Chapter Five - Confessions over dinner
The greatest witch and wizard of recent time just stood there, staring at each other as though it was the first time that they had ever crossed paths. Time seemed to come to a standstill and the restaurant fell silent as they tried to formulate words that would break the awkward silence.
"Minerva!" said Albus softly. "This is certainly a pleasant surprise."
"A-Albus!" stammered Minerva who had flashed a bright shade of red.
"Did you have an enjoyable meal?" he queried as he looked around the restaurant to see if he could spot the man she had been with.
"Well erm," replied Minerva who was having a hard time speaking "I haven't actually eaten!"
"Nor have I!" admitted Albus as an idea popped into his mind. "Are you with anyone?"
"No!" answered Minerva.
"I would be honoured if you would join me for a spot of dinner," asked Albus as he pulled out a chair for her.
"Aren't you with someone?" she questioned.
"Only you!" he answered as a twinkle appeared in his eyes.
Minerva slid her travelling cloak off and hung it over the back of a spare chair before sliding down on to the chair Albus offered her. She closed her eyes and inhaled his scent as he leaned closer towards her to push the chair in. She became quite lost in the sea of emotions that ran through her body so much so that she didn't realize that Albus had sat down in front of her till he cleared his throat.
"Here we are!" he said as he handed her the menu.
Minerva looked at the menu and tried to concentrate on the dishes in front of her but her mind kept wandering to the man who sat in front of her. They had had meals together before but her stomach had never been so full of butterflies as it was now, she could feel his eyes on her and it unnerved her slightly.
"Are you ready to order?" he asked with a relaxed smile.
Minerva nodded and within seconds, the waiter had appeared with his parchment and quill and looked eager to serve them. Albus ordered the steak with peppercorn sauce with a choice of winter vegetables and potatoes while Minerva opted for the chicken in a cheese and bacon sauce with new potatoes and salad. Albus ordered them some drinks and waited for a few moments before approaching the subject he wanted.
"Minerva, may I ask you a question?" he asked as he lent back in his chair and looked at her.
"Of course, Albus!" she answered as she looked up and caught his eye.
"What were the unforeseen circumstances that made you cancel our chess game?" he questioned.
'Oh no' thought Minerva, she hadn't expected to be caught out as she had been. She had hoped she could have come up with a reason for the morning but now she had to think on her feet. She cursed herself for even coming to investigate, he would laugh when he found out the real reason for her cancelling their chess game. She played around with the placemat in front of her until she felt a strong hand cover her own.
"I was stood up!" admitted Albus.
"Stood up?" questioned Minerva as her heart began to sink.
"Yes!" said Albus with a nod. "Stood up twice in fact, once by you and once by someone else."
"I should go!" said Minerva as she began to get up. "You're date could arrive any minute."
"There is no date," revealed Albus. "I believe someone was trying to play a prank on me and I came to catch them out."
"A prank?" asked Minerva as her eyes widened.
"I received a letter asking me to meet someone here," explained Albus. "I knew that it would be a prank so I came to catch them at it but they didn't show."
"I received a letter as well," admitted Minerva, "and I am here for the same reason as you, to catch them at it."
Albus let out a roar of laughter that caused many people to turn from their dinner and look at him with confusion. Minerva looked at him more confused than ever when she suddenly had a thought of enlightenment.
"We were set up!" she said, her cheeks displayed a subtle blush.
"It seems that way, my dear," replied Albus with a wide smile. "It does seem they have succeeded in us meeting."
"Should we head back to the castle?" asked Minerva who tried to hide the disappointment in her voice.
Albus looked across at her and blown away by her beauty and elegance, he suddenly felt a surge of Gryffindor courage shoot through his body.
"No, we shan't, my dearest Minerva," he told her as he drank in her looks. "We shall enjoy this evening together. It's rare that I can enjoy your company alone and I don't intend to let this chance slip through my fingers."
"Oh good!" answered Minerva with a smile that she only ever displayed around him.
Their meals came and they ate as they talked about a whole manner of subjects, they never seemed to run out of things to talk about. They shared so many interests as well as different ones, the conversation flew freely and there weren't any awkward silences.
Albus watched her intently. She was very delicate as she ate and her lips, the way they moved as she spoke made him want to pull her into his arms and kiss her soundly. Albus couldn't remember the exact time when he fell in love with the woman seated across from him, but he knew that it had always been that way. He hadn't had many lady friends in his long life, Aberforth had always accused him of being too picky but that had all gone of the window when she had come into his life. Tonight seemed to be the perfect night for a confession to be made.
Minerva noticed that he was watching her and she wondered if he knew that she was watching him as well. She hoped he couldn't see her thoughts because she knew that she would lose his friendship if he could. He looked so handsome in the dress robes that he was wearing. They made his eyes bluer than ever. She could lose herself forever in his bright blue eyes. They had always drawn her in and made her mind wander. She had lost track of the years she had loved him for, in fact if truth be told she couldn't remember when she had fallen head over heels in love with him as the years had merged into one lonely long year. She felt herself imaging what it felt like to be held in his strong arms, to feel his lips against hers and to hear him whisper the words she wanted to hear. Maybe tonight was the night for her to confess all and then run away. At least then he would know and her feelings wouldn't continue to eat away at her.
"How long have we been friends?" asked Albus before taking a sip of his butter beer.
"About forty years!" replied Minerva. "We were friends before I came to work at Hogwarts because of the Order."
"I valued your friendship while you were still under my tutorship at Hogwarts," admitted Albus. "So I make it over fifty years."
"You thought of me as your friend while I was your student?" asked Minerva with surprise.
"Yes, Minerva!" answered Albus. "We have had many enjoyable years together, my dear. I am sure that I would be most lost without you by my side."
"You're kind for saying that, Albus!" replied Minerva who was blushing again.
"I haven't finished yet," revealed Albus before continuing. "I feel that I must make a confession and it is a confession that I have wanted to share with you for sometime now."
"You're not ill, are you?" questioned Minerva with concern.
"Not ill, Minerva," continued Albus, "I am hopelessly in love with you, Minerva! I have felt this way for sometime but my lack of courage has prevented me from telling you. I have been a coward and suffered because of it."
He looked at her and waited for response but none seemed to be forthcoming and Albus began to wish that he hadn't made his confession after all.
"Well I don't expect you to return my feelings," he added quickly. "I just needed to tell you because it was eating me up inside."
His heart sank as he watched her get up from her chair and then turned to walk past him. He looked at her with sad eyes before realizing that she was moving closer to him. His skin tingled with emotion as he felt her cup his face in her delicate hands and brush her smooth silk-like lips against his. The kiss was short but it would remain with him throughout his lifetime. She pulled back and rested her forehead against his.
"I love you too, Albus!" she whispered.