Title: Into The Snow
Author: Tartan Lioness
Classification: Humor/Romance
Summary: A walk in the snow and Albus is up to something…
Warning: If you don't like old people falling in love, read no further!
Disclaimer: All I own is the plot. I have no money so please don't sue me!
A/N: Thank you so much, Maja! You gave me this cute idea (even if it was by trying to push me into the snow) and allowed me to write it! Thank you very much to Lily for being by friend and beta!
Albus Dumbledore knocked on the door of his Deputy Headmistress' office and entered at her request. His winter cloak hang over his arm. She did not look up, she instinctively knew who was now standing in front of her desk, even if she could not see him. Minerva simply kept marking her seventh year Gryffindors' essays.
"Goodafternoon, Albus," she said, finally looking up after giving her last essay, written by Hermione Granger, an O. 'That girl is a natural in Transfigurations,' she thought.
"Goodafternoon, my dear. I was wondering if you, now that you have finnished correcting your essays, would like to take a walk with me? The grounds are so beautiful around christmas."
"Oh, Albus, I still have my Ravenclaw first year essays to correct," she said, sounding a bit saddened that she could not join him.
"Ah, but Minerva, they can wait. I doubt your employer will think less of you just because you take a break every once in a while," he said, eyes twinkling like mad. Minerva smiled slightly.
"Oh, I don't know, Albus. My employer is a real barmy old codger. A crackpot old fool, you know."
Albus laughed heartily, Minerva joined him after a few seconds. A part of his mission had succeded. To make her laugh. He rarely got to hear her laugh in these times, Voldemort was close, they all knew it. But they also knew that Harry was ready. He might need a bit more timemake everything perfectbut he was ready. Ready to face his nemesis.
Albus took Minerva's arm and looped it through his as they walked to the Staff Room to get Minerva's cloak. The midnight blue cloak had been a christmas present from Albus a few years ago and she cherished it. Even though she would usually had chosen a black or emerald green one, she had to admit that the cloak did suit her, even in color. It closed with a silver hook and the hood was trimmed with fur. And it was so soft, Minerva was sure he had used magic.
After retrieving Minerva's cloak, they walked outside, arm in arm like so many times before. Most students had decided to stay, thinking Hogwarts would be the safest place if Voldemort should strike. Only one house had hardly any students left; Slytherin. Of course. They had gone home to their families to celebrate and they had nothing to fear because they were 'pure'.
On this beautiful frosty clear day many of the students had decided to go outside, homework lying forgotten in their bags. Minerva and Albus cluckled slightly as a couple of third years tried to get a fifth year into the snow.
Walking further and further away from the castle, the noise was getting lesser and lesser until they could merely hear the screams from their students as faraway squeeks. Suddenly Albus stopped. He turned to stand directly in front of her.
"I am sorry, my dear, but I feel I have to do this," he said and gave her a gentle push so she fell backwards into a large snowdrift. But what he hadn't thought about was Minerva's sharp reflexes. She quickly grabbed the front of Albus' robes and pulled him with her as she went down into the snow. He landed on top of her, arms around her for safety. The snow was soft but not so soft they fell through it. Albus was so close to Minerva he could feel her breath on his face but he just couldn't move. He was paralyzed. And so, it seemed, was Minerva. She made no attempt at getting him off of her. 'Oh Merlin! He's so close… He's so close I could just reach up and kiss him…No, do not think about that, Minerva McGonagall! Maybe he's too close!'
After what felt like several minutes they both tore their gaze away from the other as they heard a decreet cough. They looked up at a blushing Rolanda Hooch.
"I'll just leave you two alone," she said, smirking and turning on her heal and making her way back to the castle as fast as possible.
'Yes, definitely way too close! Now think of something else! Don't kiss him! Don't kiss him! Don't kiss him! Don't kiss… him… Don't… kiss him… Don't… kiss… him…' Her mouth found his and she kissed him gently. 'Oh rubbish!' The kiss was broken as she rolled over, pinning him beneath her. She looked at him. "I'm sorry, my dear, but I feel like I have to do this," she mocked him. Albus' eyes twinkled and he smiled. She leaned closer and just as Albus closed his eyes and was about to meet her in a kiss she grabbed a handful of snow and pushed it into his face where she moved her hand around until Albus' mouth, beard, nose and ears were quite snowy.
He sat up and spluttered, trying to get all of the snow off of his face. When it was finally gone he saw and heard a laughing Minerva, sitting in the snow beside him, having been thrown off when he sat up.
"My dearest! Did you really think you'd get away with that without getting punished?" he asked, grinning and stood. Suddenly Minerva's eyes widened as she stopped laughing. She quickly rose too and stumpled backwards. "Albus!" she shrieked. "I was merely trying to revenge your try at getting me into the snow! Don't tell me you wouldn't have done the same to me, had I not done it first!"
"I would never!" Albus faked an innocent look which was quite believable, had she not been Minerva and had she not known him for so many years. Minerva snorted. Then she shook her head. Albus bent and picked up a handfull of snow and looked very pointedly at her, obviously trying to decide wheter or not he should throw the snowball. Minerva backed away a bit, laughing at the look in his eyes, the mischevious, playfull twinkle.
"Oh no, Albus! Don't!" But he did. He threw the ball and it hit her right in her chest. She looked down, then she faked an angry scowl. "DETENTION, MISTER DUMBLEDORE!" Albus cluckled. He knew she was not really angry. "And what, pray tell, gives you the power to give me a detention?"
"This!" she said and stepped up to him, so they were standing nose by nose. She gave him her most scary glare. Then she boldly kissed him again. As she pressed her lips roughly agaist his he moaned and wrapped his arms around her, his tongue begging for permission to come inside her mouth. She parted her lips and his tongue plounged inside, tasting very corner of her mouth. He sucked on her lower lip and she moaned in response.
When they parted they looked at each other, blushing. Where had the sudden outburst of emotions come from? Not that any of them hadn't known they were in love with the other… they just never believed the other to be in love with them.
"Albus?"
"Minerva?"
"I'm sorry… I should not have done that… I never meant… -"
"Shush, Minerva," he gently said and lowered his lips to hers again. "I love you, dearest," he mumbled just before he claimed her lips. She quickly responded to his kiss, and got lost in a wonderful feeling of floating around in a haze of warm feelings. Safety, friendship, and most of all, love.
"And now, love, I do believe you said something about a detention?" he winked at her in a very suggestive manner and wiggled his eyebrows. She laughed at him, slapping his arm playfully.
And they walked back to the castle, arm in arm. After this Minerva had to refrain herself from blushing every time someone mentioned the word 'detention'.
THE ENDA/N: This is kinda co-written with my friend Maja… she gave me the plot and we discussed it through at her place! Thanks to Lily, Maja, Kaylee and Clayre for offering your help when my granddad died. For caring about me and my family. You are true friends. Thank you so much.
REVIEW PLEASE!