A/N: Hi again!!! =) Sorry for the 'little' wait on this chapter, but with the summer ending and school starting, I've been quite busy. It can be a bit hectic. =)

Cat – a – Strophe!

Chapter 5

"STRAWBERRY," the word hung like thick fog in the air, retreating back from the walls. He licked his lips – Yes, there were no mistaking the taste, the flavour, of the candy. A strawberry candy it indeed had been. The nerve of that woman! How dare she -

"SLAP"

The anger of being tricked left hurriedly when the pain of her slapping his face brought tears in his eyes.

"Ouuchh! Why did you do THAT?"

"That's for kissing me, you dim-headed mule"

Before his anger erupted at being hit by this devious woman, whom had the guts to hit him; she hit him again.

"SLAP"

His left hand went immediately to his sore cheek. The stinging of the first slap had lingered, and now it blended with the throbbing from the second slap. He didn't need a mirror to figure out that red angry spots were visible on his cheeks.

"Ouuchh woman! What was THAT for?"

"That, dear Headmaster, was for ending the kiss!"

The words left him taken aback. He opened his mouth to reply, but closed it again. This was repeated countless times, before he finally realised that he was utterly speechless. He had no clue whatsoever as to what he was to say to her. To say he was surprised by her words was by any means the understatement of the year.

Finally gathering his courage he looked up and found her starring at him with mischief in her eyes and a lopsided smile, which nearly caused him to sigh with foreboding. He realised he was walking toward his own doom. The situation was no longer for him to control. He knew the look in her eyes; she had a plan. She knew something he didn't and he hated it.

"My, my, my, I can't believe my eyes, or should I say ears! The great Albus Dumbledore is at long last not able to say anything. Not one single witty comment, not one eccentric reply, no bizarre riddles. Now there's a mystery! The cat got your tongue," she mocked him grinning from ear to ear.

Sighing again he cursed his bleeping brain. It had left him. Deserted him! And now he was doomed to watch stupidly as she mocked him. It was not fair. He was supposed to be the one teasing her, not the other way around. She was truly insufferable when in her teasing mood. Why couldn't he just say something, anything? He was beginning to wonder if she in fact had taken his tongue, conjured some spell, and bewitched him.

"Tsk tsk. The grand man defeated one of our times most vile wizard, is considered to be wise beyond words, measured to be one of the greatest wizards alive, the only one You-Know-Who fear, and yet he can't stand a little passion. Tsk tsk," she teased while fingering with his outer robes. One finger came to rest on his lower lip, slowly tracing a line down his chin, burning with fire in its path. He tried to breathe, tried to look anywhere but her. He reminded himself he was a Dumbledore, not some horny teenager. He finally managed to speak.

"Well my dear friend you seem to have truly bewitched me. Though I must say to my defence, you weren't responding very well to my little kiss there. Maybe you're the one afraid of a little passion from a wizard," he thanked Merlin for his brain coming back into action.

She threw back her head and howled with laughter. Her hands clutched her knees as she struggled to remain standing and not land on the floor. His smile faded – this was beginning to become rather discouraging.

"Really, Albus. The only intention for kissing me had nothing to do with a kiss's real intention. It was to get back what was left of your 'precious' Sherbet Lemon. Had you known I had tricked you, with putting another candy in a Sherbet Lemons wrappings, you wouldn't have kissed me, now would you?"

"I'll kiss you if you give me back the candy..." the twinklings in his eyes were back.

"Too bad it was a strawberry candy!"

"What do you mean, sweetheart," he gave her another tremendous smile.

"What would your reaction had been to – lets say – garlic flavour?"

"Horrified, my fair lady," he put on his charming smile. The one he had been practising on. It always worked on the female staff, they couldn't say no to him, to prince charming. He hadn't had the guts to use it on Minerva yet. With her begging eyes and smiles couldn't do wonders as with other normal witches and wizards. Besides her temper had to be taking into consideration too. He clearly remembered one time he had used his puppy eyes on her. He shuddered at the memory.

"Such a shame, I should have thought of it sooner! But you see, Albus, had you kissed me a little longer, I would've responded."

"I see. So the surprise petrified you into a stone statuette, my enthralling rose," he snapped his fingers and a single rose materialised out of thin air. Its yellow petals landed in her hair.

"Yes," she smiled genuinely flattered by his actions.

"So, Lady Irresistible, my Sherbet Lemon is still here, not eaten," again he snapped his fingers and a white rose appeared above her head. The white petals fell and now lay side by side with the yellow.

"Oh yes, not eaten at all," again she smiled, looking at him from under her long dark lashes.

"And where's my Sherbet Lemon's location, presently," yet again a rose appeared and its petals fell and sat in waves in her dark hair. This time the rose was violet.

"It's getting hot..."

At first he looked puzzled at her, but then he remembered a mugglegame he used to play in his younger days. One hid an object and the others were supposed to find it. The only help they got was from the person whom had hid it. When they were near the object the person would say 'It's getting hot' or if they were a long way from it 'It's getting cold'. He took a step toward her and waited for her response.

"Hotter"

He took another step, and stood right in font of her, but again he waited.

"Hotter"

A moment went by as he took some time to think through the facts. She had his candy. Somewhere on her! And she wasn't running away. Something wasn't right here. She had a plan. And he was about to walk right into her trap. He knew for sure she wouldn't just give him back the candy willingly. The other candy had been in her bra. Perhaps! Perhaps his candy was also in her bra. As the true meanings of his speculations finally hit him, he blushed deep scarlet.

Throwing away caution and his suspicion, he placed a hand on her shoulder.

She licked her lips slowly, opened her mouth and breathed 'hot' so low he almost hadn't heard.

"What next, sunflower," he asked afraid to take the next step. He felt like a teenager again, insecure about his every move.

"It's not up to me to decide"

"What do you mean, my butterfly?"

"I mean what I say. You know the game. I can't tell you where your candy is, you must find it yourself."

"You want me to strip you naked," his voice was shrill and he forgot to call her something flower-like.

A/N: Hmmm, yeah I know a bit naughty... Naughty fessors!

Thanks to my wonderful reviewers, as always, you're superb!

Catwoman99: Ohhh! Thank you SOOO much for all the praising. Yes, very sneaky of Minerva indeed. But well you kind of have too be a little wise to be sneaky, right! =)

Mugglemin: Yay too there, I really enjoyed your review too! Heh heh, yeah I'm too cunning for my own good. But hey, if you hide candy, hide it in your bra (Hmm). I'm very pleased you cackled, cos you know cackling is good. =)

x-xWebsFromAllTheSpidersx: Wow, long name =) Glad you loved it and found it funny too. It's soo satisfying to know when you write something funny, folks around the web also think it funny. Yeah I know about the 'age difference'! However they're a witch and a wizard, and have a longer lifespan than us normal humans (Not that I am normal in any way, but that's a different issue!). Hope you can ignore their ages and still read my chapters. Thx =)

Portkeys Miss-Mione: I feel I have to apologise for the LONG wait. Sorry. Hope you can forgive me? Anyways, thanks again for telling me how fantastic this story is, you can never get too much praise, now can you! Heh heh. I, just like you, find this so hilarious because they're sooo OOC. It was just one of those days when I got tired of serious stories, I thought why do something wicked! And there you go, though I think I may soon do something serious. I guess. Thx =)

Romancer 4-ever: Thank you soo much for all the splendid reviews. Marvellous. Ohh chocolate, don't mention it! I've just put myself on my own diet thingy. No eating candies save for Saturday! Bah! But hey it's Saturday tomorrow. Weee! =)

Daydreamer1127: Yup! There you got Minerva's reaction, and hey don't worry the bruises on Albus's cheeks won't be too bad. In fact he'll just do a little flipping with his wand, and voila! No bruises. Thanks =)

And thanks also to Elena =)

I hope you look forward to next chapter, where Minerva reveals her inner Slytherin. Heh heh!

Pal =)