Out of her Hands.
A/n: I am sooooo sorry that I haven't updated this story for months, my muse left me for a vacation and she has only just returned. I think she has jet lag as well so she isn't being too friendly so this isn't a particularly long chapter. I hope you enjoy this update and I promise that the next chapter will be up in at least two weeks.
Chapter Thirteen: Nervous like a schoolgirl.
Minerva stood in front of her ornate full-length mirror that had been passed down to her by the Grandmother; she had always loved the mirror and had welcomed it into her home with open arms. Minerva was wearing smart pale blue dress robes, she was never one to wear elaborate robes and this one was no exception. It was a little too big for her but you could still make out her womanly figure beneath them. Around the cuffs and the hem, there was an elegant pattern of darker blue swirls that finished the robes off perfectly. Minerva looked regal in this simple robes, she was lucky that most things suited her apart from robes in the colour of yellow.
The thought of yellow robes made her remember a memory of her time with Albus, she smiled as she remembered. She had been in Albus' bedroom with him when there had been an urgent knocking at his door before Albus could make it to the door and show the visitor into the living room of his rooms, the visitor had walked in. Minerva only had chance to grab Albus' bright yellow robes and slip them on before Armando Dippet walked in. She remembered the look on the flustered Headmaster and friend's face, he had looked at her and then back at Albus before mumbling an apology and backing out of the room but before he left, he made the point of telling Minerva that yellow was certainly not her colour. She had turned bright red when he had said that but she had agreed with him then and still did to this day.
She shook her head and peered back into the mirror, she was trying to decide how to wear her hair for that evening. She couldn't wear it down because she knew she would daydream about Albus running his long fingers through it as he used to before he disappeared. She didn't want to wear it in a bun because it made her look severe and unapproachable and not to mention, years older than she was. Maybe she could put it up in a french twist, a plait or half up and half down.
She pulled her wand from her robe pocket and pointed it at her long, ebony coloured hair and whispered an incantation. She watched with interest at her hair tied itself back and then plaited itself without her having to do anything. Once it was done, she looked at herself and shook her head. She looked like a schoolgirl and though inside she felt like one, she certainly didn't want to look like one. The plait undid itself on her command and then transformed into a french twist. She smiled to herself and decided that the hairstyle went with the robes she was wearing and it also kept the bulk of her heavy hair out of her eyes.
She was about to apply a subtle amount of make up when a tapping on the window broke into her thoughts and disturbed what she was about to do. She made her way over to the window and opened it; an unfamiliar tawny owl flew in and made its way to her dressing table. It landed with a soft thud and the chirped at her before holding its leg out for her. Minerva saw that a note was an attached to its leg and she also recognised the familiar purple writing scrawled across it. It was from Albus and she wondered for one moment that he was going to cancel.
She reached for the letter with an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach, the owl nipped at her hand when she withdrew it with the letter. The owl was reminding her that he had flown a distance to deliver such a note and that he was hungry. Minerva couldn't help but smile at the owl's impatience, it reminded her of Albus at Christmas time. She tipped the owl with a few bits of ginger newts and then turned her attention back to the letter. She opened it with shaking hands and almost forgot to breath as she read the purple writing.
Dearest Minerva,
I do hope that you are well. I am looking forward to tonight and I thought
I would take you to René's. You always loved that place and I thought it would offer the ideal atmosphere for us. I'll be picking you up at 7pm.
My love, always
Albus x
Minerva looked at the letter once more and then back at her reflection the dressing table, she sunk to her knees and felt tears sting the back of her eyes. She did love Rene's; it was her favourite place to eat in the world. It held many memories when it came to her and Albus, their first date had been there and he had even taken her there for their engagement dinner. She wasn't sure she would be able to go there with him when it held so many happy memories, she would be surrounded by them and that may not make her think straight. She knew that she loved him still; she had never stopped loving him when he was missing presumed dead. If anything, her love for him had grown when he hadn't been by her side. It had overwhelmed her, encouraged her not to give up hope even when there was no light at the end of the tunnel.
What had he meant by Rene's offering the ideal atmosphere for them? Minerva had always found the place romantic, full of couples and love was always in the air. It had a fountain in the middle of the restaurant with secluded love seats spaced around it for courting couples. There was a dance floor and a woman always selling the finest red roses Minerva had ever seen by the door as you walked in. Soft music would float invisibly around the restaurant and the flickering of candle flames added to the ambience.
What was Albus expecting from tonight? She wanted to talk and try to set something's straight and see what the future held for them. Rene's wasn't exactly the ideal place to talk seriously about what had happened. She couldn't exactly go into detail about her having to cancel their wedding or about her searches for his body when romance was in the air.
Had he suggested going there because of that very reason! Was he trying to divert attention away from what had happened? Was he going to try and sweet talk her around to his way of thinking?
Minerva just had too many questions, she was questioning his motives and was unsure if she should be going out tonight with him. Despite all her reservations, she wanted to see him. She wanted to lose herself in his blue eyes; she did want to put the past behind her. She wanted him back, her heart was yearning for him and she needed him on every level.
Tonight would be make or break and Minerva certainly hoped that he would convince her to make it.
To be continued!