A/N: Thank you as always to all my readers and especially my reviewers! Thank you so much! Trips to the Zoo are due to padashahZ, the Dancing Banana, and the master herself, Always Hopeful for all their help! Couldn't do this without you guys! I hope you enjoy the story. 
Oh and I apparently accidently stole the name Athena from Kankulex1701 and I hope I'm forgiven! 
Enjoy... 
Chapter Six At precisely one o’clock, Minerva took a deep breath then knocked briskly on Albus’ door. It was unneeded, but part of their routine. Albus always asked her to lunch and chess in his rooms on Sunday, as if she might have other plans she hadn’t spoken of, and she always knocked at one in the afternoon, as if he weren’t expecting her and she wasn’t allowed to just come in. This Sunday meeting was to prove different in two respects.
First of all, Minerva was nervous. She had been up most of the night attempting to forget her dream. She was unsure how she would feel and act around Albus after what Dream-Albus had almost told her. She’d spent her morning going over all the reasons why Albus couldn’t be interested in her, while at the same time fighting her instincts to wear different, more attractive robes than her usual attire. She had decided to wear her hair down. Albus seemed to like it that way and she’d enjoyed the feel of his hands lightly running through it when he’d embraced her the night before.
Now she stood in front of his door waiting for him to answer, which was the second difference of the day. Her customary knock had not been followed by his routine welcome. Minerva knocked again, and after waiting a moment, once more. This was the first time in all their years of Sunday lunches that Albus had not been waiting for her.
“Albus?” Minerva called out before slowly opening the door to his office. She looked around, but saw no Albus, nor any sign that he’d been in his office that day. Ministry owls were pecking at his windows and the fireplace was cold.
Minerva was instantly on alert. ‘Something must be very wrong,’ she thought before making the decision to enter his private rooms.
She saw that the house elves had set up their lunch and started the fire in the sitting room, but there was no other sign of activity. Minerva knocked on the bathroom door before opening it slightly. There was still no sign of Albus.
This left only one place. Minerva stared at the door which led to Albus’ bedroom. Should she open it? True, just last night she would have given nearly anything for the chance to see inside, but in the light of day she was much more reasonable. Albus had never invited her into the room, but then why would he? If there were something wrong with him, she would never forgive herself if she did nothing. Minerva took a step closer to the door.
She knocked lightly on the dark wood, then harder, calling “Albus?”
There was no reply.
Minerva looked sternly at the door, as if the wood was at fault, before gritting her teeth and closing her eyes. She straightened her robes and put her hair up in a bun, running her hands over it to make sure each strand was encased. Feeling more confident, Minerva opened her eyes and knocked once more. When no response came, she opened the door.
Minerva couldn’t control her loud gasp as she looked about the room. Albus laid in his bed, cocooned in his scarlet bed spread with a canopy of gold floating around him. There were two armchairs, one of purple, one green, in front of the fireplace. She moved closer into the room, her eyes wide, both hands to her chest. Was she dreaming still? It was all just as she had seen it last night. Minerva looked to the bureau and saw herself dancing with Albus, sitting on the sofa with Poppy, and rocking her infant niece. The only thing missing was the large picture of her. Tears began to roll down Minerva’s cheeks as she looked to Albus on the bed. What did this all mean?
Albus had woken up at the sound of Minerva entering the room. He looked to the charmed picture of her he still held in his hands. The shock and surprise on her face like that of the night before in her rooms once again served to show him this was not a dream. Albus closed his eyes. He could not mess this up like he had the night before in their dream.
“Good morning, Minerva,” he said, rising from the bed and pulling his long robe over his pajamas.
She smiled, hoping he hadn’t noticed the tears she’d wiped away.
“It’s not morning, Albus. It’s after one. I was beginning to think something might be wrong so I...”
“After one? I’m sorry, Minerva. I had a rather startling dream last night and had trouble getting to sleep.”
Minerva watched as he talked and noticed something lying on his bed. She walked a few steps closer and saw the large picture of herself lying among his bed sheets. She was smiling anxiously, though, exactly as Minerva felt. She looked to the pictures on the bureau, then back to the picture on his bed.
“Albus, what do they mean?” She had unconsciously echoed her question from her dream the night before.
Albus looked at her before following her gaze to the picture in his bed, more frightened in this moment than in any other he’d faced in his long life. How did he explain to her that this old, foolish man, whom she would never think of, was in love with her? Perhaps he’d been right the night before. Direct action was best. Albus took both of her hands in his and looked her straight in the eye.
“Minerva...Darling Minerva, I lo-“
“Albus? Albus, are you in?”
“Albus?”
He and Minerva both jumped as Poppy and James’ voices resounded through Albus’ rooms. Albus covered his face with his hands, as Minerva quickly wiped tears from her eyes. Would nothing go right today?
“I’m here James. So is Minerva. Just give us a moment and we’ll be with you.”
“Albus,” Minerva said quietly. He turned to look at her. “I need you to know that I dreamed about this last night and I dreamed that you were about to tell me you loved me.” Albus watched with amazement as a smile graced her features then realized she was continuing. “I just can’t hide this anymore. I love y-“
“Well, get on it old man. I’ve got great news and I feel like shouting it from the top of the tallest tower,” called James.
“Shush, James. He and Minerva must be having a meeting. We’re interrupting,” Poppy could just barely be heard, scolding him as she giggled at his enthusiasm.
Albus took Minerva’s hand after muttering a quick spell to change his dressing gown into a more presentable robe. He couldn’t believe it, she was pleased with the dream and she’d been about to say she loved him as well.
“Minerva, you should know that wasn’t exactly a dream. We should go meet them, my love.” Albus put added emphasis on the last word as he left a lingering kiss on Minerva’s hand, watching her blush.
“Minerva, should we leave? We can come back later if you are busy.” Interrupting again, Poppy’s voice, obviously excited and impatient, though less so than James, came from Albus’ office.
Minerva smiled at Albus, her green eyes never leaving his. She called out to Poppy, “I just have one thing left to do and we’ll be in.”
“One thing?” Albus asked softly.
“Yes. I need to be sure this isn’t a dream.” Albus smiled as she met him in a small kiss before he led her out the door.
“You know, my darling,” Albus said as they entered his study and walked past his chess set, “We may spend less time playing chess on Sunday afternoons now.”
“And why would that be?” Minerva smiled coyly.
“We may have better things to do.” Albus smiled widely, kissing her cheek before opening the door to his office.
“You just don’t want to lose anymore.” Minerva laughed as she walked into the office.
Albus grinned as he watched Minerva greet Poppy with a kiss, before mumbling under his breath, “That’s likely.”
A/N: Well what do you think? I think this is the end, unless I get a lot of begging for an epilogue. Let me know. Thank you for going along on this little journey with me! OSUSprinks ;D
... I love that ending but I am joining those asking for an epilogue.
