Summary: Minerva finds her fiancé in the arms of another woman. After the confrontation, she finds solace in the friendship of a colleague. However, what should have been an end turns into the beginning of a nightmare when the man she thought she loved turns to revenge. Can love bloom in the darkest of shadows?

Rating: M…for later chapters and some language

Love Among The Ruins

Chapter One

Albus Dumbledore slowly entered his sitting room. His heart ached as he moved toward his favorite chair, his mind consumed with questions about what had transpired. Within a few steps he had come to a sudden halt and his features took on a look of surprise and then relief. Before him, a shapely bare leg was propped over one arm of the plush burgundy chair and across the other arm a cascade of ebony hair softly fell to the floor. Since the first flurry of rumors had spread like wildfire throughout the school, Albus had been looking for her. He had seen the scorch marks on the wall where the fight had occurred. And he had even spoken with him, her fiancé, or perhaps it would be more appropriate to call him her ex-fiancé while he was being healed in the infirmary. And she had been here the entire time, hiding from the world and a very upset Headmaster.

His voice fled faster than the golden snitch as his mind raced to formulate the right words to speak to her but none came. He had seen the aftermath of her wrath and he was certain that he had no desire to become her next victim. Although, in retrospect, the chap had deserved all she had hit him with and so much more. But as his eyes traveled over the creamy skin of her leg and upwards towards her face, he saw a flash of fire in her eyes. Those same green eyes which had haunted his dreams for months were now alive with life and it was only when he locked eyes with her that he found the courage to speak. He wanted to hear her side of the story, for he knew she would never lie to him. And if he was to keep her hidden from the Headmaster, he needed to know everything in full detail.

Albus casually took the seat across from her and with hardly as much as a flick from his wand he had a steaming cup of tea before her. "Minerva…"

"Albus, before you start I know that I caused a scene and a rather dramatic one. It was extremely unprofessional of me and for that I apologize. I realize now, looking back on the situation, that I should have taken him off property before hexing him." Minerva's voice was as cold as Albus had ever heard it.

Albus reached out and took her hand in his own. "My dear, I was not going to accuse you of anything. I only wish to hear your side of the story so that we can formulate a plan before going to the Headmaster. And yes, we must go and see Armando." Albus watched as Minerva's eyes filled with resignation and a bit of fear. "I will not be swayed, however I may be willing to put it off until tomorrow."

"Albus, I just don't know if I can face Armando tonight or tomorrow either for that matter. You know how he likes to hold a grudge and this most certainly will not score me any favorable points with him. He was quite upset with me, or so I heard, and I feel like he's going to fire me on sight." Minerva looked at Albus with fierce eyes as another plan formulated. "Perhaps you could search him out tomorrow and get a sense of what he's thinking. Then, if you think it is wise, we can go and face him together. I would prefer to have a friend in the room," she added, thinking of how comforting it would be to have Albus there should she need someone to help her control another rage.

"I think that will be fair enough and with a few modifications, I think it will be best if you stayed here this evening. Just as soon as you return to your rooms or remove anything from them he'll know where to find you and we certainly don't want that this soon."

"No, you're right. You know I never thought I'd feel this liberated when I'm so angry but that did me a world of good today. I haven't felt this alive in quite a while and I'm frankly happy to be rid of him. But now comes the hard part. Because of my temper, I'm afraid my job may be in jeopardy."

"I'll hear no more talk about that tonight. I'm sure in the fresh light of morning, things won't seem as dramatic as they do right now and after a good nights' sleep and a hearty breakfast prepared by yours truly, we can tackle this problem together."

Minerva sighed in relief and let herself truly relax for the first time since she had walked in on him with that woman. "I left my classes early today. I had been feeling ill, as you well know, and decided to extend my break in order to catch a small nap. When I arrived in our rooms, something seemed amiss but I went about my business. I entered our inner chambers and changed into my nightdress." At this Minerva blushed since it was currently the only thing she was wearing. "It wasn't until I made my way from our personal sitting room into the bedroom that I saw him with her. I could have killed him! Instead I simply took both of their wands. I let her leave, granted she wasn't wearing much in the way of clothing but she really should have thought of that before sleeping with my fiancé.

He dared to try and deny that they were together. He actually said that it wasn't what it looked like. I lost control Albus. I couldn't help myself, it was like a red blaze of anger and hatred had taken over. I threw quite a few curses at him. I followed him after I flung him through the door and out into the hall. I suppose he is lucky that I came to my senses when I saw some of the students hanging about."

"Lucky for him that the students were in the hallways. Otherwise I daresay he'd be in worse shape than he is at the moment. And I'm told that Miss Hatcher didn't even stop to put on more clothing before streaking across the front lawn towards the apparation point." Albus saw a wicked smile appear on Minerva's face at his last remark. It was that smile that let him know that despite everything, she was back in control of her emotions, something he was most grateful for.

"She's lucky I gave her a few meager seconds to grab what little clothing she had close by her. I've never been so hurt and angry in all my life. And to think that he brought her into our bed! It makes my blood boil even thinking about it now and you're the only person who hasn't joined in the witch hunt so to speak."

"Ah, that's because I've already found the witch," he chuckled trying to add some levity to her spirits. "Besides, what he did was absolutely deplorable and while I do not necessarily condone your methods of handling the situation, I do not disagree with your sentiment or reasoning behind your actions. My main concern is you at the moment."

Minerva blushed at his compliment. Taking a sip of the warm tea, she savored the feeling of it sliding down her throat. "I would like to go by my office and pick up some papers that need grading. I might as well make myself useful if I am to be staying in your rooms for the time being. I can sneak in and out in my animagus form and it shouldn't raise any suspicion."

"Just be careful, Minerva. I don't think it would be to our advantage for you to be spotted before we want you to be. Now, I must head to my last class for the day but I will return as soon as possible." Albus turned to look at Minerva just before heading out the door. "I will defend you in any way that I can. And I will do everything in my power to see that you retain your position here. You are a fine teacher Minerva and the students would be lost without you."

Albus stepped into the hallway from behind the portrait guarding his door and stopped. As would I…The words floated through his head. He could not allow Minerva to be released from the staff because her fiancé couldn't keep his pants up. The school needed her; he needed her. Maybe one day he would be able to tell her as much.

Minerva watched Albus as he disappeared through the portrait hole and she remained motionless for several minutes just staring after him. His generosity and concern were so sincere and once she had stormed away from her rooms, she knew instantly where she would seek solace and sanctuary. It had been Albus who had always granted her a strong shoulder to cry upon and a pair of ears willing to listen to her problems but this was different.

This time, Minerva had to admit, that in losing her temper she had put her entire future on the line. Not her future with her fiancé but her career and by running to Albus' chambers, she had pulled him into it as well. Her thoughts turned to leaving the school entirely, until she could sort her thoughts and give the Headmaster some time to regain control of his own temper. But that would mean leaving her students behind, her home here at Hogwarts, and most importantly, Albus. For the first time since the entire traumatic chain of events had started, she let down her guard and began to cry silent tears.

The final classes of the day had ended a few minutes earlier and Albus was making his way to the staff room. A meeting had been called by Headmaster Dippet and he knew that the topic of conversation would be Minerva. As the Deputy Headmaster, Armando would expect support from him although they had not discussed the situation yet. This alone did not worry him greatly; after all, they had been known to disagree on a great many things. However, they had always provided a unified front to the staff and while Albus hoped that would be the case this time, he did not believe he would be so lucky.

As he entered the room, Albus made note of who was in attendance. It seemed that everyone was here and in contrast to the chattering in the halls, a hushed silence prevailed. Within a few seconds of his arrival, Armando entered the room with Michael Grady, Minerva's ex-fiancé and the current Charms Professor, in tow.

Albus couldn't help but notice the small red marks on Michael's face, a testament to Minerva's fierce Scottish temper and her apparent rampage a few hours ago. And although Albus hated the fact that violence had been used, he could not find it in his heart to blame Minerva for reacting as she did. From the look of the other staff members in attendance, especially the female members of the faculty, he was not the only one who felt that way. Still, that did not excuse the seriousness of the situation nor did it appease Armando or Michael in any way.

"I'm glad you all are here. As you know we have a grave situation on our hands and we must deal with it swiftly and with confidence so as not to disrupt the lives of our students. They are already buzzing in the hallways about what happened earlier today between Professor Grady and Professor McGonagall." He paused for effect, watching the faces of his staff members as they each reflected on the morning's events. "As you have noticed, Minerva is not here with us and apparently, no one seems to know where she's hiding," he added, throwing a knowing glace in Albus' direction.

Armando knew of Albus and Minerva's close friendship and he probably suspected Albus knew where she was hiding even if he wasn't telling. The start of Armando's comments did not bode well for Minerva but hopefully the Headmaster would wait until Minerva could share her side of the story before moving forward with any action. Albus found himself holding his breath as he waited for Headmaster Dippet's next comments.

"Therefore, I will be making an announcement to the student body at dinner to let them know that we are thanking Professor's McGonagall and Grady for their participation in our dueling match. We will let the students think that the...disagreement…was an act to gain interest in a new dueling club that will be formed on campus. That is all for now. You are dismissed."

Albus started toward Armando after the meeting broke up. Excitement and surprise about the latest announcement caused whispers to turn to outright gossip as everyone crowded out the door.

Albus wasn't sure whether or not to hug Armando for giving Minerva a chance to share her side of the story or to go and drag Minerva into the Headmaster's office immediately while he was still in an agreeable mood. Instead he opted for a simple "Thank You" spoken after everyone had left the room.

"Thank you for what, Albus? I realize that what happened this morning was unfortunate for everyone involved and while this is a personal matter, the children should not be dragged into this. And as you know, I have been toying with the idea of a dueling club for months now."

"True, but I also know that you had it within your powers to fire them both on sight for their display this morning. On behalf of Minerva, wherever she is, I thank you for giving her a chance to explain. I can assure you that her motives were good ones and she fully understands what is at stake because of her actions."

"Why Albus Dumbledore, you act as if you've spoken with her recently, while everyone else has been turning the castle and grounds upside down looking for her." He gave Albus a quick wink and continued. "If Minerva should contact you, please assure her from me that while I am not happy with her by any means, I would not think of letting such a talented witch leave Hogwarts to seek employment elsewhere. This is an adult matter and I'm sure between all involved parties, we can resolve it as such."

Albus started to say something but felt it best to remain silent. The more he spoke, the more chances there were that he would give away something that Minerva wasn't ready to reveal just yet and after all, it was her story to tell.

"Oh and Albus, you are excused from dinner this evening. I am sure you have other things to occupy your time. Just be discreet about it so that your name isn't pulled into any compromising situations by a certain angry and temporarily disfigured young Charms professor."

Albus bid a good night to Armando and left for his rooms as quickly as possible. He was looking forward to sharing the good news with Minerva and hoped that she would agree to meet with Armando at the earliest possible opportunity. He was just turning the corner that led to the main staircase when he was halted by a figure stepping into his path.

"On you way to see Minerva I suppose. Tell me, did she give you the details of what she did to me?"

Albus shook his head sadly. To think that once, and not so long ago, Michael had looked at Minerva with only adoration in his eyes. He wondered what had changed to lead to this. "I do know what happened earlier today. As does the whole of the staff. Perhaps Professor McGonagall acted a bit harshly but considering the circumstances, I would hardly blame her – and neither should you."

"Harshly? I would say this goes way beyond that, but I will not speak further on the subject with you. I want to know where she is. We have unfinished business."

Albus' eyes narrowed and he pinned the young man before him with his penetrating gaze. "If I did know where she was, I would most certainly not tell you. I guess we both will have to wait until she resurfaces."

Albus went to move forward but Michael's arm darted out and grasped his shoulder. "Tell me where she is old man. I know the two of you are closer than you let on and that she comes to you…"

Albus felt a cold rage building inside of him and cut off his next remark. "Professor Grady, if you do not unhand me this moment, you will regret your actions. Remember where you are. Your position here is not as secure as you might think and it is in your best interest to refrain from causing any further problems. Now if you don't mind, I have somewhere to be."

Albus walked away, his anger barely controlled. He could feel Michael glaring at his back. Perhaps the situation had more depth to it than had originally appeared. He must speak to Armando about the events that had just transpired. Not to mention that he would need to warn Minerva to watch herself. This was turning out to be a day to remember.

As he walked back into his chambers, he was surprised to see Minerva lying on his couch in the sitting room, his purple overrobe draped lazily across her slender frame shielding her from the cold castle air. He stared at her sleeping, not as peacefully as he would have hoped. The area around her eyes was red and swollen indicating that she had obviously had a good cry while he was away. But with any luck, his news would make her feel a bit better and after a good night's sleep, things would look brighter in the morning.

"Minerva, dear, wake up," he called softly as he touched the creamy skin of her shoulder as she gently shook her. He had knelt beside her and the first thing she saw when she opened her eyes was his smiling face.

"I must have fallen asleep, Albus. What time is it?"

"Time for you to get up and stop worrying. I have spoken with Armando and he has a message for you." Her eyebrows shot up and she reached out to grip Albus' hands for support. "He assured me that your position here at the school is secure and while he's not happy with you he feels that it can be resolved discreetly between you and Michael. He informed the students that what they saw was a demonstration for a dueling club." Albus went on to share all the information from the brief staff meeting and then his cheery disposition changed. "But there's something Armando doesn't know, yet. Michael practically accused me of harboring you and he gave me a rather not so friendly warning."

"How dare he threaten you!" Minerva nearly jumped off the couch and headed for the door.

Albus stepped back and taking in the picture of Minerva roaming the halls in her current attire caused a grin to spread across his face. "Minerva, you might want to reconsider your course of action."

Minerva stopped in her tracks and turned to face him. "Perhaps you are right. I am sure Armando's generosity would not extend to another attack. "

"I am sure it would not. However, I was referring more to your choice of attire." Albus picked up his robe which had dropped to the floor and covered her scantily clad frame.

Minerva was blushing furiously now and made her way back over to sit on his couch. "Perhaps you could lend me a shirt so I may transfigure a proper robe."

"Allow me," he said summoning his softest shirt from his wardrobe and creating a lovely robe for her to wear. As she slipped it around her body, he smiled proudly and a part of him envied the robe for being able to wrap around her and hold her tight.

"Are you alright, Albus? Your face looks a bit flushed," she commented before inhaling the scent of chocolate and lemon drops from the newly created deep blue robe.

"Yes, I'm fine. Just admiring the view," he answered honestly. "I can't believe Michael was such a fool to even dream of another woman while he had you in his life. Some men just do not realize what they have but I suppose I should not interfere in your life so boldly." He cast his eyes to his shoes and felt he blush deepen in his face.

Minerva rose from the sofa and knelt before him, causing him to look into her face. "I can't think of anyone else I'd rather have near me right now than you. You've done more than I could ever ask a friend and somehow I will find a way to repay you for your kindness."

"That's what friends are for, Minerva. I'd do anything for you. You should know that by now. And as for Michael, I intend to inform the Headmaster first thing tomorrow about his actions and then maybe he'll see fit to give him the harshest punishment available…dismissal from the school."