Summary: The staff of Hogwarts decides to throw Minerva McGonagall a surprise birthday party. Albus asks her to dinner to get her out of the castle while they prepare...romance blooms and when they come back surprises await...
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Alas, they're not mine. I'm merely borrowing them!
~The Wonder of a Birthday~
Friday evening came relatively quickly and the stern transfiguration professor was struggling. A part of her wanted to dress in something very feminine and attractive but the practical side of her personality kept reminding her that Albus was only a friend. After rummaging through her meager selections, she settled for something practical…her daily attire. She wasn't sure where they would be going but Albus hadn't told her to dress special for this evening so she assumed it would be a casual affair. Dressing quickly, she anxiously waited for her friend to appear at the door to begin the evening.
A light knock made Minerva's heart skip a beat. She wasn't really sure why, but she had butterflies and yet this was her oldest and dearest friend. Upon opening the door, she was left speechless. There he stood, in robes of the deepest shade of blue. She hadn't thought it possible but they seemed to enhance the shading of his eyes and made his beard look even more spectacular. For an instant, she felt her knees go weak and every cell in her body noticed how very attractive this man truly was to her.
Taking one look at her attire, Albus had to refrain from chuckling. His deputy headmistress had managed downplay the entire situation and now he had to carefully suggest a change to her appearance. Before he had a chance to really process his thoughts, he had an idea.
"Ah, I see you are ready to go. But I failed to mention one minor detail." As she looked at him in bewilderment, he spoke again. "I meant to owl you earlier and request that you greet me at the door in your dressing gown." Confusion now covered her face and her cheeks had flushed to a beautiful rose color.
Realizing how that last sentence had sounded, he quickly stammered and tried to explain. "Yes, well. That did not come out as I had expected. I meant to say that for part of your gift, I would give you…well…Minerva close your eyes."
The nerves in her entire body were on end. She wasn't sure what to expect and that unsettled her a bit. Was he about to kiss her? Or present her with a gift? Or…then she heard him mutter an incantation and she felt her robes begin to rustle about her, as if a great wind had come rushing into the room. Reminding her to keep her eyes closed, he led her over to her full-length mirror and stepped away. Admiring his lovely creation and the woman who wore it, he was pleased.
"My dear, you may now open your eyes." The look on Minerva's face was one of astonishment. The last time she had checked the mirror, she had been wearing simple robes of black and green. The only piece of jewelry had been her favorite broach and now she was looking at something entirely different. She was wearing a very flattering dress made of satin in the brightest shade of blue. Her dark hair and her creamy complexion were enhanced by the color of the dress. Her cheeks were tinted with a very becoming pale pink and her lips were a delicate shade of red.
But, there was something still wrong with the picture. As Albus watched her twirl around in front of the mirror, it suddenly occurred to him that he had forgotten one thing. With a quick wave of his hand, Minerva's dark hair fell from it's tight bun and cascaded in waves down her back. With the releasing of her trademark bun, her face seemed to relax and she looked years younger and even more desirable.
Minerva's eyes met his and suddenly the world seemed to melt away, leaving only the two of them in it. Growing slightly uncomfortable and being unsure of her true feelings, Albus sought to break the mood. Offering her his arm, he felt so proud when she accepted it and they made their way down the corridor. Several of the students passed them in the corridor and Minerva was surprised by their responses. A few of them had given the professors second glances, as if to affirm what their eyes were seeing. Albus squeezed Minerva's arm as one of her young lions felt bold enough to tell her how beautiful she looked this particular evening.
"He's right you know. You do look like a vision this evening. And again, I apologize for not informing you of my intentions earlier. I hope you are pleased with my choice of garments." Noticing the smile forming on her lips, he was assured that she had been pleasantly surprised and now his attentions were focused on the rest of their evening.
"You have impeccable taste and I could not have chosen a better outfit for an evening out with a dear friend. And, if I may be so bold, where is it that we're going that would require something more formal than my usual robes?"
"Well, therein lies the deception. I had originally planned to take you to a favorite muggle restaurant in London but I soon realized that it might not be to your liking. So, if you will accompany me to the edge of the grounds, we will use a portkey and I will let it remain a surprise for a little longer." He certainly hoped that she would appreciate all of the hard work and effort he had put into this evening. He had never planned an event such as this before and it was a special occasion for a wonderful woman. As they made their way to the gates of Hogwarts, he produced a small portkey and soon they were being transported.
Immediately the two professors were standing near a loch and the scene before them was breathtaking. A small circular table stood near the banks and the white linen tablecloth was gently blowing in the breeze. In the distance, sounds of a spring night could be heard and small lanterns illuminated the surrounding area. Above them, the stars twinkled merrily and seemed to be sending their own best wishes for the evening. In a voice barely audible, Albus whispered that he hoped what she saw pleased her.
The fierce Professor McGonagall had been transformed into a speechless, humbled woman. Never, in all of her years on this earth, had someone done something so utterly astonishing for her. The sight before her made her insides begin to shake from joy and excitement. And in the back of her mind she couldn't help but notice that the evening was a bit more romantic than she had anticipated. Secretly, she hoped that it was not her mind playing tricks and that Albus had intended for it to feel like an intimate setting just for them.
Back at the castle, the evening meal had progressed as usual and the students seemed to have accepted the fact that their Headmaster and Deputy Headmistress were at a very important meeting. Hooch had rushed through her meal and had encouraged Flitwick and Sprout to do the same and meet her in the staff room as soon as possible to begin decorating. Snape, however, seemed to be taking pleasure in eating as slowly as possible while casting a rather unflattering sneer in Hooch's direction as she discussed the final preparations.
Upon entering the rather large room designed to be a meeting place for the faculty, Madame Hooch found a small box and a note from the Headmaster.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Dear Xiomara,
I hope these items come in useful for decorating. They have all been chosen with Minerva in mind. I am sure Filius will come up with some tasteful and fun additions to make them all the better.
Please don't fret about every detail. She will be very pleased and surprised by all your work!
See you at 8:30pm.
Albus Dumbledore
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
In the box were various birthday decorations including a banner, which simply said 'Happy Birthday Minerva', lots of interesting garland, birthday hats, noise makers and a few spell suggestions to enhance the mood.
Before long, Madame Sprout and Professor Flitwick had joined Xiomara Hooch in transforming the room into a splendid display of colors and moving objects. Each had a various task, which had been assigned to them and had made the most of the occasion. Snape was nowhere to be seen and Hooch was having trouble controlling her temper at the insufferable gits' nerve. She would be so happy when she no longer had to deal with him on a daily basis.
The gifted herbology teacher had created a new hybrid plant, which resembled an orchid, smelled like a rose, but had the deep colors of a tulip or pansy. She wanted to name the flower in honor of Minerva but was having difficulty thinking of something suitable to capture the many sides of the Scottish lass. Then it came to her…she would let Minerva chose the name for the plant.
Now the room was full of the beautiful flowers and the scent was slowly permeating the air. Overseeing the floral decorations and arranging the centerpieces had been her assigned duty and as she sat back to look at her work, she was happy with the outcome.
Professor Flitwick had been given the task of enchanting the remainder of the decorations. Albus had wanted some greenery that sang "Happy Birthday" to Minerva each time someone said her name. Flitwick had tested the creation and it was in perfect working order. Hooch and Sprout had shouted with enthusiasm while Snape who had only shown up a few minutes earlier simply gave a glowering look to the shorter man.
All in all, he was glad that he could blame the headmaster for that addition. By the end of the evening, he was positive that it would begin to grate on Minerva's nerves. He had also charmed the candles on Minerva's cake, so that when she went to blow them out, they would jump up and run around the top of the cake in an attempt to avoid being snuffed out by her.
Flitwick's masterpiece, though, had to be the ceiling of the staff room. He had enchanted it to look like a far away galaxy. There were hundreds of twinkling stars, multiple moons, dozens of planets, and even a comet that streaked across the room. He remembered how Minerva loved to gaze at the stars during the summer months and that had been his inspiration. Well, that and a little hint from Albus Dumbledore. But with the darkened atmosphere, there was a need for some illumination. So, scattered about the room were little floating models of the sun that shed light throughout the room. On the face of each glowing orb was an image of Minerva from various stages of her career, from being a student at Hogwarts to the Deputy Headmistress they all knew now.
Snape had the easiest job by any stretch of the imagination. His sole purpose in this little scheme had been to brew a sort of punch but he had to combine it with a creation all his own. Hooch had requested that he add something to the drink to make them all a little less inhibited. Not to the point of being silly or losing their faculties, but just enough to make Minerva a wee bit more relaxed and willing to enjoy her party. So, for the past several days, Severus Snape had been in his dungeons testing the effects of various ingredients and had finally found the one to best suit their needs. A wry smile curled upon his lips as he imagined Minerva drinking more than the recommended allotment and becoming tipsy. If that happened, he would have enough ammunition to keep her quiet for months.
Albus and Minerva were enjoying the quiet atmosphere by the loch and the delicious meal that he had arranged for them. Albus had carefully chosen each dish based on Minerva's food preferences and the evening seemed perfect. It was almost like a dream, a very perfect dream. It was rare that these two could fully enjoy a wonderful meal without having to worry about the students, faculty, or other things surrounding them. Now, it was just the two of them in a secluded setting and Minerva felt special.
"Albus, I really must thank you for a lovely…" She was cut off in mid sentence by Albus' raised hand.
"Shhh. My dear, would you care to join me in a moonlit dance?" Taking her hand in his, he helped her from the chair and pulled her close to him as he began to sway slowly to a tune dancing on the wind. "There will be plenty of time for 'thanks' later. Right now, let's take this opportunity to savor the peace and quiet…not to mention the exquisite company." She blushed at his comments and felt a warming sensation take hold of her as she followed his lead.
What started out as a simple dance between friends, turned into two, then three. They would stop at times to gaze at the stars or to take a break but Albus found it extremely hard to release her from his arms. He was taking advantage of having her all to himself without the added stress of prying eyes and curious onlookers. Albus had loved her for many years but never realized just how deep those feelings ran until this very night. Now, more than ever, he was glad that he had planned the little surprise party for the remarkable woman.
Oh Merlin!! The surprise party…I had forgotten all about that! But I don't want this evening to end! Breaking away slightly from Minerva's embrace, he hated to interrupt the mood. They had settled down on a blanket on the grass and were looking at the stars while she rested her head on his shoulder. Now, he would have to move away in order to look at his watch, discreetly. Ogden's Firewhisky! It's already 9pm and we were supposed to be back at the castle by 8:30.
"Minerva, I am enjoying this time with you but I have another surprise in store. We need to head back to the school, as it awaits you there." With a wave of his wand, the table, chairs and other items had disappeared and they stood alone by the loch. Minerva's eyes were filled with a far-away look and for a moment, Albus was afraid that he'd upset her.
"Minerva, I truly hope that you have enjoyed this evening as much as I had hoped. Now, we must head back before the other surprise is ruined." Wrapping an arm around her waist, he whispered 'happy birthday' as he activated the portkey.
In the staff room at Hogwarts, those in attendance were bordering on worry and frustration. Madame Hooch had assured them that the guest of honor would be arriving promptly at 8:30pm and she was officially a half hour late. It didn't help matters that Snape frequently shot barbs at her, questioning her days of the week, times, and the overall plan.
"Severus Snape! I have told you for the tenth time…Albus said he would have Minerva here at precisely 8:30. I am not to be held responsible if something occurred to alter their plans. I'm just as anxious to see their arrival. Although it's for an entirely different reason, I'm sure. Why don't you make yourself useful and cast another cooling spell on the punch or see that Hagrid isn't eating us out of snacks." Xiomara Hooch was almost at her wits end. She had planned this party down to the last detail and now she had a room full of expectant guests and no guest of honor.
The other professors were trying to amuse themselves with idle chatter, all the while wondering what could be keeping the birthday witch and her escort. It wasn't that they weren't enjoying the party, but it would be so much more interesting once Minerva arrived. They had all been warned not to tell her about the planned event or she might not show. If that happened, there would be one very unhappy Headmaster and one irate best friend. Now, all they could do was sit and wait.
For the fifth time, Xiomara Hooch opened the staff room door and peered outside for any sign of Albus and Minerva. Snape took great pleasures in taunting the witch and making snide comments about the whole affair. Hagrid was engaged in a lively conversation with Spout and Flitwick about their decorations. Sybil Trewlaney had ventured down from the tower and was predicting doom and gloom to anyone who would listen. After waiting as long as she dared, she decided that it might be best if she sent Minerva a birthday owl and let her enjoy the party without the dreaded news.
The portkey whizzed the happy couple to the gates just outside Hogwarts and Minerva began to ask questions about the upcoming surprise.
"Albus, you have done so much for me already this evening, I can't imagine anything else to make this evening more perfect. Where are you taking me?"
"Ah, I thought we might go to the staff room for a cup of chocolate or tea. Then we can retire to my chambers and I'll give you the gift. Does that sound acceptable?" After a moment of puzzlement and wonder, Minerva pushed her other questions aside and let herself be led down the corridor to the lounge, while thinking on the wonderful evening she had already spent with Albus.
Just outside the door, Minerva stopped. As Albus turned to see what had caused the sudden lack of movement, Minerva gripped his upper arms and stared into his twinkling blue eyes. "Albus, thank you for a beautiful evening. Earlier in the week I had dreaded this day and now that it has finally arrived, well, it has to be the best birthday I have ever had. And it is all because of you."
Before his mind could register another thought, he saw Minerva's emerald colored eyes disappear behind a crescent of long, dark eyelashes as her face inched closer to his own. Being swept away with emotions and the look of this stunning witch before him, he too leaned in closer in anticipation of a gentle brushing of her lips against his.
Minerva could feel his breath on her face and then the warmth of his hands seeping through her robes along her waist. Moving closer to him, she stood on tiptoe and wrapped her arms gingerly around his neck, pulling him even closer to her.
Forgetting the world around him and especially the knowledge that their colleagues were behind the door where they stood, Albus couldn't help but give in to the urge to kiss the woman he loved. Moistening his lips, he closed the remaining distance and lowered his head. He could smell the faint scent of her perfume, feel her exhale against his skin, and lean into his embrace in anticipation. Just as their lips were about to touch in an electrifying first intimate kiss, the door flew open and a squeal escaped Madame Hooch's mouth and the two professors quickly jumped apart as the door slammed in their faces.
"What on earth had gotten into you Hooch? You'd think you'd just seen the Dark Lord outside!" Snape did not try to hide his impatience. Xiomara Hooch was the most outspoken and boisterous faculty member at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry but at this particular moment, she was dumbfounded. The Potions Master, along with the rest of the staff, stared at her as she fumbled for words.
"She…he…they were about to…" At his wits end, Snape asked if Albus and Minerva were back. Nodding her head but still not uttering a word, the faculty took their places and waited for the door to open so that they could yell "surprise!"
Outside, an embarrassed Minerva and a flustered and somewhat frustrated Albus stared at each other with amusement and blushing cheeks. "Yes, well my dear, it seems that Xiomara Hooch had bad timing." Sensing that the mood had been broken, he attempted to go ahead with the original plan. "Shall we go inside and see what's left of her dignity while we get our chocolate? Then we can head to my chambers for your gift."
"That sounds perfect. I would very much like to continue this quiet evening with you." Feeling a bit disappointed in their 'almost' kiss, Minerva hoped that another opportunity would present itself before the night ended.
Being a true gentleman, Albus opened the door and motioned for Minerva to precede him into the darkened room. As soon as she was fully in the room, lit only by a small fire, he clapped his hands together loudly one time. Immediately, dozens of model suns and stars blazed with light as all of their colleagues shouted "SURPRISE!"
Minerva nearly jumped out of her skin at the sudden roar of voices. She clutched at her chest as a gasp of excitement escaped her lips. Suddenly, she was surrounded by her friends, all wishing her a happy birthday and congratulating her on getting another year older. Singing loudly in the background was the enchanted garland also wishing the guest of honor a happy day.
Minerva felt overwhelmed as all the incidents from earlier in the week started to make sense. But she didn't know who to yell at and which offense she wanted to take issue with first. There was the fact that she had spent a week in various states of distress because of this. They all knew how she disliked being in the spotlight. The sneakiness of her friends had caught her completely off guard. And then there was the ultimate question. Whose idea was it to throw her a birthday celebration?
Before Minerva could begin her tirade, Xiomara Hooch pulled her best friend into a tight hug and whispered something into her ear that she could not hear. Before she could question her about it, Hooch had disappeared among the sea of faces. Slightly puzzled and curious, she made a mental note to ask her about the whispered phrase at the earliest possible moment.
Now standing before her was Madame Sprout with the most beautiful bouquet of flowers. Minerva had never seen this particular plant before and was awed by its' stunning appearance and the sweet smell. "Madame Sprout, these are absolutely wonderful and I've never seen them before. Wherever did you get them?"
Smiling broadly, she reminded Minerva of the day she appeared unannounced in the greenhouse. Nodding that she remembered the particular incident, Madame Sprout went on to tell her colleague that she had been in the process of experimenting with cross-pollination which would result in the flowers she now admired. After listening intently to the details of the flowers' birth, Minerva inquired about the name.
"Well you see, these were created especially for your birthday. They are my gift to you. I would be most honored if you would take some time and come up with a name for them yourself. I tried earnestly to name them but nothing I could think of truly captured the essence of Minerva McGonagall." Blushing at the compliment, Minerva agreed to give it careful consideration and she hoped to have a name within the next week.
The birthday witch was never one for public displays of affection but that did not stop Hagrid from pulling her into an almost uncomfortable hug. He had forgotten his own strength momentarily and for a split moment, Minerva felt that her insides were being relocated. When he released her, she took a deep breath and smoothed out her robes as he told her how happy he was to be at her party.
"I wanted ter get yeh a present but I was havin' a terrible time findin' what I wanted fer yeh. But don't yeh worry none. I'll come up with somthin' soon." As he walked away, Minerva caught the gleam in Albus' eyes and the soft chuckle that escaped his mouth as he pondered the thought of what Hagrid might produce at a later date. Offering her a reassuring look, she tried not to think on the possibilities.
Looking up, Minerva was utterly speechless by the enchanted ceiling. The stars, moons, planets, and comets added to the atmosphere. Professor Flitwick had done an outstanding job in creating the perfect night sky, as it would have been seen through a telescope. Almost lost in its' beauty, she was quickly snapped back to the present by the sound of some horrible singing…and it was coming from the garland.
As the song ended, Albus was practically beaming with pride. "That was one of my suggestions. Each time someone speaks your name, it will delight us all with a chorus of 'Happy Birthday'. See, watch…"MINERVA!" The greenery once again sprang to life and belted out another round of the birthday song, while Minerva shook her head in disbelief and amusement. It wasn't her favorite piece of decoration, but it was special because it had been from Albus.
As the guests began to mingle and occasionally approach Minerva to offer their well-wishes, she was presented with a plate full of small snack foods and a glass of punch. She was told that Snape had been the mastermind behind the liquid and it was too good to pass up. Timidly, she sniffed the glass before taking a sip. Much to her pleasure, she enjoyed the taste as it began to cause her to tingle.
"Professor McGonagall, I see that you are yet another year older. I dare say that you don't look a day over…what number are you at now…80?" Smirking as he walked away, it took all of Minerva's strength to restrain herself from transfiguring her colleague into a small rodent. She knew that he didn't necessarily mean the things he said, he just had a hard time expressing the nicer sentiments in life.
After an hour or so, one by one the guests excused themselves due to the lateness of the hour. Finally, the room was emptied except for Albus, Minerva, and Xiomara. While Albus made quick work of the clean-up of the room, Minerva and Xiomara engaged in a quiet private chat.
"How can I ever thank you for pulling all of this together? I'm not one for parties, but I must admit, this was fun. I was feeling a little depressed at the beginning of the week and this certainly livened my spirits." Hugging her friend tightly, she heard Hooch begin to giggle.
"Honestly Minerva! Did you not hear what I whispered to you hours ago? If you had you would know that this was not my idea at all. I merely helped someone else realize the dream." Looking intently at Albus Dumbledore, Hooch watched as her best friend suddenly realized that the man she had always loved had done this for her.
"Hooch, you'd better not be kidding me! I mean, why would he go to all of this trouble for me? I'm just a fellow professor and his deputy."
"Sometimes you two amaze me! To be the most talented witch and wizard of our time, you both have no sense of the world around you. Minerva, what would have happened if I had not opened the door earlier tonight?" After letting her process the image of what might have been, Hooch spoke again. "That's right! You would have kissed him and I'm sure that it would have only been the first of many." With a broad smile and an impish look, Hooch called a goodnight to the headmaster and disappeared to her own chambers.
Soon, Albus had managed to restore the staff room to its' former state and an awkward silence descended upon the room and its' occupants. Watching Minerva stare into the fire, Albus thought back to a few hours ago, when he had held her in his arms as they swayed to the soft music under the stars.
"My dear, I do believe that I still owe you a birthday present. Would you care to join me in my office so that I may give you the last of your birthday gifts?" Reaching out, he took her hand in his and pulled her from the comfortable couch. Walking in silence to his office, Minerva felt her cheeks warm as she thought of the way he had 'almost' kissed her and how she longed for that to happen, especially tonight.
Albus presented Minerva with a small royal blue velvet box. Inside the box was a magnificent crystal orb but she wasn't sure what to do with it. With a few instructions from her longtime friend, she peered more closely at the object. As he quietly uttered a charm, the orb began to glow and images from some of her favorite times at Hogwarts floated before her. In the scenes she noticed a theme, nearly all of her best moments featured Albus. He explained that he had chosen times when he felt she was happiest or at least he perceived her to be and she could alter the chosen images on her own with a few simple spells. Assuring him that the gift was perfect, she crossed over to the window to stare into the darkness.
"Albus, words cannot express the feelings I have at this moment. I've said it already but I want to thank you for making this the most perfect birthday. I sincerely appreciate all of your hard work and effort. You've made me feel truly special this evening and it will be a day that I will treasure."
"But, my dear, this day isn't quite over yet. I had a wonderful time tonight at your party but I must confess something. The time we spent alone was the best part of the day. I enjoyed watching you gaze at the stars and dancing with you under their subtle light. Would you care to give an old friend one last dance?" Crossing the room to stand before him, she expected him to pull her into a dance. Instead, he took her hand and led her up a private staircase in his office.
At the top of the stairs, she looked around and felt a small batch of tears begin to flood her eyes. The small opening at the top of the winding staircase was an observatory, not unlike the one used in the astronomy tower. The only difference was this one was much taller and was furnished with a more powerful telescope. In a corner of the landing, a delicate bouquet of flowers was suspended in mid air and two glasses appeared, brimming with more of the delicious punch.
"Minerva, would you give me the honor of another dance?" Pulling her into his warm embrace, he slowly began to sway back and forth to the soft sounds of music as it filtered through the air. A light breeze began to blow and strands of her long hair began to tickle her face. Tenderly, Albus raised his hand and gently brushed away the errant locks and allowed his hand to linger on her cheek. Looking into her emerald colored eyes, he saw the same look that he had seen earlier in the evening. As his thumb lightly stroked her cheek, she leaned into his touch and tried to memorize every detail of the moment.
As she looked up into his crystal blue eyes, Minerva felt waves of emotions run through her mind and body. Then, before she could process another thought or feeling, Albus lowered his face closer to hers. When she saw that his eyes were closed and his lips were nearing hers, she melted into his arms. As their lips touched, shivers ran up and down her spine and when he deepened the kiss, she completely blocked everything from her mind except the touch, feel, and scent of the man in her arms. Moments later, he removed his soft lips from hers and smiled. Leading her over to a small settee and summoning the glasses of punch, they shared a special toast.
"To the most wonderful woman in the world. Minerva, I love you! And Happy Birthday my dear."
Blushing, it was all she could do to utter her toast. "To the most amazing man in my life. I love you, too. Now kiss me again."
With those final words, the famous witch and wizard snuggled together on the small sofa and gazed at the stars above in between very loving, passionate kisses. His plan had worked and it was certainly a birthday to remember for Minerva. Tomorrow, he would start planning her surprise for next year. But for tonight, it was just them…enjoying the evening, wrapped in the other's arms and feeling wonderful.
**Thanks for taking time to read this story! Now I'd really appreciate it if you'd let me know what you think!! ^_^
