*~Torn Between Two Hearts~*

Disclaimer: We don't own them…just borrowing them for a little while!

Rating: PG

Summary: When the new DADA professor shows a romantic interest in Minerva McGonagall, someone else realizes he has strong romantic feelings for her too. But will he be too late to win her heart?

A/N 1: This was written from a challenge issued to us by Minerva's Quill. It had to contain the following: AD/MM, a duel, jealous feelings, and a new professor. Hope you enjoy it!

*~A Persuasive Admirer~*

The new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher strolled into the Great Hall with an air about him that made others either feel uncomfortable or completely enthralled. For some, however, he was merely a new colleague in the newly vacated position. Those who had been at Hogwarts for any length of time were sure that he would only have to be tolerated for one year before someone else would step forward. For some strange reason, the dark arts professors never seemed to make a career of teaching. Oh at first, they would talk of the joys of imparting their knowledge to the younger generation, but often they would bore quickly and return to the aurors program or some other adventurous occupation.

For Conall MacGregor there had been no hesitation in accepting the position. He had always dreamed of meeting the brilliant and beautiful transfiguration teacher at Hogwarts but never did he imagine that he would be given the opportunity to work alongside her. He couldn't really remember when his infatuation with her had begun but she seemed to consume his thoughts. And the more he learned of her talents and skills, the more intrigued he became. Now was his one and only chance to meet the woman that had occupied so many of his fantasies and with any luck, he might even attempt to strike up a more personal relationship. Either way, he was going to enjoy working with her and seeing her on a daily basis.

As Minerva McGonagall sat at her usual place at the Head Table she failed to notice the new professor as he waltzed toward the teacher's table. She had been preoccupied with her conversation with Albus Dumbledore, her greatest friend and the hidden love of her heart. When someone behind her cleared his throat, she jumped and shot a frosty glare at the gentleman, whose hand was extended in a formal greeting.

"Headmaster Dumbledore, I am so very sorry for my tardiness. There was a slight problem with the floo network and there was no time to arrange for a proper portkey." As he shook Albus Dumbledore's hand, his attentions quickly turned to the slightly older witch seated before him.

"Ah, Professor McGonagall. It is such an honor to finally be meeting you. I have dreamed of this day for years and I must say that the Daily Prophet photos do not do you justice at all. You are much lovelier than I had imagined." As the sugary sweet words fell from his tongue, his warm lips came to rest on the back of Minerva's hand as she fought a rising blush from her cheeks.

Albus had told her of the new professor but she noted that he failed to mention how charming he was and how handsome. Of course, from a man's perspective those things would not be essential in describing someone but to a woman, it was almost everything one needed to know. His dark brown hair grazed his shoulders and as the sunlight caught the strands, hints of red highlights could be seen. His hazel eyes danced with a vibrant spirit, similar to the bright blue twinkle she had fell in love with so many years ago. His royal blue robes did nothing to hide his well-managed physique. Some part of the stern witch regarded the new man before her with an appreciate eye but her heart would always belong to the older man seated on her left. Silently scolding herself for becoming lost in her thoughts, she motioned for him to be seated and was instantly drawn into a conversation with the charmer.

Albus had tried several times throughout the meal to speak with Minerva regarding various topics but for some reason she was preoccupied with the new professor. Chalking it up to the notion of getting acquainted, he really didn't give it much thought. That was, until Minerva began to laugh quietly at something he had said. Turning his head, he saw his best friend practically doubled over from laughter and he wondered what could have caused her to drop her stern façade for a brief moment. But before she had a chance to completely lose control, Albus stood and commanded the attention of everyone present.

"As I stated at the beginning of the meal, we will welcome a new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor this year. It is my pleasure to introduce Professor MacGregor who joins us from the advanced auror program in Scotland. We are very fortunate to have him join our staff and I trust that you will give him your cooperation and attention in the classroom." As he concluded his speech, Minerva was the first to start the round of applause, an uncharacteristic move for her.

The following morning, Albus walked leisurely towards Minerva chambers before breakfast. At some point during their friendship, he had made it his routine to escort her to the morning meal. He wasn't quite sure, but for some reason it gave him immense pleasure in seeing her early in the mornings and she always opened the door with a smile, just for him. Then, they would take their time in making their way to the Great Hall, where he would escort her to the head table and hold her chair as she sat. It had been the same thing everyday during the school year since either could remember and this morning was no exception…or so he thought.

When Albus arrived at Professor McGonagall's door, he smoothed the front of his robes before lightly knocking. After no response, he tried a second time and still heard no signs of life inside. Fear began to settle in his mind and without any hesitation he uttered the password to her rooms. Upon carefully searching them, he saw no sign of a struggle or Minerva. It was unlike her to leave without telling him or at least informing her that she intended to skip breakfast. Hoping that someone had seen or heard from her, he almost ran to the Great Hall.

By the time he reached the opened doors of the dining hall, Albus had gone through several scenarios and none of them were to his liking. But as he cast a glance at the head table, he saw Minerva seated in her usual chair, chatting merrily with the newest addition to the faculty. Albus wasn't sure if he should feel relieved or angered. A small bit of him felt relief that nothing had happened to her and that she was making friends with the professor. However, a larger bit of him was angered and hurt. How was it possible for her to forget their morning routine? And did she not give any consideration to how he might react upon learning that she was not in her rooms? Conflicted, he slowly made his way to the table and sat, without uttering a 'good morning' to any of his staff.

He could feel Minerva's eyes on him as he proceeded to fill his plate with eggs and bacon and yet he felt no urge to meet her gaze or even offer a greeting. This was going to be a long morning and he knew that he would eventually have to speak. But for now, he was not in the mood.

"Well good morning to you too Albus." Minerva had a way of dripping honey and acid from her tongue without any effort at all and this was one time Albus felt the sting of both. Placing his fork back on the table, he turned to face her and she noticed that his crystal blue eyes held none of the warmth she usually felt directed towards her.

"Ah, yes Good Morning Professor. I see that you made it to breakfast safely. I went to your rooms to collect you only to find that you had already found another escort." Pain ripped through Albus' heart as he said the words but he had been hurt this morning too. He wished, if only for one moment, she would put herself in his shoes. Then again, he rationalized he was probably overreacting since there was nothing more than friendship between them.

"I'm truly sorry Albus. When a knock sounded on the door, I assumed it was you. I opened the door with my usual aloofness, only to see him standing before me. He asked if he could escort me to breakfast and I didn't know what to say. It all happened so fast and I hoped we'd run into you along the way." Minerva really wasn't sure what had gone through Albus' mind when she hadn't answered the door but she had only just realized that she had inadvertently hurt his feelings.

His feelings of hurt had bubbled back to the surface and for all his might, he was not able to shake them. "Minerva, you owe me no explanations. I assumed you would be there waiting for me and I was merely surprised and concerned when you did not answer. Think nothing of it." A weak and half-hearted smile played about his lips but never reached his eyes as he tried to brush away the incident. "I'm sorry. I'm not very hungry this morning. If you'll excuse me," and with that, Albus quietly rose from the table and made his way back out into the corridors of Hogwarts.

The remainder of breakfast that morning turned into a somber affair. Minerva no longer felt like talking to anyone, much less the man seated to her right. And the man who normally occupied the seat on her left was not there and she was left feeling bewildered. After making her own excuses, she rose to leave but before she could take her first step, Conall stopped her.

"Minerva, are you alright? I noticed the headmaster speaking to you and then he left abruptly. Now you are leaving and obviously you haven't finished your meal." Relishing the feel of her arm beneath his hand, he smiled warmly at her as she attempted a smile of her own.

"I appreciate your concern but I have some things I need to attend to before the start of my morning classes. I hope that your first classes go well and I shall see you at lunch." Before he could press her any further, Minerva had pulled her arm from his grasp and had swept from the dining hall in search of Albus.

Searching Hogwarts was easier said than done. For someone who had lived at the castle for decades, it was no problem at all to hide for one such as Albus. After visiting all of the places she would expect to find him, Minerva gave up when she noticed the time. She had classes to teach and yet Albus' sudden departure and his strange mood had her a bit worried.

Lunch came and went with no sign of Albus in the Great Hall. And Conall noticed that Minerva merely picked at her food. In an attempt to lighten her mood, he tried desperately to engage her in a conversation about their Scottish backgrounds. By the end of lunch, Minerva was feeling slightly better than she had earlier in the day and if Albus wanted to speak with her regarding the events of the morning, he knew very well where to find her.

As her last class ended and she began to pack up her books, Minerva noticed a familiar gold and maroon bird perched outside on the windowsill. She felt a wave of nervous butterflies in her stomach when she took the bit of parchment from Fawkes. Before settling down to read the note, she offered him a ginger newt and asked him to stay for her reply.

Minerva,

I feel that I owe you an explanation and an apology for my behavior this morning. Would you please come to my office around 6 o'clock so that we may discuss this before dinner this evening?

Albus

Well, at least he was going to tell her what had caused his odd behavior earlier in the day and hopefully things would return to normal by dinnertime. As it was, she had hardly eaten anything all day due to worry and nerves and she was practically famished. After quickly scribbling out a note in response, she hurried to her rooms to take care of some work before her meeting with Albus.

A little before six, Albus looked nervously at the door. In a matter of minutes, Minerva would step across the threshold and he would be expected to give an account of his actions. However, he was still unsure of what he was going to say and no matter what he said it had to end in an apology, whether he felt like giving one or not. This had been an unpleasant day for him and he had no wishes to prolong the tension between them. No, it would be best to give her the basic facts, sincerely apologize, and then move on. After all, it was only one incident in all of their years of friendship. A soft knock caused his pulse to quicken. The Minerva of yesterday would have knocked as she opened the door and now she was waiting outside for him to grant permission for her to enter. Merlin, I certainly have my work cut out for me! "Please come in Minerva."

Apprehensively, Minerva entered Albus' private office looking lovelier than he had ever seen her. She hadn't done anything different to her hair, her robes or any other feature of her outer appearance. But somehow, she looked changed, almost as if he hadn't seen her in years. Suddenly, he noticed that all of his anger and hurt had disappeared and leaving a wave of loneliness and a pang of guilt in its' absence. He had missed their chats at meals and the way she would find time to pop into his office without any warning. Because of his overreaction to events earlier in the day, he had denied himself the pleasure of her company.

As the two friends settled down on the plush sofa, Albus took a steadying breath and began his attempt at an apology. "Minerva, first of all, thank you for agreeing to meet with me this evening. I know that I have behaved childishly today and for that I am truly sorry. But please, let me explain." A smile warmed her face and he knew that she was willing and eager to hear his explanation.

"When I reached your rooms this morning, I expected to find you waiting for me as has been the normal occurrence for years. I knocked but you did not respond and I became worried that something had happened to you or that you were ill. Upon searching your rooms, I discovered that you were not there and my fears began to take hold."

"Albus, I could tell that something was wrong from the moment you entered the Great Hall but then you refused to carry on a civil conversation with me. I had no idea what had angered you so and yet I knew that I had caused your unhappiness. I…"

"Please let me finish. I reached the dining hall and there you sat, engaged in a lively discussion with Professor MacGregor and suddenly my fears turned to hurt and anger. I was hurt that you could so easily abandon a routine that has not altered in years and angered that you were already seated, eating and enjoying yourself while I searched the hallways for some sign of you. Then, when I arrived at the table, you waited several minutes before even speaking to me. I realize that I have been my own worst enemy today and if I have caused you any pain today I sincerely apologize." Casting a glance down to his folded hands, he waited with baited breath for a fiery response from the woman seated with him.

"Oh Albus! I had no idea you would be so worried or I assure you, I would have waited. I heard a knock, assumed it was you, and opened the door with a smile as I have always done. Imagine my surprise to see the new professor standing at my chamber door. I had no idea he even knew where my rooms were located. I was so taken aback by his sudden presence and the newness of the entire situation I suppose I didn't think of the consequences of my actions or how they might affect you. So, I too, apologize."

The brilliant twinkle had returned to Albus' eyes and Minerva released a deep sigh of relief. Their feelings had been dealt with and the air was clear. The rest of the time before dinner was spent recapping the events of the day and trying to make up for lost time.

Dinner that night was a drastically different from the breakfast and lunch meals. Albus and Minerva joked and laughed heartily throughout the various courses and Conall found himself somewhat isolated from their revelry. If he did manage to engage Minerva in any sort of conversation, her answers were polite but short and her attentions were immediately refocused on Albus. In a desperate attempt to draw her attention away, he made a bold move.

A/N 2: Thanks for reading A Persuasive Admirer! Now, please tell us what you think? Good enough to continue?