A/N: An early Valentine's Day gift from US to YOU! Thanks for your wonderful reviews...not only on this story but our others as well.

Chapter 8

Minerva stood by the main doors to Hogwarts and watched as the students filed by on their way to the carriages. The Hogwarts Express would be leaving within the hour stuffed full with students heading home to spend the summer with their parents. The sky was dark with large black clouds lying ominously low, full of rain waiting to be shed, and the ground was scattered with puddles of mud from the last couple of days of heavy rain.

As the loud hum of students dulled to a whisper the newest professor, Pomona Sprout, sniffed and wiped at her eyes. "I never thought I would be so sad to see them go."

Minerva smiled, having felt the same way her first year. "It is hard at first but the new school year will be here before you know it. And when the students descend on us again, you will wonder what it was you had missed in the first place."

The two women had a good laugh together before Professor Sprout answered. "Perhaps if I had an exciting trip to look forward to as well, I would find my melancholy held at bay."

Minerva looked at the grinning witch and chuckled. "Perhaps."

"So, when do the two of you leave? I hope there are no last minute meetings you have to deal with before you can get away."

The darkening sky rumbled ominously and the two women followed the other professors, who had come to see the students off, into the building. A ferocious rainstorm was supposed to break soon. Minerva only hoped the students made it on the train before they were drenched in sheets of rain.

"There are still one or two items to be wrapped up but we are hoping to be off by Monday,"

The two women who had become good friends bid farewell and Pomona headed off towards her office to finish up her end of term grading. Minerva had some grading of her own to finish but found herself in no mood to deal with it. Her mind was too full of her upcoming trip with Albus.

She remembered when he first mentioned traveling the world together. They had been having a private dinner in her rooms one weekend shortly after the beginning of term. He had casually asked her how she would feel traveling to various countries with him.

"…after all my dear, I would like to see the world while I am still young enough to remember and enjoy it.

Minerva nearly spit out her tea and coughed a bit after he had finished speaking. "Pardon me?"

"We certainly don't have to if you are not up for it. I just thought it would be nice for us to get away for the summer, a change of scenery if you will." Albus' eyes had dulled a bit at her surprised statement.

Minerva was speechless. She felt a bit lightheaded and wasn't sure she was hearing correctly. "You want to go on a trip this coming summer around the world?"

"Just for a bit of fun. I would arrange everything, unless you wanted to take care of a few things yourself."

Minerva didn't think it was possible, but his words had her falling even more in love with him. She knew Albus had specifically mentioned this trip for her benefit. Minerva had always dreamed of traveling to far off places and exploring the world. At this point in her life, she hadn't gone much father than Germany and that had not been for pleasure, but she had always hoped that one day her dream would be fulfilled. Now here was Albus, her love, offering her the opportunity, disguised as a trip for him, when she knew perfectly well he had been around the world at least three times and really had no wish to do it again.

"Of course I would love to go Albus. I would go anywhere with you, all you need do is ask." Minerva's smile was radiant as she threw herself into Albus' arms.

He hugged her back and sought her lips with his own. Minerva put all of her love, passion and thanks into that one kiss, and the moan issuing from Albus' throat showed that it was well received.

A rumble of thunder and the sudden roar of torrential rains brought Minerva out of her reverie. The sky had turned a dark midnight color with flashes of lightning revealing the sodden landscape. Minerva leaned against the window pane that looked out on the front lawn. She loved this kind of weather. It made her think of new beginnings and second chances.

Her mind weaved its way to her childhood and her first meeting with Albus. How young she had been and how captivated with the tall, red-headed wizard. He had been so kind to her and she laughed when she remembered how horrified she had been to think that she would have to fall in love with him because of their dance. Her mother had soothed her fears as she had always done but it had been in the back of Minerva's mind for several days after the fact.

Now here she was very much in love with that man. Their relationship had grown slowly, from awe and admiration to a school-girl crush and deep respect to unconditional, head-over-heels love. Minerva felt as if she was destined to be with him, and only him. He had been in her life since a very early age; he knew all of her faults and flaws and he loved her in spite of everything just as she did him.

Their relationship of late had changed in some subtle way. Maybe it was the result of living together or perhaps just a natural progression with years of knowledge of the other behind them. Their usual routine had become like one of their dances, as if something outside of themselves or perhaps deep within them guided their movements. They seemed to know what the other was thinking and Minerva especially could pick up on when Albus had had a rough day or had exciting news to share.

She seemed to know whether he wanted a quiet evening or whether he was looking to be distracted by a night out. Whether he wanted a double scoop of fudge ice cream or a handful of lemon sherbets. It was as if they were connected by more than the simple words of love they had shared and the intense passion of their bodies.

She didn't know how long she had stood there, entranced by the sight before her and by her trip down memory lane, but she suddenly realized that her back had become stiff. With a stretch Minerva started to turn to leave when a flash of light revealed a figure just coming through the main gates. A figure she would know anywhere. Albus was back from his meeting at the Ministry for Magic.

Without really thinking what she was doing, only knowing that she had missed him these past few weeks as their schedules had become increasingly busy due to the end of term responsibilities, Minerva pushed open the doors and rushed out to greet him. She was only part way there when she realized she was drenched to the skin. Her hair was falling out of its bun and was plastered on her face, as she fell laughing into his open arms.

"Well hello to you too my dear," he chuckled as he picked her up and whirled her around in the rain. He had missed her so much while he was away and the sight of her running towards him in the pouring rain made his heart race wildly in anticipation. "I was on my way to see you after I had a chance to dry off a bit and change clothes."

"Who cares about being dry and indoors? The rain feels refreshing, like a cool shot of butterbeer or gillywater on a hot day." Before he had a chance to answer her, the softest pink lips has pressed against his and he had no choice but to follow his heart and kiss her with everything he had in him. Neither noticed nor cared that the rains were slowly easing and that they were soaked to the bone, their hair plastered to their heads, making it hard for nimble fingers to thread through the long locks of black and auburn.

"I've missed you so much this week, Albus," Minerva whispered against his ear as she continued to hug him in the summer shower. Her breath was hot against his skin, making Albus' body begin to react to her closeness. "I got quite used to having you hold me at night and since we've had to spend the last few nights apart, well I was lonely and found it hard to sleep."

He set her down gently and drew her flush against his body. "I know how you feel. I've tossed and tumbled for the last few nights as well. But now that summer is here, I don't intend to let you stray too far from my side." His lips grazed across her cheek on their way to her sensitive ear and a spot which always made her purr with happiness. For several long moments, he enjoyed the soft scent of lavender as he feasted on her neck and ears. His hands were roaming rather freely over her body but always mindful of the chance that someone could be watching. "Perhaps we could go inside and continue this happy reunion? I can think of a much more comfortable setting and we could get rid of these heavy robes and into something less restrictive."

His seductive voice and the meaning behind his words caused a familiar and arousing warmth to spread through her body yet she begged for a few more moments outside. "Oh no, Albus. Let's stay outside. You're always telling me to enjoy life and embrace the world around me. There's hardly anybody left in the castle. Stay here with me and let's enjoy the summer rain."

The look in her eyes and the contentment written so clearly on her face was all it took to cause the great Albus Dumbledore to give in to whatever his lady wanted. "How on earth could I refuse such an intriguing request from such a beautiful woman? Any thoughts on how to best utilize our time here among the falling raindrops?" Minerva shook her head before throwing it back and letting the rain fall across her upturned face. "Well I do," he mumbled against her exposed throat.

Minerva moaned slightly as his lips settled on one particularly interesting spot at the base of her throat. It took every ounce of her resolve to ask the question burning on her tongue. "And what might that be, my lion?"

"I was hoping a young lady with pretty green eyes would honor me with a dance tonight. And now seems as good a time as any to ask. Care to kick off your shoes and join me in a rain dance?" He pulled back just enough to look into her deep green eyes and see the excitement and love that filled them.

Minerva laughed at his playfulness and the subtle seduction that accompanied it. Without any hesitation, she kicked off her shoes and began to twirl around as he removed his. In seconds, she was being held snugly in his arms, their wet clothes sticking together as they moved gracefully among the falling raindrops with Albus loudly humming a tune.

They moved in unison, no doubt from years of practice and familiarity and yet there was a new passion between them. It was always there, bubbling below the surface but for some reason today…in this rainstorm, she was almost able to reach out and touch the magic surrounding them. It was as real as the man she held in her arms.

While Albus had been away, he had come to the realization that no matter where he went or how many new and exciting people he met, his heart was wherever Minerva happened to be. For weeks he had missed spending time with her, especially at night as he tossed and tumbled in his large bed. Now, here in her arms, it made the separation worth every second of it. As he felt her curvaceous body pressed against his and seeing her as she ran towards him earlier, he knew this was the moment he had waited for. This was the perfect moment to really tell her how he felt about her…about their future.

Suddenly Albus stopped in the middle of the dance and took a step back from her. He took each of her hands in his, turning her palms upwards before placing a lingering kiss to each one. He then folded her hands together and watched as her cupped hands began to gather rain. Lowering his mouth to her hands, he breathed on the few drops now cradled in her delicate hands and the raindrops began to glow, first a bright yellow and then a brilliant white.

Minerva watched in amazement as Albus performed a magic spell she had never heard before. The moment his warm breath blew across her palms, she began to tingle with excitement. Now, as the water in her hands began to take shape, butterflies overtook her stomach as the water took on the form of a stunning diamond. She was so caught up in watching the dazzling gem being formed in her hands she almost missed Albus adding a piece of gold thread to the magical creation held in the palm of her hands.

As soon as the thread touched the glowing diamond, a burst of energy unlike any other Minerva had experienced, surged through the air then disappeared, leaving her with the most beautiful diamond ring with a golden band lying gently in the palm of her hand. The sight of the perfect gem caused her heart to skip a few beats and her mind began to swirl with predictions of what might be ahead. Looking up, her emerald eyes met his sky blue ones, each filled with so much love and passion.

"I was going to propose to you during our summer vacation in some exotic location but this just seemed like the perfect moment." Albus dropped to one knee and removed the ring from her hand. "Minerva, you make me incredibly happy and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?" As he was speaking, Albus slid the diamond ring onto her finger and waited for her reply.

"I thought you'd never ask," she laughed before dropping to her knees and engulfing him in a tight embrace, all the while laughing and crying tears of joy. This would be one summer rainstorm she would never forget. She would always have the raindrop diamond to remind her of a perfect summer shower and another new beginning with Albus. Decades ago, she would never have imagined this moment with him but now that she had fallen so deeply in love with him, there was no other man to whom she could give her heart.

TBC...only a few more dances left!