Eleven:
Minerva ran through the dark corridors panting, her heart pounding in her chest, her stomach twisted. She flew around the corners, her four paws carrying her quicker than her legs ever could. She jumped up the stone steps to Albus's office nimbly, and with urgent grace and ease, transformed into her human form as she pushed open the door. "Albus!" She shouted desperately. "Albus! Where are you?"
Albus emerged at the top of the spiralling stairs, his face full of concern. "Shouting, Minerva? Something must be wrong, what is it?"
"Albus! Oh, damn it! I never thought- Albus! She's gone with Potter and Weasley, the youngest one, to get the stone- she's gone down-"
Albus flew down the stairs, drawing his wand as he did and pushed Minerva to the side, so intent was he on getting to Hermione before any harm came to her. Minerva followed him as he sprinted towards the third floor. With a slight flick of his want, he stilled the monstrous three headed beast that snarled at them and with a great beam of light, created a hold for them to fall through the devils snare. As metal keys buzzed around them, he swiped them away distractedly and when they reached the crumpled chess board, both their heart stopped.
Hermione and Weasley were laying on the ground, Weasley covered in cuts and bruises but Hermione- Oh, thank God! Her face was smeared with the dust from the broken pieces but she looked unharmed. Her eyes grew wide as Albus and Minerva marched towards them.
"Headmaster, Professor, I- I didn't mean, I had to help them, I couldn't-"
Albus didn't let her finish as he grabbed her by the shoulders. "Are you hurt? Has anything happened to you- I can fix it, a cut? A broken limb?"
"No, no, I'm fine," she replied and Minerva felt relief flood over her. "It's just Ron, he was taken by... well he had to give himself up so that we could win, you see and Harry, he went to get the stone. I couldn't leave Ron."
Albus nodded. "Minerva, I have to go and find Harry. Will you take Miss Granger and Mr Weasley to Madam Pomfrey?"
Minerva nodded gravely, unable to speak. She had been so terrified that something would happen to Hermione, she was so relieved that she was safe, she didn't trust herself to speak. Albus turned and marched on to find Potter, while Hermione, still wide eyed and frightened, cried, "Please don't expel me, Professor. I was trying to help them, I know I shouldn't have but, but they are my friends!"
Minerva arched an eyebrow. Friends. Oh, friends! Something she had never been able to have at school, oh, the dear girl wouldn't be lonely as Minerva had been, Hermione had someone to confide to, to turn to! "It's not my decision, Miss Granger, but I will certainly tell the headmaster what you have said," she smiled. "Now, we must get Mr Weasley to the hospital wing."
She levitated Weasley, who groaned back into consciousness as he was lifted into the air. "Sorry, Mr Weasley but there is no way that I can carry you all that way," she said dryly.
When they reached the hospital wing and she had given Hermione and Weasley to Poppy to look over, Minerva went back to the office and sagged limply into the chair. Hermione was safe. Hermione was safe. Hermione was... well, brilliant! Fancy a trio of first years getting so far and safely, when Minerva, Albus and Snape had made the paths themselves! Hermione was just as clever as herself, and Albus of course, and Minerva felt the warmth of pride. Hermione was magnificent.
Albus came back half an hour later. He slumped in the chair opposite her. "It was Voldemort. He latched onto Quirrell. Harry was so brave, well they all were... I have the stone, we've going to destroy it, Nicolas and I," he said flatly. "Oh, Minerva, when you came earlier, I thought- if something had happened to her, I... I've never been so scared. I felt as if my world had shattered, I thought- I felt sick, so sick, like the time you left me..."
"Albus, she's safe."
"Yes. And so are you. That is what I live my life for, to keep the two of you from harm. You two are the most important things, people, in the world and intend on keeping you safe always," he paused for a moment and then sighed. "I try my hardest to keep such feelings from you, I know that they make you feel uncomfortable, but I'm afraid, after the scare today, I have to say them. I'm sorry you have to hear them, my dear."
"They don't make me uncomfortable," she said quietly. "Not anymore."
"Oh?"
"Albus, I'm so scared of hurting you more than I have but- but after tonight, after the fear, I've realised that I can't stand the thought of losing you, or her. If I lost you and you didn't know how I felt, how loved you are, I would feel wretched for all of my life. I love you, I love you still, I never stopped. I've wanted to tell you for months now, since Hermione came but-"
She saw anger flash across his blue eyes. "Do you endeavour to pull me down, further and further?" He asked darkly.
"No, I-"
"You cannot toy with me like this! You ended it but you wouldn't divorce me, you wouldn't let me go-"
"I-"
"It is my turn to speak!" He cried. "You told me that we couldn't remain together, that too much had happened, that I had lost my chance. You allowed to me to sit here for twelve years and let the guilt eat away at me. I thought- You cannot treat me like this! You can't come back to me, just because you are frightened and then when I do something wrong, discard me again! I wanted you, I loved you, good God, I still do! I cried out to you for all those years and you never once, once, told me that you loved me, that I stood a chance! I've hated myself for twelve years because of you!"
"You let me down too!" She shrieked. "You left me alone! I just wanted to tell you that I love you! That I was sorry! That I was wrong! You wouldn't divorce me either, you held onto me just as much as I held onto you! Why should I listen to this, this insult, why must I listen as you turn on me-"
"Because you are my wife!" He bellowed so loudly the windows shook. "Because you are my wife and I need to tell you how I feel! I want you to be my with in more than name, I want a real wife-"
"Well, that is certainly not how you go about it-"
"Oh, stop with your clever, icy remarks! It doesn't become you!"
"Well, being a madman doesn't become you! I can see I have made a mistake, I should not have said anything-"
"There! You are doing it again! You give me a thread of hope and when it gets a little rocky, when I give you my true feelings, you cut it as quickly as you gave it and run away!"
"I'm not running away!" She cried indignantly.
"But you were going to!"
Minerva hung her head. "Are we ever going to stop this?" She asked pitifully. "Are we compatible? Is there to much resentment?"
Albus sighed. "I don't know," he replied, his voice soft again. "Perhaps, we are over, perhaps too much had happened. I want to be with you, I do, but not like this."
"I can't," Minerva croaked.
"Neither can I. Perhaps we should... perhaps we should end it properly-"
"No!" Minerva's voice cracked. Desperation filled her, she couldn't let him go. It had been a mistake, she should never have walked away from him before. She should never have been so cold, so cruel, so unforgiving. No, no- she couldn't lose him. No! "Albus, I can't I- I love you. I can't let you go, I can't. I'll die. I'm sorry, so sorry for everything. I can change, I can make it up to you, please Albus, please, don't say it, don't even think it! I can't live without you, I know I can't! You, you have always been there... always. Please, look at me! I beg you, I beseech you, I'll fall before you, I have once before," she threw herself flat onto the ground. "I need you. I've lost her and I cannot lose you too. I've suffered so much, we have, we... please, please, I can't-"
Albus moved slowly, gingerly and knelt in front of her. "Can we make this work?" He whispered.
"I'll do anything," she said earnestly.
Silence fell between them. Then Albus stroked her head lightly. "Minerva, my wife, my dear, Mrs Dumbledore, please, come back to me. To my arms, to my heart, to my life. Come back, I have waited so long for you, I love you. I need you. Wife, come back to me."