a/n: I apologize for the wait; I've been so terribly busy:D Thanks again for reading!
Chapter 12---Dumbledore--------------------------------------------------
Oh, how hard it was to stay from Minerva! Dumbledore was pacing his study once again; trying to figure out ways to stay away from her. Another confrontation like that and he would take her! Forever in his arms until his death came; then she would fall...
"Why is this so difficult?" asked Dumbledore to himself. He was having great trouble to not even look at McGonagall with the "look" in his eyes. It was far from easy. McGonagall, to him, was too lovely to not look at her...longingly and lovingly, wishing that she could stay with him forever...
It was also doubly difficult to not mention it to anyone else--Severus especially! Oh how glad Dumbledore was because he knew how to exercise occlumency against anyone who felt it necessary to pry into his mind! Though it would be nice if Severus knew, Dumbledore couldn't tell him that! Then Severus, most assuredly not kill him!
"Oh how dreadful these states of affairs are!" thought Dumbledore. He did not really care to die, in fact, he was more ready to die than ever now that Minerva finally saw him with the right "eyes"! He searched all of his life for the one he loved, and when McGonagall had come to teach, he knew she was to be his! Oh, how grateful he was because Minerva had decided to return to the castle and teach! He was dreadfully sorry for letting go and must have apologized over twenty times already, but he could not tell her the reasons why he couldn't be hers! He didn't want her to fall! He would have her adjust to life without him so it wouldn't be as much as a blow to her.
"Oh, the pain I am causing her," said Dumbledore said softly to Fawkes. "I just can't stand it!" Fawkes just hooted in sympathy.
This was quite true, Dumbledore knew that McGonagall was cut inside and perhaps very deep. The extent of the depth was unknown to Dumbledore but he knew that if he let go now, McGonagall would heal much faster when the time came for his death.
It got harder each day for Dumbledore to stay from Minerva. He knew it and wished it got easier, but love just didn't work that way.
After quite some time, Dumbledore decided to go to bed. Quite exhausted from his pondering (or so he decided), he heard McGonagall's voice in his mind again.
"You didn't See that coming?"
"No, Minerva, I did not know that I would fall in love with you, but I do not regret it!" thought Dumbledore happily as he went to sleep.
