn't remember a point in his life where he had been so happy. Five months ago, he had finally got the courage to tell his best friend that he loved her and to his surprise and delight, she had the same feelings for him as well. They had shared their first kiss that night and it was one he wasn't bound to ever forget. It had been a warm summer night and they had been walking around the lake together, her small hand resting on his arm and conversation had flowed well, like it always did. Thinking back, Albus couldn't remember what had made him blurt out his feelings to her but what ever it was; he was grateful because he ended up with the most beautiful witch he had ever known in his arms. They had kissed by the edge of the lake just as the sun was settling; it was so romantic with the birds singing in the background. It had been perfect and things had only gotten better, they had been on numerous dates, meals, the theatre, dancing, he had even managed to get her to agree to going to a muggle cinema to see a film a couple of times. Each date had been wonderful, nothing had gone wrong and had always ended with a deep, sensual kiss that could have led to more if Albus had let it but he had wanted to wait for the perfect moment. He was planning something for them both and it was going to be a surprise, he wanted it to be perfect for them both.
The bathroom door finally unlocked and Minerva appeared, wearing crimson dress robes that were more fitting than usual and a black fitted dress underneath it. Her hair was up in a French twist and she was wearing black elegant shoes. She looked breath taking and Albus stood from his chair and walked over to her, he took her hands in his and brought them up to his mouth, he placed soft kisses on them both before pulling her to him so he could kiss her on the lips.
"Sorry, I took my time," she said after the kiss had ended "I snagged my stocking and had to change it and then I snagged the other one and oh it was a nightmare!"
"It's okay darling," he reassured her "you look stunning, I do think I will be the envy of everyman at this meal."
"Albus, I doubt that but thank you for being lovely," she replied as she cupped his cheek with her hand and smiled "we had better get going otherwise we will be hexed severely!"
Albus nodded and led her out of the living room and into the other room where the fireplace was empty and connected to the floo network. Within a blink of an eye, they had arrived at the grand old house and had been greeted by the host and hostess. Albus squeezed Minerva’s hand, this was their first public outing as a couple and they were about to walk into a room full of important people and friends.
“Here we go my darling!” he whispered as he opened the door for her.
Minerva nodded and smiled, he could tell that she was nervous about their announcement because it would letting people into her private life and having to answer their questions but they had both decided that they wanted to tell their friends about them because the secret was putting strain upon them. They walked into the room and were greeted by about a dozen faces, all beaming and welcoming. Albus was aware of their greetings and was about to answer them when he suddenly felt a pair of arms snake around his neck and a pair of smooth lips brush against his lips. It took a moment to readjust to the situation and figure out who was greeting him in such away, he knew it could not be Minerva because she did not wear white musk.
“Albie Dumbledore!” gushed a voice, “Oh it’s been so long, too long!”
Realization dawned on him quickly and he took a step back, Glendora Singleton had returned to haunt him and she had to choose this night of all nights to appear. He peeled her arms from around his neck and then brushed his robes down, he glanced at Minerva who was stood beside him with uncertainly evident in her emerald green eyes.
“Glendora!” he greeted “Indeed it has been a long time!”
“Come, come you must sit beside me at dinner,” she continued to gush as her hand made its way up his chest “we have so much to talk about!”
He soon found himself ushered away from Minerva, he tried to hold back but Glendora was pulling him by the hand and he didn’t really want to make a scene in front of the whole room.
He managed to resist Glendora as she tried to urge him into the chair beside her and she looked completely annoyed when he choose to stand rather than sit.
“Albie, how am I to talk to you when you are standing and I am sitting,” she stated as she patted the seat “you wouldn’t want me to get a pain in my neck would you now?”
Albus wanted to tell her that she was being a pain in his neck, he looked across at Minerva who was now looking down at her feet and he knew that she would rather be anywhere than in this room right now. What annoyed him the most was that he couldn’t seem to get a word in edge ways and even if he could have, his brain didn’t seem to be connected with his brain, which left him defenceless.
“I did feel utterly terrible about the last time we saw each other Albie,” she said despite him not bothering to sit down “in my defence I will say that it only happened because I felt neglected!”
Albus felt a hand on his arm and looked to see that Minerva had come to stand beside him, she knew what Glendora had done to him twenty years ago and how she blamed him for her actions rather than herself. Albus and Glendora had dated for five years and there had even been talk of marriage at one point, the trouble was they both led very different lives and weren’t that suited in their private life. Glendora loved the attention and would not let Albus go despite the fact that she didn’t really care about him, with him she was classed as a somebody while without him, she was a nobody. Albus had thrown himself into his work, he spent less and less time with her and that was agreeable to both of them but he hadn’t expected to find her in bed with another man when he had come back early to surprise her.
“Neglect?” he questioned with a knowing smile “I can assure you that no neglect was intended Glendora but that is in the past and it does not do well to live in the past!”
“Yes you are correct,” she said her eyes lighting up “we learn from our mistakes and I would greatly like to make right with you Albie. You were my one true love after all, I was just blind to it back then!”
“Speaking of one true loves Glendora,” he said with a smile so bright it could light up the dark sky outside “I would like to introduce you to Minerva, the one who has shown me what true love is.”
“Excuse me?” chocked Glendora as she looked Minerva up and down “Her!”
Albus nodded and turned to press a soft kiss on Minerva’s temple to prove the point he had just made, he failed to notice the sour look upon his ex partners face but Minerva did not.
“You look like you swallowed a bee!” she stated “but then again, you always did have that sour look to your face! I suppose you can’t help it unless you use corrective charms but then even that, may not bring you much comfort!”
Albus looked at Minerva who was beaming brightly at him, she squeezed his hand back and blushed softly as he lifted her hand to his lips. They soon found themselves surrounded by their other friends who were wishing them luck and offering congratulations. Some friends where even bold enough to state that it was about time that they revealed their feelings for another. Glendora glared at the couple in front of her and left the room without saying a word, she was not going to be embarrassed further especially by the likes of Minerva McGonagall.
She deserved what she got. 
