*Disclaimer*
The material of the following story belongs to J. K. Rowling. I, obviously, am not J. K. Rowling. : )
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Minerva quietly entered Albus's chambers, discarding her noisy cane and well-worn carpetbag at the door in order to not
wake him. With a grimace, she discarded the uncomfortable green hospital robes from St. Mungo's and stepped into her own
silky white nightgown with a happy sigh. No one had seen her arrive, and tomorrow she would pretend to come back to
Hogwarts for the first time, but tonight she had to see Albus. She moved painfully to the dresser, found her wedding
band, and lovingly slipped it on her finger, comforted by its weight. It pained her to have to keep their marriage a
secret from the rest of the world, but with the growing threat of Voldemort, it would be a major infringement upon
security that could cost many lives if the Death Eaters found out of their love. Sirius had died from love and his death
weighed heavily on the hearts of many, but if Albus were killed, the Order would fall apart and Voldemort would win.
And she... if he died, she could not go on.
In the same slow, aching gait, she silently made her way to the bed and slipped between the sheets. Albus did not wake,
but his arms found their way around her slim waist and he pulled her close. She relaxed, letting down her usual mask in
the safety of his embrace— the only place where she had ever felt comfortable being herself without her stern facade. For
a moment, she lay there feeling loved, so loved, but suddenly he shuddered in his sleep and she realized he was crying.
Shocked and a little frightened, she lifted her chin to softly kiss the tears from his face. She had never seen Albus
Dumbledore weep, not once in all their years of friendship and marriage. Her tender caresses woke him, and with a gasp of
relief, he breathed, "Oh, Minerva... I was so worried." He rested his head on her chest, listening to the soothing rhythm
of her heart. "I dreamed you were gone and I didn't know what to do," he whispered, his breath brushing gently against
her neck. "Everyone else is gone now, and when I dreamed you were too..." His voice trailed off.
She wanted to comfort him as he had comforted her so many times, but she didn't know how to ease the aching of his heart.
Finally, she found his hands and wound her own between them, pressing kisses to each of his fingers in turn. "I won't
leave you if you won't leave me," she murmured, resting her cheek against their tangled hands.
"Deal," he whispered back, pulling her once again into his arms. "Deal." They fell asleep in a loving embrace.
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I'd appreciate a review, and I'd reeeeeally appreciate reviews on some of my other stories, too..... (hint, hint!)