A/N: Sorry for the wait on this one guys. I've having trouble writing it, so any ideas would be splendid! I've now finished sixth form so I now have three months before Uni to try and make up for it. Thanks to all of you who are keeping up with this and still reading it, it means a lot to me, and also to everyone who has sent me a review, it makes my day to read your opinion. Now, one with the chapter!
Chapter Fourteen: The Goblet of Fire Part 3
The announcement for the Yule Ball received a mixed reaction; many of the girls smiled widely and started talking to each other animatedly while the boys groaned and heads thumped against the dining tables. Minerva was happy about attending another Yule Ball, the last one having been when she was a student at the castle herself. She knew that she would have to teach her cubs how to dance, but she was hoping that her enthusiasm would rub off on them and they would all take part without too much hastle. She smiled at Albus when he sat down.
"What are you smiling at love?"
"I'm thinking of the last Yule Ball I went to."
"Ah yes," He chuckled. "Your sixth year."
"Yes. I did so enjoy my time with my date."
"Fancy going again my dear?"
"As a carefree student or responsible adult?"
"A responsible adult is the right answer, although I feel like giving you the other."
"Then yes. I'll come to the Yule Ball with you Albus."
"Thank you."
Minerva blushed and turned her attention to her food.
At the Gryffindor table, Hermione too was blushing as she had received a small note asking her if she would unofficially go with Severus to the Yule Ball. She had agreed instantly, even though she was worried about what people may think of her for it.
The buzz about the Yule Ball lasted from the rest of the day through all three schools and each professor had to fight to gain the attention of their pupils; that is all but Severus who scared the living daylights out of them all enough to have them do something fairly productive.
~0~0~
After dinner that evening, Minerva was sat with Albus is his office going over the final preparations for the Ball as everything had to be organised and ordered ready for Christmas Eve.
"I think that should be everything Minerva."
Minerva quickly scanned the plan. "Looks like it except…"
"Except what my dear?"
"Are we just going to presume that the children know how to dance? I know Hermione can, but that's only because I've taught her how to do so, how many others do you think can do it properly?"
"You have a very good point my dear, now how to solve that little problem?"
"Somebody needs to teach them."
"Who?"
"I don't know Albus. Who, professor wise, can dance good enough to teach them?"
"You."
"Other than me?"
"No one love."
Minerva groaned. "Can I at least have some support then?"
"Severus?"
"No, he'll scare them and then none of them will ever join in."
"Good point."
"How about you?"
"Me?"
"Yes. You can dance and we dance well together."
"But won't that start rumours?"
"To be honest, I don't care anymore Albus. Rumours are rumours, as long as we don't walk around holding hands and snogging in front of the students and staff, I think we'll be okay."
Albus chuckled lightly at his wives determination not to teach the children how to dance on her own.
"How about we pair up the heads of house and have them teach their own houses?"
"I can agree to that, but what about the other two schools?"
"Dancing is a part of their curriculum for the first three years."
"As it should be here."
"If only Minerva. You know as well as I do that it is a very pureblooded way of dancing."
Minerva sighed. "I know. Now, when will these lessons be?"
The conversation carried on for a good few hours before Albus brought it to a close when they had reached their outcome as both were tiring quickly.
Dance sessions for the students were announced the following day and a time table given out to all of the years who were allowed to participate in the Yule Ball. They would all start the following week and continue until the end of the week before Christmas Eve. Again the initial response was mixed, but soon everyone was talking about them and wandering what sort of dancing would be taught within these sessions. Minerva too was looking forward to the session, but for the teaching side of things, and she would be teaching alongside Albus for the next four weeks. She was ecstatic, as were Albus and Hermione. Severus on the other hand could have killed the Headmaster when he was told the 'good' news, but refrained from doing so to protect himself from the wrath of Minerva more than anything else.
The days leading up to the first session went quickly with plenty of happy buzz coming from the students in the halls. Minerva stood in the middle of an old classroom and sighed deeply, remembering when she was sat the sides of this very room having lessons from Albus. She was brought from her thoughts by Albus' presence.
"You should have given up on trying to sneak up on me a long time ago, Albus."
"That I should, but I find it far too much fun to keep trying."
Minerva turned and smiled at her husband. "It's good to see you."
"That it is. I'm sorry I've not been around all that much the past few days."
"I was worried that you wouldn't be able to get here for this session."
"I promised I would be here, and I am. Now, why do I see a blush gracing your cheeks?"
Minerva blushed harder and lowered her eyes. "Memories," she whispered and Albus' eyes sparkled as he too, found the memory that she had been going through before he interrupted.
"The students should be here soon Albus."
He cleared his throat. "Of course."
For the next hour, the pair worked flawlessly side by side teaching Minerva's cubs the intricacies of elegant ball room dancing. After the many prompts from the two Professors, all the students were up and with a partner, all but Hermione, but Albus had soon solved that and they were gliding along the floor with the other students slowly but surely getting the grip of it. Just before the bell went for the start of the next lesson, Minerva got everyone to sit back down.
"You will be working with the partner you chose today for the rest of the course. Professor Dumbledore and I will be holding weekend sessions on a Saturday morning for any of you who wish to come with your dates or just to get some extra practice. There is a signup sheet in the Common Room for any of you interested." The bell rung in the distance. "You may all go."
Once the room was emptied of all students and the door was firmly shut, Albus wrapped his arms around Minerva's waist and rested his head on her shoulder.
"You were wonderful darling."
"As were you."
"I'm just glad we can still move like the good old days."
"I should hope so! We're not old enough to seize up just yet Albus."
He chuckled and placed a few kisses on her neck, bringing a moan out of her thin lips. Eventually the pair stopped their kissing (as Albus' actions had led to) and they headed towards their separate offices to that they could get some real work done for the day, freeing up their evening.
A week before the Yule Ball, and every student from third year and above were taken to Hogsmeade to order and collect their dresses and suits for the Ball. Minerva had plans to go with Albus the following day to shop for a muggle dress for the evening.
~0~0~
The pair headed out early the next morning after breakfast and went straight for Paris via a portkey that Albus had already set up for them both. The pair both enjoyed France as it was a familiar place to them and they could be themselves there, hold hands when they walked and could stop in the middle of the street and kiss lovingly.
There was a lovely little muggle dress shop close to the Eiffel Tower that the pair frequented for all sorts of occasions. Minerva smiled when she entered the shop and headed straight for the floor length dresses. Albus quickly followed, wanting to have some say in what dress she chose for the night.
Minerva's eyes was drawn to an emerald green silk, form fitting dress and she lifted it gently from the hanger and turned to show Albus.
"What do you think?"
"I think it's gorgeous." He smiled at her and brought her close as they looked at the dress for a long few minutes.
Minerva smiled widely as she pictured herself in the dress and Albus is his usual garnished coloured suit. "Do you really like it, Albus?"
"I love it." He pecked her lips. "The neckline could do with being lowered a couple of inches," he whispered in her ear and pressed a kiss behind it. "Now, I do believe it's time for us to find my suit."
Minerva sighed and followed her excited husband to the other side of the shop so that he could chose his suit. And for a change, he headed for the solid colours rather than the mix and matched ones he usually favoured.
Minerva shook her head. "Please chose something decent Albus."
"As you wish love." He picked up a royal blue suit and showed Minerva.
"Is that the best you can do?"
"It's me meeting you in the middle."
Minerva just sighed and nodded, knowing that arguing would be futile.
Albus smiled at his wife and she smiled back, linking her arms through his free one.
"Shall we go and pay my dear?"
"Only if we can make a day out of the rest of the time here."
"Of course."
They kissed lightly and headed to the checkout.
"Ah, Minerva, Albus. It's lovely to see you so soon after your last visit."
"Pierre, how have things been."
"Wonderful Albus."
The trio spoke for a while before Minerva and Albus headed out onto the now crowded streets of Paris. They spent the rest of the day shopping for Christmas gifts and generally being themselves. Being husband and wife and not employer and employee.
It was so hard for them to go back to the castle and have too hide their relationship once more after spending the day out in the open.
~0~0~
The night of the Yule Ball was quickly upon the castle and the buzz about it was unlike anything that any of the members of staff had seen in there several years of teaching. The morning was spent decorating the Great Hall and surrounding courtyards and the afternoon was spent getting ready. Hermione had decided that she would get ready with her mother and Minerva banished Albus and Severus from the rooms so that they two girls could get ready. Hermione was going with Viktor Krum to keep up appearances while Minerva was going with Albus, something that wasn't being kept a secret for a change.
It took hours for the two women to ready themselves for the night and they had fun doing it. Eventually, Minerva allowed Albus and Severus back into the rooms and she walked out of the master bedroom.
Her green dresses brushed the floor and her heels gave her an extra inch to her height. She had let Hermione brush her hair out and it was in a curled down style. She smiled sweetly at Albus who had stood, but not said anything. He had thought that the dress was pretty in the shop, but now it was absolutely gorgeous.
"How do I look Albus?"
"Like an angel."
Minerva blushed and Albus brought her into a brief but loving kiss.
"Now, where's our Hermione?" he asked after they had pulled apart.
"Here," Hermione whispered from the doorway to her parents room.
Severus immediately stood and swept Hermione up in his arms, spinning her around. "You're beautiful my love," he whispered in her ear when he put her down.
"You don't look so bad yourself Sev," she whispered back.
Minerva and Albus turned to them.
"We need to head down now."
The other pair nodded and followed Minerva and Albus out of their chambers at a safe distance, seeing as the older couple had their arms linked and were very nearly stepping on each other. Hermione and Severus kept glancing over at each other throughout the walk to the Great Hall and it took so much energy to ignore the pull.
An hour later and the Ball was in full swing with the dance floor covered with couples of all ages, dancing away to the classical music which the band was playing. Minerva was safely encased in Albus' arms and they were swaying gently to the beat of the music, both enjoying the careless feeling that the music gave them.
That one night of bliss was soon over and the Triwizard tournament was back in full swing at the end of January with the second task.
To Be Continued...