I would like to take the time to say, (for those of you interested) I am no longer writing "the coming of September". If you would like details, I posted a note on the previously posted chapter in that story.

also, i have just spent thirty minutes trying to figure out this new "preview/edit" on my account. Could you maybe make these 30 min. well spent? :'(

Potts- very direct question. "is that the end?" lol…not by a few chapters. Hope you'll keep reviewing!

Morgana-Alex- Oh but of course there will be more! We have two people in love…though I would like to point out that the rest shouldn't be as detailed. The rest…is interest, laughs, and a meeting!

Minerva'sQuill- Glad you liked how I wrote it, honestly I spent a long time thinking about last chapter. I also spent some time thinking about this chapter…sorry to say I had to skip a few days…though they were spent in jolly good fun ;-)

Liz O'Brien- Hey, what would have happened if she never told him? =) She had to tell the truth sooner or later, or else the climax never would have happened! Though I can promise you (with cookies if you would like) that it doesn't stop until the very end. It's all planned out, and this story (eventually) will go out with a bang!

Athena M. Dumbledore- thanks for the review! Though…I'm not quite sure if that was a good "wow" or a bad 'wow" either way though…I"ll take it. Hopefully it was a good one and you'll review again?

Tabbyforever- Fluff is my middle name. though fluff wasn't what I had hoped to have come across last chapter…oh well! Fluffiness will be all around us this chapter, enjoy!

Evilwoman- Really now? I love the sorts of reviews, the ones that tell me I made someones day good…because I get those every once in a while (read them I mean) and it really makes the days better…just drift off back to mm/ad world. Hope you enjoy the new chappie as much the last one.

Adnarel- haha, couldn't have you reviewing now w/out letting me know who you are, could you. =) Wonderfully glad that you loved the chapter! I put much of my wittle brain into thinking this next one up too…maybe you could review and give me a good day.

Anon- You're probably right about the setting. However, I am merely and eight grader and lack many computer skills. I know nothing of prior of either world wars, I haven't studied either of them either. What I was more concerned about was the modern use of technology. Take a pool for example, or lanterns and such…I have no idea when either of them were used, so I chose an approximate time…in my mind. Of course it is probably far off…but I plead for forgiveness if you'll take it.

Jestana- Oh happy day! (chorus sings) glad you liked the chapter! R&R please

Child-of-the-Dawn- You know, it's funny. I read books all the time where there are "touch tones" as my teacher calls it, where certain words are to stick out and give you a certain reaction, the odd part is…I had thought I'd deleted the line! [blushes] oh well…glad you liked it.

Emutet- To tell you the truth, I was starting to get kinda nervous myself just writing about it! I could have stopped it earlier I'm sure…but I felt it necessary to take it to an extra step. Sorry if it did go above your preferences, but I try to keep it minimal when I can.

Blood Sucker13- Satisfaction, reached! yay glad you liked it! Hope you like the next one just as much!

Morpheus- Oh joy, another "wow!" lol. I do hope that was worth the wait…and I fear that the next chapter (after this) could quite possibly be late too. Forget me not! =)

Hogwarts Duo- Oh I'll bet you can't wait! And oh, look, here it is! (sorry, little too straight forward?) Fluffiness and a meeting dead ahead! Full throttle captain!

Portkeys Miss-Mione- Oh man, what is with you reviewers and making me blush? (smiles uncontrollably) I am so totally and completely overjoyed that you like my work, and trust me, I will be writing for a very long time! Hope you enjoy this chapter too…not nearly as dramatic, but it's there for a reason, rest assured!

Chapter thirteen: How to Love

Minerva woke with the evening light. Slowly blinking, she looked next to her where her own hand was draped across a not so perfect stranger, his own hand tethered with the sheets on her hip. She smiled happily, and snuggled closer to this being. At her touch, his eyes opened lazily, and a smile grazed his own lips. "Ready to go again?" he teased with twinkling eyes.

"Not yet," she whispered softly, "give me five minutes to wake up."

"Alright," he kissed her forehead gently, "that gives us some time to talk."

She nodded and stretched out leisurely on the bed with a warm smile. "Mmmmmm."

Albus breathed in slowly as he watched her. She was everything to him, the very light that makes day. She didn't know just how he felt. She knew the brunt of it, but she didn't know what was racing through his mind at every second that he stared at her. It wasn't lust, it wasn't.

She'd done more to his senses in a single hour than he'd ever had in his entire lifetime. Her very touch seemed to make his heart pound. Every passionate kiss that he could derive from her caused his bodies' desire to fluctuate to a peak. She was easily taught how to move, where to touch, and when to kiss; it wasn't any shock that she was the very thing he'd wanted for years. It came as no surprise that she was the best partner he'd ever had. As he stared at her, a single thought came through his mind. He wanted her to be the last one.

Minerva stared at him with a fanciful smile on her face. "Off in dreamland again are you?"

"No," he whispered, "I'm in dreamland already."

Smiling, she ran a hand along his coarse chin. "I love you."

With a smile of his own, he leaned in, and sucked her lips gently, bringing her close, her hot body rubbing against his. "Love you too, Kitten."

She frowned, "You know my name hasn't changed within the past five minutes."

"I know that," he spoke gently in her ear; "You didn't like Tabby, so I have named you Kitten." He ran a hand soothingly along her spine, while watching her body tighten slowly. Grinning evilly, he breathed on her neck, and blew softly in her ear.

"Albus!"

"Did I do something wrong?" He looked up at her childishly, his eyes twinkling with glee. It was far too fun to manipulate her. She'd been manipulating him for a week now, it was his turn.

"Don't blow in my ear. It tickles."

"I know that," he chuckled, "why else would I do it?"

"Oh Merlin," she sighed, "I know you have a playful side, but this is overdoing it a wee bit."

"What? Tickling my lover at one in the morning in a hotel outside our home country where no one knows that we are tickling eachother under the covers at one?"

She rolled her eyes and looked into his with an innocent air. "Tell me," she blinked, "why did I have to fall in love with such a complicated man?"

"The same reason that I had to fall in love with such a complicated woman."

She smiled, rolled over, and threw her body on top of his seductively. Her hair cascaded down her shoulder, and around Albus. He sucked in wind slowly while thinking about the next move. She apparently had had enough wake up time. He ran his hands up and down her spine, and cupped the tips of her thighs with satisfaction, letting his fingers circle her soft skin.

The both of them breathed in, and little by little came closer with smiles on their faces. She pressed her body against his, hard, and smashed her lips onto his. He fell back on the pillow, becoming drowned in her image. She was intoxicating and damn well addictive already. She was like alcohol, stiff, fiery, and had a growing effect on the body and mind. He couldn't get enough of her; not ever.

Minerva's body was being held by two immensely skilled hands. She breathed in slowly, soaking up the past two days of nothing but a hot, torrid room and Albus. She'd been blown away like paper in the wind. She looked up at him with ruby lips, and a childish grin. "Are you hungry?"

"Mmmmmm…what do you have in mind Kitten?"

A somewhat tweaked grin fell on Minerva's face, and she stared into his wonderfully blue eyes. "Something…" she rolled her eyes up thoughtfully, "sweet."

"So you want me to summon you some sugar for your delicate appetite?"

"I believe you are the one with the wand," she reached up, and sucked his lips gently while letting her hand drift down under the sheets. "Besides, you're the one who always has a sweet tooth."

"Fortunately for you m' dear," he grasped her hand tightly; "it's not food that I crave."

"Oh hush," she smiled, "we have still got to go out and see the pyramids. How can we do that if we stay in here for the rest of the week?"

"That question is easily answered. We don't."

"Please Albie," she looked baby faced at him. Minerva drew closer to him, and kissed gently on his lips. "I want to go and see the pyramids with you."

He sighed, and ran a hand along the side of her face. "So the end of the paradise is near."

"You don't need to get philosophical on me. And no, it's not the end," she whispered, "I merely would like a break. We can come back tonight and do this all over again."

"Okay," he nodded, "we've got to go back sooner or later. Why not now?"

"Alright then," she smiled brightly, "last one in the bathtub has to pay ten sickles." With a jump and short run, the two of them had disappeared behind another door.

The two of them stared admirably at the other. Minerva was dressed in the same white dress she had worn on the way to Egypt. The hem was cut just above the ankle, and there was a nice dip of fabric along the bust line. White was the color of innocence. Albus smiled, not to her it wasn't.

Albus was wearing a rather cultural number that they had bought the day before. It was indeed a set of robes, though abnormally plain, but abnormally brown as well. A rope tied the waist line and the material was one of the thinnest he'd ever worn. However, he had decided it was better than a loin cloth, which Minerva had been teasing him about wearing. She had named it his "training knickers." He smiled at the thought; this was his deputy's personality.

"Are we ready to re-enter the world Min?"

"I suppose," she grinned. "You never did get me the sugar I'd wanted."

"No, but I gave you a good taste of love, both figuratively, and literally. You shouldn't be complaining."

She walked over towards the door to the corridor, and gave him a rather teasing smile. "I wasn't complaining," she leaned back on the door slowly, "merely stating that we have a reason to go."

He stared at her, and walked over, gently sliding his hands around her waist. "Who would have ever thought we'd be here, you and me like this," he spoke soothingly.

"If it makes any difference to you," she whispered, "I had hoped for it."

"Good, then I am not the only dreamer in this room."

She nodded her head. "Come, we've got things to do if we're going to see the illustrious shrines; breakfast would be one of them."

Minerva turned the doorknob after letting him steal a kiss, and they made their way downstairs for the first time in two entire days with their hands clasped in each other's. Obviously, nothing had changed with the exception of the pool being cleaned. They went back to the rather minute café that they'd entered at the beginning of the voyage, and took seats in the quaint bakery across from one another.

Eyes twinkling merrily, Albus asked whether she wanted a donut or bagel, and she'd replied neither with a smirk. She'd wanted a piece of toast, and he went up to the bakery window. He set in Minerva's order and came back minutes later with it in his hands. "Albus," she looked around the room, "have you seen any jam?"

He looked around to, "No, I don't. Would you want me to go and ask for some?"

"No," she shook her head, "I'll just use margarine."

Warm silence passed between them as she spread it along her toast. Albus too ate a slice of bread, though not toasted along with an apple. His mind ran in different directions. So did Minerva's for that matter. Albus was the quickest to think of something to say. "So," he paused, "you want a little Lottie?"

She seemed surprised by the question, but smiled warmly. "I wouldn't mind a daughter, if that's what you mean." She glanced around the room for someone, and took out her wand quickly to summon a cup of hot water. With a pop it was infront of her, and she took a tea packet from the middle of the table to put in. She looked up at him with abnormally anxious eyes.

"And you'll name her Lottie."

"I would," she nodded.

"You know, we're well on our way to making her Min. Well on our way," he leaned in, and looked into her eyes.

"I know," she whispered softly. "You've been trying a little bit too hard from my standpoint."

"Have I?"

"Really," she rolled her eyes, "I'd say eight times in two days is plenty enough to show that you are either trying extremely hard to make something bad happen, or something good for that matter." She stopped, and met eyes with him. "Might I ask which one?"

"Something good," he nodded, "I wouldn't want to put you in a bad position."

"On the contrary Albus," she smiled, "you've done nothing but put me in good positions for the past forty-eight hours."

"You know Minerva, I would have never thought you the type to talk like this in public." He shook his head. "You're usually the strict, uptight professor. Had I not spent the past few days with you, I'd think there was something wrong with your mind. Maybe the sun."

"Maybe the heat," she said quietly while raising an eyebrow slowly. "What would you name your daughter if you had one?"

He blinked. "Well…to tell you the truth I haven't thought about it a lot. I've never really had someone that I'd thought about having children with…well, besides you."

Minerva smiled, "You can't honestly tell me that you knew this would happen."

"I didn't know, really. I just…had a few premonitions."

"Please don't start with that silly divination nonsense. It's bad enough to hear it during the school year." She rolled her eyes in displeasure.

"I'm not. I am merely stating that I have been…dreaming about you for far too long to not have it come true. I've been having the same dream about you for the past five years."

Interested, she leaned in. "What sort of dream?"

"The kind that I would have been blown into smithereens if I had told you a month ago."

"What happened?"

"Well," he chuckled, "we made love."

"I sort of understood that part, Albus. I meant what events led up to it?"

"Well," he shut his eyes, remembering this time not the dream, but that first time two days ago. It was the same, the exact same thing. "You came up to me, with the fire burning, and asked me to make love to you. You were wearing some thin see through nightgown, and I began to kiss you. From there, I carried you to the bedroom, and stripped you down until you were nothing but one hot burning piece of flesh. Then," he took in a slow breath, "I always woke up."

She was blushing by the time he had finished those few short sentences. She took a sip of her tea to cover up the red on her face. "Sounds a wee bit familiar."

"I told you m' dear, I had a premonition. I foresaw our fate."

"Obviously," she smiled, "perhaps you can foresee what will be happening tonight."

"I can do that without trying. But we'll keep it at your discretion for the moment," he winked.

She smiled, and went back to her breakfast. Albus stared at her closely, thinking dearly of what they had just been talking about. He had never even really considered a family before, but now…he saw no reason why not. He loved Minerva, and would make one with her willingly…too willingly. Two days spent like they just had wasn't just some fling, they weren't some fling. He looked across at the woman of his dreams, and then through the window towards the sun.

When Albus Dumbledore decides to do something, he does it.

In the morning sun, Minerva traveled by herself towards the gigantic pyramid that she and Albus had decided to go to. Millions of thousands of years were buried inside the huge blocks. Slave labor, and killing had taken place along the bricked structure, only for those who were considered royalty to be buried in. A chill ran down her back, no wonder she hadn't wanted to go earlier in the week.

Albus had split up from her for an hour or so. He had said he needed to return one of the items they'd bought the day before. This was no tragedy for her, she merely mused at the thought of them being separated and found again under the influence of the dark. Though it made no sense that Albus would have to return something, all of it had to be at least two sizes too large. Still, she decided to give him his space, and leave it at that.

When she was within feet of the pyramid with its bricks and boulders, a tall man met her along with several other people that looked…perhaps American? Judging by their clothes, they had to be American, only Americans would be wearing something as flashy to such a place. The tall one reached out a hand, "Are you here for the tour Miss?"

"Yes," she smiled, "I have one more in my party coming along."

"Very good, when the person arrives, we'll go."

Minerva stared at him. He wasn't American. He was British, and probably was a rather good looking chap about thirty years ago. He didn't quite look old, he looked informed perhaps, but old he was not. Obviously he was the leader of the exploration, and the others were the followers.

Not long after the thought had occurred to her, did a stubby looking man come up to her with an American accent. "I'm Fred, I'm here with my wife Lulu."

She frowned. Americans sure weren't nearly as observant as to what she was used to. "My name is Minerva. My…employer is going to be here shortly."

"Oh really? What is it that you do?"

"I'm a teacher."

"Really? Small world, isn't it? Lulu here used to teach primary school before she met me. Now she stays home with the kids."

"Ah," she looked disapprovingly at the woman behind him. She couldn't be older than forty, and for what it's worth, she didn't pass as the type to have many children. She looked perturbed as she scanned her surroundings. "Fred, can't we do something more interesting than look at these? What's the point?"

He elbowed Minerva with a smile, "The woman has somewhat lost her interest in history since those days."

She nodded. "Perhaps you should go and speak with her?"

"What's the point in that? She'd only yell at me," he shrugged his shoulders, and waddled off back towards his wife. Minerva clutched her chest, she dearly hoped that wasn't what she was in for.

Only minutes later did Albus return with a daring peck on the cheek, and a hand on her hip. "I saw you talking with that man over there. Do you find him attractive?"

She smiled, and draped her arms around him while looking into his eyes. "First off m' dear," she whispered, "he's married, and secondly, I'm too in love with you to like someone else."

"Good," he grinned, "Just wanted to make sure I wasn't losing you to some middle aged dummy."

"You're not." She shook her head, and took a look around. No one was looking at her or him, so she pulled him closer and locked her lips with his with a passionate air. They didn't let go until they needed air, desperately needed air. They panted together, and when their breaths head finally been caught, he kissed her softly again. "Does that mean I win?"

"Win what?"

"You, what else?"

"I suppose," she grinned.

Somewhere off in the distance, voices suddenly came into Minerva's mind. "Honestly, look at them! Broad daylight! Fred do something about it! Fred!

I can't! What do you want me to do, just go and slap him on the shoulder and tell them to stop! Lulu, please! Let them have a little fun."

Minerva nudged Albus, and looked in the noises direction. "We'd better stop before the Americans over there do something stupid. Let alone get us booted off of the tour."

"I suppose." He nodded, and let go of her hips. Neither one of them dared to make eye contact with the American woman by the name of Lulu, nor Fred seemed to be staying with his wife, though his facial expression would hint that he had something to say. Not long after that, the leader of the group came back, and saw that Albus was there. "Are we all ready to go?"

"Yes," Minerva nodded.

"Very good. Follow me everyone, there are only three rules when going in here. One, is stay together. Two, don't touch anything. And three is no screaming; the air only gets worse as you go further down. Are we all at an understanding?"

Everyone nodded.

"Now," he put his hands on his hips, "We're good to go. Everyone stick together and let's look at this monumental monstrosity.

Minerva grasped Albus's hand, exchanged a worried glance with him, and followed the tour guide into the staircase of an entrance. The obsolete gravel was unnerving to see everywhere. The floors were an eerily pink color; however the light of a torch didn't make it any better.

The leader led them through a narrow passageway, once at the bottom of the stairs. "We have enough torches for groups of four. Everyone pick a group and grab a torch."

They glanced at each other, then at Lulu and Fred. "Surely we can find someone better than that," she whispered. No sooner had she said it that she felt a rather intimidating slap on the back. "I guess you're our partners!" Fred's voice sounded. She felt chills run up and down her spine, and squeezed Albus's hand harder.

Albus on the other hand reached out with his unused hand and shook Fred's. He nodded politely to Lulu. "Guess we're partners."

The guide looked around them, and then set out on his way with a quick, "follow me." The quartet all followed, with Fred holding the torch up high.

Minerva observed her surroundings slowly. The walls, no higher than 6'5 were sandy, not the kind on a beach, the kind that had been used for pain…hundreds of years had been put into this temple, hundreds of lives were built in it along with millions of blood drops. She shuddered to think. Children had died for this one person's tomb. No one should be made to do what others tell them to.

There were small pictures along the sides of the dusty corridor, had they not been in such a dreary place, the pictures may have actually looked interesting. Only to her now, they were history, a very sad part of history. She wondered whether or not the slaves were the ones to have painted what was written.

They were led deeper and deeper into the pyramid, right into the very bottom level where the heat wasn't present. As a matter of fact, it was downright cold, even for her or Albus. She wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Albus squeezed her hand reassuringly, and smiled a debonair look at her. She felt her cheeks grow pink, even in the coldness. Slowly he leaned down, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she whispered, "just a little chilled." He nodded, and they continued on their way. The guide led them to a rather enormous room with hundreds of hieroglyphics written along the walls. He spoke clearly, and quite controlling, "You may look, but please, no touching. The walls are fragile."

Minerva smirked, what sort of an idiot would believe that? The walls are fragile? She rolled her eyes, and met them with Fred.

"Interesting, isn't it?"

"Quite," she smiled.

"You never gave me the name of your uh…boss. Not much of a boss now is he? Obviously this wasn't just some business trip, aye?" He nudged her, hard, on the shoulder.

She winced, and looked up towards Albus who had been watching closely. "My name is Albus Dumbledore," he said after a few minutes of careful observing, "Obviously you've met my deputy."

"Albus? Interesting name," he chuckled, "British people seem to have the oddest sort of names I ever did see! What do you think Lulu?"

"I came here to look at the pyramid," she scanned one of the hieroglyphs, not bothering to lift her eyes she continued, "not at the people that were sucking wind infront of us Fred."

"Don't mind her," he whispered, "she's a bit out of it what with the sun and all. Well, now, back to what I was saying. Albus and Minerva, isn't it? Very interesting names you British have."

"I think it's more parents than anything," Albus said matter-of-factly, "we just happened to have gotten the less common names as apposed to most people. And Fred is short for Frederick?"

"That it is," he nodded, "my whole family was named after great heroes and explorers. Why I have a brother named Thomas and a sister named Betsy. Of course I have a brother named Bob too, but he's the oddball in the family."

"Yes well, it sounds like you lead an interesting life," Minerva nodded. "Would you mind if Albus and I went over to the other side of the room?"

"Not at all," he nodded. "Just catch up when we go to another room."

Quickly Minerva took Albus by the hand and led him about twenty feet away from where they had been standing. No one in the group was over there, no light was seen. But that wasn't what Minerva cared about; she just needed to get away from the insufferable pair of Americans.

She wrapped her arms around Albus, and hugged him tightly. "Get me out of here!" She whispered rather loudly in his ear.

"Sorry, can't. They'll come looking for us if we leave. Besides, we still need to see where the tomb was."

"Then can you keep that imbecile away from me?"

"Anyone that flirts with my Minerva deserves to be sacked and thrown into the river. But for now," he smiled, "I can just keep him away from you."

"Thank you," she whispered softly, and wrapped her arms tighter around him. He grinned mischievously, and his eyes sparkled slightly with the faint flicker from the fire. "I could have a little fun with them you know. Just accidentally have a few sparks shoot at them from my wand. We'll see who's better!"

"No!" She shook him softly, "Don't go and do something stupid."

"It's not stupid if you don't get caught," he smiled. Minerva watched closely as he pulled out his wand, and aimed it carefully at the couple that was feet upon feet apart. They weren't getting on at all well, you could sense that much. She wondered dearly just why they had come if they weren't so entirely in love with each other. No one goes on vacation with someone they hate. Of course, perhaps they came to become un-hated? She shook her head violently. They didn't fit the part at all of loving wife and husband.

Red flames shot immediately from Albus's wand, and the woman squeaked loudly. It wasn't much of a scream at all, a mouse would be comparable to it. Quickly, Fred rushed to her side. "What's wrong darling?"

"I think something bit me!"

"Where, let me see."

Minerva watched amusedly as she leaned out her arm for him to inspect. Albus hadn't done much, except perhaps a rather basic spell to make a few blisters show up. By the end of the night, she'd look as if she'd been toasted by the sun. She smiled, she shouldn't have, but she did.

The guide heard the woman scream, and also ran over. After several minutes of deduction, they decided that she was fine, and it was nothing deadly that had "bit" her. So they pressed on and down into the pyramid. They passed several rooms that seemed to still be under excavation what with the lonely candle wicks and brushes that covered the room. The guide however, made no excuses.

They entered another room. This one, however, had an immensely large cement-like structure along with hieroglyphs written at the top of it. This was the shrine. The guide told them all to gather around the tomb.

"Look at the markings," he instructed, "it's a curse. He should unlock the tomb shall die a long and painful death. Egyptians relied heavily on their Gods and magic from them. They prayed for food and water. This particular person was merely a woman high up in power. She was sent with only a necklace and a dress to take into the next life. She's under study at the moment, I'm afraid, so we are unable to see the mummy." He looked from one person, then to the next. Minerva made eye contact with him, his eyes were deep. They looked sad, and hurt, maybe he knew more than he was telling. She smiled at him, and his eyes went to the next. "Again, you may look around. When everyone is finished, the tour will have concluded."

The group nodded, and Minerva with her Albus found a corner to look around in. Fred and Lulu were still looking over the arm that she'd been hit with, and they had the torch. Minerva looked slowly over the hieroglyphs; they were interesting what with their symbols and markings. Albus too looked. He seemed far less confused than Minerva was however. She couldn't make out anything. The pictures were merely pictures to her.

She turned her gaze back towards Lulu and Fred. He held her arm up to him, and looked it over carefully. Minerva stared at them confused. She was smiling, and blushing. Maybe Fred had said something interesting to her? Maybe they just needed contact. He crossed his hand gently over where the swelling had begun, and kissed it softly. She couldn't hear his words as he spoke, but she could read it on his lips. "Feel better?"

Minerva smiled slowly. They had come because they wanted to get rid of the hate. Things would get better for them, she could tell by the way they looked at each other. Maybe just something small like that would make it perfect again. Something extremely small…

Albus and Minerva returned to the hotel much, much later that day. They'd taken a walk again, and found a rather interesting place to hide. Neither of them had really known where they were going, but the scenery had to be fit somewhere within their memories. They'd found the main dock for the many steamers that went up and down the Nile with a little help from their trusty wands. Together they sat on an uninhabited dock and watched the world pass before them.

There were boats with people, boats with hardly more than a soul, and then there were those that seemed to serve no purpose other than to look pretty.

"Albus," she'd said softly while resting her head on his shoulder, "what happens next? We've only got tomorrow left."

He'd replied by saying softly as he brushed a strand of hair away from her face, "We make memories so we don't ever forget."

It was this thought that Minerva was consumed. Make memories. She stared out onto the sandy world from the window inside her room. Was she the only one lost in these senseless fantasies? Over and over in her mind the images ran past, making each and every detail more and more vivid. She'd spent the whole time before the water thinking up other ways to spend their time together. It was hopeless, they were hopeless together.

He came out upon the balcony, where she was standing and wrapped his arms around her waist. "You looked troubled. Something wrong Min?"

"No," she sighed, "everything is perfect."

There was silence, comfortable, warm silence. The sun, hot and torrid in itself began to set slowly leaving a long ribbon of red and pink fly through the sky. Minerva set back in Albus's arms, and inhaled his scent slowly. Night was upon them again.

He traced a hand up and down her arm. "You've gotten pink," he whispered softly.

"Well what do you expect? I've been out in the sun all day."

"I had deducted that you had a skin condition where you only change color when I say something either flattering, or amusing."

"No," she smiled, "I'm just as human as you are. I change color like the rest of them."

"I know." His hand crept higher along her arm. She felt this chills run down her back. "You're as much human as I want." He kissed her cheek gently, and squeezed her arm.

"Why do you love me?" She whispered to the sunless air. She waited patiently for a subtle answer from him, but found none. He traced a hand along her cheek.

"Because I do." And that's all he needed to say.

Alright dear reviewers…it is here that I regret to inform you of something. My family is destined to move. Don't worry, I WILL be updating at least within a month…my mum needs to set up her computer where we will be living while we wait for our new house to be built. I can assure you, it won't take too utterly long, I will be saving the information to a disk, and worse to worst, I will be typing the rest of the chapters at a friends house. Of course…I might be telling you this for nothing, and have it on time, but I am just warning you.

Now…Fred and Lulu were not there for any old reason…[hint hint] we'll look in about three chapters from now.

minni