For those who wait

[tabbycat]

summary: For years, Albus and Minerva have ignored what they've felt for each other. This is them. This is how they were.
disclaimer: not my characters.

Author's Note: every time I go back and read in between the lines, I can't help but wonder how it can't be so.

love,
tabbycat

________

part one of three~

There were beads of fire attched to sconces, but Albus remained in complete darkness. He paused, watching the shadows enlarge and dance on the walls. He heard a shrill giggle followed by a low shushing noise. Albus, smirking at the idea of a couple being so in love that they couldn't resist public displays of affection in the corridors, was absolutely shocked at the sight he saw before him. Whomever he had expected as he turned the corner, it simply had not been Minerva McGonagall. George Abbott had his hands clamped tightly around her waist, pushing her up against the wall, and beginning to unbutton her blouse. Albus stood there for half a second longer than he should have, before coughing a half-amused laugh. The couple turned around slowly, Minerva's cheeks flushing a deep red from embarrassment. "Miss McGonagall," he said coolly, "I can appreciate that, as prefect, you have full right to wander the hallways, but I find it most inappropriate under these circumstances." He gestured with his hands towards the place that they had sprung apart from. Minerva's eyes narrowed. "I apologize, Professor," she said equally as cold. Albus' voice pierced through the dark air, "Mr. Abbott, you will come with me." The couple looked at each other nervously. "Minerva, you will return to your rooms," he added as gently as he could. Minerva turned her back to them, hoping that Albus hadn't seen the attraction in her eyes as he had walked up to her. George was perfect for her. What did she think she was doing, trying to appeal to her professor?

The walk down to Hufflepuff's common room was a terribly awkward business for George Abbott. Dumbledore scared him half to death normally, but only because he was the type who you were always intent upon impressing. Snogging his favorite student in the middle of the transfiguration hallways in the dead of night was probably not the best way to get around his good books. His eyes fell upon the marble as they walked. Professor Dumbledore had taken 200 points from both gryffindor and hufflepuff.
"I was not aware that you and miss mcgonagall were an item," he said, detached. "If you wouldn't mind refraining from public displays of intimacy, it would be most wise."
His blue eyes looked down onto George's brown ones, their usual warmth somewhat extinguished: although his trademark kindness was ever present.
"I am sorry, Professor."
Albus smiled softly. Minerva was very beautiful, that he could certainly not deny, but it irked him to realize that somebody else had noticed it. He needed to relax more. Contemplating the romantic affairs of his students was not something he rather felt like doing this evening. He could not admit, even to himself, that he felt attracted to her.

________



Albus had let his attention wander up from his desk at the sound of her voice coming through the hallways. He had been daydreaming again and sighed. Of course, that had just been a memory. The preparations for the Yule ball were consuming, but always worth it in the end. Rolanda and Filius were charming the streamers to sing every time somebody kissed beneath the mistletoe. Severus was busy in the corner making catcalls and rude gestures to the portraits. At the sound of Minerva's footsteps, they all froze. Albus closed his eyes, and looked at the clock on the wall.
"Her timing, you must concede, is perfect each year," he said, somewhat amused.
Rolanda looked at him for a moment, giggling sarcastically before rolling her eyes and trying to forget the previous year when Minerva had transfigured her into a bunny out of anger. "Just wait until she's heard about the mistletoe, Albus."

Albus raised his wand and uttered "circiempto guarde!" A brilliant white light shot out of his wand and transformed him into a knight-in-shining-armor. As expected, Minerva walked into his office intending to talk him out of being so lenient with the students around yule-time. She paused when she saw his attire, a smile fighting for supremacy over her lips.
"You look ridiculous," she said matter-of-factly.
Albus raised the shield to his face. Minerva smirked.
"Oh... this is childish! I am not that bad. I do not, however, believe that the students can control themselves. Especially with all of this mistletoe you've bought! Really, Albus- why not just turn the school into a temporary brothel? I've just caught Miss Granger being lured under the first batch of singing ones by Mr. Weasley."
Filius looked excited. "Did it work?" he squeaked happilly. Minerva shot him a glare that he understood to mean that it had.
Albus smiled to himself, looking down. "I seem to remember you thinking very differently when you were seventeen, Minerva," he said gently. "In fact, I remember docking an unforgivable amount of points from both Gryffindor and Hufflepuff house that evening... or don't you remember how much fun you had during the ball?" Albus and Minerva locked eyes. Rolanda looked towards Poppy and snorted.
"Albus, it's not the ball that concerns me as much as what happens after it, when we can no longer supervise them all individually."
Severus slumped down in one of the chairs, an awful smirk on his face. "My, my, my, Professor. I'd never have thought you would have misbehaved during your school years." He clearly enjoyed the worried expression on her face. Minerva began to roll up a piece of parchment and file it in the last of the folders. "I hadn't realized you'd remembered that, Albus," she said softly. She smiled a little to herself and then picked up a piece of mistletoe, beginning the long process to charm it. She touched the sprigs gently, remembering how she had trembled under their magic a very long time ago. She caught Albus' eye and realized that he was remembering, too.

________

"Minerva... Minerva, no," said Poppy, lighting a cigarette, in her most disappointed voice. They had been climbing the stairs to the divination wing. "I can't believe the prefect is going to sneak out...out of the divination tower no less!"
Katia coughed. "This isn't like you, Min. This guy must really be something."
It was sometime before midnight and the girls had made their way up to the highest divination tower, as was the custom on Thursday evenings. Minerva rolled her eyes and shushed Rolanda and Pennilyn from talking. She did a double take at Poppy and began to wave the air around her.
"Trust me, I know what I'm doing for once...And for Merlin's sake put that damned thing out," she hissed.
Pennilyn giggled over at Poppy and said, "Min, just calm down, okay? It's not like she's going to be a healer!"
Poppy began laughing. "A healer? Merlin, imagine that!"
Rolanda suddenly pointed towards the clouds, their attention on the attractive seventh-year George Abbott coming towards them. Katia rolled her tongue and dragged Minerva close,
"okay, please don't do anything stupid," she paused.
"Without telling us at least," Rolanda added, winking and snatching the cigarette from Poppy. Minerva was getting frustrated,
"Of course I'll be careful! Just please put those things out, you know I hate the smell of smoke."
Katia grimaced and looked towards the others, "yeah, that's disgusting! Hit the music off, too, I heard Professor Wakins likes to hunt around here at about this time. I don't know why he bothers." Rolanda looked put out. "Not that its your fault he intercepted that note, of course," Katia added, indignant. "I shouldn't have written anything. Daft of me, really."

George had made it through the tower's window with help from Rolanda and Minerva. "Hey, Minerva." He winked. Holding her up on the broomstick, he let her take a moment to catch her balance before starting to slowly speed up through the air. As she clutched his waist, she couldn't help but to watch her breath in the dark air and wonder why her heart wished it had been with Albus Dumbledore. Stupid of her. He was arrogant, smug and... and brilliant. Every time she looked at him, it was as if he knew what she was thinking. Just a touch on her shoulder would send her over the edge. She loved him and, even if it was not reciprocated, she would continue to. She wanted to impress him, despite the gaping whole in their ages. Shaking her head tiredly, she clutched onto George's waist even tighter. She was safe for the moment. Tomorrow, would be a different story. Tomorrow, when Albus Dumbledore looked at her, she would be quite confused again.

Reaching back to hold her hand, they had landed back in the divination tower. Minerva's eyes watered slightly. How could she be in love with somebody else? Everyone in her year as well as in several years below her would have given a limb for just one kiss from George Abbott. He was perfect, he was sweet... He was loyal and he cared about her. Ever since their childhood, George had showered her with love. He would withstand all of hell for her, she was sure, and she knew that she would for him. This had to be love, right? Damn that Albus Dumbledore. She sighed, knowing that it couldn't be his fault. Not really. George began to breathe deeper, telling her that he was asleep. She whispered "oh, that I am fortune's fool," completely unaware that the mighty Albus Dumbledore lay awake, several floors below them, in a completely different part of the building, whispering the same thing. He had seen her with George, wondering why on earth he was attracted to this girl. She just wouldn't stop inspiring him. Minerva closed her eyes, hoping that she would wake up infatuated with George. Albus closed his eyes hoping he would come to his senses. But alas; fortune's fools never do learn.

The morning had come and gone and Minerva had managed to make it to Arithmancy unscathed. Albus had been standing in the frame of Armando's office. The second Albus' eyes fell upon "sexual education" he had felt a nagging pit in the bottom of his stomach. Of course Armando had meant him to teach it, why else would he owl him with the lesson plans so early in the morning? It also said that the classes would begin tomorrow. That would give him one day to come up with a proper approach to the subject.

"Armando," he roared angrily. "I really hope, for your own sake even, that you have not assigned me to t-"
"Too late!" Armando said cheerfully, throwing up his hands. "All done, assigned the course schedule to the ministry this morning. Do excuse me, Albus, I have quite a bit left to do this afternoon." Albus glared at him. Armando's eyes widened.

The girls were groggy as they always were on Friday mornings. Every Friday morning, they regretted getting nearly no sleep. To make matters worse, she had stayed the night in the tower under George's charmed-to-be-invisible cloak. It had been easier to do that on the spur of the moment as it was less questionable in her mind than accidentally being caught in his dorms. She had woken late and hadn't had the time to both get caught up on her sleep and get to her first class on time. Only her four or five closest friends knew about her habit of sneaking out, as it was mainly their idea in the first place.

Minerva's mouth hung open as she saw Headmaster Dippet leap over something in the hallway like a deer. Sure, Arithmancy was always boring but she had never hallucinated during it before... She nudged Poppy before pointing to the empty hallways. "Min, you're seeing things," she whispered, concerned, holding a hand over Minerva's forehead. "You're probably just sleepy..." Seconds later, both observed an angry Albus leap over the same obstacle. They looked at each other, shrugging.

Dinner was a tense affair. Professor Wakins was especially thankful that he hadn't been given that horrible class to teach. He was much younger than Albus and was next in line had Albus been able to refuse Armando. Several of the students were informed of the new class, as the professors were hardly able to keep it to themselves for very long. Armando kept whispering clinical terms to Albus over dinner before an annoyed Professor Carrin sputtered "Armando, I believe he knows how it is done."
Thankful for his help, Albus threw Armando a scathing look. Armando smiled over towards the gryffindor table, slowly following Albus' gaze. Armando, picking up his fork bent down to Albus, asking "Is there anything you wish to tell me?" Albus rolled his eyes. "I am especially curious as to why you proceed to stare at Miss McGonagall in that way."
Albus' eyes widened and he suddenly found himself not quite hungry. "Armando, you've tired me enough for one evening."

Minerva, watching Albus leave felt a little emptier but continued her evening conversation with Katia and Pennilyn. Armando smiled to himself. Albus was daft as brush, sometimes.

Albus was nearly hysterical the next morning, combing the same place in his beard several times before nervously closing his closet door. "Right," he said, pausing to look around. "Here goes everything." The walk to his classroom had provided him with comfort. He had believed that the walk there would soothe his worries, however, it had only intesified them with each footstep.

Instantly his heart twitched as he saw Minerva in the first row, having the tact to at least pretend to care about the course. She offered him a weak smile before turning her attention to Poppy. Albus walked closer to them, before coughing. "Poppy, Minerva...separate, please." Minerva had no time to take this personally, however, because he had done the same with several of the other students. Minerva was silently happy about this, after thinking about it for a few seconds. She moved next to a girl called Lara Son, who seemed to welcome her to the seat next to her. There was an upspoken agreement that this was to prevent them from giggling to one another. Minerva certaintly had no intention of bonding with the slytherin. Just the thought of it would prevent her from giggling alone. She was sure that the feeling was mutual.

Albus' own face began to redden a bit as the initial shock of what he was supposed to do had hit him. As the minutes ticked away, he found himself following the curriculum as strictly as possible. Getting a bit more confident, he added that sex as pleasure was a great responsibility. Scanning over the room, his gentle eyes tempting Minerva to answer anything, he asked softly if anybody was able to cast an effective contraceptive charm. He looked around. "Miss McGonagall? You usually answer my questions correctly. Why don't you have a go?" He was obviously having a go at her expense, but Minerva calmly refused to allow him to call her bluff as it were. He sighed. Minerva looked lovely as always.

Minerva, her cheeks burning, quickly muttered "Averde Contra!" As she lifted her wand into the air, she flicked her wrist again to cement the charm from loosening. This would allow time for the charm to heat and cause the most pleasurable effect possible. She had learned it from a book in the library some years ago.

"Well done, Miss Mcgonagall," he said quietly, staring at her for a moment. "I was not aware... very difficult charm to learn so easily...Miss Mcgonagall has just demonstrated the correct way to cast a contraceptive charm... flawlessly done, may I add?" He kept eyeing her oddly. Her eyes widened a bit as she realized that he now knew that she had known how to cast, and apparently practice, this charm before this particular lesson. Honestly, she hadn't tried it before... she had always been good at charms on the first try. It came almost as natural to her as transfiguration. He couldn't have known that, though. She sank lower in her chair, trying to pretend that it had never happened.

Albus had continued the class with a surprising amount of efficiency. As he closed, he made a reference to Armando's obsessive love of balls. The Yule ball had recently ended and Armando had relied on Albus to inform the students of an end-of-Christmas feast which would be complimented by dancing and an evening picnic on the patio for those who could stand the cold.

"I must stress," Albus continued, his hand waving in the air, "The importance of discretion." He hadn't glanced at Minerva for the remainder of the lecture. "Propriety is not so much my concern as your health. Remember that sexual practices are not permitted on school grounds and that if they occur, you may be exposing yourself to unneccesary risks. Class dismissed." He watched Minerva and Lara leap apart like opposing magents and separate as quickly as they had come together. He watched her sadly as she left the room. She turned and smiled at him again and he responded with a wink and a nod of his head. Why did she always have such an effect on him?

[tabbycat]

part two of three~

The present came swirling back into focus as Minerva made to leave the office. Planning this ball had tired her endlessly for several years now. She couldn't quite pinpoint why, but something made her pause each time she thought about it. It was fun for the students, she knew, but hoped that it wasn't too fun. Albus, offering her his arm, flicked his wand at the office door. She walked swiftly through the hallway, and he looked down on her in wonder. She was enchanting, still, even after all of these years. They would be going to the Burrow with the rest of the order this evening, and he was quite looking forward to spending the rest of the night with her.

Their hands would touch occasionally over the dinner table and he had to steady his heart from pacing. Each time he saw her, some new memory came back to him. Not only of her school years, but of her years after. He saw her fighting by his side, throwing herself in front of a crucio for him. With a painful yelp she fell to the floor, clutching at the ground. He had been amazed at her strength and felt a rage so powerful that he could not identify where it had come fom. Feeling a passion so deep that it nearly destroyed him, he used the light inside of him to overcome Grindelwald. Hard as it had been to destroy a friend, the pain he had caused Minerva hurt an even deeper piece of his soul, one that Grindelwald had never been able to touch.

Her eyes had been closed, he had dipped a cloth in ice cubes and kept it around her face. Her eyes had opened slowly, sighing and attempting to reach up to him, to speak... but he shushed her with his pointer finger and held her hand against his heart. She shivered, but not because of the ice. Closing her eyes, she listened to the timbre of his voice as he sighed "My Minerva, my friend..." Holding a piece of mistletoe over her lips, he quickly placed a tender kiss on her lips and felt her tremble beneath his hands.

Looking across the dinner table at her, he was senseless to her similar musings. He buttered a roll and told himself to stop being daft; she couldn't love him as he loved her.

________

George realized that he would never be able to love Minerva. He couldn't- everytime he looked at her, she was somewhere else. Minerva McGonagall, he knew, would never look at him that way. He loved her, of course. Looking through the fireplace as if hoping she would appear, he sighed and held onto the bottom of his trainers. Her heart had never belonged to him, her lips had allowed him in out of hope and his has responded in like fashion, but it was no use. She didn't love him, not enough. He'd be gone, fighting, next year. She disapproved. Their families had expected them to be together forever, since childhood really. It was the expectation they had carried in their hearts, not love. At least, on her part. He couldn't be sure, but it was something in her eyes the moment she spun around and away from him the evening that they had been caught behind the statue. She looked exasperated, she looked solid. She wasn't the giggling, beautiful, watery, utterly kissable Minerva. She had turned into a wall, a high flame he could no longer see through. And he knew that that fire could never be for him, that maybe... just maybe, despite the years, he hadn't really known Minerva McGonagall at all.

Albus, having similar feelings, was becoming worried. He hadn't notice Minerva at all throughout the entire feast. The great hall was beautiful, as it ever was, the doors being left open to catch sparkle of the moonlight. He couldn't quite stop thinking about her, lately. He released a heavy sigh, pushing the curtains of the door open. The grounds were just as they always were, the moon smiling down upon them. Quite suddenly, Albus noticed her figure sitting on one of the benches, a small sweater draped around her shoulders. Her eyes were red and her arms crossed over her chest. She was determined not to look at him this time. She was a silly little teenager, and that's always how he was going to see her. Instead of moving closer towards her, he stood still by the doorway.
"Minerva," he said, watching his breath freeze midsetence in the chilly air. Her hands moved, as if they were tired, to the side of her face. She turned her head downwards and let her hair hide her eyes. "Minerva, why are you crying?" He seemed concerned and she felt her love for him ignite a deep well of tears that she had tried so hard to not shed. "It's nothing, I'm fine... please, Professor," she said quietly, motioning towards the french doors. Albus sat down on the bench next to her, eyeing the kissing couples in the moonlight. Immediately, he saw George Abbott and an equally pretty girl named Romilda Clearwater. It dawned on him and he hesitated, not sure why he was suddenly feeling sad. "Minerva, I am sorry," he said, getting up off of the bench. She lolled her head upwards to him without meeting his eyes. "No, professor. I am sorry." Before he could question, she had flung her carpet jacket around her shoulders and was off, making her way towards the diviation tower, walking at a slow pace, her long hair tumbling out of it's updo.

"Minerva!" A sudden sob rose in his chest, and he knew he loved something about this girl. It wasn't just "something," he amended. It was her. He needed to be close to her, to console her. He wasn't sure what made him do it, but he ran across the snow, ignoring the stares of all of the couples outside. Armando and his wife had stopped moving to watch the display. Minerva drifted quickly across the trees, the snow piling onto the castle so thick and so windy that many struggled to watch. She heard him coming, wanting to allow him close but at the same time angry with him. Armando's mouth dropped as he saw Albus pull Minerva into a reluctant hug. She had been crying, and fell at ease into his embrace. Onlookers could not see her tears, only Albus and her locked in an embrace that could only be described as familiar. Too familiar. It looked as if this had been practiced, as if they had been doing just this very thing every day for the past seven years. Minerva was shaking from the cold, from her sadness, from Albus' kind words and warming motions. He kissed the top of her head, letting her cry. His eyes shone brightly, even through the snow. She felt really ridiculous and shy, muttering something about never being good enough. Albus let out a shocked sigh. How could she think... he closed his eyes tight, wrapping his arms around her waist for the first time. She looked up in surprise. His lips were close to her temples. "You're so, so much more than good enough, Minerva." He let her go and quickly. He could feel their eyes sinking into his back. He sat on the steps for about an hour, ignoring the laughing and the giggling of girls passing him by, not realizing he had been there. He sat, lonely and frostbitten, never aware of Armando's hawk-like eyes watching him from the patio.

As he entered the great hall, he had eyed Armando. Before Armando could beat about the bush, Albus looked sadly at him before explaining that she needed somebody to talk to. With that, he had swept out of the great hall. Armando's wife, Betty, had always loved Minerva. She looked at her husband and said, "Let it go for the evening. I'm quite fond on the McGonagalls. Minerva looked quite miserable this morning, I think it is wise she confide in somebody, don't you?" One look into his wife's beautiful brown eyes and Armando was no match. "Very well, Elizabeth, but if he is still there in the morning he will have some serious explaining to do."

It had taken all of Albus' remaining strength to climb the steps to her room. 'No wonder she was down in the transfiguration hallways that night,' he found himself musing. 'This climb is actually a little bit painful.' As expected she had ignored his knocking. Feeling defeated he had made to turn around when the portrait swung open and one Minerva McGongall poked her head through, looking exhausted. "Professor Dumbledore?"
He had been staring again. "I'm sorry, Minerva, I was hoping that you were alright. I know how sweet on each other you were." Minerva smiled that quiet smile of hers before allowing the portrait to swing even wider. He stepped in, hoping she was as okay on the inside as she was appearing to be on the outside. "I hope I'm not out of line, I mean I do not pretend to know much about you bu-"
"My favorite color is green," Minerva interjected softly. "I love hot chocolate in the summer and ice cream in the winter. Charms come as easily to me as Transfiguration, but I connect more with the latter. I never loved George Abbott the way I should have, and I believe that Romilda Clearwater does. I love to play chess, but I'm not very good at it. My eyes are green but only because I've used a spell to accentuate the green bits. They're naturally rather brown, I think. I love to play quidditch, but I'm not really the best flyer." Pouring him a cup of tea, she sat down to her chessboard and he followed her. He found that for the first time in a long while, he wasn't concentrating on her appearance alone. He was silent for a minute before saying, "I like to play chess, too."

________



For the remainder of the school year, it was common knowledge that Minerva would disappear once or twice a day and not return until late. She had spent time with Albus, and he would occasionally fetch her after potions for a brisk walk by the lake. Their evenings were spent talking nonsense, babbling about things that they had in common, things that they didn't. Any slytherin would look upon this bonding session as weak, but in the end it was what strengthened them. Their relationship was at a point where if one had said it, the other could not find themselves in a position to reject or deny the other. However, nothing was said. This was just how they were.

________

[tabbycat]

*tabbycat is nodding off at her computer*

I might have to finish this in the morning at work when my boss isn't looking. ;D

[furandfeathers]

oh I hope you do! Finish that is, not necessarily at work... but this is sooo good please continue soon

[TheGryffindorSeeker]

great work! =] keep it up

[tabbycat]

part three of three~

Albus sat in the most ridiculous pair of pyjamas he had ever owned, green and purple with yellow moons, at the small table in the kitchens. He had pushed a wooden door open, feeling around for the tap. It was dark and he had left his wand in his rooms. Grabbing onto what he thought was the counter, he heard an intake of breath and quickly let go. "Albus Dumbledore!" she said in alarm, pushing him back against the counter. "Albus, what is the reason for your proximity?" Groaning, he replied, "Minerva, I am sorry." She clucked her tongue.
"I thought you were the tap for hot chocolate."
She stood very still for a moment before walking towards the cabinet to grab a mug and began filling it with warm water. The music from upstairs was booming, the walls shaking. Albus took a sip from the mug before reaching over for her hand across the table. She looked at him suspiciously.
"What are you thinking about?" He opened his lips as if to speak before doing a double-take at her confused expression.
"Nothing," he said, trying to focus his attention on the other side of the room. Minerva's face softened. They music was beginning to subside to a slow waltz and several of the Weasleys could be heard shouting their goodbyes for the winter holidays.

It was several minutes before Albus and Minerva's expected arrival time. Molly was becoming paranoid. She had cleaned every surface of the house before shrieking at Ginny to dust the curtains. "The curtains?" Ginny asked, crooking her head. "Mum, I don't think they-" Molly's cheeks were getting red and huffy. "Alright," Ginny said, giving up. "Alright, I will dust the curtains."

Albus grabbed Minerva's hand as they apparated off of the grounds. The snow that collected around the Burrow had drifted over the hem of Minerva's cloak as she continued walking with Albus. As was the custom, they entered into the back parlor, opening the hall closet. "your coat, my lady?" Minerva chuckled and handed him her cloak. As he reached to place the cloaks on the hanger he heard a shrill voice. A shrill, horribly familiar voice.

"You, boy," said Auntie Muriel casually, "Fetch my coat, I'm a hundred and seven!"
Ron looked at her pointedly before muttering something that sounded an awful lot like "feed you to a giant spider."
Auntie Muriel stopped in her tracks. "What did you just say?"
"I said you should get home, I think it's getting lighter," Ron hollered lovingly, before exiting the hallway and waving to her.
Auntie Muriel seemed pleased with herself and left without another word. "Old Trout," he hissed after she had gone.

Albus, at her first sentence, had grabbed Minerva's wrist and dragged her inside of the closet. "Albus, have we or have we not had the discussion about proximi-"
"Muriel," he said.
Minerva closed her eyes and rested her head against the closet wall. She looked up at him through dazed eyes. "We can hardly stay in here the entire evening," she said, annoyed.
"We can try," he hissed back.

Something thudded against the door. Minerva jumped a little closer to Albus, trying to ignore the warmth of his arms. Minerva opened her mouth to apologize, but Albus simply covered her lips with his pointer finger and shook his head as if to say "shhhh." They listened closely, but in no way needed a pair of extendable ears to hear the conversation on the other side of the closet door.

"Hermione, what's the use in making a bed for you if you're just going to end up in Ron's," Harry growled darkly. Ron was silent before muttering something inaudible. Hermione sighed.

Minerva and Albus both wore identical looks of horror on the other side of the closet door. Shutting her eyes tight and hitting her forehead, Minerva kept whispering "obliviate" to herself until Albus put his entire hand over her mouth and looked at her with pleading eyes not to make any noise.

They heard footsteps and another thud. They were unusally quiet, but Albus sensed that they were still standing outside of the closet door. Suddenly, Ginny's voice squeaked into the picture and Minerva froze. "Harry," she had said, "Harry- we have a slight problem concerning Percy."
Ron and Harry groaned collectively. "What now," whined Ron.
Ginny seemed to be ignoring Ron completely. "Uh, you see, it's just that... uhm, my diary went missing and I sort of went looking for it and... and... Percy ended up.. taking it.."
Ron guffawed. "So...?"
Ginny sighed and said "He mentioned something about confiscating it for later study." There was a moment of silence. "Ron! He's going to tell dad."
Ron groaned again and Harry said "Oh, well did you write anything... you know... in it?" Ginny looked at him with pleading eyes. "You did. Oh no, Ginny..." Harry paled.
Ginny suddenly took on the same exasperated tone as Mrs. Weasley would take on when she had too much to do.
"Sorry, Harry. Oh here. This belongs to Remus. He wanted it hung up but I was reluctant to let him in here because I heard you three whispering. What was it about anyway?"
"Nothing," they said quickly in unison. None of them had been concentrating on the closet door as they spoke, Ron opening it and draping Remus' coat over Dumbledore's head.

Suddenly, Ron looked over and did a double take, screaming and slamming the door back shut again. All three of them visually lost all color in their faces. "Oh... Merlin....NO... NO..." Ron stammered. Quickly exiting, Harry and Ron made a bolt for it back upstairs to rejoin the rest of the party. Ginny stood there, her expression of shock turning into a smile that would rival Hooch's when she was up to something. Ginny reopened the closet door with that same giant grin on her face.
"Is this some sort of grown-up game that we don't know about?" she asked, trying to contain her laughter. They said nothing, shuffling out of the closet with whatever dignity they could find. Ginny was still laughing behind them the whole way to the kitchen.

________


Minerva had clearly not been expecting him. She had managed, somehow, to transform herself into the most gorgeous girl in the castle. Of course, he hadn't thought of this then. It wouldn't have been appropriate in the slightest. He respected her, as a student, so much so that he couldn't help but notice her beauty. She had changed into a pair of small shorts, the cloth kind with the drawstrings that were so popular amongst her peers. Her hair had been let to her back, although a pin remained on the left part of her hair keeping a portion of her usual self intact. He wasn't sure what to say. "I was just making sure that you stayed in your own rooms for the remainder of the evening," he said, his courage seeming to desert him. "Katia let it slip the other day of your "meetings" in the tower. I've come to make sure you haven't decided to sneak out again." She was about to speak, say something beautifully sarcastic and cold when she heard Armando's voice. Oh, oh Merlin. She really didn't want to get into the details about why her transfiguration professor was standing to the entrance of the prefect's rooms, wearing hardly anything but an adoring expression on her face. She pulled him inside and he seemed grateful, having had the same ideas himself. They kept their ears to to the inside door, listening to Armando's speaking to Sir Cadogen. The clock was striking and Armando muttered something about sleep. They didn't move until they heard the remaining portraits scurry off down the hallway to find more interesting company. Minerva rolled her eyes, and tried opening the door again. Albus froze. Minerva looked angry. "I see what you've done," she said, annoyed. He put his head against the wall, feeling stupid. He had said a charm to keep Minerva in her room tonight, a charm that would go into affect at 11:30, giving her several minutes to get back to her rooms. He had been spending too much time with her lately, afraid of overstepping the boundaries by ignoring her transgressions. He muttered a counter charm, not at all surprised that it wouldn't open from the inside. He had specified it not to, after all.

"We spent that particular evening playing chess," Albus ended the story, with a serious 'don't make this more than it was' look in Remus' direction. Sirius caught Remus' embarrassed eye and smirked. Minerva, having the tact to at least pretend not to have noticed Sirius' comment, wore a rather pained expression on her face. Sirius, genuinely believing that she had not heard him, repeated himself even louder, coughing "I said: was that the night you fell in love with her, Albus?" Remus kept trying to step on Sirius foot beneath the table, but it ended up like a game of whack-a-mole. Finally, Remus found a foot, but the voice attached to it did not belong to Sirius. Ron, howling with pain, began to mutter obscenities. Molly's eyes widened and then narrowed quickly. Ron looked pathetic, and said in a squeaky voice "Sorry... mum. I'm just... I'm just going to leave...if I can move..." It was a strange scene seeing Ron limping from the room, Remus chasing him down with apologies before steering him neatly into an endtable. Sirius was, meanwhile, roaring with laughter in the corner.
"As much fun as this is, I think I'm going to call it a night," Sirius said, winking at Albus.

Albus raised his eyebrows to Minerva's blush and turned his attention towards his hands, which suddenly became very interesting. Albus rested his hands on her back and moved them slowly down towards her arms, before sighing and helping her up.

He walked away from her slowly, not really caring what he felt. As he walked alone through the hallway of the burrow, tonks and lupin passed without questioning his normal expression: for it wore quite common on his face. After several more passed him on the steps, he finally felt the weight of his love for her hit him directly in the heart, in the lungs, in the throat. He kept walking, passing the portraits. Minerva had opened her door, watching him move through the shadows of the house. "Albus," she whispered down the hallways. He turned around, that same hungry look on his face. She motioned with her hand to where she was standing.

"Stay," she said simply, unable to select a more complicated sentence for the moment. She looked a bit tired in the hallway's light. Molly had been dusting the bottom of the stairs when she faintly heard the two whispering to one another, and although she could not interpret what was being said, she felt very sure that the tones they were using were just as private as the words that were being said. Molly backed away into her own bedroom smiling, deciding to dust her husband off instead, (much to his annoyance.)

Albus, still standing in the hallway where Minerva's request had left him, looked at her blushing face. It reminded him of her youth, that fire in her heart that he was quite pleased to find had never left her. He walked towards the door frame, holding her hips close to him, and running his hands along her waist, a touch that was reserved only for the moments of complete intimacy between them. He traced the outline of her hips with his right hand, pulling her closer to him. Her resolve chipped a bit then and she looked down, cheeks getting even more red at a maddening pace. But again, this moment of unusual intimacy wasn't very unusal at all, and it wasn't quite a story in itself: for it was as common as anything.

He closed his hands around hers, searching her eyes, placing the cool kiss of friendship on her warm forehead. Nothing was said. Nothing was ever said. But this was just them. This was how they were.

________

Molly, her ears pressed tightly against the door to Minerva's rooms was pretending to clean the surface of the doorframe as she sunk lower and lower towards the peekhole. Arthur glanced back at her before loudly shouting, "Come along, nosey."
Molly, giving him an angry squirt with her plant-mister, clucked her tongue and walked away. "I don't know what you are talking about, Mr. Weasley," she said rather smugly.


________

Albus moved through the shadows of the house once more. He couldn't stay. He had tried to hold her hand as he explained but she just brushed him away, sighing, "Stay or leave, but don't patronize me, Albus."

Albus had looked down and sighed before turning and leaving. He smiled to himself as an annoyed Minerva shut the door some time later. She would lay down her heart for him at a moment's notice, but evidently, it wouldnt ever be enough. Old and familiar was their love, always present. Always loyal. But it was never anything more... than what it was.

Albus looked through the glass of his window and wondered if Minerva was alright. He was perplexed as to how he could have her heart when it was never really his to have. He shut his book, annoyed beyond all reason. No matter what he did, he would feel this way. His heart could never be his to command, nor could it be hers. It did occur to him that maybe, just maybe, that your heart could never know who your mind chose. His mind had chosen a great number of women throughout the years, but none had ever stayed. "Except for her," he whispered. He snorted. He hadn't even invited her in, she had just made her way into his heart. Ever since those damned walks by the lake, those tired Friday mornings, those Christmas parties. He was a fool for life.

A swift knock came to her door that evening. Her face, tired and flushed as she opened the door, showed a weakness at his presence. "Minerva, I wouldn't dream of patronizing you. Don't make me."

Closing her eyes, she leaned into his hug. Climbing into bed that night, he held her as she shivered from the cold.

He hadn't known when he had started needing her, but he knew that from this moment on... he could not stop, even had he wished it.

"How long have you known me, Albus," she asked quietly, all of the years of her life suddenly flashing before her. All of her moments had happened with him. Every failed fashion trend, every bad girl moment... every joy, every pain and every ecstacy.

"Forever, give or take a day." Closing their eyes, they never noticed the way that his hand brushed up against hers as they slept.

[EloquentPhoenix]

Oooh! Intriguing, interesting and I can't wait to see where this goes. It has a very true ring to it, I think. I'm glad he was there for her, and that they're going to get to know one another. Update soon

[dianahawthorne]

excellent fic!

[tabbycat]

I updated the end a little.

"updated"... "changed completely." .. same thing ;D

[EloquentPhoenix]

I'm really confused, because I swear that third bit wasn't there when I last posted.... and I can't remember now if I read it before you changed it. And it's very late, so I'm half asleep. I'll have to read it tomorrow when I can work out what happened and how your third part is posted before my review of the second part. Only thing I do know is that you shouldn't make me laugh so much when everyone else is asleep. I went into hysterical giggles at this image:

Minerva and Albus both wore identical looks of horror on the other side of the closet door. Shutting her eyes tight and hitting her forehead, Minerva kept whispering "obliviate" to herself until Albus put his entire hand over her mouth and looked at her with pleading eyes not to make any noise.

[tabbycat]

Thank you, Elo! ;D

I don't know...I think I modified the second part at one point or another... but that's really weird, though. I must have posted the third part while you were reading the second part and it didn't refresh in time.

[admmityourlove]

Great Fic-please don't just leave it here! You must continue!!!