A/N: Thanks for sending us all those lovely reviews. You’ve made our days with your lovely comments. And now the chapter you’ve all been waiting for since the first one…
Minerva took a deep breath and relaxed her muscles. She concentrated on the idea of changing her form, of her body morphing into an animal which would embody her inner self. She had been working diligently on achieving her first animagus transformation for the last couple of months. And as she felt a tingle start to spread across her limbs, she grew both excited and fearful.
She had sought an apprenticeship shortly after the war. Her love and talent in transfiguration had led to many offers. However, it had taken a visit to Albus asking for a letter of recommendation that had landed Minerva an offer to apprentice with him. She could still recall the rush of feelings that accompanied his suggestion.
“If you find the heartache of leaving Scotland to be too much, I would be honored to take you on as my apprentice. I have not taken many over the years. There have been few with the passion and talent that I require of those I teach. You have both in abundance.”To hide her excitement at the idea of becoming Albus’ apprentice, Minerva had thanked him for the offer and told him she would consider it. At home, she had agonized over the decision. To become his student again would mean a more professional relationship between them. However, in the end she could not turn down the opportunity to learn from the best.
Her years under his tutelage had flown by and their friendship had deepened. Now at the end, when the only goal left before she was granted her Masters in Transfiguration was to become an animagus, Minerva found her mind straying from her lessons. Early on she realized it was due to a reluctance to end her apprenticeship – afraid of how her friendship with Albus would change. She enjoyed their walks by the lake lost in discussion of the latest research, their chess matches by the fire in the teacher’s lounge and their arguments on various points that could rile her as nothing else could.
As Minerva looked up into his sparkling blue eyes from her new vantage point by the ground, she realized that everything would change. And if her new form was inclined to do so, she would be crying tears of sorrow.
“Minerva, haven’t you finished with the list yet?” The question was followed by a moment of silence. “Well, take all the time you need. I will be on the porch when you are finished.” The feminine voice was nearly cut off by the click of a door.
Minerva sighed as her quill attempted to scratch lines across the piece of parchment which was filled with names. She found herself groaning as the list of witches and wizards seemed to avoid her every attempt to shorten it, no doubt thanks to the special charm her mother had placed on the parchment. Seems her mother had anticipated Minerva’s attempt at crossing people off the list. Her parents were throwing a party to celebrate her newly granted Masters and they had asked her to add to the list that they had already started. Instead she found herself attempting to bring some sense of sanity to a gathering that was obviously growing out of hand. Granted her family was large, on both sides, but did a simple appointment really require an invitation to Great Aunt Mildred?
When her parents had first mentioned a party, Minerva had pictured a small affair, maybe in the gardens, with good food and a few close friends and family. It appeared that the gathering would now be as crowded as any Ministry ball she had been forced to attend.
With a smile, she looked at the end of the list and the one and only name she had added, Albus Dumbledore. At first she had been surprised and then offended that her mother had not placed him on the list. After all, he was the reason for her mastery in the first place. It was then that she remembered the curious smile she had been graced with when her mother had first handed her the piece of parchment. And knowing her mother as she did she realized, as a distinctly uneasy feeling took hold of her stomach, that she must know, somehow with that mothering sense of hers, that she had a crush on her professor. Except that it wasn’t a crush, not any more.
Standing from the chair she had been curled in, Minerva made her way to the back porch and her intuitive mother.
“Do we even know the Barons? I mean in addition to the time cousin Rachel dated their son, Barry, for a few months. And who are the Carrington’s? In fact, most of the names past the third foot I don’t recognize.”
The beautiful blonde woman who Minerva was looking at put the article she had been reading down on the table by her side. “You know how it is Minerva, if we invite one family then we have to invite the others or we will offend someone. And with your father’s position, we have to keep up appearances.”
Minerva took the seat opposite of her mother and closed her eyes. “I realize that you and Dad are under certain pressures but the party is for me, not for either of you. I think it is reasonable of me to want only my closest friends and family so that it is a true celebration and not simply a trumped up society event.”
She knew that she was asking a lot of her parents. Someone would end up offended at not receiving an invitation and her mother would have to mend the bridges but Minerva truly did not wish to even have a party if it was going to be turned into some horribly grand affair.
“How about we make a deal, my darling. We have the small event that you want earlier in the day, say a picnic in the gardens as you wished, and then that evening we have a dinner and dance to make all of the wizarding society minions happy.”
“Well…”
“And you do not have to stay past the first couple of dances. I can make your excuses.”
Minerva opened her eyes and met the lighter green ones of her mother. “I think that would be completely acceptable.”
She met her mother’s smile with one of her own and stood up, making her way over to give her a hug. “Thank you!”
“You are very welcome. Your happiness is what matters most to your father and I. Speaking of happiness, may I enquire if you added anyone to the list?”
Minerva felt her face warming under the intense gaze of the witch. “Just one.”
“I suspected as much.”
“How can you suspect anything when you don’t know who I added?” Minerva found herself looking into a pair of mischievous eyes.
“A mother knows all sorts of things.” Rich laughter filled the air. “Don’t be so mortified. I have followed this relationship from the fascination of your first meeting to the crush you developed during your years at Hogwarts. And now to the love I see in your eyes whenever his name is mentioned. If I did not know Albus as I do, I would have been worried about this long ago. He is an honorable man, maybe too honorable. Do you plan on telling him or at the very least dropping a Gryffindor sized clue?”
Minerva felt her insides start to churn at the thought of telling Albus of her feelings. Even asking him to dinner seemed an overwhelming step. But her mother was right, she needed to make the first move or no move might be made. Albus had always been the epitome of courtesy and correctness and he had no reason to change now. And after all, she wasn’t sorted into Gryffindor for nothing.
“I may do just that.”
Asking her mentor and friend to the small party held in her honor had been one of the most stressful events in her life. If he said no, then her future hopes and dreams would be crushed with that simple word. But if he said yes, then an entirely new set of worries would invade her mind. Nevertheless, it was with a swarm of butterflies in her stomach but a courage and determination in her heart that gave her the strength to approach Albus Dumbledore with the invitation.
“Of course I’ll be there. I wouldn’t miss your party for anything and thank you so much for thinking of me, Minerva. I must admit that I am somewhat sorry your apprenticeship has ended. I will miss your daily presence and our debates and discussions on so many topics.” He gave her a warm smile but the smile did not reach his saddened blue eyes. “And yes, I will even miss having my noble chess pieces defeated at your skillful moves.”
Minerva left Albus’ office feeling more depressed about closing this particular chapter in her life, though she was thrilled that he had readily accepted her invitation to both affairs given by her parents. Just knowing he would be there made the first party even better and the second one immensely bearable. And he too seemed genuinely gloomy about seeing their daily interaction coming to a close. All the more reason for her to search her heart and mind for just the right words to explain how much he honestly meant to her.
The day of the ball swooped in much faster than Minerva had realized. Between helping her mother plan the menu for the smaller gathering and agonizing over her attendance at the much larger party, she had very little time to choose her attire or even debate on the proper way to approach Albus with her feelings. But her time was growing shorter by the minute and Albus and her other guests would soon be arriving.
Athena had planned for Minerva to make an entrance after all of the guests had arrived and after much debate and discussion on the matter, Minerva finally caved in to her mother’s wishes. After all, she had been accommodating to some of Minerva’s other wishes and this seemed like such a small thing that would bring her mother much happiness.
“Everyone is here, dear, with the exception of Albus Dumbledore. Are you sure he understood the invitation was for both parties today?”
Minerva’s heart sank. She was certain she had been clear when asking him to attend both functions. And he had even commented on the first party being much more to his liking since it would be a smaller, more intimate gathering. “I’m sure Mom. Perhaps he was called away or decided not to show up after all.” Minerva’s green eyes turned cloudy as she faced the possibility of having her heart broken before she even had the chance to explain herself to him. “I suppose something more important came up. He’s never late so I think it’s safe to assume he’s not coming.”
Athena hugged her daughter tightly in her arms, trying desperately to soothe her heartache. “There’s still time for him to show up. He made great efforts to be there for your graduation so why on earth would he miss this party given solely in your honor?” Athena pulled back and looked into Minerva’s eyes nearly filled to capacity with uncertainty and disappointment. “If he doesn’t show up for this party, there is always the next one and with any luck he’ll have a good explanation. But for now, your guests are waiting and we mustn’t delay any longer. They’re all assembled and waiting for you.” Athena kissed her daughter’s cheek then walked to the door. “I’ll give you a minute to compose yourself but don’t take too long.”
As the door closed behind her mother, Minerva suddenly felt a wave of anger and hurt fill her heart. He had promised to be there for her and had led her to believe that he wouldn’t dare miss the opportunity to celebrate her accomplishment. And here it was, the appointed time and he was nowhere to be seen and no owls of apology could be seen on the horizon. Steeling herself to an afternoon of small talk and fake smiles, Minerva brushed down her dress robes and wiped away the moisture from the corner of her eyes. Her parents had gone to a great deal of trouble for her today and if nothing else, she owed it to them to be a gracious hostess.
Minerva had always loved the staircase in their old home. When she was younger, she imagined descending the staircase and meeting a handsome man at the bottom who would take her hand and never let it go. She inwardly warmed at the memory for it had been after her first meeting with Albus Dumbledore ages ago that the fantasy had been born.
Oh if only he were here today to take my hand at the bottom of the stairs, she mused.Standing at the top of the staircase, Minerva smiled as her friends and family applauded the young woman at the top of the landing. Her cheeks warmed slightly from the praise as she scanned the group, looking for the only one of her guests that truly mattered. Not finding him, she began her slow descent down the stairs towards those gathered to help her celebrate. As she neared the bottom of the stairs, her father caught her eyes. Pride and love shone in his face, making her melancholy mood a bit less blue than before and the closer she got to the bottom of the stairs, the happier she felt.
Minerva held out her left hand to her father as she reached the bottom step, silently asking for him to escort her into the gardens. But much to her surprise, he merely shook his head as his eyes caught sight of something or someone to Minerva’s right. A second later, a warm yet familiar hand took hold of hers and just as she turned her head, soft lips grazed the backs of her fingers. Albus Dumbledore was standing at the bottom of the stairs, just as she had imagined and immediately she felt light as a feather floating on a summer breeze. Her earlier anxieties and frustrations were gone and all that was left was an overwhelming happiness.
With Minerva’s arm tucked securely in the crook of his arm, Albus led Minerva towards the magnificent garden party, not a single word passing between them. His arm slipped around her waist, drawing her against him as the first strains of a waltz began to play. “I apologize for my tardiness. I had a dreadful time deciding what to wear today,” he admitted shyly.
“I was afraid you weren’t coming.” For the first time since his arrival, Minerva dared to lock eyes with his, trying hard to read the emotions floating across his expressive pools of blue. Her hand rested easily on his chest, just above his heart, and his hand covered hers as they began to move in time with the music.
“I told you before that I wouldn’t miss an opportunity to celebrate with you, my dear.” With practiced ease, the two seemed to move gracefully around the dance floor as first one song and then another hummed through the air. Their conversation flowed smoothly and as he had done so often in the past, Albus had Minerva nearly doubled over with laughter or flushed with his heartfelt compliments in no time at all.
The afternoon party passed too quickly for Minerva’s liking and she still had not followed through on her mother’s advice of talking to Albus. As they shared one last slow dance, Minerva carefully thought over what she would say to Albus when the music ended. He too seemed to be deep in thought and Minerva smiled when she felt his arms tighten around her waist, drawing her much closer to him than she had ever been before. His strong arms felt perfect around her body and his well defined shape, despite his age, seemed to be made to fit her. But just as she was getting comfortable in her new closeness, the music stopped and she found herself standing in the rose garden, well away from everyone else.
The air around them grew incredibly thick with anticipation and excitement, mingled with a bit of nervousness on both sides. Suddenly, Minerva’s breaths grew short and her mind grew cluttered with her thoughts as she desperately tried to form the words to tell him how she felt.
“It’s a beautiful rose garden,” he said softly. His eyes never left hers as he remarked on the beauty of the flowers. “I hope you don’t mind me stealing a few unguarded moments of your time from your guests.” Minerva found it hard to swallow and her heart was pounding in her ears as she put his fears to rest. Albus’ hands moved from her waist and came to rest on the side of her cheek, his thumb gliding across her rosy skin with tenderness. “You’re so beautiful, Minerva. You put the roses to shame.”
“Albus I…”
“Minerva, please let me say this. I’ve worked on this speech ever since you invited me to your celebration.” She nodded her head, encouraging him to continue. Anything she had to say could wait for a few minutes longer. “I realize that I am considerably older than you and that we’ve known each other for many years now. But the thought of letting you walk out of my life pains me greatly.” His eyes grew darker and his voice lowered, sending shivers down Minerva’s spine. “Minerva, Merlin help me, but I think I’m falling in love with you. I will understand of course if you don’t return my feelings but I had to at least risk the rejection in the hopes of having you love me in return.”
For a moment, Minerva was unsure if she had heard Albus correctly. It was as if he had looked into her mind and read her deepest thoughts and desires, but he was too noble for that sort of thing. Her knees went suddenly weak, her heart stopped beating…of that she was sure. But her mind screamed at her to answer him. Closing the distance between then, Minerva stood on her tiptoes and brushed her lips across his so gently it felt almost like a whisper before pulling back to look into his eyes.
“I had planned to say something similar to you today as well. I knew that if I didn’t say something today, I would regret it for the rest of my life.” Minerva led Albus over to a small bench facing the most exotic of roses in their garden and then settled down beside him. “I believe a small part of me fell in love with you the first time I ever laid eyes on you, though I was too young to know and understand it at the time. Through all these years, I’ve thought of only you, though in different ways I’ll admit. But now…now that I am no longer your student and of age and with no constraints, I can openly say that I long for the moments when you’re near. I cherish the dances, looks, smiles, touches, any amount of time I can take is a blessing.”
It was Albus’ turn to close the distance between them but his kiss was anything but a whisper. Gentle, yes, but so powerful that it stole the very breath from Minerva’s lungs. He took his time and savored the meeting of their hearts, first kissing the corners of her mouth, pulling back between each touch before going back to taste her sweet lips once more. He instinctively slipped an arm around Minerva, drawing her closer to him as he lowered his head to hers. Before either of them had time to think, they were engaged in the most heated kiss either of them had ever received.
Athena McGonagall stood beneath the archway leading into the gardens with an approving look on her face. Somehow she had known, probably longer than either Albus or Minerva, that one day they would come to this and she couldn’t have been happier. As much as she hated to interrupt their quiet interlude, Minerva’s new guests had started to arrive and she was needed. Discreetly, Athena looked away and faked a cough, forcing the newly formed couple apart with reddened cheeks and swollen lips.
“Minerva, your other guests are arriving,” Athena called out as she walked slowly towards the couple seated on the small iron bench. “Oh how rude of me to interrupt, but I also wanted to remind you that if you stay for a portion of this gathering, then you will be free to spend the remainder of your evening as you wish.” A subtle wink was cast in Minerva’s direction and she did not miss the hint of happiness in her mother’s voice as she hummed a tune as she walked away.
“Albus, would you please stay? I promise we won’t have to be there long and then we can make our excuses. I’d leave now but I promised…”
“My dear, I’m not letting you out of my sight this evening. Besides, I was hoping a young lady with pretty green eyes would honor me with a dance. I can never seem to get enough of them with you but I have a feeling that from now on my dance card and yours will be full before the party even begins.”
A/N2: Yay! They’re finally a couple so what happens next? You’ll have to wait until the next chapter to see. We hope you have enjoyed this chapter!
What more could I ask for? And finally they're together 
;D
