Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling
Author's note: Okay, I have to say some things…. First of all: Yes, I am aware that Christmas is already over, and I apologize for not posting this sooner. I really intended to post this at Christmas, but I was so busy, I just couldn't find the time. I hope all of you had a very merry and peaceful Christmas!
Secondly: This story isn't beta- read. I didn't want to send it to Sue at 1.00 am and say: Hey, have it finished till tomorrow. Even beta- readers deserve a vacation *lol*. So please forgive my minor or major slaughter of the English language in this fic.
And thirdly and finally: It is fluffy, I just can't help it….. *sighs*
Where The Unicorns go
Minerva looked at the falling snowflakes with silent joy. Despite what she let her students believe, she loved winter and Christmas more than anything.
It had started to snow at the end of November, and now, on December 24th, Hogwarts was completely snowed in.
She looked through her window and saw groups of students enjoying the cold winter day. While Harry and his friends were busy racing their sleighs down the hill, Ginny and her fellow Gryffindors build a huge snowman.
She smiled gently down on them. More students than ever had decided to stay in Hogwarts over Christmas. With Voldemort having risen to his old power, the parents thought it safer for their precious children to be with Dumbledore. Minerva couldn't agree more with them. Hogwarts was probably the safest place in Great Britain right now.
As the parents didn't want to celebrate Christmas without their children, every room in Hogsmeade was rented, and the little town busy with activity.
As so many students stayed in Hogwarts, Albus had decided to hold the annual Christmas Ball on December the 24th this year.
Minerva thought it was a great idea, as the parents were invited as well, and they were all able to celebrate the holiday together.
She carefully opened a drawer of her desk and took a small package out. It was lovingly wrapped and Minerva smiled to herself. She had found the perfect gift for Albus this year… still she had to wait for tonight to see him opening it.
When there was a soft knock on her door, she quickly hid the package inside her drawer again.
"Come in." She called in the stern voice she knew her students expected from her. Her face softened though, when the visitor entered.
"Good morning Minerva." Albus said cheerfully, and Minerva couldn't help but smile at him. He wore red ropes with some green Christmas trees and white snowflakes on it. He probably knew he looked ridiculous, but his clothes lifted the spirits of the students some more.
His eyes were twinkling brightly, when he looked at her.
"Good morning Albus! Isn't it a lovely day?" He had wandered to her window, and watched his students play for a while. She came to stand beside him, and chuckled softly, when Hermione tried to teach Ron how to ski, but the poor boy obviously was a hopeless case.
"Is there something special you wanted to discuss with me?" She asked her old friend after some minutes of silent watching.
He turned back to her, and smiled: "Actually I've come to ask you to accompany me to the Ball tonight."
She lifted an eyebrow: "I thought it was clear I'd go with you."
He winked at her: "Well I just wanted to ask before Severus does."
Minerva sneered: "Yes, that was likely to happen!"
Albus smiled at her again: "Well then, I'll come and get you at eight."
Before she could reply anything, he had left her room. She quietly wondered what his visit meant, but simply shrugged. This was Albus Dumbledore, almost nothing about him made sense: He was nuts.
Realizing she hadn't yet decided what to wear she headed off to her rooms.
Albus was actually exited, when he stood in front of his deputy headmistresses' office later that day. He had decided to wear some plain dark green ropes, and hoped they would match with her dress. When she finally opened the door, he was momentarily taken aback by her appearance. She wore a dark green dress, and some simple pearl earrings. Her hair was loosely pinned up, and some strands hang freely down the sides of her face.
He quickly stepped forward, took her hand and kissed it lightly: "You look breathtaking, my dear."
Minerva couldn't help, but blush: "Thank you, you look quite handsome yourself."
He offered her his arm: "Shall we?" She simply nodded and took his arm.
The Ball was a great success. The Great Hall had been lovingly decorated by the Professors, and many students danced happily with their partners. From what Minerva had gathered Ron Weasley had finally found the guts to ask Hermione out for their first date, even though it apparently had taken quite some pushing from Harry's side to make him ask. Right now the poor boy was trying to survive his first dance, and Minerva could just see him counting the steps in his head, as he stiffly led Hermione over the dance floor.
Minerva silently hoped for Albus to ask her for a dance, but so far had been disappointed. The headmaster had danced with almost everyone except her, and it bothered her. She had always loved dancing with him. It made her feel so light inside, as if everything stopped existing for a few minutes and the only thing that really mattered were they.
She shook her head to free herself from those thoughts. And as if to help her do it, the old clock in the Great Hall announced midnight with twelve loud gongs. The 25th of December had arrived. The younger students, who had spend the last two hours in a desperate fight to stay awake, suddenly snapped to attention. The dance floor was empty within seconds as all students hurried to their tables and families.
Minerva smiled contently as she watched her students eagerly unwrapping their presents. She walked over to where most of their Gryffindors sat and patiently listened to everyone explaining their gifts to her.
She smiled broadly at them, and told all of them what beautiful gifts they had gotten. The only exception was when she found out that Fred and George Weasley had supplied all the Gryffindors with new inventions from their joke shop. The two boys had been intelligent enough to expect their former teacher's reaction, and quickly handed her a little package, which exploded right away, and produced a beautiful bouquet of roses. Minerva, who had really meant to be angry, smiled wistfully and thanked the twins.
She arrived just in time at the Weasley table to see Hermione unwrap the gift Ron had given to her. It was a simple golden ring. Minerva knew the boy probably saved for a long time to be able to give it to Hermione.
Apparently the girl knew it too, as happy tears were streaming down her face, as she hugged Ron. Minerva walked on, before the tears that had welled up in her eyes could run down her cheeks. Many people thought Christmas to be superficial, as suddenly everyone behaved as if they were best friends, even though they actually were not. But Minerva thought differently. She loved the harmony, and the peace, and scenes like those she had just witnessed reminded her again of why Christmas was indeed her favourite season.
She walked over to teacher's table, where the other teachers had already started unpacking their gifts. Someone had given Rolanda Sprout a hat made out of tinsel, which she wore proudly. Minerva couldn't help, but note that it was probably because of the eggnog Rolanda had consumed all evening.
The deputy headmistress moved to stand next to the headmaster, who was fighting with Hagrid's gift. The little box was wrapped in gift-wrapping that obviously didn't want to be ripped apart, and bit for all it was worth to save its life. When Albus noticed Minerva's presence, he put the gift with a last nasty comment in its direction back to the table, and turned to face her.
"Have your Gryffindors been good children this year?" She smiled and surveyed the excited children running all over the hall again.
"Yes, very." She replied proudly. She then went to the other end of the table and retrieved a gift: "This is for you Albus. Merry Christmas."
He studied the package for a second, carefully shaking it, before finally opening it. When he saw what it was his eyes went wide.
Minerva smiled gently, as she watched Albus caress the book in his hands. It was Nicolas Flammel's first book. He had published it over five hundred years ago. It was the book in which he had written down his theory about the Sorcerer's stone.
The book had been said to be lost, but it wasn't. It had stood in the McGonagall's large library for almost four hundred years until Minerva had found it the last time she had visited the manor. She had known it was the perfect gift for Albus right away. Despite what he had let on, Flammels death four month ago had hit him deep inside. Nicolas had been his best friend and mentor.
She smiled at him as he looked up to meet her gaze. He had an expression in his eyes Minerva had never seen before, and her smile faded. Were that tears in his eyes?
"Thank you" he barely audible said, before looking down on the gift again.
The moment passed as soon as it had come, though. When he looked up again, he was his old self again. He grinned at her, and handed her a small package.
The deputy headmistress fought hard to control her excitement. She had imagined many gifts he could get her, but she certainly hadn't expected what she was holding in her hands after she had unwrapped the gift. She stared down on a big box of Sherbert Lemon Drops. She couldn't help the bitter tears that started to form in her eyes.
How foolish of her to believe he might give something equally special to her as she had given him.
When she looked up again, she had successfully blinked back the tears and forced herself to smile a little: "Thank you Albus, that was….. unexpected." He continued to smile brightly at her, his eyes twinkling, and Minerva forced her disappointment away.
Half an hour later the Ball slowly started to come to an end. The youngest students had finally lost the fight against sleep, and many parents carried their sleeping children to their dormitories.
Minerva was just about to leave, when Albus held her back: "Minerva would you come with me, please?" She looked at him quizzically: "It is late Albus, can't this wait till tomorrow?"
He simply shook his head, and Minerva surrendered with a sigh: "All right. Where do we go?"
He simply led her to the door, handed her the cloak he had brought for her, and then led her outside.
It was freezing cold, and new snow had fallen. He wordlessly offered her his arm, which she accepted. She was curious to what he wanted her to see.
He led her into the forbidden forest without further explanation.
"Albus, do you think it's wise to take a walk in here at this hour?" Minerva couldn't help, but shiver.
"Just wait and see my dear, sometimes there is more than meets the eye."
She rolled her eyes; did he always have to speak in riddles?
After twenty minutes of silent strolling through the woods, Minerva started to wonder whether they had gotten lost, as Albus seemed to search for something, but couldn't find it.
Finally they reached what looked like a wall made of brush wood, so thick that not even light shone through it.
Minerva couldn't help chuckling softly: "Well, Albus, it looks like we really got lost."
But instead of answering, he simply took his wand out and muttered a single spell.
Minerva gasped in shock when the earth beneath her feet suddenly started to shake. The brush wood started shimmering away until a small alley came into sight. Albus held a hand out to her, and she instinctively took it.
He led her through the small hole in the brush wood as she watched in awe. After some meters the alley ended and gave way to a beautiful landscape. There was a little lake in the centre, which was surrounded by willows. Moonlight bathed the whole scenery in a mysterious, silvery light. Albus motioned her to be quiet, and led her to a little bench that stood near the lake.
"Albus, where are we?" Minerva whispered after they had sat down.
He turned to face her and smiled: "This is where the unicorns go."
Minerva's eyes widened in surprise. Unicorns were the most mysterious animals in the wizarding world. They appeared and disappeared suddenly and no one knew where they came from or where they went, when they disappeared. Unicorns were almost never seen with their foals, and no one knew where they lived, gave birth or sought shelter.
"How… ?" She wanted to ask another question, but Albus put a finger to his lips and motioned her to be silent. After a few minutes of taking in her surroundings, Minerva heard the faint beating of hoofs. She turned her head into the direction from where the noise came, and suddenly saw a unicorn suspiciously studying them from across the lake.
It slowly left its hiding place in the bushes, and trotted towards the lake. Never once did it look away from her and Albus. They sat perfectly still, simply watching the beautiful animal.
After a few minutes the unicorn seemed to have decided that Albus and Minerva didn't mean any danger, and neighed softly.
Minerva gasped, when a young foal slowly came out of the woods, and moved to stand beside its mother. The older unicorn softly licked the foal's fur, until the young one had enough, and started galloping around the lawn. Minerva laughed softly, when the young unicorn slipped near the lake, and almost lost its balance.
After watching the two animals for a little while, Minerva turned back to Albus: "Where are we, Albus? What is this?"
He tore his gaze away from the animals: "This is your gift, my dear. You didn't really think I'd give you that bag of sweets, did you? I know full well that you don't like lemon drops." Minerva felt herself blushing. She suddenly felt stupid for assuming he knew her that little.
"But how did you find this place? And how can this be my gift?"
"Let me tell you a story, my dear.
A very long time ago the four founders all had their own special animal. They had trained these animals and they solely obeyed their orders. Salazar Slytherin had a basilisk, Helga Hufflepuff a dog, Gryffindor a phoenix, and Rowena Ravenclaw was the keeper of a unicorn. Once back then Rowena and her unicorn got into a very dangerous situation, when a dragon attacked them, while Rowena was exploring some caves, not far away from here. Godric Gryffindor put his life at stake to save them. Even though he had already gotten Rowena out of danger, he went back to save her unicorn, knowing how much the animal meant to Rowena.
Out of gratitude the unicorn led both founders to this place. Through its horn it bewitched Gryffindor's wand, so that he'd always be able to find back to this place. Back then a deal had been made between unicorns and humans. Every headmaster of Hogwarts was allowed to return to this concealed place, but the only other human being he or she was allowed to bring along, was the one true love of his or her life. As you may know Rowena and Godric later married.
And this tradition was kept all those years till today."
Minerva had listened intently, and now there were tears in her eyes: "You've never shown this place to anyone before?"
He shook his head, smiling softly: "How could I have done that? I am in love with you for so many years now, there has never been anyone else…. ."
Minerva gently took his hand: "Why did you never tell me?"
"How? I couldn't be sure you felt the same way, and I didn't want to jeopardize our friendship and your trust. But I figured that if I didn't tell you now, I could just as well never do it."
She smiled wistfully: "You old fool. I've been in love with you ever since I first came to Hogwarts to teach. We wasted all those years… ."
Before she was able to finish the statement, Albus bent forward and gently brought his lips to hers. It was a light kiss, and after they parted again, they both held onto each other.
"There is still something we have to do." Albus said after some minutes.
Minerva pulled back to look at him: "What would that be?"
He got up and flashed a dazzling smile at her: "We still haven't danced, and it wouldn't be Christmas without at least one dance with you." He held out his hand to her, and she took it, smiling happily.
Whether there had really been music or it was just her happiness that caused bells to ring in her head, Minerva would never be able to recall later, but they danced all night, and this time it wasn't just one dance, it was their first dance.
The End
If you liked it, then please leave a review, just remember that it is Christmas (yes ok, was), and that is (was) the time to be nice to each other, so, be nice and leave a review *lol*. Thank you!