Albus stared at Minerva, feeling terribly uncomfortable. Had she heard anything? That was,the question… And if yes: what had she heard…
Totally incapable to say anything, he lowered his eyes and sat down on the couch again.
The look of surprise in Minerva's eyes was unmistakable. She frowned, suddenly changing into "Stern Transfigurations Teacher"-mode.
"Er… I am sorry, Albus, but what exactly has happened here? Rolanda just passed me by and… well, to be honest, she looked as if she could slap me in the face right away. I've hear some yelling…"
Albus sighed. Well, if she'd heard it, then he could better deal with it.
"What have you heard?"
With a questioning gesture, Minerva shrugged her shoulders.
"Oh- hardly anything… I heard Rolanda yell something about "make a move", though… and…"
"Oh!" Albus quickly interrupted her, hoping the relief he felt wasn't too easily readable from his face. "You haven't heard-"
With this, Minerva arched her dark eyebrows in her very typical way.
"What have I not heard?"
Albus could hit himself. He really could. Why had he not just shut up and… Now he had to give himself away… but he simply couldn't do so. With what he hoped was a casual grin, he muttered
"Nothing. I mean- a tiny little argument with our dear Flying Instructor. Nothing to worry about, really. By the way…" He paused
"Yes?" Minerva asked, noticing his hesitation.
"Do you want to go to the ball with me?"
Albus almost grinned as her jaw dropped. This was obviously the last question she'd expected- well, of course it was. He had asked it quite- directly. But he had had to do it this way. Otherwise, he'd never find his courage…
Minerva was… confused. It literally took minutes for her brain to understand the words Albus had just spoken to her. Had he- no, he couldn't have… Had Albus Dumbledore just asked her to go to the Valentine's ball with him? Why did he just now…
And suddenly, she understood Rolanda's last, yelled words, as she felt her quick, Scottish temper rise. "Make a move". Of course… only Rolanda could be bold enough to… But didn't she understand that- that this told Minerva nothing. Of course Albus had now been forced to asking her, even if he didn't want to… Oh she'd KILL Rolanda Hooch. She- would- literally- kill- the- woman- now… Minerva sighed heavily, hardly remembering where and in whose company she was.
"Do I have to take that as a no?"
Feeling the blood rush to her cheeks, Minerva looked up quickly.
"No- no, of course not. I'd love to go with you, Albus!"
Hadn't she said that a little too enthusiastically? Oh, whatever... a smile appeared on Albus' lips, and unless the man was a well-trained actor, he meant that smile as well.
With a friendly- or something more, perhaps… no, Minerva, stop dreaming- gesture, he took both her hands in his.
"Thank you, Minerva. Thank you, my dear. I'll come and pick you up at seven, then."
With a soft, yet slightly uncomfortable grin –he was holding her hands, oh sweetness, oh delight!-, Minerva responded
"It's another week to the Ball, Albus- we'll see each other before then."
And as she said good-bye again, feeling all warm and soft inside -oh, why did she have a class to teach?- she had a feeling…
Maybe she would not kill Rolanda Hooch right away.
Totally incapable to say anything, he lowered his eyes and sat down on the couch again.
The look of surprise in Minerva's eyes was unmistakable. She frowned, suddenly changing into "Stern Transfigurations Teacher"-mode.
"Er… I am sorry, Albus, but what exactly has happened here? Rolanda just passed me by and… well, to be honest, she looked as if she could slap me in the face right away. I've hear some yelling…"
Albus sighed. Well, if she'd heard it, then he could better deal with it.
"What have you heard?"
With a questioning gesture, Minerva shrugged her shoulders.
"Oh- hardly anything… I heard Rolanda yell something about "make a move", though… and…"
"Oh!" Albus quickly interrupted her, hoping the relief he felt wasn't too easily readable from his face. "You haven't heard-"
With this, Minerva arched her dark eyebrows in her very typical way.
"What have I not heard?"
Albus could hit himself. He really could. Why had he not just shut up and… Now he had to give himself away… but he simply couldn't do so. With what he hoped was a casual grin, he muttered
"Nothing. I mean- a tiny little argument with our dear Flying Instructor. Nothing to worry about, really. By the way…" He paused
"Yes?" Minerva asked, noticing his hesitation.
"Do you want to go to the ball with me?"
Albus almost grinned as her jaw dropped. This was obviously the last question she'd expected- well, of course it was. He had asked it quite- directly. But he had had to do it this way. Otherwise, he'd never find his courage…
Minerva was… confused. It literally took minutes for her brain to understand the words Albus had just spoken to her. Had he- no, he couldn't have… Had Albus Dumbledore just asked her to go to the Valentine's ball with him? Why did he just now…
And suddenly, she understood Rolanda's last, yelled words, as she felt her quick, Scottish temper rise. "Make a move". Of course… only Rolanda could be bold enough to… But didn't she understand that- that this told Minerva nothing. Of course Albus had now been forced to asking her, even if he didn't want to… Oh she'd KILL Rolanda Hooch. She- would- literally- kill- the- woman- now… Minerva sighed heavily, hardly remembering where and in whose company she was.
"Do I have to take that as a no?"
Feeling the blood rush to her cheeks, Minerva looked up quickly.
"No- no, of course not. I'd love to go with you, Albus!"
Hadn't she said that a little too enthusiastically? Oh, whatever... a smile appeared on Albus' lips, and unless the man was a well-trained actor, he meant that smile as well.
With a friendly- or something more, perhaps… no, Minerva, stop dreaming- gesture, he took both her hands in his.
"Thank you, Minerva. Thank you, my dear. I'll come and pick you up at seven, then."
With a soft, yet slightly uncomfortable grin –he was holding her hands, oh sweetness, oh delight!-, Minerva responded
"It's another week to the Ball, Albus- we'll see each other before then."
And as she said good-bye again, feeling all warm and soft inside -oh, why did she have a class to teach?- she had a feeling…
Maybe she would not kill Rolanda Hooch right away.
