Disclaimer: I don't own them (see JK Rowling) and I'm not making any money either.

Rating: PG

Summary: Albus goes to visit Minerva after her release from St. Mungo's. He wants to discuss some very important things with her but instead he meets her mother, who has some serious concerns for her daughter's future.

Meeting Mrs McGonagall

Albus Dumbledore was a man with a great reputation of being fearless and for most part he was, until it came to matters of the heart. When his heart was involved he tended to be a coward and not listen to his heart no matter how much he wanted to. He had loved in silence for many years and was prepared to continue doing so until one fearful night, when he had received word that his loyal deputy headmistress had been attacked by that toad, Umbridge. His brother, Aberforth, had tried to stop him from rushing to her side but he knew that it was futile to stop him. For when it came to Minerva McGonagall his brother was in one mind and one mind alone.

Albus recalled how she had looked when he had arrived at St Mungo's, his heart had been in his throat when he had seen her lying there looking deathly pale. She had looked so peaceful with her beautiful ebony-coloured hair fanned out on the pillow like a lions mane. He had sat by her bed for three nights, not moving a muscle just staring at her and willing her to get well. He cursed himself for being a coward for so many years and not telling her that he loved her more than anything in this world. Now he was on the verge of losing her and she would never know how he felt about her, he needed to say those words to her. He had told her one night as she lay unconscious, that he loved her. Even though she hadn't heard him Albus still felt lighter for saying those words to her.

Albus had made a decision as soon as she had discharged herself against her healers' recommendation, that he would sit her down and reveal all. Sadly, there was hardly a chance for him to get her alone and the end of the school year had come before he knew it. Albus had waved her off before she took a carriage to her home because she still wasn't allowed to apparate or travel by the floo network. As he watched the carriage disappear out of the gates, he knew that he would have to visit her at home.

The landscape in front of him was breathtaking. He could see plush greenery and a babbling brook that lead all the way to the small cottage that he was making his way towards. He was in the highlands of Scotland and paying an unannounced visit on a witch that held his heart. He walked up the stony path that led to a green painted farmhouse door. He knocked twice in quick succession and waited with butterflies dancing in his stomach.

He was about to knock again when the door swung open and he came face to face with a strangely familiar looking woman. She had a mass of wild black hair and bright blue eyes. She was of medium height and curvaceous. She looked at him with wide eyes then she face broke out into a wide smile.

"Albus Dumbledore!" she exclaimed and he picked up a faint French accent. "Please come in."

Albus nodded and walked into the cottage, he hadn't expected Minerva to have company and he would have to put his plans on hold. Albus looked around the cottage and smiled to himself. Anyone who stepped through the door would know straight away that it belonged to the organised Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts. Everything matched from the curtains to the material that covered the furniture. Books were stacked neatly in oversized bookcases. A large ornate fireplace dominated the living room which he was lead into by the witch, instead of a fire burning it had a vase of lavender in the middle of it which scented the whole room.

"Have a seat," she told him as she sunk into one herself and looked at him, she must have noticed the confused look on the wizards face so she answered him. "I'm Cecile McGonagall, Minerva's mother."

"I thought I saw some resemblance," replied Albus. "It's a pleasure to have met you finally."

"At least we are meeting in happy times rather than at my daughter's funeral," said Cecile as she reached for a tartan hankie and wiped her eyes. "Oh my heart when I heard the news, to think she could have died without ever being married."

Albus stared at Minerva's mother, he wasn't sure if he had heard her correctly. "Pardon?"

"It would have been terrible for Minerva to have died without experiencing the joy of marriage," repeated Cecile McGonagall, "it has caused me much distress over the years and I really can't take any more. I have been trying to arrange matches for so many years but she will just not help herself."

Albus was about to mention that they should be thankful that Minerva was alive and that her marital status didn't really come into it, when the door opened and in walked Minerva.

"Where is your walking stick, young lady?" questioned Cecile.

"Mother please," groaned Minerva, "I am not a child anymore and I don't need that infernal stick. Heavens Albus, wh-what are you doing here?"

Albus got up from the comfortable chair and bowed his head slightly. He smiled softly at her as his eyes took every inch of her in. She had lost some weight, which worried him, but the rose-colored tints in her cheeks had returned. She was wearing a pair of light blue robes that made her look stunning. He noticed that her hair wasn't in its usual tight bun but, instead it was up in a French twist.

"Hello Minerva," answered Albus, "I came by to see you."

"You needn't have done that, Albus," replied Minerva as she carefully made her way over to the couch. "I know you are busy with important matters but I must confess it's lovely to see you. Would you like a drink?"

"He is staying for lunch!" announced Cecile as she quickly got up from the chair and disappeared out of the room before either of them could protest.

Minerva stared after her mother as a horrible feeling crept over her, she looked across at Albus who seemed to be getting over his encounter with her mother. She wondered what her mother could have said to him, to make him look slightly ruffled. Minerva explained to Albus that her mother had arrived an hour after Minerva had returned from Hogwarts and had insisted on staying to look after her. She also told Albus that she had had a constant headache since Cecile had arrived.

"How is everything going within the Order?" asked Minerva in hushed tones.

"I wondered how long it would take you to bring the subject around to work," replied Albus with a chuckle, "it's rather quiet at present, my dear, but I am not here to talk shop but to see how you are."

"Please Albus, I have had enough fussing from my mother," answered Minerva with a sigh, "I am fine honestly. I'm back to full health."

"So that is why I noticed you wince as you sat down!" said Albus with a arched eyebrow.

Minerva felt his eyes burning into her, she turned to face him and that was her fatal mistake. Whenever she looked into his enchanting blue eyes, she would lose herself in them and tell him whatever he wanted to hear.

"I admit my scars do give me a bit of discomfort but that is because my skin in healing and a little pain is to be expected," she told him.

"I've brought some of Fawkes' tears for you to use," he explained as he handed her a small vial of clear phoenix tears. "I did bring them to you while you were at St Mungo's but then thought questions would be raised if your scars disappeared into thin air."

"You came to visit me in St Mungo's?" she asked in surprise. "Albus, you really shouldn't have, what if you had been discovered?"

Their conversation was interrupted again by the door opening and the arrival of Minky the house elf who announced that lunch was ready. Albus offered Minerva his hand to help her up from the couch, at first she frowned at him but then decided to take him up on his offer. They walked into the large dinning room to find a beautiful spread laid out in front of them using Minerva's best china. Cecile McGonagall was already sat down at one end of the table and waved her hand towards the two vacant chairs that faced each other across the dark mahogany table.

"I didn't have much time to prepare a feast," explained Cecile modestly, "but I hope you enjoy it."

"Mother," pointed out Minerva as Albus pulled out her chair for her, "you have made enough for the whole of Hogwarts!"

"Nonsense!" replied Cecile as she helped herself to some chicken. "Come on you two really and Minerva fill that plate up, you look so thin!"

Minerva rolled her eyes as she helped herself to some chicken as well and Albus couldn't help but agree with her mother, but he knew that he couldn't get away with saying something like that to Minerva. The dinner progressed well until Cecile brought up the topic of marriage again.

"So Albus," said Cecile as she patted the edges of her mouth with her hankie, "I may call you that!"

"You may," answered Albus with a friendly smile.

"Are you married?" she asked.

"Mother!" exclaimed Minerva. "That's a personal matter, you shouldn't ask someone that."

"I sure Albus doesn't mind," replied Cecile as she looked at Albus intently, "so are you married?"

"I am unmarried, Mrs McGonagall," answered Albus who didn't find the question too personal at all.

"Oh heavens!" gasped Cecile as she rummaged around for a new tartan hankie to wipe her eyes. "Not married either, this is most distressing! Why aren't you married?"

"I hadn't found the right woman till some years ago and I didn't have the courage to tell her until a few months ago," explained Albus, who was fiddling with his fork.

Minerva felt her heart sink as she heard those words fall from his lips, she was heartbroken and she wished that he had never stopped by today. Marriage, she had had enough of it. Her mother had been at her for years to find a suitable man to marry and now the only man who she had only ever wanted to marry, belonged to someone else. She was only faintly aware of the conversation happening around her, she felt lost for the first time in her life.

"Isn't that wonderful news, Minerva?" asked Cecile watching her daughter closely.

"Wonderful!" lied Minerva.

"Now Minerva," said Cecile, "I really think you should marry."

"Mother," snapped Minerva, "I will not discuss this with you any further!"

With that Minerva gracefully rose to her feet and swept out of the room leaving Albus with a confused look on his face and her mother with a calculating grin.

"Aren't you going to go after her?" Cecile asked Albus with a innocent smile.

"Mrs McGonagall," replied Albus, "May I be frank?"

"Please!"

"I think that it is wrong of you to place so much pressure on Minerva to marry," said Albus as he began to rise from his chair. "It may be the case that Minerva has not found that special person she wants to spend the rest of her life with. We should be celebrate that she is with us after that brutal attack. I, for one, intend to!"

With that Albus swept out of the dinning room and went in pursuit of the woman who meant everything to him. He searched the downstairs of the cottage and found no sign of her but as he went to climb the stairs, he noticed a flash of black and blue at the window. He stepped out into the garden and found Minerva sat on a tree swing that hung from a great oak tree.

"Minerva!" he said as he approached her. "May I join you?"

Minerva didn't answer him but moved along the swing to allow him to sit beside her. They sat in silence for a few moments, looking out into the beautifully kept garden.

"I'm sorry about my mother, Albus," said Minerva, "what you must think, I dread to think."

"There is no need to apologise for her, my dear," answered Albus softly, "I was enjoying myself."

"Do I know her?" asked Minerva suddenly.

"She is your mother, so I hope you do!" answered Albus with a chuckle.

"I didn't mean that, Albus," snapped Minerva as she fixed with a angry stare. "I meant the future Mrs Dumbledore."

Realisation hit him like a ton of heavy transfiguration journals falling on top of him, she had left the room because of the talk about his marriage. She had presumed that he had found someone. Albus's heart leaped for joy as he realised that she must have feelings for him.

"You do know her, Minerva," answered Albus with a smile, "very well."

Minerva thought hard about the women Albus spent time with and no one came straight to mind.

"Oh," she replied sadly, "congratulations Albus."

Albus moved closer to her and reached for her hand, he moved closer and she could feel his warm breath on her neck. She could smell him and his scent was intoxicating, she was stuck to the spot and she didn't know what he was doing. She jumped slightly as she felt his lips make contact with her neck, she tried to move away so she could look him in the eyes but she still couldn't move.

"I love you, Minerva!" he whispered softly as his lips met her ear and then playfully nipped at her earlobe which sent a bolt of pleasure through her body. "I have loved you so long but hadn't told you, I visited you every night at St Mungo's willing you to wake so I could tell you."

"Y-you love m-me?" stammered Minerva not sure she had heard him right.

"I love you, Minerva!" he told her again as he held her delicate face with his hands and looked her in the eye. "I love you so much."

"Oh Albus," she said as tears threatened to fall from her emerald green eyes, "I love you too."

Albus smiled at her before leaning forward and brushing his lips against hers softly at first. Minerva reached out and looped her arms around his neck as she took the bold step and deepened the kiss. Years of loving in secret poured through the new lovers' lips as they kissed and held each other close, their hearts beating fast with excitement. They pulled apart and looked into each other's eyes, Albus traced Minerva's swollen lips with a long finger and then pulled her onto his lap. They sat staring out into the garden, feeling lighter and happier than ever before. They shared frequent kisses and the occasional tender touch as the afternoon progressed.

From the opposite window that looked out into the garden, Cecile closed the curtains and smiled to herself for she would have to start preparing for her daughter's wedding.

The end!