Chapter 4: Let the Healing Begin.

Minerva sat in a darkened room, lit only by the few candles she permitted to invade her bedchamber. She watched the slow rise and fall of the handsome wizard lying unconscious in her large bed and sighed. She had to admit that she had always found him extremely attractive and never in her dreams did she imagine that she would find him in her bed. But the circumstances were not happy ones.

After Albus had fallen and blacked out, Minerva and the remaining aurors were left with some difficult decisions. Already the news had spread of the attack and reporters from all over the wizarding world had started to descend on the scene, seeking interviews and bits of information to sensationalize. Minerva knew that if word spread of Albus' state of health, more attacks would be imminent. Not to mention the fact that he would no longer be able to recuperate in peace.

"I know the perfect place to take him. I have some medical training and no one will even suspect where he's mending. If we need supplies or additional help, I will not hesitate to send an owl to headquarters or to the Minister of Magic." Without wasting another moment, Minerva had turned his pocket watch into a suitable portkey and they were immediately transported to her private home in the highlands of Scotland.

Days had passed since their arrival and as much as she tried, Minerva could not get him to fully wake. His eyes had fluttered and she had heard him mumbling but other than that he had not stirred. Every hour on the hour, she cast a diagnostic spell on his sleeping form and was encouraged by the internal healing. As was her ritual, in the evenings, she took a damp cloth and attempted to refresh his body, hoping to make him more comfortable and maybe even cause him to wake.

Taking the soft cloth and dipping it in the warm water, Minerva took the dampened cloth and wiped his smooth brow and face. Tenderly, she washed his face, neck and ears, taking time to smooth away the errant strands of hair that seemed to always get in her way. She smiled a bit as she gently ran the cloth over his lips to keep them moist. Whenever the cloth would touch them, he would mumble something incoherent and part his lips. Silently, she wondered if he was dreaming of someone or if it was merely a reaction based on her comforting touch.

Next she would focus her attentions on his arms and hands. And every time she held his large hands within her own dainty ones, a tingling sensation ran through her body. She had never felt this kind of sensation before and was unsure if it was magic radiating from his fingertips or something more. Brushing those thoughts to the back of her mind, she scolded herself for even thinking such a thing. He had only danced with her once and that probably meant nothing to him. But to her, it had meant more.

As she lovingly ministered to each of his hands, she thought back over the times she had sat quietly in his class. She had listened intently to each and every syllable as it fell from his lips and found herself trying to memorize the way he spoke and how fascinating he truly was. Then when she had been fortunate enough to bump into him in Hogsmeade, she noticed that her feelings, once buried, had resurfaced. In some ways, she felt like a schoolgirl with a crush all over again.

In her mind, Minerva thought back to the incident in Hogsmeade and how dozens of women had been throwing themselves at him. But for all of their efforts, he had not given them a second glance. Even at the ball, when those beautiful ladies had begged him to dance he had vehemently denied them. Yet, he specifically asked her to dance with him. Thinking back on it, she blushed at the memory of being held in his arms as he gracefully guided them around the dance floor. It was that set of memories that made her wonder what might have happened had she not been called away on duty.

With her task accomplished, Minerva banished the bowl of water to the nearby bathroom and once again settled herself down for a long night. For two nights previous, Albus had battled a high fever. And each night, she had cast a cooling charm on him to keep him as comfortable as possible but that was not a solution to the problem. She hoped that tonight would be the night that his fever broke for good and that would offer hope that he would be awake soon.

Deep in sleep, Minerva dreamed of the night of the ball. Albus looked extremely dashing in his muggle tuxedo and as he twirled her around the room, his eyes held a warmth that she had never seen before, from anyone. As the dance ended, he led her to the balcony where he took her in his arms. His eyes seemed to mirror the stars as they twinkled and she felt a rush of excitement wash over her body as she realized that he was about to kiss her.

Closing her eyes in her dreams, she could feel the incredibly soft lips of Albus Dumbledore as his mouth covered hers. Reaching around his neck, she laced her hands through his silky hair and allowed her fingers to lightly caress a particularly sensitive spot at the base of his neck. His response was an incredibly deep moan that sent shivers from the tips of her toes to the top of her head.

With a jolt, Minerva shot up from the chair. The moan had been real and it was indeed coming from Albus! She lit one small candle beside the bed and sat down beside him to see if he was awake. His eyes were still closed, yet he was saying things that made no sense to her at all.

At first his words were mumbled as they had been for days and then one by one she seemed to be able to pick out phrases or single words that, when put together, formed no coherent thought pattern. She noticed that he seemed relaxed and not in any pain, which was a great relief. Leaning closer to his face, she was able to make out one particular string of words as they fell from his lips.

"Yes…I want…Mmmmm…Ohhhh… I need…" Minerva was slightly taken back by the words coming from his mouth. What did he need or want? How could she possibly help him if he refused to wake? She thought that he might still be in a fevered state so she quickly brought her hand up to his cheek to check. That was how it had all started.

Sensing her gentle touch, Albus turned his head and lightly kissed the palm of her hand, allowing his tongue to swirl a small pattern. Minerva tried to pull her hand away but he caught it with his. He slightly opened his eyes and saw that she had closed hers as he used his warm tongue to trace a path along the pulsing vein in her wrist that told of her excited state.

Once again, Minerva tried to pull away from him, knowing that he was probably not thinking clearly but her body screamed for her to stop fighting his advances. When he had taken one of her fingers into his mouth and begin to gently pull on it, she practically melted where she sat. Drawing her even closer, Albus used his reserved strength to pull her body on top of his as he hungrily sought her mouth with his own.

No longer able or willing to deny her body's reaction, Minerva welcomed his tongue into her mouth as he took his time in exploring every inch of it. She heard herself stifle a moan of pleasure as his hands began to rub firmly against her thin nightwear, causing every bit of her flustered body to ache for more of his touch.

Without realizing what was happening around her, Minerva had given into her desires to have this man want her. His hands slipped skillfully underneath the nightshirt she wore and he began to graze her skin with his fingertips, causing her to arch her back in response to his touch. In her mind, she knew that what was happening between them was wrong, especially since he was not even awake yet the more she tried to pull away, the more he pulled her to him. That act alone caused her body to react of its' own will and encourage him for more touches.

His kisses were like none she had ever received in her life. He was most assuredly an amazing and highly skilled lover. A fact that she would like to explore at greater length one day, but today should not be that day. Lost in the moment, she failed to notice that his hands had moved from the small of her back to her sides. And in one slight move of his hand, they simultaneously released moans of delight and excitement as he began to gently massage her breast.

Knowing that he would never remember this wonderful happening, Minerva forced herself to pull away from him. Her body cried at the loss of his hands roaming over her and she peered into his flushed face to see that his eyes were wide open and radiating an emotion almost too good to believe.

"Albus, you're awake! What happened here…I…you…" He placed a slender finger across her lips to silence her.

"Minerva, it is I who should apologize. I was dreaming of you and the next thing I knew, my dreams had turned into this reality. I apologize if I have made you uncomfortable or…"

"Wait! You were dreaming of me? I heard you mumble in your sleep and I thought you were hurt or fevered so I leaned over to check on you. That's when it all began."

Albus' cheeks were already a bright shade of red from the excited state of his body so the embarrassment he felt blended in well. "I was, indeed, dreaming of you or maybe I should say the both of us…together. I have dreamed of you every night since we bumped into each other in Hogsmeade and tonight I was able to taste your kisses. I did not realize how real they were." He tentatively reached up and cupped her cheek with his hand. Remembering the feel of that very same hand on other parts of her body, she leaned into his touch and closed her eyes.

Albus took that as a sign of encouragement so he shifted slightly in the bed and pulled her gently down towards him. Instead of brushing his lips against hers, he moved so that he could nuzzle into her neck, particularly the hollow of it where her pulse raced with every beat of her heart. He moaned as he felt her relax against his strong frame and allowed his hands to begin their wonderful exploration of her amazing body hidden beneath the thin material.

Continuing his assault on her neck and ears, Minerva pulled back from him once more. "Albus, we must stop. You are not well and…mmmm…you are…not…thinking clearly."

"Minerva, I assure you I am in complete control of my body and mind. If you do not wish to continue, I will certainly abide by your wishes. But if it is me that concerns you, let me assure you, I am willing and able to finish what I started."

Needing no other assurances from him, Minerva pressed her body firmly against his as she seductively began to tug at his ear with her lips and tongue. This time, when his hand reached the side of her breast, she moaned again and moved to grant him complete access to her slender frame. With a wave of his hand, Albus shocked her. He used his highly developed ability of wandless magic to remove all clothing and bedding barriers that separated them as he pinned her beneath him.

At first, she was still concerned for his health but the more he touched her, the longer he kissed her, the more he moved against her, she knew that he was in complete control of everything. His gentle lips wrapped around one of her firm nipples and pulled at it while he lovingly stroked the sides of her body in reverence.

She cried out in pleasure as they both explored the other's body. She took her time in teasing him, first with her hands then her mouth and tongue. He had never felt more alive or more passionate as he did when she gave herself to him. He wanted to make love to her forever and yet he needed to feel the release that he new would happen soon enough. But his main concern was to make sure that she was utterly satisfied in every possible way. As her moans increased and her breathing became even more ragged than even he dreamed possible, he joined them and they both gasped at the exquisite feel of it.

Riding the waves of passion was not a new experience to either of them but this felt so much better than anything they had ever encountered. Their bodies seemed to be in perfect harmony as they made love without any reservations or inhibitions. When they reached the point of release, they were pleasantly surprised that it happened simultaneously. Snuggling as close as possible to this remarkable man, they did not stop their tender touches and strokes until sleep had almost claimed them both. Minerva heard him mumble one last sentence before she succumbed to sleep.

"I love you, Minerva McGonagall."