Post by ginger newts on Jun 10, 2005 18:38:19 GMT -5
Title: Taking a Risk
Summary: Albus gives Minerva a gift, but she’s afraid of what it means. Can he convince her to accept it, and his love? Very loosely based on an episode of The Golden Girls.
Rating: 11+
A/N: This story is dedicated to my sister-friends, who taught me what it truly means to travel down the road and back again. -Kmer
It had been another wonderful summer evening. Minerva was surprised at how comfortable she had become with Albus. They had been to dinner, on picnics, to the theatre, and even to the Muggle cinema almost every day of the summer holidays. She was afraid to admit it, but Minerva was falling hard for him. Tonight they had been to see a film and now Albus was escorting Minerva home. Because she only needed a home away from Hogwarts for two months out of the year, she rented a room from a young widow. Her landlady and the two other women who rented rooms in the house had become Minerva’s closest friends over the years. It was the perfect living situation for her.
Albus stopped Minerva a few feet from the front door to say goodnight.
“Thank you, Albus, I had a wonderful time,” she told him with a soft smile.
“I’m glad,” he said. “I always have a good time when I’m with you.”
Minerva blushed and prepared herself mentally for their goodnight kiss. Their kisses had been growing more and more steamy and Minerva knew that Albus wouldn’t wait much longer to take the next step in their courtship. Much to her surprise, however, he didn’t kiss her – yet.
“What’s this in my pocket?” he asked mischievously.
She gave him a stern but amused look. “Albus, that line didn’t work last night and it’s not going to work tonight.”
He chuckled. “No, my dear, tonight there really is something in my pocket.” Albus reached into the pocket of his Muggle trousers and produced a small square box, opening it to reveal a ring.
“Albus?” Minerva’s voice came out as a whisper and her eyes were widened in surprise and confusion.
“It’s not an engagement ring,” he told her. “More of a friendship ring.”
“A friendship ring?” she asked, raising one eyebrow. Is that all she was to him, a friend?
“Well,” he blushed. “More than a friendship ring. It’s just...I want my ring on my girl.”
“Oh,” she said slowly. “Ohhh.”
“Will you wear it?” Albus was already slipping the ring onto her right hand.
“Of course, Albus. It’s lovely, thank you.”
“Anything for you, Minerva,” he said before kissing her lovingly. “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight, Albus.”
Minerva turned around and walked into the house, hardly noticing anything around her until she discovered her roommates in the kitchen. They were having late night tea and cakes and Minerva slid into her seat at the table.
“Must have been a good date tonight,” Judy, her landlady, said. “You’re in an absolute daze.”
“Hmm?” Minerva accepted the cup of tea Joan handed her. “It was a lovely date, as always,” she said. “I guess I’m in a bit of a daze because Albus just gave me this.” She displayed her hand holding the silver ring with the small emerald stone.
“Well, honey, you’ve got that on the wrong hand. And whatever happened to diamonds?” Judy asked.
“It’s not an engagement ring,” Minerva explained. “We’re nowhere near that stage yet.” She paused, “I’m actually not sure what it means.”
“It’s a definite sign of commitment,” Helen said with authority. “You’re lucky, Minerva. That Albus Dumbledore is a good man.”
“He really is,” Minerva agreed distractedly. “I’m pretty tired, I think I’ll call it a night.”
Minerva got up and all but ran to her bedroom. Was Helen right, was the ring Albus’ way of telling her he wanted a commitment? Minerva wasn’t sure she was ready for that again. She cared for Albus very much and wanted him in her life, but officially committing to the relationship scared her. She had been hurt too many times before. Minerva slipped the ring off her finger and studied it for a few minutes, turning it over a few times under the light before placing it on the bedside table and rolling over. She was going to have to think about this some more.
Minerva tossed and turned all night and when she woke up, she had come to a decision. She couldn’t accept Albus’ ring. Not yet. She wondered if he would be angry when she gave it back. Surprised at the overwhelming sense of sadness she felt, Minerva got up and dressed for the day. She and Albus hadn’t made any plans for that day, so she sent him an owl asking him to come over for a talk. While she waited for his answer, Minerva busied herself around the house.
“What’s got into you?” Judy asked when she emerged from her bedroom to find Minerva cleaning the sitting room. “It’s not your turn to clean and why on Earth are you doing it the Muggle way?”
“I just needed something to do.”
Judy stopped Minerva in her tracks and looked her squarely in the eyes. “Alright, out with it. What’s changed since last night?”
Minerva sighed and let her friend lead her to the couch. “I decided I can’t wear the ring. I’m not ready for a commitment yet.”
“You want to date other men?”
“No, of course not.”
“Is there something about Albus you don’t like?”
“No, as far as I can tell he’s perfect,” Minerva said. “It’s just... Well, you know my history with men.”
“I do,” Judy agreed. “And I also know that if you let your fears guide your heart you’ll lose out on something good. Talk to Albus.”
“I sent him an owl this morning asking him to come over. I’m waiting on an answer now.”
“Good, but no more of this cleaning while you wait. It’s not healthy. Come on, I have a better idea.”
Summary: Albus gives Minerva a gift, but she’s afraid of what it means. Can he convince her to accept it, and his love? Very loosely based on an episode of The Golden Girls.
Rating: 11+
A/N: This story is dedicated to my sister-friends, who taught me what it truly means to travel down the road and back again. -Kmer
It had been another wonderful summer evening. Minerva was surprised at how comfortable she had become with Albus. They had been to dinner, on picnics, to the theatre, and even to the Muggle cinema almost every day of the summer holidays. She was afraid to admit it, but Minerva was falling hard for him. Tonight they had been to see a film and now Albus was escorting Minerva home. Because she only needed a home away from Hogwarts for two months out of the year, she rented a room from a young widow. Her landlady and the two other women who rented rooms in the house had become Minerva’s closest friends over the years. It was the perfect living situation for her.
Albus stopped Minerva a few feet from the front door to say goodnight.
“Thank you, Albus, I had a wonderful time,” she told him with a soft smile.
“I’m glad,” he said. “I always have a good time when I’m with you.”
Minerva blushed and prepared herself mentally for their goodnight kiss. Their kisses had been growing more and more steamy and Minerva knew that Albus wouldn’t wait much longer to take the next step in their courtship. Much to her surprise, however, he didn’t kiss her – yet.
“What’s this in my pocket?” he asked mischievously.
She gave him a stern but amused look. “Albus, that line didn’t work last night and it’s not going to work tonight.”
He chuckled. “No, my dear, tonight there really is something in my pocket.” Albus reached into the pocket of his Muggle trousers and produced a small square box, opening it to reveal a ring.
“Albus?” Minerva’s voice came out as a whisper and her eyes were widened in surprise and confusion.
“It’s not an engagement ring,” he told her. “More of a friendship ring.”
“A friendship ring?” she asked, raising one eyebrow. Is that all she was to him, a friend?
“Well,” he blushed. “More than a friendship ring. It’s just...I want my ring on my girl.”
“Oh,” she said slowly. “Ohhh.”
“Will you wear it?” Albus was already slipping the ring onto her right hand.
“Of course, Albus. It’s lovely, thank you.”
“Anything for you, Minerva,” he said before kissing her lovingly. “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight, Albus.”
Minerva turned around and walked into the house, hardly noticing anything around her until she discovered her roommates in the kitchen. They were having late night tea and cakes and Minerva slid into her seat at the table.
“Must have been a good date tonight,” Judy, her landlady, said. “You’re in an absolute daze.”
“Hmm?” Minerva accepted the cup of tea Joan handed her. “It was a lovely date, as always,” she said. “I guess I’m in a bit of a daze because Albus just gave me this.” She displayed her hand holding the silver ring with the small emerald stone.
“Well, honey, you’ve got that on the wrong hand. And whatever happened to diamonds?” Judy asked.
“It’s not an engagement ring,” Minerva explained. “We’re nowhere near that stage yet.” She paused, “I’m actually not sure what it means.”
“It’s a definite sign of commitment,” Helen said with authority. “You’re lucky, Minerva. That Albus Dumbledore is a good man.”
“He really is,” Minerva agreed distractedly. “I’m pretty tired, I think I’ll call it a night.”
Minerva got up and all but ran to her bedroom. Was Helen right, was the ring Albus’ way of telling her he wanted a commitment? Minerva wasn’t sure she was ready for that again. She cared for Albus very much and wanted him in her life, but officially committing to the relationship scared her. She had been hurt too many times before. Minerva slipped the ring off her finger and studied it for a few minutes, turning it over a few times under the light before placing it on the bedside table and rolling over. She was going to have to think about this some more.
Minerva tossed and turned all night and when she woke up, she had come to a decision. She couldn’t accept Albus’ ring. Not yet. She wondered if he would be angry when she gave it back. Surprised at the overwhelming sense of sadness she felt, Minerva got up and dressed for the day. She and Albus hadn’t made any plans for that day, so she sent him an owl asking him to come over for a talk. While she waited for his answer, Minerva busied herself around the house.
“What’s got into you?” Judy asked when she emerged from her bedroom to find Minerva cleaning the sitting room. “It’s not your turn to clean and why on Earth are you doing it the Muggle way?”
“I just needed something to do.”
Judy stopped Minerva in her tracks and looked her squarely in the eyes. “Alright, out with it. What’s changed since last night?”
Minerva sighed and let her friend lead her to the couch. “I decided I can’t wear the ring. I’m not ready for a commitment yet.”
“You want to date other men?”
“No, of course not.”
“Is there something about Albus you don’t like?”
“No, as far as I can tell he’s perfect,” Minerva said. “It’s just... Well, you know my history with men.”
“I do,” Judy agreed. “And I also know that if you let your fears guide your heart you’ll lose out on something good. Talk to Albus.”
“I sent him an owl this morning asking him to come over. I’m waiting on an answer now.”
“Good, but no more of this cleaning while you wait. It’s not healthy. Come on, I have a better idea.”
And I loved the way he changed her mind ...
