Out of her Hands
A/N: Many thanks to those of you who took the time to review the last chapter. I am so glad to see that you still remember this story and haven't forgotten about it.One more chapter (I think) after this one and then it's all done and dusted. A huge thank you to Ang who agreed to beta read this chapter for me.
Chapter Sixteen: Rene'sMinerva felt a hand rest upon her hip as they reached their destination. The hand prevented her from stumbling and landing on the floor in a very unladylike manner. It seemed that Albus still remembered how unsteady she was when it came to using a portkey. He would always grip her tightly when they chose this type of transportation. Minerva always felt rather seasick after using a portkey. Her vision would be a bit blurry at first and she often needed to sit down and collect herself before setting off again. She avoided taking a portkey as much as she could but sometimes she couldn't get out of it and she used to suspect that Albus would suggest taking one so he could be her knight in shinning armour.
"How do you feel my dear?" he asked softly.
"Like I have had one too many gillyweeds!" she retorted.
Albus smiled and led her over to a park bench that was set back from the path. He helped her sit down and sat beside her. He held her dainty hand between his two larger ones, his thumb grazing against the palm of her hand.
"Maybe we should have simply apparated!" he said with a twinkle in his eye.
Minerva looked up at him and couldn't help but smile at the mischievous twinkle in his blue eyes. She shook her head and looked down at their hands. It was lovely to experience his touch again. It had been such a long time since she had felt it but at the same time, it felt like she had never been without it. She felt Albus begin to pull his hands away and she had to act quickly otherwise she might lose her nerve. She gripped on to his hand tightly.
"I am not going to leave you!" he said without realising what he had said until it was too late.
"That is what you said last time!" she answered sadly, still not letting go of his hand.
Tears were stinging the back of her eyes. She was trying to hold them back because she didn't want to cry this evening. She had done enough of that over the last eight months and she was tired. Tonight, she had hoped would be the ending of the last few months and that they could look forward and not behind. But it still hurt her to know that he hadn't wanted to see her when he was at his lowest.
"Did you think I would stop loving you?" she asked.
"I thought you would stay because you thought it would the right thing to do," he answered. They had gone through this many times now and he understood why but he wished they could move on.
"Albus," she said looking up at him "you know there is only one person who can decide for me, don't you?"
"Yes I do," he answered.
"And who is it?" she asked.
"You, he replied. It seemed she was most annoyed with him because he took her independence from her, her chance to choose from her.
Minerva had always been fiercely protective of herself and the decisions she could make. They were hers and Albus remembered clearly how hard it was for her to let him share her life because she had to make mutual decisions with someone rather than going off and doing what she felt was right for her.
"You always told me that we needed to make decisions as a couple," she said softly "but you went back on your own words, Albus. What makes it right for one person but wrong for the other one?"
"Minerva," he said seriously "I admit that I was wrong. I am only human after all and at the time I did what was best for me because I didn't want you to leave me or be with me for the wrong reasons. I made the decision. The fault lies with me and I understand the hurt and confusion you are feeling because I would feel the same. But I am back now. I came back. That must mean something!"
Minerva reached forward and cupped his face in her hands, looking into blue eyes and seeing the emotions that were there made her forgive him instantly. For the first time since the situation had happened, she was seeing it from his point of view and she was sure that she would have probably made the same decision. Her delicate finger brushed away a tear that had fallen from his eye and she leaned forward, touching her lips against his softly in a gentle kiss before pulling away and smiling.
"Minerva?" he whispered, he wasn't sure what the kiss had meant.
Minerva was finally aware of her feelings. They had always been there but just hidden by her anger. She knew that she couldn't live or function right without the man beside her in his life. The past few months had shown her that. She had never relied on a person as she had on Albus. He was the glue that kept her together and she couldn't let him walk out of her life. She understood his reasoning and part of her loved him even more for it. She realized how hard it must have been to come back like he did and he had come to her first. He was sitting beside her, looking like a confused muggle child who had just been told that Father Christmas did not exist. She could tell he was waiting for her to speak and tell him what was going on between them.
"It means," she said softly "that it is time to forget the past and move on, hopefully like we had planned!"
"Really?" he asked, his heart was beating so fast and so loud that he was sure that she could hear it pounding against his chest.
"Yes," she repeated, "can we move on together Albus?"
"Oh yes my darling," he said as he pulled her into his arms and held her to him. "Thank you!"
Minerva snuggled into his chest and took in the smell of his aftershave. She savoured the feel of his arms locked around her and she felt at home at last. The past few months flew out of her mind and she felt herself ready to forgive and forget. She couldn't believe that it had taken her so long to see what she was missing by being angry with the one man who was her everything. His hands rubbed soothing circles in her back and she began to purr contently as she snuggled deeper into his chest. Her arms wrapped around his waist. She sighed as she felt his lips trail along her jaw line until they found her lips. The kiss was soft and gentle. Months of loneliness, want, and need flowed through their locked lips.
"Oh the gods, how I have missed you!" he whispered against her lips.
She smiled against his lips and kissed them softly again, covering his face with small butterfly kisses till she broke out into a very girlie giggle that surprised her as well as Albus. She rested her forehead against his and sighed. They remained there silently for a few moments until they heard Albus' stomach grumble.
"Sorry about that," he mumbled with a grin. "Seems because of my nerves today, I forgot to eat breakfast, lunch and my sherbet lemons."
"Come on then," she said as she got to her feet and offered him her hand "let's go and get something to eat before you waste away in front of me."
With a chuckle he took her hand and then led her up to Rene's. Their table was still available and Rene personally showed them to their table but not before saying how glad he was to see them both here again and that they had been sorely missed. Rene's was an old fashioned restaurant with blue and white checked blinds hanging at the windows, tables big enough for two people with flowers and breadsticks as a focal point of the table. Low romantic lighting and soft instrumental music hung in the air all added to the restaurants charm. It had become Albus and Minerva's favourite place to spend romantic meals together without having to worry about being interrupted.
The menus appeared in front of them though they were not needed because they always had the same when they came here, a large two-person bowl of spaghetti bolognese with garlic and cheese bread. Minerva wasn't sure if they were going to order there usual. She wasn't sure how easily were they going to slip into being a couple again and did not want to mess things up.
"Will you be having your usual?" asked Rene, his dark brown eyes gleaming the soft lighting of the restaurant.
"What do you say to our usual my dear?" asked Albus, looking at her over the top of his half moon spectacles.
"If you would like it then I wont disagree," she said, picking her words carefully and putting the decision at his feet.
"Then our usual it is Rene and a bottle of your finest," said Albus.
"Of course Mr. Dumbledore," agreed Rene before disappearing off into the kitchen.
While they waited for their meal to arrive, they spoke about what had happened in the last few days concerning Poppy and Alastor and how the arrangements had to be changed for the wedding, which Poppy wasn't overly happy about. But there was nothing that could be done. Their meal arrived along with the bread and the wine. Albus poured the wine while Minerva set about breaking up the bread into manageable pieces and it was second nature to them. Rene smiled over at the couple as he darkened the lights slightly and gave them total privacy.
"Albus," Minerva declared with a giggle, several minutes later "I don't know how you always managed to get it down your shirt!"
"It's too dark," he said in his defence "cant see where my mouth is!"
"You use that excuse every time we come here," she said with amusement "I believed it the first time and the second but when it gets into double figures, I tend to not believe you!"
"You wound me deeply my love!" he said dramatically, placing his hand over his heart.
Minerva chuckled and reached over to clean the spot of bolognaise sauce off his robes with her napkin. He kissed her hand in thanks as she pulled away which caused her to blush slightly. The evening continued with them feeding each other and laughing. Albus got more drips of sauce down his robes and blamed Minerva for every single one of them. They skipped dessert since the pasta dish had filled them both up and they both wanted to go for a walk along the nearby lake.
The air was crisp outside and the wind whipped around them as they walked together along the bank with hands clasped tightly. They walked in silence, enjoying and savouring their time together. It felt as though they had never been parted from one another. They still knew each other's movements and would mimic them as they walked.
"I have really enjoyed tonight Albus," said Minerva coming to a stop and tugging him to her. "It's been like you never went away!"
"I know my darling," he said as he cupped her face and looked into her eyes. "Words cannot express how happy I am to be allowed back into your life!"
"We don't always need words to express our feelings," she replied.
"No we don't!" he said before capturing her lips for the second time that evening. This kiss wasn't as soft as the one they had shared before going to Rene's. This kiss was raw and passionate, still full of love but primal as well.
They broke the kiss a few minutes later so each of them could regain their breath. Minerva touched her swollen lips and giggled. She was so happy to be like this again with Albus. She knew that things would quickly get back to normal and she was about to take the bold step and make things got back to normal sooner rather than later.
"Shall we go home?" she asked.
"Home?" questioned Albus. "The cottage?"
"Our cottage," she replied. "Home!"
"Are you sure?" he questioned, not wanting her to make any brash decisions.
"Albus," she said impatiently "take me home!"
To be continued!