oh golly! it's late again! I guess no matter what I do, I'm screwed. I guess you can count on 3 weeks for updates, unless I get lucky. sorry:'(
Hogwarts Duo: Yup yup, Miss Maddy is trying extremely hard to get them together…me thinks she likes him. ). And…(chuckles) Minerva will most definitely be getting slightly more friendly with our headmaster. (next chapter to be pondered) I hope you like this chapter. I know it doesn't have much dialogue, but I needed it to be this way.
Quill of Minerva: Well, Albus isn't really trying to spend time with Madelyn, it's more Minerva. It just so happens that Maddy is the daughter and therefore spends a lot of time with our main character. And Maddy spends time with Albus because he's fun and friendly! Up til this point, no one has had a thought about there being a connection between the two…course, I did say up until this point. We hit a big uh-oh in this chapter. ) hope you like it.
girl from Iceland: I'm so glad that you are liking this story! I hope this next chapter is as satisfying as the last one.
Alesia G: sighs I love it when my readers like to predict what is happening, it tells me that they're interested. And yes, you seem to be on a wave length just a string or two away from mine. I was actually talking with a friend about having him see something about Maddy's ears being like Albus's, but I decided against it. And yes, I know perfectly well what's going to happen as far as Minerva telling Albus about their daughter. Me thinks you should have a pretty good idea too, by the end of chapter 10. laughs evilly. I hope you enjoy this chapter, really I do. Hopefully it's up to your high expectations!
DumbledoresKitten: Yupperz, Albus and Maddy seem to know each other quite well already. I don't know if you've been put in a situation similar to this, but it always does seem that children inadvertently are like their parents! It's amazing to me, but I find it highly fascinating. Oh and yes, Min is having a damn hard time (excuse my French) with watching them be by each other…especially with her feelings going every which way. Oh well…problem will be solved soon enough. ) enjoy!
Erica dawn: Hm…why did I give Minerva green eyes? You know, I have two main reasons for it. One…since we all KNOW Prof. McGonagall wears green a lot, obviously green eyes would go well with her ensemble. Second reason is because I don't like brown eyes in characters and Albus has blue ones! There we go! The only answer is green! ) OH, and I felt so bad about the broom scene! I just finished the story and re-read it then I went "uh-oh!" Oh well…it's probably better that it comes later, it'll be more "family-ized" grins hope you like the update!
sevyhero: hey webs! You really liked that chapter that much? yay I liked it too, but you'll like er…10 a lot, I think. you know what's coming, don't spoil it, though! Um…yeah, well, sorry about the underwear thing. my bad. the brain just went dead. anywho, email me if you think of a scene for 10.
kidarock: Well, we all know that Maddy likes Albus from day one, so why should she not ask her mom to marry our dear headmaster? (rhetorical question) I had to stick it in there, you see…I want to make Minerva's heartache just a little bit more believable before we hit romance. (which is remarkably soon!) I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter so much! I had fun writing it!
Chapter nine: It's Out
Minerva watched her daughter sleep from the corner of the room. Such a sweet thing she was, Madelyn. The child had the most peaceful expression on her face when she slept; her eyes were shut gently while a glimpse of a smile hung on her lips. It was as if she was floating and never wanted to come back. Granted her daughter's disposition, Minerva wouldn't have been surprised if Maddy were indeed dreaming about flying.
The girl had been talking about it for what seemed like forever. She spoke of going through clouds, flying with birds, and the simple feeling of being weightless. The child had a hunger to be free; flying is certainly something that grants that ability.
Minerva, being the woman that she was, indulged her craving for that feeling. She went into great detail to tell her daughter of the exhilaration and the autonomy one felt in the air. "It's as if there isn't anyone else but yourself," she had told Madelyn, "you're just alone to look at the world."
However, the woman's descriptions were from sheer memory. Truth be told, she hadn't ridden a broom since she was in school. It was not that she ever started disliking brooms; it was the simple fact that there was no time to take in that sort of pleasure. God, she had wanted to just fly away from all of her troubles and watch the tiny world pass by some days, but it wasn't that simple. Things were never simple. Simplicity was a nonexistent concept.
Even if she had gone on a whim some day and just flew for hours, there would be consequences. The woman may have been sacked from her job, come home to a hurt daughter, or found that she had missed the start of a colossal discovery. There were endless things that could have happened while she was up avoiding the world. Minerva had decided, quite simply, that things shouldn't be avoided. She stood firmly with both feet on the ground.
But she did seem to have her moments where she let herself be taken away the way she once had been. Every so often, she would shut her eyes and imagine the miraculous feelings and sights. The woman would pass over the dark Forbidden Forest and realize the odd beauty that it possessed from above. She may then go to the lake where she could find little creatures splashing. And once she was finished with the highlights of the school grounds, she would just hover and embrace the feeling. Soft air would blow past her ears, sending invigorating shivers down her spine and the sun could beat down on her skin; she was closer to it than she ever had been. But perhaps the best part of flying was the knowledge that it was daring. If she were to lose her train of thought or balance, she could plummet and feel truly weightless.
The woman shook her head slowly. Indeed, there were many things on her shoulders that weighed her down. To be weightless…that would be a miracle in her eyes. She could be free of all the complications that seemed inevitable in her life and just simply fall. Minerva blinked. What a thought it was, to fall.
In truth, she associated the word with her entire existence. The woman had fallen for everything. She fell in love with her professor, their daughter, and teaching. She fell for the words that her mother had often told her…that Albus was arsenic. For years she went with that theory, blaming her misfortune on the man who broke her heart. Minerva had since realized that it was not her position or power to believe the words of her mother. Infact, now she really wondered if her mom was credible at all.
Her family had never done anything to harm her, at least nothing that she blamed them for, in the past. But there were things that she certainly could point a finger at them in the name of justice. When she returned from Hogwarts and found she was pregnant, they sent her away to a place where they would not have to look at her. They found her a traitor, the one who destroyed the family name. For quite a long time, she believed it to be true; she had smothered what good reputation their family had.
On the other hand, they had no right at all to tear Minerva away from what support she ought to have had. They shipped her away like a packaged good. And what was worse, they never did give her what she asked for at the beginning of the summer; letters. They didn't send any from themselves and there certainly weren't any from the baby's father. The more she thought about it, the surer she became that Albus was right. Her mother, the person who shipped her away and said that the baby's father was poison, must have lied about receiving love letters from Albus. Minerva was nearly positive that Albus was in the right…and she was very wrong for telling him otherwise.
The woman approached her daughter's bed and sat at the edge of it. Maddy didn't stir in the least, just kept sleeping soundly. Minerva swallowed. She had long since gotten into the habit of sitting by her daughter in the evening and talking herself to the point of exhaustion. It helped for her to ramble on about things, it cleared her mind. So she started just like she did most evenings; with a confession.
"I think you already know deep down the truth, Miss Maddy; Albus is your father." Minerva sighed. "I don't blame you at all for liking him, I would be quite sorry if you didn't. I hope you love him one day as I once loved him. He really is an amazing person. He makes you see the world differently than you ever could have before he was there. When you're with him, you just want to smile and laugh, talk and be happy. There isn't anyone else out there like Albus Dumbledore…you'll soon realize that.
She smiled sadly to herself. "Well, I suppose you're well on your way to seeing that already. You seem to be in a good mood when you're around him, more so than normal. It's nice to have you be this carefree; you haven't been like it since you were tiny. I think it's a genetic thing; you know, you get your disposition from him. I was never as childish as you are, even as a child. Your poor old mother has been this mature since," she thought for a moment, "ever.
"I don't know how a man like your father could have ever fallen in love with me, to tell you the truth. We're so different. He loves to have fun, procrastinate, and keep his eyes dry. And me…well, you know me. I don't ever have the time for fun. And as far as crying...Madelyn, I hope that you aren't as much like me as you lead on. I've cried so many times in my life, it's really quite sad. I don't wish the unhappiness I've had on anyone, but especially you. I want you to have a happy life, free of the pathetic complications I've had.
"Maddy," she sighed, "you don't know what happened between Albus and I. Quite honestly, I don't know myself. I can only rely on the facts, which happen to be vague. But we did have our romance. For whatever reason, I fell in love with his charm and smile and he fell in love with me. Why? I don't know…maybe he just needed someone grown-up to be with. Anyhow, we were going to write each other over the summer. I never got a single note from him." Minerva swallowed slowly, feeling that familiar crack in her throat. "I thought he abandoned me, or that he had fallen in love with someone else. So I didn't tell him about you. I wanted him to be happy with whoever he wanted. It broke my heart to think that it wasn't me, but I ignored the pain.
"But then we saw him in that toy shop, which I suppose I can blame myself for taking us there. He…well, it hurt to look and talk to him. You won't understand for a long time, but it hurts to look at someone that you loved after that long and think that they still don't love you. I wanted to fall down on my knees right then and there. But you were watching; I couldn't do that. So we carried on a short conversation where he asked me to work here at the school. I wasn't sure if I wanted to go, but I did in the end. So here you and I are. The only problem is that I am in a very hard position right now.
"So tell me, Miss Maddy, do I choose what you want? Do I fall in love with him again, knowing that if he lets me down again, I just may break? Or do I choose what I've done all of my life and stay away from him?"
Naturally there was no answer. Maddy was still deep in sleep, dreaming about floating in the air and flying through the white fluffy clouds. It didn't matter though, because Minerva had ultimately just taken herself to a place that was oddly unfamiliar. She had arrived to a choice where she knew both sides of the argument. She saw Albus. On one side, he was tucking Madelyn into bed and then coming to sleep with Minerva. On the other side, he snuck candy to Maddy and then gave a heartfelt goodbye to the woman who was never to be anything but a friend.
Minerva swallowed and made her way out of her daughter's room, carefully shutting the door behind her. The drawer with the letter was her next destination. A letter, as tiny and simple as it was, no doubt held her answer. She slowly took out the old parchment from the envelope and walked towards the window where the moon's light would allow her to read. She swallowed before she began reading; the woman knew that a dissipation of tears was about to follow. Her hand shook gently as she began reading:
Dearest Minerva,
It feels like years since I have laid eyes on your beautiful face or heard your voice. I find it hard to understand that it has only been ten days, but I suppose that's my craving speaking. I think we've spoiled ourselves with how much time we have spent together for I am in dire need of you. I need to see you again.
My list in support of this statement is below:
No one laughs like you do
Your eyes dance when you laugh
Only you can argue with me and make it fun
No one kisses like you do
You smell good
You move gracefully when you dance
You are smarter than you have any right to be
I must blow into your ears because it gives you gooseflesh
You'll listen to me ramble on about nothing
You're perfect
If those are not good enough reasons for me to see you, then I can say "I quit". But something tells me that they are. Now, Miss Min, I don't want you to retort in your next letter because I know for a fact that you are absolutely perfect for me. If you so much as dare to challenge my statement, I'll come up with a new cruel and unusual punishment tactic.
Also, just for your benefit, I would like you to know that I really do love you and I miss you the most that I've ever missed anyone. Your letters are going to be the reason I wake up for the rest of the summer, I promise.
Love,
Albus
When Minerva finished, she stared at the parchment. Indeed, it had been years. When he wrote, he said it felt like years, for her, a decade had passed; a very long, slow, painful decade. And she was reading the letter for the first time. It could have been different if it was her millionth time reading it, but that was only her first.
She had managed only a tear to escape her eyes, nothing more. There was no bawling, gushing, or collapsing; she only allowed one tear to fall. The truth being what it was, however, she knew that there would be more. The more times the letter would be looked over, the more tears would fall.
Minerva sat on a chair by the window, pulled her knees to herself, and looked over the list he had created years ago. It was just like him to say the things he said.
It was always a little joke between them that her ears were one of her most sensitive spots. He had tried to whisper something in her ear once and she ran away from him because of the cold feeling it gave her. After that, Albus did everything in his power to annoy her by blowing in her ear and giving her gooseflesh.
On other occasions, he would purposely argue with her just for the fun of it. Merlin…they had fun trying to prove each other wrong. As silly as it may have sounded, he enjoyed winning an argument as did Minerva. They would go on for hours arguing over the silliest thing. At the end of the day, it always did prove for an interesting conversation.
The woman smiled at the thought for a few seconds and then reread his last reason for him to see her. She was perfect for him.
When had she stopped believing that? Probably about two months after he sent the letter. Minerva had begun hating him by then. At that point in time, he'd broken her heart into so many pieces that she was still missing many of them. She thought he was a traitor and liar. He had lied about loving her. Minerva turned her back on him and the very concept of love.
Yet, they had been perfect for each other the entire time, regardless of what she told herself.
The woman blinked slowly and brought her hand up to her forehead. She had her answer. Staying away wasn't an option.
Albus walked to the Great Hall where he would certainly be getting breakfast. He was dreaming of marmalade toast and a healthy entrée of waffles. Goodness knows, he needed the satisfaction of a good meal. He had been so entrapped in his thoughts the evening before that he had somehow forgotten to eat dinner.
Unfortunately, it seemed that yet again he wouldn't be up to very much eating. At the staff table, he saw a very familiar face. She glanced up upon his entrance, but didn't do anything besides continue buttering her toast.
The man looked around for Minerva's companion; she was nowhere to be seen.
"Where is your daughter?" he asked as he sat beside the woman.
"Upstairs," Minerva looked him straight in the eyes, "she didn't feel like getting up quite yet. I'll just bring her breakfast up to her when I'm finished."
The man blinked as he stared at the woman's eyes. They were slightly bloodshot, radiating a nice light pink. He wondered to himself why she looked such a mess, but made no direct comment towards it. If there was one thing he had learned about Minerva, it was that she chose to take care of herself…whether it was done properly or not.
"Did you sleep well last night?" he asked slowly. He didn't very much want to get on her bad side once he was so close to being fully on the good, but he did need to know…after all, the students would be arriving that evening.
Minerva shook her head slowly. "I don't believe I had more than two hours worth of sleep last evening."
Albus stared. That explained it. "Why didn't you sleep?"
"I was thinking about things in great detail." She raised an eyebrow as she looked at him. "There are no words to explain what sort of detail went into thinking last evening. I feel like my mind is about to split in two."
He kept eye contact with her. He wasn't very sure whether she wanted to press on with the conversation or not. The way that she looked at him, however, certainly proved that he was somehow related to her deep thought. So, curiosity got the best of him. "What exactly is it that you were thinking about?"
A slow silence passed while she considered her reply. When she finally did respond, all that she said was enough. "I read the letter," she whispered.
She stared at him straight in the face with soft eyes, blinking occasionally. Minerva didn't want to say more. She was very afraid for what would come if she did. The woman didn't want her voice to crack like it always seemed to. After all, she had just entered the both of them into a very sensitive subject; their past.
The woman waited patiently for his response. It was obvious that his thoughts were rearranging quite profusely to make their discussion positive and/or beneficial. She couldn't imagine what her statement could have meant to him. By her reading the note that was long since passed she had opened up a door that had been locked and bolted for a decade. He was quite possibly in as much anticipation and confusion as she was.
His bright blue eyes met hers. Minerva waited, feeling her heart speed up. She wasn't sure if it was the situation, or him that her heart was beating for. In either case, she couldn't seem to make it stop.
"What did you think of it?" he shrugged after many minutes.
A heartbroken smile crossed her face. "It was…sad." Minerva didn't look at Albus in the eyes anymore. She was afraid of them. She didn't want to see the twinkle leave them nor did she wish to see his emotions. If he were to sink to her level, the woman could only sink lower. "I kept wondering to myself why I couldn't have gotten it when I was meant to."
He brought his finger beneath her chin and tilted it to look back at him. She made no fight against it, even if she really had no intention of looking at him so closely. He wanted her to look at him the way she used to.
"Truthfully, Min, how often do you ask yourself that question?"
She swallowed and allowed the truth to fall from her mouth. "All of the time." It was excruciatingly true. Ever since she had even gotten wind of the letter she pondered, dreaded, and idolized what would have happened.
Albus nodded slowly in agreement. "There hasn't been a day that's passed where I haven't wondered…especially now."
There was a short silence; just long enough for her to consider asking her next question. "Do you still love me…like you did in that letter?" she whispered so lightly that he had to lean in for her. It was a legitimate question and she certainly already knew the answer. But there were just so many reasons for her to hold back; she wanted her own reason to ignore them.
"What do you think?"
She blinked. "I want to hear you say it."
"Good morning all!" Both Albus and Minerva's head snapped up to infront of them where the medi-witch stood with a morning smile on her face. She didn't seem to even notice the fact that they had been in conversation—important conversation.
The two of them glanced at each other and then back at Poppy. Albus was the one to speak with an equally cheerful greeting. "Morning Poppy. Did you sleep well?"
"Yes, quite well. And yourself?"
Albus glanced at Minerva. "I've had better nights, I'm afraid. But I'm still just as lively as ever."
Poppy rounded the table and sat beside Albus. "You know, I heard the strangest thing ever yesterday."
"Oh really?" he asked with fictitious interest.
"Yes. You know that the Wiloworms is used for potions involving rejuvenation and the like. Well, the rumor is that it's now breeding with the Blocworm which is used for death potions! I ask you, what is this world coming to? Of all the things…evolution—"
Minerva sat up from her chair and looked at Albus, then the medi-witch. Obviously, the moment was over. She wouldn't be speaking with the Headmaster uninterrupted for the rest of the day. In any case, she was feeling the most out of place that she ever had in her entire existence. "Excuse me, Poppy," Minerva interrupted, "I had better be getting back up to my daughter." She looked between them. "I'll be seeing you both this evening."
Poppy gave her a bright smile. "Could you drop by this afternoon? There are some things that I would like to ask you."
She nodded slowly. "Of course." Minerva looked at Albus whose face had turned slightly sad. He realized what was happening just as the woman did; yet another chance was fleeting away from their grasp.
"I'll give you my answer tonight," he said calmly.
Half of a smile crossed Minerva's face and then she went on her way. She couldn't think of anything to say to his promise. There was nothing to say. He would tell her if he still loved her that evening.
Minerva's head was throbbing by ten. All she could feel were the vibrations inside her skull, thumping repetitively. They kept her from thinking hardly any sane thought and caused her to lie down in her bed again in the hopes of getting some sleep. It was not five minutes before she was dreaming peacefully.
Madelyn didn't want anything to do with sleep. She was up, awake, and energetic. For a great many minutes, she did watch as her mother slept, amusing herself with the thought of putting ice on her bed. But the enjoyment did not last long; especially when she thought of what her mother would do as a form of punishment. There was nothing more horrible than not being able to go outside, which would quite possibly be her sentence.
So the child looked around the room for something that she use to entertain herself for an hour or two. There were hundreds of picture books she could look through, but that had lost its fun years ago. There were also her dolls; but she didn't feel like playing with them at the moment. Madelyn wandered around her mother's room for something, anything entertaining. She looked in her mother's dresser first.
Curiosity fell on her face when she noticed a piece of old paper in an envelope. She had never seen it before and it looked really old. Her mother had to have had it for a very long time. The child pulled out the parchment and looked it over with a new fixation.
It was written in cursive. She was just learning how to write in it and didn't know it as well as simple text. Regular print was the easiest thing in the world for her to read, but the loops and connecting letters weren't as familiar to her. She stared at it anyway and made out some of the words. In the end, she felt very happy with herself, understanding most of the letter after she looked over it several times. She read it to herself slowly.
Dearest Minerva,
It feels like years since I have eyes on yourface or heard your voice. I find it hard to understand that it only been ten days, but I suppose that's my craving speaking. I think we've spoiled ourselves with how much time we have spent together for I am in dire need of you. I need to see you again.
My list in support of this statement is below:
No one laughs like you do
Your eyes dance when you laugh
Only you can argue with me and make it fun
No one kisses like you do
You smell good
You gracefully when you dance
You are smarter than you have any right to be
I must blow into your ears because it gives you
You'll listen to me ramble on about nothing
You're perfect
If those are not good enough reasons for me to see you, then I can say "I ". But something tells me that they are. Now, Miss Min, I don't want you to retort in your letter because I know for a fact that you are absolutely perfect for me. If you so much as dare to challenge my statement, I'll come up with a new cruel and punishment tactic.
Also, just for your benefit, I would like you to know that I really do love you and I miss you the most that I've ever missed anyone. Your letters are going to be the reason I wake up for the rest of the summer, I promise.
Love,
Albus
Maddy looked over at her mother who was sleeping and then back at the note with puzzlement. Her mum didn't know any other Albuses besides the one at the school; at least she had never mentioned him. But then what was the letter about? She and Albus weren't close at all. (Even though she was trying to change that)
She blinked. Had they danced before? Had her mom and Mr. Albus kissed? Did Mr. Albus really love her mom?
The child shook her head with confusion. They were just starting to like each other; she could see it in their eyes and her mom's smile. Minerva's eyes lit up when she was near Albus, and sometimes she blushed. Maddy had never really met Albus before, but she could tell that he was acting strange around her too; his eyes twinkled a lot.
But then what was the thing that she held in her hands if they had just begun to fall in love?
Maddy looked at herself in the dresser mirror. There was a dazed look on her face. She blinked slowly and then noticed something. The child grabbed a large strand of hair and stared at it. Red. Her father had red hair.
When Minerva woke up, Maddy was in her room playing with dolls. The woman smiled warmly at the sight. Her daughter was always able to entertain herself and wasn't at all a nuisance. It was wonderful to have such a wonderful child.
"Maddy, do you want to come with me to see Poppy?"
The child shook her head slowly. "No. Can we go and see Mr. Albus?"
The woman considered for a moment. Albus loved Madelyn. Madelyn obviously seemed to love Albus. Minerva, however, wasn't sure if she wished for the confrontation quite yet. He wasn't expecting to see her again until that evening. So the woman shook her head. "Not yet. We'll be seeing him tonight."
Maddy bobbed her head slowly. "Are you leaving now?"
"Yes, I'll be back soon though," she said softly, "Poppy wanted to ask me something or other. I'll send a house elf up for the time that I'm away."
"Okay." Madelyn didn't look up as Minerva left, just kept her eyes down on her dolls.
The woman thought it slightly strange that her loving daughter wouldn't say goodbye, but perhaps she was just that much engrossed in her dolls; it wouldn't be the first time. Minerva walked down flight after flight of stairs and corridor after corridor until she was at the hospital wing where Poppy was rearranging her medicines. When Minerva entered, the usual grin crossed her face. "Hello Minerva! I was wondering when you would show up."
She gave a closed mouth smile and glanced at the clock. It was one o'clock in the afternoon…she'd slept three hours. "I just woke up from a nap."
The medi-witch stopped what she was doing with the bottles and glanced at Minerva. "I was hoping you would sleep, you looked absolutely exhausted this morning, which is part of the reason that I asked you to come here."
Minerva smiled. "And the other reason?"
Poppy let out a long sigh and placed her hand on her hips. She looked at Minerva gently, far more softly than Minerva had thought possible for such an outspoken individual. The medi-witch led the woman towards the bed by the window and sighed again.
"Minerva, I know we haven't known each other for very long, but I would really like you to know that I'm here for you."
The woman was slightly confused by the statement, but nodded her head slowly anyhow. "I'm glad to know that. I'll always be there for you if you need me."
Poppy smiled. "It's nice to hear that, because I would really like to speak to you about the three of you."
Minerva looked at her even more confusedly. "Three of us?"
"You can't honestly tell me that Albus isn't Madelyn's father, can you?" Poppy shrugged her shoulders, not losing that newfound softness. Minerva didn't reply. Her eyes must have dilated to two times their state in those few seconds. The opposite woman put a hand on Minerva's shoulder. "Care to tell me?"
The woman swallowed. "Is it that obvious?"
The medi-witch shrugged quickly. "Well, yes and no. I wouldn't have suspected it as much had I not known as much as I do already."
"And…" she didn't want to ask it, but she needed to, "what exactly is it that you know?"
She sighed. "Well, I was only a year behind you at school. I'm sure you know quite well that it was rumored for you to be having an affair with Albus. I didn't think it much more than a rumor except I did unfortunately stumble across a moment between you two. He stole a kiss in a corridor. So I knew the truth."
Minerva swallowed slowly with a dry mouth. "And Madelyn?"
Poppy smiled. "She looks just like her father…even has some of his mannerisms. Besides that, the ages seem to coincide rather well. Ten years apart, nine year old daughter…if you have the facts, it really isn't that hard to put together."
"He doesn't know," the woman whispered. "I never told him."
The smile left the medi-witch's face and turned into a very unhappy frown. "You never told him? He's the father and you never told him?"
She bowed her head down slowly. There was nothing to compensate for what she had done…what she had ruined and she knew it. Minerva didn't need Poppy there to make that fact anymore apparent than it already was. "I know it was wrong, but I was so terribly heartbroken…I just couldn't."
"If…if I may ask, what happened?" Poppy came off outwardly sad, but Minerva could hear that interest in her voice. Apparently the medi-witch never got the end of the story she apparently saw happen.
Minerva blinked. "He was supposed to write me and I was meant to write back to him. I never received a letter. I had thought that he had maybe found someone else…and I was pregnant with his child. As idiotic as it may sound, I had no intention of making him unhappy if he had found someone he loved…so I didn't say anything."
"That doesn't sound like the Headmaster," she said gently, "he didn't write you?"
"Apparently he did. The consensus is that my parents hid the letters from me."
The medi-witch nodded her head, suddenly becoming aware of the whole picture. "And you still haven't told him to this day. You ought to, you know."
"I know," she nodded her head, "but I just can't. I don't know how. It would wreck any sort of friendship we have."
Poppy nodded. "Forgive me, Minerva, but I can read the signs very well for being only a nurse. He was sitting awfully close to you this morning. I would tell him before the chemistry kicks in again."
Minerva looked at the medi-witch with a raised eyebrow and a smile playing at her lips. "Again?"
The opposite woman let out a small giggle. "Oh you can't tell me that you're not expecting it. You've been dancing around each other from the first time you set foot on this ground."
The woman rolled her eyes. "I don't think either of us ever finished with our relationship."
"Then I send my blessing as long as you tell him about your daughter. I know it might be hard for you, but you do sort of need to inform him of the child that you conceived ten years ago. He may want to know about it a year or two from now."
She nodded her head slowly. "I'll tell him tonight after the students come."
Poppy bobbed her head with a smile. "Good choice."
no notes now…just a plead for reviews! You may make of this chapter what you wish!