Post by Sensiblyquirky on Jun 14, 2006 13:57:44 GMT -5
Title: Tread Softly
Disclaimer: I own so very little, and HP isn’t one of those things.
Rating: Gosh I’m never good at these, but I say K or whatever.
Summary: A meeting between Albus and Minerva during a thunderstorm.
A/N: I have not had much motivation to write lately, so I sat down and tried this after thinking for days on a topic. It was inspired by this huge thunderstorm we had four or so days ago that sounded like Judgment Day was here.
Headmaster Albus Dumbledore walked about the school that was his home and responsibility engrossed in the way it was unusually lit by a ferocious storm in the wee hours of the morning.
Fierce thunder attempting to quake the school had awakened Albus as lightening illuminated his bedroom. He had risen wising to the see the storm in all its glory from the highest point within the school, so toward the astronomy tower did he walk. He had stood against an open frame watching the rain pelt the school grounds until the worst of nature’s fury had past, but the storm still lingered to light his way back to bed.
Now walking through the corridors past the entry to Gryffindor tower Albus stopped to watch as a tall slender figured extracted itself a bit awkwardly from the portrait hole. At first the Headmaster had feared he would be compelled to issue a punishment to a naughty student, but the more the figure was revealed to him the more assured he was of its name.
“I hope nothing serious has forced you to leave your bed Professor McGonagall.”
A flash of lightening allowed Albus to see the witch’s face contort into one of surprise and her slender fingers rise to her throat.
“You have an amazing capability for appearing when you are least expected, Headmaster. One of my first years is dreadfully afraid of thunderstorms, and tonight’s has been the worst in some time.”
As she spoke Minerva McGonagall had moved to stand beside of her employer and friend.
“You really are a softy, Minerva, try as you might to hide it.”
“I don’t hide it, I just don’t advertise it. Gaining respect wasn’t easy in my first year at Hogwarts; I suppose I adopted a Machiavelli approach to compensate. Not everyone has your charm, Albus.”
Gently Albus placed his hand on Minerva’s shoulder and leaned a little closer to her. She, however, kept her gaze firmly ahead. “Was it that difficult to follow in my footsteps, Minerva?”
Minerva lifted her hand to her shoulder and gave Albus’ hand a gentle pat before turning toward him and running her fingers through his hair. Then she started to laugh and walk away.
Albus stood looking at her retreating from before he followed her, “Minerva I want to know,” he whispered upon catching her.
“You already know the answer, Albus. I don’t see why it is necessary for me to verbalize it.”
“Sometimes it is nice to have people tell you things instead.”
“Albus, most of the time you know more about a person than they do; how are they supposed to inform you?”
“Well out of courtesy anyway,” the esteemed Headmaster almost pouted as he and Minerva came upon her personal chambers.
Albus reached out and grabbed Minerva’s arm, “Do you distance yourself out of resentment?” Finally he had asked the one question he had longed to for over ten years.
“Have you ever truly looked into my eyes before, Albus? Or do you simply ignore what you see?”
Confused Albus leaned closer toward Minerva in an attempt to look into her eyes, so intent he barely registered her slight gasp at his closeness. Minerva waited while he used his wand to add further light to the hall, and waited longer while he gazed into her eyes.
She was sure he had simply ignored what she knew to be evident in her eyes; it was difficult to comprehend how a man of Albus’ nature could miss the signs. She had never known him to miss anything, except this, so she had assumed he ignored it on purpose. But as she stood there never dropping his gaze or attempting to cloud her eyes Minerva understood that never expecting to find it Albus had looked past it.
Albus moved his gaze to indicate that he was finished, but he did not retrace his steps and retreat. Minerva chose to speak, “At first I assumed it was admiration, attraction, and nothing more. Yet ten years have gone by and it has not changed, and it will never change; of that I am certain.”
“I never expected,” Albus began but Minerva interrupted his words. “I know that now, though I did not before.”
“This changes everything,” Albus said clearly once again making eye contact. For the first time Minerva felt a little fear. She knew she could live gazing from afar. She was brave and could survive a kind rejection, but Minerva had hoped that very little would actually change.
“How so?”
“The castle will have to be hoaxed; the floo network disturbed, though I do suppose that might be a bit of a ways off. Yes, yes, perhaps that is wise.”
“Albus you are mumbling and it doesn’t make any sense. Now take a breath and be clear.”
Instead Albus cupped Minerva’s face in his hands and placed gentle kisses to both her cheeks and on her lips then he grasped her hand. “My dearest Minerva everything will change but it will be a good change, I promise. Now get some sleep, you need your rest.”
Minerva leaned against the frame of her open door watching Albus walk back to his rooms. She was not entirely sure of Albus’ complete meaning, but she trusted him. She would follow Albus Dumbledore down any road and back again.
Disclaimer: I own so very little, and HP isn’t one of those things.
Rating: Gosh I’m never good at these, but I say K or whatever.
Summary: A meeting between Albus and Minerva during a thunderstorm.
A/N: I have not had much motivation to write lately, so I sat down and tried this after thinking for days on a topic. It was inspired by this huge thunderstorm we had four or so days ago that sounded like Judgment Day was here.
Headmaster Albus Dumbledore walked about the school that was his home and responsibility engrossed in the way it was unusually lit by a ferocious storm in the wee hours of the morning.
Fierce thunder attempting to quake the school had awakened Albus as lightening illuminated his bedroom. He had risen wising to the see the storm in all its glory from the highest point within the school, so toward the astronomy tower did he walk. He had stood against an open frame watching the rain pelt the school grounds until the worst of nature’s fury had past, but the storm still lingered to light his way back to bed.
Now walking through the corridors past the entry to Gryffindor tower Albus stopped to watch as a tall slender figured extracted itself a bit awkwardly from the portrait hole. At first the Headmaster had feared he would be compelled to issue a punishment to a naughty student, but the more the figure was revealed to him the more assured he was of its name.
“I hope nothing serious has forced you to leave your bed Professor McGonagall.”
A flash of lightening allowed Albus to see the witch’s face contort into one of surprise and her slender fingers rise to her throat.
“You have an amazing capability for appearing when you are least expected, Headmaster. One of my first years is dreadfully afraid of thunderstorms, and tonight’s has been the worst in some time.”
As she spoke Minerva McGonagall had moved to stand beside of her employer and friend.
“You really are a softy, Minerva, try as you might to hide it.”
“I don’t hide it, I just don’t advertise it. Gaining respect wasn’t easy in my first year at Hogwarts; I suppose I adopted a Machiavelli approach to compensate. Not everyone has your charm, Albus.”
Gently Albus placed his hand on Minerva’s shoulder and leaned a little closer to her. She, however, kept her gaze firmly ahead. “Was it that difficult to follow in my footsteps, Minerva?”
Minerva lifted her hand to her shoulder and gave Albus’ hand a gentle pat before turning toward him and running her fingers through his hair. Then she started to laugh and walk away.
Albus stood looking at her retreating from before he followed her, “Minerva I want to know,” he whispered upon catching her.
“You already know the answer, Albus. I don’t see why it is necessary for me to verbalize it.”
“Sometimes it is nice to have people tell you things instead.”
“Albus, most of the time you know more about a person than they do; how are they supposed to inform you?”
“Well out of courtesy anyway,” the esteemed Headmaster almost pouted as he and Minerva came upon her personal chambers.
Albus reached out and grabbed Minerva’s arm, “Do you distance yourself out of resentment?” Finally he had asked the one question he had longed to for over ten years.
“Have you ever truly looked into my eyes before, Albus? Or do you simply ignore what you see?”
Confused Albus leaned closer toward Minerva in an attempt to look into her eyes, so intent he barely registered her slight gasp at his closeness. Minerva waited while he used his wand to add further light to the hall, and waited longer while he gazed into her eyes.
She was sure he had simply ignored what she knew to be evident in her eyes; it was difficult to comprehend how a man of Albus’ nature could miss the signs. She had never known him to miss anything, except this, so she had assumed he ignored it on purpose. But as she stood there never dropping his gaze or attempting to cloud her eyes Minerva understood that never expecting to find it Albus had looked past it.
Albus moved his gaze to indicate that he was finished, but he did not retrace his steps and retreat. Minerva chose to speak, “At first I assumed it was admiration, attraction, and nothing more. Yet ten years have gone by and it has not changed, and it will never change; of that I am certain.”
“I never expected,” Albus began but Minerva interrupted his words. “I know that now, though I did not before.”
“This changes everything,” Albus said clearly once again making eye contact. For the first time Minerva felt a little fear. She knew she could live gazing from afar. She was brave and could survive a kind rejection, but Minerva had hoped that very little would actually change.
“How so?”
“The castle will have to be hoaxed; the floo network disturbed, though I do suppose that might be a bit of a ways off. Yes, yes, perhaps that is wise.”
“Albus you are mumbling and it doesn’t make any sense. Now take a breath and be clear.”
Instead Albus cupped Minerva’s face in his hands and placed gentle kisses to both her cheeks and on her lips then he grasped her hand. “My dearest Minerva everything will change but it will be a good change, I promise. Now get some sleep, you need your rest.”
Minerva leaned against the frame of her open door watching Albus walk back to his rooms. She was not entirely sure of Albus’ complete meaning, but she trusted him. She would follow Albus Dumbledore down any road and back again.
. Really loved it, and I may be weird but I think "I don’t hide it, I just don’t advertise it." is a really meaningful Minerva quote.
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