Post by Hogwarts Duo on Mar 18, 2007 11:32:47 GMT -5
A Night In The Headmaster's Chambers
Summary: Albus Dumbledore has another one of his more interesting ideas...a slumber party for the staff of Hogwarts. Events turn out a little different than anyone expected, especially for one Minerva McGonagall, when a fight over a pair of pajamas and a trip to the wrong bed leads to some unexpected, and not unwelcome, advances.
No one in the wizarding world would argue against the fact that Albus Dumbledore loved all things muggle. He had never considered them to be an enemy of witches and wizards, merely people afraid of powers they did not understand. At every opportunity, he looked for ways to bridge the gap between the two worlds and had been successful on various occasions in helping those in his own world to better understand the ways of muggles. Not to mention that it helped his staff in dealing with the muggle born children.
This particular summer evening at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, another such exercise was scheduled to take place, much to the dismay of every key faculty member with the exception of one. The staff members had been told to free their calendars for the remainder of the evening and well into the following morning. They were to report to the Headmaster's office at precisely seven o'clock where more instructions would be given. There were to be no exceptions or excuses for not attending...it was a required staff development meeting.
Minerva McGonagall was the first to arrive in the Headmaster's office and since they had been best friends for more years than either could remember, Albus shared his new idea with her. "Tonight we are going to have a Hogwarts' slumber party! Muggles, children in particular, fancy these things and I believe it will be a useful tool in creating a greater personal understanding amongst ourselves." Minerva opened her mouth to protest but was halted with a raised hand. "And before you begin your verbal assault on me, let me say that this matter is not up for debate and I would sincerely appreciate it if you would support me in this. I will have a difficult time enough with Severus without having you upset with me as well. Please Minerva, do this for me."
The stern witch opened and closed her mouth several times but before words were released she stared into the deep blue eyes of her friend. That had been her fatal mistake. His eyes always showed so much expression and the pleading look she found there served its' purpose. Her frustration was still there but she did not have the heart to tell him exactly what she was thinking. Instead, she gave him a modified version.
"Albus, have you thought this through? Having all of us spend the night in the same room is a bit unorthodox and not to mention dangerous. I, for one, would not feel comfortable sharing a room with some of my colleagues. Add to that the fact that some of them will be less than thrilled and I believe you are in for a rough night."
"Minerva, dear, I have thought this through very carefully and I have been planning this for weeks. There will be very little sleeping involved. That is the whole point of a slumber party. Odd really when one considers the name. But the whole point is to get us better acquainted with each other, something we take for granted during the school term. I know that I will meet some opposition but I'm sure if you stand beside me on this, those against the idea will come around much quicker. I need your help, Minerva."
That was all he had to say. She still wasn't happy about this little scheme at all but she had never been one to stay mad at him for long. Secretly, she held feelings for him. Feelings that ran much deeper than she would ever admit openly. Once, she had considered sharing her thoughts with him but her Gryffindor courage had failed her. She had lost her nerve and over the years she had led herself to believe that he thought no more of her than a dear friend. And if that were to be the extent of their relationship, then she would have to be happy with it. At least, she could claim him as her best friend.
Seven o'clock arrived and brought with it several unhappy or apprehensive adults. Not all of them were upset with the Headmaster. Those like Hagrid and Hooch seemed to enjoy these unscheduled sessions and Hooch wouldn't miss an opportunity to see the Headmaster get the best of her friend, Minerva. He had an uncanny way of pushing her to the brink of anger and then reeling her back in with the simplest of phrases or glances. It amazed most of the staff that those two had never officially become a couple. Everyone but them seemed to notice how those two danced around the inevitable.
"I am pleased to see each and every one of you. I know you must all be curious so let us not waste any more time. We are here this evening for a slumber party." Confused looks passed between those in attendance. Only one dared to voice his immediate displeasure at the planned event.
"Headmaster, did I understand you correctly? We are to have a 'slumber party'? Here? In your office?" Albus had to smile. It had taken Severus about as long as it had Minerva to grasp the full meaning of what was planned but unlike her, he wasted no time in voicing his strong opinion. "Surely you do not intend for all of us to spend the night here in your office. The area is much too small for all of us. Not to mention that it is highly irregular for adults to have a 'sleep over'. I, for one, would like to be excused."
"Severus, I had anticipated your vehement hostility towards this idea but you may not be excused. I have permitted Sybil Trelawney to miss our evening due to a small family crisis that she has foreseen. She assured me that it could not be helped. Therefore, I will ask you to calm yourself and try to make the most of this evening. You might actually learn something about your colleagues."
With baited breath, Albus Dumbledore waited for another outburst from his other staff members but he received none. He was surprised, however, when Minerva jumped to his defense when only moments before she had expressed similar concerns as Severus.
"Right then. I believe that our Headmaster has put a great deal of time and effort into this evening and we should open ourselves up to a new experience. I admit that I am not overly excited about this but I am positive that the benefits will outweigh my reservations in this matter. Now, Albus, what's next?"
An appreciative glance passed from the Headmaster to his Deputy. She always did support him, no matter how odd his ideas may seem at the time. Her friendship had meant more to him over the years than even she knew. In fact, he had grown to have feelings above and beyond those of friendship but had always held them back. He did not believe that she could ever love him in such an intimate way and he was not willing to risk his treasured friendship.
After a few preliminary words of explanation had been issued by Albus, most of the other professors seemed to warm to the idea of spending a night together. He had gone to great lengths to ensure a fun-filled evening that he hoped would serve to strengthen their working relationships and offer them new insights into the minds of those they were expected to teach. His first planned activity for the evening was supposed to be a friendly game of Wizard Trivia.
Albus had heard of a game called Trivial Pursuit, which was popular in the muggle world, and he had managed to locate a book full of well-known and obscure wizarding facts. Those would be the basis for the questions used in the game. The book had varying levels of difficulty so that each person might have a chance to succeed and bring his or team some amount of honor. He had secretly charmed the bits of colored paper used to decide the teams. His motive was simple. Create odd pairings in order to foster inter-staff communication. However, he had chosen his own partner because putting her with Severus would not be a good idea at all. She had her limits and he respected them.
It was no surprise to those in the room that Minerva and Albus had formed a team. Nor was it a shock to find that Xiomara and Severus were paired together. Where one couple would work in perfect harmony and ultimately defeat their opponents, the other was sure to be at each other's throats until a compromise was reached. Flitwick and Binns had no reservations about working as a team and Madame Sprout and Madame Pomfrey were only too happy to welcome Hagrid to their group. With the rules of the game explained and a playing order established the game started.
After two hours of pulling useless facts and figures from their heads, Severus Snape and Xiomara Hooch were running a close second to Albus and Minerva's team. Poppy, Sprout and Hagrid had made valiant efforts to answer the questions but they were defeated by Hagrid's enthusiasm. Instead of consulting with his team members, he would often shout out the answers, which were frequently incorrect. Flitwick found that if a question did not focus on a historical matter, Binns was of no use at all.
At first, Snape had grumbled and complained about being placed with Hooch until he realized that the situation could have been worse. He might have been stuck playing with McGonagall or Binns. Even Hagrid had proven useful to his team with the magical creatures section. All in all, his teammate wasn't so bad. Until the game ending question sparked a fiery debate and a sound defeat.
If they answered this question correctly, Hooch and Snape could claim victory over the extremely intelligent headmaster and deputy headmistress. Unfortunately for them, the category was centered on a specific date in Wizarding History. After much discussion, Hooch finally convinced her partner that she remembered the answer from a lecture she had heard Professor Binns give during her own schooldays. And as the incorrect answer fell freely from her lips, the game had ended just as it had started. With Snape fuming about the entire evening and that he had been paired with a brainless, quidditch fanatic while the others stared in awe at the two bickering adults!
"Well I see that we still have some work to do on our interpersonal skills. I think it might be best if we help ourselves to some of the delicious snack foods that the house elves have prepared for us."
All kinds of treats had been prepared and sent to the headmaster's office for the enjoyment of the staff. There was something there for everyone and Albus had even arranged for a few muggle dishes to be served. As the night progressed, several more games had been played and Albus had attempted to describe some of the more childish things that went on at these gatherings. He made specific mention of pillow fights, truth or dare, and a particularly interesting one called spin the bottle, which took quite a bit of delicate explaining on Albus’ part.
The night wore on and several professors were seen stifling yawns and weary eyes. As with all things, even slumber parties must have an end...especially for people of their ages.
"As with any true slumber party, we will all be sharing a room this evening. I have taken the liberty of conjuring special pajamas and I will be happy to create a cot for you when you are ready to retire. I have asked the castle to allow me a little extra space in here this evening so that we all may fit into one room." With that, Albus began handing out brightly colored packages containing the nightclothes. One by one, each staff member opened his or her package.
Snape's set of nightwear was a true Slytherin green with smoldering black cauldrons on them. Madame Sprout had been given an atrocious set with flowers in every color and variety printed on them. An extremely large set with flying dragons had been created with Hagrid in mind and Hooch was presented with a multi-colored set to represent each of the houses. Albus had taken special care to add dozens of golden snitches and chasing brooms to her pajamas. Poppy was pleased to find a crisp white pair of nightclothes with healing potions on them.
When Minerva opened her package, she was less than pleased. While her colleagues had been given pajamas depicting something from their field of expertise, her gift had been created with a more personal touch. Holding them up for a closer look, Minerva tried to control her temper at having been given a set of green tartan pajamas. That wasn't so bad. What had really caused her temper to flare were the tiny tabby cats that resembled her in her animagus form chasing mice all across the silky fabric.
"Albus Dumbledore, I refuse to wear these! I have supported each and every one of your ideas this evening but I draw the line at wearing these. I have perfectly comfortable sets of nightwear in my own rooms. And you above all others should know that I have never chased a mouse in my entire history of being an animagus!" Storming from the room, everyone was left speechless. They had witnessed the famous McGonagall temper before but never directed at the Headmaster. He had really managed to make her blood boil.
Several tense moments passed before anyone spoke another word. "Please continue with your evening. I will ask each of you to change into your new clothes and I will get you settled with your beds before searching for Minerva." Quietly, almost as if they were trying not to bring any more discomfort to the situation, each patiently waited for the sleeping accommodations to be made and then settled down for the night. With a heavy heart, Albus set out in search of his friend in the hopes of finding her quickly and returning to his guests.
Minerva knew that Albus would most likely come looking for her so she went to the very last place he would expect to find her. She went straight to the astronomy tower. By the time he thought to look there, it would be safe to return to her own chambers, seeing as how he would look there first.
A silent war was being waged inside Minerva's mind. How could he be so insensitive? He has known me better than anyone else and yet he failed to see how that might hurt my feelings. I'd never admit it, but I was actually looking forward to the rest of our evening and then he had to go and ruin it with this silly idea! I sometimes wish I could just open up and let him see exactly what he means to me. Maybe then he'd be a little more careful with his jokes. Then again, he might stop the joking all together and that would be worse.
After distancing herself from the situation, she came to realize that she had overreacted to the set of pajamas and had caused quite a scene in her departure. No doubt, Albus would not understand what had caused her outburst and would seek her out in the hopes of making amends. She came to understand that her timing had been awful and the proper way to have handled the situation would have been to request a private word, then explain her objections to the cats chasing mice. But that was not how she had reacted and now she owed him an apology.
Judging by the placement of the moon in the night sky, Minerva realized that she had been in the tower for quite some time and that Albus had probably returned to his office. With a quick swish of her wand, her day robes had been replaced with the offending pajamas and she silently made her way to the Headmaster's office.
Upon opening the large door, she was not surprised to see that everyone else had retired for the evening. Albus had gone to a great deal of trouble to ensure that everyone was comfortable. In the darkened room, Minerva could barely make out a lone cot situated a bit apart from the rest. She assumed that Albus had anticipated her return and made sleeping arrangements for her as well. With the intentions of staying awake until he returned, Minerva slipped between the cool sheets and waited. However, before long her eyelids became too heavy and she drifted off to a light slumber. Her last thoughts had been how comfortable this particular bed was and the faint scent of lemon drops on the pillow, which reminded her of Albus.
He had searched everywhere Minerva usually went when she needed to be alone and had found nothing. Albus had to face the fact that if Minerva did not want to be found, no amount of diligent searching would locate her. Leaning against her chamber door, he tried to replay the recent events in the hopes of learning what had caused her to get so angry with him.
Let's see, she's been perfectly fine all evening, up until the pajamas. Maybe it had something to do with them. Merlin, I only wanted her to have the most beautiful pair in the room. I had envisioned her wearing those for over a week and somehow I ruined my only chance of making that vision a reality. It would be so much easier if I could show her my feelings. I only wanted to make her comfortable in an otherwise uncomfortable situation and show her just how special she is to me without jeopardizing our friendship. Now, I fear I have offended her and done just that. I might as well get some sleep and try to repair the damage tomorrow.
Disappointed, he returned to his office, transfigured his robes into a bright purple set of nightclothes that had shooting stars all over them. His only hope would be to locate Minerva in the morning and attempt to explain his motives. Making his way quietly to his cot, he failed to notice the sleeping form of a woman already occupying the space. Slipping between the oddly warmed sheets, Albus suddenly got the shock of his life as he rolled to his side and threw his arm out across the bedding. Only his arm did not hit the bed, it landed across the sleeping form of Minerva McGonagall. To make the situation even more embarrassing was the placement of his hand.
At first, Albus was too surprised to move. He quickly assessed the situation and whispered ‘lumos’ hoping to shed some light on the matter. When the tip of his wand cast the soft glow, he realized that he had jumped into bed with Minerva. One of his hands had managed to come to rest on her soft breast and he was too shocked to move a muscle. Oh dear, that feels nice and it is the perfect size for my…Albus Dumbledore you should not be thinking such thoughts. He had always dreamed of exploring her body at his leisure but surely this was not the time or the place. His mind was torn as he looked into her face. Oh Merlin! I hope I didn't hurt her! Oh my, she does have a nice figure. I wonder how it would feel to...stop it Albus! She's already angry enough with you as it is without you making things worse! He hadn’t noticed but his hand still rested on her breast and in his musings, he had started to gently massage the soft skin hidden beneath the pajamas.
If the man on top of her had been anyone else, the stern transfiguration professor would have immediately changed him into some inanimate object and proceeded with a verbal assault. But Albus wasn't just any man and she had refrained from screaming in an effort to avoid an even more embarrassing situation with their colleagues.
By Athena, he is so warm...and solid. I bet it would be wonderful to have those strong arms wrapped around me in the still of the night. And he smells of lemon drops and chocolate...His kisses must be delicious kisses. Merlin he is so close and so very intoxicating. And his hand is massaging my breast…ohhhh…I have longed for that kind of touch from him. Perhaps if I leaned up just a bit more, he might take the hint and… Snap out of it Minerva! He does not think of you that way and besides that...there are others present in the room!
In her vain attempt to bring her body back under control, Minerva placed her hand behind her and attempted to shift. But she was flustered to feel something firm pressing against her hand, much more firm than the mattress and a great deal more vocal. A soft moan in a familiar voice drew her attention to her new dilemma. Seems that in her movements, her pajama top had come undone and Albus’ skilled hand had slipped inside, cupping her left breast as his palm lightly grazed her sensitive nipple.
Neither of them was aware that they were being watched by a hawk-eyed woman in another part of the room. Xiomara Hooch had been roused from sleep when the Headmaster had entered the room again and she was finding it unbearable to keep from laughing at the overall situation. She had no idea just how intimate the two had already become in those short minutes since he had climbed into bed. As she struggled to get a better glimpse, she was even more amused to hear a moan from the Headmaster and she was almost sure that a soft sigh had escaped Minerva’s lips.
Never failing to see the humor in any situation, Albus began to chuckle once he saw that she was not going to explode. In fact, he noticed an emotion flashing in her eyes that gave him hope for something more. He started to apologize but before he could, she halted his actions. In an effort to silence him, Minerva removed her soft hand from his mounting desire and placed it over his mouth. Staring into his blue eyes, which were twinkling like the stars outside, she waited for him to make some sort of move to give her some direction.
At the touching of her delicate hand to his face, both felt a surge of electricity and emotions being released in the air. Staring at the other, neither offered to say a word or move a muscle for fear of breaking the enchantment being cast over them. Her hand rested on his soft lips while the other was resting safely on his hip. His strong arm was now cradling her head while his nimble fingers still caressed her breast. Fearing that the spell forming between them would be broken if they moved an inch, they both refused to move until Albus boldly tugged one of her fingers into his moist mouth and teased it with his tongue.
Neither one was sure who exactly made the next move. If she had been asked, Minerva would swear that Albus had leaned down to her and Albus always claimed that she had raised up to meet him. Either way, the two old friends could no longer fight the feelings that had been held captive for so long. The rest of the room around them faded, as they allowed their lips to touch in a timid first kiss that seemed to last forever and then again, no time at all. Warming, tingling sensations seized their bodies and minds and the two allowed their lips to tell of their hearts' desires as their hands began the exploration of the other.
As the kiss ended, Albus brought his hand up to lovingly outline the features of her face as she absent-mindedly toyed with his beard. Without another word being spoken between them, Albus claimed her lips once more and she pulled him even closer to her slender frame on the cot. He soon found himself lying almost on top of her and yet feeling that he was too far away. He wanted desperately to be much closer and to share so much more with her.
When she responded passionately to his attentions, he deepened the kiss, while she desperately tried to stifle the moan building up in the back of her throat. By the time their lips had separated, he had made a decision. They were on the verge of something wonderful and he was not going to allow it to slip through his fingers this time. It was too precious to lose. She was too precious to lose.
Lighting dozens of candles and torches, Albus woke the other staff members from their slumber. "I regret to do this but something extremely important has developed and it demands my immediate attention. If you wouldn't mind, I would ask each of you to return to your own rooms. I am truly sorry!" One by one the sleepy occupants made their way back to their chambers, a little happier to be in their own beds. Hooch made sure to catch Minerva’s eyes and give her a suggestive wink. For a moment, Minerva panicked as she wondered just how much her friend had seen of the entire scene. Promising to give her a thorough questioning at a later date, she winked back and watched the witch waltz from the room while humming a tune. When the large oak door closed and sealed behind Severus Snape, the only people left in the room were Minerva and Albus.
Summary: Albus Dumbledore has another one of his more interesting ideas...a slumber party for the staff of Hogwarts. Events turn out a little different than anyone expected, especially for one Minerva McGonagall, when a fight over a pair of pajamas and a trip to the wrong bed leads to some unexpected, and not unwelcome, advances.
No one in the wizarding world would argue against the fact that Albus Dumbledore loved all things muggle. He had never considered them to be an enemy of witches and wizards, merely people afraid of powers they did not understand. At every opportunity, he looked for ways to bridge the gap between the two worlds and had been successful on various occasions in helping those in his own world to better understand the ways of muggles. Not to mention that it helped his staff in dealing with the muggle born children.
This particular summer evening at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, another such exercise was scheduled to take place, much to the dismay of every key faculty member with the exception of one. The staff members had been told to free their calendars for the remainder of the evening and well into the following morning. They were to report to the Headmaster's office at precisely seven o'clock where more instructions would be given. There were to be no exceptions or excuses for not attending...it was a required staff development meeting.
Minerva McGonagall was the first to arrive in the Headmaster's office and since they had been best friends for more years than either could remember, Albus shared his new idea with her. "Tonight we are going to have a Hogwarts' slumber party! Muggles, children in particular, fancy these things and I believe it will be a useful tool in creating a greater personal understanding amongst ourselves." Minerva opened her mouth to protest but was halted with a raised hand. "And before you begin your verbal assault on me, let me say that this matter is not up for debate and I would sincerely appreciate it if you would support me in this. I will have a difficult time enough with Severus without having you upset with me as well. Please Minerva, do this for me."
The stern witch opened and closed her mouth several times but before words were released she stared into the deep blue eyes of her friend. That had been her fatal mistake. His eyes always showed so much expression and the pleading look she found there served its' purpose. Her frustration was still there but she did not have the heart to tell him exactly what she was thinking. Instead, she gave him a modified version.
"Albus, have you thought this through? Having all of us spend the night in the same room is a bit unorthodox and not to mention dangerous. I, for one, would not feel comfortable sharing a room with some of my colleagues. Add to that the fact that some of them will be less than thrilled and I believe you are in for a rough night."
"Minerva, dear, I have thought this through very carefully and I have been planning this for weeks. There will be very little sleeping involved. That is the whole point of a slumber party. Odd really when one considers the name. But the whole point is to get us better acquainted with each other, something we take for granted during the school term. I know that I will meet some opposition but I'm sure if you stand beside me on this, those against the idea will come around much quicker. I need your help, Minerva."
That was all he had to say. She still wasn't happy about this little scheme at all but she had never been one to stay mad at him for long. Secretly, she held feelings for him. Feelings that ran much deeper than she would ever admit openly. Once, she had considered sharing her thoughts with him but her Gryffindor courage had failed her. She had lost her nerve and over the years she had led herself to believe that he thought no more of her than a dear friend. And if that were to be the extent of their relationship, then she would have to be happy with it. At least, she could claim him as her best friend.
Seven o'clock arrived and brought with it several unhappy or apprehensive adults. Not all of them were upset with the Headmaster. Those like Hagrid and Hooch seemed to enjoy these unscheduled sessions and Hooch wouldn't miss an opportunity to see the Headmaster get the best of her friend, Minerva. He had an uncanny way of pushing her to the brink of anger and then reeling her back in with the simplest of phrases or glances. It amazed most of the staff that those two had never officially become a couple. Everyone but them seemed to notice how those two danced around the inevitable.
"I am pleased to see each and every one of you. I know you must all be curious so let us not waste any more time. We are here this evening for a slumber party." Confused looks passed between those in attendance. Only one dared to voice his immediate displeasure at the planned event.
"Headmaster, did I understand you correctly? We are to have a 'slumber party'? Here? In your office?" Albus had to smile. It had taken Severus about as long as it had Minerva to grasp the full meaning of what was planned but unlike her, he wasted no time in voicing his strong opinion. "Surely you do not intend for all of us to spend the night here in your office. The area is much too small for all of us. Not to mention that it is highly irregular for adults to have a 'sleep over'. I, for one, would like to be excused."
"Severus, I had anticipated your vehement hostility towards this idea but you may not be excused. I have permitted Sybil Trelawney to miss our evening due to a small family crisis that she has foreseen. She assured me that it could not be helped. Therefore, I will ask you to calm yourself and try to make the most of this evening. You might actually learn something about your colleagues."
With baited breath, Albus Dumbledore waited for another outburst from his other staff members but he received none. He was surprised, however, when Minerva jumped to his defense when only moments before she had expressed similar concerns as Severus.
"Right then. I believe that our Headmaster has put a great deal of time and effort into this evening and we should open ourselves up to a new experience. I admit that I am not overly excited about this but I am positive that the benefits will outweigh my reservations in this matter. Now, Albus, what's next?"
An appreciative glance passed from the Headmaster to his Deputy. She always did support him, no matter how odd his ideas may seem at the time. Her friendship had meant more to him over the years than even she knew. In fact, he had grown to have feelings above and beyond those of friendship but had always held them back. He did not believe that she could ever love him in such an intimate way and he was not willing to risk his treasured friendship.
After a few preliminary words of explanation had been issued by Albus, most of the other professors seemed to warm to the idea of spending a night together. He had gone to great lengths to ensure a fun-filled evening that he hoped would serve to strengthen their working relationships and offer them new insights into the minds of those they were expected to teach. His first planned activity for the evening was supposed to be a friendly game of Wizard Trivia.
Albus had heard of a game called Trivial Pursuit, which was popular in the muggle world, and he had managed to locate a book full of well-known and obscure wizarding facts. Those would be the basis for the questions used in the game. The book had varying levels of difficulty so that each person might have a chance to succeed and bring his or team some amount of honor. He had secretly charmed the bits of colored paper used to decide the teams. His motive was simple. Create odd pairings in order to foster inter-staff communication. However, he had chosen his own partner because putting her with Severus would not be a good idea at all. She had her limits and he respected them.
It was no surprise to those in the room that Minerva and Albus had formed a team. Nor was it a shock to find that Xiomara and Severus were paired together. Where one couple would work in perfect harmony and ultimately defeat their opponents, the other was sure to be at each other's throats until a compromise was reached. Flitwick and Binns had no reservations about working as a team and Madame Sprout and Madame Pomfrey were only too happy to welcome Hagrid to their group. With the rules of the game explained and a playing order established the game started.
After two hours of pulling useless facts and figures from their heads, Severus Snape and Xiomara Hooch were running a close second to Albus and Minerva's team. Poppy, Sprout and Hagrid had made valiant efforts to answer the questions but they were defeated by Hagrid's enthusiasm. Instead of consulting with his team members, he would often shout out the answers, which were frequently incorrect. Flitwick found that if a question did not focus on a historical matter, Binns was of no use at all.
At first, Snape had grumbled and complained about being placed with Hooch until he realized that the situation could have been worse. He might have been stuck playing with McGonagall or Binns. Even Hagrid had proven useful to his team with the magical creatures section. All in all, his teammate wasn't so bad. Until the game ending question sparked a fiery debate and a sound defeat.
If they answered this question correctly, Hooch and Snape could claim victory over the extremely intelligent headmaster and deputy headmistress. Unfortunately for them, the category was centered on a specific date in Wizarding History. After much discussion, Hooch finally convinced her partner that she remembered the answer from a lecture she had heard Professor Binns give during her own schooldays. And as the incorrect answer fell freely from her lips, the game had ended just as it had started. With Snape fuming about the entire evening and that he had been paired with a brainless, quidditch fanatic while the others stared in awe at the two bickering adults!
"Well I see that we still have some work to do on our interpersonal skills. I think it might be best if we help ourselves to some of the delicious snack foods that the house elves have prepared for us."
All kinds of treats had been prepared and sent to the headmaster's office for the enjoyment of the staff. There was something there for everyone and Albus had even arranged for a few muggle dishes to be served. As the night progressed, several more games had been played and Albus had attempted to describe some of the more childish things that went on at these gatherings. He made specific mention of pillow fights, truth or dare, and a particularly interesting one called spin the bottle, which took quite a bit of delicate explaining on Albus’ part.
The night wore on and several professors were seen stifling yawns and weary eyes. As with all things, even slumber parties must have an end...especially for people of their ages.
"As with any true slumber party, we will all be sharing a room this evening. I have taken the liberty of conjuring special pajamas and I will be happy to create a cot for you when you are ready to retire. I have asked the castle to allow me a little extra space in here this evening so that we all may fit into one room." With that, Albus began handing out brightly colored packages containing the nightclothes. One by one, each staff member opened his or her package.
Snape's set of nightwear was a true Slytherin green with smoldering black cauldrons on them. Madame Sprout had been given an atrocious set with flowers in every color and variety printed on them. An extremely large set with flying dragons had been created with Hagrid in mind and Hooch was presented with a multi-colored set to represent each of the houses. Albus had taken special care to add dozens of golden snitches and chasing brooms to her pajamas. Poppy was pleased to find a crisp white pair of nightclothes with healing potions on them.
When Minerva opened her package, she was less than pleased. While her colleagues had been given pajamas depicting something from their field of expertise, her gift had been created with a more personal touch. Holding them up for a closer look, Minerva tried to control her temper at having been given a set of green tartan pajamas. That wasn't so bad. What had really caused her temper to flare were the tiny tabby cats that resembled her in her animagus form chasing mice all across the silky fabric.
"Albus Dumbledore, I refuse to wear these! I have supported each and every one of your ideas this evening but I draw the line at wearing these. I have perfectly comfortable sets of nightwear in my own rooms. And you above all others should know that I have never chased a mouse in my entire history of being an animagus!" Storming from the room, everyone was left speechless. They had witnessed the famous McGonagall temper before but never directed at the Headmaster. He had really managed to make her blood boil.
Several tense moments passed before anyone spoke another word. "Please continue with your evening. I will ask each of you to change into your new clothes and I will get you settled with your beds before searching for Minerva." Quietly, almost as if they were trying not to bring any more discomfort to the situation, each patiently waited for the sleeping accommodations to be made and then settled down for the night. With a heavy heart, Albus set out in search of his friend in the hopes of finding her quickly and returning to his guests.
Minerva knew that Albus would most likely come looking for her so she went to the very last place he would expect to find her. She went straight to the astronomy tower. By the time he thought to look there, it would be safe to return to her own chambers, seeing as how he would look there first.
A silent war was being waged inside Minerva's mind. How could he be so insensitive? He has known me better than anyone else and yet he failed to see how that might hurt my feelings. I'd never admit it, but I was actually looking forward to the rest of our evening and then he had to go and ruin it with this silly idea! I sometimes wish I could just open up and let him see exactly what he means to me. Maybe then he'd be a little more careful with his jokes. Then again, he might stop the joking all together and that would be worse.
After distancing herself from the situation, she came to realize that she had overreacted to the set of pajamas and had caused quite a scene in her departure. No doubt, Albus would not understand what had caused her outburst and would seek her out in the hopes of making amends. She came to understand that her timing had been awful and the proper way to have handled the situation would have been to request a private word, then explain her objections to the cats chasing mice. But that was not how she had reacted and now she owed him an apology.
Judging by the placement of the moon in the night sky, Minerva realized that she had been in the tower for quite some time and that Albus had probably returned to his office. With a quick swish of her wand, her day robes had been replaced with the offending pajamas and she silently made her way to the Headmaster's office.
Upon opening the large door, she was not surprised to see that everyone else had retired for the evening. Albus had gone to a great deal of trouble to ensure that everyone was comfortable. In the darkened room, Minerva could barely make out a lone cot situated a bit apart from the rest. She assumed that Albus had anticipated her return and made sleeping arrangements for her as well. With the intentions of staying awake until he returned, Minerva slipped between the cool sheets and waited. However, before long her eyelids became too heavy and she drifted off to a light slumber. Her last thoughts had been how comfortable this particular bed was and the faint scent of lemon drops on the pillow, which reminded her of Albus.
He had searched everywhere Minerva usually went when she needed to be alone and had found nothing. Albus had to face the fact that if Minerva did not want to be found, no amount of diligent searching would locate her. Leaning against her chamber door, he tried to replay the recent events in the hopes of learning what had caused her to get so angry with him.
Let's see, she's been perfectly fine all evening, up until the pajamas. Maybe it had something to do with them. Merlin, I only wanted her to have the most beautiful pair in the room. I had envisioned her wearing those for over a week and somehow I ruined my only chance of making that vision a reality. It would be so much easier if I could show her my feelings. I only wanted to make her comfortable in an otherwise uncomfortable situation and show her just how special she is to me without jeopardizing our friendship. Now, I fear I have offended her and done just that. I might as well get some sleep and try to repair the damage tomorrow.
Disappointed, he returned to his office, transfigured his robes into a bright purple set of nightclothes that had shooting stars all over them. His only hope would be to locate Minerva in the morning and attempt to explain his motives. Making his way quietly to his cot, he failed to notice the sleeping form of a woman already occupying the space. Slipping between the oddly warmed sheets, Albus suddenly got the shock of his life as he rolled to his side and threw his arm out across the bedding. Only his arm did not hit the bed, it landed across the sleeping form of Minerva McGonagall. To make the situation even more embarrassing was the placement of his hand.
At first, Albus was too surprised to move. He quickly assessed the situation and whispered ‘lumos’ hoping to shed some light on the matter. When the tip of his wand cast the soft glow, he realized that he had jumped into bed with Minerva. One of his hands had managed to come to rest on her soft breast and he was too shocked to move a muscle. Oh dear, that feels nice and it is the perfect size for my…Albus Dumbledore you should not be thinking such thoughts. He had always dreamed of exploring her body at his leisure but surely this was not the time or the place. His mind was torn as he looked into her face. Oh Merlin! I hope I didn't hurt her! Oh my, she does have a nice figure. I wonder how it would feel to...stop it Albus! She's already angry enough with you as it is without you making things worse! He hadn’t noticed but his hand still rested on her breast and in his musings, he had started to gently massage the soft skin hidden beneath the pajamas.
If the man on top of her had been anyone else, the stern transfiguration professor would have immediately changed him into some inanimate object and proceeded with a verbal assault. But Albus wasn't just any man and she had refrained from screaming in an effort to avoid an even more embarrassing situation with their colleagues.
By Athena, he is so warm...and solid. I bet it would be wonderful to have those strong arms wrapped around me in the still of the night. And he smells of lemon drops and chocolate...His kisses must be delicious kisses. Merlin he is so close and so very intoxicating. And his hand is massaging my breast…ohhhh…I have longed for that kind of touch from him. Perhaps if I leaned up just a bit more, he might take the hint and… Snap out of it Minerva! He does not think of you that way and besides that...there are others present in the room!
In her vain attempt to bring her body back under control, Minerva placed her hand behind her and attempted to shift. But she was flustered to feel something firm pressing against her hand, much more firm than the mattress and a great deal more vocal. A soft moan in a familiar voice drew her attention to her new dilemma. Seems that in her movements, her pajama top had come undone and Albus’ skilled hand had slipped inside, cupping her left breast as his palm lightly grazed her sensitive nipple.
Neither of them was aware that they were being watched by a hawk-eyed woman in another part of the room. Xiomara Hooch had been roused from sleep when the Headmaster had entered the room again and she was finding it unbearable to keep from laughing at the overall situation. She had no idea just how intimate the two had already become in those short minutes since he had climbed into bed. As she struggled to get a better glimpse, she was even more amused to hear a moan from the Headmaster and she was almost sure that a soft sigh had escaped Minerva’s lips.
Never failing to see the humor in any situation, Albus began to chuckle once he saw that she was not going to explode. In fact, he noticed an emotion flashing in her eyes that gave him hope for something more. He started to apologize but before he could, she halted his actions. In an effort to silence him, Minerva removed her soft hand from his mounting desire and placed it over his mouth. Staring into his blue eyes, which were twinkling like the stars outside, she waited for him to make some sort of move to give her some direction.
At the touching of her delicate hand to his face, both felt a surge of electricity and emotions being released in the air. Staring at the other, neither offered to say a word or move a muscle for fear of breaking the enchantment being cast over them. Her hand rested on his soft lips while the other was resting safely on his hip. His strong arm was now cradling her head while his nimble fingers still caressed her breast. Fearing that the spell forming between them would be broken if they moved an inch, they both refused to move until Albus boldly tugged one of her fingers into his moist mouth and teased it with his tongue.
Neither one was sure who exactly made the next move. If she had been asked, Minerva would swear that Albus had leaned down to her and Albus always claimed that she had raised up to meet him. Either way, the two old friends could no longer fight the feelings that had been held captive for so long. The rest of the room around them faded, as they allowed their lips to touch in a timid first kiss that seemed to last forever and then again, no time at all. Warming, tingling sensations seized their bodies and minds and the two allowed their lips to tell of their hearts' desires as their hands began the exploration of the other.
As the kiss ended, Albus brought his hand up to lovingly outline the features of her face as she absent-mindedly toyed with his beard. Without another word being spoken between them, Albus claimed her lips once more and she pulled him even closer to her slender frame on the cot. He soon found himself lying almost on top of her and yet feeling that he was too far away. He wanted desperately to be much closer and to share so much more with her.
When she responded passionately to his attentions, he deepened the kiss, while she desperately tried to stifle the moan building up in the back of her throat. By the time their lips had separated, he had made a decision. They were on the verge of something wonderful and he was not going to allow it to slip through his fingers this time. It was too precious to lose. She was too precious to lose.
Lighting dozens of candles and torches, Albus woke the other staff members from their slumber. "I regret to do this but something extremely important has developed and it demands my immediate attention. If you wouldn't mind, I would ask each of you to return to your own rooms. I am truly sorry!" One by one the sleepy occupants made their way back to their chambers, a little happier to be in their own beds. Hooch made sure to catch Minerva’s eyes and give her a suggestive wink. For a moment, Minerva panicked as she wondered just how much her friend had seen of the entire scene. Promising to give her a thorough questioning at a later date, she winked back and watched the witch waltz from the room while humming a tune. When the large oak door closed and sealed behind Severus Snape, the only people left in the room were Minerva and Albus.
This was so great. I loved that they seemed almost teen-like in their first explorations, unsure and really excited. lol Thanks so much for sharing!
