Once again, see the first part for the disclaimer, oh, and thank you all
for the responses, and I hope you like the added little twist in this part
(not much Tom though.)
Part 3
After about an hour she saw Hanna and Professor Chambers leave the library deep in discussion. Probably about Quidditch. They're both obsessed, they'd be perfect together. She thought to herself and went back to reading. About a half hour later..
"Minerva?"
Minerva closed her eyes and inwardly groaned before looking up at the person standing in front of her
"Professor Dumbledore." She greeted formally and tried to smile a bit.
"May I?" He asked motioning to the chair across from her.
"Of course." She said and went back to reading her book, hoping he would take the hint and leave. Unfortunately, she wasn't so lucky.
"Minerva, I believe I should apologize again for what I said earlier." He started to say.
"There's no need to, you said it yourself, it was a slip of the tongue."
"Yes, but obviously it's made you very uncomfortable and I am truly sorry for making you feel that way. I don't know why I said it, and I'm sorry for bringing it up, especially after you told me how uncomfortable you were with some of the things the students have been saying about you being so attractive."
"It's alright, Professor, really" She said interrupting him, she couldn't bear to hear more. "I understand, but I really need to go, I have to prepare for my tutor session with Mr. Riddle Tuesday." She said and got up as he rose as well.
"Yes, of course, I just wanted to make sure we were still friends despite my little slip of the tongue."
"Friends.of course. I'll see you tomorrow." Minerva said and left the library.
Albus sighed and sat back down, not noticing the other figure that had been in the Library long enough to have heard their entire conversation.
"Friends? You do realize that you're only fooling yourself when you say you only want to be friends with her, right?"
Albus looked up, a little annoyed, at the younger man who was now leaning against the table.
"I have no idea what you're talking about, Charles, although I do think it's very rude to listen in on other people's private conversations."
Charles Chambers laughed and sat down on the table "First off, I agree that listening to private conversations is rude, but I'm not really one for manners." He said grinning, "Second, you know exactly what I was talking about. Face it, old or young, your still a man, and student or no, Minerva is a very attractive woman. You want her as more than a friend but are just too afraid to say or do anything."
Albus was trying not to reveal his feelings as Charles spoke, especially since they had not known each other for that long, but he couldn't stay quiet any longer, "Whether I want her as more than a friend or not is not the issue, Charles, she is my student, a member of my house, and 80 years younger than I am. The fact that I am even having these thoughts about her is enough to get me suspended or fired, for me to act on my feelings are inconceivable."
"Ahhh, maybe now, but in a few months she won't be your student anymore, she'll just be another very attractive, intelligent, unattached woman. A woman who as soon as she graduates, will have at least two teachers asking her out."
"And are you one of those two?" Albus asked, trying to keep the possessiveness out of his voice.
Charles laughed, "Actually, I have my eyes set on another feisty 7th year Gryffindor, but I believe you know Harold and Robert, who are probably fighting over who will ask Minerva out first as we speak."
"What?!?!" Of all the male teachers, Harold Summers and Robert Binns (yes, I mean the ghost, who at that time I'm thinking wasn't a ghost, who teaches History of Magic, and again I don't know his first name so I made it up) were probably the last two he ever expected to be bold enough to ask a student out. Robert taught History of Magic, and even though he was a very good conversationalist one on one, his lectures in class were legendary for being as boring as possible. Harold taught Divination, a subject Minerva openly called 'a waist of time'. True, she had never insulted Harold, mainly because he was a true seer, and although his visions didn't come often, he had never lied and acted like he knew everything that was going to happen. He regarded his gift as just that, a gift, and as such it should never be abused or exploited, and actually he was quite a shy person. In fact, it had taken 10 years for Harold to finally say more than "Fine, thank you", or "Please pass the butter" to anyone after he had joined the teaching staff.
Charles grinned, "I know, I wouldn't have expected those two either, but go and ask them yourselves if you don't believe me. Oh, and keep in mind, Harold is 40, which, ok, is only 22 years older than Minerva, not 80, but Robert isn't that much younger than you are, what, 10, maybe 15 years younger than you? He doesn't seem to care what controversy it would cause if he was to date a former student that was so much younger than him. Perhaps you better think about that before you try and tell Minerva, or yourself, that all you want to do is be 'friends. Bye!" Charles said and hopped off the table and left the library, leaving a very confused Transfigurations teacher sitting alone.
The rest of the break went by fast. Her 'study' session with Tom made her very uncomfortable. He kept on looking at her instead of the book, and he seemed to frown every time she mentioned Professor Dumbledore. As for Dumbledore, he still seemed very upset after what had happened, in fact, it seemed like he was even more nervous around her than he was before, even after she reassured him several times that she understood that he didn't mean it and just wanted to be friends. Within three months she had successfully completed her Animagi training and was therefore able to have more free time, but less time with Albus.
"You know, I was talking with Charles the other day."
"Charles? Don't you mean Professor Chambers?" Minerva asked grinning slightly and raising an eyebrow at Hanna, who was sitting in a chair in the common room across from her.
"No, I mean Charles, just like you don't mean Professor Dumbledore, you mean Albus." Hanna replied smugly and then laughed at the glare her friend sent her. "As I was saying, we were talking, and a certain head girl came up in our conversation."
Minerva sighed, "Yeah, I wonder who brought that subject up."
"Actually he did."
"What? Why?"
"You're never going to believe this, but apparently you have several admirers of the male sex, who happen to be on the teaching staff." Hanna replied, grinning ear to ear at Minerva's shocked look.
"What? That's not funny, Hanna, stop it."
"Oh, I'm not joking. Charles said that Professors Binns and Summers are planning to ask you out as soon as you graduate, and he said that another teacher was presently in denial about his feelings for you, but if he comes to his senses, you might just get the man of your dreams to ask you out."
Minerva gasped. She didn't know what to say. Binns and Summers were planning on asking her out? And, she couldn't possible be saying that Albus, umm, Professor Dumbledore, was going to ask her out as well. "Please tell me you're joking, or that he was joking."
"Nope." Hanna replied shortly, "Apparently he and Dumbledore had a little chat a while ago, I think he said it was over the holidays, and he practically admitted that he was in love with you, but was worried because of your age difference and the whole teacher/student problem. See? I told you he was just covering when he made that 'slip of the tongue', he does have feelings for you."
"Maybe, but that still doesn't mean he'll act on them."
Hanna rolled her eyes, "Ok, so maybe he won't act on his feelings right away, but at least you know that the feelings exist, and you can use it to your advantage."
Minerva raised an eyebrow. Hanna had a look in her eyes that always meant that she was up to something, "What do you mean, to my advantage?"
"Oh, come on Minerva, use some of those brain cells you're rumored to have. If he doesn't act on his feelings within a certain amount of time, you use his feelings to make him admit them to you." Seeing her friends continued questioning look, Hanna sighed and explained it better, "You flaunt yourself in front of him.NO, I didn't mean it that way. Look, you go out with a guy, in front of him, to make him jealous and realize what he's missing. And if that doesn't work you can just throw yourself at him."
"HANNA!" Minerva yelled, shocked that her friend would suggest her throwing herself at Albus, although the thought had crossed her mind, but she wasn't about to admit that to Hanna.
A few weeks later Minerva was sitting in the Transfigurations classroom planning out the next weeks lessons. Well, at least that was what she was supposed to be doing, unfortunately, she was a little distracted. Since her 'conversation' with Hanna, Minerva had taken to noticing not only how Albus, and some of the other male teachers, acted around her, but when it started. She realized that his unusually distracted actions and nervousness had started during break, right around the time Chambers had apparently talked to him.
"Have you finished correcting those quizzes Minerva?"
"What? Oh, yes, they're right here. I was just thinking about next week's lesson plans." She said and handed Albus the stack of quizzes to him, his fingers brushing over hers for a second before he quickly pulled away.
"Why don't you go to dinner? I'll deal with next weeks lessons." He said suddenly.
Minerva nodded. He had also taken to shortening their planning sessions together, almost like he was afraid to be alone with her. "Yes, perhaps I should, but so should you, after all, you need to eat too."
He smiled, "Yes, once again you're right. Why don't you go on ahead, I'll just put these papers away and I'll be there in a few minutes."
"Alright, but don't be too long, you know how Headmaster Dippit hates when people, especially teachers are late." She said smiling and then left.
"Just a few more weeks, that's all." Albus mumbled to himself after she had left. Just a few more weeks before she graduated and would leave him, but then again, she wouldn't be a student anymore. "Oh, stop it Albus, Charles was wrong and you shouldn't even try it." He reprimanded himself before heading to the Great Hall himself.
It was now the week of finals, a week before she left Hogwarts, and him.
"I'm going to Beauxbatons to teach charms." She said suddenly. He looked up at her.
"You can't go there!" Dumbledore exclaimed as he practically jumped out of his chair.
"Why not?" Minerva asked, shocked by his outcry, it was not the reaction she had anticipated.
"Why not? Minerva, Grindelwald has taken over half the main land, and Beauxbatons is next on his list of places to attack, you could get hurt, or worse killed!" He said pacing in front of her.
"I realize that, but I'm still taking the job. You've said it yourself, Professor, more witches and wizards from Great Britain must support and help our brothers and sisters on the main land against his evil, and that's exactly what I'm doing." He stopped pacing and looked at her. She didn't realize how it would destroy him if she was taken away from him like that.
"No. You're too young. You have you're whole life ahead of you, Minerva. You have the makings of one of the most powerful witches I have ever seen, you'd be a casualty that our world is not prepared to pay." Minerva didn't know whether to be thankful for his concern and high opinion, or outraged by his implication that she couldn't take care of herself and that she needed his approval to do this.
"If I can do such great things, than I'm more needed than I originally thought. You've been over there helping numerous times, now it's my turn. They need reinforcement, and protecting the next generation of students at Beauxbatons is something I'm willing to give my life for if needed." She said strongly standing up and holding back the tears that were trying to break through her defenses.
"I've lived long enough, you haven't."
"I'm not going to discuss this anymore, I was letting you know as a courtesy, not to get your approval." Minerva said defiantly. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to study for my finals. Good day." She said walking out and shutting the door, hard, behind her.
~~~~
Since it was finals week, she didn't have to teach anymore classes with him. She arrived at his class right on time, and left immediately. She ignored his requests for her to see him in his office, or after class. She was falling apart at the thought of leaving while being mad at him, but she wasn't about to apologize, if he wanted her to stay, then he'd have to ask her and give her a good reason, like he loved her.
"Minerva." He said quietly. She didn't even look up from the book she was reading. She was sitting in a chair in the Gryffindor common room in the middle of the afternoon, so the common room was empty except for a few students who were trying to cram some last minute studying in.
"Professor." She greeted coldly.
He sighed and sat down across from her. He had hated the uncomfortable feeling around them after the incident during the winter break, but having her be so cold and angry with him was tearing him apart inside.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you." He said sincerely.
"I'm sure you didn't." She said in a voice he couldn't tell if she was being serious or sarcastic.
"Will you please look at me while I'm talking to you?" He said quietly while watching the others walk out of the common room. They were now alone.
"I have to study."
"Your last exam was this morning, you have nothing else to study for."
She sighed and looked up at him, her face rigid showing no emotion. "What?"
"You surprised me, I wasn't expecting you to take such a risky position. I overreacted, I'll admit that, but you can't honestly tell me that you didn't expect me to be a little upset."
"Why should you be upset? I'm just another one of your students, I'm sure many of us have gone and joined the fight against Grindelwald." She said, a tinge of bitterness framed her voice.
"You're not just another one of my students, Minerva, surely you can see that." He said frowning. This was tearing him apart, on one side he wanted to just pledge his undying love to her right then and there and beg her not to leave, but the other side was reminding him that he had left to fight Grindelwald many times over the past few years, it wouldn't be fair to ask her to do for him what he couldn't promise to do for her.
"So I'm one of the better students who's actually excelled in your class, and your only protégé to have successfully completed my Animagi transformation, you'll still only think of me as your student, a child."
"You're not a child, I know that." He said quietly taking her hand. She didn't take it away, but her face didn't change from the stone like expression, but there was a change in her eyes. "But.you are one of my students. I can't." He looked down at their hands, "Minerva, please understand that I care for you as more than just a student and a protégé, but nonetheless, you are 80 years younger than I, and I am still your teacher and head of house." He paused, not really sure where to go from there. He hadn't actually told her he was in love with her, but simply made it sound like anything more than simple friendship was completely out of the question between them. "Just please promise me that you'll write to me, tell me what's going on, not only with the war, but with you. I want to know you're alright at Beauxbatons. Please promise me you'll keep in touch, at least twice a month, more if you have time."
She looked at him, he was going to say something else, she could tell. In other words, your silly little crush means nothing to me little girl, but lets try and remain civil to each other and maybe I'll be able to be friends with you. She thought to herself. "I promise." She said quietly. He closed his eyes to stop the tears from coming.
"Thank you, my dear." He replied, almost to quiet for her to hear, but she heard nonetheless.
She left the next week. She arrived at Beauxbatons two weeks after that, and he got the first letter two days later.
~~~~~~
Dear Professor Dumbledore,
See, I'm writing, don't worry when I make a promise I intend to keep it. The school is beautiful, and no sign of Grindelwald has been reported, as I'm sure you are aware of. This will be short, but I'll right more later. The headmaster and caretaker were the only faculty present, so I'm being introduced to most of the rest of the staff tonight. I already miss Hogwarts, and knowing that I will not be returning there in the autumn is an idea that I am still getting used to. I must go now, the headmaster should be arriving shortly.
Sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
~~~~~~
He leaned back in his chair, it was the 6th time he had read the letter. She was still safe, he kept on reminding himself. He took out a fresh piece of parchment and set to writing back to her.
~~~~~~
Dearest Minerva,
So formal, my dear? You are allowed to call me Albus. I am glad that you are still safe, and that you still intend to write me. I will be in France next month, perhaps we could have lunch to discuss your teaching plans? I never had the pleasure of teaching Charms, I would be most interested in hearing what you plan on doing first. Hogwarts has not changed since you left, although I am sure that I'll be lost next year without your assistance in class. I'm afraid I have grown quite accustomed to having you beside me
Albus paused, and then erased the last sentence.
I look forward to hearing more about Beauxbatons.
Always,
Albus
~~~~~~
He folded the letter and sent it with an owl before he had a chance to change his mind. This went on throughout the summer. Semi-short letters about the schools, Grindelwald, and teaching. Eventually the new school year arrived, and the letters grew to include descriptions of the students.
~~~~~~
Dearest Minerva,
Mr. Riddle has asked about you once again. I almost dare say that he seems to miss you terrible, or perhaps you were just a better teacher than I am. I just told him you were teaching Charms at Beauxbatons, I hope you don't mind.
~~~~~~
Minerva read the rest of the letter quickly and then took out her quill to write a response.
~~~~~~
Dear Albus,
I do not mind you telling Tom where I am teaching, but I do hope you won't tell him much else. There was always something about him that disturbed me. Do not get me wrong, he is a wonderful boy, and a great student, however, he was one of the students who seemed to develop a crush on me, and if he asked about me I worry that he has not gotten over it.
~~~~~~
She continued the letter with responses to some of his other comments, in addition to some new news that she had gotten.
Soon it was a month before Christmas.
~~~~~~
Dearest Minerva,
I do hope you are planning on visiting Hogwarts during the break. I'm sure that the staff would enjoy your company, even for a day or two, to brighten our dark halls once again. And no, this is not a ploy to get you away from Beauxbatons, I assure you I won't try and prevent you from returning to your students, who I hope are behaving better than mine right now...
~~~~~~
Dear Albus,
I would love to visit Hogwarts during the break. In fact, Headmaster Dippit should be receiving my request that I may be allowed to stay there for three days, two nights during the break, but I'm not telling you which, it's a surprise. Oh, and I found you the perfect Christmas gift, I know you'll love them.
~~~~~~
End of part 3
YAY! I've finished the third chapter and I'm already starting the 4th. Truthfully, I'm not sure how long this is going to be, but I'm hoping you'll continue to read and enjoy it. It may end up being like an AU fic, but maybe not, I'm not to sure yet. Hopefully I'll have the next chapter up within the next few days, a week at the most.
Part 3
After about an hour she saw Hanna and Professor Chambers leave the library deep in discussion. Probably about Quidditch. They're both obsessed, they'd be perfect together. She thought to herself and went back to reading. About a half hour later..
"Minerva?"
Minerva closed her eyes and inwardly groaned before looking up at the person standing in front of her
"Professor Dumbledore." She greeted formally and tried to smile a bit.
"May I?" He asked motioning to the chair across from her.
"Of course." She said and went back to reading her book, hoping he would take the hint and leave. Unfortunately, she wasn't so lucky.
"Minerva, I believe I should apologize again for what I said earlier." He started to say.
"There's no need to, you said it yourself, it was a slip of the tongue."
"Yes, but obviously it's made you very uncomfortable and I am truly sorry for making you feel that way. I don't know why I said it, and I'm sorry for bringing it up, especially after you told me how uncomfortable you were with some of the things the students have been saying about you being so attractive."
"It's alright, Professor, really" She said interrupting him, she couldn't bear to hear more. "I understand, but I really need to go, I have to prepare for my tutor session with Mr. Riddle Tuesday." She said and got up as he rose as well.
"Yes, of course, I just wanted to make sure we were still friends despite my little slip of the tongue."
"Friends.of course. I'll see you tomorrow." Minerva said and left the library.
Albus sighed and sat back down, not noticing the other figure that had been in the Library long enough to have heard their entire conversation.
"Friends? You do realize that you're only fooling yourself when you say you only want to be friends with her, right?"
Albus looked up, a little annoyed, at the younger man who was now leaning against the table.
"I have no idea what you're talking about, Charles, although I do think it's very rude to listen in on other people's private conversations."
Charles Chambers laughed and sat down on the table "First off, I agree that listening to private conversations is rude, but I'm not really one for manners." He said grinning, "Second, you know exactly what I was talking about. Face it, old or young, your still a man, and student or no, Minerva is a very attractive woman. You want her as more than a friend but are just too afraid to say or do anything."
Albus was trying not to reveal his feelings as Charles spoke, especially since they had not known each other for that long, but he couldn't stay quiet any longer, "Whether I want her as more than a friend or not is not the issue, Charles, she is my student, a member of my house, and 80 years younger than I am. The fact that I am even having these thoughts about her is enough to get me suspended or fired, for me to act on my feelings are inconceivable."
"Ahhh, maybe now, but in a few months she won't be your student anymore, she'll just be another very attractive, intelligent, unattached woman. A woman who as soon as she graduates, will have at least two teachers asking her out."
"And are you one of those two?" Albus asked, trying to keep the possessiveness out of his voice.
Charles laughed, "Actually, I have my eyes set on another feisty 7th year Gryffindor, but I believe you know Harold and Robert, who are probably fighting over who will ask Minerva out first as we speak."
"What?!?!" Of all the male teachers, Harold Summers and Robert Binns (yes, I mean the ghost, who at that time I'm thinking wasn't a ghost, who teaches History of Magic, and again I don't know his first name so I made it up) were probably the last two he ever expected to be bold enough to ask a student out. Robert taught History of Magic, and even though he was a very good conversationalist one on one, his lectures in class were legendary for being as boring as possible. Harold taught Divination, a subject Minerva openly called 'a waist of time'. True, she had never insulted Harold, mainly because he was a true seer, and although his visions didn't come often, he had never lied and acted like he knew everything that was going to happen. He regarded his gift as just that, a gift, and as such it should never be abused or exploited, and actually he was quite a shy person. In fact, it had taken 10 years for Harold to finally say more than "Fine, thank you", or "Please pass the butter" to anyone after he had joined the teaching staff.
Charles grinned, "I know, I wouldn't have expected those two either, but go and ask them yourselves if you don't believe me. Oh, and keep in mind, Harold is 40, which, ok, is only 22 years older than Minerva, not 80, but Robert isn't that much younger than you are, what, 10, maybe 15 years younger than you? He doesn't seem to care what controversy it would cause if he was to date a former student that was so much younger than him. Perhaps you better think about that before you try and tell Minerva, or yourself, that all you want to do is be 'friends. Bye!" Charles said and hopped off the table and left the library, leaving a very confused Transfigurations teacher sitting alone.
The rest of the break went by fast. Her 'study' session with Tom made her very uncomfortable. He kept on looking at her instead of the book, and he seemed to frown every time she mentioned Professor Dumbledore. As for Dumbledore, he still seemed very upset after what had happened, in fact, it seemed like he was even more nervous around her than he was before, even after she reassured him several times that she understood that he didn't mean it and just wanted to be friends. Within three months she had successfully completed her Animagi training and was therefore able to have more free time, but less time with Albus.
"You know, I was talking with Charles the other day."
"Charles? Don't you mean Professor Chambers?" Minerva asked grinning slightly and raising an eyebrow at Hanna, who was sitting in a chair in the common room across from her.
"No, I mean Charles, just like you don't mean Professor Dumbledore, you mean Albus." Hanna replied smugly and then laughed at the glare her friend sent her. "As I was saying, we were talking, and a certain head girl came up in our conversation."
Minerva sighed, "Yeah, I wonder who brought that subject up."
"Actually he did."
"What? Why?"
"You're never going to believe this, but apparently you have several admirers of the male sex, who happen to be on the teaching staff." Hanna replied, grinning ear to ear at Minerva's shocked look.
"What? That's not funny, Hanna, stop it."
"Oh, I'm not joking. Charles said that Professors Binns and Summers are planning to ask you out as soon as you graduate, and he said that another teacher was presently in denial about his feelings for you, but if he comes to his senses, you might just get the man of your dreams to ask you out."
Minerva gasped. She didn't know what to say. Binns and Summers were planning on asking her out? And, she couldn't possible be saying that Albus, umm, Professor Dumbledore, was going to ask her out as well. "Please tell me you're joking, or that he was joking."
"Nope." Hanna replied shortly, "Apparently he and Dumbledore had a little chat a while ago, I think he said it was over the holidays, and he practically admitted that he was in love with you, but was worried because of your age difference and the whole teacher/student problem. See? I told you he was just covering when he made that 'slip of the tongue', he does have feelings for you."
"Maybe, but that still doesn't mean he'll act on them."
Hanna rolled her eyes, "Ok, so maybe he won't act on his feelings right away, but at least you know that the feelings exist, and you can use it to your advantage."
Minerva raised an eyebrow. Hanna had a look in her eyes that always meant that she was up to something, "What do you mean, to my advantage?"
"Oh, come on Minerva, use some of those brain cells you're rumored to have. If he doesn't act on his feelings within a certain amount of time, you use his feelings to make him admit them to you." Seeing her friends continued questioning look, Hanna sighed and explained it better, "You flaunt yourself in front of him.NO, I didn't mean it that way. Look, you go out with a guy, in front of him, to make him jealous and realize what he's missing. And if that doesn't work you can just throw yourself at him."
"HANNA!" Minerva yelled, shocked that her friend would suggest her throwing herself at Albus, although the thought had crossed her mind, but she wasn't about to admit that to Hanna.
A few weeks later Minerva was sitting in the Transfigurations classroom planning out the next weeks lessons. Well, at least that was what she was supposed to be doing, unfortunately, she was a little distracted. Since her 'conversation' with Hanna, Minerva had taken to noticing not only how Albus, and some of the other male teachers, acted around her, but when it started. She realized that his unusually distracted actions and nervousness had started during break, right around the time Chambers had apparently talked to him.
"Have you finished correcting those quizzes Minerva?"
"What? Oh, yes, they're right here. I was just thinking about next week's lesson plans." She said and handed Albus the stack of quizzes to him, his fingers brushing over hers for a second before he quickly pulled away.
"Why don't you go to dinner? I'll deal with next weeks lessons." He said suddenly.
Minerva nodded. He had also taken to shortening their planning sessions together, almost like he was afraid to be alone with her. "Yes, perhaps I should, but so should you, after all, you need to eat too."
He smiled, "Yes, once again you're right. Why don't you go on ahead, I'll just put these papers away and I'll be there in a few minutes."
"Alright, but don't be too long, you know how Headmaster Dippit hates when people, especially teachers are late." She said smiling and then left.
"Just a few more weeks, that's all." Albus mumbled to himself after she had left. Just a few more weeks before she graduated and would leave him, but then again, she wouldn't be a student anymore. "Oh, stop it Albus, Charles was wrong and you shouldn't even try it." He reprimanded himself before heading to the Great Hall himself.
It was now the week of finals, a week before she left Hogwarts, and him.
"I'm going to Beauxbatons to teach charms." She said suddenly. He looked up at her.
"You can't go there!" Dumbledore exclaimed as he practically jumped out of his chair.
"Why not?" Minerva asked, shocked by his outcry, it was not the reaction she had anticipated.
"Why not? Minerva, Grindelwald has taken over half the main land, and Beauxbatons is next on his list of places to attack, you could get hurt, or worse killed!" He said pacing in front of her.
"I realize that, but I'm still taking the job. You've said it yourself, Professor, more witches and wizards from Great Britain must support and help our brothers and sisters on the main land against his evil, and that's exactly what I'm doing." He stopped pacing and looked at her. She didn't realize how it would destroy him if she was taken away from him like that.
"No. You're too young. You have you're whole life ahead of you, Minerva. You have the makings of one of the most powerful witches I have ever seen, you'd be a casualty that our world is not prepared to pay." Minerva didn't know whether to be thankful for his concern and high opinion, or outraged by his implication that she couldn't take care of herself and that she needed his approval to do this.
"If I can do such great things, than I'm more needed than I originally thought. You've been over there helping numerous times, now it's my turn. They need reinforcement, and protecting the next generation of students at Beauxbatons is something I'm willing to give my life for if needed." She said strongly standing up and holding back the tears that were trying to break through her defenses.
"I've lived long enough, you haven't."
"I'm not going to discuss this anymore, I was letting you know as a courtesy, not to get your approval." Minerva said defiantly. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to study for my finals. Good day." She said walking out and shutting the door, hard, behind her.
~~~~
Since it was finals week, she didn't have to teach anymore classes with him. She arrived at his class right on time, and left immediately. She ignored his requests for her to see him in his office, or after class. She was falling apart at the thought of leaving while being mad at him, but she wasn't about to apologize, if he wanted her to stay, then he'd have to ask her and give her a good reason, like he loved her.
"Minerva." He said quietly. She didn't even look up from the book she was reading. She was sitting in a chair in the Gryffindor common room in the middle of the afternoon, so the common room was empty except for a few students who were trying to cram some last minute studying in.
"Professor." She greeted coldly.
He sighed and sat down across from her. He had hated the uncomfortable feeling around them after the incident during the winter break, but having her be so cold and angry with him was tearing him apart inside.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you." He said sincerely.
"I'm sure you didn't." She said in a voice he couldn't tell if she was being serious or sarcastic.
"Will you please look at me while I'm talking to you?" He said quietly while watching the others walk out of the common room. They were now alone.
"I have to study."
"Your last exam was this morning, you have nothing else to study for."
She sighed and looked up at him, her face rigid showing no emotion. "What?"
"You surprised me, I wasn't expecting you to take such a risky position. I overreacted, I'll admit that, but you can't honestly tell me that you didn't expect me to be a little upset."
"Why should you be upset? I'm just another one of your students, I'm sure many of us have gone and joined the fight against Grindelwald." She said, a tinge of bitterness framed her voice.
"You're not just another one of my students, Minerva, surely you can see that." He said frowning. This was tearing him apart, on one side he wanted to just pledge his undying love to her right then and there and beg her not to leave, but the other side was reminding him that he had left to fight Grindelwald many times over the past few years, it wouldn't be fair to ask her to do for him what he couldn't promise to do for her.
"So I'm one of the better students who's actually excelled in your class, and your only protégé to have successfully completed my Animagi transformation, you'll still only think of me as your student, a child."
"You're not a child, I know that." He said quietly taking her hand. She didn't take it away, but her face didn't change from the stone like expression, but there was a change in her eyes. "But.you are one of my students. I can't." He looked down at their hands, "Minerva, please understand that I care for you as more than just a student and a protégé, but nonetheless, you are 80 years younger than I, and I am still your teacher and head of house." He paused, not really sure where to go from there. He hadn't actually told her he was in love with her, but simply made it sound like anything more than simple friendship was completely out of the question between them. "Just please promise me that you'll write to me, tell me what's going on, not only with the war, but with you. I want to know you're alright at Beauxbatons. Please promise me you'll keep in touch, at least twice a month, more if you have time."
She looked at him, he was going to say something else, she could tell. In other words, your silly little crush means nothing to me little girl, but lets try and remain civil to each other and maybe I'll be able to be friends with you. She thought to herself. "I promise." She said quietly. He closed his eyes to stop the tears from coming.
"Thank you, my dear." He replied, almost to quiet for her to hear, but she heard nonetheless.
She left the next week. She arrived at Beauxbatons two weeks after that, and he got the first letter two days later.
~~~~~~
Dear Professor Dumbledore,
See, I'm writing, don't worry when I make a promise I intend to keep it. The school is beautiful, and no sign of Grindelwald has been reported, as I'm sure you are aware of. This will be short, but I'll right more later. The headmaster and caretaker were the only faculty present, so I'm being introduced to most of the rest of the staff tonight. I already miss Hogwarts, and knowing that I will not be returning there in the autumn is an idea that I am still getting used to. I must go now, the headmaster should be arriving shortly.
Sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
~~~~~~
He leaned back in his chair, it was the 6th time he had read the letter. She was still safe, he kept on reminding himself. He took out a fresh piece of parchment and set to writing back to her.
~~~~~~
Dearest Minerva,
So formal, my dear? You are allowed to call me Albus. I am glad that you are still safe, and that you still intend to write me. I will be in France next month, perhaps we could have lunch to discuss your teaching plans? I never had the pleasure of teaching Charms, I would be most interested in hearing what you plan on doing first. Hogwarts has not changed since you left, although I am sure that I'll be lost next year without your assistance in class. I'm afraid I have grown quite accustomed to having you beside me
Albus paused, and then erased the last sentence.
I look forward to hearing more about Beauxbatons.
Always,
Albus
~~~~~~
He folded the letter and sent it with an owl before he had a chance to change his mind. This went on throughout the summer. Semi-short letters about the schools, Grindelwald, and teaching. Eventually the new school year arrived, and the letters grew to include descriptions of the students.
~~~~~~
Dearest Minerva,
Mr. Riddle has asked about you once again. I almost dare say that he seems to miss you terrible, or perhaps you were just a better teacher than I am. I just told him you were teaching Charms at Beauxbatons, I hope you don't mind.
~~~~~~
Minerva read the rest of the letter quickly and then took out her quill to write a response.
~~~~~~
Dear Albus,
I do not mind you telling Tom where I am teaching, but I do hope you won't tell him much else. There was always something about him that disturbed me. Do not get me wrong, he is a wonderful boy, and a great student, however, he was one of the students who seemed to develop a crush on me, and if he asked about me I worry that he has not gotten over it.
~~~~~~
She continued the letter with responses to some of his other comments, in addition to some new news that she had gotten.
Soon it was a month before Christmas.
~~~~~~
Dearest Minerva,
I do hope you are planning on visiting Hogwarts during the break. I'm sure that the staff would enjoy your company, even for a day or two, to brighten our dark halls once again. And no, this is not a ploy to get you away from Beauxbatons, I assure you I won't try and prevent you from returning to your students, who I hope are behaving better than mine right now...
~~~~~~
Dear Albus,
I would love to visit Hogwarts during the break. In fact, Headmaster Dippit should be receiving my request that I may be allowed to stay there for three days, two nights during the break, but I'm not telling you which, it's a surprise. Oh, and I found you the perfect Christmas gift, I know you'll love them.
~~~~~~
End of part 3
YAY! I've finished the third chapter and I'm already starting the 4th. Truthfully, I'm not sure how long this is going to be, but I'm hoping you'll continue to read and enjoy it. It may end up being like an AU fic, but maybe not, I'm not to sure yet. Hopefully I'll have the next chapter up within the next few days, a week at the most.