Chapter 7

authors note: Thank you for your review's, it really does make me want to continue writing this...well I mean I really like writing it anyway but your reviews just brighten the whole thing. I love to read them. I hope you like the story...umm yes she really is going to have a baby lol. Well enjoy.

Minerva couldn't believe it she had just confessed her deepest secret. It sounded so terrible in her ears. However, with the sudden wave of guilt, she also felt complete relief at actually telling someone. She was free.

"Oh Minerva," Ariel sighed, Minerva felt completely ashamed. She quickly averted her eyes. But Ariel slowly brought a frail soft hand to rest on her check. Minerva, determined not to cry again in one day, bit her lip and took in a few steady breaths.

"What am I going to do?" She said so low that it was doubtful Airel heard at all.

"Is it him Airel…just tell me, is it him?" Minerva would never know if Airel was actually going to answer her, for at that precise moment Madame Katz choose to re-enter the room.

"Alright no matter who you think you are, you have to leave, Miss Alkins needs her rest!" Minerva looked around at the woman about to persuade her to give her a few more minuets but Madame Katz looked simply livid, so kissing Ariel lightly on the head she left the hospital wing with promises to be back as soon as possible. That was the last time Minerva ever saw Airel.

The corridors were dark and foreboding as Minerva made her way back to Gryffindor, it was amazing to think but it was already well into the evening. Dark came down around the castle like a cage imprisoning the vulnerable mundane humans inside, to suffer there own destruction. The emerald eyed girl walked swiftly and gracefully, she would never realize her own beauty. Her thoughts traveled from everyone from her transfiguration teacher to Tom to Airel to…her unborn child. Minerva shivered. Lost in her own musings she completely missed peeves's prank and before she knew what was happening a suit of armor was crashing down in front of her. Minerva reacted on instinct…and a lot of recent paranoia. Drawing her wand she spun on spot aiming the spell at the armor, all in one heartbeat the armor exploded into pieces (you couldn't put a full-body-bind on a hollow object). Peeves looked so alarmed that he took off, speeding along the corridor with so much as a single insulting word. Minerva sank to the floor, her face flushed she looked just as frightened as peeves had been, besides the small fact that peeves was already completely white and could not flush.

"Minerva! What happened?" It was Tom, he fell down beside her raping his arms around her tightly.

"Tom? I thought you were with Dumbledore." Minerva seemed to regain some of her senses. Tom only smiled ruefully.

"Oh that old fossil couldn't keep me to long. I managed to escape." He stood up and reached out a hand for her. Minerva hesitated only a second before excepting it. "No really Minerva what happened. He looked down at the rubble of metal. "Do you not like the school decoration?" He held on to her to her hand, and began leading her in the opposite direction on Gryffindor tower. For some reason Minerva didn't exactly feel like joking just now.

"Where are you taking me Tom?" Minerva asked, and against her will, a little uneasily.

"You'll see." He said deviously, and began to walk faster, "it's a surprise."

"Tom, we should be going back to are common rooms, its already late, and Hogwarts isn't safe anymore, this is hardly the time for spontaneous behavior." Minerva protested tugging slightly on Tom's grip. She thought Tom would simply be disappointed, but agree with her none the less and then they would go their separate ways. To her great surprise and increasing uncomfort Tom simply increased his grip on her hand to the point of pain. Minerva's eyes widened.

"It will only take a minuet Minerva, there is something you need to see."

"Tom this isn't funny, I need to go back to my house, let me go!"

"Calm down, Minerva," And he turned around and flashed her his famous grin, if was enough to almost make her trust it but then her mind flashed back to Airel and she wasn't sure if she could. "Now I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't think it was worth your while…just trust me." He said the last part in an almost mocking way as if he could read her thoughts.

"Tom I really-" But she was cut off as they reached Tom's destination…the far courtyard overlooking the lake, Tom pulled her behind a pillar obstructing her from view…for there in the center of the courtyard sat none other than Albus Dumbledore himself his head in his hands he looked simply broken. And as Minerva listened she thought she heard him muttering to himself… "Why, why does she have to trust him…to love him…..why I don't understand," Professor Dumbledore shifted and Minerva realized that he wasn't talking to himself at all…for in his lap was a beautiful scarlet phoenix. It's feathers blazed like a torch even in the black of the night. Tom grinned at her mischievously as if the sight of the broken professor was a very funny indeed.

"He comes back here every night…whispering away to that confounded bird of his." He said in a hushed voice. "Told you he was mad didn't I." But Minerva didn't see anything funny, in fact part of her wanted to run to the strange man sitting in the soft grass of the courtyard and hold him until everything fixed itself. Minerva didn't know why but something told her that just being in this mans arms would make all her troubles vanish like the wind. Dumbledore very suddenly let out a chocking sort of noise and Minerva realized he was crying, her face turned hot, she became very aware in that moment that she was intruding and turned to leave. Tom grabbed her wrist to stop her. "Wait don't you want to watch"
"No Tom I most certainly do not want to watch! I'm going back to Gryffindor Tower!" She jerked her wrist out of Toms long fingers and stormed off down the corridor furious at Tom. How could anyone spy on someone in there most vulnerable stage. Footsteps echoed around the stone walls behind her, Tom was coming to catch up with her.

"Minerva! Wait!" He came suddenly up beside of her and Minerva refused to look at him. "Why are you so upset, you don't think it was funny to see the loon muttering away like that?" Tom asked with laughter in his voice, Minerva chewed the inside of her lip to keep from screaming at him.

"That is the most horrible thing I have ever known you to do Tom. I thought you had more character than that. I thought you had more integrity." She spat, and quickened her steps, it must be well past curfew now.

"He was talking about you, you know." Tom said this time without a hint of laughter. This seemed to have the effect he was looking for because Minerva came to a firm halt in her steps.

"What?" Minerva asked her long black hair falling in her face, she angrily pushed in away.

"That's what I wanted you to hear, he goes there every night to try and deal with the feelings that he has for you Minerva." She eyed him, staring sharply into his black opals.

"Oh yes I should have realized that the most brilliant wizard in the world would be sneaking off to the courtyard to whisper about his feelings for some child while a wild maniac somewhere storms his school!" Minerva shouted not even pausing for a breath, and without waiting for Tom's response she was off, hurrying off down the corridor not turning back once all the way to Gryffindor Tower. All the way there the words of both the Transfiguration teacher from the garden and the boy of her affection from the corridor were harboring on her mind. Like a dangerous bomb waiting to explode.