Author's Note: This idea was given to me by the wonderful Julisa Black and Indigold10. Thank you, girls. I've missed my MMAD. Hope you all enjoy! Please review with your thoughts. I love hearing from you!

Tales from the Past

Missing scene from TDM between chapters 13 and 14…

July 27th, 1956

As the afternoon sun streamed through the windows, Albus Dumbledore lay in bed, watching his lover doze. Minerva's long black hair pooled in waves over the pillows. Her breathing was soft and even, and a small smile graced her perfect lips.

Albus' eyes twinkled happily as her eyes fluttered open. She smiled and stretched before rolling over under the sheet to snuggle closer to him. "You seem very happy, Albus."

"Of course I am. I'm looking at you," he replied sweetly.

"Oh you are wonderful," she sighed.

"Only because I have you, my darling Minerva. You are my one and only love, and I cherish you. I hope you know that." He gently kissed the top of her head as it rested on his bare chest. His fingers ghosted along her pale back, and she shivered at his soft touch.

Minerva leaned up to look him in the eye. "I do know. And I still can't believe it. I've loved you for so long, and to be here with you like this is better than my wildest dreams. I never thought this could be possible."

He chuckled and kissed the tip of her nose. "Nor did I, my love. But here we are. I think I always knew in my heart of hearts that you are the only woman for me."

She raised her brow skeptically. "Surely there were others before me."

Albus blushed slightly. "Well, yes, a few. But no others I loved the way I love you; that I know for sure."

"Really? You never told any other woman 'I love you?'" Albus was an incredibly affectionate, loving man. Minerva assumed that even though he loved her with all his heart, he must have found at least one other woman to give his love to.

"Well there was one, but it wasn't meant to be."

"Was it painful for you?" she asked. Her eyes filled with concern for the man she cared about so deeply.

Albus shook his head. "Not precisely, but I did learn quite a lot from that relationship."

"Like what? Tell me about it." She sat up, pulling the sheet around her lithe body.

"Minerva, you don't want to hear about my failed love affair."

"It is a part of your life, which is a life I now share. I want to know everything about you that you are willing to divulge."

He sat up and leaned back against the headboard. "Alright then. But I think it will surprise you…"

June 30th, 1948

Albus stood outside Madam Puddifoot's tea shop, waiting for his blind date. He wasn't sure how exactly Dippet had persuaded him to meet this woman, but Albus was a man who kept his word; he said he would meet her, and so he would, no matter how disinterested he was in the idea.

He was busy brooding when a hand tapped his shoulder. "Albus Dumbledore?" came the sharp voice.

Albus whirled around and was stunned by what he saw. She had shiny black hair piled up on her head. She was had an incredible figure underneath her burgundy dress, and her eyes were bright and intelligent. "Minerva?" His voice was quiet and strained.

"What was that?" the woman asked. It wasn't her, of course. Her eyes were gray, not the emerald green he knew Minerva McGonagall possessed.

He cleared his throat. "I'm sorry. Yes, I am Albus Dumbledore. And I assume you are Moira McLaggen?"

"That I am," she replied with a wide smile. "I'm honored to meet you, Albus."

"It is my pleasure, Miss McLaggen," he replied politely, kissing her hand in greeting.

They entered the tea room and were seated at an intimate table in the back.

"I'm so glad my uncle could finally set us up. He's been telling me about you for years," Moira told him.

"Yes, Armando has been very eager for me to meet you. I'm glad I finally have the time."

The two shared a polite conversation, but Albus was warming to her very quickly. Moira was clever and funny and kind. So much like Minerva. Stop it, man. Minerva is off living her life where you cannot interfere. Moira is right in front of you and just as lovely, Albus insisted internally.

He convinced himself of this over the course of their evening. Albus walked her to the Three Broomsticks after their evening so she could floo home. They shared a tender kiss, which, in hindsight, Albus would describe as unfortunately lackluster. Moira, however, seemed over the moon. They arranged to meet again the following week.

Over the course of eight months, Albus spent as much time as he could with Moira. She was simply wonderful. Her wit never failed to intrigue him. Her humor entertained him to no end. Her beauty was without rival. And yet…

Something within Albus knew she wasn't right. After each and every kiss they shared, he expected to be gazing into shining green eyes. He was somehow always surprised to see Moira's gray eyes smiling back at him, full of love.

Often, Albus would find himself asking her what she thought about the most recent magical education journals. Moira's reply was always the same: "Albus, you know I don't read those things. I got enough learning growing up with a Hogwarts teacher for an uncle. Although, I suppose this is what I get for dating a professor," she would laugh.

Albus always apologized for boring her with his academic ramblings. Minerva was always on top of every article published, and she always had an opinion on whatever subject was being discussed. Albus had always admired her strong mind. But you haven't got Minerva, you have Moira. Stop wishing for what you cannot have, Albus would scold to himself. Nonetheless, Moira reminded Albus of Miss Minerva McGonagall more than he ever wanted to admit. And in his heart, Albus knew that Moira didn't measure up.

"What's the matter, sweetheart?" Moira asked one evening while her paramour stared off in thought.

He didn't look at her, but answered without thinking. "I was just realizing how much I love you."

"You do?"

Albus turned to Moira and realized what he had said. "Yes, I do." But I wasn't talking about you, Moira, he reflected, I love Minerva. But he knew he had to cover up and suppress the truth hidden in his heart.

"Eventually, I couldn't pretend anymore. It was eating away at me, and it was hurting Moira. She really was a wonderful woman, she just wasn't…you. In the end, I told Moira that I didn't love her the way I thought I did, and I couldn't love her the way she deserved. She was very upset, and I never saw her again. Armando was unhappy at first that I had hurt his niece, but I think her understood that I was waiting for you. He knew I was in love with you before I did, I think," Albus told Minerva, finishing his tale.

"You loved me even then?" Minerva asked, surprised. The time he was talking about was only a year after she graduated.

"I've always loved you, Minerva. Not always romantically and passionately, as I do now, but from the moment I met you as a student, I loved you," Albus admitted.

Minerva leaned forward and kissed him with all the love she could muster. She only broke away when they had run out of breath.

"Merlin, Minerva! What was that for?" Albus asked, flabbergasted by the suddenness and passion of her kiss. "Not that I'm complaining," he added with a smile.

"I just adore you. I couldn't really find the words, so this was the best I could do," she replied with a slight blush.

Albus laughed. "Thank you, my dear, for everything." He gave her a tender kiss. "Now I've told you about my past. I'd like to hear about yours, if you'd care to confide in me."

Minerva sighed. "I should have known this was coming. Alright then, I have one I'll tell you about. The rest weren't very interesting."

"The rest?"

"Well I was on my own for seven years, and I have never claimed to have lived like a nun," Minerva countered.

"I never thought you did. You were young and beautiful, and still are, I might add. Surely men just threw themselves at you."

She laughed. "No, nothing of the sort. But there was one man whose relationship was quite different than the others…"

October 12th, 1950

Minerva was working at Flourish & Blott's as a shop assistant, trying desperately to work on her Transfiguration research in every spare minute. She had been working furiously on both tasks. Burying herself in work gave her the illusion of happiness. In reality, she was simply too exhausted most of the time to worry about whether or not she was content with her life. Deep down, she knew she was far from content.

The past summer she had broken up with Jack Spinnet, an incredble man who treated her wonderfully. Alas, they both knew that they weren't right for one another and parted amicably. Minerva hadn't told Jack, but she realized very quickly that she couldn't love any man other than Albus Dumbledore, whom she had adored since she was a young girl in his class. Minerva hated herself for being so foolish, but try as she might, she couldn't change the way she felt about that wizard.

She resigned herself to finding the next best thing and trying not to compare every man she met to the professor she still harbored such strong feelings for. Little did she know that the next man to cross her path walked into Flourish and Blott's that very evening.

"Excuse me, sir, but I'll be closing up in about twenty minutes," she told the handsome customer.

He turned to her with a kind smile. "Don't worry, I know what I'd like to take out."

"I see. And what would that be?"

"You."

Minerva was surprised at the man's presumptuousness. She had to admit that he was very attractive with his thick russet-colored hair, strong jaw, straight nose, and bright blue eyes. Those eyes beckoned to her, sparkling in a way that made her weak at the knees.

When she didn't answer, the man continued. "You see, Miss McGonagall, I've been coming in here every day this week, trying to speak with you. But alas, it seems you were always busy. I find you very beautiful, and I know from your published works that you are brilliant, and I'd like to take you out to dinner to get to know you better, if I may."

Somehow, Minerva was flattered by his attention and interest in her. And those wonderful eyes… "Alright, you may take me out to dinner, Mr.…"

"Alphard Black. I'm very pleased, Miss McGonagall. Are you free now?"

"Call me Minerva, please. And as a matter of fact, I am free. Shall we, Alphard?"

He took her to a quiet restaurant down the block in Diagon Alley. They spent the evening getting to know one another better.

"I must confess, Minerva, that we were in the same year in Hogwarts. We had quite a few classes together over the years, but I suppose you being so studious and, well, in Gryffindor, didn't take much notice of a quiet Slytherin," Alphard told her.

"I remember you. But I didn't recognize you when you first came in. And you being a Black, I'm surprised you would ask a Gryffindor out," she remarked.

"I've changed quite a lot since those days. My family isn't too pleased, but I'm much happier on my own. Although I've done nothing yet to be disowned, but we'll see how they react to you," he joked.

Their relationship progressed from there. Alphard was very intelligent and kind and funny, but just as with Jack Spinnet and all the others, Minerva didn't love him. Merlin knew she tried. They dated for over a year. But Alphard proposed marriage (earning quite a scolding from the rest of the Black family), Minerva had to refuse.

"I'm so sorry, Alphard. I care for you, I really do. But I don't love you. You deserve to have a woman who can give you everything. That just isn't me."

He was crushed. "Why, Minerva? What can I do to make you happy?"

She took his hands in hers. "Nothing. You've done nothing wrong, I swear it. But I just cannot love you."

"Is there someone else?"

Minerva panicked in her mind. Yes. I'm in love with Albus Dumbledore, whom I haven't seen in nearly seven years. Whenever you kiss me or touch me, I find myself wishing it were him. It is completely insane, but I love him. "No. No one else. But I cannot marry you, Alphard. I'm sorry. Perhaps it would be best if we discontinued our relationship."

"I suppose we must, if you 'cannot love me,'" he replied sarcastically. He was hurt and angry, and Minerva didn't blame him. She broke his heart.

"Will you break my heart, Minerva?" Albus asked quietly when her story was done.

She took his hand in hers. "Never, my Albus. I will love you until my last breath. I will never let you go, so long as I can help it."

Albus raised her hand to his lips and gently kissed it. "I will be with you and love you always, my dear."

"That is all I ask, my darling. That is all I ever want from you." Minerva kissed him, softly at first, but the kiss soon deepened, and the lovers disappeared under the bed sheets once more.