Valentine's Day 1996

The silver tabby slipped stealthily through the grounds of the castle, careful to keep in the shadows even though dusk was falling. Each paw carefully placed so that it made not a sound, green eyes ever watchful, as the cat paused frequently scanning the area for spying eyes.

The tabby froze as she heard the sound of approaching footsteps. Peering anxiously through the branches that shrouded her from view, she saw that it was two of her Gryffindors.

Minerva's whiskers twitched irately as she watched them pass. To have to hide from her own students like this! To be forced to sneak through the grounds of the place she considered home, in order to see her own husband! All because of that toad faced bitch Umbridge! Oh how she would have loved to hex her into the middle of next week, or better yet, next year.

The fur on Minerva's back stood up, and her body stiffened in fury, as she remembered how Fudge and Umbridge had forced Albus to leave Hogwarts, and go into hiding. The tabby barely restrained the snarl that longed to erupt from her throat - trying to put her husband in Azkaban, how dare they! If Albus had just let her, she would have made both of them sorry!

Albus of course, had suspected that something like this would happen, and so they had made plans. They wouldn't have needed plans if he had listened to her. Minerva's whiskers twitched irately, as she recalled how Albus had rejected each one of her ideas for getting rid of Umbridge.

"Severus can make a very nice shrinking potion indeed, and if I combined that with transfiguration, we could turn her into a miniture pink toad and set her lose to live with the wild toads..." Minerva had said, as they spent a few precious minutes together, earlier that month.

Minerva's nostrils flared angrily, as she remembered how Albus had questioned mildly whether that wasn't rather unfair to the wild toads. And how he had roared with laughter, when she had answered "Oh pft! Rather them than us."

He hadn't seemed to like any of her other ideas for dealing with Umbridge either. Though he had been right to say that the Ministry would not have approved of any of them, but still, when had they ever worried about the ministry before now! Minerva's body was stiff with barely contained fury as she stalked onwards through the rapidly falling dusk.

Just a few minutes later, the first drops of rain began to fall, and Minerva shot an exasperated glance at the sky, even the elements seemed to be against her. At last she was beyond the boundaries of Hogwarts, she still had a long walk ahead of her though, and she was determined not to risk either Apparating or Portkeys with the Ministry still hunting for Albus. This, after all, was why she had chosen to come in this form. For though the Ministry knew she was an Animagus, Minerva had long since realised that most people gave animals little heed, and therefore her Animagus form was the best way to go unnoticed.

Before he left Albus had glanced at her, a telling gleam in his blue eyes, and she had known that he would take refuge in his preplanned hiding place, deep in the hidden glens of wildest Scotland. He would remain there in disguise, but still working to defeat Voldemort. When they had spoken about it in the days before, Albus had insisted that she not attempt to visit him unless it was absolutely crucial. However Minerva had no intention whatsoever of letting that toad faced bitch Umbridge prevent her from seeing her husband on Valentine's day.

Minerva had been walking for over half an hour now. What had begun as a pleasant spring shower was now a raging storm. The rain pelted into her face, as wind tore at her sodden fur, as though the very elements themselves tried to force her backwards. Every feline instinct urged the bedraggled tabby to seek shelter, but she kept pressing forward into the face of the storm, forcing herself onwards into driving rain and buffeting wind.

It was getting increasingly hard to keep putting one paw in front of the other. Of course she could have apparated there, but such things could be traced. The Ministry were after Albus, and she had no intention of risking them finding him. This, after all, was why she had chosen to come in this form. For though the Ministry knew she was an Animagus, Minerva had long since realised that most people gave animals little heed.

The wind lashed cruelly at her silver coat, and still she pressed on, ears flattened against her head, green eyes gleaming in the night. Her sodden fur was like a lead weight as she fought her way onwards and the rain arrowing into her face was blinding. She should have been there by now. Had she lost her way?

Then at last she saw the faint glimmer of a light in the darkness, and with the last of her strength made her way towards it.

As Minerva drew closer to the tiny stone hut, she heard the soft murmur of voices from within, warning her that she should remain in her animagus form for now. Silently she slipped through the partly open door. The room was thick with smoke from the fire that spluttered faintly in the corner, all she could see were feet and legs. To her relief no one seemed to have noticed her presence. She peered intently around her, ears flattened against her head, trying not to tremble from cold - even here in this room she was still chilled to the bone.

Minerva knew at once which brightly clad leg was her husband's, even in disguise he still had the most garish taste in clothing. Softly she crept towards his leg, rubbed against it and mewed hopefully. At once she heard a sharp intake of breath from above her. A second later, and his magic wafted her upwards onto his lap, where his cloak fell casually to cover her from prying eyes. Albus' hand crept beneath the heavy fabric, and ran queryingly across her sodden fur. She couldn't help but tremble against him, and at once she felt his body stiffen.

Minerva could feel Albus' concern vibrating out of him, touching her mind tenderly and urgently. She hastened to reassure him, felt him relax a little as he felt her silent answer. They never had been able to explain why they had this level of empathy, this almost telepathic communication when she was in her animagus form, and not in human form. Minerva could only assume that it was a natural ability that all cats had, and yet it only seemed to work with Albus.

She snuggled against him, feeling his welcome warmth seep into her, as she felt his healing magic move through her. Heat flowed through her body, as his hand passed across her, leaving her fur completely dry. Minerva felt her aching muscles relax at last, and she couldn't help but purr, a deep blissful rumble rising from her.

At once she heard Albus whisper a silencing charm, shielding the sound from the other occupants of the room. His hand still flitted lightly back and forth across her fur, and he smelt of lemondrops and sandalwood, just as he always did. His velvet clad lap was so soft and warm. Minerva snuggled closer against him, her purring a hum of blissful delight and love.

Albus' concern and worry, his sorrow that she should make such a journey just to see him, still pricked at the edge of her mind. Minerva's head rubbed against his chest in response, pressing firmly against him, as she let her love and determination to spend this special day with him enter his mind. She felt him sigh softly against her, as his fingers drifted to stroke behind her ears, soothing her into a blissfully relaxed state of near sleep.

The gentle waft of Albus' cloak lifting from her, woke Minerva from her snooze. Twinkling blue eyes smiled tenderly down at her, "You shouldn't have come my dear."

The note of sorrow in Albus' voice wrenched at Minerva's heart, and now they were safely alone she could wait no longer. The air around her seemed to shimmer slightly, and within moments she had regained her human form. Languidly Minerva's arms flowed upwards to fold tightly around his neck, her lips brushing against his cheek. "You would have done the same for me," She said firmly, "I'm fine Albus, really."

His breath huffed over her softly, like the gentle sigh of a summer breeze, "You might not have been." His voice trembled. "You were in quite a state when you arrived here..."

Minerva's fingers ran lightly across his face. "Albus, I'm fine now, I know you worry about me, but I can look after myself you know. And I had no intention of letting that toad faced bitch stop me from seeing my husband on Valentine's day!"

That at least evoked a chuckle in him, as the lines of worry in his face softened. Albus' fingers moved through her hair, brushing the dark strands from her face. "Perhaps we should make the most of the all too brief time we have together?" He whispered, his breath warm against her ear, "I missed you so much my love."

Before Minerva could answer that she had missed him too, his lips had brushed lightly across her mouth, as he drew her tightly against him. The touch of his mouth on her's made her body quiver in delight, the brush of his hand across her skin made her gasp, and within seconds she was kissing him with a fierce passion.

Author's Notes

Sorry this update took so long. I was busy and stressed. Two more chapters after this, and hopefully the wait for them will not be so long. Oh, yes, I had to slightly alter the dates when old toad face and Fudge drove Albus into hiding, so it would fit for the Valentine's theme of this story. But, what's a month or two, here and there? ;)

So, how was this chapter? All feedback welcomed. ;) I hope it was worth the wait, and wish me inspiration for the next two chapters. ;)