A/N: Thanks for all the reviews! I'm glad you all like the story. It's my
first romance and I'm really nervous about botching it up. Unfortunately,
there are only very few chapters left. Precisely four. Hope you like those
as well as the ones before!
Cheers,
Lady Whight
.
Fireworks
It was no surprise to her that he suggested they address each other by their first names. For one, she had realised already that he liked to surprise those around him and therefore knew to expect anything, secondly, they were getting along so well that this new development was quite normal. Yet, she had to suppress a tiny smile as she walked to her rooms.
The next day was exhausting. She had to shepherd around students, help them find pets, clothes, books or any other items that they had lost, and make sure the carriages with the thestrals would arrive on time next morning. When she finally sat down at the staff table in the Great Hall, Peeves the Poltergeist had the cheek to snatch her walking stick from her.
'I would have liked to see her off.' She remarked sternly, when Peeves returned the stick to her.
He cackled with laughter and began to chant: 'Toady Dolly needed some whacks, so I had to lend your stick!' Before whizzing off, out of her reach, still chanting.
She didn't have the energy to go after him and decided to forget the event and tuck in instead. The end of term feast was glorious as usual, and the food wonderful. At the end of the meal she was sufficiently revived to undertake the journey to Gandalf's room. Gallant as always, he held the door open for her and helped her into her chair.
'You look tired.' He observed quietly, pouring her some tea.
'The last day of term is always especially exhausting.' She replied, 'I'm sure you'll be glad to hear that from tomorrow evening on, you will be free to leave these rooms.'
'Great!' Gandalf exclaimed. 'I hope we will be able to meet more often, too?'
'We've seen each other daily. Surely you don't mean to say we don't meet often enough?' She asked, taken aback.
'I do.' Gandalf firmly replied. 'We ought to meet more.'
Minerva nearly grinned when she saw his determined expression. 'As you say, Master Wizard.' She said dryly. 'What about a visit to Diagon Alley tomorrow afternoon? I daresay the Weasley twins will enjoy explaining the merits of their fireworks to you.'
His face brightened at once. 'I would like that a lot!'
'Well, that's settled then.'
-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-
They went to Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes in the early afternoon the next day. Fred and George seemed to be doing excruciatingly well; their shop was packed with customers and the two brothers were darting this way and that, pulling all kinds of articles out of the racks stacked with material.
One of the twins, George, if she was not mistaken, spotted her and stared. Then he nudged Fred, who looked up. His eyes widened as soon as he saw her. She saw him mouth her name with an expression of total disbelief, then the twins rushed up to her.
'Professor McGonagall! What induced you to set foot in a JOKE shop?' Fred spluttered.
'Ours, especially.' Added George, looking puzzled.
Both of them realised she was leaning on her walking stick and George got her a stool while Fred asked her anxiously if her turning up at their shop was a sign that the stunners had affected her mind.
This, Minerva could deny and she introduced them to Gandalf and told them he was very interested in their fireworks. 'I hope one of you can spare the time to show him your fireworks.'
'Of course!' George replied and turned to his brother. 'Fred, you can take over the rest of our guests while I show Mr. Gandalf our fireworks.'
Fred bowed low. 'Thank you, exalted brother, for appointing me this task!'
'My pleasure, entirely.' George quipped and tugged Gandalf off to the back of their shop.
Fred left too, leaving Minerva to herself. He did find a moment to present her with a fine cup of hot tea.
An hour later they left, Gandalf carrying scores of fireworks. George and he had talked a lot about the making and storage of fireworks and when he had bought a Catherine wheel or two, George had added a great many other items, saying that Gandalf had packed him with so much information that it was only fair to repay him with a rocket or two.
Back at Hogwarts, they first brought the fireworks to Gandalf's rooms, then went for a walk round the lake. Minerva told him of the squid and Gandalf informed her of the role that same animal had played during the war of the ring.
'It must be ancient.' Minerva exclaimed. 'Even older than you.'
She heard him chuckle. 'Yes, I suppose I am old. The squid is very much older, however.'
'Not that you look it.' She reassured him. 'You look no older than Albus.'
Quite unexpectedly, he grasped her hand. Looking up, she met his bright eyes that were fixed on her face. His expression a mixture of exasperation, amusement and flame.
'Never mind how old I look.' He told her firmly. 'Do you like what you see?'
She was taken back a bit at his directness. Cautiously, she answered. 'I do, why shouldn't I?'
The mischievous smile was back on his face. 'Trust you to find a way to make your answer sound unimportant and my question foolish.'
Her heart skipped a beat; she loved this smile of his! 'If you want better answers, ask me better questions.'
'As you wish, Lady Minerva.' She felt his hand tighten its grip around her own and his gaze never wavered. 'Does your blood tingle like mine does when we are together?'
A very bold question, Minerva decided. 'As I don't know how much your blood tingles, I can't safely answer that question.' She told him coolly.
Cheers,
Lady Whight
.
Fireworks
It was no surprise to her that he suggested they address each other by their first names. For one, she had realised already that he liked to surprise those around him and therefore knew to expect anything, secondly, they were getting along so well that this new development was quite normal. Yet, she had to suppress a tiny smile as she walked to her rooms.
The next day was exhausting. She had to shepherd around students, help them find pets, clothes, books or any other items that they had lost, and make sure the carriages with the thestrals would arrive on time next morning. When she finally sat down at the staff table in the Great Hall, Peeves the Poltergeist had the cheek to snatch her walking stick from her.
'I would have liked to see her off.' She remarked sternly, when Peeves returned the stick to her.
He cackled with laughter and began to chant: 'Toady Dolly needed some whacks, so I had to lend your stick!' Before whizzing off, out of her reach, still chanting.
She didn't have the energy to go after him and decided to forget the event and tuck in instead. The end of term feast was glorious as usual, and the food wonderful. At the end of the meal she was sufficiently revived to undertake the journey to Gandalf's room. Gallant as always, he held the door open for her and helped her into her chair.
'You look tired.' He observed quietly, pouring her some tea.
'The last day of term is always especially exhausting.' She replied, 'I'm sure you'll be glad to hear that from tomorrow evening on, you will be free to leave these rooms.'
'Great!' Gandalf exclaimed. 'I hope we will be able to meet more often, too?'
'We've seen each other daily. Surely you don't mean to say we don't meet often enough?' She asked, taken aback.
'I do.' Gandalf firmly replied. 'We ought to meet more.'
Minerva nearly grinned when she saw his determined expression. 'As you say, Master Wizard.' She said dryly. 'What about a visit to Diagon Alley tomorrow afternoon? I daresay the Weasley twins will enjoy explaining the merits of their fireworks to you.'
His face brightened at once. 'I would like that a lot!'
'Well, that's settled then.'
-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-
They went to Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes in the early afternoon the next day. Fred and George seemed to be doing excruciatingly well; their shop was packed with customers and the two brothers were darting this way and that, pulling all kinds of articles out of the racks stacked with material.
One of the twins, George, if she was not mistaken, spotted her and stared. Then he nudged Fred, who looked up. His eyes widened as soon as he saw her. She saw him mouth her name with an expression of total disbelief, then the twins rushed up to her.
'Professor McGonagall! What induced you to set foot in a JOKE shop?' Fred spluttered.
'Ours, especially.' Added George, looking puzzled.
Both of them realised she was leaning on her walking stick and George got her a stool while Fred asked her anxiously if her turning up at their shop was a sign that the stunners had affected her mind.
This, Minerva could deny and she introduced them to Gandalf and told them he was very interested in their fireworks. 'I hope one of you can spare the time to show him your fireworks.'
'Of course!' George replied and turned to his brother. 'Fred, you can take over the rest of our guests while I show Mr. Gandalf our fireworks.'
Fred bowed low. 'Thank you, exalted brother, for appointing me this task!'
'My pleasure, entirely.' George quipped and tugged Gandalf off to the back of their shop.
Fred left too, leaving Minerva to herself. He did find a moment to present her with a fine cup of hot tea.
An hour later they left, Gandalf carrying scores of fireworks. George and he had talked a lot about the making and storage of fireworks and when he had bought a Catherine wheel or two, George had added a great many other items, saying that Gandalf had packed him with so much information that it was only fair to repay him with a rocket or two.
Back at Hogwarts, they first brought the fireworks to Gandalf's rooms, then went for a walk round the lake. Minerva told him of the squid and Gandalf informed her of the role that same animal had played during the war of the ring.
'It must be ancient.' Minerva exclaimed. 'Even older than you.'
She heard him chuckle. 'Yes, I suppose I am old. The squid is very much older, however.'
'Not that you look it.' She reassured him. 'You look no older than Albus.'
Quite unexpectedly, he grasped her hand. Looking up, she met his bright eyes that were fixed on her face. His expression a mixture of exasperation, amusement and flame.
'Never mind how old I look.' He told her firmly. 'Do you like what you see?'
She was taken back a bit at his directness. Cautiously, she answered. 'I do, why shouldn't I?'
The mischievous smile was back on his face. 'Trust you to find a way to make your answer sound unimportant and my question foolish.'
Her heart skipped a beat; she loved this smile of his! 'If you want better answers, ask me better questions.'
'As you wish, Lady Minerva.' She felt his hand tighten its grip around her own and his gaze never wavered. 'Does your blood tingle like mine does when we are together?'
A very bold question, Minerva decided. 'As I don't know how much your blood tingles, I can't safely answer that question.' She told him coolly.
