Zeven
"Miss, I'm sorry, but it's getting later…"
The young Mediwitch Annabel, plump and still clearly embarrassed because of her mistake of days earlier, stood in the door-opening, cheeks fiery red, watery blue eyes uncertainly scanning Minerva's face. The black-haired Auror smiled, though- she had forgiven Annabel days ago. Unwillingly yet surely getting up from her chair, she cast the other woman a short nod.
"I know, Annabel. I should be going home."
And go home she did. Once more greeting the already sleeping man in the bed with a couple of tender, desperate words which she knew very well he did not understand, the woman- once more- turned her back towards him and then, feet stepping away in a slow, almost melancholic rhythm even she herself didn't notice, pulled the door shut behind her back. Once more.
Arriving home that night was a very lonely experience indeed- but then again it always was, and despite it all, Minerva was very glad when, finally, she could sink back into the dark red cushions of her comfortable couch. Leaning back her head against the thick velvet, a sigh escaped her lips as she closed her eyes.
It all felt so useless. She felt so useless. The man she loved, her Albus, was lying in that bed in the hospital, suffering, losing his mind more and more- for she did not see any improvement whatsoever- and all she could do was sit beside him and, if she was lucky, hold his hand. Which, she had to admit to her own, rational self, did not help a single bit.
It frustrated her.
It was at exactly that moment that she spotted- once more- a letter, lying really quite obviously atop of her kitchen table and once more she couldn't but feel a vague sense of worry as, again, she recognized the Hogwarts crest on the envelope.
Dippet. Again. Minerva realized wearily. Hadn't she made her choice clear enough then? A slight feeling of irritation at the man's obvious perseverance wrinkled her forehead- yet the young woman started to read- and immediately wished she had not.
"My dear Minerva,
Though I do understand your feelings for Professor Dumbledore and realize that you find yourself in a highly uncomfortable situation here, I would like to ask you to- please- not immediately reject my offer. You are a young, intelligent, ambitious woman, and a job of Hogwarts is, in my opinion, definitely a good career option for you to consider.
Furthermore, I will equally honest with you as you were with me. Since I am both a man and in less of an… emotional relationship with Albus, the Healers have a tendency to be more honest about his condition with me than with you, and I can tell you this; things do not look very good for him, Minerva. You are an intelligent woman, you must have noticed that there is no improvement yet and with every passing day, the chances of him ever recovering grow slimmer and slimmer.
I am not telling you this to break your heart, my dear- but I am telling you this before I think a woman like you should know. I don't believe in women having to be "protected" from this sort of news- and I would especially hate seeing you, you of all women, waste your life like this while- and I mean this- I am sure Albus would want you to live instead.
Minerva, as an ex-teacher of yours, I beg you to think it over.
Very sincerely,
Armando Dippet"
It was with tears in her eyes that the young, black-haired Auror covered her face with her hands, sinking down on the sofa again.
What was she supposed to do now?