"Professor?" Minerva asked seriously, the next day.
It was her 4th detention with Dumbledore, and they had just played chess again. Albus had won, again, but Minerva didn't really care. She now liked talking with him better than just playing chess.
Albus smiled as he saw the faint blushes on her cheeks.
"Yes, Minerva?"
"I want to thank you." she muttered softly, suddenly not wanting to look into his eyes.
"For what, my dear?"
"For yesterday. For listening to me. You actually are the first one I've ever entrusted those feelings to…"
Albus nodded softly.
"I realize that, Minerva, and I am honored."
Minerva smiled, but she hadn't finished yet.
"It's a strange thing, but I trust you, Professor. I have never had anyone to share my thoughts with, but you are- it is strange." she ended her sentence quite confusedly. Why had she tried to say this? What had she tried to say anyway?
But Albus still was serious.
"I am really honored, Minerva, but how could you have never had anyone to tell these things? You are such a wonderful girl- and quite popular, I believe."
Minerva slightly blushed, yet shook her head.
"Actually, I have never been really "popular", Professor. I am too intelligent. This is not plain brag- it is true. There are, and have always been, people who're jealous of me because of that. And yes, I have friends, but I've never had that one "best friend". I thought Tammy would perhaps become it, but- well, I don't know. I like her, she's great, but she- she had Phelas now, and…"
She had said all this more to herself than to Albus, yet the man had, of course, heard everything and grinned faintly. But he was shaking inside.
For some reason.
"Ah, a boy, yes, I get it. But, my dear, you aren't telling me that you have not got a boyfriend, are you?"
Minerva quite sternly raised her eyebrows, yet then honestly answered his question.
"No, I have not, and to be honest, I have never had one either. Except- but I was a child then… I have never really felt love for someone… I don't think, by the way, that any boy has ever felt something for me either…"
Albus shivered very softly. How could she speak so bitterly, such harsh words?
"Minerva," he spoke very sincerely. "don't think that bad of yourself. I know this sounds ridiculous and cliché-like, but you will meet your prince once. I am sure of that. And I, and this I mean with all my heart, cannot imagine how any man could ever lay eyes on you and not immediately fall in love."
And what had he said now…
A silence had fallen and it was a strange silence.
Albus Dumbledore's words meant as much as "I have fallen in love with you, Minerva, and they both realized it.
They had crossed a border.
There was no way back.
With a suddenly hoarse cough, Albus stood up.
"I shouldn't have said that, Minerva. I apologize. I hereby remit you your detention of tomorrow. Perhaps you had better leave now…"
"No!"
She'd exclaimed the one word without thinking, and as she stood up, she knew that something had happened to her as well.
"No, Professor. I am coming back tomorrow. We should not part on such uncomfortable terms. I-"
She gazed at him, intensely, a strange light in her emerald eyes?
He was so close.
She was so close.
Minerva could feel Albus' breath on her face. He smelled like hot cocoa.
She loved hot cocoa.
And all of a sudden, their eyes linked and very, very slowly, their faces met.
As the earth stopped moving.
They both did not know who had started the kiss. It had just come. Suddenly, their lips had touched and somehow, everything became perfect.
They both were surprised, but they both knew they liked it.
And they both realized how very, very wrong this was.
Albus would have given everything to let this one, this one, small moment last forever. And ever. And ever.
Her lips on his, so timidly, so carefully, yet so obviously present.
He was kissing Minerva McGonagall, the most wonderful person in the world.
And suddenly, he got back to his senses.
He released her, briskly. She stared at him, a question in her eyes, a question which could not be expressed in words. Perhaps "What was this?" was the closest one could ever get.
But she asked more.
What was this?
Why did this happen?
Do I- love you?
Is this wrong?
But of course it was wrong!
Albus cleared his throat as he felt the blood rush to his cheeks."
"I apologize, Minerva. I sincerely do apologize, and…"
She stopped him with one gesture.
"No, Professor, I apologize. I am- sorry…"
With this, she ran away.
Albus could see she was crying.
It was her 4th detention with Dumbledore, and they had just played chess again. Albus had won, again, but Minerva didn't really care. She now liked talking with him better than just playing chess.
Albus smiled as he saw the faint blushes on her cheeks.
"Yes, Minerva?"
"I want to thank you." she muttered softly, suddenly not wanting to look into his eyes.
"For what, my dear?"
"For yesterday. For listening to me. You actually are the first one I've ever entrusted those feelings to…"
Albus nodded softly.
"I realize that, Minerva, and I am honored."
Minerva smiled, but she hadn't finished yet.
"It's a strange thing, but I trust you, Professor. I have never had anyone to share my thoughts with, but you are- it is strange." she ended her sentence quite confusedly. Why had she tried to say this? What had she tried to say anyway?
But Albus still was serious.
"I am really honored, Minerva, but how could you have never had anyone to tell these things? You are such a wonderful girl- and quite popular, I believe."
Minerva slightly blushed, yet shook her head.
"Actually, I have never been really "popular", Professor. I am too intelligent. This is not plain brag- it is true. There are, and have always been, people who're jealous of me because of that. And yes, I have friends, but I've never had that one "best friend". I thought Tammy would perhaps become it, but- well, I don't know. I like her, she's great, but she- she had Phelas now, and…"
She had said all this more to herself than to Albus, yet the man had, of course, heard everything and grinned faintly. But he was shaking inside.
For some reason.
"Ah, a boy, yes, I get it. But, my dear, you aren't telling me that you have not got a boyfriend, are you?"
Minerva quite sternly raised her eyebrows, yet then honestly answered his question.
"No, I have not, and to be honest, I have never had one either. Except- but I was a child then… I have never really felt love for someone… I don't think, by the way, that any boy has ever felt something for me either…"
Albus shivered very softly. How could she speak so bitterly, such harsh words?
"Minerva," he spoke very sincerely. "don't think that bad of yourself. I know this sounds ridiculous and cliché-like, but you will meet your prince once. I am sure of that. And I, and this I mean with all my heart, cannot imagine how any man could ever lay eyes on you and not immediately fall in love."
And what had he said now…
A silence had fallen and it was a strange silence.
Albus Dumbledore's words meant as much as "I have fallen in love with you, Minerva, and they both realized it.
They had crossed a border.
There was no way back.
With a suddenly hoarse cough, Albus stood up.
"I shouldn't have said that, Minerva. I apologize. I hereby remit you your detention of tomorrow. Perhaps you had better leave now…"
"No!"
She'd exclaimed the one word without thinking, and as she stood up, she knew that something had happened to her as well.
"No, Professor. I am coming back tomorrow. We should not part on such uncomfortable terms. I-"
She gazed at him, intensely, a strange light in her emerald eyes?
He was so close.
She was so close.
Minerva could feel Albus' breath on her face. He smelled like hot cocoa.
She loved hot cocoa.
And all of a sudden, their eyes linked and very, very slowly, their faces met.
As the earth stopped moving.
They both did not know who had started the kiss. It had just come. Suddenly, their lips had touched and somehow, everything became perfect.
They both were surprised, but they both knew they liked it.
And they both realized how very, very wrong this was.
Albus would have given everything to let this one, this one, small moment last forever. And ever. And ever.
Her lips on his, so timidly, so carefully, yet so obviously present.
He was kissing Minerva McGonagall, the most wonderful person in the world.
And suddenly, he got back to his senses.
He released her, briskly. She stared at him, a question in her eyes, a question which could not be expressed in words. Perhaps "What was this?" was the closest one could ever get.
But she asked more.
What was this?
Why did this happen?
Do I- love you?
Is this wrong?
But of course it was wrong!
Albus cleared his throat as he felt the blood rush to his cheeks."
"I apologize, Minerva. I sincerely do apologize, and…"
She stopped him with one gesture.
"No, Professor, I apologize. I am- sorry…"
With this, she ran away.
Albus could see she was crying.