Out of her Hands

A/n: I am so sorry that this update has taken so long to happen, I was hit with a serious case of writers block and all my current stories were affected by it. I hope this chapter was worth the wait and I'll try and update quicker. Thanks for waiting and reviews are always lovely to get hint hint lol

Oh this chapter hasn't been beta read so I apologise for any obvious mistakes I have missed when I read through it, I always seem to miss things. I hope it doesn't ruin your enjoyment if you do come across silly mistakes. On with the story!

Chapter Fifteen: Nush.

Albus Dumbledore stood outside the door that led into Minerva's cottage; he pulled out his golden pocket watch and glanced at it. The watch had been a gift from Minerva on their first Christmas together; she had said that when she had seen it in the shop that she instantly thought of him. The pocket watch had twelve hands and instead of numbers around the edge, it had little planets. It had been one of the best presents he had ever received and never went anywhere with out.

He waited till one of the hands rested upon the hour before raising his hand and knocked on the door. The moments between the knock and the door opening, seemed to last forever and Albus had held his breath. Albus hadn't felt so nervous for ages; he was a quivering wreck inside and only hoped that he didn't look so nervous when the door finally opened.

The door opened slowly and Albus took a sharp intake of breath when he saw two large blue eyes looking up at him. Nush, Minerva's house elf stood looking up at him and made no effort to invite him in. Albus had remembered Nush fondly, she was devoted to Minerva and if you hurt Minerva, you hurt Nush. Nush had been in the family for years; she had worked in the McGonagall family mansion but when Minerva moved out into the cottage, Nush had asked to go with her.

"Hello Nush!" greeted Albus softly

Silence!

"That is a nice pillow case!" he said as he observed she was wearing an eggshell blue pillowcase.

Nush proudly smoothed the kinks out of the pillowcase with her small hands and then looked at the wizard. "Mistress, not ready yet!"

"May I come in and wait?" asked Albus

"Mistress said to ask you in," said Nush as she opened the door some more and beckoned him in to the cottage.

The cottage was toasty warm, still as welcoming as it had always been and Albus instantly felt calmness sweep over him. It had been a while since he had been inside her cottage, the last time being when he was helping her move out of it and into the place he had built for them to live in. Minerva had been so happy when Albus had asked her to move in with him, she had thought that had meant living with Aberforth in the family home but that was soon put right when Albus showed the cottage he had made for her. Alastor had told him that Minerva had been living in their cottage until very recently but left because it was coming too much for her. Albus was living there now but it wasn't his home anymore, his home was with Minerva and he had to try and get that back.

"Nush was very upset to see her mistress upset," spoke Nush matter of factly "Nush does not like her mistress to be upset!"

"I didn't handle the situation very well," replied Albus, he had really mucked things up "I would very much like to make it up to Minerva!"

"Nush thinks you should!" said the house elf before she disappeared.

Albus was left alone in the front room of the cottage, pictures on the mantle piece caught his eye and he walked over to have a closer look. There were a couple of pictures of Minerva's mother and father with their backs to one another; they had obviously had a disagreement about something. The next picture was of him and Minerva; they were sat together on a large swing. There seemed to be awkwardness in the picture that certainly hadn't been present before, Albus remembered the swing very well and it hadn't been awkward at all. The swing was in the grounds of the McGonagall family estate and Albus and Minerva were there because they had just recently announced their engagement to a select few. Her mother had demanded that they let her throw a small engagement part for them and Albus and Minerva caved in and let her. Albus and Minerva had escaped to the swing for some peace and quiet that evening and had been enjoying it until her mother had appeared with a magical camera. There were a few more pictures of them together on the mantle piece and Albus smiled as he remembered all the memories that were attached to them. His life with Minerva had been the best type of life, they loved each other and he had ruined it because he had been selfish.

He hadn't planned on hurting Minerva; it actually hadn't come into mind that he would be at the time. He was so wrapped up in what he was going through that others didn't really get a second look. He was ashamed of himself and he didn't want pity from her, from anyone so he had taken things into his own hands and done what he thought was best. He had seen the error of his ways and had returned, granted he should have sent an owl to warn Minerva of his arrival but he had wanted to see her and a owl might have made her run from him quicker than she already did.

She had agreed to dine with him this evening and things seemed to be getting back on track, he knew it wasn't going to easy but he had made a start. He hoped that within time she could forgive and accept him back in her life, that's all he wanted.

"Sorry to keep you waiting!" came a voice from behind him.

Albus jumped slightly, he had been so caught up in his own thoughts that he had failed to notice her entrance. His back was to her but he could smell her, she was wearing his favourite perfume and the one he brought her every birthday. It was intoxicating just as she was and always would be. He turned around slowly and came face to face with his goddess, she was wearing some beautiful pale blue robes and her hair was up in a French twist. She looked radiant and Albus felt himself fall in love all over again with her. She did look slightly tired and Albus was sure it was something to do with him but he was going to make a new start for them tonight. He would ask her if she would allow him to court her properly and to take things at her pace.

"I haven't been waiting long!" he finally answered, "Nush showed me in!"

"She wasn't too standoffish with you," asked Minerva "was she?"

"She was how I expected her to be Minerva," he replied with a smile "fiercely devoted to you! I see she has a new pillowcase!"

"I had to pretend I was throwing it away," explained Minerva "she left it in the bin for three days before getting it out and putting it on. I would have gladly given it to her but she worries that I can not cope without her."

Albus smiled and nodded his head; Nush had always been under the assumption that Minerva could not cope without her even though Minerva was one of the most together people he knew. Nush had come with Minerva when they had moved into their cottage and was always picking up after him, it drove him mad at times when Nush had moved something from the spot where he had left it because it made the place look untidy.

"Your radiant Minerva!" stated Albus as he looked directly into her emerald green eyes.

A faint blush appeared on her cheeks and she looked down at the ground, Albus loved it when she went all coy on him and he was glad to see that hadn't changed.

"Thank you Albus," she replied softly.

"I brought you these!" he said as he conjured some roses out of thin air and handed them to her

Minerva took the roses and brought them to her nose, she took in the scent and closed her eyes. She could imagine herself in a field full of these flowers, walking hand in hand with the man across from her. They had done that many a time, walked through fields filled with wild flowers hand in hand, they had even made love several times amongst nature.

"They are beautiful." She answered with flushed cheeks

"Nush be taking them flowers Mistress!" came a voice from the doorway; the house elf dashed forward and took the flowers from Minerva before disappearing again with a faint pop.

"Shall we make our way to Rene's my dear?" he said as he offered her his arm.

She simply nodded and threaded her arm through his and rested her hand on his arm, he placed his own hand over hers and gave it a gentle squeeze before activating the portkey that had been in his pocket.

To be continued!