Chapter 19

Albus's mentioning of a date almost drove Lara and Travis out of her mind – almost, until she entered the common room and saw the two intertwined on a sofa.

"All right, break it up," Minerva announced, sitting down next to the couple. "I see that a certain two people have developed a certain fondness for each other."

Both Lara and Travis grinned stupidly. "We're going to Hogsmeade together tomorrow," Lara announced. "Our first date."

"Precious," Minerva said. "Speaking of dates, I have some confidential news to disclose, Miss Sykes."

"Do you, Miss McGonagall? Well, I suppose I'll have to leave Miss Wood here for a minute while you divulge this confidential news."

Travis raised a suspicious brow. "Did mine lady just call me a lady?"

"That she did," said Minerva, and she firmly led Lara to her dormitory.

"So…?" Lara asked.

"Apparently, Albus has decided we need to go on our first date."

"But where can you go?" Lara asked. "It's not like you two can waltz into the Three Broomsticks together…"

"No, that's why I'm puzzled. I don't doubt his intelligence, but his common sense can be seen as lacking at times."

Lara shrugged. "Well, I'm sure he wouldn't do anything to risk anyone finding out."

"I hope not," Minerva said with an involuntary little shudder.

"You two might be the cutest couple I've ever not seen," Lara said, collapsing on Minerva's bed.

Minerva had to laugh at that. "Nice, thanks. You and Travis seem very…cuddly. Albus and I, well…it's kind of an awkward situation, and neither of us really knows what to do…"

"That just makes you sound even cuter, Min," Lara said through a yawn.

Minerva rolled her eyes. "Well, I just had to tell someone about our date. You can go back to Travis now, I have to catch up on loads of homework."

"Can we attribute this to you being lovesick and spending your time with Albus instead of studying?" Lara said with a sly glint in her eye.

"As a matter of fact, you cannot. Albus and I have been working together on studying Grindewald, so much that it's almost driven studying from my mind."

Lara let out a low whistle. "To drive studying from Minerva McGonagall's mind…"

"I know, crazy isn't it?" she said with a grin. "Now go! I have to get started."

Lara grinned and skipped down the steps. Idly Minerva wondered if Lara would tell Travis of her and Albus…it wasn't that she didn't trust Travis, but still the fewer people who knew the better…

She began rummaging through her trunk for copy of Advanced Potion Making, not finding it anywhere. Irritably, she checked under her bed and all around the room. After exhausting the possibilities, she decided that it must be in Albus's office.

"I know I was just here, I just forgot – " she began to announce to Albus, but she found his office empty. Figuring he was actually doing his job for once, she rummaged through his desk for her book. Of course, it wasn't there. She climbed down into his personal quarters (which she had learned only opened for two people – Albus and herself) and saw a note on his bed in his flowing handwriting.

Is now too soon?

Albus

Curious, she flipped over the paper, but nothing was written on the other side. "Specialis revelio," she muttered. Purple words appeared like spider webs. "Anata ga miru," she read, "and only you can see."

Wondering what Albus was up to, she tapped the parchment again with her wand. "Anata ga miru…"

Suddenly a glittering trail appeared leading out of Albus's quarters. She was beginning to understand what might be happening…she stuffed the paper into one of her pockets and began following the trail. It was a winding trail, and sometimes Minerva felt she was going in circles. The potions book was furthest from her mind by this point…she wanted to know exactly what Albus was up to.

The trail ended on the seventh floor in front of a blank wall. Minerva tried spells on the wall, but nothing changed. "Professor Dumbledore," she said irritably, in case anyone happened to be around, "I know you're around here somewhere, now show yourself!"

"You could've said please."

Minerva whirled around, not seeing him. "What in Merlin's name are you doing, Albus?"

Suddenly, an ornate door appeared on the blank wall. Hesitantly, she knocked. "Albus? May I please come in?"

The door swung open and there was Albus, his eyes twinkling with suppressed mirth. "I thought you'd never ask."

He led her inside what appeared to be an abandoned, cozy restaurant, with a distinctly romantic atmosphere. "No one can find us here?" she whispered.

"Not at all. This room is very magical, and suits itself to the user's purpose. Sit down, please."

Albus pulled out a chair for Minerva and she sat, still taking in her surroundings. "When you were asking me on a date, I expected tomorrow…"

"As I thought you would, but how much fun would it have been for me if you were expecting it?"

Minerva smiled, and looked to her previously empty plate, which was now filled with her favorite dishes.

"I never told you I liked haggis!"

"I cheated," Albus admitted.

"I never would've told you I liked haggis…I've never told anyone, because I didn't want people to think I was peculiar…"

"Minerva, would I of all people consider you peculiar? To me, you are the epitome of normalcy, yet…" he smiled, "Yet so simply extraordinary."

"Flattery, Albus? Have you done something I should be chiding you for?"

"Not that I can think of," he said. "Please, eat up."

Minerva graciously ate her haggis, having not enjoyed it in quite some time.

At the end of the meal, the couple sat and chatted over little things – where her Potions book actually was (Albus had it hidden under his robes), quidditch, an article they'd both read in Transfiguration Today, and such. It was very nice, Minerva decided, to pretend to be in a normal relationship. Even if just for today…

"Albus, this is nice, isn't it?" Minerva said softly.

"I certainly hope you think so."

"No, it's like…it's like we're a normal couple."

"Did you not think of us as a normal couple before?"

Minerva laughed. "Albus, we're the farthest thing Hogwarts has ever seen from a normal couple. You, genius, charismatic voice of the wizarding world, and I your pupil – "

"And soon my colleague," Albus interrupted. "It is not so odd, Minerva."

"Of course you wouldn't think so," she said, looking up. "You've discovered 12 uses for dragon's blood, created a Sorcerer's Stone…I don't suppose anything is odd to you anymore."

"You put too much stock in perception, my dear," Albus said, staring her in the eye.

"Well I have to, it is how I am perceived that will mold my place in this school…I cannot have them viewing me as morally lacking, because of a relationship with you…" She sighed. "I do love you Albus, but this has to be the most difficult thing I've ever done."

"And, with you in N.E.W.T. classes right now, that is saying something."

Minerva nodded. "It's worth it, though. I decided that a long time ago."

"You are not as strict as people perceive," Albus noted.

"And only you will be allowed to see that," she said, leaning over the table to kiss him softly on the lips.

How they made it to the futon on the other side of the room, Minerva could never recall. She always thought it was her doing – that she insisted that she and Albus recline somewhere more comfortable, but she wasn't sure. She did know that she refused to let her lips leave his for even one moment, and that his body weight upon her was very warm and soothing. His hands ran through her hair, and she pulled him closer. After another moment, Albus pulled away. "Minerva, my love – "

"Don't stop me Albus, please." Minerva's voice was pained, and she let out a long sigh. "You're going to stop me, aren't you?'

"Perhaps, when we are colleagues – "

"Hang it all, Albus! One moment it's, 'oh, people's perceptions don't matter,' then it's 'I don't want to snog you.' Make up your bloody mind!"

"Minerva, I would love nothing more than – er, how would your generation put it? 'Snog you rotten.' Yes, I would love that. But do you feel, perhaps, that we're rushing things because of this delicate situation?"

"No," she said, her voice strained. "I don't, Albus. I love you. You know, if you were any other boy, any boy my age – "

"Then you would not be doing this," Albus finished quietly. He sat up on the futon, and took Minerva's hands in his. "You are doing this, in short, because I am different than any other boyfriend you would've had."

"No, I'm doing this because I love you! Is that so hard to understand?"

"In a way…yes. I beg your forgiveness, my dear. I truly do love you with every ounce of my being, but this can wait."

She sighed. "Why are you making me out to be the one obsessed with snogging?"

"We could blame it on your teenage hormones," Albus offered pleasantly.

"That doesn't help at all," she moaned, burying her face in her hands. "I was not an emotional person until I met you."

Albus took her head from her hands and kissed her softly. "Minerva, I will make this up to you one day."

"You'll have to, or I'll ring your bloody neck," said Minerva, standing up. "Look, Albus. I love you, but I want to go back to my dormitory now."

Albus sighed. "As you wish."

Minerva left the room, feeling very bitter. And the bugger still has my potions book.

With what felt like her millionth sigh that evening, she said to the empty hallway, "I don't care."