Not again!
Summary: Minerva's mum try's to set her up again, in the hope of finding her a husband. Question is who's the hubby-to-be?
Disclaimer: if only, if only, if only………
Chapter Three: Unfamiliar Owl
Breakfast was a casual affair just like any other morning until an unfamiliar owl to Albus' eyes landed in front of Minerva causing her to blush slightly.
This intrigued Albus, as it was a very rare stimulus that could cause Minerva to blush, even if it was only a slight colouring of her ivory cheeks. Yet curious as he was, he had learnt the hard way not to pry into Minerva's life, even if he was her best friend. She would tell him in her own sweet time if she wanted or needed to.
Minerva felt her face heat slightly when the black owl she had seen fly out her window not that long ago returned to her dropping a letter on her unused bread and butter plate. Slipping the note into her pocket to read later she couldn't help a sideward glance at Albus. She could tell that he was enormously curious as to who was writing to her and what it was about, as his sharp, observant eyes naturally didn't miss the colouring of her cheeks which, damn it, she could help! And because she couldn't help looking at Albus she knew that it was futile to try not to love him. She knew that he would always have her heart as of that moment, yet she counted I can't wait forever. Excusing herself from the table she left too start getting ready for her lessons, 3rd year's were first up. It was only after she was already in her classroom she realised that she forgot to show the other letters to Poppy.
Albus couldn't help but become even more intrigued when Minerva excused herself from the table only minutes from slipping the unopened letter into her pocket.
What on earth could be so private that she couldn't open at the table? She must know by now that no one would look over her shoulder out of respect for her privacy, and even if that wasn't enough he knew that none of his colleagues would do it in fear of provoking her famous temper.
Then I dawned on him. She had an admirer; some one was sending her love notes. Some one was courting her. A sharp pang of jealousy shot through his heart.
Even though this was what he wanted for her, now that it had happened he didn't know what to do. Quickly excusing himself from the table, he didn't resume his thoughts until he was safe in his office away from the curious glances that everyone else was now giving him.
Once he was safely protected behind his solid wood desk his thoughts drifted back to Minerva.
With a sinking heart he knew that the letter had to be from a man. A man who obviously had some interest in Minerva, but the question was did she have interest in him?
If she was blushing at receiving a letter from him then I guess that the answer would be yes Albus concluded bitterly. He had known that it would hurt to know she was with another man, but he had thought himself capable of getting though it. He had overestimated greatly because knowing that she was in a relationship meant that the fragile hope he hadn't realised that he was carrying had shattered into a thousand sharp shards each ripping into his soul.
But what if it wasn't a love letter, what if it was something else? Usually Albus didn't place much on a 'what if' because they were very chancy, but his optimistic personality was hard to beat into submission at times. And this seemed to be one of them.
Feeling slightly better Albus decided to just play things by year. He really had no control over Minerva's life, well could somewhat if he wanted to but he wasn't a man who threw his weight around much. Abusing positions of power was one thing that Albus detested.
Oh well, she had a free before lunch I'll go see her then, maybe she will tell me something about this letter.
Little did he know that some one else would soon come to that same conclusion somewhere else in the castle.
Elsewhere in the castle some one else was also pondering about Minerva's reaction to a particular letter this morning over breakfast. She had seen Minerva quickly excuse herself from the table and Albus not long after.
Poppy knew that Minerva loved Albus, and she was certain that their newly appointed headmaster felt very similar about her best friend. The only solution that she could think of was that they were finally starting to see it for themselves, well one could only hope she thought.
Yet somehow she didn't think that was it.
No, she had a gut feeling that it was something else was the reason behind this morning's actions. Pity though, she thought, they really were perfect for each other the only problem was that their friendship stopped them from seeing it.
Looking at the clock, which hung on the infirmary wall she realised, that Minerva had a free period right now before lunch, a perfect time to interrogate her about this letter, and the meaning behind it.
Earlier that morning…
Minerva had entered her classroom and immediately opened up the letter. Once again it flattered her, but not to the point that it was annoying or stupid. It had been decided that he would meet her at the front gates of Hogwarts tonight, and from there they would go to muggle London. He hadn't said that he was going to her family get together but left it for her to decide, this earned him a couple of brownie points she thought and started to smile.
The day continued as usual, the minor mishaps that occurred when spells went wrong were naturally considered normal and as a result Minerva felt quite happy and content. She was going out tonight and she was going to enjoy herself. She hadn't gone out some where with some one unrelated from Hogwarts for quite some time now and she hadn't 3ealized until now how she missed it. The freedom of being herself with out having to uphold her teaching façade.
Before she knew it her classes had ended and she had a whole hour before lunch to do, as she liked. She had just pulled out a transfiguration textbook that she was currently reading and settled in when Poppy waltzed right on in with a glint in her eye, which could only mean trouble for Minerva.
Startled out of her reading Minerva glared at Poppy who finished walking up to her desk. But then she remembered the letters that she still had to show Poppy and stopped glaring at her while pulling the letters out of her pocket.
"It's a good thing that you came by Poppy I must show you these letters, my mother is setting me up again you see, and I'd like your opinion about this guy. You might even remember him, he was in our year. Adian?"
At the sound of that name Poppy's face flickered with pain, and inside her heart clenched. Adian. Adian Schmendrick the very man that she had fallen for only a few years ago while at Medi School.
Minerva hadn't missed the painful look that had so quickly flickered across her friend's face and sent Poppy a questioning look before starting to speculate what caused it.
Poppy who had first come here to interrogate Minerva soon had the tables turned on her, and after only a few minutes of careful questioning by Minerva, Poppy told all within her heart.
After a few silent moments, where they both reflected upon their respective loves, Minerva broke the silence by saying,
"Oh the joys of unrequited love, isn't it amazing what it does to us?"
The comment didn't quite have the same effect Minerva had hoped, but then her brand of humor didn't quite match other peoples.
Due to a lack of response from Poppy she tried again, this time trying to be reassuring.
"I tell you what Poppy, I am going to help you get noticed okay. I personally know how it feels to fall in love with the most amazing man. My every wish is to spend the rest of my life with him, and you feel the same right, so you're going to get it okay? I'm going to help you get your dream ……
Albus who had just stopped in the doorway when he heard the murmur of voices inside and listened harder, curiosity always was his downfall. He had thought that Minerva was helping one of her precious cubs through some matter, but he wished that he hadn't heard what she said. His curiosity, which had got the better of him, now meant that his earlier thoughts of "what if's" were pointless he had lost her if she was already talking about love. Disgusted with himself and in pain he fled back to the protective familiarity of his rooms. He left before Minerva finished….
…" Because I will never get mine from the one man who can give it, Albus."
"Minerva I thank you for your help but how can you do anything. I mean you haven't seen him for years now and if he is looking at you as a potential lover he obviously doesn't want me!"
"Poppy that may be but, maybe if I introduced you somewhere… I know! How about you come to my family get together! Adian was invited so I can introduce you to there. Its perfect."
"Oh please Poppy I know it will work out" Minerva added at the skeptic look from her friend.
"Okay I'll give it ago, but only if you invite Albus."
Minerva started to protest, but then decided against it. Maybe it was time that Albus knew after all how she felt about him. Maybe when he said that he didn't and couldn't feel that way about her she could finally set her feelings in a grave.
"Right, well its decided. I will invite Albus and you will talk to Adian at my family get together. As that's settled could I interest you in some lunch?"
Laughing, even if it was still somewhat tearful, Poppy consented.
Together they walked to lunch.
Albus however was far from wanting lunch. He had told himself earlier not to get his hopes up, but he had. He couldn't help it. That slim possibility though was gone now. He had heard her. Granted she hadn't mentioned that her lover felt the same about her, but Albus knew it would only be a matter of time; who couldn't love her?
Yet he conceded that if he didn't go to lunch then Minerva would come in and investigate why he wasn't there. Which would be worse than having to sit through a meal right next to her, knowing that he could never have her the way in which he desired. Smiling bitterly he decided that going to lunch was the lesser of the two evils, even if he didn't have much of an appetite left.
And with that he made his way out of his office, down the stairs and through the corridors to the Great Hall.
A/N I have just had it pointed out to me by a good friend that in chpt 1 the dinner was meant to happen that night not tomorrow as I had previously claimed. Sorry! My excuse is that I write when I can't sleep early in the morning.
