Ceilidh

A/N: The dances I am writing are traditional Ceilidh dances and I learned some of them while at school. We went through a stage of learning traditional dances in the UK. Thanks to Ang who is my beta reader and to those who took the time to review and ask questions.

Chapter Five: Distractions are Necessary

Albus stood in Minerva's private living room. She was running a bit late and had sent him an owl telling him of her delay. While he was waiting for her, he commanded the music they had been dancing to for the last week to float through her chambers. He tapped his foot in time with the music and then started to act out the two dances alone. It was much harder dancing alone than in a couple. He didn't have Minerva to keep him in check. He was concentrating on The Gay Gordon's dance but was still having problems with his pivot. He still couldn't find a spot to look at as he turned. It was frustrating him to no end and so he gave up trying. He stared out of the window and sighed.

"Looking for a distraction?" asked Minerva as she stepped in through the doorway. She had been watching him trying the dances and was very proud of him. "You were doing so well."

"I still can't do it!" he complained as he turned around and quickly made his way over to her, wrapping his arms around and pulling her to him so he could nestle into her neck.

"Darling," she whispered softly "you are doing so well and I couldn't be prouder."

"Thank you!" he mumbled.

Minerva smiled to herself. She could tell that he was in a soppy mood this evening and decided to reward him for all his hard work. She would cancel their lesson that night and concentrate on him and make him know how grateful she was to him for learning these dances.

""Would you like a distraction?" she asked.

"I would," he answered but then shook his head "but we cant Min, only a week to go to the big night and I'm nowhere near ready."

"Albus," she told him "sometimes distractions are necessary. It can encourage learning if used correctly."

Albus looked up from her neck and looked into her eyes. Had he heard right? Had his Minerva just said that she agreed with distractions? He had always thought that Minerva disliked them and would not tolerate them in her class.

"That sounds like something I would say," he answered. "I am in complete agreement. So Professor, what do you have in mind?"

"Wait and see my love," she answered with a gleam of mischievousness in her emerald green eyes. "Be back here in half an hour and all will be revealed."

"Hmmm," he whispered into her ear "literally I hope!" Minerva playfully tapped his chest and winked at him. She didn't want to give too much away as it would spoil the evening she had planned for then. She sent him on his way with a playful pinch on the bottom and a kiss.

Once Albus had disappeared, Minerva set about making a romantic atmosphere. She drew the crimson and gold heavy curtains shut and lit dozens of little floating candles to spin around the room. Soft chamber music floated through her room now and made a nice change from the Ceilidh music that dominated her mind for the last seven days. A small table appeared in the middle of the room and then six of Albus' favorite desserts appeared on it. Minerva knew that Albus always craved something sweet in the evening but then he could never make up his mind what he wanted, so she had ordered the six desserts that he always had to choose between. This way he could have a small bit of each dessert and not have to choose. Minerva found it hard to see the fascination with sweet things because she preferred the savoury things like her ginger newts.

Thirty minutes later, there was a knocking at her door and Minerva took one more look in the mirror before answering it. She had taken her hair down from her usual bun and it was now cascading down over her shoulder and back. She had slipped into a red silk ankle length nightgown that clung to her curves and showed more cleavage than her usual nightgowns he had seen her wear. She wrapped a matching silk dressing gown around her lithe frame and made her way to the door. She knew it was Albus because he was the only who knew this secret passageway into her rooms. Rumor had it that Godric Gryffindor had the castle design this passageway so that he could see Rowena during the night, with no one being any the wiser.

"Hello lover!" she purred as she opened the door and invited him inside.

"You look breathtaking," he said as his eyes wandered appreciatively over her body. "My own goddess!"

She led him into the living room and smiled seductively at him, dropping her dressing gown and letting it crumple around her feet. She waited for him to notice and she didn't have to wait long. Albus had quickly made his way over to her and had pulled her into his arms and against his chest. He kissed her deeply and growled into her mouth.

"My, my," she gasped as he pulled back "I seem to have awakened the lion within you."

"You always do my love," he told her. "I love distractions and this is possibly the best one I have ever had."

"I conjured up some of your favorite desserts, Albus," she told him as her arm indicated to the table set out in the middle of the room.

"Desserts are a distraction that I do not want at present," he told her as he scooped her into his arms and headed for her bedroom. "I can have them once I have feasted on you!"

"Albus!" she giggled loudly as he kicked the door shut behind them.

To be continued.