A./N.: So this is the last chapter. Again I want to thank all of you for reading my story and sticking with to the end. I hope I met and still meet your expectations. Hope you enjoy this last chapter and see you in the sequel.

Bye Ilane

Love Conquers All (2)

Albus lay in his own bed and sighed heavily. He was so glad to have escaped Poppy and her overbearing fussing over him. It was pure bliss to be in his own bed in his own suite of rooms and be in the company of his lovely wife.

Had Minerva been distant and withdrawn before setting Voldemort free, she now barely left his side and was fussing over him more than Poppy did. She was almost back to normal. The haunted expression in her eyes had almost completely vanished. When she looked at him, she saw only him. But at night she still tossed beside him, groaning in pain and whimpering.

Tonight though she was walking around in the room and shot him many glances. Albus knew she wanted to talk to him but that something was keeping her from it. He saw her swallowing hard and wringing her hands while she came one step closer to him. Then she backed two steps away again and turned to face the window. Albus knew that Dr. Thornton had encouraged Minerva to talk to him about her nightmares and the reason for them. Now he waited for his wife to make the first move.

"Albus ... we should talk," she said finally, watching him through lowered eyelashes out of the corner of her eyes.

Her hands were tightly wrapped around each other and she was actually biting her lip. Albus, moved by the sight of her, did the bravest thing he'd ever done.

"You blame me," he offered.

His remark startled her, but she understood what he was referring to. How could she not? She had often thought about what she felt for her husband after the captivity. And she had often remembered the fight they had had in the Entrance Hall after her flashbacks. Then she had been angry at him but now her answer was clear and came from her heart.

"I don't blame you, Albus. You and the Order saved me and Molly in the end. That's what matters. It was ... logical to gather information and not storm into battle unprepared. I see that now ... even when I didn't see it at first. I was ... angry."

"What does logic have to do with it?" he replied gruffly.

She eyed him before sitting down on the foot of the bed. Her back was to him but he could still see her face in profile. It was etched in pain ... emotional pain.

"Logic doesn't keep me awake at night," she admitted softly. "My nightmares start with a feeling of being abandoned. Did you have nightmares after ... after you ... after all the things you did in three wars?"

"Yes," he answered shortly and wouldn't elaborate. Then Albus groaned and turned around onto his side. "Tabby, come here. Now that we are finally talking we must face each other."

Minerva inhaled deeply before turning toward him. She lifted her feet onto the bed as well and tucked them under her, leaning back against the post at the corner. She smoothed her skirt over and over nervously.

"Albus, please have a comfortable seat. Please. You know you aren't supposed to stretch your torso and the scars on it."

Her tone was motherly and her voice stronger than when she talked about her feelings. He shook his head slightly, smiling before growing very serious.

"Did you feel abandoned by me?" he asked.

He too remembered the fight in the Entrance Hall. She had yelled at him at the top of her lungs.

----

"Take your hand off of me", she said threateningly. "All this happened because of you! It's your own fault, for ignoring me since this stupid war started! I told you to be more careful. I also told you that I didn't want to go on that mission, but would you listen to me? No! I am only a woman, why should you pay any attention to what I say? Women are only fit to do as they're told, and follow orders, and sit meekly around with their hands folded, waiting for the man to come home and tell them what to do!"

----

She didn't answer immediately and when she did, Albus had to strain his ears to hear her.

"Yes," she whispered simply. Before he knew how to react, she softly continued: "I knew that you would soon arrive. In the Manor. While he was torturing Molly and me. When he made clear what he wanted ... I pictured you ..." She stared at her hands.

"... saving you," Albus said, "I was too late."

She looked at him. He stared back. Both trying to tell the other through the eyes what they felt. Minerva let the barriers she had created between herself and Albus slowly sink. It was time for honesty.

"Killing him. And you did. I am alive."

She reached out her hand to touch his cheek, but the slightest withdrawal of his head made her freeze.

"I don't deserve your kindness," he said. "I deserve your anger instead. Don't do this to yourself, don't be understanding. Be mad at me, scream, rage but please don't withdraw yourself and shut me out. I know what it's like to be hurt."

His wife swallowed hard, returning her hand into her lap and her eyes onto her hands.

"You were hurt," Albus stated. "Do you blame me?"

"He hurt me, Albus. Not you."

"Please," he moaned. "Don't ..."

"I felt so alone," was all the reply she gave, interrupting him softly.

Before he could respond, she cupped his cheek. This time, he leaned into her touch. And she relished the feel of his beard tickling the palm of her hand. She had missed him terribly. These simple touches had always conveyed such deep love and trust and understanding. She wanted their relationship to go back to that.

"It was just a feeling, Albus. You didn't aban..."

"Feelings are not just. I keep telling Harry that feelings are important, especially love. And ..."

She withdrew her hand. Glaring at him a little she tried to make her point clear. She wanted to move forward at last and Albus refused to move on.

"It happened," she said gravely. "We can't undo it."

"What do you see when you look at me?" he asked, his voice hoarse. "The man who failed you? Send me away and I will go! How can you bear me in your presence?!"

"Albus ..." Minerva whispered. "I couldn't tell you that I attempted to eliminate myself of you? That I had attempted to walk away from our love?" she whispered heartbroken. "Albus, I couldn't do it. You are my life. To attempt to stop loving you would be like attempting to cut out my own heart. It can't be done." She finally looked back up at him. "My dear, my heart has been yours for as long as I can remember. It will be yours until the day I die. Whether I'm three thousand miles away or three millimetres, my love and my life are with you."

Minerva stopped speaking and Albus released the breath he had been holding through the end of her confession and released a sound of utter happiness. She stared at him, suddenly and painfully aware that the months of silence had been hard for the both of them.

"Albus ... I feel safe with you..." she stated simply, bringing her speech to the point.

He bent his head and closed his eyes, willing the tears away. Then he heard Minerva inhaling deeply to muster courage.

"What do you see when you look at me?" she whispered with a catch in her voice.

Surprised, he looked up. Was this a serious question?

"I see my wife," he told her. She blinked and looked away. "I see you," he softly said. She swallowed as his hand slowly moved to her cheek. "Minerva," he whispered.

Albus moved closer and extended his arm to her. Hesitantly but trusting him with her life, body and soul she raised her own hand and placed it into his, lacing her fingers with his. She smiled waveringly at him and remembered the only night they had spent together since her rescue.

----

"I couldn't look at you, Tabby, and keep my hands from you, nor have you near me and not want you." He lifted his head then, and planted a kiss over her heart, then let his hand float down the gentle curve of her belly, lightly tracing the scars left there by Tom's torturing.

"You ... really don't mind?" Minerva said hesitantly, brushing her own fingers over her chest.

Albus smiled up at her with something half-rueful in his expression. He hesitated for a moment, then drew Minerva closer. He reached to touch her chest, his eyes holding hers.

"You bear the scars of your battles, Tabby", he said softly, "they don't trouble me."

----

"Minerva, I've never stopped loving you ... not once in my life. And no way is what happened to you going to change that. You've been through Hell more than once and it had no effect on my relationship with you ... except of course, by making it stronger. I hurt when you hurt. I cry, when you cry. I flinch when you flinch ... I mentally bleed when you physically do ... I speak for you when you can't ... walk for you when you're too tired ... see for you when you're blind ... feel and smell for you when you're too weak ... I'd die for you when it's necessary ... Minerva, you are the love of my life. You always have, and you always will be. Don't hold the animosity any longer. Don't hold the pain, Mina. Sure there will be moments in which you remember, but there is NOTHING we cannot handle together. Instead of holding these negative emotions, think of how we've handled this ... and that if we've been through this and made it out, how much more we'll be able to endure and come through with! Minerva, rejoice with me ... I have you back," he looked deeply into her eyes and cupped her chin, pulling her close. "And I've been trying so desperately for awhile now."

Then he moved even closer to her and stroked her cheek, her jaw line and traced the perfect arch of her lips.

"Your skin is still as smooth as silk", he whispered in her ear, causing Minerva to shiver with need. It had been so long for both of them. "Your eyes are still as green and sparkling as emeralds when you laugh. You have lost weight ... it brings out cheek bones, makes you look more aristocratic. Your hair is silky and as raven black as it was the day we first met. Your smile enchants me and those lips of yours ... oh, those lips, I couldn't look at them and refuse to kiss them until they are swollen. Your body is like a book, telling the story of your life. There are scars showing that you never ran away from a battle, that you fought courageously for those you love. There are a few wrinkles, showing that you age with grace. But I love every inch of your body."

Her body felt on fire with the pure pleasure his deep voice stoked in her. Her legs moved together involuntarily in an effort to ease the nearly overpowering need she felt throbbing at her centre.

"Oh God, Albus."

She had trouble containing her desire and reached for him but Albus intercepted her hands. He wanted to make this last longer.

"Shh, my dear, not yet", he whispered before kissing her shoulder.

He placed her hands on her stomach and stroked slowly up and down her arms in an effort to calm her racing heart.

"Oh, but, Albus …" she tried to protest, but he merely continued his soothing motion.

His lips moved to her ear.

"Patience, my love. I wish to try something … together."

Minerva had calmed down enough to be part of the conversation and his statement made her curious.

"Such as?"

He smiled.

"I want to let you experience what I see; what you feel like when I touch you ... I want to share that with you to show you how truly beautiful you are. I want you to feel your body like I feel it, Minerva."

He took her hand and placed it on the collarbone just above her right breast and placed his own hand over hers, guiding their movements. He moved their hands gently up to her neck and back down towards the swell of her breast coming to rest over her heart. She could feel it beating in a steady, but faster rhythm against her palm.

"Your skin is so smooth to the touch. I could run my hands over you for hours. Do you feel it, my love?" he whispered to her.

She closed her eyes and let him guide her hand further. Their hands moved closer and closer to her left breast, stroking down in the valley between before they cupped one heavy globe. Minerva let out a sigh; she was not accustomed to touching herself in a sexual manner. She found that the feeling, however, was exciting.

"Your breasts are perfect and fit so well in my hands and against my lips."

To prove his point he slid lower on the bed and placed his warm mouth over her right nipple as he moved their hands to stroke her left. Minerva felt the sensations shoot straight to her core. Her legs moved against each other once again trying to ease the ache that continued to build.

"You taste so good, my love." Albus offered between lavishing attention on her breast.

Minerva shivered a bit from the thrill of assisting him in pleasuring her ... they had never done anything like this before. She knew above all else, however, that she trusted him. She arched her back to further increase their touch. As he released her breast, he lifted her other hand and placed it where his mouth had been, setting a motion for her fingers.

"Keep going, love", he whispered.

Her eyes were closed as she nodded her agreement. Albus watched with pride as she took his direction and rolled her taut nipples between her fingers. He resumed their journey and guided her right hand from her breast to the soft skin of her stomach, making their hands stroke from one side to the other in a slow motion. He kissed her skin in the wake of their hands, before moving to her abdomen just above her curls. Minerva's breathing increased with the progress and believed her desired target was in sight. Albus had other ideas, though, and slid her hand over her right thigh, bypassing her aching centre. She let out a frustrated sigh.

"Patience, love, we are not finished", he admonished her with a smile.

She breathed in as she refocused on where their hands were moving. They stroked her thigh towards her knee and on the return trip up her inner thigh, coming very close to her centre again. Albus had moved back up to rest next to her so he could witness the pleasure on her face.

"Your thighs are so silky smooth and yet when you wrap them around me I feel their strength as you hold me close."

She responded by closing her thighs together, effectively trapping their hands and pushing them closer yet to where she so desperately wanted them to go. She eased them apart again and Albus decided to move in for the final exploration. He moved their hands from between her thighs to rest on her abdomen before venturing lower to let their fingers gently comb through her curls. Minerva's body involuntarily arched again, trying to increase the pressure of their combined touch.

Finally, Albus let their hands slip down to the intended goal. She gasped as she felt her own moist, warm desire. The moisture slowly seeped onto their fingers and Albus started a motion, guiding her fingers down along the soft folds to her entrance and then back up to circle the small bundle of nerves. As they continued the stroking motions – together, the last of her inhibitions slowly fell away and she closed her eyes … lost in the moment. She focused only on the growing warmth spreading throughout her body.

His mouth was next to her ear and he whispered, "This is the place I love to touch you the most. Do you feel the heat? I love the moisture that indicates your desire … your readiness for me. I take great pleasure in knowing I cause this reaction in you; that you desire me as strongly as I desire you."

His words pushed her to teeter on the edge and the movements of their fingers sent her the rest of the way and she cried out his name as she came with soul-shattering intensity. He held her hand there, continuing to caress the slick flesh as she slowly floated down.

It was unbelievable ... she was amazed by what had just happened. She couldn't ... no didn't want to make it stop ... She felt another orgasm begin to build under their combined efforts. She made no effort to abate the feelings and, as Albus eased his hand away from hers, she continued the motion.

Albus decided it was the single most erotic thing he had ever witnessed. He stared at her in amazement, trying desperately to memorize every moment of the experience. He alternated between watching the movement of her hand as it continued the maddening pleasure to watching her face. The pleasure he saw there was threatening to undo him as he witnessed his name forced from her lips in a passionate whisper.

"Open your eyes", he quietly commanded.

She smiled at him through desire-clouded eyes. She continued to stroke her breast with her left hand as her breath started quickening. Her hands worked in tandem until, finally giving way to a loud gasp, she climaxed again … her eyes never leaving Albus' gaze.

He leaned down and captured her lips, swallowing the last sounds of her pleasure. They kissed slowly, languidly, giving Minerva a moment to calm down before Albus would join their bodies. He pulled slowly back from the kiss.

"That was so beautiful, Minerva. Thank you."

She blushed, but smiled. It had been a special experience for her, too. She had broken down a barrier within herself. She had done it for him … she would do anything for Albus. She also knew, without a doubt, that he would do anything for her. She reached down where she could feel his arousal against her thigh and grasped it.

"It was my pleasure. I might ask you to return the favour one day", she said with a crooked smile as she stroked him slowly.

She saw the desire rising in his eyes and felt his member respond to the touch of her hand.

"I would not be opposed to that idea." He smiled back. He moved over to cover her body with his. Not wanting to stray from their theme, his hand joined hers and together they guided him slowly into her welcoming body.

Minerva made a sound that resembled a purr as he finally slid into her heat. 'So good.' She thought, squeezing her muscles around him. They moved together slowly, savouring the feeling of being joined. Albus leaned down to kiss her again, their tongues tangling as they longed to be as close as humanly possible. He slipped his hands into her hair while keeping up a steady rhythm that Minerva instinctively matched.

She held him to her, as if afraid to let him go after this evening's confession. She was afraid that it all could be a cruel dream, in which he had, indeed, left her all alone. She wrapped her legs around him, as her body and heart needed him as close to her as humanly possible. It still wasn't enough.

With awareness heightened by arousal, she took in every detail: The way his hot breath tickled her skin; the play of his muscles beneath her exploring hands; the feel of his fullness within her; the building of her own need for release once again.

Their bodies began to drive their hearts closer to climax in an age-old rhythm. Despite the fact that she was focused on giving him pleasure, she was pleasantly surprised when another strong climax overwhelmed her. She cried out her pleasure, even as she used her entire body to satisfy him, rolling her hips to provide a counterpoint to his insistent thrusting, running her hands down his back and tightening her legs around him.

Minerva opened her eyes. Their eyes met and held as they reached the pinnacle together, their souls finally caressing each other. The moment was brief, but long enough for them to share a loving kiss before the euphoria of climax sent their souls crashing back into their own bodies. He had finally been close enough in that brief moment to settle her heart's foolish fear of abandonment.

Albus accepted all the love she had to give. He buried his head next to hers as his climax slowly faded away. When he found his voice again, he let his heart speak.

"I love you", he murmured into her ear.

"I love you, too", Minerva whispered.

Finally she had come home and conquered her fears. She had done so because of Albus' never dying love for her and hers for him.

The End