The Gentle Touch

Mrs. McGonagal-Gabriel

I trust you know that I no longer care what you choose to do on the matter of joining the war or not. You and your husband have made many stupid decisions in the past might as well add another to the list. I am however going to add your husband to my special force group. He will be receiving his letter shortly to tell him of the location of where to meet me and how long he should expect to be gone. You however will be assigned to a desk. If you shall choose not to work the desk job that I have assigned you will not have an opportunity in the future to go on an expeditions with one of my leaders. Take it or leave it. Good Luck to you and your family. Merlin knows your going to need it.

Sir Albus P.W.B. Dumbledore.

Minerva had tears in her eyes. It had been a month since she had told Albus of the affair and no matter how she had tried to communicate with him, to offer her apologizes he simply ignored her. Had made her feel as if she was invisible in this world. For such a caring man he had shown none of his kind ways towards her during this past month, but how could she expect anything different. Albus was her best friend. There was not a single person who didn't know that. She had been referred to many times as Albus right hand. So when reading over this she couldn't help but wonder why Albus choose her husband over her to join his special task for and of all the horrible things that he could had done he assigned her to a damn desk. A desk job. Minerva cringed at the thought. She had been an auror for Merlins sake!!! Then it hit her. This was his way of revenge. He knew how much Minerva wanted to be apart of the war so by putting her at a desk job she was technically helping out in war efforts but as far away from the battle field as he could get her. Frustrated with him she decided that she would play along in his little plan but she knew sooner or later he would come find her and ask her for her help. At least she hoped he would.

---

One year later.

The war was starting to get away from them and Albus knew it. They would maybe have two three months to finish this war before the light lost any chance of over throwing the dark. With this in mind he knew it was time to go off and find Minerva. Her skills were unimaginable and there was not one witch or wizard he thought she couldn't handle. He hadn't spoken to her since the day at Emeralds lake. Minerva had tried and tried to speak with him, but after a few months of Albus sending Jeffery away with her letter unopened she got the hint. It had taken all of his will power to keep turning Jeffery away but some how he made it through. They both had made it through. That was all that mattered. Albus was now dating Annile. She had been assigned to his task force and after two chess matches one night he found himself naked and tangled in another, who was also naked. He didn't quiet remember how it happened but being the gentleman he was he decided to begin to court her, and somewhere along the way he fell in love, or at least he thought. He had known right away with Minerva. As soon as he met her eyes she had captured his heart. With Annile he figured that the love was there he just needed to give it sometime.

It hadnt taken long to find her. He heard her voice yelling at someone about how useless they were. Albus always found it amusing when she lost her temper, but it didn't matter what he thought anymore. He had followed her voice back to her office and found himself face to face with the door that was separating them.

"Come on you can do this. You are her to recruit her for your special task force. Not to ask her on a date, pull yourself together."Albus thought. With this he knocked on her door.

"It couldn't be. Could it? I'm most be hearing things because that sounds like Albus knocking at the door." Minerva made her way over to her door to find herself become face to face with a man that she had caused much pain for.

"Hello" Albus offered her a simple smile. The smile however did not make it to his eyes.

"Albus, to say I am surprised would be an understatement. To what do I owe you the pleasure."

"Ah Mrs. McGonagal-Gabriel I have come to seek you out to come join your husband and I. I am of course talking about my special task force. Your skills are unmatched and I believe you would be a great add. If you so shall choose."

"Why are you calling me Mrs. McGonagal-Gabriel?"

"Why would I call you anything besides your name. I had hopped one day for your name to be somewhat different, but I have moved on from those types of thoughts."

"Ah yes, you and Annile. She's beautiful, I am happy for you." Minerva tried to offer up a smile but as Albus' smile earlier it didn't reach her eyes either.

"Thank you. You and Carrick? How are things there?"

"Ah its going, we have been fighting a lot. War brings out the worst in us I fear." Minerva knew that was the understatement of the year. Two months earlier she had found Carrick in bed with another women. Carrick had said that he didn't know what he was doing that she was the only one for him. That he would do anything, anything to get her back, to have her trust him and love him again. So Minerva had taken him back, she was trying to work it out.

"Yes, yes it does. I heard about the infiedlity. Hurts doesnt it?"

Minerva grimaced. He knew. The one person that she was hopping didn't find out, had. Worst of all he was bringing up their last fateful day together. "Yes. yes it does, but I always knew it hurt. It hurts to be the one who does it to the person you love as well. There is pain on both sides."

Albus was growing tired of there awkward conversation. It used to be so easy for them to converse and now it seemed like a task. "Minerva" Albus reached his hand up and brushed her check with the back of his hand. When he felt her lean into his touch he whispered. "I have missed you. Please join my team. I cannot stand being so far away from you. I can keep you safe, you wouldn't have to worry. I will be there."

Minerva was about to reply when she heard another familiar knock and stepped back. The moment was lost. She looked at Albus with sad eyes and said she would join and before she was able to say anything more he had gone. When she reached the door to open it for her husband, the faint pop was all she needed to hear to know that Albus had once again left her, hurt and confused. It was like a last year all over again, but this time she at least knew that she would see him. And for know that would be enough.

ITS BEEN A LONG TIME I KNOW. REVIEWS ARE APPRECIATED