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~~The Perfect Gift~~

Gently grasping her hands in his own, he let his thoughts and feelings flow through him. "Minerva, I have never been as happy in my life as I am with you. You are the most fascinating woman I have ever met. You have a depth in your soul that I have not seen in witches and wizards twice or three times your age. You are caring and loving, smart and wise, beautiful and aristocratic. I have been so lucky to find you and for you to care for me in return. I love you with all my heart and soul and I hope that you will consent to spending the rest of your life with me." As the final words left his lips, he detached one of his hands and held it palm up between them. There hovering just above his fingers in the fading light was the band which held the glowing, heirloom diamond and emeralds he hoped she would accept. He fell to one knee leaving the ring to dance before her. "My dear, will you marry me?"

Immediately breathless, Minerva dropped to her knees in the chilling wet snow. However, she did not feel the dampness that soaked her robes, instead she relished the feeling of the warm tears of joy that were streaming down her rosy cheeks. Cupping Albus' face in her delicate hands, she locked eyes with him as she said the words he had longed to hear. "Albus, I have grown to love you more than anyone I have ever known.  With each new day, you bring joy, laughter, and an immense amount of love into my life and I do not want to be without you for even a day. It would be my greatest honor to become your wife and to share everything I have or hope to be with you."

As she wrapped her arms around his neck, she pulled him close to her and Minerva poured her heart into the touching of their lips. Overcome with emotions, they toppled to the ground in a tight embrace. As she intensified the kiss, they paid no attention to the fact that they were, once again, lying in the snow in a deeply intimate scene.

Several magnificent moments passed as the newly engaged couple expressed their love through every movement of their bodies. It wasn't until he heard the distant sounds of the children still playing in the snow that Albus realized just how public their display of affection could be if the wrong people saw. Pulling back from Minerva, yet still sitting in the snow, he reached up and plucked the ring from mid air. As he took her hand in his once again, shivers of delight ran though Minerva and seemed to spread to every inch of her body.

The ring was a perfect fit and it made a dazzling display as the last rays of sunlight were reflected on the shimmering snow. Sharing one last kiss to seal their engagement, they both rose from the wet ground and happily made their way towards the castle.

Back in the main hallways of Hogwarts, it was decided that each would retire to their own chambers to change from their wet attire into something dry and considerably warmer. Then Albus would make his way to Minerva's private chambers for a quiet dinner and the exchanging of gifts. Albus raised her slender hand to his lips and promised to see her soon. Making her way to her own rooms, butterflies were wreaking havoc in her stomach. She had been planning this special night for weeks and now everything seemed so surreal. In her wildest fantasies, she had never imagined that he would propose on the same night as her special gift. That would make the entire evening more memorable than her dreams.

A knock announced Albus' arrival and Minerva took one last glance around the room before opening the door. Everything had to be perfect, even more so now that they were engaged. She had spent the last two weeks in fits of nerves and longing at the thought of giving Albus her special gift. She knew now, more than ever before, that it was what she wanted and by his recent actions and the way he lovingly held her, she felt safe in assuming that he held similar feelings. "Well, Albus, don't you look especially handsome this evening?" Closing the door, Minerva greeted Albus with a broad smile as he pulled her close for a light kiss and a warming hug as he lavished her with compliments on her own appearance.

"Ah, my dear. It is because the most beautiful woman in the world agreed to marry me less than one hour ago and I'm still in shock." Holding her close to him, they let the words sink in as their lips touched again, this time more passionately. As they broke apart, Minerva led him through the formal room into her more private sitting area, which had been transfigured to resemble the restaurant from their first official date. A sparkle in his eyes told the nervous witch that her efforts were appreciated as she took great pride in explaining how simple it had been for her.

A light kiss on her cheek told her that he, too, was pleased with her efforts and that made the butterflies go wild inside her already shaky body. Settling down at the intimate table for two, they ate a delicious meal by soft candlelight and shared a wonderful conversation about holidays, families, and life in general. The hours seemed to float by but in the back of her mind, Minerva knew what the rest of the night held in store and she longed to share her gift with Albus. Plus she was curious to see what he had chosen for her and she had waited patiently all day.

After an especially decadent chocolate dessert, prepared especially for the occasion, the happy couple retired to the sofa by the fire. Snuggling closely, Albus placed a tantalizing kiss on Minerva's neck as she tilted her head to allow him better access. A slight giggle escaped her lips as his beard tickled her and she pushed him away. "I can't stand this any longer Albus. I think we need to exchange gifts now! I've kept this a secret for far too long." Nodding in agreement, he admitted that he was also curious as to her gift for him and that he was sure he would love anything she had chosen.

It was decided that he would present Minerva with her gift first. He had a terrible time trying to keep it a secret but when he saw her face light up as the Christmas trees in the Great Hall, he was sure it had been worth it. As she carefully opened the brightly wrapped package, tears welled in her eyes. Removing the polished cherry wood box from its' packaging, she realized that she was holding a beautiful creation in her hands that resembled an antique jewelry box. As she opened the lid, she realized that this particular one had two figurines that looked like them, exactly as they had appeared on their first date. The area surrounding the two models was the scenic area of Peasholm Park, complete with the lake and the Glen. She wiped away her tears of joy when the two figurines climbed into a small boat and floated into the tiny lake. The small Minerva figurine blushed furiously as the Albus figurine leaned over and kissed her soundly on the lips, instead of falling into the lake as he had done in reality. Looking into his eyes, the "real" Minerva was beaming with joy as a single tear slid down her flushed cheeks. "Oh Albus! This has to be the most beautiful gift I've ever received and I will cherish it always."

"You looked so beautiful that night and I never wanted to forget a single detail from that evening…or the way you made me feel inside." Taking his thumb and wiping away the traces of the tear, he began to speak again. "Oh, I forgot to tell you…this is a box that plays music. Muggles love these things. Here, turn this small key and keep the lid opened."

Doing as he had instructed, Minerva's eyes flashed with excitement as she heard the strains of a favorite muggle tune, Moonlight Serenade by Glenn Miller. Barely whispering in an attempt to keep the romantic mood, Albus spoke again from his heart. "Minerva, my love, I want to share a moonlight serenade with you every night for the rest of our lives. I love you!" And with that he folded her into his arms as she thanked him a thousand times over while the music box played the tune.

Pulling back from his embrace, Minerva felt more of the nervous twitches in her stomach as she summoned several beautifully wrapped packages from her bedroom. He was instructed to open them in a certain order, with the smallest one being last. She went on to explain that she had intended for most of them to be placed at the foot of his bed on Christmas morning, as if Father Christmas had delivered them. But since she had been with him, her plans had changed.

He was pleased with her choices of gifts…an entire bag of sherbert lemons, a bag of treats for Fawkes, a few jokes from Zonko's, and a pair of woolen socks. His favorite gift had to be the socks! They were a bright purple and had hundreds of lemon drops on them which changed to Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans, which changed to chocolate frogs, and so on. They were his dream socks and he told her that she had done a magnificent job with her gifts.

One box still lay unopened on the sofa between them. As he began to unwrap it, she couldn't help the smile lighting her lovely features. Once opened, a look of sheer confusion blanketed Albus' face. "My dear, it's…ummm…well I'm not sure what it is."

He carefully removed a black band of material and upon further inspection, he realized that he had been given a blindfold. "Are you sure this is for me?" Allowing the mischievous grin to invade her sparkling eyes, she nodded and reached out to stroke his cheek lightly. Now he really was confused but he tried to keep his thoughts under control while the rest of his body craved more of her touch.

"Wait one minute and I'll be back." Rising from the couch and walking towards her bedchamber door, she turned to face him. "Albus, would you mind placing the blindfold over your eyes. I will bring your present but I want to surprise you."

Accommodating her wishes, he did as she requested and silently wondered what on earth she could have bought him that could necessitate the wearing of a blindfold. In the back of his mind, however, he was trying to burn the image of a smiling Minerva McGonagall into his memory. She looked so exquisite and he wanted to always remember every movement she made on this particular night.

Moments later he heard her enter the room again and he knew that she was standing close yet she said nothing. He did, however, sense a slight change in the air. When she entered the room, he noticed the lack of swishing associated with her robes and for a brief instant, he wondered why. Albus could tell that she was getting nearer and he was almost ready to remove the blindfold but something inside him made him stop. She had not indicated that he was allowed to look yet and he certainly didn't want to spoil her fun.

Minerva walked over to the sofa and used a delicate finger to lightly trace the features of his mouth, barely touching them as she went. The next moment, she had moved behind him and he could feel her hot breath on his ear and neck. Squirming in his seat, Albus fought for control of his emotions while his senses were sent into overload. Her hands had gently started to massage his shoulders and made their way though his long hair. Finally, she moved to stand in front of him and leaned forward to whisper breathily into his ear.

"Albus, I want you to slowly remove your blindfold but do not say a word until I have finished speaking. Is that clear?" Assuring her that he would obey, he carefully removed the blindfold and his mouth dropped open at the sight before him.

There she stood bathed in firelight as the candles now burned more dimly than just moments before while the fire blazed furiously. His eyes surveyed the sight before him and he was utterly blown away by her beauty. He almost had to remind himself to breathe and telling his eyes to blink was a thing of the past. Her long hair still cascaded down her back as it had all evening but it appeared softer, shiner. Creamy skin that looked so soft was shimmering as the light danced across her newly revealed flesh and he suddenly felt the urge to reach out and touch her. He needed to make sure he wasn't dreaming. A realization dawned on him and a look of desire filled his eyes. Minerva had changed her attire and she was now wearing a very provocative and enticing piece of nightwear. She had given him the gift of the lingerie for both of them to enjoy and that was her way of making her intentions clear.

"I hope you like your present," she said and she slowly spun around to give him the full effect of the low cut nightgown. It was long and red, befitting a Christmas gift, and it was made from pure silk. As she leisurely turned in front of him, he noticed that it was cut dangerously low in the back revealing a smooth expanse of skin that begged for his touch. High slits on the sides of the nightwear revealed well-shaped legs and the thin straps holding the material on her seductive body allowed him to see her loving arms…arms that he wished to feel about him in the stillness of the night.

The front of the gown also dipped teasingly low and revealed even more of her sensuous body than he could have hoped for. The nightgown was a perfect fit and only enhanced her very feminine figure as it clung to all the right places. Albus had held her closely before yet nothing could have prepared him for the mere sight of this woman in such alluring attire. His eyes smoldered with a yearning and that was everything she needed to know, and it pleased her.

Speaking in a softer than usual tone with a hint of playfulness she began her short speech. "My dear, I do apologize for the earlier deception but alas, I am your gift this year. I had planned this entire evening for you…for us, long before you proposed this afternoon. Remember the day I went shopping alone? Well, this is what I bought for you. I wanted our first night to be special. I hope you are pleased."

As he tried to stand, Albus realized how weak in the knees he had suddenly become. She had managed to turn his entire body to jelly, well almost his entire body. Gently grasping her upper arms and feeling her silky skin beneath his hands he searched for his voice. "Minerva, you are the most amazing woman I have ever known. How could I not be pleased with my gift? I have wanted you for months but I was afraid to make any further advances. I didn't want to seem too forward. I will say this, however. You are the most wonderful present I could ever receive." Leaning in to place a sweet kiss on a newly exposed part of her skin, Minerva pulled back slightly.

"Albus, follow me. I believe it is time you saw the rest of your present." With a mere wave of her hand, all of the candles disappeared and she took his hand within her own. As she began to lead him through to her bedchambers, he suddenly stopped and pulled her to him. Relishing the feel of this beauty encased within his embrace, he found it increasingly hard to refrain from showing her exactly how he felt right then and there. However, this was going to be their first night together and from her actions, time was not an issue. By the way she was looking at him, he knew they were in for a long night and that only excited him more.

"I want to do this right, my love. Our first night together should be wonderful and memorable, just as you are to me." Passionate kisses had been shared between the two before but nothing even remotely compared to this one. There were no rushed movements or awkward tension, just tenderness and longing. Minerva suddenly felt the tiny butterflies that had been plaguing her all evening, flutter away into the darkness and a tingling sensation took their place as Albus' tongue explored her mouth longingly. As the kiss ended, Albus scooped his love into his arms and proceeded into her most private living quarters where another surprise awaited him.

The room itself had been adorned with hundreds of floating candles, a crackling fire, dozens of flowers, and near the window was a large four-poster bed, with the sheets turned down. "I told you I had been planning this night for some time and I wanted everything to be perfect. I love you with every fiber of my being and I intend to prove that to you tonight, my dear sweet husband-to-be."

Carefully planting her feet on the floor as he released her from his arms, he again stood inches from the most desirable woman he had ever seen. As she teasingly began to unfasten his robes while nuzzling his neck, he realized for the first time that this was not a dream and that he would never have to be separated from her again. The most beautiful woman in the world found him irresistible, physically, and she had consented to marry him in the near future. Pushing his garments to the floor, Minerva ran her hands up his bare chest and through his hair. Closing his eyes in sheer pleasure, he knew he was a lucky man but his thoughts were being pushed aside to allow his body to fully appreciate the feel of her silky skin as it brushed against his own.

Reverently and slowly, Albus lowered his head and allowed his tongue to caress her throat. As he traced a path from her ear down to her shoulder, Minerva could not contain the soft moan that escaped her lips. He let his skillful hands wander unhurriedly across the smooth fabric that separated them from the flesh he yearned to explore at length. For the second time that evening, a giggle escaped her lips as his beard lightly tickled her and aroused her at the same time. As their breaths became increasingly shorter and the desire reached a point of no return, Minerva pulled back from his embrace to speak the last audible words of the evening.

"My love, I think it's time you unwrapped your gift. I don't think either of us can stand this teasing and tension any longer. I want to enjoy the feeling of holding you close in such an intimate way."

With tenderness and love, he deftly slipped the silky material from her upper body and guided it over her hips until it lay in a heap at her ankles as his nimble fingers lightly grazed her flesh. With love and desire flashing in his bright blue eyes, he surveyed her figure and silently whispered a word of thanks to the gods above. Just when he couldn't imagine her being more beautiful, she stepped out of the silky pool of material at her feet and wrapped her arms around his neck while pressing her entire frame against his. Once again, lifting her into his arms, he lovingly placed her in the center of the bed. With a quick spell, Minerva managed to leave him in the same state of undress as she seductively kissed and teased him until they melted into the others embrace.

Neither had ever known such passion could exist. They had both loved others before but the love they made that Christmas night surpassed all of their other experiences combined. Each movement of their bodies seemed perfectly timed. Each touch managed to ignite tiny fires under the skin. The kisses were intense but left them with a hunger that could not be satisfied. Tongues waged a sensual war against each other and the battle grew in intensity as soft sighs and moans echoed between them. As the two lovers expressed their deepest desires and wishes, it became apparent that they had been made for each other. Albus seemed to anticipate what Minerva wanted and fulfilled her wishes before she had a chance to speak them. He reverently caressed every seductive inch of her body as she sighed and moaned at his touch.

In turn, she had sensed his various states of passion and moved to accommodate his needs and desires. As they clung tightly to the other and explored the awakened passion, they took no notice that the moonlight faded away, the flames from the fireplace lowered, and the sun threatened to appear as the completely enchanted witch and wizard continued to lavish the other with love.

To Be Continued…

A/N: Wow! That was a LOT of fun to write!  ^_^ We hope we didn't melt your computer screens and we certainly hope we didn't offend anyone! So, was it worth the wait and the small cliffhanger???

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