Dun-dun-dun-duuuun! I'm back! Can you BELIEVE it!...quite honestly, I can't myself. Okay, here is my list of excuses (absolutely NONE of them are made up) for the extremely late update:
Softball games and practice that lasted from the end of school until 6 or 7 at night. (I had homework and to eat…then it was time for sleep!)
I sprained my ankle on the 5th and was in the stress of athletic rehab as well as practice still
stupid sleepovers! I was up until 1 a.m. one day with a friend. (YES, that's my fault…)
more rehab
birthday party for a friend
birthday party for my brother
my uncle's wedding that I needed to attend
studying for driver's test
But now…we have good news (besides the update)…SOFTBALL IS OVER! Now I am free to write because I get home about…3 hours earlier than I was. yay
Okay, and now your looovely notes:
Questionablelight: you're right…I can't very well tell you when min will tell albus about maddy, but I shall say that OF COURSE she will tell…course we're going to hit a major conflict at that point, but I can't say more than that. Thanks for being patient with my update, you're great!
Kidarock: Oh, I'm sooo glad that you like my story so far. I was just sitting around one day, and it hit me, Bam!…I would write this story. Hey, what else was I to do? I was bored at the time…Newayz, enough about me! It's always nice to hear from new people. I hope you continue to enjoy this story, and I'm glad you have more patience than I do…
Quill of Minerva: Ah, conflicts are my specialty. For some odd reason, I seem to have been born with a sense of compassion towards people…I can get into their heads very easily. )…then again, maybe it's just because I created these particular personalities for these particular people. Hm…the letter? We won't be touching the letter for a few chapter yet, I need to get the um…fire burning more rapidly before we hit that stage…but by the end of this chapter there should be no doubt that the moment is slowly approaching. I love yah much for sticking around this long to wait for me!
DumbledoresKitten: I do hope you aren't planning on going to bed tonight without checking for this update! Me thinks you'll enjoy it…and plus, it's been SOOOO long! I'm really sorry to keep you waiting. Anyhow, FABULOUS review! It made me smile the entire time. First, I thank you on the compliment about how I played out the scene that the two ex-lovers had. Second, I would like to inform you that you gave me the inspiration for this next chapter by saying that I should involve Madelyn more…laughs evilly…and get into more detail about how Albus thought. Third, I'm afraid I cannot say much about who intercepted the letters…that shall be my secret. Thank you much for your cooperation with me and your support!
Erica Dawn: Heylo! Thank you for the nice review. Of course there is shippiness…and it shall be coming in by the truck full as we go deeper into the plot. There isn't quite so much conversation in this chapter, I'm afraid, but it gets the point across (quite well, I think) oh, and YES, we have more maddy! She plays a really big part in this chapter, hopefully, if I've done my job, your mouth may hang once or twice in this chap…and if not, maybe you could smile? anyhow, thank you for sticking with me!
Hogwarts Duo: Yupperz, last chapter was very um…emotional and the lot. I was hoping to get enough out there to where I could pick up the story more…which I have done in this chapter for certain. It isn't nearly as sad (thankfully) as the last chapter was, infact, it's almost even light most of the time. I thought a little humor was needed. Okay, well…about the letters? I gotta tell you what I tell everyone…my lips are sealed. Sowwy, can't spoil the fun. Hope to hear from you again! Luv lots!
Webby: hey! Hope you like it…if I don't hear from you this time, then I will purposely ignore your phone calls until I do! ) take that. (by grapthou's hammer, you shall be avenged)
Lena- Oh yes, Minerva will certainly eventually tell Albus about Madelyn. We'll hit a major bump in the road, but it shall be fixed…sooner or later. And yes, the two exes will get back together…we're getting very close to it, even at the end of this chapter. After all, what would a romantic story be without the romance? ) thank you for the support and I hope to hear from you again.
Esb: Yup, yup…Albus and Minerva needed to talk with one another alone; it's the only way to do anything productive! I hope the last chapter was productive…it was, wasn't it? Anyhow, thank you for the wonderful review. I'll be waiting to hear from you again!
Okay then…now…ONWARD! (to the extremely long awaited update)
Chapter Eight: Time
He studied at himself in the mirror, razor in hand. There was something different about the way his face seemed to look that morning, which was not necessarily a good thing. The laugh lines that he had received over the years were quite visible, crow's feet had begun invading his eyes, and his forehead seemed to have sprouted little waves over night. The man swallowed; he could see already the symptoms of age.
By general theory, he was a middle aged man in the wizarding world; ninety-nine was nothing special. It just caught him by surprise, the drastic change that he could see. Only the day before he could have sworn he, himself, was a thirty year old romancing a beautiful woman. There had been no age lines on his face then, he had been young and invincible.
But that was a slight understatement. In truth, he had felt unbeatable, but he was the same man that he stared at in his mirror. Albus had been old the previous evening when he spoke with Minerva, much older than he cared to announce. She had made him realize something for the first time that certainly helped him to make up his mind about the woman.
They were, in many ways, opposites. She longed to be grown up, to make her own decisions and take the credit for them. The woman would always make the right choice, even if it hurt her in the end. She was a bold one, unbelievably bold. And to be frank, Albus was not as bold as he led on. He waited for right moment to say something, but it never had the impact that she seemed to bring to their illusory stage. Besides the fact that he was less dramatic than the woman, there was one extremely obvious difference between her and him; he was far less mentally grown.
She didn't even want to hear of sitting on the ground with him. In her mind, it obviously brought her back down to the level of being a teenager. The woman had no will to be that young girl that she had once been. She was bent on being an adult no matter what came her way.
Minerva was mature and would have it no other way, though he did have to question her choice from time to time. He did understand her will to be grown, and he had no business at all suggesting that she try to act any younger than she was, but the woman flat out refused to be who she once was.
Albus shook his head slowly and ran his blade under the water with a sigh.
Despite everything, her mental maturity, quietness, young age, he had fallen in love with her again…or still, whichever sense one was to think of it. The very things that he ought to have hated about her made him feel stronger about his feelings. He hated how she was so much older than he was in the mind, but knew he could always confide in the woman who seemed to know a lot more than he did. He completely disliked how she was so aloof unless he attempted to make a conversation, but he knew that she was thinking about him while there were no words. He loathed the fact that she had to be one third of his age, but there was no doubt in his mind that it was quite possibly her age that had caused the attraction in the first place.
He loved her smile, when she would let it out. He had always had some sort of fetish with her hair, when she was brave enough to have it down. Merlin…he loved to find comfort in her green eyes on those occasions when emotion was visible in them. And perhaps above all, he loved how she moved. She was graceful without even knowing it, almost even mesmerizing; the woman reminded him of a ringing bell, just swaying back and forth.
She was what he wanted; if he had her, his life would be complete. He could die the next day and have no qualms whatsoever about how his existence had been worth it because, if that time came, he had loved the only woman. There was not even a tidbit of a doubt in his mind that Minerva was the only one.
The man blinked. Perhaps his thoughts needed a slight tweak. Minerva was the only woman, but she was not alone. There was still Madelyn. (He had to smile at the thought.) Maddy looked absolutely nothing like her mother. The child had red hair, less than perfect teeth, the oddest shaped ears, and a circular face…as far from Minerva as one could get. There was just one similarity between the two that he could notice, though it was a very fine choice if he were to have picked; they both had magnificently green eyes. If he had not seen them together, or heard Minerva's sad story, he would not have believed that they were in any way related.
But then he had spoken with the little one, which is the spot where he found the similarities. Madelyn was very much like her mother in just about everything. She was intelligent, humorous, dramatic, likeable, and quite possibly bossy. Albus smiled.
He had asked the child on their walk what she thought of boys and Maddy's reply had been simply, "they smell…and pull my hair." When Albus had suggested that maybe they liked her, her mouth dropped and she folded her arms. "Well then I'm glad I magicked a hole in his pants." Good times, that's what it was already. He still laughed at the thought. Children's magic was a fun thing to watch when it went haywire.
He did really love Maddy already. She was a fun loving child, who would jump at the thought of playing a joke on her mother, had love for just about anything that could possibly matter, and needed to be mentally challenged. To tell the truth, she and Albus were very well equipped for each other.
The man mused with himself for a second. Perhaps one day Maddy could be his daughter and Minerva his wife. That would be a happy family right there. There would just be mountains of love and humor to go around. It could be like a carousel that never ended.
Albus continued to smile and took another glance at him in the mirror, this time with a new knowledge. He made a great revelation, one that he would ponder for a great amount of decades. With time comes a benefit that he hadn't yet thought of; life. The lines on his face signified the life that he had lived. He had been through so much and there was only going to be more. He could see happy times ahead.
The man approached his closet where he saw an array of colored robes. He had always enjoyed bright things, and that particular day was looking brighter and brighter by the second. He pulled out an extremely violet set of robes and put them on. Albus grinned as he looked himself over; he was going to see Minerva and Madelyn about a picnic.
Minerva, though completely ready for the day, was flat on her bed in the spot that the sun seemed to completely ignore the windows and hit the covers with full force. It was so wonderful, the sun. The rays burned her skin, warming her entire body, waking it, making her mind work in a way that she had not used in years.
She knew she should have been thinking of him; if she had any right to dream at all, it should have been about some imaginary person that could never harm her. But as it was, he was the only thing on her mind. His twinkling eyes, red hair, smile, etc. were all being etched deeper and deeper into her brain. But unlike before, it was not yet so much a sin to be thinking about him; after all…they were now friends. Minerva had a right to be thinking about Albus.
The woman closed her eyes. She was in the very spot that she stood, resting. Then that man would come over and touch her forehead softly to where the woman would wake up and stare into those beautiful blue eyes.
Minerva smiled. "Hello, Professor."
He smiled back and kissed her gently where his hand had been. "Did you sleep well, Miss McGonagall?"
"Ahm." The woman nodded. "This seems familiar, does it not?"
"Yes," Albus nodded in agreement. "Remember when we did this, years ago? Merlin you looked beautiful, like an angel."
A smile crossed her face. "And what am I now, if I'm not an angel?"
"A goddess."
Minerva wrapped her arms around him and pulled his head closer to hers with that playful grin on her face. "Albus?"
"Hmm?"
"Kiss me."
Her eyes fluttered open quickly and her body jerked up from where she had been laying. The woman looked around the empty room, then at the sun, next at the pillows that were crowded at the side of the bed. She brought her sweaty hand up to her forehead and blinked.
What was she thinking? After one revealing evening, she was dreaming of him again like she once had. She was seeing him and her as an "us". With the proper elements (obviously) she was still able to see Albus in a light that she had forbidden to herself long ago. That wasn't a good thing.
Though he had calmed her fears of him hurting her, the phobia was still securely there and nothing could make it go away. Besides that fact, she was not in any position to start caring for him. She had learned what became of him and their relationship, he knew only that Minerva had once loved Madelyn's father. No, she wasn't in any position to think of him. She knew the more he invaded her thoughts, the better chance she had of falling in love with the man. And if she were to let herself go to him again, there would be nothing but hurt ahead.
Quickly she got off of her bed and made her way to Maddy's room. The woman smiled when she saw her daughter still curled up in sheets with a doll clutched tightly in her arms. It was a nice thing to see Madelyn sleep; she, unfortunately, had gotten her mother's inability to slumber at regular hours. Only once in a blue moon was the child able to get more than six hours of sleep. Minerva nodded her head slowly and took a glance at a clock; it was nearly nine thirty. Madelyn had been in bed for at least ten hours, depending on what time she fell asleep.
Slowly the woman shut her daughter's door, feeling slightly more contented. And just as she was exiting the little corridor that separated their rooms, there was a resounding knock on the door.
She sighed. There really was no doubt in her mind that it was Albus. There were only two people in the castle who had any interest at all in the McGonagall family, Poppy and Albus; the more masculine of the two seemed to be magnetized to them.
So, Minerva walked quickly to the door. She did entertain herself with the idea of not opening it at all, but he surely would have known that she had done it purposely. In any case, the door came open gradually and she was caught staring at the man.
He was dressed in entrancing purple robes and had apparently shaved off what little bit of hair had been on his face already. But besides his clothing change, there even seemed to be something different about him. He seemed…well, relaxed. He had never been tense before when they spoke, but by no means was he as comfortable as he seemed now. She smiled warmly at him like a foolish school girl, "Hello, Professor."
"Good morning Minerva. How have you been in the past…ten hours?"
She wasn't entirely sure how to respond to his question. There were a number of answers that she could give, most of which weren't the wisest to say. The woman could reply that she was happy now that she was in his presence. She could also respond by speaking that she had been suffering over the course of the evening about whether or not she should read the note. Last but not least, she could reply the way that she always had; lying. Minerva shrugged. "Tired."
Albus nodded slowly. "We had an eventful evening, didn't we?"
Minerva bobbed her head gently. She couldn't have agreed more. It had been eventful, filled with deception, confessions, and learning. "Would you like to come in?" she whispered softly.
"If it's not intruding."
She opened up the door wide enough for him to come in. The two of them walked towards the little sitting area by the window. Albus took a chair. Minerva stood next to the window with her arms folded protectively over her shoulders.
An oddly comforting silence set in over them. It was a manner of minutes before Albus spoke. "Where is Madelyn?"
"Sleeping." Minerva smiled sweetly. "I think she attempted to stay up to wait for me last evening."
Albus's eyes twinkled gently. "The poor dear must be tired then."
The woman nodded. "She is," her voice trailed off. "So what brings you here, Albus? It's not yet ten."
"I had an idea this morning that I hope you and Madelyn might want to take me up on. I was thinking that a picnic is in order for this beautiful day."
She blinked. It was a beautiful day, maybe too beautiful…it was mind damagingly too perfect of a day. The morning had already begun to play tricks on her, what was to come with the afternoon? "I don't know," she whispered softly. She wouldn't have minded eating out on the lawn of the grounds, but it was first and foremost the fact that it was with him that she couldn't make up her mind.
"It's just lunch," Albus shrugged.
"Mum?"
Minerva turned around quickly at the sound of her daughter's voice and opened her arms for the child to come over and hug her. Maddy wrapped her arms around Minerva's waist. She was still in her nightwear and had what is commonly known as 'bed hair'. "Good morning sunshine. Did you sleep well?"
"Yes. What time is it?"
Minerva glanced at Albus who had a smile on his face, then the clock. "Nine forty. You slept a long time, miss."
The child let out a yawn and then looked into her mother's eyes. "Are we going on a picnic?"
The woman looked at Albus who nodded his head gently. "Do you want to?"
"Aha. We can go and ride brooms like you promised me."
Minerva rolled her eyes and looked between the other two people in the room, both who seemed to want to go. "I suppose we can go. What time, Albus?"
"How does twelve thirty sound?"
"Can we go now?" Maddy tugged on her mother's robes and stared at her hopefully. "I'm hungry."
"No," Minerva shook her head, "you're not dressed and besides, picnics are for lunch, not breakfast."
"Please?" The darn little thing put on a sad face, the one that had Minerva cave in if she were not up to her usual strong standards.
"You know Minerva," Albus put in, "We can make the arrangements if you need to. Our picnic could just be brunch."
The woman sighed. Obviously she had no control between the two of them. They seemed to be ganging up on her…what a funny thought it was. "Could we meet you down stairs in an hour?"
Albus nodded. "That would be just fine."
Minerva looked at Madelyn who had a smile on her face. "Are you happy now?"
The child bobbed her head like a slinky.
"Good." She blinked a few times and then looked back at Albus who had the most amused grin on his face. She glared at him. He was enjoying it, seeing her unable to say no. He found fun in seeing her be with her daughter. "Ten forty then?"
"Yes," he nodded. "I'd better be off then; there are things I need to do in order to make this work. Which model would you like me to get?"
She stared, confused. "Model?"
"Broom model."
The woman shrugged. "The oldest, safest thing you have."
"And for you?"
"I won't be flying unless I'm with her."
Albus nodded his head. "Three pixiewing400's coming up. I'll see you there." With that, he made his way to the door and bid his adieu to both girls. Once he was out of the room, Minerva turned towards her daughter who had a very wide grin on her face.
"What are you up to, Miss Maddy?"
The child shrugged. "Nothing Mummy."
Albus waited patiently at the edge of the lawn where they were to meet for their brunch on the Hogwarts's grounds. He had to smile at the thought of the scene that had played to get the woman to say yes. It wasn't necessarily planned for Maddy to pull off what she had; she just seemed to know how to play into his plots. The little girl had come in at the perfect time with the perfect disposition. She certainly needed to eat, she obviously cared about spending time with her mother, and she most definitely knew that Minerva had wanted to say no. What a wonderful thing it was; he and Maddy were two of a kind.
There was really no doubt in his mind that he had already won the heart of Madelyn who was in many ways like him. They would make a fine team someday.
All that was left to do was win again the heart of the fair Minerva McGonagall. That would not be an easy task. In her mind, there was maybe too much pain to bring back the thought of a relationship. But as he had realized earlier, time had passed and they were both ever so slightly more grown up than they had been. There was plenty of room for them, even if she did not see it.
Albus brought his hand up to his chin thoughtfully, considering. But maybe she did see it; Minerva simply insisted on friendship. After all, she had been proven to be emotional when it came to their relationship that took place a decade ago. Why on Earth should she want a relationship with him again, especially one that failed in such a miserable manner?
He blinked. If that question were to ever arise between them, he could give the perfect reply and it would be straight from the heart. The relationship was worth another try because he was honestly in love with her. Well, truth be told, he never had gotten out of love. Her face was burned into his mind ten years ago and it was only being branded deeper as they spent more time with each other.
It was a rather funny concept, he thought. He could tell quite clearly that Minerva had no intention of speaking with him about personal things anymore, but somehow the woman always ended up saying yes. In his mind, that simple fact waved the go flag. Even if there was only a small amount of endearment left from her to him, it was still there. The old Minerva was still there; a carefree, enchanting, brilliant Min McGonagall held a small spot in the present mind of Minerva G. McGonagall, new Transfiguration Professor of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Down the corridor, he could hear footsteps; two separate pairs to be exact. One was a light skip, the other a controlled stroll. He smiled to himself, trying to imagine the woman and child as they came nearer to him. Madelyn would be wearing a very bright dress, perhaps pink or blue. She'd be smiling happily, leading the way as her mother followed. Minerva may be in green robes, purposely trying to bring out her beautiful eyes. She would have a look of determination on her face; she's doing her best to convince herself that it isn't anything special to be dining outdoors with her ex-lover.
When the two girls did become visible, Albus had to pinch himself in order to look away. Madelyn, for the most part, was dressed the way he had envisioned which included a pink day-dress. However the older of the two, Minerva…she was not what he had expected at all. She, too, was in a muggle dress, but it was a soft cream color. Had he not been a sane man at the time, he could have quite possibly gone straight to visions of snogging the hell out of her, she looked so stunning.
"Well, we're here, Albus," she said softly. "Are you ready?"
He blinked and squeezed the picnic basket tight between his fingers once again. "Y-Yes, Minerva. Where is it that you would like to go?"
"Somewhere in the sun…it is a rather nice day."
The man nodded slowly and turned his gaze to the little one. "Is there some place in particular that you want to go to eat?"
"By the lake. You didn't get to show me it."
Albus nodded. "That's right; I didn't get to show you the lake. Maybe your mother and I could show you together…we used to have little meetings there; the area hasn't changed hardly at all."
Minerva swallowed, he could see. He had begun drilling holes at her again and it certainly was already working. Just a mention of one of their many spots and she was getting that look of panic on her face. Albus intended it to be that way; he would keep reminding her until she got it through her head that they were worth another try.
The only man of the threesome led the way as they walked out by the lake. He chose a small little area by an old shade tree reasonably close to the shore. Albus had to admit that the water looked rather calm and was beneficial to the type of day it had started out to be; pleasant. He stared at the two girls as he stood in the chosen spot. "How's this?"
Maddy nodded her head as quick as she possibly could. "I like it here."
Albus turned to Minerva with a raised eyebrow. "And what do you think of it?" It was a direct comment meant solely to give her a firm reminder. He could see the memories slowly playing out across her eyes. The woman smiled her best smile and simply nodded her head.
A smile played at his lips. On one or two occasions they had found that very spot quite adequate for a picnic…or simply a place to get away. Only towards the end of their duration together did it turn to more of a personal spot. But to be frank, it was as personal of a place as one could get.
"Well then, shall we set up the cloth then?" the man proposed to the two girls. They each looked at the other and approached Albus who handed them each a corner of the silver blanket. The three of them went in a different direction to where the cloth was flat on the ground in something short of a perfect rectangle.
After that they began unpacking the array of sandwiches and sweet, sugary pancakes from the basket. Madelyn's eyes lit up at the sight, which put a wide smile on Albus's face. He had obviously done well…after all, what child shouldn't like pancakes? They were a definite energy booster.
"I see Miss Maddy told you her favorite food?" Minerva looked at Albus sweetly, her eyes being a great deal softer than they had been.
The man shook his head slowly. "No, she didn't share with me her eating habits. I'm just a good guesser, I suppose. Call it intuition."
The woman nodded her head slowly and went completely blank in the face; if her were to give it a name for what she looked, he would call it empty.
His stomach tightened and seemed to roll over as if it were a carriage wheel. For some reason, she made him feel guilty for saying what he had. He was an educator, he had a perfectly valid reason for knowing what kids liked, but somehow it didn't seem to apply to the situation at hand. What he knew and experienced had nothing to do with what was happening. He had no reason to infer anything about Madelyn and it was written on her mother's face.
"Can we eat now?" Madelyn plopped herself on the blanket and stared at the two adults with a wide grin on her face.
Albus looked at Minerva who was clearly the head of Maddy's life at that point. Quite coincidentally, Minerva looked at him that very same second. They stared.
The man was hit with a sudden memory that he had quite nearly forgotten up until that moment:
They were sitting under the old shade tree, Albus's arms wrapped around Minerva's waist, her head resting on his chest. There didn't seem to be anyone out anywhere, not on the grounds, in the castle, nor anywhere else in the world. Everything was tranquil, even the water and wind.
It had been one of their last days together. Because of that fact, there were things on both of their minds that they quite possibly wouldn't have asked otherwise…Minerva in particular. Her voice drifted softly through the air.
"Albus?"
"Yes, Min?"
"Why haven't you ever gotten married?"
He hadn't thought it an odd question at the time. He knew the reason and it was quite simple. Besides that, he had a ring for the woman sitting in his room already. "Well, to be honest with you, there's never been anyone I considered worth marrying. There wasn't anyone that I loved."
"You can't tell me that lie," she whispered, "you're ninety; you've had to have fallen in love with someone."
"Would it make you feel better if I told you that you're the only one?"
"Quite possibly…but I still don't believe you."
"That's your problem, my dear."
Then there was a silence; a long, thoughtful, entrancing, soundless minute. Albus laced his fingers through hers.
"Do you want children?" she asked.
A smile crept on the man's lips. He certainly knew the answer to that…he had been pondering the concept for quite some time by then. "In the right place and time, I would love to have children…with the right woman of course."
"How will you know if it's the right woman?"
Albus kissed her gently on the crown of her head. "I will just know." And then she turned in his embrace and stared at him closely before locking her lips with his.
The stare that she used was the same stare that Albus was presently faced with. Her brilliantly green eyes came across as thoughtful, hopeful, and emotional all in the very same moment. They proved that there was a connection that went deeper than what met onlookers eyes.
The man didn't blink, though he wanted to. He knew that the second he broke the contact, Minerva certainly would and he was not about to break her gaze. It seemed like hours, yet it seemed like milliseconds that he met eyes with her.
She was the one to break it. The woman turned towards Madelyn after the moment had passed (at least to her) and nodded her head. "Everything is ready, dear." She didn't look at Albus straight in the eyes after that.
About half an hour after the food was passed out and eaten, it was decided that the time for play had come. Albus sat back and watched observantly as Madelyn attempted to talk her mother into playing hide and seek. He had to smile a little with the argument that went on.
"Please mum?"
"There's nowhere to hide. How can we play hide and seek when there is nowhere to seek?" The older of the two flailed about her arms dramatically waving them every possible direction.
Maddy shrugged. "I won't run fast. I'll let you get away."
Minerva glanced at Albus and then back down at her daughter, placing her hands on her hips. "Are you implying that you're faster than I am?"
The child brought her shoulders clear up to her ears with an impish glimmer in her eyes. "Maybe."
"You have one minute, little one. You'd better run fast because once I catch you, you won't be happy with that challenge. You forget that I am your mother and I can do cruel and unusual things to you. Now go!"
Maddy sprinted off to somewhere or other, quite possibly running as quickly as she possibly could. Minerva turned towards Albus with a reflective grin on her face and shrugged.
"Still can't turn down a challenge, Min?" he asked with a twitch at his lips.
She folded her arms. "If anything I'm more competitive than I was when I went to school."
His eyebrows rose questionably. "I doubt that's possible. You were known to strain your voice a few times out on the quidditch field." He had to smile at the thought. Merlin, the term competitive did not even begin to describe Miss Minerva McGonagall on the pitch. Back then she had been a beater for Gryffindor and a damn good one at that. Her name was on a plaque that stood in the main hall for athletic achievement.
Minerva blinked; a smile twitching at the edge of her mouth. "I don't ever remember losing my voice, Albus…I just chose not to speak after a game, that's all."
He let out a small chuckle. "Because you couldn't."
"Think what you want," she smiled, "but you don't know everything, despite what you let on."
"I could shock you with the things I know, Miss McGonagall." Albus grinned devilishly. Naturally he was only joking, but there were indeed some things that could raise the curiosity of her. After all, being where he was in the ministry and society, he had been given several opportunities to administer truth potions to people of interest.
She laughed a disbelieving chuckle. "I doubt it, but if your ego wants it that way, then may it be so." Minerva glanced around the area and then looked at Albus. "Care to join me on my search for my daughter, or do you already know where she is, Mr. Know-it-all?"
He shrugged. "If you're offering, I'd love to come."
Minerva nodded her head.
Taking it as a yes, Albus got up from his spot on the blanket and walked over towards the woman. Keeping a safe distance between themselves, they began looking around the grounds for Miss Madelyn. They tried the old hut at the edge of the Forbidden Forest first, next a number of trees, and then they realized that there was virtually nowhere else to look.
The woman looked around from the center of the empty field, bringing her hands to her hips. "Where on Earth is my daughter?"
Albus shrugged. "I don't have the foggiest idea." He scratched his head, pleading what neurons were left to work. "Could she have gone inside the castle?"
Minerva shook her head. "Possibly, but she wouldn't do that. She's still too unfamiliar with the grounds…she'd just get lost. Maddy is out here somewhere, but where haven't we looked?"
Albus turned around, quite possibly in the most important second of his wooing life. He saw Madelyn take off from the Forbidden Forest and race towards the tree that their picnic had been set. The man let out a chuckle. "Apparently we missed a tree. She's going to beat you if you don't hurry."
The woman turned and saw Madelyn. Then she met eyes with Albus. "Wish me luck," she grinned. And before he knew it, a cat was running towards the child of nine.
He watched amusedly as the cat leaped out infront of Madelyn and the child stopped to switch directions. Unfortunately, Minerva had the good sense to change into a human again. She wrapped her arms around the child and brought her to the ground as the little one's giggles filled the air.
Albus walked over with a smile on his face. Minerva was tickling her daughter to death! Madelyn begged loudly as he approached, "Help me! Help me!" He just sat and watched, thoroughly enjoying the moment. Then after about two minutes, he grew tired of seeing such a pathetic scene, where the child had no chance at all…so he did the only thing he could do; help.
He barreled into the two and began pulling Madelyn away from her mother's arms. He tugged one way and Minerva went the other while still tickling the kneecaps of the child. Though he certainly had more strength than Minerva and could have pulled Maddy, he thought it best to keep her limbs attached. The man, quite conveniently knowing the mother very well, aimed for her weakest point. Albus grabbed hold of Minerva's knees and began tickling. And with the laws of motion being what they are, the woman stopped tickling her daughter and starting trying to get the man away from her vulnerable spot. Madelyn, then, not being a part of the situation, tackled Albus and went for him. Before any of them knew it, there was a giant war going on over who had the most will power and/or strength…Albus happened to be the victor.
The three of them rested with their backs to the ground and stared up at the sky, heaving in air after all the laughter that had recently been in the air. When Albus had the strength to do so, he admitted the truth. "You know, I don't believe I've had this much fun in years."
Minerva was the one to reply. "You should have made yourself more available to it then, Albus."
He sat up and rested his head on his chin to look at the woman who had an unmistakably happy smile on her face. "I'm plenty available," he responded, "I just don't have the options that you have."
Then there was silence, sweet, soft silence. Maddy was the one who broke the silence and none too soon. "It's going to rain."
The three of them stared up at the sky, which was no longer as clear as it had been…as a matter of fact, the sky had turned gray in a manner of thirty minutes. "So it is," Minerva's voice rang sadly through the air. "We'd better be packing up before we drown, which we certainly will."
Albus nodded, feeling as sad as Minerva sounded. He was having fun. Why did the weather have to go and ruin it? "Let's grab the basket."
The three of them quickly walked over towards the tree, wrapped the blanket, and packed what was left of their pancakes and Minerva's sandwich. Just when everything was bundled together, a drop fell to the ground; then two, then three, then a million. They all went beneath the tree where the rain did not seem to fall and stared at each other. Albus smiled impishly, as did Maddy. "Care to run?"
Minerva shook her head. "You'll still get wet."
He shrugged and looked at the child. "Want to race me? Your mom can wait here for hours until the rain ends with the picnic basket." He glanced at Minerva who glared at him. Oh, how he loved egging her on!
"Not on your life. And no Madelyn. You'll catch a cold!"
Maybe she was a little late. Maddy had already sprinted out onto the wet lawn and was well on her way to the castle. Albus glanced at Minerva. "I see you've got something to learn on child instruction…what a pity, the term starts tomorrow." And then he was off, knowing full well that Minerva would not be far behind him.
When he looked to see if she had indeed followed, he realized that the woman was almost even with him. Albus sped up quickly, pushing air through his lungs quicker and harder than he had in years. Before he knew it, he had caught up to Madelyn and the three of them, completely soaked from head to toe, raced to the closest shelter. In the end, he was quite happy to say that he came in first, shortly followed by Minerva and Maddy. The three of them heaved in air, smiling at the fun of the race.
Albus looked at Minerva once she was stood up on her feet with her back in its usual straight form. He couldn't really help stare once he saw that the woman had worn a color that water seemed to penetrate. The entire dress clung to her tightly and he could see the tenderness of her body.
Minerva looked herself over once she caught Albus's eye and quickly brought her hands to her chest. She stared at him, her cheeks growing even pinker than they had become from the rain.
The woman turned towards her daughter. "Now that you've had your fun, Miss Madelyn, let's go upstairs and get warm."
Maddy stood still. "Can Mr. Albus come? We can have some hot chocolate," she turned to face Albus, directing the comment at him, "Mum likes to drink hot chocolate on rainy days."
Albus met eyes with Minerva as she considered. The woman sighed. "I'll see you twenty minutes in my quarters?"
The man nodded and looked at Madelyn. He winked at her. The child smiled and went away with her mother.
Quickly Minerva went upstairs with her daughter following as the puddles trailed behind them. Once they were safely in their quarters, Minerva stopped Madelyn and stared at her in the eye. "This is your one chance to tell the truth without consequences Maddy, what are you doing?"
The child shrugged innocently, that look that Minerva knew too well. Her devious little daughter was certainly up to something and it was utterly apparent. "What do you mean?"
"You know what I mean," she hissed, "Why are you inviting Albus to be with us all of the time?"
Madelyn blinked. "I like Mr. Albus. He's funny and you even smile a lot when you're with him."
Minerva sighed. She understood. Everyone liked Albus Dumbledore, he was without a doubt one of the most enchanting human beings on the planet, but why should Maddy want to spend so much time with him? Did she not know how badly it had begun hurting her mother? "I understand, Mr. Albus is a fun person to be around, but we can't be spending all of this time with him. He has things to do."
"He likes you, mum. And I like him. You like him too."
She rolled her eyes. "Madelyn, this isn't about who likes who…we just can't be holding him up from his work. Remember how frustrated I get when you distract me from work?"
Maddy nodded her head, but came back with a retort anyhow. "Can you fall in love with him? I want him to be my daddy."
Minerva stared at her daughter open mouthed, not moving a single muscle. If someone had been there to push her, she would have fallen flat on the floor and not so much as twitched for minutes. She tried to swallow, but there was no saliva left to wet her throat. So she said it with wet lips and a dry throat; "I can't fall in love with him."
"Why not?"
Any other time, she quite possibly would have told her the truth, but as of that moment, she had no choice but to leave it short and simple. "Because I said so."
Tears welled up in the little girl's eyes, bringing a pang to the eyes of Minerva. She wanted to tell Madelyn, but she couldn't. There was so much that needed to be explained; it would take hours to say it and make her understand. The woman shook her head sadly and whispered to her daughter, "Now go and put on something dry. Albus will be here soon."
Maddy stomped her way to her room and left Minerva to the silence. She stared at first the door which suddenly seemed to signify so much; the coming and leaving of people, memories, and ideas. Next, she turned towards the window which reminded her of the dream she had earlier in the day. Quickly, the woman looked elsewhere, anywhere. Minerva's eyes fell on the record player.
It used to play such lovely music. It would take her away to another time and day where everything was perfect and there was no such thing as pain. She would dance with him all the time to escape the world and enter a place that was only familiar to the two of them. They had loved each other back then.
Minerva blinked, finally letting herself say aloud the truth. "I never stopped loving him." And then she let out a breath, feeling miraculously better. She had said it and the world did not come crashing down. She was alright.
Albus arrived shortly after the hot chocolate, dressed in a nice pair of burgundy robes. Madelyn was the one to get the door. Minerva waited by the sitting area next to the fireplace for the two of them. A smile crossed the man's face when he came in; it was amazing how brilliantly he was able to light up a room by a grin.
"Hello again, Minerva." He entered the area and took a seat next to her on the floor.
The woman let herself smile at him; after all, he somehow was always able to smile in her presence.
Madelyn soon found a spot across from Albus. Normally, she would have taken a seat by her Minerva, but as it seemed, she was rather cross with her mother's decision. She didn't even make eye contact with the woman for minutes. When she did, Minerva smiled warmly at her and mouthed "sorry" very slowly. Madelyn had a point about Albus and her; she couldn't exactly deny it.
Maddy nodded her head and sent a smile Minerva's way.
Albus, Minerva knew, was watching them quite meticulously. He seemed to find enjoyment in seeing their little quirks as a family. That didn't surprise Minerva at all…he had always been very curious about things.
"I see we're all dry," Albus smiled at Madelyn and then glanced at Minerva.
"It was cold," Maddy replied, "but now I'm warm. The hot chocolate is yummy."
The man grinned. "The house elves do make awfully good hot chocolate. They refuse to tell me the secret ingredient though, which makes me somewhat angry."
"What do you need it for, Mr. Albus? You work here all year, don't you? You can just get it anytime you want!"
Albus shook his head slowly. "In the summer I live some place else. There are just some days out there that I'm feeling lonely that a good, strong, hot chocolate sounds right to make me feel better."
Maddy shrugged. "Mum makes good hot chocolate, you should call her."
Minerva sent a piercing look down at her daughter who was obviously trying to brew something other than just hot cocoa. Madelyn's eyes just started dancing mischievously at the glare.
"Maybe I will," Albus responded. "You'll be first on my list for a hot cocoa fix, Minerva."
She smiled. "Just as long as I'm not made to drink it with you."
"And what do you call this?"
The woman thought quickly and rolled her eyes. "I believe the term would child's request."
He let out a chuckle. "Well what's the difference? It would be my request and last I checked, it isn't a horrible thing to be requested by the Headmaster."
Minerva blinked. "It's all in the eye of the beholder, remember that."
Madelyn's voice rang in on the low level conversation like a gunshot rings in on a calm day. "What does that mean?"
The two looked at each other quickly. Albus was the one who explained. "It means that we all look at things differently and that we can think of things how we want."
"Oh. So you do or don't think that fixing Mr. Albus hot chocolate is a good thing?"
The woman had to stare at her daughter. She was meaning to put her mother on the spot; she seemed to have it all planned already. Part of Minerva was wondering if Maddy wouldn't turn out to be Albus's little stooge some day. "I don't mind helping him feel better," she whispered softly, "I just wouldn't make a habit of doing it."
Albus smiled warmly at her and then glanced at Madelyn. "Maddy, why don't you show me that doll that you were talking about?"
The child's eyes lit up and she zoomed her way into her room.
Minerva looked at Albus who had a dashing smile on his face. "This isn't as awkward as it was, is it?"
She shook her head. "No, it isn't. I suppose the fact that it's a familiar situation sort of helps," she whispered. It was familiar to be sitting next to the fire like they were with a warm drink in their hands. It was even mildly familiar to be sitting so close to him.
The man smiled. "Your hair looks pretty…the rain made it curly." He reached out and wrapped a ringlet around his finger. She closed her eyes, sucking in the warmth that he gave when he was so close. The woman wasn't surprised at all to feel wanting when he moved away from her face. Though, she quickly noticed that he didn't leave very far.
The woman stared directly into those blue eyes which happened to be closer than the width of her hand. She just looked for the longest time, searching deeper and deeper until all she could see was blue.
Minerva knew he was quite possibly doing the same unto her, just searching and searching for something. She didn't know what he could be looking to find. Maybe he was scavenging for the old her, the one he seemed to still be in love with. Perhaps he was searching for the piece of her that was still hopelessly in love with him. Or maybe in the end, he was just looking at her in remembrance. His voice came softly, "Min, what if I had asked you to marry me that night? What would have happened to us then?"
She blinked. She knew the answer; there would have been a reason for her to say all that she kept a secret…he would have known about Madelyn and they quite possibly would have gotten married. Minerva wouldn't tell him this, of course; if she did, everything may as well have been ruined. The woman whispered softly another piece of the truth, "We would have been far more heartbroken than we already are."
Albus shook his head gently and took Minerva's hands in his own. She would have disliked this fact had it not been the moment that it was. As it seemed, they were placed back to a time where they were the only ones around…no one else but the two of them existed.
Minerva dared to look at him in the eyes again, knowing full well that there was a possibility that she may never escape. The man also stared. There was nothing else to do but stare.
Not another word was exchanged until Madelyn came back where Albus quickly pulled his hands out of the woman's and looked up at the child. "Is that your doll?"
Maddy nodded her head and searched the eyes of the two adults. It was rather apparent that she could tell that there was something going on besides a fire. Maybe it was written in her mother's eyes, or perhaps the two ex-lovers simply reacted too late. In any case, she stared at Minerva with seeking eyes and then back at Albus after a number of seconds had passed. "Her name is Sally," she whispered, "I got her the day I met you."
Okay, I know, I KNOW…no brooms, right? We'll hit that scene later, I just couldn't fit the stupid thing in!
Hehe…grins I am very quickly falling in love with Maddy, I hope you are too! )
Key points of chapter:
I have now finally explained the story title
a lot of touching
Madelyn's need to see Albus
a lot of staring
Well now, there it is, a whole 12 pages (not including notes to reviewers). I hope this chapter was worth the wait…if not, then I'll cut off my sprained ankle! …no seriously, if it wasn't, leave me a note by reviewing…if it was…then I would very much appreciate some input.
I luv u all!