Hey Everyone! I hope you're all doing well and that you'll enjoy this chapter.

London

The following Saturday the students arrived back at school and spent the next two days settling in. The champions of course got straight back to work as the second task would not be long coming. Minerva had more than once the following week come across Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley in the library helping Harry Potter make any preparations he could. Well, Miss Granger at least. It was now Friday and Minerva had just spent a very frustrating hour attempting to refresh her first year's memories by assigning what she thought was an easy lesson of turning rats into teacups and back again but as she had feared they appeared to have more important things on their minds. So she was now in her classroom cleaning up shattered china and rounding up any start rats that had escaped her student's clutches.

"Oh dear," she heard from behind her as Albus let himself in and surveyed the state of the room.
"Oh dear is right," she said with a heavy sigh as she sent one of the only intact cups she'd seen all hour to sit on her desk with her wand.
"I'll give you a hand," Albus said as he removed his wand from his robes and moved to catch a rat that had just run in front of him.
'Thank you," Minerva said giving him a smile as she dealt with more broken teacups. They had been at it nearly 15 minutes when Albus said "It's Barty's 50th birthday next Saturday" and he suddenly flung his hand out to stop another unsuspecting rodent.
"Oh," Minerva replied as she picked up the rat and put him back in his cage for Hagrid to collect later.
"Yes, I've been asked to attend on behalf of Wizengamot."
"And did you accept?" she questioned as she moved to another desk.
"Oh you know me Minerva, I'm never one to pass up free dinner and champagne". Minerva chuckled as he continued "and besides, the invitation allowed me to bring a guest". At this, she stopped what she was doing and turned around to face him, meeting his gaze as she felt a smile begin to creep across her face. "Albus Dumbledore are you asking me to dinner?" she teased as she came toward him.
"You can call it that if you like," he chuckled "although an evening in honour of Barty Crouch is hardly the romantic liaison of the century". Minerva laughed too and leaned against the desk across from him. "So, what do you think?" he continued not taking his eyes from her "can I tempt you to an evening in London?". Minerva said nothing for a moment, silently teasing him as he looked hopefully at her. "Alright," she said with a smirk "what time shall in be in your quarters on Saturday?".

It was the following Saturday and Albus was making some final preparations for the evening ahead. He heard a gentle knock at the door and he called "come in Minerva!" and listened as the door opened and closed. Out of the corner of his eye he caught Minerva come in, she was wearing a black dress this evening, equally as beautiful as the one she had worn to the Yule Ball. It was long and flowy again although this time the sleeves were more fitted. He watched her put something into a small black clutch bag she was carrying as she walked in and then briefly adjust her hair in the mirror. He gazed at her absolutely mesmerised, the effect was the same as it had been on that December night before giving himself a final glance in the bathroom mirror and joining her in the main room. "beautiful as always my dear," he commented as he went to retrieve his wand from the writing desk.
"thank you Albus," she said modestly and this time he was sure that she had blushed.
"Are you ready?" he asked politely as he held out his arm for her to take,
"I believe so," she said as she looked up at him and took his arm. With that, Albus took a fist of Floo powder and the couple disappeared into the flames.

They arrived in a warmly lit function room at the ministry filled with people making polite conversation in various groups around it. A young man came toward them with a salver of champagne and they each took a glass as the went in search of the man of the hour. They found him in a far corner of the room in an apparently very engaging conversation with two young men Minerva did not recognise. "Ah, Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall!" he said as he caught sight of them. Minerva noticed that even in the dim light the minister looked tired. She knew well the strains the job brought and his personal affairs were bound to unnecessarily add to it. "Barty, Kevin, Roger" Albus acknowledged giving each man a nod. Minerva too nodded to each with a smile and they wished the Minister a happy birthday. Soon it was time for dinner and Albus and Minerva took their seats at the table. They were seated at the top near Barty and shared many a glance as the various dinner conversations played out, whispering occasionally to one another as the evening went on. For the most part, the conversation was bearable although they more than once caught each other's rolling eyed glances as they waited until they could speak freely to one another again.

When the meal was finished the party disbanded again to various corners of the room as the middle was cleared for dancing. Albus and Minerva had been separated shortly after they finished eating and she was now standing with the Head of Magical Law Enforcement's and an Auror's wife attempting to seem incredibly interested in a conversation about removing quill ink from your robes. Albus was talking to Barty and a group of other department heads when out of the corner of his eye he saw Minerva giving bored nods to the two women. He excused himself from the group and made his way toward her. "I'm so sorry to interrupt ladies," he said politely as he reached them "but I was hoping I might have the pleasure of a dance with Professor McGonagall?" Minerva politely made her excuses to the women and placed her drink on a waiter's salver then followed him to the center of the room. "Thank you," she said, giving him a grateful look. Albus chuckled before saying
"you looked like you needed rescuing"
"A damsel in distress" she joked as he placed his hand on her waist and they began to move across the floor.
"did I tell you you look very beautiful this evening?" he questioned, already knowing the answer.
"Yes, you did," she replied with an appreciative look and a slight rose to her cheeks. They danced for 15 minutes or so and when the music changed they noticed that people were beginning to leave. "What do you say to bidding our goodnights?" Albus asked and Minerva nodded in agreement. They once again located Barty and wishing him and his company a good night made their way back to the exit. Minerva moved to go the fireplaces but she felt a tug on her hand and when she turned around Albus had taken her hand and said "let's go this way" gesturing to the doors. "Alright," she curiously agreed and followed him from the room.

A few minutes later they were rising up toward the streets of London and she watched Albus take a pen from his robes. She looked confusedly up at him but as they arrived in the telephone box she watched him change it into an umbrella and open the box door to the rainy London streets. He held it outside as she walked under it and then he came out and took her arm. The two of them walked together along the bustling streets, watching as groups of young people and couples ran laughing through the rain into the various bars and restaurants on the streets. They came across a quiet pub on the corner of the road and Albus turned to her and asked "can I buy you a drink?" she nodded with a smile and the two entered the pub. "what can I get you?" the young man behind the bar asked as they sat down.
"scotch please," Minerva said and looked at Albus
"And I'll have a fire-a whiskey" he quickly corrected himself. The bartender took no notice as he prepared and served the drinks.
"I had a lovely evening," Minerva commented as she took a drink of her Scotch "although it looked as though Barty wished he were elsewhere"
"I agree," Albus said taking a drink as well "he's had a lot of trouble recently". They spent the next hour or so talking ministry business and school, imparting the pieces of information they had heard at the party and Minerva the trials her first years had put her through. They checked the time and realising it was nearing midnight they decide to call it a night. Albus paid and the two left to return to Hogwarts.

The streets were quieter now and they decided to take a near deserted ally way to a spot where it was safe for them to apparate from. Arm in arm they talked and laughed until they found a place they were sure was safe and Albus took down the umbrella. But instead of apparating as she had expected him to, he moved to stand in front of her. The cold January rain was quickly soaking through her light dress and she felt the raindrops slowly rolling down her face.
"What is it?" she asked sincerely, looking questioningly up at him.
"Nothing my dear," he said bringing a hand to rest on the side of he face "I'm just in the habit of staring at beautiful things" then he leaned down and kissed her. She quickly forgot the chill as the heavens opened above them and the once slow rolling raindrops began to run down her face. From beside them lightening lit up the sky, illuminating their silhouettes against the dark winter night. When they broke apart they said nothing, just let blue meet green. Then as another bolt of lightning ripped across the sky and the low rumble of thunder could be heard in the distance he took her arm saying, "Now, let's get you back. I can't bear to think what would happen if you caught your death" and the two of them disappeared into the night.

Thank you all so much for reading! A bit of a long chapter today but I hope you enjoyed it regardless. As always a review would mean the world to me. Stay safe everyone, I'll see you soon!