A/n: This is in fact how Albus breaks his nose; well how I like to think it happens anyway. Many thanks for taking the time to review the last chapter; I appreciate your comments. Once again, this hasnt been beta read.

Chapter Thirteen: Nosebleeds and broken noses.

"Oh Merlin!" exclaimed Minerva with horror as she looked down at the man on the floor, he had his hand over his nose and mouth but she could see blood flowing at a steady pace.

Minerva dropped the books and rolls of parchment that she had been carrying and dropped to her knees beside Albus, she looked at him before placing her hand on his neck and pushing his head forward gently. She needed to stop the flow of blood and check for any damage.

"Mr Dumbledore, can you pinch the soft part of your nose?" she asked him "just below the bone."

"I fink its broken!" he told her as he did what he was told, he winced as he touched his nose.

"Just lean forward a bit more," she encouraged, feeling more and more guilty as she walked him apply pressure to his nose.

Luckily the corridor was empty, no one had seen what had happened and so they weren't milling around and getting in the way. Minerva couldn't believe that of all the people that used the corridor, Albus Dumbledore was the man who ended up on the floor with what looked like a broken nose. How was she going to face him after the pain and the bleeding had ceased?

"Could we go into your office?" he asked her as his ears picked up on some footsteps coming down the corridor.

Minerva simply nodded and helped him to his feet, all the time encouraging him to lean forward slightly and keep the pressure on his nose. She was grateful that he had asked to go into her office and not remain in the corridor; she presumed that he didn't want to be seen in such a state. His robes and beard had blood on them and he did look a sight for sore eyes which made Minerva shake her head in disbelief, why her?

"I need to contact Alastor and say I won't be making the meeting!" he told her as he went to take his fingers off his nose.

"Keep applying pressure!" she scolded softly "You need to get your nose fixed, I think it may be broken."

Minerva watched as Albus pulled out his wand with his free hand, with a quick swish and flick of his wands, a letter addressed to Alastor Moody was written and on it way to her boss. Minerva wondered what he had written to Alastor, she wondered if he had mentioned what she had done? Alastor would have her wand, if he found out what she had done despite it being an accident.

"Could you mend my nose?" he asked

"I am not a medi witch!" she pointed out; she had only ever dealt with cuts and bruises in her time as a fully qualified witch.

"But you had basic training with the Auror medics!" he told her, knowing that all wizards and witches had to know the basic field skills before becoming an auror.

Minerva nodded, it was true she did know how to mend broken bones but she had never practiced it and she wasn't about to try her first attempt at healing a broken bone on Albus Dumbledore, the most celebrated wizards of recent times.

"Are you still applying pressure?" she asked

"Yes but it needs to be mended," he told her, "I can't do it to myself and I don't want to trek to St Mungo's for something so silly, it will be all over the papers as soon as I step out of here and I doubt either of us want the publicity!"

Minerva knew he was right and she had to agree with him that she didn't want how this happened getting out, she would be mocked for the rest of her life and known as the witch who broke Albus Dumbledore's nose. She walked away from him and went around to the other side of her desk to find the medical kit that she took with her when she was leading her team out on the field. She found what she needed and walked back over to him, she helped him sip one to potions to help the blood clot and then pulled out her wand.

"Are you sure?" she asked again

Albus nodded his head and braced himself for the short, sharp pain that would come when she set the bone. It happened quickly and for that, they were both glad. Minerva looked at his nose before bandaging it as well as she could, he looked rather funny with his inflamed nose but she didn't tell him that.

"You need to rest up," she told him "do you have someone at home who can look after you? You mustn't do anything strenuous because it would cause bleeding again."

"I'll be fine," he told her "just some pain relief and I can hide in my office for a few days!"

"You need someone with you," she told him in no uncertain terms "since I caused this, may I offer myself."

Minerva didn't realise the double meaning of her words and was slightly confused when Albus chuckled slightly but wouldn't tell her why.

"What did you have in mind?" he asked with a grin.

"Well I have a cottage nearby," she began "I could take you there, you could rest up and well I can keep you company."

"That sounds agreeable," he answered, he would be able to get to know her a bit more. "I am sorry but I do not know your name!"

Minerva blushed slightly, they had literally bumped into one another a couple of times and she still hadn't told him her name.

"I am Minerva," she told him "Minerva McGonagall!"

"Hello Minerva," he greeted "pleased to make your acquaintance. You may call me Albus!"

"Well Albus," she said softly, hoping she wasn't blushing too much in his presence, the way her name had fallen from his lips had sent a jolt of electricity through her body "let me go and see Alastor and say that something has come up and it needs my urgent attention and I'll be right with you!"

Minerva left Albus in her office as she dashed off find Alastor, she couldn't believe she was going to be spending time alone with a man she admired and was annoyed at, at the same time. She knew she needed to make a better impression of herself, she had done two things to show herself up in his eyes and she was mortified with herself. She couldn't also believe how bold she had been in asking him back to the cottage so she could look after him. She had no idea what had gotten into her but she couldn't think about it for much longer because she had arrived at Alastor Moody's new office.

TBC…