A/N: Not so sure about this chapter but I thought I had better bring this story to a close. Reviews welcomed by a nice cup of tea and a lemon drop.
The Yule Ball. A cause of excitement and gossip for every girl at Hogwarts, and a cause of frank annoyance for every boy. The staff, however, were torn between anticipation for a well-deserved "night off" and the prospect of having to watch over the entire proceedings. Hence - for fear of the whole staff revolting - Albus Dumbledore had taken up the duty of watching the students.
Merlin knew he needed something to do.
In any other circumstances, Albus Dumbledore would have been positively jumping from the walls at the merest suggestion of getting to dress in something other than his usual resplendent work robes (which he loved all the same) and of getting to impress his wife with his newly acquired dress skills. But there was something wrong about the Yule Ball. His wife had been asked by somebody else.
Of course, he had assumed that they would be attending together and so had not made the effort to ask her. He should have known, after all these years of marriage, that effort is the most important ingredient in a relationship, and assumption is the most detrimental. Now, because of his own laziness, Ludo Bagman would be taking his wife to the Yule Ball. In front of the whole school. And two other schools.
It would have been strange for her to turn him down, especially as the Ministry was unaware of their marriage; any suspicions raised that were not already present would inevitably result in distress. Turning down Ludo Bagman for Albus Dumbledore would be certain to raise more than a few eyebrows. Yet Albus could not banish the twinge in his stomach that reminded him that Ludo was much closer to Minerva's own age, that they shared a common love for Quidditch and that they had been good friends in their student days.
Minerva tugged uncomfortably at the sleeve of her red robes. It was not the thought of the ever-approaching ball that made her uncomfortable - she had been specifically designed for this sort of function - it was more what had not happened that raised her unease. Still, after weeks, one question played around in her head.
Why hadn't Albus asked her to the Yule Ball?
But she could not dwell on this for long as there was a knock upon her chamber door. Her feet were heavy as lead as she stepped across the wooden floor. There stood Ludo Bagman in sickening yellow robes and all she could think - despite his massive smile and obvious pleasure to see her - was that Albus would have chosen robes like those.
Ludo's hands were cold. Albus's hands were never cold. Oh, pull yourself together, Minerva; it's only one dance! Yet it felt like she was cheating on him. Almost fifty years of marriage and not once had she danced the first dance of a ball with anybody else. But here she was.
Albus was dancing with Pomona Sprout but his eyes were on his wife for almost the entire song. Almost fifty years of marriage and not once had he danced the first dance of a ball with anybody else. But here he was.
For them, the dance could not have ended sooner.
Minerva cringed as Ludo pressed his surprisingly soft lips against her hand. That should be Albus. It was sad, she knew, but Minerva had to get away from him.
As the bass pounded from the stage, very few people noticed Minerva McGonagall take a seat next to Albus Dumbledore or, indeed, her slipping her hand into his under the table. They sat for the entirety of a song (if you could call it that) before a word was uttered between them.
"This is what children do nowadays?" Her eyebrows were raised in evident intrigue. However, there was a hint of sadness playing in her smooth voice, as though she were losing something dear to her.
"So it seems, my dear." This was the only way Albus knew how to respond. Her voice was suddenly angelic to him. How had he never noticed it before?
"When did we get so old, Albus?" Her question took him by surprise; he had never thought of either of them as old, particularly not Minerva.
"Nonsense! We are not old."
"Oh?"
"No. you're the one that's ancient now!" His comment earned him a light slap on the arm.
"I really am getting to old for this, Albus," Minerva remarked with the faintest hint of a sigh.
"Do not talk rubbish. You can never be too old for a party."