One special Saturday evening

It had been three years since Minerva McGonagall had become professor McGonagall and now she was also the Head of Gryffindor house and Deputy Headmistress. Still it was not enough for her and she worked at the Ministry on weekday evenings and taught English on Saturdays to wizards who came from France. And by now it was obvious to everyone that Minerva was exhausted. There was no use that her best friend Poppy Pomfrey kept telling her that she needed a break. In response Minerva only smiled at her and got back to work.

It was another Saturday evening and Minerva was marking essays, when she heard a quiet knock on her door. Wondering who could it be she said, "Come in!" and then, "Oh, it's you, Albus."

"Yes, Minerva, who were you expecting? Just the same old me."

"I didn't say that. Well, is there anything I can do for you because I have so much work to do, so many essays to mark…"

"Actually, yes, I came here to ask you something," replied Albus and sat down.

"Ok, I'm listening."

"Perhaps I'm wrong, but don't you think by any chance that you work just a little bit too much? Do you ever sleep? For as long as we both know each other, you have always looked a bit tired, but lately you look simply worn-out. Maybe I'm too nosy, but still I am as well rather worried about you."

For a moment Minerva looked at Albus with one of her sharpest looks and Dumbledore was quite relieved when she finally spoke.

"Even if I work a bit too hard there is nothing you can do about it. Yes, I sleep. And as to the past few months, I guess, it's just the deputy thing and this horrible cold and gloomy weather that makes me feel rather gloomy, too. Now, is there something I could do for you, because I really have to correct all those homeworks and read several books by Monday…" she said pointing at a smaller table which was piled high with parchments and books.

"But it's Saturday night.."

".. which means I have only one day left."

".. and besides, it's only a week until Christmas holidays.."

"Oh, dear, time is flying too fast!"

"That's it!" Dumbledore finally said. "If you don't listen to me when I am talking as a friend, I'm going to say this as a Headmaster of this school – you will stop marking those essays right now and.."

"Don't be ridiculous, Albus, I can't just.."

"No interruptions, please! I insist you stop working this very instant and come outside with me."

"But, Albus…"

"No 'buts', Minerva. Quickly now, put your cloak on," said Dumbledore conjuring one for himself.

Knowing there was really no use in arguing and understanding that she wouldn't be able to get back to her work anyway, Minerva gave up and left her room in company with Albus who held the door for her.

When they got outside of the castle, Minerva gasped. Curtains in her rooms had been closed and she hadn't noticed it had been snowing for several hours.

"Oh, Albus, it's marvellous!"

"I knew you'll like it," Albus smiled. "Come on, let's walk a bit. Fresh air's good for you, you know."

And so they walked. The sight around them really was fabulous – the ground, Hagrid's house, trees in the Forbidden Forest and school were all covered in white snow.

"It looks like a Christmas postcard," said Minerva.

"Yes, it does."

"Where are you leading me anyway?" asked Minerva as they moved towards the lake.

"You'll see," answered Albus with a wide smile.

And when they had come to the frozen lake, Minerva saw that a large square of ice wasn't covered with snow.

"What does that mean, Albus?"

"We are going to skate, of course," Dumbledore said and conjured two pairs of skates.

"Oh, no, we're not! At least I'm not. You can skate if you like."

"Don't be ridiculous, Minerva, I'm sure you haven't forgotten how to skate."

"Albus, I'm serious. I can't skate. I've never skated in my life."

"You haven't? Well, there's no problem. I'll teach you. Oh, please, Minerva, put on your skates."

"Oh, all right then," she sighed.

While they were slipping into skates, Dumbledore asked, "Why can't you skate? I bet that almost every child can skate."

"Well, I wanted to skate, of course, but my parents thought it's a stupid way of wasting time. And so while my friends were skating outside I was sitting at home and learning French. But I don't blame my parents. Without my knowledge I wouldn't be able to teach those French wizards now."

Dumbledore didn't say anything for a while. It was McGonagall who broke the silence, "Albus, are you sure we should do this?"

"Absolutely."

"And you promise I'm not going to fall down?"

"Yes, I promise," said Albus and took Minerva by the hand, "Come now! One foot, then the other on. Let's do this slowly. No need to hurry. You're doing really well."

For next ten minutes Minerva was concentrating on her skating so hard, she didn't see anything else.

"Now I'm going to let you go," suddenly said Albus.

"No, don't, I…" But it was too late because after Dumbledore had let her go she fell down.

"Ouch, did that hurt?"

"Albus, you broke your promise! How could you do that? I trusted you," said Minerva while Albus helped her to get up. "I don't want to skate any more."

"Don't be such a baby, Minerva, you can't just quit skating because you fell down for the first time in your life. Let's skate together. I promise this time I won't let you go."

"I hope you will not break this one," she said with a small grin.

And so they skated for about half an hour. But then something attracted Albus's attention, he stumbled and fell down along with Minerva who landed right on top of him. For a moment their noses were only five centimeters apart, but then McGonagall got back on her feet and conjured her skates back into boots.

"Albus Dumbledore, this is unbelievable! You broke your promise for second time this evening. You said you won't let go of me!"

"But I didn't and that's why we both fell, and…" But Minerva didn't hear the end of the sentence, because she threw a large snowball at him.

"Oh, and do you call this a honest action?" asked Dumbledore after he had taken off all the snow from his face.

"Forgive me, dear Headmaster, but if you'll get a cold now…"

"You'll get one, too," said Albus and threw a snowball at her.
And so a snow-fight began and for a while it was only possible to hear screaming and laughing. When they finally were too exhausted to continue and their cheeks hurt from laughing, both of them got inside the castle where Albus suggested they had something to warm them up, and after some time they were comfortably sitting in front of Albus's roaring fireplace drinking hot chocolate.

"Well, Minerva, did you like this evening?" asked Dumbledore.

"Of course, I did! It was the most wonderful evening I have spent since I was a child."

"Then what's the rush? Where do you hurry? Why do you work so much when relaxing gives you as much joy?"

"That's what I was taught by my parents all the time – to work. I really can't imagine my life without work. I enjoy all the things I do. I feel I couldn't live without them."

"That's nonsense. Just imagine. If you gave up your work at the Ministry and Saturday French lessons, you could mark essays on weekdays and have weekends free."

"And what would I do? It would be so boring."

"You could read, travel, chat with your friends, play chess, learn to skate and maybe try this…" he said and kissed her.

For a moment silence fell between them, but then Minerva smiled and said, "You know, I think I could get used to it."