CHAPTER 9
Albus' laughter was music to her ears as she stood. He offered her his arm and they walked together in silence. Each lost in thoughts of the events which had transpired recently. Both had more questions for the other, but neither wanted to break the happy spell which had wound around them.
It was as they reached their floor that Minerva's stomach clenched once more. They would be going into his hotel room, the one where she had seen Aurelia's clothes piled on the floor. As they neared the door, breathing seemed harder and she closed her eyes to try to keep her memories at bay. When she was tugged in the opposite direction her eyes shot open.
They were standing at the door across the hall. "I thought that was your room."
Albus tilted his head slightly as he looked first at her then at the door where she was pointing. "It was, but I changed rooms the first day."
"But I saw your things…" Minerva's hand flew to cover her mouth as she realized what she had said.
"Let's get comfortable," Albus said as he opened the door. "It appears we have much more to discuss."
They moved inside, and Minerva's eyes searched his room automatically. She shook her head and scolded herself. She knew she was looking for signs Aurelia had been here, even after they had just come to some sort of peace. She felt ashamed, but realized that he had been correct. They had much more to discuss before everything was settled to each of their satisfaction. Too much had happened for the hurt feelings and underlying suspicions to go away so easily.
"Would you like some tea?" Albus inquired as he moved toward the fireplace and pair of chairs which created a cozy seating area.
Minerva looked up. "Yes, please."
As Minerva took a seat, Albus requested some tea by Floo. She tried to form a list of questions in her head. She had so much she wanted to ask, but found she was afraid of the answers. And not because she thought Albus was guilty of anything untoward, but rather because she was afraid that all his answers would be so reasonable that she would feel even more a fool for her hasty trip. Poppy's comment about reasonable explanations bounced around in her head until a warm cup was pushed into her hands.
"You look like you need this," Albus commented as he sat back and added some sugar to the cup of tea in his hands.
"I think you're right."
Minerva took a sip and sighed with pleasure as the liquid fortification spread through her. She could get through this, and if she was lucky, if they were both lucky, it would strengthen their relationship in the end. Setting the tea aside, she placed her hands in her lap.
"I see you're ready," Albus said with a smile.
"I think so."
"Would you like me to clear up the issue of the hotel room first?"
"Actually," Minerva said as her eyes traveled away from his face, "I'd like to ask you a few other questions first." Her demeanor was that of a professor with her student. It was the only way she felt she could fortify herself enough to ask what needed to be asked.
Surprise was evident in his voice when he answered. "Very well."
"I packed your maroon dress robes, but I noticed they were hanging up in the wardrobe after you left. Why did you switch them for the blue ones, my favorite ones?"
"The maroon ones need a repair. There is a tear on the front by the piping. I just haven't gotten around to informing one of the elves about it. I didn't mention it to you because I didn't think I would need robes so soon. And when I switched them out you were taking a tub."
Minerva felt oddly comforted by the reason and felt a weight lift off of her heart. "And the cologne?"
"Spilled in my bag when I was packing the robes. It took some of my strongest cleaning charms to get the smell out. I thought for sure you would notice what I had done and scold me for it."
Minerva hadn't noticed at all. It probably had to do with how upset she was at the time, though Albus' cleaning charms worked notoriously well. She didn't know another witch or wizard who could do better. There was probably not much of a smell after he had finished cleaning. At least nothing that was not normal for the room.
Thoughts of the smell of his spilled cologne were followed by thoughts of the bag it had spilled in. And thoughts of the bag caused a faint blush to appear on her cheeks. "I must confess to something," she started out, speaking rather softly.
"Yes, my dear?" Albus questioned.
Minerva knew he had seen her handiwork but he had not mentioned it. Still, she felt the need to apologize for being so childish. "I changed your bags to that awful brown. I am sorry, Albus. I shouldn't have allowed my feelings to cause me to act so foolishly."
Albus smiled then chuckled. "I couldn't help but notice, but there was no harm done. It was better for me that you took your anger out on the bags rather than send a hex my way. I still remember the last one quite vividly." Albus rubbed at his shoulder, the spot a rather well deserved stinging hex had hit after he'd tried to lurch out of the way.
Minerva laughed and felt her heart lighten just a little. But soon the one question that remained unanswered brought her solidly back down to earth. The mood in the room changed as she sat up a bit straighter and looked down at her hands. She didn't want to ask her next questions, to admit to what she had seen, but she saw no way around it; not if she wanted the truth.
"How did Aurelia know you were replacing Francois so quickly? Her owl must have left within minutes of you agreeing," Minerva questioned with a slightly accusatory tone.
Her eyes locked with his as she waited for his answer. She knew that this was the moment she would know if something had transpired between Albus and Aurelia, even if it was Aurelia who had made the move. Albus always reacted a certain way when a witch made a pass at him. And that was certainly something they were both used to.
"Aurelia is the contact for the presenters. She is one of the members who helped set up the conference. Her area was as a liaison for the speakers. Francois probably contacted her before talking with me."
Minerva let out a breath she hadn't known she had been holding. Still, it didn't explain everything. "But I saw both of your…belongings…in the room next door. It looked like your room, the clerk at the front even said that was your room, but HER dress was lying on the floor and the sheets were rumpled."
"My dear Minerva," Albus said in an achingly sweet voice as he put his cup aside and moved beside her to take her hands in his own. "I can't believe you saw that."
Minerva tried to pull away as hurt flooded her heart. She felt tears gather in her eyes as his thumb stroked her hand. "I thought…"
"Let me finish," Albus said interrupting her. "You never should have seen that. I can only imagine what it looked like to you. But I promise that it was not at all what it would seem. You see, that was my room when I first arrived. I unpacked and tried to nap but was restless. Aurelia stopped by to greet me and we decided to switch rooms. She originally was assigned this room, but mine had a view, and you know how I like it to be quiet in the evenings. It just seemed like a good solution at the time. We moved her things over so she could freshen up, but did not move my items to my room until we had returned from an outing we had decided to make."
"But she has been so clingy. Before your speech she did things for you only a lover, or mother, should."
Albus' brow wrinkled in slight confusion and astonishment as his mind raced back to the afternoon in question. "So it was you…behind the curtains before I gave my speech. I caught a brief glimpse of someone and the pulse of her magic was so strong. It felt just like yours and it was racing wildly but she…you…disappeared before I could speak to you."
"You were too busy with Aurelia to really notice, but yes, it was me. I managed to get into the restricted area and I saw her doing the things I should have done for you if you'd only let me. When I saw that, I thought I was losing you since this whole weekend she has been more than just friendly." Minerva just couldn't let go. It was her weakness with Aurelia and she knew it, but she couldn't stop herself from pointing it out.
"That is just Aurelia." Albus held up his hand to forestall any questioning. "I know you don't like it, Minerva. And in the future I will certainly honor your feelings on the matter, but you have to know, even if you don't understand. Aurelia and her entire family are very friendly by nature. The first time her mother met my mother, she kissed her on the cheek and gave her a hug. They have always been demonstrative with their feelings. I can't speak for her and I would not try to, but I can tell you that she holds no place in my heart other than that of a friend. I love you, Minerva. More than I ever thought I would love anyone, and certainly more than I ever loved Aurelia. My heart is so filled for you that no other would ever be able to enter."
"Such pretty words, Albus," she started as she felt her temper beginning to return despite her desire to keep it at bay. According his Albus' way of thinking, she was simply supposed to let Aurelia grope all over her husband without saying a word and all because that was her nature. "I'm sure it's the nature of thousands of other witches, as well, to be very demonstrative, especially with someone of your stature and good looks, but that doesn't mean I have to like it, nor do I have to accept it. I've been more than lenient with her, and you know it. If it were any other witch, she would have been hexed into oblivion or in serious need of attention at St. Mungo's, but I have restrained myself admirably. You have no idea the things I've thought of doing to her over the years, yet you seem to take no notice of my feelings at all. And now, after all this, you expect me to sit back and let her continue in this vein?"
Minerva rose from her chair and walked over to the window, taking several deep breaths to steady her nerves and her anger. She thought they were making progress until Albus' decree that Minerva would simply have to deal with Aurelia's behavior. When she felt his large hands on her upper arms, she shivered and cringed at the same time.
"Minerva, look at me," he pleaded softly. His voice was full of pain and yet there was tenderness as well. When she refused to turn around, he forged ahead with his thoughts. "I had no idea that it bothered you so much and I'm sorry. Yet another one of my failures where you are concerned. I didn't think anything of her touches, so I assumed you wouldn't either. And I certainly didn't mean to suggest that you have to sit back and watch as she takes certain liberties that are not hers to begin with." He dropped a tender kiss to her shoulder and sighed. "I never truly realized just how much my actions and hers have hurt you and I'm sorry…very sorry."
Minerva turned her head sideways and looked at him out of the corner of her eye. "And how would you feel if suddenly an old lover of mine appeared and decided to be as affectionate as Aurelia is with you?" She gave him a moment to fully explore the idea before turning around to face him fully. "You wouldn't like it any more than I do, would you? I don't see you as my possession, for the only thing I could ever hope to possess is your heart. We took vows forsaking all others, and it hurts me when I see you being so free with your touch and warmth, especially knowing what she once meant to you and what you shared. You are trusting by nature and while not all witches are after you, there are more than you realize who are. I trust you, though it may not look like that now, but when someone like Aurelia comes into the picture…"
"Aurelia is nothing more than a friend to me, Minerva. You are my everything. Do you think for one minute that her touches even come close to sparking the same warmth and passion, need and desire in me that a simple look from you can inspire? I find her pleasant, but you are my obsession. If anything, her carefree expressions of friendship only serve to remind me of what I already have…what we have. I would never give that up for something so inadequate as a tryst with her or any other witch."
Minerva searched his eyes the entire time he was speaking, and she could practically feel the desperation mingled with resolve in his words. It gave her strength and also tugged at her heartstrings. "It just hurts, Albus, to see you accepting her affections while I am expected to stand idly by and do nothing. If I tried to speak to her, it would look like I'm a jealous wife who fears what her husband might do. While I may be jealous, I never believed you would betray me. Well, at least not until this happened anyway. But that was my own fault for not speaking to you earlier and for listening to my head instead of my heart."
"And what now? Is your heart and mind still at war over what you've seen and heard these past two days?" His heart began to pound in his chest and a lump formed in his throat as he waited for her reply.
"No," she said softly. "My heart and mind are of the same opinion. You would never intentionally hurt me, and I have nothing to worry about with regards to Aurelia or any other witch." She brought a shaking hand up to his cheek and touched it lightly, as if for the first time, before cupping it tenderly. "I love you and I'm sorry I ever doubted you."
A broad smile began to curl about Albus' lips and the twinkle began to reappear in his crystal blue eyes. His arms slipped around her waist, drawing her against him fully as he took his time in closing the distance between them. "I love you so much, my dear sweet wife, my lover, my world."
The moment his lips touched hers lightly, Minerva felt a wave of heat and passion wash over her. At first he simply brushed his lips against hers, nothing too powerful or needful. It was a simple testament to his adoration and love for her, but when he felt her respond to his embrace, his own emotions overtook him. His tongue slipped easily into her mouth, taking the time to explore and to excite her, rekindling their romance.
Minerva moaned softly as she let her old feelings of doubt and desperation slip away, only to be replaced by the invigorating feelings of being so deeply in love. Albus' kisses felt like they had back when their love was new and uncharted. Even the way his hands roamed up and down her back, drawing her deeper into his embrace, felt new yet wonderfully familiar. When the kiss finally ended, Minerva found herself pressed tightly against Albus' body with his arms locked lovingly around her.
"Stay with me, please?" he asked pleadingly. "I'd love it if you stayed with me for the rest of the conference, and then we can take our holiday. I want to try to make things up to you and to show you I meant what I said."
She shifted in his embrace and smiled up at him. "Are you sure I won't be in the way? I know spouses aren't supposed to be at these conferences and then there's the ball and…"
He pressed a slender finger to her lips to stall her words. "I'd like the honor of escorting the most enchanting witch in the world to the ball. I want everyone to see how lucky I am and that I belong to you…body, mind, and soul. We won't have to stay long, only as long as you'd like, and then we can sneak back here and enjoy this luxury suite," he added with a hint of merriment in his voice.
"We haven't done that in quite some time," she quipped with a slight blush to her cheeks.
"What? The sneaking away bit or the enjoyment bit?" His curious and flirtatious nature was returning full force and it felt wonderful.
"The sneaking away from some formal function for starters, but it's been far too long since we've truly enjoyed being in love. I know you're a busy man and I am happy that at least you're not too tired to cuddle with me at night."
Albus had to admit she was right once more. He had been very neglectful in showering his wife with the attention she deserved. It wasn't that he was uninterested, but more that he was so engrossed in other things to the point of exhaustion when it came time to retire for the night. But she was correct. He found it nearly impossible to sleep if she wasn't curled against him, cold feet and all. Without any warning, Albus scooped Minerva into his arms and was halfway through the small sitting room and into the bedroom before Minerva fully realized his intentions. Several well-spent hours later, Minerva happily agreed to accompany Albus to the ball.
A/N: Looks like things are back on track for Albus and Minerva! But what of Aurelia? Have no fears…she's not far from our dear couple and we'll see more of her! Thanks for taking time to read and review the story. We really do love to hear your thoughts on it!