Spinster
A/N: Hey, so this story, or random bit of fluff, actually came from a random word that suddenly popped into my head last night. Thanks to urban dictionary for the wonderful definition. The real dictionary one didn't do it justice.
...
Spinster: a woman who is not married, especially a woman who is no longer young and seems unlikely ever to marry.
Spinster- It was a word Minerva had never really thought of to describe herself, yet as she looked in the mirror, the realization seemed to hit her like a ton of bricks. It was a sort of joke that her brothers had always called her that word, but neither of them had ever honestly thought of her as one. As her eyes took in the various lines beginning around her face that, in her mind, seemed to have crept in overnight, she realized that the word suddenly seemed to fit her perfectly.
She had tried not to think about it as the years progressed. Moving through school, it hadn't been a problem, not having someone in her life made her studies easier. When she became an Auror she also thought that it was a benefit, no one to worry about her as she tackled the harder missions. When she first arrived back at the school in her first years of being a professor it hadn't bothered her, thinking that it gave her more time to focus on her students. Now though, as she had been at the school nearly ten years, she started to wonder if her single status was ever to change.
Her options up to this point looked rather slim. The only men that she knew consisted of Ministry workers whom she saw regularly, being the Deputy Headmistress, the Governors, and her co-workers. Most of the Ministry workers were duller than butter knives. Out of the Governors, half of them could be her grandfather, and the other half her son, not to mention that all of them were already married.
This meant she was left with the prospect of her co-workers. Going through the list of options there made her shudder momentarily. There was Professor Kettleburn, the Care of Magical Creatures teacher, who was missing a few limbs and most of the hair on his head. Professor Binns, drier than the Sahara, and not a viable option anyway for the fact that he was a ghost. Mr. Filch, just the idea of the man made her stomach turn.
Sighing she had to remind herself that not all of the male population of Hogwarts was as bad as she was making it out to be. Professor Flitwick, although his size was an issue, was a sweet man and always charming, which also suited his wife just fine. Reubeus Hagrid, just a few years younger than herself, however, a giant, was as nice as they came, but not a suitable match for her.
The name that came to her next made her laugh out loud in the small room she called her office. Professor Snape. The man had just arrived there that year, all dark and brooding. However, he had been her student at one time. She had seen him though many things, mostly things she would never like to see again. She had known he was a student to be watched, his prowess for dark magic gaining him popularity nearly as fast as he started. He had also been a Death Eater who had supposedly gone spy for the Order, although Minerva still had her doubts. No, Severus was not an option in her mind.
Resting her head on her arms finally, thinking she'd sufficiently exhausted all the options she had, she gave a great sigh. A moment later there was a knock on the door. Not even bothering to raise her head she called for the person to enter. As the door opened she caught a glimpse of brilliant aquamarine robes. Smiling a bit she knew immediately who it was.
Fully entering the room Dumbledore smiled down at the rather pathetic display he saw before him. "Are you quite alright Minerva?" he asked, completely forgetting the reason he'd come to her in the first place.
Raising her head she nodded, but still looked just as sad, "Fine Albus, thank you."
"What seems to be troubling you, my dear?" he asked ignoring her claims to be 'alright'.
"It's nothing to trouble yourself over. I was merely wallowing to myself," she answered turning her gaze away from him.
"I see," he said walking over to her side of the desk, stopping in front of her chair. "What is it that you were wallowing over?"
Sighing again, she realized that he was not going to be content until he heard the full story. Finally she looked up at him and said, "I'm a spinster Albus."
Albus could not help the laugh that burst from his lips on her admittance. Her head swiftly rose, searching his face to see what could have been so hilarious. Taking a minute or so to regain his composure he finally stopped and took one of her hands in his. "Minerva, what makes you think you are a spinster?"
"I believe that is rather obvious Albus!" she shouted, pulling her hand away from his. "I am over thirty. I have never been married. I have no attachments at the present, and no indication that any will be coming my way in the future!"
"Minerva," he said gently, trying to calm down the agitated witch in front of him, taking her hand in his again. "The future cannot be as bleak as you seem to profess."
"Oh really? Have you thought about it for a moment?" she asked searching his eyes, but did not wait for a response, "Well I have. I have a choice, either Ministry officials who are so dull they should be prescribed for insomniacs. Married governors, where I could either break up a marriage or become the 'kept woman'. Or someone here, which seems to be the bleakest outcome of all!"
Albus's shoulders slumped a little, withdrawing his hand from her's, slightly wounded he asked, "Is your opinion of the staff here that harsh?"
"What else am I to think?" she asked irritably. "A ghost, a half-giant, Filch," a shiver ran across her again saying his name, "or a former Death Eater!"
"Are those your only options?" he asked rather hurt.
"Who else is there Albus?" she asked with a sigh.
He hesitated for a moment, unsure if he should answer. It was obvious that to this point he had not even made it to her list to think about. The thought that he had not even occurred to her hurt him more than he could say, for he had been in love with her since she had been his student.
He remembered back to that time, to the raven haired beauty that used to grace the front row of his class. Many times he had to restrain himself from acting on impulse and taking her into his arms. As the years progressed, she seemed to get lovelier with age. Going from a skinny child in her youth, to a woman with curves, which she commonly, and unsuccessfully, tried to hide under her billowing robes. Over the years restraining himself took more and more effort until, as fate would have it, tonight he had plucked up the courage to come and tell her. Alas, seeing her like this made him reconsider his decision.
Finally deciding to throw caution to the wind he asked in a tone just above a whisper, "Have you ever considered me?"
Her eyes widened instantly, seeking his, trying to see if her hearing was correct, "Albus…" she whispered, but her throat seemed to constrict. Her mind started going a mile a minute, trying to wrap itself around the realization of what he had said.
It was true that Minerva had not even thought about Albus, but not for the reason he thought. She'd had a crush on him as his student, but knew that nothing could come of it. Sitting in his class many days it had taken much self-restraint not to tell him herself. Even as she left to be an Auror, and then came back as a Professor, thoughts of him had crept into her mind from time to time, but she had quickly pushed them aside. She had always thought that being one of the most brilliant wizards of his age, if not any age, he would most certainly be out of her league. Now it seemed as if he was offering himself to her. Or was she simply taking it the wrong way? Had he been joking?
Finally she looked away from him again, deciding that it had been a very bad joke that he couldn't possibly be serious. Stating in a cold tone, "Albus, if you are simply going to mock my plight, please do not do it in front of me."
His eyes showing more hurt than she could possibly imagine when she looked back up, she realized that he had not been joking. He took a deep breath and started, not able to look at her, "I am not attempting to 'mock your plight' as you say my dear. I was merely trying to give you an alternative. I see now that my suggestion was not taken in the manner intended. Please forget I said anything." He turned away from her, heading toward the door before he could make more of a spectacle of himself than he already had.
Putting an arm on his to stop him, he looked back down at her. "Albus please, I'm sorry," she started, watching as he turned back to her. "It is just that I have wanted to hear that from you for so long that once I had, I simply could not believe it."
He searched her face for any form of deceit, and after seeing nothing but a true smile on it he took her hand in his once more, his heart feeling lighter than ever. "Minerva, I have loved you for more years than I would venture to count. Please, at least put me into consideration."
A tear fell from her eye, landing on her cheek. His other hand rose to gently wipe it away, caressing her cheek in the process. Leaning into his touch, she closed her eyes, overjoyed. It seemed he could no longer stop himself as he leaned forward and brushed his lips to hers. Emotions erupted in both of them, feeling as if they were suddenly floating instead of on solid ground. The kiss lasted only a moment, but the happiness it brought caused both to grin like fools.
Her eyes shown up at him as she said, "Albus, you are the only one under consideration. You always have been." Leaning in again she pressed her lips to his once more, in a kiss that sealed both of their fates.
A/N 2: Let me know what you think. I had originally intended this to be a four chapter fic, going over different titles, but I haven't decided yet. As for those of you still waiting for "A Knight to Remember", don't worry I still have a long way to go, I just wanted to get this out of my head.