Just in time for Christmas...a fluffy remembrance of when Minerva knew who was her true love.
Disclaimer: I own nothing from the books or movies.
Peppermint Amortentia
That smell called to her. It pulled her close and reeled her in till her nose was nearly touching the boiling goo in the cauldron. It was a most divine smell that had her feel warm.
Minerva McGonagall was unaware that her mother had caught her in the potions lab, that was until she heard her mother clear her throat.
"You seem rather involved with my Amortentia Potion. Would you two like a minute alone?"
Minerva blushed nearly jumping feet away from the potion and knocking into a shelf sending other potions crashing to the floor. She then looked at her mother with wide fearful green eyes.
Minerva had destroyed potions that were probably worth hundreds of gallons and probably took months to make. She wasn't supposed to be in her mother's lab. She was in for it.
Minerva's mother raised a black eyebrow slowly as she walked down the rest of the stairs and tip toed around the mess leaning over the love potion inhaling deeply.
Minerva bit her lip toying with her long black braid. Something she only did when fearful of what her mother might do. Her mother wasn't cruel, but she did have a temper when things were not done to her liking.
"Wh-what do you smell mama?"
"Muck of the moor during a storm, pipe tobacco, cinnamon."
"I..."
"First time I met da he was carrying me out of a storm with a broken ankle when my horse threw me. He brought me into this castle and laid me by a fire smoking that dragon carved pipe of his and eating little cinnamon gum drops."
Minerva smiled.
"I take it my princess isn't my baby girl if you're explaining the love smell," Maximum chuckled from the top of the stairs.
"Da! I'm sorry I didn't mean to...I mean I...I smelled the...and I had to..."
"By the stars I have never seen you so tongue tied. What did you smell in the Amortentia?"
Minerva blushed as her parents stared at her.
"Minerva," her mother warned.
She sighed toying with her braid her face quite red.
"Um...well...lemons...like from a muggle candy I know of...and...leather book bindings...and fresh hot cocoa...and...well...something that smells like peppermint."
The couple seemed to share a secret smile.
"Odd smells. Whoever fits those must be quite the personality. I hope he can keep up with our little book princess." Max smiled smoking his pipe.
Minerva shrugged not entirely sure who made sense to her with those smells. Albus Dumbledore, her professor, had introduced her to sherbet lemons recently and in their chess games she saw his many books. She knew he drank hot cocoa constantly, but where did the peppermint come in and how could she be in love with her professor!?
She was brought out of her thoughts by her mother and smiled as her mother's long arms wrapped around her and pulled her in for a hug.
"Let's go decorate the Christmas tree and let the elves clean up your clumsy messy self."
Minerva blushed and hurried up the stairs to her father as her mother followed a slower pace.
Professor McGonagall came out of her musings smiling as she watched her parents interacting with their grandchildren. It had been another perfect Christmas on the Moors.
"What's on your mind?" Albus smiled kissing her head as his arms wrapped around her from behind. She laid back into his embrace inhaling his scent.
"Thinking about when I learned you wore peppermint beard conditioner. Thought is was ridiculous at first, but now I can't imagine you without it."
Albus chuckled and turned her head kissing her lovingly as Maximum and Athena shared knowing looks before returning to the board game with Wulfiric and Cytheria.