Let Me Introduce You~An Interactive Story

[griseldalafey]

*giggle* an embarassing situation. That's why I love Aberforth so much ;D

As for the voting... I choose option B

[TheGryffindorSeeker]

i vote for A!...you dont know what could happen with that one

[DumbledoresKitten]

My gosh! what great stories from Athena and Abe.

(Yay! for the unanimous vote!!) still killing myself laughing about that one

now the possibilities of the first date. . . hummm . . . well classic romance is good, plus they have already been out for the big smash date (granted they were with other people). Nope they are in need of quality alone time A (though the alternative does provide the chance to test the skinny-dipping theory out! lol). in a romance mood: definately A
cat

[AngelQueen]

*giggles* So funny! That was absolutely adorable! ;D

Hm, so Albus now has a standing invitation to join the McGonagall family for dinner... that should prove to be an interesting meal... *imagines Minerva and Athena kicking Harold several times to stop his jealous instincts from turning him into a total prat*

Another tough choice... alas, I'm in the mood for a nice, quiet evening for our couple, so I shall vote for Option A. After all, quiet picnics mean they start feeding one another some more, and that could lead to other things... romantic things... *sighs dreamily*

AQ

[QuillofMinerva]

Yayeeeee oh how I love Abeforth and his stories, I hope there are more of them in the future!

Well as for the options...A or B....you know I am undecided so I had to flip a coin (yes really I did) and it came up with the Queen's Head and so that option was A....so I am going for A. (possibly skinny dipping chance there)

Clayre x

[Herzele]

This story is just great ! I absolutely love it !
As for the options - I would say A ...

[Karmin]

I'm going to choose option B with this one

[Sola]

I go for A this time.
A quite picknick would be just the right thing...

Anyway...again great work

Sola

[Adrasteia]

This is really a brilliant story.
For the voting I think I will go for B this time.
But perhaps you could write about the picknick later?

[Rikki]

Brilliant update. Just loved the confusion with Albus and Aberforth. *ggg*

As for the next chapter I'll go for [glow=red,2,300]A[/glow]

HUgs, rikki

[Nerweniel]

This is such a wonderful story, go you ;D! I am going for A too... yay for quiet picknicks .

Love,

Lies

[Tartan Tabby]

I vote for B! I've read so many stories about romantic picnics but none about a movie at the beach!

[Kacie]

I choose B!!!!!

[Toe Expert]

My choice is B.

I think that it will be interesting to see what will happen during the picnic (I am also intersted in some skinny dipping...). .

[MiniPrincess]

Wonderful chapter.
Definately in favour of A - quiet time, I notice the options were coy and didn't mention a location for the picnic...

[Kamdra]

I vote B!

[Jaya]

Oh boy....

hmmmm...

quiet time is nice.....

but a party has such potential....

however they have already been dancing with a crowd....

but.....

okay.... I pickkkk

A


no... take that back, I'll go with B

or else....

no... always go with the first instinct, right?

A it is
A
A
A
A
A......

and that's definite...

I think....

Jaya

[tayryn]

that was sweet!

i loved that Min's dad was willing to suck it up for his daughter!!

and i love it when Aberforth is around! whee!!

my choice... A!!

am all for quiet time, and i'm praying with the quiet time comes kissage!!!

[Sensiblyquirky]

Quite the stories, ladies! I vote A.

Christy

[Kimberly]

I pick B. Do we get a choice of movies?

[Krystal]

I think I will go with B but I would like to know which movie because a romantic one would be nice. Krys

[Hogwarts Duo]

A/N: Well you ladies certainly kept us guessing right down the wire this time. Thanks to Krystal for being our tie-breaker. The final tally was 12 to 13. We were almost positive we’d have to find a way to combine the two options this week. And a huge thanks to everyone who is still reading and participating in the story. One last note…the beach we had in mind is St. Andrews West Sands beach. It’s on the east coast of Fife and is approximately 13 miles from Dundee, Scotland. A link to some pixx of this amazing place can be found here:
www.doughoughton.com/webpage/page/page045.html and here: www.activitypoint.co.uk/cgi-bin/list.cgi?r=scotland.N25&e=2118

Moonlight Dances

Minerva woke to a bright stream of sunshine peeking through her bedroom window on Friday morning. As she rolled over in bed, she hugged her pillow to her and imagined it was Albus as images of him floated across her memory. If she really tried, she could hear the sound of his voice ringing in her ears, feel his soft lips upon her cheeks, and smell the enticing scent of his cologne.

Stretching, as if in her animagus form, Minerva giggled when she realized that the day she had waited for had finally arrived. Her entire day had been planned down to the very last minute and she was determined that nothing would spoil her day. She was going to shower and dress in casual clothes while she took care of some minor housework. Then later, she would pamper herself with a luxurious bubble bath, with a rich lavender scent. Albus had remarked on more than one occasion how lovely she smelled and tonight she wanted everything to be perfect, including herself.

Once all the bubbles were gone and her body was completely relaxed, Minerva planned to paint her nails a delicate shade of pale pink. Having never been one for the more girlish things, she felt this was a real indulgence and something that really showed just how interested she was in pursing a relationship with Albus.

Long after the bubbles and the nail polish, Minerva would take extra care and pride in her make-up. It had to be light and give the appearance of being natural but a little color to her cheeks and luscious lips would not be a bad thing at all. If she was lucky, Albus would find her lips irresistible and perhaps she would finally know what it was like to press her lips to his and feel his breath blow warmly across her face. Shivers danced along her spine as she fantasized about that first real kiss, hoping tonight would be the night.

The robes she had chosen were not really robes at all, for she had informed Albus to dress in muggle attire for the evening. Keeping their ultimate destination a secret from him, she had owled to say that comfortable clothing with a muggle theme would be in order. Minerva had chosen a light summer dress in a soft shade of blue. Choosing this particular outfit had not taken nearly as long as she anticipated. One look in the muggle shop and she was sold. The color of the short-sleeved dress reminded her of Albus’ eyes and the flowing bottom of the dress hit just above her knees. A pair of white sandals would show off her newly painted nails and offer just a hint of her shapely legs for Albus’ viewing pleasure.

Hours after she woke to the glorious sunrise, she took a long look in the mirror and was thrilled with her work. Her long ebony colored hair was shining and flowing freely along her back, showing off the tiny waves of natural curls that she had so often despised as a young lass in school.

Twirling around in front of the mirror, Minerva noticed how the dress clung to the shape of her body. It accentuated her slender waist, rounded hips, and most definitely her bust, something she had never been truly comfortable in showcasing. For most of her life, Minerva had spent little time and effort on her physical appearance. It wasn’t that she didn’t care what she looked like to others, it was that she had lacked that womanly confidence most of her friends seemed to have in abundance. In thinking back though, while her friends had been more than comfortable with their blossoming bodies, she had been the one practically bubbling over with self-assurance in all of her classes.

But all of that had changed with the appearance of Albus Dumbledore in her life. While she still doubted her beauty at times, she did feel that he saw her as more than just a nice pair of legs or a pretty smile. She could tell by the way he spoke to her and took great care in making her feel special to him that he regarded her mind as a wonderful asset as well. That was a rarity among men and even rarer still, she found him intriguing and handsome as well. Before she could slip further into her musings, there was a gentle rapping at her door and she knew that he had finally arrived.

When she opened the door, Minerva’s breath caught in her throat. She had really expected him to arrive in some outlandish outfit in the brightest of colors. Instead, the man before her melted her heart instantly with one of his more brilliant smiles and a bundle of freshly picked flowers and a tin of ginger newts beneath his arm.

Albus had contacted Nicholas Flamel and his wife for advice on what to wear as soon as he received the owl from Minerva. Not wanting to ruin a single moment from this evening, he took great care in seeing that he portrayed himself as a muggle gentleman from the top of his head to the tips of his toes. And by the look on her face, Albus was certain he had succeeded in pleasing her.

He had been given a choice of some very comfortable slacks in an array of colors and in the end he had chosen to go with the simple black ones, which were made of a very thin yet comfortable material. His hair and beard had been cropped shorter than usual, in an attempt to blend in with the men around them this evening. A royal blue button down shirt brought out the color of his eyes, which many considered to be one of his most distinguishing features, and the shiny black shoes looked most uncomfortable to Minerva but were exactly what one would expect a muggle man to wear. In short, he looked incredibly handsome.

Minerva wasn’t the only one who was finding it hard to breathe. One look at her framed in the doorway and Albus lost all coherent thoughts. Her creamy skin had a glow about it, almost like she was an angel sent to walk on earth. Her hair shined like black rain and the dress was a sight he never wanted to forget. Her delicate features were perfectly accentuated by one another and as he stared into her eyes, he knew that this was going to be one of the best dates he quite possibly would ever have.

“You look absolutely ravishing, Minerva,” he said once he found his voice again. “And I hope you like these,” he finished, handing her the bundle of flowers and the ginger newts.

“And I must say you look quite handsome yourself. Thanks for the flowers and biscuits. Come inside while I put these in water. Then we can take a portkey to our destination.” She smiled mischievously at him and winked. “So, are you curious to know where we’ll be heading this evening or are you content to just let me lead the way?”

He watched her disappear into the kitchen as she finished her remarks and he took the opportunity to look around her sitting room. “I’m most anxious to see what you have planned for us this evening. I’ve thought about it all week, in fact, especially since seeing you on Wednesday. Say, this picture on your mantle…where was it taken? It’s breathtaking,” he asked as she walked back into the room with the arrangement of flowers.

[Hogwarts Duo]

“That, kind sir, is our destination for this evening, well one of them at least. I know how fond you are of all things muggle and I must admit I have a soft spot for that location. It’s St. Andrews West, Fife. My parents and I used to take summer vacations there and it’s one of the most amazing places on earth, or at least I think so. Every summer they have movies on the beach and I thought it might be something we could enjoy together.”

“It sounds wonderful and I can’t wait for you to show me one of your favorite places. If it’s found favor in the eyes of Minerva McGonagall, it must be truly spectacular.”

Minerva took his hand and offered him a small object resembling a golden key. Instantly, they both felt the familiar tug around their midsection as they were swept away over miles and miles of beautiful countryside to a safe location, near the heart of the city.

Leading him by the hand, Minerva led Albus through the somewhat quiet streets to a quaint little Italian restaurant which overlooked an inlet from the beach. The owners had been friends with Minerva’s parents for years, ever since that first summer, and they greeted her with open arms.

It was Minerva’s turn to show Albus the royal treatment and the benefits of being so well known in this particular community. Her friends had given them the best table in the house, a complimentary bottle of wine, and one of the most extravagant meals either of them had ever eaten before. Soft candlelight danced across their features as they shared memories and dreams over the feast. When the dessert tray arrived, there was no question about the choice. One piece of chocolate cake, topped with whipped cream was in order for the occasion.

If the candles had been a little lighter, both parties would have seen the blush on the cheeks of the other. Secretly each had reminisced fondly about that first encounter with the cake and then the piece Minerva had sent as an invitation to this evening, but now they were together again and it was all so surreal.

Albus took the initiative and offered Minerva the first bite of cake, completely with a generous helping of whipped cream. With a shaking hand, he fed her the first bite, quickly followed by a rather large helping for himself offered by Minerva’s dainty hand. Others in the restaurant had been drawn to the handsome couple in the corner of the room but when they noticed the pair feeding each other and heard the subsequent gales of laughter as Albus accidentally got the cream on the side of her mouth, applause ripped through the establishment. Hurriedly, they finished their dessert and headed in the direction of the beach, just in time for the start of the movie.

Pulling a small piece of fabric from her pocket and casting simple charm on it, a McGonagall tartan blanket appeared as they neared the spot on the beach. “I think this is a rather nice spot, don’t you?”

Albus had been stealing glances and stares at the lovely woman on his arm all evening. “Yes, I think this is perfect, just like this evening.” Minerva turned and smiled warmly at him as the moon above and the sound of the ocean created a dreamlike atmosphere around them. “This is the best date I’ve ever had my dear and I’m sure it will only get better.”

“I am glad you’re enjoying yourself. I am having a lovely evening too. I just hope the movie is good.” Minerva leaned her head against him as his arm wound around her waist, drawing her closer to him as they continued to walk in silence.

Taking the blanket from her arms, Albus spread it out for them and settled down before offering Minerva his hand in a gallant manner. She settled down beside him just as the movie sprang to life. “Harvey,” Albus remarked as he read the title of the movie. “I’ve heard wonderful things about this. It’s supposed to be one of the funniest movies and the actor is considered one of the best in America.”

Minerva soon became engrossed in the film, watching the handsome Jimmy Stewart pretending to have a six and a half foot pooka for a friend, which only he could see. Several times, Minerva doubled over with laughter as his family and friends struggled with the idea of Mr. Elwood P. Dowd losing his mind and the carefree way in which he handled life’s little mishaps.

Albus too was enjoying the comedy but more interesting to him was the woman by his side. She seemed enthralled with the images on the screen and her laughter made him smile as well, although he noticed several times that she moved around on their blanket searching for a more comfortable position in which to sit.

“Here, move around in front of me,” he whispered as he settled behind her and leaned her back against his chest. His chin rested comfortably on her shoulder as his hands settled around her waist. “There. That’s much better isn’t it?”

Minerva turned her head sideways and her heart stopped as she realized just how close his lips were to hers. Just then something happened on the screen and the entire audience erupted in laughter, causing the perfect moment to be shattered.

“He’s certainly a dashing young man, isn’t he?” Albus whispered in her ear.

“Indeed he is but he isn’t nearly as handsome to me as you are,” she whispered back before snuggling deeper into his embrace to finish watching the movie.

Minerva and Albus found themselves walking along the beach not too long after the movie had ended. It hadn’t been part of Minerva’s plans but it was so beautiful out that after packing up the blanket, Albus had offered her his arm and led her out toward the water. As they strolled along, a peaceful silence had prevailed, each lost in their own thoughts.

Minerva watched the water as it glided onto the shore. She replayed the evening’s events over in her mind. Everything had been perfect up until that point and she couldn’t have wished for a better evening. She was so comfortable with Albus, as if they had known each other for years. And it obviously showed in their actions, as the scene at the restaurant had proven. Could she really have developed such strong feelings for him in so short a time?

Looking over at the wizard walking beside her, Minerva found herself the object of a very intense look from the man who was consuming her thoughts. Her stomach started to knot as his eyes looked into her own and she saw a mirror of her emotions. His hand reached down and gently grasped hers as they slowly came to a stop.

“Minerva.” Her name was a soft whisper on the breeze, reverently spoken. Her body started to tingle in response and her mouth went suddenly dry in anticipation. His head lowered toward hers and she could feel his breath on her lips as he neared.

A sudden commotion from behind them caused them to jump apart, each reaching for their wands.

“Sorry!” A voice called out among a crowd of younger muggles who hadn’t been there moments before. “We didn’t mean to startle you.”

[Hogwarts Duo]

Albus and Minerva watched fascinated as the small group of people went about setting up what looked to be an impromptu gathering. There were blankets being spread out on the sand with a bonfire being created in the center. There were a few people carrying coolers filled with drinks and others taking instruments out of cases.

The muggle boy who had called out earlier made his way over to the couple. “Sean Finley.”

He extended his hand to Albus who greeted the boy warmly. “Nice to meet you Sean. This is Minerva and I am Albus.”

“I really am sorry about the interruption. My friends decided that tonight was the perfect night to throw a party on the beach. And now that we are here, I have to say that I agree.”

Minerva warmed to the boy’s friendly countenance and pleasant brown eyes which were filled with sincerity. “I think your friends had a wonderful idea. Besides, there is plenty of beach for all of us.”

The boy looked at the couple thoughtfully. “Would you and your lovely wife care to join us? I can promise that you will have a wonderful time.”

Albus looked to Minerva and when she smiled at his unasked question, he told Sean they would be more than happy to stay for at least a little while. Sean beamed at both of them and then hurried off to continue helping his friends.

Minerva turned to Albus her eyes alight with mischief. “Well, dear husband, what have we gotten ourselves into?”

Albus’ eyes twinkled merrily. “I hope a lot of fun.” He seemed uncertain for a moment before continuing. “You don’t mind that I didn’t correct him do you?”

Minerva felt herself blush. No she didn’t mind, not at all in fact. And it had pleased her that Albus hadn’t corrected the young boy. “No, not in the least.”

At some point during the introductions, Albus and Minerva found themselves separated. Minerva ended up with a drink in hand, situated on one of the many blankets and being quizzed about anything from her hair to how her and her husband met by a group of curious young women. She was enjoying herself immensely. It was the first time in what seemed a very long time that she had truly been able to relax. She wasn’t worried about her project at work or a paper she was working on getting published. She was simply living in the moment.

She didn’t know whether this was an effect of the party or if it had to do with a twinkling blue eyed wizard who at the current moment was sticking what appeared to be a marshmallow on a stick. She caught his eye and smiled as he placed the white blob in the fire. They held their gaze for a few moments, oblivious to everything going on around them. Minerva felt the familiar tingling up her spine that appeared to happen whenever he looked at her so intently.

Looking away, Albus broke the enchantment which had descended upon them. Minerva noticed that a man standing next to him was speaking with him in an urgent manner and pointing at his stick. An uproar of laughter followed by everyone around the fire as a very black, very sad looking marshmallow was plucked out of the fire. Albus looked around sheepishly and gratefully accepted another one in its place. Minerva found herself laughing softly as Albus gave her a wink before fully turning his attention back to what he was doing.

It wasn’t long before music started playing and the crowd around her started to dissipate as couples paired off to dance. Excusing herself from those who were still present, she stood and looked around for her date. She found him sitting amongst the musicians, a guitar in hand. Minerva found it hard to hide her surprise as she made her way over to his side.

“I find that playing an instrument seems to calm me.” Albus nodded to the blanket at his side when Minerva approached.

“You play more than one?” Albus only smiled in response.

Minerva took the offered seat and found herself swaying slightly with the tune as she stretched out her legs and kicked off her shoes. She closed her eyes and allowed the sound of the music to take over all of her senses. Her mind wandered to Albus. His hands were creating this piece of heaven and if he could do this with a guitar…well, perhaps now was not the best time to turn to those thoughts.

She leaned back, her hair piling in the sand behind her. She opened her eyes and looked at the stars shining brightly above. A gentle breeze stirred the air and Minerva breathed deeply taking in the scent of the sea, the crackling fire and the faint hint of lemons and chocolate. She loved the way Albus always smelled of those two items. They contrasted in her mind, the tang of lemon and sweetness of chocolate, but somehow blended together perfectly when paired with him.

A finger gently traced the outline of her jaw and she shivered as she opened her eyes.

“Care for a dance, my dear? I can no longer have you sitting there tempting me as a muse when I can hold you in my arms.”

Fearing she would break the spell she was so willingly under, she smiled and offered him her hand. As she rose from the blanket she found her body close to his and yet it was not close enough. He led her towards the ocean, a little distance from the crowd of youngsters but not so far as to have seemingly left the gathering altogether and drew her even tighter into his arms.

She could feel his warm hands as they rested on the small of her back yet her mind was focused on how silky his hair felt to her fingertips as she looped her arms lazily around his neck and settled into his embrace. Never before could she remember having felt so at home and at ease with someone, especially someone she had only known for such a short amount of time. But with Albus, it was all so different and so wonderful.

[Hogwarts Duo]

As they slowly began to move to the music being played a short distance away, Albus began to softly hum the tune into her ear as one hand wrapped entirely around her waist while his other hand traced intricate patterns on her upper back. Warm tingles mingled with shivers of excitement as her body responded to each touch and without even thinking, she had absentmindedly been tickling the base of his neck with her delicate fingerstips.

Pulling back from her just enough to look into her eyes, Albus stopped moving and stood still as he searched her face, hoping to see the look he had been lucky enough to catch earlier in the evening. Sure enough, it was there but this time it was more passionate and more heated. Inching his face closer to hers, he watched as her eyes slipped closed and those luscious lips he had longed to taste all evening parted in welcome.

Closing the remaining distance between them, he knew it had to be the perfect kiss. The setting was romantic, the mood was set, and they had both felt the stirrings of something wonderful if their first attempt at a kiss was any indication of things to come. When his lips first touched hers it was as if time stood still. He nibbled lovingly on her bottom lip, feeling her relax into his arms and tilting her head slightly upwards to grant him more access and ease.

The first touch of his mouth to hers caused Minerva to release a sigh of happiness and longing. This one moment had been in the making since the first time he touched her hand and now that it was finally here, it was more than she could have ever imagined. He gently tugged on her lip, teasing her just a bit. But when she sighed in contentment, it was the only encouragement he needed. Instantly his lips covered hers for a tender touching of his mouth to hers. His warm breath on her face and the feel of his arms around her, his hands pressing her closer and closer to his body, created an overwhelming desire within her which turned her strong legs weak. It wasn’t until his tongue gently parted her lips and made its’ first leisurely exploration of her mouth, that the fireworks erupted inside her and she eagerly began to kiss him back with all the desire she had been fighting since their first meeting.

All too soon the kiss ended as the need for air drove them apart. But the separation did not last long for it was Minerva who initiated the second kiss and who took the initiative to deepen the kiss almost immediately, desperately wanting to return to the euphoria of having this amazing man make her feel more alive and excited than she had in years. Neither of them noticed the stares from the youngsters on the beach, the loss of the music, or even the tide as it began to sweep over their bare feet and ankles. All that mattered was the warmth of the kisses and the skill with which they were so masterfully implemented and shared.

And this week’s options are:

A. Albus receives permission to use the facilities at Hogwarts for the animagus research. While setting up the rooms, he finds himself adding touches he knows Minerva would like and he begins to wonder how deep his feelings for her truly run.

B. Albus and Aberforth meet at the Hog’s Head. Discussions about Aberforth’s newest acquisition and Albus’ current preoccupation with a certain emerald-eyed witch ends in a brawl where Albus receives a broken nose.

Hope you enjoyed your options for this week and don’t forget to vote! Voting for this chapter will end on May 15.

[Alesia]

Ladies,
I have to say I love this story. I just started reading it today and I am entralled.

I think I like option A better. I am interested in knowing what Albus is thinking.

Alesia

[QuillofMinerva]

Oh how romantic! *melts into a rather large puddle*

That would be my type of date, if only I had an Albus to treat me like that.

Well the two options, you have given us this week are both crackers and its soooooooo hard to decide between them..I don't know if can but I know that I must so the option, I am choosing is.......

A or is it B (Why have you done this to me)

okay...I am choosing A

Love
Clayre x

[Nerweniel]

Great new chapter *deep dreamy sigh*, squee ;D. I am going for option A this time I think... *deeper, dreamier sigh* ;D.

Love,

Lies

[Rikki]

[glow=red,2,300]A[/glow] definitely. Brilliant update, as always. ;D

Love, Rikki

[Ginger Newts]

Whew, that chapter certainly turned me into a puddle on the floor! Minerva is one lucky woman. Hmm, I think I like A for next week.