Post by maritelske on Aug 9, 2007 20:07:15 GMT -5
A/N: This is actually a scene from my story Love Magnificence, but it was originally meant to be a little fluff piece - so I have tweaked it a little and I am posting it here for those who don't usually read angst / drama. A bit of fluff makes the world go round 
The Beginning
August 3rd, 1947
It was only the second time he had seen her in the three years since her graduation – and she entered the Ministry conference with a beauty he had not forgotten, her elegant fingers laced through her dark robes as she walked across the length of the room, her eyes meeting his in a moment that seemed to last forever.
Minerva smiled shyly and the moment passed as she joined her colleagues from the Auror department, standing strong, resolute, unwavering.
Albus Dumbledore had never wanted to reach out for anyone more than he did in those few moments when their eyes had met, and spoken of a future that was entirely their own.
“Minerva Elsbeth McGonagall, Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Alastor Benedict Moody, Department of Magical Law Enforcement...” The announcer continued to herald their arrival, as one by one the members of the Auror office took their places in their seats.
They were followed by representatives from the Department of Mysteries, and then the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes.
Finally, the minister reached the representatives of the Wizengamot and inclined his head in Dumbledore’s direction.
“Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore” No title was deemed necessary as a roar of cheers erupted from the room of Ministry workers and Magical folk alike.
For Minerva, the accolade he received seemed to amuse her somewhat and she gave the faint remnants of a smile as he took his seat at the Head Table, beside Hanrius Lament, the Minister of Magic, and other official dignitaries.
The conference continued with dramatic debate, rousing speeches and Alastor Moody trying unsucessfully to catch the eye of a pretty witch seated in front of him.
The Minister of Magic concluded the events with a closing speech that focused on the defeat of Grindelwald, the triumph of good over evil - the absence of fear.
Dumbledore's eyes had fallen as he spoke, though another round of applause followed the mention of his defeat of Grindelwald, and Minerva felt her heart swell.
It was sometime later that the conference ended and the grand banquet continued. She stood in the corner, her ebony hair in loose curls over her midnight blue dress robes. She was laughing with Alastor, the sound floating throughout the room, when Albus approached to speak to Alastor, and her eyes met his in a moment that seemed to cause time and motion to stand at a close.
“Miss McGonagall. It has been far too long” He gave her a genuine smile, bending to kiss her hand as she smiled in return.
“Professor Dumbledore! I am so pleased to see you here”
“My dear, you are no longer my student. I think we may drop the formalities, don’t you?” She laughed again, and Alastor gave a satisfied smile.
“Well, you two obviously have alot of catching up to do. I will see you both in a moment” And with that, Alastor Moody left them entirely alone for the first time since Minerva's graduation from Hogwarts, when she had stood before him as a young women dying to see the world.
And, though a room full of people were before them, neither seemed to notice as they spoke of the years that had passed between them.
“I always knew you would do well, Minerva” A smile played across her lips at hearing him speak her name for the first time and she was unable to hide her joy.
“It is just wonderful to see you again. There are so many things I have wanted to thank you for. You helped me pass my exams, Profess – ”
“What did we say about formalities?”
She laughed – a singsong laugh that filled the air.
“I’m sorry, Albus. I forgot myself for a moment” He had to laugh in return, finding her unabashed happiness quite contagious – the sound drawing the attentions of those around them.
“Perhaps we ought to go for a walk? There are so many things I would like to hear about your time since Hogwarts”
“That sounds lovely” Minerva smiled as he offered her his arm, following him outside. They walked through the doorway and onto the courtyard beyond – the dinner party for the Ministry officials continuing in the Mansion beyond. The lake before them flickered and rippled in the moonlight, and Albus leaned against the banister beside her – starring out at the endless night.
“Can I tell you something Albus? I always wanted to tell you this,” Minerva admitted, the champagne she had already drunk having a slight affect on her confidence.
“Of course” He smiled as her eyes met his once more, and he was reminded of all the times throughout her final years at Hogwarts when she had seemed so very close – but so very far away.
“In my fourth year, I decided you were rather good looking” She laughed again now, her mirth floating into the night air – a silver hue seeming to form around her as she did so, though neither noticed.
“Is that so?” He was grinning now, trying to remember the young Minerva McGonagall, the way her Scottish temper had always gotten the better of her, her aptitude for Transfiguration, her love of Quidditch, her laugh, her eyes...
“Yes” She admitted, now leaning haphazardly against the banister with a smile dancing across her face.
“It is wonderful to see you again, Minerva. I was always going to contact you... but then I thought perhaps... well, I was sure we’d meet again”
“You should have written,” She implored, looking horrified, “I would have loved to have heard from you. I’m sorry, I would have written, but there never seemed to be enough time. Auror training was so intense and – ”
“My dear, you do not need to explain yourself to me,” He smiled, and Minerva found herself quite lost in the way his eyes caught in the fading light, “Life has a funny way of escaping away from us”
She nodded in agreeance and a soft silence fell across them as she studied his face, determined to remember everything about it. The silver hue had only grown stronger around them, and he seemed so very close...
“I should have written” He murmured, mostly for his own assurances rather than hers – and silence descended across them once more as he found himself lost in her eyes, the filling of the material of her robe against his hand...
She was looking up at him now, her face but a breath away, and he found himself longing to reach for her hand, to wrap his arms around her, to kiss her, to take her in his arms and to never let her go. The sheer intensity between them left him almost breathless before their lips had even touched and - as his fingers grazed her own in a moment that spoke a thousand words - a voice filled the air.
“Minerva!”
Alastor Moody's voice filled the air and she sighed, feeling her heart sink.
Albus had taken his hands from hers almost instantly as though they burned, and had stepped away in the next second – looking away and out into the night once more. Minerva, however, looked flushed and confused – running her hand through her flowing hair as she caught sight of Alastor.
“Yes, I’m sorry. I’m here,” She explained with a heavy sigh, and Albus turned to meet Alastor's eyes, who surveyed the scene before him with a perplexed expression.
Now feeling as though he had interrupted much more than he had intended, Alastor finally spoke - breaking the palpable silence, “The Minister is asking for you” Minerva nodded – her eyes searching for Albus, though he would not return her gaze.
Finally, he spoke, “It was lovely to see you again, Miss McGonagall. I trust I shall hear from you soon”
And with that, Albus was gone – leaving her in the cool night air.
Only two days later, a letter arrived on her desk at the Ministry - the cursive, purple hand writing causing her heart to sing with delight.
Miss Minerva McGonagall
She would have known the hand anywhere, and she pressed the envelope to her chest, a grin spreading across her face.
FIN
I hope you enjoyed this little piece of fluff. Sometimes it's a nice thought to think back to the past, and wonder how they ever met again. I'd like to think that the intensity of their emotions was there from the word go, but that's just my romantic mind getting the better of me.
Let me know what you think.
The Beginning
August 3rd, 1947
It was only the second time he had seen her in the three years since her graduation – and she entered the Ministry conference with a beauty he had not forgotten, her elegant fingers laced through her dark robes as she walked across the length of the room, her eyes meeting his in a moment that seemed to last forever.
Minerva smiled shyly and the moment passed as she joined her colleagues from the Auror department, standing strong, resolute, unwavering.
Albus Dumbledore had never wanted to reach out for anyone more than he did in those few moments when their eyes had met, and spoken of a future that was entirely their own.
“Minerva Elsbeth McGonagall, Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Alastor Benedict Moody, Department of Magical Law Enforcement...” The announcer continued to herald their arrival, as one by one the members of the Auror office took their places in their seats.
They were followed by representatives from the Department of Mysteries, and then the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes.
Finally, the minister reached the representatives of the Wizengamot and inclined his head in Dumbledore’s direction.
“Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore” No title was deemed necessary as a roar of cheers erupted from the room of Ministry workers and Magical folk alike.
For Minerva, the accolade he received seemed to amuse her somewhat and she gave the faint remnants of a smile as he took his seat at the Head Table, beside Hanrius Lament, the Minister of Magic, and other official dignitaries.
The conference continued with dramatic debate, rousing speeches and Alastor Moody trying unsucessfully to catch the eye of a pretty witch seated in front of him.
The Minister of Magic concluded the events with a closing speech that focused on the defeat of Grindelwald, the triumph of good over evil - the absence of fear.
Dumbledore's eyes had fallen as he spoke, though another round of applause followed the mention of his defeat of Grindelwald, and Minerva felt her heart swell.
It was sometime later that the conference ended and the grand banquet continued. She stood in the corner, her ebony hair in loose curls over her midnight blue dress robes. She was laughing with Alastor, the sound floating throughout the room, when Albus approached to speak to Alastor, and her eyes met his in a moment that seemed to cause time and motion to stand at a close.
“Miss McGonagall. It has been far too long” He gave her a genuine smile, bending to kiss her hand as she smiled in return.
“Professor Dumbledore! I am so pleased to see you here”
“My dear, you are no longer my student. I think we may drop the formalities, don’t you?” She laughed again, and Alastor gave a satisfied smile.
“Well, you two obviously have alot of catching up to do. I will see you both in a moment” And with that, Alastor Moody left them entirely alone for the first time since Minerva's graduation from Hogwarts, when she had stood before him as a young women dying to see the world.
And, though a room full of people were before them, neither seemed to notice as they spoke of the years that had passed between them.
“I always knew you would do well, Minerva” A smile played across her lips at hearing him speak her name for the first time and she was unable to hide her joy.
“It is just wonderful to see you again. There are so many things I have wanted to thank you for. You helped me pass my exams, Profess – ”
“What did we say about formalities?”
She laughed – a singsong laugh that filled the air.
“I’m sorry, Albus. I forgot myself for a moment” He had to laugh in return, finding her unabashed happiness quite contagious – the sound drawing the attentions of those around them.
“Perhaps we ought to go for a walk? There are so many things I would like to hear about your time since Hogwarts”
“That sounds lovely” Minerva smiled as he offered her his arm, following him outside. They walked through the doorway and onto the courtyard beyond – the dinner party for the Ministry officials continuing in the Mansion beyond. The lake before them flickered and rippled in the moonlight, and Albus leaned against the banister beside her – starring out at the endless night.
“Can I tell you something Albus? I always wanted to tell you this,” Minerva admitted, the champagne she had already drunk having a slight affect on her confidence.
“Of course” He smiled as her eyes met his once more, and he was reminded of all the times throughout her final years at Hogwarts when she had seemed so very close – but so very far away.
“In my fourth year, I decided you were rather good looking” She laughed again now, her mirth floating into the night air – a silver hue seeming to form around her as she did so, though neither noticed.
“Is that so?” He was grinning now, trying to remember the young Minerva McGonagall, the way her Scottish temper had always gotten the better of her, her aptitude for Transfiguration, her love of Quidditch, her laugh, her eyes...
“Yes” She admitted, now leaning haphazardly against the banister with a smile dancing across her face.
“It is wonderful to see you again, Minerva. I was always going to contact you... but then I thought perhaps... well, I was sure we’d meet again”
“You should have written,” She implored, looking horrified, “I would have loved to have heard from you. I’m sorry, I would have written, but there never seemed to be enough time. Auror training was so intense and – ”
“My dear, you do not need to explain yourself to me,” He smiled, and Minerva found herself quite lost in the way his eyes caught in the fading light, “Life has a funny way of escaping away from us”
She nodded in agreeance and a soft silence fell across them as she studied his face, determined to remember everything about it. The silver hue had only grown stronger around them, and he seemed so very close...
“I should have written” He murmured, mostly for his own assurances rather than hers – and silence descended across them once more as he found himself lost in her eyes, the filling of the material of her robe against his hand...
She was looking up at him now, her face but a breath away, and he found himself longing to reach for her hand, to wrap his arms around her, to kiss her, to take her in his arms and to never let her go. The sheer intensity between them left him almost breathless before their lips had even touched and - as his fingers grazed her own in a moment that spoke a thousand words - a voice filled the air.
“Minerva!”
Alastor Moody's voice filled the air and she sighed, feeling her heart sink.
Albus had taken his hands from hers almost instantly as though they burned, and had stepped away in the next second – looking away and out into the night once more. Minerva, however, looked flushed and confused – running her hand through her flowing hair as she caught sight of Alastor.
“Yes, I’m sorry. I’m here,” She explained with a heavy sigh, and Albus turned to meet Alastor's eyes, who surveyed the scene before him with a perplexed expression.
Now feeling as though he had interrupted much more than he had intended, Alastor finally spoke - breaking the palpable silence, “The Minister is asking for you” Minerva nodded – her eyes searching for Albus, though he would not return her gaze.
Finally, he spoke, “It was lovely to see you again, Miss McGonagall. I trust I shall hear from you soon”
And with that, Albus was gone – leaving her in the cool night air.
Only two days later, a letter arrived on her desk at the Ministry - the cursive, purple hand writing causing her heart to sing with delight.
Miss Minerva McGonagall
She would have known the hand anywhere, and she pressed the envelope to her chest, a grin spreading across her face.
FIN
I hope you enjoyed this little piece of fluff. Sometimes it's a nice thought to think back to the past, and wonder how they ever met again. I'd like to think that the intensity of their emotions was there from the word go, but that's just my romantic mind getting the better of me.
Let me know what you think.
