Post by ginger newts on Nov 29, 2005 20:33:40 GMT -5
Challenge 49: An Early Night
Summary: Albus and Minerva sneak out of the Yule Ball early.
Rating: 13+ I suppose
A/N: I noticed in the film, when they showed shots toward the end of the ball, neither Albus nor Minerva was still in the Great Hall. My first thought was “teehee, they snuck off to bed early.” Thus, this story.
Oh, and major fluff warning.
The Yule Ball was in full swing, students dancing in a sweaty mob to the tunes of The Weird Sisters and staff standing around the edge of the dance floor watching for unruly behaviour. Minerva McGonagall was about to make her way around the crowd to the drinks table when she felt a hand on her back. Turning slightly, she smiled up at the man now standing beside her.
“Where have you been?” she asked. “I haven’t seen you for nearly an hour.”
Albus’ blue eyes twinkled in the candlelight as he smiled mysteriously. “I slipped away for a bit, to check on something elsewhere in the castle.”
Minerva gave him a curious look, but decided not to ask. “Well, I was just going to get a drink. Would you like to accompany me?”
“Of course.” Albus slipped his arm through Minerva’s and led the way to the drinks table on the other side of the Great Hall, which tonight resembled and ice cave. “The ball is going very well, don’t you think?”
“Mmm, the students seem to be enjoying themselves,” Minerva answered. She poured herself a glass of punch and turned to survey the room again. “Well, most of them anyway,” she added after seeing Harry Potter and Ron Weasley sitting at a table alone looking mopey.
Albus followed her gaze and frowned as he saw the two miserable looking young men. “I wonder what could be bothering them tonight,” he mused.
“I believe the girls they would have liked to bring are here with other young men,” Minerva answered with a knowing smile. “Or perhaps Mr. Weasley’s robes are keeping him from enjoying the evening.”
Albus chuckled. “It looks like he tried to make some improvements on his own. I can understand the boy’s trouble, I was never much at sewing charms in my youth.”
“In your youth?” Minerva exclaimed. “You’re still hopeless at sewing charms. I can’t count the number of times you’ve come to me with a button that’s fallen off something, or a ripped hem line that needs stitching.”
“Yes, well.” Albus coughed and changed the subject. “I believe the band is going to take a break shortly and then we’ll have a few more slow dances. Could I perhaps entice you to dance with me again?”
Minerva pretended to give the matter serious consideration before nodding her agreement.
As Albus had promised, The Weird Sisters left the stage for a short break after the next song and to fill the silence a recording of waltz music began to play. Albus took Minerva by the hand and led her back onto the dance floor, which was quickly cleared of half the crowd. His arm easily found its way around Minerva’s slender waist and pulled her close, though not as close as he would have liked. As they danced, Albus could hear Minerva softly humming the tune under her breath, probably completely unaware that she was doing so. He let her carry on for a time, content to enjoy the soft melody, but then he interrupted.
“It’s nearly midnight,” he observed casually. “I know the ball is supposed to end then, but the students are having such a nice time I thought we’d let them carry on.”
Minerva looked up in surprise. “That’s a lovely thought, Albus, but I don’t want to stay here until all hours waiting on the last stragglers to go to bed.”
“Ah, but you won’t have to, my dear. I’ve already spoken to some of the other staff and a few are willing to remain later than anticipated. Hagrid and Madame Maxime especially seemed keen to remain at the ball.” He grinned.
Minerva smiled. “They do seem to be enjoying themselves, possibly more than the students.”
“Yes,” Albus murmured, not at all thinking about the gamekeeper and his partner. His thumb began tracing small circles on Minerva’s back. “So, we can leave the students in their hands and adjourn to our rooms. Though I hope you won’t be quite ready for sleep yet.”
“Just what might you be planning, Professor Dumbledore?”
“All we be revealed in due time, Professor McGonagall,” he answered with a chuckle. “Whenever you’re ready to leave, just let me know.”
“Oh, let’s dance for a little while longer,” Minerva said, looking up at him hopefully. “You don’t think anyone will notice do you?”
“Let them notice. It’s been a while since we gave the rumor mills any new material.”
Minerva shook her head. “You always did enjoy teasing the gossip columnists.”
“And why not?” Albus asked. “They’re always so far from the truth and it protects our secret to let them wonder.”
“I suppose.”
They danced the next two songs in silence and then realized that The Weird Sisters were ready to take up the stage again. Reluctantly, Albus and Minerva cleared the floor for the excited students who were eager to begin dancing wildly once more.
“Ready to leave whenever you are,” Minerva said.
“You go ahead and I’ll be up after a few minutes,” Albus answered quietly.
Minerva squeezed his arm discretely and left the Great Hall. Suddenly realizing that she was a bit tired after all the preparation and then spending the last several hours on her feet, she decided to take a short cut through Albus’ office rather than climbing all the stairs to Gryffindor Tower. She quickly arrived at the stone gargoyle and gave the new password, then gratefully allowed the revolving staircase to sweep her upwards toward the office. As the staircase spiraled upwards, Minerva reached down and removed her shoes, breathing a sigh of relief.
Admitting herself into the ornate circular office at the top of the stairs, Minerva greeted Fawkes and then passed through to the headmaster’s private rooms. One more password allowed her entrance into her own, more familiar rooms. She walked into the sitting room and dropped less than gracefully onto the couch, lazily flicking her wand toward the hearth to stoke the fire into new life. It blazed forth brilliantly, instantly warming the room, and Minerva sighed as she stretched out and closed her eyes.
Unknowingly following the path Minerva had taken, Albus arrived in her sitting room a few minutes later. He looked down at his wife and chuckled.
“You promised me you’d stay awake after we left the ball,” he teased as he knelt down beside the couch.
“I’m awake,” Minerva mumbled, not bothering to open her eyes.
Albus stood back up and moved to the end of the couch. Picking up Minerva’s feet, he sat down and placed them across his lap. She made a small noise of protest when he first touched her, mistakenly thinking Albus was going to force her to get up, but then sighed and snuggled further into the cushions. Albus started to rub her feet and then slowly his hands worked their way up Minerva’s legs, caressing her ankles then her calves and finally tickling the backs of her knees. He heard her breathing even out and began to give the night up for lost until his long fingers reached her knees and Minerva’s right leg twitched. She shifted on the couch and almost inaudibly admonished him to stop. Albus smiled and continued to tease her.
Summary: Albus and Minerva sneak out of the Yule Ball early.
Rating: 13+ I suppose
A/N: I noticed in the film, when they showed shots toward the end of the ball, neither Albus nor Minerva was still in the Great Hall. My first thought was “teehee, they snuck off to bed early.” Thus, this story.
Oh, and major fluff warning.The Yule Ball was in full swing, students dancing in a sweaty mob to the tunes of The Weird Sisters and staff standing around the edge of the dance floor watching for unruly behaviour. Minerva McGonagall was about to make her way around the crowd to the drinks table when she felt a hand on her back. Turning slightly, she smiled up at the man now standing beside her.
“Where have you been?” she asked. “I haven’t seen you for nearly an hour.”
Albus’ blue eyes twinkled in the candlelight as he smiled mysteriously. “I slipped away for a bit, to check on something elsewhere in the castle.”
Minerva gave him a curious look, but decided not to ask. “Well, I was just going to get a drink. Would you like to accompany me?”
“Of course.” Albus slipped his arm through Minerva’s and led the way to the drinks table on the other side of the Great Hall, which tonight resembled and ice cave. “The ball is going very well, don’t you think?”
“Mmm, the students seem to be enjoying themselves,” Minerva answered. She poured herself a glass of punch and turned to survey the room again. “Well, most of them anyway,” she added after seeing Harry Potter and Ron Weasley sitting at a table alone looking mopey.
Albus followed her gaze and frowned as he saw the two miserable looking young men. “I wonder what could be bothering them tonight,” he mused.
“I believe the girls they would have liked to bring are here with other young men,” Minerva answered with a knowing smile. “Or perhaps Mr. Weasley’s robes are keeping him from enjoying the evening.”
Albus chuckled. “It looks like he tried to make some improvements on his own. I can understand the boy’s trouble, I was never much at sewing charms in my youth.”
“In your youth?” Minerva exclaimed. “You’re still hopeless at sewing charms. I can’t count the number of times you’ve come to me with a button that’s fallen off something, or a ripped hem line that needs stitching.”
“Yes, well.” Albus coughed and changed the subject. “I believe the band is going to take a break shortly and then we’ll have a few more slow dances. Could I perhaps entice you to dance with me again?”
Minerva pretended to give the matter serious consideration before nodding her agreement.
As Albus had promised, The Weird Sisters left the stage for a short break after the next song and to fill the silence a recording of waltz music began to play. Albus took Minerva by the hand and led her back onto the dance floor, which was quickly cleared of half the crowd. His arm easily found its way around Minerva’s slender waist and pulled her close, though not as close as he would have liked. As they danced, Albus could hear Minerva softly humming the tune under her breath, probably completely unaware that she was doing so. He let her carry on for a time, content to enjoy the soft melody, but then he interrupted.
“It’s nearly midnight,” he observed casually. “I know the ball is supposed to end then, but the students are having such a nice time I thought we’d let them carry on.”
Minerva looked up in surprise. “That’s a lovely thought, Albus, but I don’t want to stay here until all hours waiting on the last stragglers to go to bed.”
“Ah, but you won’t have to, my dear. I’ve already spoken to some of the other staff and a few are willing to remain later than anticipated. Hagrid and Madame Maxime especially seemed keen to remain at the ball.” He grinned.
Minerva smiled. “They do seem to be enjoying themselves, possibly more than the students.”
“Yes,” Albus murmured, not at all thinking about the gamekeeper and his partner. His thumb began tracing small circles on Minerva’s back. “So, we can leave the students in their hands and adjourn to our rooms. Though I hope you won’t be quite ready for sleep yet.”
“Just what might you be planning, Professor Dumbledore?”
“All we be revealed in due time, Professor McGonagall,” he answered with a chuckle. “Whenever you’re ready to leave, just let me know.”
“Oh, let’s dance for a little while longer,” Minerva said, looking up at him hopefully. “You don’t think anyone will notice do you?”
“Let them notice. It’s been a while since we gave the rumor mills any new material.”
Minerva shook her head. “You always did enjoy teasing the gossip columnists.”
“And why not?” Albus asked. “They’re always so far from the truth and it protects our secret to let them wonder.”
“I suppose.”
They danced the next two songs in silence and then realized that The Weird Sisters were ready to take up the stage again. Reluctantly, Albus and Minerva cleared the floor for the excited students who were eager to begin dancing wildly once more.
“Ready to leave whenever you are,” Minerva said.
“You go ahead and I’ll be up after a few minutes,” Albus answered quietly.
Minerva squeezed his arm discretely and left the Great Hall. Suddenly realizing that she was a bit tired after all the preparation and then spending the last several hours on her feet, she decided to take a short cut through Albus’ office rather than climbing all the stairs to Gryffindor Tower. She quickly arrived at the stone gargoyle and gave the new password, then gratefully allowed the revolving staircase to sweep her upwards toward the office. As the staircase spiraled upwards, Minerva reached down and removed her shoes, breathing a sigh of relief.
Admitting herself into the ornate circular office at the top of the stairs, Minerva greeted Fawkes and then passed through to the headmaster’s private rooms. One more password allowed her entrance into her own, more familiar rooms. She walked into the sitting room and dropped less than gracefully onto the couch, lazily flicking her wand toward the hearth to stoke the fire into new life. It blazed forth brilliantly, instantly warming the room, and Minerva sighed as she stretched out and closed her eyes.
Unknowingly following the path Minerva had taken, Albus arrived in her sitting room a few minutes later. He looked down at his wife and chuckled.
“You promised me you’d stay awake after we left the ball,” he teased as he knelt down beside the couch.
“I’m awake,” Minerva mumbled, not bothering to open her eyes.
Albus stood back up and moved to the end of the couch. Picking up Minerva’s feet, he sat down and placed them across his lap. She made a small noise of protest when he first touched her, mistakenly thinking Albus was going to force her to get up, but then sighed and snuggled further into the cushions. Albus started to rub her feet and then slowly his hands worked their way up Minerva’s legs, caressing her ankles then her calves and finally tickling the backs of her knees. He heard her breathing even out and began to give the night up for lost until his long fingers reached her knees and Minerva’s right leg twitched. She shifted on the couch and almost inaudibly admonished him to stop. Albus smiled and continued to tease her.
