Showing Off

Summary: ADMM. Minerva and Albus try to impress each other.

Disclaimer: I have no rights to Harry Potter. This story is written merely for recreational purposes and no copyright infringement is intended. In addition, parts of this are somewhat cliché. Ye be warned

Minerva lay in the hospital wing, feeling a bit put out. The walk to the castle had been long and arduous, with her forced to lean heavily on Albus every step. Not that she had really minded leaning on Albus, but it just was not seemly. Besides, she was sure Albus had not enjoyed carting her back off to the castle.

Why had she been so foolish? The victory in the Quidditch cup had truly gone to her head. However, Minerva knew that was not all. Her better judgment had been completely overridden by her strange urge to show off in front of Albus. Now she had paid for it. She flushed crimson just thinking about it.

So, here she was lying on an uncomfortable cot in a room smelling of antiseptic. Poppy had quickly and efficiently mended her bones but insisted on keeping her overnight for observation. Despite Minerva's protests, she had found herself remaining. No one argued successfully with Poppy.

Now, she had no choice but to rest quietly, and try not to worry too much. Consternation crept into her face and she realized how foolishly she had behaved. What would Albus think?

At least the sun was finally coming up, flooding her sterile environment with oranges and reds. Soon she would be able to rise and go teach her first class, second year Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. Normally, it was not her favorite class, but she was glad of any excuse to return to normal. However, just as she was getting out of bed the door opened.

"Good morning." Albus said softly, "How are you."

"I'm fine, Albus" She answered nervously, wondering if he would comment on her humiliation that past night. "I was just about to go to class."

"Why certainly not" he answered, his eyes twinkling. "You need your rest Minerva."

"I'm fine, Albus. It only took about a second to mend my bone." She answered sternly. Trying to regain her lost confidence. "Besides, I need to teach my class."

"I thought I would do that." Albus answered, still absurdly cheerful. "I'd love to have a day off from politics and paperwork. Teaching would be an excellent rest. It should be quite relaxing. "

"You can't do that Albus" Minerva tried to explain, still feeling extremely out of her element. "You won't be able to follow my lesson plans. They're written in Gaelic." She normally made use of her childhood language to prevent the students from trying to steal lesson plans and more importantly test keys, but it was proving a hindrance in this case.

"I suppose I'll manage." He continued unperturbed. "I used to be a rather good transfiguration professor, you know." Albus winked.

"But you need to prepare…" She stammered, trying to make him understand what a bad idea it was. Besides, she was completely healed!

"Now, now." He waggled his finger, "I'll do just fine. A little improvisation keeps a class free flowing and fun."

"Fun?" Minerva gasped. Albus was talking nonsense.

An hour later, Albus was enjoying himself immensely. He had stood up in class and begun teaching, ignoring the students' surprise. Having divided the class into pairs, he assigned them all to changing the colors of their quills. He assigned each pair a different color, and cheerfully walked around checking the colors in the relatively easy transfiguration.

"A little bit purpler Miss Fleming" He told one girl jovially, gesturing toward the lavender quill upon her desk.

"Like this headmaster?" asked her partner, reaching across the desk and waving his wand. The feather immediately darkened to a beautifully deep shade.

"Excellent Mr. Lee" Albus answered. "Five points to Ravenclaw."

With a smile, Albus turned around and glanced at Minerva. She was sitting with her ankle propped against a chair, in the corner of the room. Her arms were crossed and her eyes narrowed. She looked utterly put out. Albus grinned and had begun to raise his arm to wave at her, and then they were interrupted.

BANG!

Albus whirled to look at the students behind him. The majority cowered in a corner. In the center of the room, Ms. Fleming and Mr. Lee were staring at each other with wands drawn.

Albus noted that Mr. Lee had turned a magically unnatural shade of royal purple.

"Mr. Lee, Ms. Fleming, what have you done?" Albus asked in consternation.

"She hexed me professor!" Mr. Lee shouted, waving his bright purple arms comically.

"He started it!" Ms. Fleming protested vehemently.

"I don't care who started it!" Albus shouted. "Both of you report to my office at the end of class. I will deal with you later."

Thoroughly embarrassed, Albus glanced at Minerva. She merely frowned and rolled her eyes. This was not going so well after all.

At the end of class, as the students filed out, Albus approached Minerva, feeling vaguely like a student about to receive detention. Not that her posture looked particularly inviting. She was sitting up straight and her eyes appeared deadly sharp. She looked like a queen, Albus thought, but his nerves quickly cut through that line of thought.

"So, fun is it?" She asked sarcastically.

"Well, not exactly but…"

"What possessed you to pair those two together? They just stopped dating last week! They have been fighting every spare moment since. You should have separated them on opposite ends of the room. I was trying to signal to you when Mr. Lee starting showing off, but you weren't even paying attention!" He eyes were flashing dangerously.

"Err, I…" Albus stammered, not willing to reveal exactly why he had been so distracted.

"And you didn't read my partner lists either!"

"I thought it was in Gaelic!" Albus interrupted, infuriated by the unfairness of it all.

"The names weren't in Gaelic you fool!" Minerva snapped. Her nostrils flared and she was breathing heavily.

"Alright, Alright!" Albus responded frantically. "I admit it. You are the better teacher. Happy?"

She gave him a beautiful smile. "Yes." Her breath settled down a little.

"Good." Albus was not sure what kind of insane impulse made him say the next part, "But I'm the better kisser."