CHAPTER 11

"My dear, it's nearly seven…are you about ready in there?" Albus called through the bathroom door, which upon checking for the fifth time he still found locked.

"Just adding the last of the pins to my hair, sweetheart. I'll be out in a minute." With little effort at all, Minerva added the final touches to her hair and applied a small amount of lipstick before standing back to admire herself in the mirror. Pleased with what she saw, Minerva unlocked the door after asking Albus to step back and close his eyes.

She glided into the center of the room and smoothed down her dress before letting him open his eyes.

Albus' mouth fell open and his eyes darkened faster than Minerva had ever seen before. She was almost certain she heard a gasp and by the look on his face, she was sure it was a pleasing one. "Merlin's beard…you look…that dress….my gods, Minerva…" He motioned for her to spin slowly for him, and when she was facing him once more, he stepped closer to her, holding her upper arms lightly. "It's going to be a long night for me, I can see that now. My entire body is already eagerly anticipating peeling that marvelous dress from you and delighting in what's beneath," he groaned softly, guiding her hand down so she could feel what he meant.

"I'm glad you like what you see," was her calm reply, though her body was already flushed both from his reaction and her own desires. "I know it's a little more daring than my usual attire, but I wanted to look extra special this evening."

"Special doesn't do you justice, love. In fact, I don't think they've invented words to adequately describe the way you look this evening. I'm sure every eye in the room will be on you, mark my words. Though just remember, no matter how handsome or flattering any other gentleman is, I get the privilege of escorting you home."

"Why, kind sir, I do believe my dance card is already filled. You see, my husband is looking incredibly handsome this evening, and I do not wish to be parted from him for even the slightest amount of time."

Albus leaned in and kissed her passionately on the lips, stopping himself before he got too involved or carried away in the moment. "Come on, my goddess. The sooner we put in an appearance, the sooner we can make our exit."

Minerva took his hand then suddenly stopped. "Wait, I forgot something." She summoned the newly created necklace and slipped it into Albus' hand. "Will you help me with this?"

He looked down at the necklace and a look of puzzlement crossed his face. "Where did you get this? It's lovely but I don't remember ever seeing it."

"I made it," she announced proudly. "I took a piece of blue thread from your robes and a bit of silver from mine. You like it?"

Albus stepped behind her and fastened the clasp, then dropped a warm lingering kiss first to the nape of her neck then one on each shoulder while his arms stole around her waist. "It's perfect…just like you." His breath was warm on her bare skin, causing her to shiver in delight.

As they made their way to the ballroom, Minerva couldn't help but notice Albus chuckling from time to time. "Care to enlighten me on what's so amusing?" she asked, laughing softly herself, though at what she had no idea.

"Haven't you noticed yet? You're creating quite a stir," he whispered, nodding his head in the general direction of several lads whose faces had reddened at having been caught staring.

"They're just not used to seeing such a handsome man with such an ordinary looking woman," she teased. "They're wondering what I did to deserve someone like you," she added with an exaggerated swing to her hips for effect.

Albus placed his hand on the small of Minerva's back and ushered her through the large doors leading to the grand ballroom. The two gentlemen standing at the top of the stairs bowed gallantly to Minerva and spoke words of greeting to Albus. "We will now announce your presence, Headmaster Dumbledore, and the lovely lady is…"

Albus started to say his beautiful wife but opted instead for Professor Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts and Professor of Transfiguration.

All eyes in the ballroom turned towards the grand staircase and the couple standing at the very top. Several gasps were heard, as well as a few whispers, as Minerva allowed Albus to take her arm and escort her down the staircase slowly.

"You know all eyes are on you, my dear," he whispered so only she could hear. "I'm now the envy of every wizard in the room, and I'm proud of it too," he added, taking a deep breath and walking just a little more proudly than before, if that were even possible.

"You'd be even more excited if you knew what was hidden beneath this dress in the way of lingerie," she added discreetly with a wink and a decidedly mischievous grin.

Without stopping when they reached the bottom of the stairs, Albus led Minerva to the dance floor and bowed lowly to her. "May I have the pleasure of the first dance, my dear?"

"The first, last, and all the ones in between," she replied as she took his hand. Suddenly the music began and the room began to bustle again with chatter, music, the clinking of glasses but Minerva heard very little of that. She was lost in the most amazing pair of blue eyes.

In the hours that passed between their introduction into the ball and the scheduled presentations, Minerva and Albus danced to nearly every tune that was played. Their only breaks were for some light refreshments. Albus guided her efficiently through the crowd, barely stopping to acknowledge those who tried to waylay them, but as always he did it in such a way so that each person they passed looked at him with only the utmost respect. Minerva felt as if she had fallen in love all over again. His attention to her was so complete as to nearly have her flustered. She was sure her cheeks would never recover from all of the laughter and blushing she had experienced. So it was with utmost pride and pleasure that she watched her husband move away from her and toward the stage which had been set up at one end of the room after his seductively whispered promises of a quick return.

As Minerva was decidedly uninterested in the awards being handed out and the speeches that were going to be given, she moved toward a far corner where a few chairs had freed up. She sat down with a sigh of happiness. This evening was more than she would ever have hoped for a few days ago, a few weeks ago even. Though their relationship had been tested, thoroughly at that, Minerva was satisfied in the knowledge that they had made it through and had deepened their relationship and knowledge of each other in the process.

As she gazed around the room at the various guests, Minerva's thoughts landed on Aurelia for the first time that night. She had not seen the witch around and wondered if she had even made an appearance. If not, all the better for her. Still, her curiosity won out, and Minerva was soon scanning the room for a red dress, Aurelia's signature color.

It wasn't long before she spotted the witch. Aurelia was dancing with a very handsome young man who seemed to be thoroughly enjoying her company. He appeared to be laughing, though Minerva was much too far away to be able to tell for certain. Minerva studied Albus' old flame and was surprised to find that the usual flare of jealousy she felt was not there anymore. Of course, if Aurelia were to start being overly friendly with her husband, her feelings might change, and drastically, but she was pleased with the knowledge that she had, in so short a time, become more confident in her marriage and in herself. The young wizard turned so that Aurelia was facing Minerva's direction and, realizing she could get caught staring, Minerva switched her attention to the stage.

A short, balding old wizard in bright green robes was just stepping onto the platform, and several wizards followed behind to take seats which had been set up. Albus was one of the wizards, and the most distinguished and handsome one in Minerva's opinion. She smiled at him, though she doubted he would be able to spot her in the crowd. She was surprised when he turned and his eyes locked with hers. He smiled back, and Minerva felt her insides melt in warmth at the glow in his eyes.

He turned away moments later as the music ended and the old wizard started to speak. For the most part Minerva tuned him out and instead used the time to fantasize about the evening ahead. She hoped Albus would be able to leave soon after the ceremony ended. She was very much looking forward to removing his robes and showing him just how much she had approved of his attention this evening. Just as she was imagining his reaction to her ministrations, a prickle of unease tingled up her spine. Focusing her eyes and looking up, she was decidedly displeased to see Aurelia looking at her with a smile on her face.

"Do you mind if I take the seat next to you?"

Minerva looked around quickly to see several vacant chairs available, ones that were not near her. Realizing she was probably being impolite, and that really she had no reason to say no, she acquiesced with a nod of her head. However, she had no desire to talk to the witch, who was making a grand gesture of just putting her bum on a chair. With a barely restrained groan of displeasure, Minerva pleaded to whatever deity was listening for patience to make it through her upcoming conversation with Aurelia.

"Did you say something dear?"

Minerva cringed at both the sound of her voice and the term of endearment she used. "No." Her reply was short and probably rude but she certainly wasn't going to go out of her way to make things easy for the witch.

"I was surprised to see you here this morning," Aurelia said while looking at Minerva with what supposedly passed as an expression of innocent questioning. "I was under the impression that Albus was coming alone. He didn't mention you would be joining him."

Minerva gritted her teeth but did manage to reply in a normal tone of voice, not dissimilar from the one Aurelia was using. "I decided to surprise him, as I told you this morning."

"Oh, I am sure he was very surprised," she replied.

Minerva had had enough of the witch and her smug tone of voice. "He was very surprised. In fact, I don't believe I have ever seen him so pleased with one of my gifts. And he spent many hours expressing his pleasure."

Aurelia looked taken aback and Minerva smiled, extremely pleased with herself. Perhaps now the older woman would back off and take herself somewhere else. She truly didn't want to be hateful to her, though the urge was certainly there. However, a witch could only take so much.

Settling back into her chair, Minerva noticed Albus was getting ready to take the stage. His eyes sparkled with intensity and he looked very distinguished in his blue dress robes. Minerva was suddenly very pleased that he had packed them after all. As he began to speak, Minerva focused on the sound of his voice, instead of his words, allowing it to dance down her spine in a delicious tingle. Her heart thudded a bit faster, and she felt a welling of warmth and pleasure build in her belly. Closing her eyes so she could focus on the sensations he was producing within her, she allowed her mind to recapture the daydream she had been having about her husband before Aurelia's unpleasant interruption.

Albus' words became moans of pleasure and his punctuation of points became pleading gasps. Minerva shifted slightly in her chair as her skin warmed and flushed. Her vision of the pleasuring of her husband was so strong that she found herself sinking into it as if it were her reality. Both finished at the same time, one with a frantic call of her name and one with a call for a round of applause.

Even with the roar of clapping around her, it took Minerva several moments to regain her equilibrium so she could open her eyes. Albus was handing a matronly witch a plaque. The poor woman appeared to be extremely nervous as Minerva could see her hands shaking from all the way across the room. Albus shook her hand and smiled, saying a few words to her that no one else could hear. The witch blushed profusely when he was finished and managed to mutter out a thank you to everyone before fleeing the stage, though her eyes glanced back toward Albus once or twice.

"You are a lucky witch, Minerva. Not everyone is able to catch the heart of such a wonderful man."

Aurelia sounded a bit wistful and Minerva turned to truly look at her for the first time since she had sat down beside her. Her eyes were sort of hazy. Minerva knew that look, Albus would often get it when he was reminiscing, and Minerva was sure she got the same look when she would speak about happy memories from her childhood. Before Minerva could make a reply, Aurelia's eyes cleared and she spoke.

"Albus, darling, your presentation was lovely. That young witch looked positively delighted that you were handing her that silly award," Aurelia practically purred while she held out her hands to Minerva's husband.

Minerva had not noticed Albus' arrival and was rather irritated that Aurelia had spoken to him first. However, her mood improved considerably when Albus bypassed Aurelia's obvious invitation for an embrace and instead moved to stand by his wife, leaning down to kiss her on the cheek.

"She was rather pleased, and I was more than happy to give it to her. Her dedication to her chosen field is commendable and she deserved to be recognized."

Albus glanced at Aurelia as he spoke, but it was obvious his attention was on Minerva. And Minerva was more than pleased to look at her husband rather than at the witch sitting beside her. Albus' hand came to rest on her shoulder where he squeezed lightly in a supportive gesture.

"Well, yes, of course it is," Aurelia said with a hint of embarrassment in her voice.

Minerva practically beamed at her husband, not bothering to hide her pleasure. "Do your duties require us to stay further?" she inquired.

"No, I believe we can take our leave, if I wasn't interrupting anything…"

Aurelia spoke up before Minerva could even form a syllable. "No, of course not, I was just telling Minerva how lucky she is to have found you."

Albus' eyes twinkled madly at her comment. His face shone with pure pleasure. "And I am ten times luckier to have found her," he said as he looked down into Minerva's upturned face. "It is the rare witch or wizard who finds their one true love in life. Minerva makes every day one worth living to the fullest," he said, his last comment directed fully at his wife.

Minerva felt tears gather in her eyes. She stood with his help and their lips met in a brief but emotion filled kiss. The music started in a swell of sound around them and couples moved from before the stage, where the last speech had finally ended, to the floor to begin dancing again. Aurelia stood as Albus placed Minerva's hand in the crook of his arm.

"Perhaps we could share one dance before you make your departure," Aurelia inquired. Her voice was softer than before.

"I appreciate the offer," Albus began, "but I'm afraid I must decline. I made some promises to my wife and I plan on keeping them."

Minerva's heart ached with the love she felt for her husband. She spared barely a glance for Aurelia who appeared to be rather shocked, and possibly a bit heartbroken. Perhaps later she would feel sorry for the witch, but for now she only wished to bask in the glow of her husband's love. She wanted to keep him all for herself, and it was obvious Albus felt the same.

"Goodbye, Aurelia," Albus said.

"Goodbye, Albus," Aurelia said in return, though her voice held none of the happiness that it had minutes earlier.

Albus and Minerva walked out the doors of the ballroom and past the desk where a single man was snoozing at the counter. Minerva held onto her husband's arm tightly. She felt as if her happiness was literally radiating from her body with each step she took. She found it incredibly hard to imagine how she had let her mind run away with her to the extent that it had and that she had ever doubted Albus' love and devotion. It all seemed a million years ago that the doubt and hurt she felt had surfaced and bubbled over, causing her to go to such lengths to prove what her heart already knew.

"I love you."

"And I love you, my dear," Albus said as he looked into her eyes.

"Thank you for spending so much time with me this evening," Minerva stated as they each looked away as they started up the stairs to their room. "I know you usually mingle more during these things."

"Please, don't thank me," Albus said quietly. "I should have been spending more time with you, just as I did this evening. And I enjoyed myself all the more for it. You are what is most important, not some pompous politicians and diplomats."

"Still, I had the most wonderful time this evening. I'd like to thank you for that, at the very least, even if you could have spent more time with me at previous events. After all, they don't seem quite so boring now."

Albus had to agree with that and smiled as they stopped in front of their door. It was time to surprise her with his gift, and he was giddy with anticipation. He had spent a good portion of his afternoon planning it and settling the last of the details. However, his mind was turned in a different direction when he felt Minerva's nails tiptoe up his chest.

"I've got something in mind to show you just how pleased I am," she purred seductively, in a way only Minerva could do.

His insides sparked and caught fire at her words and the look in her eyes. Instead of answering her, he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her to him. His lips crushed into hers and she seemed to melt beneath him and into him. He couldn't distinguish where he ended and she began as their limbs intertwined and the heat of her rushed through his body making his every nerve ache with wanting. Her tongue was doing things to his mouth that caused him to groan and his breath caught in his throat when she moved away only to nibble and lick at the spot just below his ear that always drove him mad.

"Let's move inside," she whispered.

Albus thought his body would simply melt at her words, and he had to shake his head to clear it. As he pulled out his wand, he realized that he had, at some point, pushed her against the wall. With a quick wave the door flew open and Albus followed Minerva in, consuming hungrily the sight of her in that delicious dress she had purchased as her hips swayed suggestively.

He turned to close the door and realized that he had yet to tell Minerva about their imminent departure. He would have to put a cooling charm on his clothes in order to think but as their Portkey was leaving soon he had no choice. Their elf at Hogwarts had been more than happy to pack some bags for them, and they should have arrived while they were at the ball. Feeling slightly more balanced than moments earlier, Albus turned to tell Minerva of the surprise he had planned.

The words never left his mouth as Minerva attacked him this time and tangled her fingers in his hair, pulling his face down to hers. She flicked her tongue across his lips and he couldn't help but open them to her. She nibbled and suckled and was well on the way to driving him mad again before he managed to regain some form of thought. As soon as she started to trail her hot mouth down the side of his throat, he attempted to speak.

"Minerva." Her name had come out as a moan and he cursed himself. He tried to catch a breath to clear his throat as he felt her fingers beginning to undo the buttons on his robes. "Minerva, wait."

Her glowing green eyes looked up at him, and he had to remind himself that if they missed the Portkey today, it would be Monday before they could leave. "Yes, darling," she said in a low, seductive lilt.

"I have something I need to tell you."

"It can wait," she responded and nipped at his throat causing his body to convulse.

Perhaps a Portkey on Monday would not be such a bad thing after all. Shaking himself mentally, Albus managed to catch her quick fingers, which already had him half undressed, in his own. "I've arranged a surprise for us."

This piqued her interest, and she stopped trying to disentangle herself and looked at him. Albus ran his hands down the front of his robes after freeing her fingers from his grasp. He took a deep breath and smiled. His body was aching for her touch, but it would not do to give in…just yet.

"I have arranged a getaway for us. I know it won't make up for all that I've done or for the cancelled vacation you worked so hard on, but I hope it will allow us to have some much needed time together and also be one more step towards an apology for the way I have treated you of late."

Albus looked at Minerva, his beautiful wife, and watched her eyes melt with love. He felt a sudden warmth spread through him that had nothing to do with the immense waves of pleasure he had experienced moments before. How he ever put her second in his life was still a mystery to him. She was the most important part of him, she made everything he did worthwhile. She soothed him when he ached and caused his joy to rise to new levels when he was happy.

"Oh, Albus, that sounds…perfect," Minerva said softly, her eyes filled with unshed tears.

"We have to leave soon," he responded as his hand reached up to stroke the side of her face. "Perhaps we can continue where we left off after we arrive."

"Yes," she murmured heatedly. "You'll be lucky if we make it in the door."

Albus swallowed hard, his body tingling in response to her words. He cleared his throat and walked toward the bed where two new bags were resting. "I had some of our things from home packed and brought here. We can purchase anything else we need once we arrive and get settled."

"Let me get our toiletries and you can pack our clothes from the wardrobe. We should be able to get ready quickly. How long until we leave?"

Albus took out his pocket watch and looked at it briefly. "About fifteen minutes."

"Plenty of time," Minerva announced as she sauntered off in the direction of the bathroom.

Albus watched her until she disappeared around the corner. His traitorous mind flashed an image of Minerva gloriously naked and wet in the shower. Groaning aloud he tried to refocus his thoughts on the task at hand. However, parts of his body were being horribly distracted and, in the process, distracting him. He did manage to pack most of their clothes before their personal items came floating out of the bathroom, Minerva following behind with her wand raised. She directed them into the appropriate bags as he managed to get their last few items neatly inside. He shrunk their old bags and the new ones which had arrived and put them into his pockets, removing the Portkey from one of them at the same time.

The pamphlet was a bit crumpled in one corner, but otherwise in good condition, considering where it had been stored for the last several hours. His pockets were charmed to keep items from being damaged from his movement and possible compression but it did not keep various items safe from each other.

"Oh!" Minerva exclaimed as she eyed the colorful leaflet. "Is this where we are headed?"

Albus chuckled as she snatched it from him and opened it. She barely paid him any mind as she consumed the contents. He had memorized the pictures of the pristine beaches, the quaint villas that were offered for rent, the scenes of an exotic market with various wares for sale, and the beautiful countryside which could be hiked if one so chose.

"It's beautiful!" she exclaimed as she looked up from the brochure to find him staring at her intently. "Albus, it's almost too beautiful. Thank you so much for arranging all of this for us to make up for everything." Tears began to shimmer in her eyes as she locked eyes with him and felt a tugging at her heartstrings. "I am so sorry that I doubted you and that I let my mind wander away with me. I know I should have trusted you more and from now on I fully intend to talk to you about things that bother me. I never meant to hurt you with my actions and I'm sorry," she finished as the first teardrop slid down her cheek.

"I was hoping you would approve," he smiled, pleased that she was so happy at the arrangements he had made for them and also that she had felt the need to apologize. He wiped away the tear from her cheek and kissed her softly. "It's time to go, my dear."

Minerva nodded and took yet another step closer to him, offering him the pamphlet so he could grasp it as well. As he took hold of it, he also drew her against his body and his lips descended on hers once more. Albus' body, still thrumming from their earlier encounter, was instantly on fire at the touch of her soft, warm and supple lips. He whispered into her mouth as she opened under him, my Minerva, my everything, just before he felt a familiar pull at his navel.

Almost instantly they were transported from their hotel room to a fully furnished seaside cottage. The sounds of the waves lapping at the shore could be heard just outside, creating a soft rumble through the air though for several long and wonderful moments, neither Albus nor Minerva paid it any heed. They were too engrossed in the irresistible feelings surging between them. The pamphlet Portkey lay discarded haphazardly on the floor as both travelers needed their hands for other things.

Minerva's lips were so warm and inviting to Albus that he hated to pull back from her for any reason, but it proved necessary. There was so much more of her he wanted and needed to explore, places he wanted to linger, sounds he wanted to hear coming from those luscious lips.

Albus' lips trailed hotly over her flushed neck and down to her shoulders where his progress was halted by the blue silky fabric. "So beautiful and soft," he murmured against her skin as he slowly peeled away the material from her shoulder, letting it fall down her arm slightly. He wasted no time in smothering the area with warm kisses and feather like touches.

"Ohh, Albus," she moaned as she arched her body into his. She had managed to push his outer robes to the floor, though she'd never really know how. Letting her arousal take control of her actions, she easily slipped her hand inside his robes to feel his warm skin beneath her fingertips, tracing his collarbone and broad shoulder delicately. She could already imagine placing her lips to the area her fingers now caressed and how she would nip it then soothe it with her tongue. She moaned deeply at the thought, though not wishing for a moment to rush through this night.

As soon as both her shoulders were bared to him, Minerva took one step deeper into his arms, needing to feel closer to him. His lips brushed lovingly along her shoulders and throat causing her head to fall back in invitation and excitement as she reveled in the sensations only he was able to induce within her. Emerald eyes fluttered closed as she gave herself over to him completely as he took a moment to pay attention to a particularly sensitive spot at the base of her neck. She could feel his body reacting to hers as she began to move against him, creating tiny fires in her body while his moans reverberated through her. Thinking of only their pleasure and need, Minerva buried her hands in his hair, urging him to continue.

But it was all happening so fast, and Minerva regained enough of her senses to regain control of the situation for a brief moment, but Merlin only knew why. "Albus…wait," she panted as she began to pull away from him slightly, feeling an instant grief at their separation. A groan of frustration was his only response. "Not here…please…let's go somewhere besides the front door," she suggested as she struggled to harness her ragged breaths.

Albus looked around, and for the first time he noticed that their surroundings had changed and that they were finally alone and on holiday. With a broad smile and a dark twinkle in his eyes, he scooped Minerva into his arms and carried her through the house, making a note to give her a proper tour later. For now though, he had other things on his mind and so did she.

Trusting his sense of direction in the unfamiliar house, Albus successfully navigated them into the bedroom before setting Minerva back on her feet so she could properly look at their bedroom. One entire wall from floor to ceiling was made of glass and offered a breathtaking view of the ocean just outside. With a wave of Albus' hand, one section of the wall began to move and the loud sound of the ocean waves rushed in around them.

"We can sleep with the glass doors open or closed and still hear the lull of the waves and smell the fresh air. And over here is our bed where we can spend hours and hours together watching the ocean, and at night we can enjoy the stars." He turned Minerva around to see the massive bed covered in crisp white linens that looked as if they'd be as soft as the clouds outside. A sheer canopy cascaded from the ceiling down around the upper portion of the bed, giving the entire room a regal feel about it.

"It's…it's…" Minerva struggled to find words to adequately describe the feelings stirring in her heart. Never had she imagined such a luxurious setting, and she felt a renewed passion building within her. "I love you so much, Albus Dumbledore. You are the most romantic man in the world and you're all mine," she said as she launched herself into his arms.

In a flash, Albus' arms were full of Minerva, her kisses falling down upon him like a refreshing summer rain. He laughed with happiness at her excitement and with the knowledge that they were truly experiencing a healing after the events of the last few days.

"Mmm, Minerva," he moaned as her teeth nipped at his ear. "I don't want to wait any longer for you. This night has been torture," he said as he once again put her on her feet. "While this dress is truly extraordinary, I do believe it would look much better in a puddle on the floor." And with that, the dress slipped off her supple body, creating a small pool of blue fabric at her feet.

Minerva watched as Albus' eyes widened at what lay beneath the dress. She had warned him earlier about some new lingerie she'd purchased but he'd brushed it off as a new bra and panties. Never had he dared imagine the treasures awaiting him once she disrobed.

Standing before Albus in all her glory was Minerva, looking even more desirable and delicious than he could ever remember. She had purchased an incredibly sexy bra in the exact same shade as her dress, the lacy cups leaving very little to the imagination. He swallowed hard as he drank in the sight of her body as her breaths quickened under his gaze. There were no straps holding the bra in place and he had to assume that the shiny silk fabric had Muggle clasps or she had placed a charm to keep it in place.

His eyes raked over her form hungrily from her chest, across the flat plane of her stomach, all the way down to her painted toenails. He vividly remembered other occasions when they had been together like this, loving one another and giving of themselves. Once, again, he longed to pleasure her and to show her all of his love. He wanted this night to last, for them to take their time in expressing their love.

As his eyes devoured the sight before him, he paused to mentally scold himself. How could he have forgotten just how amazing his wife is and how incredibly sexy she could be for him? Had he truly grown so distracted by work and other projects that he'd neglected to really look at his wife with more than a passing glance at her familiar and loving form?

Albus took one last sweeping look up and down her body and struggled to swallow. His mouth had gone dry and his heart rate quickened. "My gods, Minerva. Had I known you were hiding all this, they could have found someone else to give away that award hours ago," he gasped.

She twirled around slowly, giving him ample time to appreciate her efforts. "So you like what you see?"

"I think we need to get a set of these in every color and maybe even do some more lingerie shopping while we're here on holiday. Not that you'll be wearing many clothes while we're here," he growled.

Before she could answer, Albus' lips had crushed hers in a searing kiss. His nimble fingers had effortlessly unhooked her bra and it went sailing across the room, landing carelessly on a lampshade. She gasped at the passion radiating from him.

He couldn't stand it any longer. Albus scooped her into his arms and gently placed her on the bed and without another word, his mouth covered hers in a passionate kiss. Her hands found their way to the back of his head, encouraging him, letting him know how much she was enjoying his attentions. Her nails scratched his scalp and back lightly as the kiss deepened, creating wonderful sensations within her. Realizing that with each moan and sigh coming from her lips he was losing control, he paused and stared into her eyes.

"Oh Gods, Minerva…you're so beautiful."

"Please, Albus…I need you," she cried out as her body tingled and ached at the same time, desperate for him.

Albus sat up and summoned his wand. He saw her eyes widen and darken as she watched him, curious about what was next. With the wand firmly in his grasp, he cast a series of spells, ridding himself of all clothing, and with another flick of his wand, her panties disappeared.

"Tell me again, Minerva, what do you want?" His breath was hot against the side of her neck as his lips brushed across her flushed skin.

"YOU," she cried out. "Always YOU."

He needed no further encouragement as he slowly made love to her until they had both found release with loud cries of each other's name and soft sighs of contentment. "Minerva…sweet Minerva. I will love you forever," he swore before devoting all of his remaining energy on making sure she was spent and happy. His mind cleared of everything except the woman writhing beneath him and the pleasure he was bringing to her, the woman who alone held the key to his heart and his body.

Hours later, the morning sun began to rise beyond the ocean, casting a brilliant orange glow over the room where scattered bits of clothing lay haphazardly. Arms and legs were tangled in the thin sheet as the two lovers snuggled together, each bearing marks of a passion filled night.

A new day had dawned and with it a love had been reborn. There would be more trying times in their future, but never again would one doubt where the true affection and love of the other resided. And when times grew tough again, they would make a special trip, even for one night, to this little seaside cottage to renew the commitment they made and to ensure that their flame never ever died.

The End.

A/N: We hope you have enjoyed this story as much as we enjoyed writing it and hearing your comments. For the lemony version of this chapter, please go to the Albus/Minerva board and look in the lemon section. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing!!! You guys are the BEST!