A/N: Short chapter, but a quick update so my lovelye readers and reviewers will stop threatening me! Thanks to everyone who left comments. I'm glad you are sticking with me! Thanks as always to Always Hopeful for her comments, proofing, and willingness to put up with me!

Chapter 5b

"Oh no, what have I done?"

Albus pushed aside his crimson bedspread and golden canopy before moving quickly from his bed toward his bureau. There, among many other photos he'd collected over the years, stood a large close up of Minerva. Verplaca had given it to him on the day of her graduation, saying jokingly that she hadn't given up hope of him proposing to her real aunt and the picture was for him to practice with. Albus had, of course, laughed off the suggestion, assuring Verplaca that her hope was in vain. Yet he'd kept the picture, putting it in a place of honor, front and center of his bureau. When Minerva had given Fawkes' his bird bath last Christmas, Albus had asked her about the charm used on the central carving. He used the spell, expanding on it, to charm his favorite picture of Minerva to show him how she was feeling.

When Albus had returned from Minerva's rooms earlier in the evening, he'd been glad to see photo-Minerva so happy and relaxed. He imagined she'd been soaking in her bath, enjoying his work in her rooms. The look on her photograph's eyes made Albus that much more sure of his decision to show Minerva how he truly felt for her.

Now as he watched photo-Minerva cry, and imagined how upset his real Tabby must be, he cursed the skills which had helped him charm the picture.

Although not many knew it, Albus was a very skilled Legilimens. He generally told those around him that his powers were strong enough for him to realize when he was being lied to, but in truth they went much deeper.

He remembered when he was first learning the skill reading that it was sometimes possible in the case of soul mates or those with another magical connection, during times of high emotion or stress, to unintentionally use legilimency to enter the dreams of the person with whom the legilimens shared the connection.

He'd never had that experience, until this night.

Albus had been so sure that he had been awake and interacting with the real Minerva. It had seemed strange that she sneaked into his rooms in the middle of the night, but his dream-self had never questioned her actions.

"Oh, my darling Minerva." Albus felt a tear roll down his cheek before it dropped onto the picture he cradled in his lap as he sat on the edge of the bed. She was crying and it was his fault. How could he ever make this up to her? Would she realize what her dream had been?

"A dream, Minerva. Just a dream. Now calm down and go back to sleep," Minerva said firmly to herself. She rolled onto her side and clutched a pillow to her chest. Then softly, she added, "But oh, what a dream."

Albus had been so sweet and nervous. His twinkling eyes had been full of determination and love. He'd been about to tell her he loved her. "I wish it wasn't just a fantasy," she thought. Though that glimpse of his bare chest had been enough to fuel plenty more of her late night dreams.

Minerva tried to relax as she thought of the dream and how real it had seemed. She now wondered more than ever what Albus' bedroom really looked like and what he wore to sleep in. His dressing gown in her dream had been his signature-purple and had certainly looked handsome wrapped around his broad chest.

Minerva groaned as she rolled onto her other side, reminding herself once more that no matter how real the dream had seemed it was just a dream. She needed to stop thinking about it.

Though it was unlikely she'd forget the look of Albus' chest, sans dressing gown, anytime soon.

Hopefully somethings are resolved. I hope you enjoyed! Thanks for reading. OSUSprinks