CHAPTER 10
Minerva woke the next morning feeling utterly relaxed. She stretched lazily and only opened her eyes once she had fully snuggled back under the covers. Her gaze was drawn to Albus' side of the bed, which was empty. With a frown she looked up to find him sitting in a chair studying her face.
"Good morning, my dear."
"Good morning."
Her smile had retuned, and it widened as Albus stood and moved to sit on the bed. His hand reached out to stroke her hair and face, tracing every curve and causing a warm contentment to fill her. She signed happily and closed her eyes. "How long have you been awake, watching me?"
Albus' warm chuckle caused her heart to fill with love. It was a sound she could never hear enough. "Not nearly as long as I would have liked. You've always been an early riser."
"Very true," she responded.
Deciding she really should get out of bed, she started to rise. Albus' hand fell away and she felt a pang of regret. But his lips, soft against hers, had her thinking of nothing but the feelings coursing through her. As his tongue traced along the seal of her lips, she opened to him. He consumed her with a slow, steady rhythm that drove her mad. The warmth in her belly spread, making her limbs weak with pleasure as she held onto him. He broke away much too soon.
"I wish we could continue this morning, but I promise to make it up to you tonight after the ball. I must get ready to attend a meeting, and breakfast should be arriving any moment."
Minerva's stomach growled at the mention of food, and she felt herself blush. It was only at that moment that she realized she had not eaten dinner the evening before. She was suddenly starving and was very much looking forward to food, of any sort.
"I ordered all your favorites, but until it arrives I managed to secure you a cup of tea."
Minerva smiled gratefully as he handed her the steaming cup. "Thank you."
Albus kissed her again, just a brush of his lips, before he rose. "I'm afraid a bit of washing up is in my near future. I'll return as soon as I can." He started towards the bathroom, but suddenly stopped and turned around towards the main door leading into the hallway.
"What's wrong, love" Minerva asked, her teacup halfway to her lips.
"I forgot about the wards I put on the door last night so we wouldn't be disturbed. I need to remove them so we can hear room service when they arrive."
Minerva smiled happily at the thoughtfulness and determination of her husband. She hadn't even been aware that he had taken such precautions, but was very glad indeed that he had. "You go shower. I'll take care of the wards," she winked. "And hurry back. I don't want your breakfast to grow cold. You deserve a nice, hot meal after that workout last night," she giggled with a slight warming to her cheeks.
Albus disappeared into the bathroom and Minerva stood up from the bed. She moved toward a mirror and attempted to run her fingers through her hair. It was obviously not meant to be as she hit several snarls before making it half way through. Looking around, she realized she had none of her items in his room and would have to rely on her Transfiguration skills to make herself presentable before breakfast arrived. The quill on the desk became a brush, and when she was satisfied with her hair, the sheet that was hanging off the side of the bed became a beautiful cream dressing gown.
Picking up her tea, she took a few sips of the hot liquid before moving to take a seat in the chair recently occupied by her husband. Her mind began to race over the events of the previous evening and with the memories came a realization. Poppy and Xiomara did not know what had happened between her and Albus. She hoped she had not worried them too badly by not returning to their room. Perhaps a quick visit next door was in order. At least they would be able to head back to Hogwarts after learning that her relationship was on the mend.
Minerva stood and went to the door. She pulled her wand from her pocket and ended the silencing and locking spells Albus had placed on the room the previous night. The din which met her ears had her taking a step back. She realized rather quickly that she recognized the voice that was shouting vehemently and cringed. She was rushing for the door and managed to throw it open before she thought through what she was going to do.
Xiomara was just turning away from Aurelia, who looked like she'd been stampeded by a herd of hippogriffs, to turn her accusations on Poppy. "Give me my wand Poppy," she growled. "I promise that the hex will wear off by next year."
"Why I ought to call the Aurors on you. How dare you attack me!"
It appeared Aurelia had regained her senses, and Minerva grew even more distressed when the angry witch pulled out her wand. She had to do something, but she wasn't sure what. The situation was completely out of control, and she was sure someone down the hall was bound to notice soon, if they hadn't already.
"Perhaps we all ought to calm down for a moment."
All eyes turned toward Minerva with various expressions of shock on their faces. Minerva, for her part, hadn't even realized she'd spoken until all eyes had locked on her. Luckily, Xiomara looked much calmer than she had moments before as she reassessed the scene. However, Minerva knew she would need to act quickly if she wanted to save any of her self-respect. The last thing she needed was for Aurelia to know that she had shown up to spy on Albus.
"Please accept my apologies, Xia and Poppy. I'm afraid that after I arrived, I learned that Albus had taken up residence in a different room."
Her two friends' eyes lit up with the new knowledge and they suddenly looked comfortable for the first time since Minerva had entered the hall. "I guess this means I overreacted," Xiomara stated calmly, though she had yet to turn her attention to Aurelia.
"Overreacted," Aurelia repeated. "I think you more than overreacted."
Minerva noticed the bags on the ground which belonged to her two friends and to her. "She isn't known for being the sensible one," Minerva said in way of an explanation. She then turned to Poppy and Xia. "Thank you for bringing me my bag. I know you had to go out of your way to do it."
Poppy reacted first, and Minerva's smile spread at her response. "We were just on our way to Greece, so it was not a problem at all. Only next time you may want to warn us if there is a change in rooms."
"I'll do that," Minerva said sweetly.
"Well, we'll just be on our way then," Xiomara quipped while picking up her bag, which had been dropped to the floor. She refused to apologize to Aurelia. The witch deserved what she got and then some. Everything would have been fine if she hadn't been caught coming out of what was supposed to be Albus' room in a dressing gown.
"Thanks again, and I'll stop by to visit once we are all back in town."
Minerva watched her friends leave and didn't turn to face Aurelia until they had disappeared down the stairs.
"I didn't realize you would be joining Albus this weekend. He never mentioned it," Aurelia said in a tight voice.
"I decided to surprise him. And I am very happy that I did."
Minerva leaned against the door frame and allowed her dressing gown to gap a little at the top. Aurelia turned a bit red before turning and walking back toward her room. When she reached her own door she looked back at Minerva. "It is nice seeing you again. Perhaps we can all catch lunch together today."
"Actually, I think Albus has a rather busy schedule, but I'll let him know you asked after him. Have a nice day, Aurelia."
Minerva stepped back into Albus' room with her luggage and pushed the door closed firmly. She wanted to laugh and dance around but instead she busied herself unpacking until a knock sounded at the door. Food had arrived and Minerva hungrily filled her plate. Today was going to be a wonderful day.
Breakfast was a leisurely affair for Minerva, though Albus had to somewhat rush through his in order to get to his meeting on time. More than once, he expressed his regret at not being able to spend the morning with her as he had the night before, reminding her of how much he loved and cherished her beyond all others. The moment he sat down at the table, he took her hand in his and only let it go when he needed to cut his food.
"I'm sorry I have to leave you for most of the day, my dear. I will do my best to get out by mid-afternoon though so we can spend some time together before attending the ball."
Minerva smiled warmly at him as she used her napkin to clear off a bit of jam that had remained on the corner of his mouth. "I'll be fine. I thought I might go do a bit of shopping this morning. I brought some dress robes for the ball, but I'm feeling rather like something new."
He stood up and leaned over her, one arm resting on the table and the other cradling the back of her neck, drawing her to him. "Whatever my beautiful wife wishes, that she shall have." Before she could answer, his lips slowly descended upon hers for yet another heated and lingering kiss, followed by a few shorter ones, then a tap to the end of her nose. "Would you like me to meet you somewhere for lunch? I'm sure I can come up with some good excuse as to why I need to leave the conference."
For a brief moment, Minerva thought of having him return to her, to have him spend as much time with her as possible, but then she realized that it would be unfair. She took his hand in hers and brought it to her lips, placing a kiss on the back of it. "As lovely as that sounds and as much as I would love to have you here with me all day, I don't want you to have to make excuses for your nagging wife," she laughed softly. "Go to your conference and meeting. Enjoy getting together with your friends and I'll be here when you return. Then we can go to the ball together, sweetheart."
Albus drew Minerva out of her chair and into his loving embrace, holding her firmly against him. His eyes captured hers in a stare and he almost lost himself in her emerald pools, which seemed to be sparkling with new life. "Just to ease your mind…Aurelia won't be at this meeting. It's for the senior members of the panel, and as such, she's not invited." Minerva started to comment on his remarks, but was stalled by his finger across her lips. "Merely being honest and open with you, so you'd know where I'll be and with whom." He leaned down and kissed her once more. "I really have to go or I'll be late. If you need me, just call Fawkes and he can get a message to me as always."
Once Albus left, Minerva walked back over to the bed and dropped down onto Albus' side, the middle, to be exact, since they usually enjoyed sleeping intertwined. His pillow still smelled of his hair and cologne, causing her to hug it to her chest and sigh softly. He had been very patient with her last night in explaining things she hadn't understood or had misjudged before. And the lovely man even accepted some of the blame for her actions, saying that his callousness and blind trust in others had pushed her to those conclusions. But last night…mmm, last night, she thought to herself as she rolled onto her back and let her mind wander back through previous few hours. Her muscles were still a wee bit sore but nothing that a good brisk walk and some shopping couldn't cure.
A quick shower and some fresh robes later, Minerva stopped at the concierge desk and encountered the lovely little man she'd met the day before, though she looked vastly different and no doubt he had no idea they'd ever met. He was only too happy to suggest some very nice shops nearby where a lady might spend an afternoon trying on gowns and robes for an elegant night on the town. He even went so far as to ask the identity of the lucky lad escorting her to the ball.
"My husband," she said proudly, though she was careful not to reveal his identity.
"One lucky man indeed," she heard him comment in a lusty, low sort of voice. And with a new spring in her step and a smile adorning her face, she stepped out into the fresh light of day, feeling relieved and happy to have things back to normal in her life.
Shop after shop and dress after dress, Minerva began to feel a bit disheartened. All of the dress robes and gowns she'd tried were beautiful, but none of them seemed to be the one. She was hoping for something stunning, something to make Albus proud to have her on his arm and to remind him of just what he had waiting for him at home. Of course, it also wouldn't hurt to look her absolute best in front of Aurelia, who would no doubt be approaching Albus at some point this evening. Still, Albus has promised to be more careful with his dealings regarding Aurelia, and Minerva had no reason to doubt every word of his promises.
She was about to give up hope and return to the hotel, settling unhappily for the robes she'd packed from home, when a quaint little shop on a side street caught her eyes. The name didn't sound familiar, so she was certain it hadn't been recommended by the gentleman in the hotel. But the selections in the window seemed lovely. Glancing at the bell tower clock in the nearby square, Minerva surmised she had more than enough time for one last stop.
From the moment she walked into the little dressmakers shop, she felt at ease. The atmosphere was certainly a stark contrast to the posh establishments she'd been enduring all day. This one seemed to have a comfortable feel to it, and the dresses, according to the sign on the door, were all handmade and promised to be originals. She was halfway through her second rack of lovely dresses when a sweet elderly voice addressed her.
"Good afternoon, Miss," the aging woman greeted as she approached Minerva. "May I be of some assistance, or would you prefer to simply browse through the selection I have?"
Minerva turned and smiled at the woman. "These dresses and robes…do you make them all yourself? They're remarkable," she gasped, fingering one deep green robe she intended to try on before she left.
"I do some of them, and almost all of the designs are mine. I have a few women who take my designs and then create the dresses to my specifications. Not a very industrial system we have, but it works and has for decades. We pride ourselves on making only the best, and whatever you find in here you can be assured it will not be duplicated anywhere else." She took a few steps towards a particular group of dresses, running her hands appreciatively along the varying fabrics. "Anything in particular you're looking for?"
"I'm looking for a dress, obviously," Minerva laughed nervously. "A special one for a ball I'm to attend this evening. I want it to be something exceptional, something very unique and beautiful." Her eyes had taken on a dreamy look to match the tone of voice laced in her words.
"To impress the man in your life or the woman he used to court?" the elder witch replied, obviously sensing more about Minerva than she had said in her comment.
At first Minerva was a bit taken back by the conjecture on the part of the shop owner, but felt no twinge of embarrassment or anger towards the assumptions being made. "Actually, I'd like to impress my husband, though in truth his former childhood sweetheart will be in attendance, as well, but the dress is for me and for him. It has very little at all to do with her," Minerva proudly announced, knowing that her words were true.
"Then might I suggest you step with me into this section of the room? These dresses are designed for the more daring witch, one with a womanly figure such as yourself." She placed her hand on Minerva's elbow and guided her towards the selection in question. "Might I inquire as to the color of your husband's robes, so I am better able to make suggestions?"
An image flashed in Minerva's mind of Albus in his royal blue robes with the silver trim. His blue eyes would no doubt take on an even more pronounced shade of the color and the silver would only serve to accentuate his hair color and complexion. Feeling a warmth beginning to invade her memories, Minerva shook her head slightly, regaining control over her emotions and the matter at hand. "Royal blue with silver designs on the sleeves," she answered.
"Then might I propose something along the same lines for you. Mind you, all of these robes can be magically altered to suit your shape, so if you find something you like and it's not a perfect fit, I am more than capable and certainly willing to assist you. Please, take your time and if you need me, just give a shout. I find it's best to let a woman browse on her own and offer assistance when needed rather than hovering."
Minerva found it incredibly hard to believe this little shop wasn't packed with customers, though it might have deterred her from entering, which would have been a mistake. And the quality of the gowns and robes was beyond anything she'd seen all morning. After sorting through several different groups, Minerva was shown a dressing room and began the arduous task of trying them on. She was grateful that the helpful woman had decided to linger just outside the doorway to give an opinion or to hand Minerva another dress in a different color or size.
First a silver floor length dress and then a crème set of robes were decidedly too boring and too unimaginative, respectively, and were sent back to the rack of dresses. Given Minerva's hair color and skin tone, a vibrant red dress was suggested, though Minerva shied away from it immediately, saying only that while she loved the color and the style, she felt someone else would be in red, and she wanted to make a statement.
Understanding the meaning without needing further explanation, the woman returned the dress promptly and left the reds alone.
A green set of robes were put in the must-have selection, even if she didn't plan on wearing them this evening. Albus had always said the color brought out the wonder in her eyes, and she knew he wouldn't complain about her new purchase. Even if he did, one look at the neckline would convince him otherwise, she giggled to herself.
Once again, Minerva was nearly ready to give up hope of finding that one dress, the one that would stand out above all others, when the lady appeared with one final suggestion. "I was working on this one earlier today but I haven't had a chance to properly inspect it. You're welcome to try it, and if you deem it appropriate, it will only take a few moments to ensure the quality and fit."
The pure silk material filtered through Minerva's hands softly, causing her to shiver at the softness and texture of the dress. The deep blue color reminded her somewhat of Albus' eyes during their lovemaking. It was intense and subtle, soft and mesmerizing. Minerva accepted the dress and held it up to her, looking into the mirror hanging in the dressing room. There were tiny silver beads along the bodice and up to the shoulder piece. It seemed to have a rather daring dip in the front and the back was open as well, something Minerva though the amicable witch might alter for her before she left. And the bottom of the dress was simply perfect. A slight flare at the bottom in the front and a small train at the back gave the gown the elegance Minerva had been seeking all day. Without any further delay, she slipped into the dress then beckoned the woman for an opinion.
The woman stood speechless for a long moment, motioning for Minerva to turn slowly so she could give a detailed opinion. "If you don't purchase this dress, I will simply have to give it to you, for I don't think any other woman in the world could do this one justice. This apparently has been made specifically for you, for just this occasion."
"But the neckline…it plunges deeply and…"
"And your point being?" she countered. "You said the dress was more for your husband, so what should it matter You have the figure to pull this dress off quite nicely, so why not remind him of all the reasons he chose you as his wife instead of the other woman. Of course, I won't force it upon you, but out of all the ones you've tried, this one…"
"…is the perfect choice." Minerva blushed slightly as she surveyed her reflection in the mirror once more, twisting and turning this way and that to get the full effect. "Would you mind making the necessary alterations to ensure a proper fit?" Minerva asked softly, her eyes still mesmerized by her reflection in the mirror.
The woman produced her wand and began casting a few simple spells, ones that Minerva most likely could have done herself at home. But it was better to have someone familiar with the style and construction of the dress perform the alterations to something as delicate and special as this. When she was finished, the woman stepped back to admire her work. "Absolutely perfect….proper length, very nice dip in the front, train is the perfect length for dancing…oh and I took the liberty of lowering the dip at the back just a bit to show off more of your complexion and figure. Your husband is sure to be very pleased and no doubt the envy of many at the ball this evening."
"As long as he's pleased with what he sees, I couldn't care less about everyone else," she laughed. A few moments later, Minerva had purchased several outfits in an array of colors and styles, as well as some new sexy lingerie for the occasion. But she was most proud of the blue dress to be worn this evening. After glancing at the clock once more in the center of the square, she surmised that she still had time for a bit of pampering back at the hotel. She turned once more to look at the shop from which she'd just purchased the bags in her hands and was shocked. There was nothing there. The shop had simply…disappeared. Everything looked different, and Minerva knew she'd only taken a few steps down the street. She even stopped into a few local shops nearby and inquired if they knew the location of the dress shop, though they all claimed to have no knowledge of the one in question though they had heard tales of it appearing and disappearing from time to time.
Deciding that perhaps it was simply one of those mysterious adventures in life, Minerva made a note to tell Albus of the shop, but not to waste any more time searching for it this afternoon. She had a ball attend and she wanted to look her absolute best.
Upon returning to the hotel room she was now sharing with her husband, Minerva shed her robes and slipped into a luxurious lavender bubble bath, relaxing and enjoying the leisurely time she had before he returned. She wanted to be nearly ready when he returned, ready except for the dress.
With her hair washed and now drying in waves and curls down her back, her skin moisturized and smooth to the touch, Minerva transfigured a teacup into a nail file to attend to her hands. Next came the make-up, though Minerva really had very little need of it. However, this evening she wanted to look her best, so she spent a little more time and effort on her appearance, though not adding enough cosmetics to really make it noticeable.
More than once while preparing for Albus' return and the ball; she cast glances at her dress for the evening. It truly had been a stoke of good fortune to stumble across the lovely shop with the pleasant owner. Minerva now wished she'd thought to ask the woman her name and perhaps to see if she had a small piece of jewelry to go with her new attire.
Minerva took Albus' robes from the closet and hung them on the door next to her own, admiring the colors and how they complimented each other very nicely. She saw a tiny thread hanging from the sleeve of Albus' robes and quickly snipped it off with a cutting spell. She was about to toss it in the bin when an idea occurred. With a few intricate spells and some concentration on her part, Minerva turned the piece of blue thread into a beautiful sapphire colored heart. Using a bit of silver thread from her own dress, she lengthened it and cast another series of spells to turn it into a thin chain upon which the new heart could swing. She sat back in the chair and grinned, thankful for every single ounce of her Transfiguration skills!
She had just cast a concealment charm on her robes so that Albus wouldn't get a sneak peek when the door opened and Albus stepped inside. He had only just managed to get the door closed when he started shedding his robes and complimenting Minerva on her appearance.
"My dear you look…well ravishing is the only word that comes to mind at the moment," he admitted with a grin as he knelt in front of her chair and kissed her lightly on the lips. "I missed you this afternoon, but I trust you had a good one at shopping?"
Minerva stood up and escorted Albus over to the bed, pushing him down on top of the comforter then settling herself into his arms. "I did, indeed, but the strangest thing happened…" And she proceeded to tell him the story of the dressmaker and the shop.
"I must say that is rather odd, though I have heard of occurrences like this one before, though in various parts of England. And if the locals claim no knowledge of the store except through folklore, then I'd say you have been truly blessed to find the store in question. Though I have to ask…how many dresses did you buy and when do I get a fashion show?" His eyes twinkled wildly while his hands began roaming over her body greedily.
"Oh no you don't. I've had my bath and I have a few things left to do before I am ready to go. I dare say you should get a shower and freshen up as well."
"Not even a little hint, love? I've been a good boy in my meetings, boring though they were, and I think I deserve a nice little treat." He rolled her onto her back and pinned her to the bed with his body. "Surely a few moments won't hurt either of us," he mumbled as his lips found the soft, sweet smelling skin near her ear and all her resolve seemed to melt away.
"Mmm, just a few moments though nothing too…ohhh…involved. We don't have time for that…just now…" she struggled to answer before being lost in his arms. It was some time later before they parted and began to dress for the evening ahead.
A/N: Thanks for the reviews. Also, if you would like to see the images we used for Minerva's dress and her hair style, please go to the Albus/Minerva Board and look for the story there. A link to the board can be found on our Author Profile page here on this site. We have posted links there to the pictures we used as a basis for describing Minerva's dress and hair. And as always, we appreciate your comments on the story!