Seasonal Snogging: Chapter Four: The Blue-Eyed Monster

There was no answer when Albus knocked on the door of his deputy headmistress's rooms.

"Humph!" he said to himself. "They must have had a lock in at the Hogshead. Time was called at the Three Broomsticks over an hour ago."

He stomped back to his office and sat himself down at the window, where he could see the school gates in the distance. He would wait for her to return, just to see that she was alright, he told himself.

He didn't have to wait long. At about one O'clock, two figures were to be seen slowly making their way up the school path. It was Minerva and Aberforth, walking arm in arm, swaying slightly and giggling madly. An unexpected lurch on Aberforth's part sent them hurtling into the snow, where they lay laughing until one found the energy to pull the other up to continue up the path.

Albus watched with a growing feeling of unease as his brother frolicked in the snow with his dearest friend, and decided to go down to meet them and make sure that Minerva was alright.

He was struck dumb by the sight that met him in the entrance hall. There were Minerva and his brother, their arms wrapped around each other, their lips clamped together in what he could only describe as a snog! And what was more, the jar on the floor beside Aberforth was filling with sapphires.

The couple broke apart and Minerva wished Aberforth goodnight, but he pulled her back to him and said with a big grin and a rather loud voice

"You don't fancy helping me to fill the jar a little more do you?"

She flashed him a McGonagall scowl.

"No, Aberforth, I most certainly do not!"

Then her faced relaxed into a smile and she said

"What would your girlfriend say?! Merry Christmas."

And with that, she disappeared to bed.

Albus was livid. He stood for a while watching Aberforth, who was watching after Minerva, his pulse rising and his temples throbbing furiously. It took a few moments for him to control his anger. Finally, he regained his voice and came out of the shadows to face his brother.

"Aberforth!"

"Ah, Albus!" Aberforth cried cheerfully "I was about to come looking for you."

"Were you indeed? Why don't you come up to my office?"

It sounded more like an order than a suggestion.

"Gosh! I feel like a naughty school boy again!"

They made their way in silence up to the headmaster's office and Albus motioned to Aberforth to sit. Aberforth was busy looking around the room, humming to himself.

"Do you know, dear brother, I don't think I've ever been in this office. Well, not since I was at school myself, of course and that was an awfully long time ago…"

"SIT!"

"Oh, as you like, Albus."

Aberforth sat and found himself staring straight at Albus's jar, which was sitting on the desk in front of him.

"You don't seem to have got many more rubies since you kissed Madam Rosmerta, Albus! You were doing rather well up to that point. I don't know how you did it! She wouldn't even let me kiss her on the cheek…"

"From what I witnessed downstairs, that does not seem to have inhibited your score at all!" Albus rumbled.

"What? Oh Minerva…yes, that was rather profitable. She is lovely, isn't she? Such an intelligent woman." He shook his jar.

"What on earth do you think you are playing at with my deputy headmistress?!" Albus had not meant to shout quite so loudly, but somehow he had lost control of his voice again.

"Oh we were just having a little fun, Albus! Actually, it was a lot of fun, she's a marvellous kisser you know - oh but of course you must know already! I bet she's the reason you managed to catch up so fast this year!"

"How dare you?!"

"What on earth do you mean? Are you suggesting that you've had that woman under this roof for this long and you've never once so much as kissed her?"

"Do shut up!"

"Oh, if you say so."

Albus turned his back to his brother to hide the anger in his eyes. He was so furious that he had to clench his fists to stop them shaking.

Aberforth seemed to be muttering to himself.

"What did you say?" Albus demanded, turning to find his own jar in his brother's hands.

"I thought you told me to shut up?" said Aberforth, whipping something that was in his hand behind his back. Albus failed to notice what it was. He rolled his eyes and put his hand out for the jar.

"Just having a quick count, brother mine." said Aberforth, standing to leave with a twinkle in his eye. He stopped suddenly by the door and turned back to his brother.

"I don't suppose I could come calling on Minerva tomorrow could I? I rather fancy asking for another kiss. Does she know that you can't kiss the same woman twice in the same place? Perhaps she'll let me try something different…"

"OUT!!"

Aberforth took to his heels with a grin as a curse came flying towards him. He dreaded to think what he would find growing out of his ears when he got home, but as he scampered down the spiral staircase, he smiled to himself, knowing that it would all be worth it if his plan came to pass.

I think I'm going to re-name this story "Aberforth's Cunning Plan". Sounds better than "Seasonal Snogging" which suggests it is merely my usual offering of smut (we'll ignore the fact that it is). I'll wait till it's finished, though.

Incidentally, if you would like me to finish it, you can push the little button and leave me a message!