Albus crashed through he infirmary door, still trying to button his pants. The flagstones were cold and unforgiving under his bare feet, and the chill they produced traveled up his spine. His eyes were wide as he frantically scanned the empty corridor, trying to decide which direction she could have gone. Even the short distance to the door had drained him of much of his energy as he leaned heavily against the cold stones. The pounding in his head had returned in full force, and his chest was heaving painfully in an effort to supply the much needed oxygen. "Minerva," he called out, but there was no reply. Shaking off the sudden wave of dizziness, Albus lurched off the wall and began stumbling in the direction of the stairs.

She would try to get away, but he wouldn't let it happen, not again. There were some days, well most days really, that Albus just didn't understand women. She disappears, comes back, crying, and then runs out again. He just couldn't get it. Did she want to come back, or was she simply looking to see if he had kicked the bucket? It didn't make any sense. He easily read the pain and confusion in her eyes. There was something he was missing, and it was driving him insane.

Albus stepped off the stairway and into another corridor just as the bells overhead rang, ending the last class of the day. Students began bursting out of the various doors, but came to a standstill as they saw their headmaster making his way toward them. News had spread quickly of the headmaster's stay in the hospital wing, although no one quite knew why, but no one could believe what they saw. After all, how often is it that the headmaster all but runs through the corridors in nothing but a pair of trousers. "Out of the way!" he yelled, and ran on as the students hurried to clear a path.

Albus was only vaguely aware as he ran past a group of seventh year girls. "Did you see those abs," one whispered, "I didn't know that was possible at his age." Professor Flitwick managed to push his way though the students and nearly fell over as Albus passed by. "Albus, what on.." "She's back Filius," Albus called over his shoulder, never losing stride.

By the time Albus reached the transfiguration wing, he could feel himself slowing down. His head felt as if it were about to split in half, and his stomach was rolling despite his best efforts. Putting out a hand, he continued, leaning on the wall for support. The thrum of magic that filled the castle seemed to calm him somewhat, just a it always had. "I swear woman, when I get my hands on you," he grumbled, turning the corner.

He didn't get a step further before crashing into something warm and solid. Reacting on instinct, he rolled his body, bringing the other on top of him before they hit the ground. They landed with a thud as the wind was knocked out of his lungs and stars began to shine in his eyes. When he managed to get back to the hospital wing, Poppy was not going to be happy.

When his vision finally cleared, he gazed directly up into a pair of emerald eyes. Their faces were only millimeters apart, and Albus' arms were wrapped protectively around her waist, holding her flush against his body. He could feel her body heat as it seeped through her robes and warmed his chest. Her soft breath against his neck and the smell of her drove him to distraction. The air around them seemed to thicken instantly, and neither dared to say a word. It wasn't until Albus shivered that Minerva broke the moment and hastily got to her feet.

She reached down and helped him stand up. "Albus are you alright?" she asked looking him over. She had immediately noticed his lack of clothing, and couldn't help but see he hadn't changed much since she had seen him last. He was, perhaps, a little paler and leaner through the middle, but looked as strong as ever.

"I'm fine, just give me a minute to catch my breath."

She just stared at him before realization dawned. "Albus, what are you doing out of bed? Better yet, what are you doing out of bed, with nothing on?"

"I managed to grab my pants," he quipped before growing serious again. "You didn't expect me to just let you leave like that did you? The better question is, why are you standing outside the abandoned storage room?" His words were steady, but his entire body was shaking, and a light sheen of sweat had broken out along his hairline.

She stepped forward, putting a hand on his arm, feeling the familiar spark as they touched. "Comeback to the hospital wing Albus. I'll tell you when you're settled."

"No," he said vehemently, pulling his arm away. "Tell me now!"

Minerva huffed. Sometimes he acted too much like the students for his own good. "Fine, but at least," she waved wand and her cloak had grown in size and she wrapped it around his shoulders. "The last thing I need is for Poppy to have both our heads." She looked back to the wooden door that seemed to be taunting her. "I was remembering."

The comment caught Albus by surprise, but he tried not to show it. "Remembering?"

"Umm," she responded, "This is where it started." He was even more confused at this point, but she didn't seem to notice. Her mind was drifting back to another time. "I was going to use this room for my afternoon classes. Peeves had made a mess in mine. When I came though the door, you were there, or someone I thought was you," she added quickly when he began to open his mouth. "In the span of ten minutes, you told me about, not only, your other woman, but that she was coming to the school. Of course I said I wouldn't allow it, and was promptly told to vacate the premises. You know the rest," she trailed off.

She turned away from him, desperately trying to hide the pain. It felt like an eternity as she waited for him to say something, anything. And, with each passing second, her heart broke just that much more.

Albus' mind was reeling with this new information. Things were beginning to add up, but certainly she wouldn't have gotten so worked up over something so trivial. "Minerva, why would you use this room? Were you planning a joint lesson with the D.A. class that term?"

It was Minerva's turn to be confused. "Of course not. This was just the nearest empty classroom. Why? What difference does it make?"

It finally dawned on him as the last piece of the puzzle slid into place. She didn't know. How could she not know? Everyone knew, or he thought they did. The sheer stupidity of the situation crashed down around him, and Albus did the only thing he could think of. He laughed for the first time in six years, and it felt wonderful.

This was not the reaction that Minerva had expected, and she could feel her anger rising. How could he laugh at her, at what she had gone through? Maybe she hadn't been wrong after all. "And what, headmaster, is so funny?"

The look of outrage on her face and her tone only made him laugh harder. "The boggart Minerva," He gasped out. "The room..has been empty..for 130 years..because of a boggart! No one has been able to get rid of the blasted thing. You walked in on a boggart!"

She watched in horror as Albus tried to regain control of his breathing, but, by the blue tinge that was starting to cover his lips, she knew he wasn't succeeding. The laughter had done it.

"Albus," Minerva cried as he collapsed in a heap at her feet. "Just a boggart," he whispered before falling unconscious again.