This was brought on when my iPhone started playing Elvis Presley's "Let Me Be There". The song has been on repeat ever since. And since my fever is gone, this story will progress more smoothly. :)
Enjoy!
"You've been married for a week," Aberforth announced proudly as he poured Minerva a cup of tea.
"Not quite sure you can call it 'marriage' exactly," Minerva mumbled blowing on liquid.
Aberforth grunted in reply as he sat down. "He's been calling it that."
"Oh really? What has he been saying about our married life?" Minerva asked suspiciously.
"Just that what has happened in the bedroom will still in the bedroom."
Minerva choked on her tea and was thrown into a coughing fit.
"I do hope you know we have separate bedrooms," Minerva said blushing deeply at the prospect.
"Oh I know. He doesn't know I do. Anyways, how has living with my brother been?" Aberforth wondered. "He was a terrible drag with chores when we were little…"
"No, no. He has actually been doing the most work-"
"My dear, when will you two realize you're both in love and actually get married?"
xXx
Minerva coughed throatily and rolled over to her right side, bringing the covers with her. She groaned as her head throbbed to the beating of her heart. Her eyes felt heavy and hurt to open.
Minerva McGonagall- Minerva Dumbledore- was sick.
She coughed again and brought her knees to her chest in effort to warm herself.
There was a soft rap on her door. She didn't answer. She knew who it was and didn't want him to see her this vulnerable. She stifled a cough which only made her cough more.
"Minerva?"
"I'm fine, Albus," Minerva rasped. Gosh, she thought, I must sound terrible.
"Minerva, let me get you some tea and I'll call Poppy-"
"I'm fine. Really," Minerva croaked.
But he didn't hear her. Albus was already on his way to make her some tea and call Poppy.
xXx
"Minerva?" Albus asked as he knocked lightly on her bedroom door. "Minerva, I have some tea for you." Albus slowly opened the door and placed the tray down on her nightstand. Shaking her lightly, Albus woke Minerva. She turned to face him and cough violently. "My dear, Poppy will be here in a minute. In the meantime, I made you some tea."
"Thanks you, Albus, but really, I'm fine."
"No you aren't. Now," Albus said handing her a cup of tea. "Please just drink this."
Minerva took the cup and drank deeply, happy to have something soothe her cough.
To prevent himself from wrapping his arms around her and never letting go, Albus toyed with the tea pot.
xXx
"How long has she been like this?" Poppy hissed as she dragged Albus outside Minerva's room to speak to him.
"I don't know! I woke up and found her like this a couple hours ago."
"Shouldn't you have heard her coughing early? You two do share a b-"
"I'm a heavy sleeper!" Albus roared. "Can you give her something to get well? Will she be okay?"
"Albus," Poppy started, "She has a small flu. When Severus gets up, I'll have him make her a potion and she'll be fine."
Albus sighed thunderously, "Thank Merlin."
Poppy raised an eyebrow at him as she left the newlyweds.
"Minerva?"
"Yes?" She croaked.
"Poppy says you're going to be fine-"
"I told you so."
"She'll have Severus make you a Pepperup Potion when he wakes," Albus said.
"Thank you for all of this, Albus," Minerva mumbled as she coughed, closed her eyes and rolled on her side away from him.
Albus sat next to her until he thought she was asleep. Ever so gently, Albus ran his hand over her soft, black tresses. He gently rubbed her back before he stood, and placed a small quick kiss on the crown of her head.
He shut her door and headed back to his bedroom.
A small smile crept across Minerva's face as she hugged herself closer.
xXx
"Minerva?"
"I'm in the bathroom," She called out to Poppy.
"I have a Pepperup Potion for you," Poppy called back examining the bedroom. The neatly made, four-poster, mahogany bed was on the center of the farthest wall. A massive arch window let the sunlight into the room and gave a fabulous view of the gardens even though the room was nowhere near them. The joys of magic.
There were two nightstands but only one was being used. Minerva's glasses rested on top of a book, an alarm clock, and a glass of water rested on the right nightstand. Nothing cluttered the left nightstand.
"How much of this do I need to take?" Minerva asked groggily as she came into the room. Poppy jumped slightly and handed her friend the potion.
"The whole vial. After this you should feel fine."
Minerva took a whiff of the potion and scrunched up her nose, "Smells disgusting."
"Probably tastes just as bad. Albus mentioned you had an event to go to the next evening, so it's rather strong," Poppy mumbled as she watched her friend raise the vial and bottom up it.
"Tastes terrible!" Minerva whined gagging slightly as she tried to keep the liquid in her mouth.
"Hold your nose," Albus said with a smile. He walked into the room and stood next to Poppy, hands clasped behind him. Minerva made another face at him but plugged her nose. Closing her mouth, she swallowed.
"I'll be back to check on you tomorrow morning to make sure you are well," Poppy said as she gripped her bag tightly in her hands and started to leave the tensioned room.
"Very well. I'll see you out-"
"Oh, I very well know where the door is, Headmaster Dumbledore," Poppy said with a short smile as she slid from the room.
Minerva politely smiled at her friend as she left the room.
She stared at Albus and hissed lowly, "Poppy tells me I have an event to go to tomorrow evening?"
"Well, yes-"
"And when were you going to tell me?"
"You see-"
"Albus, I need at least a day notice to these things."
"I understand, but-"
"Especially since we need to look the part of husband and wife. I can't do that without some preparations."
"I see, Minerva I-"
"What type of event is this?"
"Formal. Minerva will you-"
"Albus, this is going to take me all night to prepare for! I need to go shopping, so do you for that fact…" Minerva mumbled as she opened her closet and peered inside. "We'll both get nice robes. What do the other women look like?"
"I don't know. Minerva, can you-"
"Alright. You're no help. I need to call-"
"Minerva!" Albus bellowed. Minerva jumped visibly and carefully came out from behind the closet door.
"Yes?" She answered as she watched his normally shimmering blue eyes turn to pools of frustration.
"Wear your formal. Pearls. Diamonds. Silk. Anything and everything," Dumbledore paused for a moment. "The Minister himself will be at the event. 'Classy not sassy,' is that what the children say these days?"
"'Trashy,'" Minerva corrected. "'Class not trashy'. I can do that, I need to take a trip to Diagon Alley tomorrow morning then."
"I'll go with you. I need to pick something up," Albus said with a small smile.
xXx
"Meet me at the Leaky Cauldron later for lunch?" Albus asked hopefully.
"Perfect."
Minerva spent the day looking at dresses. After sometime, she found the perfect silk dress that fitted her perfectly and flared appropriately at her hips and down. There was a black lace petticoat underneath it that made Minerva feel sneaky. She would spend the evening in something sexy but no one else would know. The light green fabric (a much lighter shade than any of her robes) was pure silk and shimmered in all the right places. The deep scoop neck showed a reasonable amount of skin. It was barely modest, but Minerva made up for it by deciding to get a diamond necklace. She would try to persuade Albus for it during lunch.
Minerva paid and thanked the shopkeeper immensely for her help. Minerva swung the dress bag slightly in the air as a great smile spread across her face. She practically skipped down Diagon Alley back to the Leaky Cauldron.
Please review!
Sorry to leave it so abruptly but I have a ton of homework to do…:)
Especially, with this horrid MCAS along with this new test that I have a 25% chance of having take.