It was unnerving. Minerva and Alastor had been together for a month now, but in the last days he had become very quiet and rather irritable. It was not as if he had ever shouted at her, but the others had a hard time with him. When he was with her, he was silent, very silent. He seemed to have his mind on something that troubled him terribly. Right now he was lying next to her, staring into space. Minerva wondered if he would realise that she was there when she started to tap-dance. 'Alastor, we can certainly rob Father Christmas, but I think we should throw the point up before we even think of counting the wall against the hand.' Alastor turned his head and stared at her.
'Are you all right?' he asked.
'I am, but you are not,' said Minerva. 'What is it that troubles you so?'
'Your grammar, at the moment,' he replied, half joking.
'I just wanted to make sure I have your attention,' she said. 'Go on, tell me,' she continued more gently.
'It's nothing,' he muttered. Minerva pursed her lips and leant over him.
'Look, I was thinking you trust me, you've accepted water from me, so what are you fussing about?' she asked, and he gave her a pained smile.
'You want to go further, don't you?' he asked. Now it was Minerva's turn to stare.
'I haven't got the slightest idea what you are talking about,' she said when he didn't continue, and he sighed.
'You wish to move on to more intimate things,' he said.
'Do you?' she asked without revealing what she thought. She saw him nodding and smiled. 'I do think we are old enough.' Alastor winced slightly, and she frowned. 'So?'
'Minerva, it has been ages since I have been with a woman,' he blurted out. 'I do not know if I still can …' He fell silent.
'You are blushing,' said Minerva unnecessarily before she kissed him gently on the forehead. 'Listen, I am not going to leave if your physical responses aren't level with the emotional ones. Do you think I am that profane?'
'I do not think you are profane at all,' he said. 'I mean there are certain potions that, well …'
'Alastor, there will be plenty of time for you to start talking about potions when you know what you can and can't do,' said Minerva briskly. 'You should sleep, you have been staring at the ceiling for long enough.'
'I just really want to be with you,' said Alastor.
'But you are with me,' she whispered, nestling close. 'Go to sleep now.' She kissed his temple, placing her hand on his stomach. She smiled gently when his breath slowed down, and only after some time she started to caress his chest with her hand. She knew that when he was dreading his failing so much he was bound to, and she knew from what she had noticed in the last nights that there was no need for that fear. She moved her hand downwards, careful not to wake him; not yet. She brought it gently between his legs, stroking him there, scratching lightly over the fabric of his pyjamas, until she felt the effect of her touch in form of the growing bulge. She smiled again, leaning over him to kiss his lips. 'Alastor,' she whispered, and he opened his eyes a bit. Again she kissed him, deeply this time, her tongue brushing against his, telling him that she wanted more and that he would be able to give her that. She looked at his face and saw love and burning desire there.
'Minerva, are you quite sure?' he asked, and she laughed softly.
'I told you I think we are old enough.' Again, he blushed, but not because he was ashamed this time. There was no need for that. He reached out and pulled her into a tight embrace. He kissed her, his tongue exploring her mouth, while he dragged up her nightgown. Gently they freed each other from their sleeping attire, taking their own sweet time. Alastor kissed her breasts, closing his eyes to master his desire for her. He didn't want to rush this. His hand moved downwards, giving her all time of the world to stop him if she wanted to. He caressed her thighs and moved his hand up again, resting it below her navel before moving further. He was gentler than Minerva had thought he would be, his touch incredibly light. She moaned, shifting a bit so that his hand went further, and he grinned.
'Naughty you are,' he whispered, and she smiled at him.
'You make me so,' said she, her voice husky with desire. Alastor kissed her when he slid his fingers into her. She was already more than ready for him, which aroused him even more. Her left hand found his hardness and she stroked him gently, until he pulled away because he couldn't stand it any longer. Both were breathing hard and longing for release.
'Minerva, my love, you will have to …' he began. 'I mean I cannot … er.' Minerva smiled and kissed him on the forehead.
'I know,' she said and went into a kneeling position over him. She took his hardness into her hand, guiding him inside her. For a moment she remained motionless when she had sheathed him completely. She wanted this to last. Minerva lay down on him and kissed him gently when she started rocking her hips almost painfully slowly. He moved against her, trying to speed her up, but she gave a wicked smile. 'Patience, love,' she breathed. He groaned in reply, wrapping his arms around her as if that would bring her closer still. She was unnervingly quiet, but her eyes mirrored her desire clearly enough.
She didn't manage to keep this slow pace for long. She began to rock her hips faster against him, meeting his thrusts with abandon. She felt her release building up inside her when he moved faster still and groaned loudly. The feeling of him spilling himself inside her brought her over the edge, too. She shouted his name when she came, thinking she would pass out from the pleasure. For some time they remained joined, breathing hard and looking at each other. When her breath was more or less normal again she slid down from him, resting her forehead against his shoulder. He turned to his side and looked at her, pulling her close to him. There was no need for words right now. They could be torn apart every day, and they knew it, but they also knew that the other's death would be even more painful if they didn't take what might be their last chance to be together. After a short time they fell asleep, cuddled into each other. Just a moment before his mind slipped away Alastor realised that since she was there he slept through the nights without waking at some time with his wand in his hand, not knowing what had woken him but his heart pounding somewhere at his throat.
