Another part of the story - chapter 1-2

Dears,it seems my dear betareader shiv5468 is very busy herself this days, but I don't want you to have to wait too long for the next part of the story. So I'll bother you with my English - uncorrected by Shiv, therefore I have to ask for pardon what concers any mistakes. As already mentioned: English isn't my first language.Nevertheless I hope I didn't make too much of a mess and you'll like the story anyway.Here we go with A Winter Tale_______________by: MaxInspired by the WIKTT Marriage Law Challenge, but not following it exactly[usual disclaimer]Chapter 1: Desperate times, part 2Albus Dumbledore wasn't used on insomnia. Despite his age, the workload the headmaster of a school as big as Hogwarts had to manage and even the war, which was now in his 3.year, the old wizard was not only of good health, but enjoying a lucky disposition also. However bad the times were - Albus Dumbledore had managed all his life with a strong belief in the light and its power. Sometimes his sour potion master named him a "sentimental old fool" for it, sometimes he even maintained that Dumbledore's optimistic view of the world in general and people under his wings in special would made his superior too easy thrusting and would therefore lead to disaster. And being the bitter man said potion master was, he rarely forgot by talking about this subject to remind Albus of his failures in the past - like engaging a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher who wasn't only a strong believer of Voldemort, but hosted the evil wizard in his body and let him fed from his life force or - a decision by Albus Severus Snape was even angrier about - supporting once a certain Cornelius Fudge in his ambitions to become the almighty minister of magic. Albus never denied that both decisions - based on his trust in this people - had showed itself as mistakes, but - much to Severus Snape's dismay - refused to take them as lessons for further decisions. When ever the men spoke about, Albus said: "If I were to become suspicious because two people failed me, I'd be unjust against all the people who earned my trust. In the sum of the long life I've lived I got much more joy out of trusting as I became disappointed. Therefore I won't change." By then he never remembered Severus, that he was one of the people who held Albus' trust and had got with that a chance to redeem themself. Yet both wizard were aware of the fact, that it was this act of faith - or love? - in a moment where Severus neither expected nor deserved it which had kept Severus not only out of the wizard's prison Azkaban, but alive and able to bear his life as a spy in Voldemort's inner circle.Yet now, in this winter night in which Albus couldn't sleep, it wasn't Severus Snape he worried about. And actually it even wasn't Hermione Granger, the girl who was to become Mrs Dumbledore in a few days. Albus, being not only Hogwarts headmaster, but the leader of the resistance against the force of the darkness, had became pragmatic. He knew only too well that a war couldn't be fought without victims and that leadership meant always to keep the balance between the demands of the individuals and the needs of the entire group. He loathed to sacrifice people - but if endangering one for saving thousands was the only chance, Albus Dumbledore was not only able, but willing to shoulder the responsibility for it.So it weren't the tears the girl was about to cry when learning about her future which kept the sleep away from the old headmaster. He knew the war would come to an end soon and he knew also, that he would become one of the victims in the last and final battle. Six months, perhaps a year - almost nothing in the lifespan of a witch - and then Hermione Granger would be free again.It was him what worried Albus. For the first time in years he allowed himself the luxury to think about his own life. He was never a man to fool himself, so he was aware that this marriage would change his life and it almost amused him to find himself wandering in his dressing gown around his tower's balconery and thinking about marital life. It wasn't as if he'd never before thought about. Albus liked women, all his life he had liked and enjoyed their company. In young years he probably even enjoyed it too much - it was been one of the reasons why he didn't marry. Although he had been in love more then once, he never could himself convince that this witch was the one and only witch, the witch he wanted to wake up next to for the rest of his life. Another reason for always shying away when the lady started to talk about meeting her parents or forming closer bands was the fact, that Albus Dumbledore never could imagine having a family of his own. He loved children, he enjoyed teaching, he missed their laughter and even their noise when Hogwarts was deserted during the holidays, but he loved his freedom and solitude too. Sometimes it felt to him as if playing the role of the always patient, caring and all-understanding headmaster all day, that having always an open ear not only for his students, but for their parents and the teachers also, drained him so much that he couldn't trust himself for providing a wife and a family with his love and care too.But now he was to get himself a wife - and a very young and insecure one too, a wife who would need a lot of support and help to bear the lose of her youth, freedom and probably even friends. Dumbledore knew, that living with him would distance Hermione from her friends and that she was sensitive enough to suffer from it. She would need his comfort and he saw it as his responsibility to make sure that she'd get at least a bit of the fun a girl her age deserved. And this, the headmaster thought, while he stepped down the stairs from his office, lead to the next point: Sex.Dumbledore knew, that probably 99 % of his students and the majority of the teachers - if they ever thought about her headmaster being a male - simply would get over it with saying: "He's so old, he doesn't need it anymore." And they were right. Albus didn't need sex anymore. But he still enjoyed it - not so often as when young, but once or twice a month he spent a few hours or a night in the always delightful company of one Rosmerta, landlady of Hogsmeade's most frequented pub, 80 year old, but still nice and generous equipped widow. Albus and Rosmertha were friends since ages and their discreet, but satisfying affair lasted now for two decades. Albus knew, Rosmertha would stay his friend if she wasn't to be his lover anymore, but he would miss her and the sweet hours they spent together in her huge and cosy four poster bed. Both being not young anymore, they'd settled for gentleness and generosity with each other. She didn't expect great passion from him, he didn't mind when her embrace was sometimes more comforting as erotic. How would it be with Hermione? Albus didn't like the thought of his old, bony hands on her young flesh, he didn't like the idea of a lover who closed her eyes and cursed the ministry during the act. To think of the girl feeling only disgust against the ancient body in her bed would make the act of which Albus used to think as "love making" to a rape. Albus frowned by the sheer idea of it - and the more he thought about, the more he became certain: To this he was not up. All his instincts, all his self, his soul and the conscience of a teacher, of a man who spend a lifetime with protecting the innocent, stood against and Albus, being familiar with himself, was certain: His body wouldn't obey to him for such a task.Of course, they were certain charms and potions, most of them so easily to cast or to brew that he could do them between tooth brushing and combing his hair (something he was fond of doing without magic - and he was even fonder of having it done by a nice, not too much clothed woman). Yet the idea of overpowering his body to the mercy of forced need he disliked. Wasn't it like raping himself and betraying his partner for the pleasure of feeling desired? What would it do to the girl in his bed if she were to know, that the man sleeping with her didn't do because he wanted her, but only could do because a charm pushed him? How was she to get any pleasure from it, how could she feel joy by such an outrage?Albus Dumbledore was certain: He wouldn't - couldn't - do it this way. But as he wandered though the dark and empty halls of Hogwart, the vague idea he'd got by talking with Severus and Minerva began to enfold itself and became finally a plan - good enough to make him smile for a second and getting him back in his bedroom for a few hours of urgently needed rest.to be continued - soon (I promise :-)