Disclaimer: I don't own anything, no charaters, NOTHING. You know where the door is...

A/N: Well, here's the next chapter! Its not as long as the last update, but hey! It's an update! Thank you to everyone who reviewed! Those reviews mean a lot to me! Thank you again!

And as usual, bigkihap gets the beta-reading credit for her excellent skills! Without her advice, I would be a rubbish writer lol!

Chapter 7

A Few Chats and We're Off!

Minerva hobbled her way along the wide corridor to the medi-witch's quarters, feeling the wall like a blind person. Poppy had requested to see her immediately the morning after the unusual drinking competition to speak to her about something that had urgently come up. So Minerva hurried out the staffroom, forgetting her walking stick, and regretting it every step she took. She finally arrived twenty minutes later at the door and a worried looking Poppy helped her into the peach-coloured room.

"Minerva! What have I told you about not using your walking stick?" Poppy scolded her friend as she helped Minerva over to a vacated armchair.

"Oh save it, Poppy! You told me it was an emergency so naturally I rushed out of the staffroom and forgot the infernal stick," Minerva replied haughtily. "So what's going on?"

"I am very concerned about our headmaster. Albus is very out of sorts. I have tried to get him to talk to me, but its just not working," Poppy explained with a worried expression. "Would you like tea or coffee?"

"Tea, please. So what does this have to do with me?" Minerva frowned.

"You are very close to him, Minnie. Perhaps you could talk to him? You have hardly said two words to him in the past couple of weeks," said Poppy brusquely, busying herself with the tea.

"I have been quite busy. I'm sure that if Albus wanted to talk to me he would stop by. And besides, it works both ways. Albus has not said two words to me either," Minerva replied stubbornly. Poppy sighed exasperatedly.

"You know, that is the problem with the pair of you, you are both too stubborn. Neither wants to admit that they are wrong. Well I have news for you Minerva, I have a feeling that Albus is acting the way he is because you have abandoned him," she said adamantly. Minerva looked as if she had been slapped hard.

"I have not 'abandoned' him!" she cried indignantly. "How could you even say such a thing?"

Poppy stood up and began to pace by the fire.

"Last night, I saw Albus looking absolutely miserable at you and Aberforth. I don't think he wanted to do this competition because his brother 'won.' Albus did this competition to win you," she explained, wringing her hands. Minerva's expression had gone from anger to confusion.

"I don't understand, Poppy. Why would he want to win me?"

"That's why I want you to go and see him. Just cheer Albus up and find out what's wrong. Please?" Poppy asked softly. Minerva sighed and nodded.

"Yes, I suppose I should really. We still have a game of chess to finish after all. Can I use the Floo network yet?"

"What and get dust and ashes clogged up in you chest? I don't think so," said Poppy, with a raised eyebrow. "Just rest for a while and I shall take you to his office."

Minerva held onto Poppy's arm as they walked slowly along to the headmaster's office. Climbing up the stone steps to the old oak door. Minerva tapped the lion nervously and it gave two loud "clunks". Poppy had left her to go to the staffroom to collect Minerva's walking stick for later. So Minerva stood biting her lip, waiting for the headmaster to answer.

"Come in," called a voice from within the room and Minerva timidly opened the door and walked inside. Albus looked up in surprise from his stacks of parchment that had spilled all over his large wooden desk.

"Minerva, what can I do for you?" he asked politely, standing up. Albus walked around his desk and helped Minerva into his living room behind his desk.

"I came to have a talk," Minerva replied, feeling a little sheepish.

"Indeed? Can I offer you some refreshments?" Albus asked but Minerva politely declined. "In that case, please sit down. Would you like a lemon drop?" Again, Minerva declined and smiled up at him.

"As I can no longer think of any general niceties to offer you, please, what would you like to talk about?" Albus politely indicated for Minerva to start talking. Minerva took a deep breath, wondering how to approach the subject. In all of fifty years of knowing the man opposite, she could not for the life of her approach Albus and ask him straight off, whether or not the drinking competition was an attempt to "win her back". So, instead after a few minutes, Minerva settled for this:

"I have just wondered how you have been."

With a calculating look, Albus thought about his reply before smiled at her kindly.

"I am in excellent health, thank you. And despite the ever large number of letters from the minister, my workload seems to be keeping up fine. How about you?"

"Just a few essay plans to write and a pile of seventh years' homework to mark, but other than that, I am fine," Minerva said, feeling like a little a schoolgirl who was feeling guilty for not doing her homework on time. Albus seemed not to notice. He glanced over at the chessboard in the corner of the room then looked back at Minerva.

"Would you care to resume our game of chess? It has been a while since we last played," Albus asked fondly. A smile graced Minerva's features as Albus stood up and offered his right arm to the woman beside him.

"Too long," Minerva agreed as she lifted herself out of the chair. Walking over to the dusty chessboard, Albus pulled the chair on the left side of the window that overlooked the grounds, so Minerva could sit down.

"Thank you, Albus," she replied gently and looked down at the chessboard. With the flick of his wand from Albus, the chess pieces shook the dust off themselves and ran into position. "I believe it was your go."

"Yes, indeed. Knight to E4," Albus gave the command to the black knight and it slid into position. "I see you and my brother are getting along famously."

Minerva looked up at him and Poppy's words floated across her mind. Albus did this competition to win you, but why?

"Yes, although he seems to feel that I will not mind if he flirts with Rolanda," Minerva replied a little stiffly. Albus raised an eyebrow.

"Aberforth's greatest weakness, is of course, beautiful women," Albus said before he could stop himself. Minerva looked questioningly at him. "He cannot help himself."

"Queen to E5, and what is your weakness, Albus Dumbledore?" Minerva challenged him with a hint of amusement.

"I myself cannot help but give in to a nice big bag of lemon drops. They are simply too delicious!" Albus replied with a smile, the familiar twinkle of amusement dancing in his eyes. Minerva could not help but laugh and tap him playfully on the hand, which rested on the side of the chessboard.

"Oh Albus, you do make me laugh!" she giggled and dabbed her eyes with a tissue.

"That's what I'm here for, my dear." Albus grinned back at her, feeling more and more confidant.

"I should hope so, because I do believe you are in checkmate!" Minerva laughed once more as Albus's amusement changed to a look of denial.

"That's not possible!"

"Checkmate! See?"

Albus sat back in his chair, defeated.

"It seems I am loosing my touch!" he said indifferently and Minerva shook her head.

"I think we have set a record for the longest played game," she said with a smile and took a dusty, ragged book off the windowsill along with a quill and ink bottle. "We have to beat seven months, three weeks and one day,"

"Yes, and this time, I shall be victorious!" Albus said with a mock-serious look on his face causing Minerva to giggle again. He loved to see her laugh, especially when he was the cause of the laughter. A sudden thought occurred to Albus. He had won the drinking competition, so he had won the flying car for the summer. Smiling, Albus sat up and leaned forward onto the chessboard.

"Minerva, would you care to take an old fool for a ride in an old Thunderbird car?" he asked and Minerva looked up.

"I don't know if Poppy would allow it," Minerva replied uncertainly. "I'm still not allowed to use the Floo network."

"What Poppy does not know, cannot hurt her. Besides, you shall be with me," Albus countered with a mischievous grin. Minerva looked at him in surprise. Perhaps the mischievous side runs in the family, she thought with a smile.

"Ok, I shall have to fetch my cloak," she replied feeling elated, like someone was blowing a big balloon up inside of her.

"No need, you can borrow one of my cloaks. I shall summon the car," said Albus, feeling absolutely delighted that Minerva had accepted his offer. He knew just where to take her. With a flick of his wand, a pale pink Thunderbird appeared outside of the window. Albus summoned a few cloaks for Minerva to choose. She chose a deep red cloak with silver moons. Walking around to talk to Dilys in her portrait, Albus left her a message of where they were going and what time they would be back.

"Good luck, Albus! Treat her well!" replied the old witch and Albus walked back into the living room. He flicked his wand once again and the windows opened. Climbing up onto the windowsill and into the car, Albus lent over so Minerva could climb in as well.

"Goodness, I have not been this high in the air since I played Quidditch when I was a young girl!" Minerva laughed and Albus pulled her into the seat. After pressing a button to make the car invisible, Albus set the car up and drove forward out towards the lake and over the mountains.

I wrote out replys of thank yous and such to everyone but my computer crashed on me and at 11.10 at nightI could not be bothered to type it all out again, so I appologise. Once again, massive thanks to Alesia G, Emutet, Portkeys Miss-Mione, TheGryffindorSeeker, minni, Always Hopeful, esb, bogus7, SherbertKitty, Leta McGotor, EM, rogueinker, 'Tis a Gift to Be Free, foci, Lethal Lunacy, joalpup62.

Please review!