Minerva looked sadly at the person across the room leaning on the mantle of the massive fireplace. She took in the way his head leaned into his dying hand, his eyes closed with finality. She took in the way the circles under his eyes seemed to darken in the dim light from the fire, casting a defeated and unliftable aura about him. She took in the way his body shook slightly from exhaustion or emotion, she didn't know.
"How long have you been planning this? How long have you k-known?" She managed to choke out, half of it coming out as a pathetic sob, which she mentally berated herself for. She did not want to cry, she did not want to sob, and she most definitely didn't want him to bare witness to her breakdown.
Albus removed his elbow from the ledge and rubbed his large, elegant hands over his face before opening his eyes and addressing her. "For many months, more months than I would like to admit." The intensity of his gaze that usually warmed her heart made it instead constrict with pain.
They stood staring at each other for many minutes, her eyes filled with tears and his eyes filled with regret. "I didn't keep it from you with the intention to hurt you, Minerva. I was trying to protect you, trying-"
"Trying to protect me? I would of wanted to know the moment you had even thought about planning your death, even before you started luring Severus in as an accomplice. I don't know what I'm hurt by more, the fact that you didn't tell me or that you want to die." She looked down, wringing her hands painfully, vainly attempting to hold back tears that were threatening to fall at any moment. Her breathing was short and shallow and she was beginning to feel light headed.
He took a few steps to close at least some of the distance between them, his eyes pleading with her to understand. "I do not want to die, I have to die. Do you understand? For Harry to be successful, it is what needs to be done." He paused and closed the remaining distance between them, his arms wrapped around her tightly and possessively. "And I most definitely do not want to leave you." He whispered in her ear.
That was her undoing. Not even trying to hide her emotions from him any longer, she hugged him back tightly, sobbing desperately into his shoulder. She heard him begin to whisper soft nothings into her ear to soothe her, but nothing was helping. The plan was set, and there was nothing she could do about it.
She didn't know how long they stood there, tightly embraced as if nothing in the world could pull them apart. Her tears had caused a spot to form on his light blue robes, and that small thing seemed to be her cue to control herself. She sniffled heartily and lifted her head to look at his face, the face she had grown to love. He looked just as horrible as she did.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, a thousand times I'm so-" She covered his mouth with her hand in an attempt to stop his endless chain of well deserved apologies. She felt him kiss her palm, his lips lingering. She dropped her hand, her arm swinging heavily to her side. "I love you, Minerva."
For the first time all night, she smiled that smile that made her look thirty years younger. He felt a strong tug at his heart and leaned down to kiss her. The kiss was tender and slow, and was exactly what both of them needed. They broke apart and she leaned her forehead against his chain, her breathing deep as if she was trying to breath him into her so he could never leave. He closed his eyes, breathing in the scent that could only be classified and roses mixed with Minerva. She placed her hand over his heart, feeling his strong heartbeat, unable to picture the moment it would not be beating anymore. Not her Albus.
"That's all I need to know."