Sweet
She saw a shadow pass over his eyes as he realised that he had made a mistake. He raised her hand to his lips and touched the cool knuckles. 'Pardon my bold words, Minerva, I did not think.'
The apology seemed very sincere and she didn't even think of not accepting it. 'Yes, you sometimes do that.' She couldn't help smiling, 'shall we go inside again?'
The smile he sent back at her warmed her whole being. She let him tuck her hand into the crook of his elbow. 'If it pleases you, Minerva.'
They walked back to the castle slowly. Minerva felt very good and so the wave of pain that rushed over her took her by surprise. She could not help but cling to Gandalf's arm, no doubt hurting him. He did not complain, however, but helped her sit onto one of the steps of the stair, his eyes full of worry.
Then his expression turned purposeful and he reached for her hands. She guessed what he was up to at once, although she couldn't fathom what spell he needed to do it. Quickly, she snatched back her hands, sending him a stern look. She didn't want him to help her like that. His bright blue eyes showing her how troubled he was, he sighed and said:
'I could relieve you of some of your pain, Minerva.'
She shook her head. 'I do not want you to endure the hurt in my place. Believe me, I am well capable of dealing with it. I do appreciate your concern, however.' To her relief, her body stopped hurting so much, and talking wasn't difficult.
'How long till those fits will come no more?' She treasured the look that was in his eyes as he spoke.
'They should stop bothering me in about four days, the healers told me. If not, I must return to St. Mungo's.' She replied honestly.
'I hope they will pass sooner. Are you well enough to climb the stairs?' He asked.
'Yes. Thank you.' She answered and let him help her up.
He nearly carried her up the stairs, his hand under her arm was strong and wiry. 'We will go to my rooms and play chess.' He stated.
Minerva suppressed a grin, he seemed to think that she had over-exerted herself showing him the Weasley twins' shop and then walking near the lake, and was determined to have her rest more. 'Even if that means you will loose again?' She quipped, not able to restrain herself.
'Yes.' He replied firmly. 'If I can hinder you from hurting by loosing at chess, I will loose.'
Minerva's mouth opened in a silent 'o' and she heard her blood pound loudly in her ears suddenly. Had he just said that? Sweet. Before he saw her open mouth, she snapped it shut. He smiled down at her and she smiled back, how could she stay cool and detached when he was so kind and charming?
As if in a dream, she saw his free arm lift, his hand floating towards her temple. They were no longer walking, but stood rooted to the spot, facing each other, only his hand moved with sweet slowness. For a quick moment, no longer than it would take for a eyelash to move down and up again, his hand stopped, then it bridged the last gap between her and him, the backs of his fingers touching her temple lightly, just like the wings of a butterfly.
Gently, ever so gently, his fingers passed downwards, over her cheekbone, cheek, the line of her chin, their touch so light, they might have been the touch of his breath. His blue eyes watched her all the while, too tender for words, his smile a caress. She could not, would not blink, and gazed back into his eyes, unable and unwilling to break from their blue light.
Her hand reach out of its own will for his hand, which now fell ever so slowly back to his side. She caught it before it had retreated too far and held it, her thumb caressing his knuckles. His hand was warm, dry and now wrapped round her fingers firmly, to raise them to his lips.
'My lady.' He whispered, pressing his lips on her knuckles. She was enchanted.
She saw a shadow pass over his eyes as he realised that he had made a mistake. He raised her hand to his lips and touched the cool knuckles. 'Pardon my bold words, Minerva, I did not think.'
The apology seemed very sincere and she didn't even think of not accepting it. 'Yes, you sometimes do that.' She couldn't help smiling, 'shall we go inside again?'
The smile he sent back at her warmed her whole being. She let him tuck her hand into the crook of his elbow. 'If it pleases you, Minerva.'
They walked back to the castle slowly. Minerva felt very good and so the wave of pain that rushed over her took her by surprise. She could not help but cling to Gandalf's arm, no doubt hurting him. He did not complain, however, but helped her sit onto one of the steps of the stair, his eyes full of worry.
Then his expression turned purposeful and he reached for her hands. She guessed what he was up to at once, although she couldn't fathom what spell he needed to do it. Quickly, she snatched back her hands, sending him a stern look. She didn't want him to help her like that. His bright blue eyes showing her how troubled he was, he sighed and said:
'I could relieve you of some of your pain, Minerva.'
She shook her head. 'I do not want you to endure the hurt in my place. Believe me, I am well capable of dealing with it. I do appreciate your concern, however.' To her relief, her body stopped hurting so much, and talking wasn't difficult.
'How long till those fits will come no more?' She treasured the look that was in his eyes as he spoke.
'They should stop bothering me in about four days, the healers told me. If not, I must return to St. Mungo's.' She replied honestly.
'I hope they will pass sooner. Are you well enough to climb the stairs?' He asked.
'Yes. Thank you.' She answered and let him help her up.
He nearly carried her up the stairs, his hand under her arm was strong and wiry. 'We will go to my rooms and play chess.' He stated.
Minerva suppressed a grin, he seemed to think that she had over-exerted herself showing him the Weasley twins' shop and then walking near the lake, and was determined to have her rest more. 'Even if that means you will loose again?' She quipped, not able to restrain herself.
'Yes.' He replied firmly. 'If I can hinder you from hurting by loosing at chess, I will loose.'
Minerva's mouth opened in a silent 'o' and she heard her blood pound loudly in her ears suddenly. Had he just said that? Sweet. Before he saw her open mouth, she snapped it shut. He smiled down at her and she smiled back, how could she stay cool and detached when he was so kind and charming?
As if in a dream, she saw his free arm lift, his hand floating towards her temple. They were no longer walking, but stood rooted to the spot, facing each other, only his hand moved with sweet slowness. For a quick moment, no longer than it would take for a eyelash to move down and up again, his hand stopped, then it bridged the last gap between her and him, the backs of his fingers touching her temple lightly, just like the wings of a butterfly.
Gently, ever so gently, his fingers passed downwards, over her cheekbone, cheek, the line of her chin, their touch so light, they might have been the touch of his breath. His blue eyes watched her all the while, too tender for words, his smile a caress. She could not, would not blink, and gazed back into his eyes, unable and unwilling to break from their blue light.
Her hand reach out of its own will for his hand, which now fell ever so slowly back to his side. She caught it before it had retreated too far and held it, her thumb caressing his knuckles. His hand was warm, dry and now wrapped round her fingers firmly, to raise them to his lips.
'My lady.' He whispered, pressing his lips on her knuckles. She was enchanted.
