Chapter 3

Indeed, he had been the one taking her innocence that night in February, even though the circumstances had all been but ideal. Minerva had been injured and hurting. The dungeon had not contained anything but him and her, leaving them with no means of comfort. Grindelwald himself, or most likely one of his little pals, might have announced themselves unexpectedly, the sounds of the creaking stairs giving one only mere seconds of anticipation. She had been right, though… It would not stop him, and that realization combined with the gnawing guilt that maybe just maybe it hadn't had to happen had rendered him unable to deny her heartfelt plea. He had understood her fear somehow…

He had quietly pulled on her hand, coaxing her legs about until Minerva sat straddling his lap and carefully leaning in to kiss her, their lips barely touching… one hand tenderly lingering on her jaw line while the other had come to rest above her full bosom, not daring to go further. They had not spoken when she had quietly lead his hand lower. They had not spoken at all, as both of them had closed their eyes, imagining that they were still with each other but in other circumstances… better circumstances…

They had not spoken until it had eventually been time, Albus' soft voice sounding first, "I'll try to be gentle…" His voice had sounded hoarse and surreal even to his own ears, him not quite believing he was actually doing it and obliging her heartfelt plea… but he had always loved her deep inside, and she had basically admitted to loving him in not so obvious wordings as well…

"I know," she had softly replied, and her unyielding confidence in him, like Minerva had shown when she had stated she believed in his aptness in Transfiguration to guide her in becoming an Animagus, had caused unconscious tears to glitter in his penetrating eyes.

It surely had been a very uncomfortable position for him, but Albus had hoped that it would be least painful for her, giving her the upper hand… His heart had plummeted as a wince and soft cry escaped her lips when they joined intimately, though. A stray tear had run down his cheek as he had held her, gently humming in her ear as he tenderly stroked her lower spine, Minerva hid her face in his shoulder, trying to calm herself, controlling her intakes of air while getting used to the entirely foreign feeling.

The thought of another doing that to her soon enough, one who would not at all be gentle, had frightened her more with the event… and at the same time it had strengthened her to know that he would not get the satisfaction of being her first, and until that day did Minerva believe that that thought had saved her then and had saved the rest of her life until she could make love to her late husband without issues. Her very first time had not been rape, and that truly had made all the difference. It certainly had been hard at first especially, but she didn't believe she ever would have dealt so well with it had nothing happened between her and Albus first.

Minerva was a true fighter… She had lived through so much already and had saved and enlightened so many lives already… She could not die on him. Minerva had saved him just as well and still enlightened his life every single day even though she might not know. He didn't know whether he could do without her anymore, even though they had never been intimately joined anymore, and all between them had remained purely platonic for the rest of their relationship – that even though they knew of the other's love still being there even half a century after that day. That's what might have gotten them both through the hard period following the defeat of Grindelwald. Albus had feared that there would be immense awkwardness, but there hadn't been… then again they hadn't seen much of one another until Minerva had gotten finally discharged. He had of course visited sometimes, but most of the time that had been very late in the day when she had been asleep and when he hadn't wanted to wake her. Most of the time it had already been after visiting hours, but who would have thought of denying the wizard that had relieved their world from the first dark wizard, to visit his former pupil?

Minerva and Albus had been inseparable since in every other way, though. In their hearts they had always been more than what their conversations and actions showed. They had always known it, and yet neither of them had ever acted on it. She had even gotten married… even though the marriage hadn't lasted long.

"Oh Minerva…" he whispered once more, the childish belief flaring that hearing her own name fall from his lips would be a comfort to her even in the state she was. She had truly saved him… has saved both of them...

Indeed, one of Grindelwald's cronies had come soon enough to take her to his master. Albus had never known just how long she must have been up there, but it had been pure torture, every second of it. Minerva's screams still made the hair on his arms rise with the mere memory. When Minerva had finally been returned, she had been crying, and the few words she released had made him feel guiltier than ever before that night. "The b-blood gave us away… He was not pleased."

Between the overwhelming feelings of guilt, the light in the darkness had, however… shone then as well. Finding her curled up like a cat upon reaching for her, Albus had suddenly realized something and had told her that he believed Grindelwald might have made a mistake, but that she was the one of them two who could test it. Grindelwald must have realized that she wasn't just any ordinary little witch, but Albus had doubted whether he could have guessed that she was an Animagus, too. Animagi were certainly rare, and her captivity had been unanticipated… The advantage of her feline shape was that she was far smaller and more agile… Plus those little claws could hurt when they sank into someone's face.

On the fourth effort, Minerva had finally been able to transform into a cat, the overwhelming pain disabling her of really focusing long and hard enough. Maybe Grindelwald had forgotten. If he had known to begin with, maybe Grindelwald had thought she would not be able to transform in such pain… Maybe he had thought that it would not give them any advantage. He had been mistaken, and Minerva's being an Animagus – an effort of them both – had eventually saved them both as well. They had both escaped that same night, Minerva having launched herself with her very last strength on the tall man coming to give them water and stale bread.

He had immediately Portkeyed her to St. Mungo's before Minerva had a chance to argue while he had remained behind to finish the job. She had heard from others later on how legendary the duel had been, and even though initially mad, in the end she had been glad he had sent her away, for she had needed be healed.

He tenderly enveloped her hand in his and felt it move weakly. He smiled. She was not defeated like she had not been then. She would never be. And the thought in his head made his heart leap and his chest swell with pride. He had always been proud of her and would always continue to be. Just like he had always loved her. He had made the mistake of not telling her after the first time, of letting her go to find her happiness in the arms of another after many denials he suspected maybe were because of him and what they had done. This time Albus vowed he would tell her, though. He would not make the very same mistake twice. This time he would not let go…