Lifetime of valentines part three
Valentine's day 1958
The day's classes were done, the skies outside had darkened, and the two friends sat in Albus' study playing chess, as they so often did in the evening.
Outwardly everything seemed perfectly normal, and yet Minerva couldn't help feeling that something wasn't quite right, for Albus was not his normal cheerful self. In fact he seemed almost subdued by his normal merry standards, and where normally he would have made bright conversation, and boomed with frequent laughter, tonight he seemed as though he was lost in thoughts, as he gazed down at the chess board.
"You're in a strange mood tonight Albus..."
"Just the foolish dreams of an old man, my dear..." Albus answered softly.
Minerva shot him a concerned glance, this wasn't at all like Albus. "Is anything wrong?"
"Just lost in thought, my dear, I do apologise." Albus smiled up at Minerva, but Minerva couldn't help feeling that the normal brightness was missing from his eyes.
For a few minutes there was silence, as Minerva wondered what was troubling Albus, and Albus seemed fascinated by the chess pieces, as he stared intently at the board.
"I thought you might have had better things to do tonight, than spend it with me..." Albus said at last, as his eyes remained fixed on the chess board.
"Don't be silly Albus, you know I love beating you at chess." Minerva joked, as she tried to lighten his mood. "Why would I want to be anywhere else but here with you?"
"It is Valentine's day Minerva, and you are an exceptionally lovely young lady. I'm sure any man would be honoured to have your company tonight." Albus said softly.
Unused to such compliments, Minerva responded far more brusquely than she intended. "Nonsence Albus! There are many women who are far more attractive than I!"
"You do yourself a disservice, my dear..." Suddenly those blue eyes of his were full on her, with a passion and intensity that Minerva had never seen before. "Do you truly not see what I see when I look at you?"
Suddenly an ornate golden mirror was in his hands, as he crossed the space between them to stand behind her, the mirror held before her face so that she could see her own reflection. "Look at yourself, my dear Minerva... You are so lovely."
Minerva gasped as she felt Albus light touch move swiftly through her hair, freeing it from it's tight bun to flow down her back. "Even more lovely with your hair down like this..." he breathed in her ear, as she felt her pulse race in response to the flow of his breath across her skin.
"Your hair is the colour of midnight skies, your eyes are like sunlight captured in the morning dew, and your skin is so soft..." Albus' fingers brushed gently against her face, seeming to worship her with their touch, and Minerva felt her skin flush beneath his caress.
Somehow she couldn't rid herself of the thought that this was just another one of her nightly dreams about Albus, and that at any moment, she would wake to find herself cold and alone in her bed. His breath was so warm though, his presence beside her so very real and true.
Albus turned Minerva gently to face him, and gazing directly into her eyes, he whispered, "I've loved you for longer than you know. Be my Valentine, Minerva..."
As Albus saw the hoped for answer in her eyes, his lips found hers in a first heady kiss.
Author's Notes
Happy Valentine's Day everyone, hope you enjoy this fluffy chapter. There's 5 or 6 more chapters to come, and I'll try to update in the next couple of days or so.