Rating: T
Pairing: Albus/Minerva
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: Don't own 'em - not making any money off 'em. Dern it.
Word Count: 633

Notes: This collection will be for the 100 pairing challenge. Each chapter will be a different pairing, and this collection will end when I get to 100 chapters. It should work that each story will be under 500 words.

Single Parent!AU. Muggle!AU.

Written for Lexi.

100 Pairing Challenge

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: Honeydukes Challenge – Smarties –Prompts – [character] Minerva McGonagall / [dialogue] "I need a favor." / [word] Umpteenth

The Friends Challenge: TOW The Metaphorical Tunnel - Write a romance story.

Mortal Kombat Characters Category Competition: Sonya Blade - Write about Minerva McGonagall.

The Most in a Month Competition Part II

Albus pushed a stroller through the park. His daughter was staring up at the sky, looking at the butterflies that were flying around. Albus smiled down at the raven head.

"What a beautiful little girl," a woman's voice cooed from nearby.

Albus looked to his left, startled, and his jaw almost dropped at the slight of the loveliest woman he had ever seen. "Um, thank you. She takes after her father with her good looks," he flirted.

The woman blushed. "Oh really? I was thinking she might take after your wife in that department?"

Albus smiled. She was fishing for information about his relationship status. That was good news. It meant she was interested, right?

"Well, I'm not married, but she does have her eyes."

The woman tilted her head. "You're not married?"

Albus kept staring at her. "Before I tell you my life story, maybe you can tell me your name?" he prodded eagerly.

Her blush deepened. "Oh, I'm sorry. Would you believe it if I said I'm not usually so rude?" Without waiting for his answer to her question, she said, "I'm Minerva McGonagall. Most people call me Minnie, though."

"Like the mouse?" Albus asked with humor coloring his voice.

"Unfortunately, yes. I'm not sure what my parents were thinking when they decided to give me a name that can be shortened in such a way."

"Well, I'm Albus, and this little girl, the light of my life, is Ariana."

Minerva waved at his daughter who giggled and waved back. "And you're not married?"

Albus shook his head. "Well, Ari is kind of the product of too much alcohol, and the mother hadn't been able to raise her."

Minerva looked at him and her eyes told him she understood what he said without actually saying it.

A one night stand and the mother was going to put Ariana in the system if Albus didn't take her.

"Well, I think Ariana is very lucky to have such a doting father," Minerva said with a smile. All the while, her eyes were glued to the little girl, even as her hand subconsciously went to her own stomach.

Albus saw the movement. "Are you expecting?"

Minerva looked at him in surprise and when he gestured to the way she was touching her stomach, she understood. "I was married for a while and pregnant, but I suffered a miscarriage, and the doctor said I wouldn't be able to carry a baby to term. Unfortunately, my marriage didn't survive the disappointment." She looked away. "I'm not sure why I told a complete stranger that. I'm usually not that talkative."

"Well, I usually don't tell women I just meet the back-story behind why I'm a single father, so I guess we're even."

For what felt like maybe the umpteenth time, Albus saw Minerva blush.

"I need a favor. Please, let's not talk about what happened. I've already dealt with it in therapy, so there's no need to keep thinking about what might have been."

Albus looked at her with understanding eyes. "You can keep pretending it never happened, but sometimes, things happen that reminds you of it. Like meeting a father and his little girl."

Minerva smiled. "I know, but I still don't like talking about it in my everyday life. That's what my very highly-paid psychiatrist is for."

Albus nodded. "Okay, but only if you agree to dinner with me."

"Dinner with you or dinner with you and Ariana?" Minerva asked.

Albus thought about it as he looked down at his smiling daughter. "How about the first date is the three of us and the second date is just you and me?"

"Second date, huh? You're very confident," Minerva surmised with a quirk to her lips.

Albus shrugged. "So, what do you say?"

"It's a date."