Two:

Minerva felt better as she returned to her quarters and sank into her soft, checked arm chair. Finally, she had spoken and she felt relieved. How stupid of her to hold it in for so long! She had created her own inner turmoil as she spent her evening fretting and thinking. She should have resolved the situation earlier, it would have prevented her from losing so many hours sleep.

Ever practical, ever sensible, Minerva had simply waved away her feelings as a simple school girl fancy. She had felt oddly flushed whenever she spoke to Albus since she was 17 and regarded it is as particularly and childish that she should feel so. When she left Hogwarts, she hardly had time to think about him and so she thought the feelings had vanished. However, when she came back to teach, she was suddenly overwhelmed with seeing him again and she could hardly talk her heart was so far up her throat. For five years she had kept the feelings at bay; sometimes it was easy and she hardly struggled to ignore them, while other times were harder and caused a lot of distress. Never one to question herself, she searched her mind for answers that it could not give. She knew that sometimes it was a curse to be how she was, but then again, it came as a good thing when she needed to be able to have a clear view of things, without her feelings or thoughts clouding the view.

As she poured herself her customary tea before bed, she heard a light tapping on her door. She sighed. If it was a student misbehaving, she was in no mood to be lenient. She had put herself through a great deal of embarrassment and stress this evening and she was tired. "Yes, what is it?" She snapped as she opened to door.

"Oh. I didn't mean to disturb you," Albus said, his voice full of apology.

"I didn't know it was you. Your not disturbing, come in, quickly though, you are letting in a draft," she replied matter-of-factly. She allowed him to pass her before she shut the door heavily and joined him in her sitting room. "I was just having tea, would you like a cup?"

Albus shook his head. "No, I see no sugar on your tray."

"I'm sweet enough, I'm sure," she said sarcastically as she resumed her seat. "Well, don't just stand there, sit down."

Albus knew that that was as much of an invite that he was going to get and he chuckled. Minerva wasn't one to beg or ask sweetly, her tone was always orderly, which was why students feared her so. He sat next opposite her, leaning against the arm of the dark blue armchair. He gazed at her as she sipped at her tea cup.

"Why are you staring at me?" She asked as she placed the cup back onto the saucer. "It's rude to stare, didn't you know?" She sighed. "What brings you here, Albus? I thought we said all that needed to be said tonight."

"It seems to me that we didn't say enough," he said. "I have a few questions for you, Minerva. You won't like them and you will bite and snap at me before you answer them, but I need to know."

Minerva rolled her eyes. "Loves young dream, you seem to be. I cannot promise I won't bite, but I will try... try to keep my temper under control."

He nodded, not believing her. Or rather, knowing her incapable of keeping her temper under control. "It may take some time-"

"Well get on with it then!"

"It's going well, I see. I will be as blunt as I can be then. First question: What do you want from me?"

"I don't know. Next question."

"That is not a satisfactory answer, my dear."

Minerva shook her head and sighed. "I don't know. I suppose, many people fall in love, as they say, and so, seeing as I feel that way about you, I suppose I shall want what they want, what others want. What those things are I do not know."

"And what do you feel about me?"

"You know that I love you."

"Good," he said slowly. "I want you to say it more often, not always to me but out loud, it is what you feel after all, my dear. If you hated me, you would not deter from saying it aloud often enough. It is no different to say that you love me."

She raised her eyebrows but did not speak.

"Secondly, how long have you loved me?"

"I wish to answer- I don't know, but I think you might not accept that."

"You are correct."

"Then the answer is since I can remember."

Albus choked. He had never heard anything so sweet, so whimsical pass through Minerva's lips. He hadn't been prepared for it and it had shocked him. She might have been sincere when she said it, her eyes might be full of truth but still, it didn't matter the tone in which she said it but that she said it at all. "Oh. I see. I..."

"You weren't expecting that?"

"No. I wasn't, far from it."

"Then say so! You have to be honest and don't be embarrassed. We're adults, we've heard and seen it all," she said. "So you may ask me what you are dying to ask. However inappropriate."

"How did you know?"

"I'm not stupid, I've never seen you so nervous."

"Yes, Yes... Very well then. Have you ever loved anybody else?"

"No. Besides the obvious, mother, father, siblings, aunts, that sort of thing no. I was engaged two years ago but I only agreed out of duty. I broke it off when I realised that I could never be a wife to such a... dim man, no matter how kind his intentions. No, I've only loved you and I think that one love is enough for anybody."

Albus smiled. "That, well that is the best answer you could have given me. One final question may dear, and it is the hardest, and your answer cannot be 'I don't know.' Why do you love me?"

Minerva's green eyes became wide. She set her cup and saucer onto the side and pursed her lips. "I think you've come to make a love stricken fool out of me. It won't work, Albus. I am who I am, but if you insist upon it-"

"-Which I do-"

"Then I love you because... your Albus. Your kind, thoughtful, you match my wit, you... well isn't that enough?"

"For now, I suppose."

"You suppose?"

"Yes, but don't think you have gotten away with it so easily, my dear. There are many more questions and many more answers."

"I don't see how there can be!"

"Well, there are but for now I would ask you to stand."

"What for?"

"Do you always have to be difficult?"

"Yes."

"Could you please, stand?"

Minerva huffed and stood quickly, rolling her eyes as she did. "This is ridiculous, don't you know that I am tired?"

"My purpose won't take but a minute." He came slowly towards her and to her surprise, put his arms around her thin waist, pulling her closer to him as he did. " The usual reaction is to place your arms around my neck, without strangling me, and rest your head on my shoulder."

"Why, Albus-"

"Just do it, my dear."

She sighed deeply and wrapped her elegant arms around his neck, careful that she was gentle, and rested her head on his shoulder. "How long does this last?"

Albus laughed. "Are you not enjoying it? You are supposed to feel relaxed and contented."

"It's... nice, I suppose. But, isn't there more productive things to be doing, doesn't seem like a bit of... a waste of time? Obviously, if the time were there, then it could be quite enjoyable, I suppose but who has the time?"

"Couples find the time."

"Find the time! You cannot just make time, Albus! And if you can, then you clearly are more magnificent then I thought you were-" she blushed as Albus shot her a glance. She'd gone completely out of character.

"Magnificent?" He smirked.

"Albus, I- Oh! Your teasing me!"

He laughed. "I might be. Or I might be enjoying all the nice things you are saying about me. Or both."

"Well, enjoy them then, but they won't be said too much. You have hardly said anything about me, after all."

"I didn't think you would want to hear what I have to say about you... it might be too romantic for you."

"Yes, I think you may be right."

"Are you enjoying our embrace, yet, my dear?"

"I am comfortable," she admitted.

"Good. Comfortable is enough for tonight. It is more than I thought you would reveal."

"It is?"

He lifted her head up with her chin and searched her green eyes. She was mysterious but... lovely. He knew that he would spend the rest of his life getting to know her and the thought made his stomach knot with excitement. He leant down and kissed her. He wasn't sure whether she would quickly push him away and was surprised when she not only allowed him to kiss her but reacted. She pushed into him, tightening her arms, and when they broke away, she sighed sweetly.

"You are wonderful, Minerva."

"Do you always have to ruin a moment?"

"Do you?"