Please forgive any timing errors. My memory is horrible, so I did the best I could to make it all make some kind of sense. Hope you enjoy! Any and all reviews welcome! :)

Chapter 1

It was too late to be feeling this way, Minerva chided herself as she readied herself for bed. She was 60 years old for Pete's sake! And besides, he was much too young. Had Albus ever noticed her, he perhaps would've been a decent match. Not that it mattered now, he was gone and his legacy was all that lived on. Minerva sighed as she fastened the buttons at the back of her ruffled lavender sleeping gown. She'd never been the frivolous kind, but she firmly believed that every woman deserved at least one lovely sleeping gown. She had to admit to herself that in her youth she'd often kept this practice with hopes that she would meet Dougal in her dreams and he would find her lovely. Now a days, however, it'd been more of a silly luxury to pull on the frilly sleeping gown before bed. As her shaking hands struggled with the buttons, a knock sounded at her door.

Who could be knocking at this hour? Was something the matter in the school? Minerva sighed heavily, the duty of headmistress was never truly finished. She walked slowly over to the door, one hand holding the back of her night gown closed as she did so, the other reaching for the door handle.

"Yes?" she questioned, surprised to find none other but the object of her most recent thoughts standing before her.

"Good evening, Minerva," Severus said, looking rather uncomfortable, "I'm sorry to disturb you so late…but I was wondering if I might have a word?"

Minerva took in the sight of him, he looked rather distressed, not that she blamed him. Who wasn't distressed these days? Rebuilding Hogwarts and overall morale after losing Albus and finally destroying Voldemort in the finally of the second Wizard War. Severus' thick black hair was disheveled and his eyes had dark circles underneath them. What was he doing here? How had he managed to escape Poppy's care? Hadn't he been through enough, having nearly been killed by that disgusting snake, Nagini.

"Certainly, Severus," she recovered nicely, "Come in. Shall I make you some tea?"

Severus hesitated in her doorway for a moment before finally stepping in and standing awkwardly before her, "No. Thank you."

Severus stood uncomfortably before her, shifting his weight from one aching foot to the other. He'd never been in Minerva's quarters before, he was surprised by the quiet femininity within the walls. Well she is a woman, you dolt, he mentally reprimanded himself.

"So what do I owe the pleasure?" Minerva asked awkwardly, still grasping the back of her some-what opened gown, wishing she'd had the presence of mind to grab her robe before answering the door. Sometimes she truly hated being an old woman, propriety was becoming an issue as it warred with her failing memory.

"Well, I-"

"Please, Severus. I'm an old woman," she interrupted him, "have a seat before I collapse before you from exhaustion."

Severus looked regretful and did as she asked, "Of course, Minerva. My apologies."

Minerva sat opposite of her guest in an over-stuffed mustard colored chair and nodded to him to continue.

Severus cleared his throat and began again, "You see, I just wanted to thank you."

"Thank me?" she questioned in bewilderment, "what the heavens for?"

"Poppy told me you were the one who retrieved me…after I…"

"I see," Minerva said nodding her head, "Well no need to thank me. I'm just glad that after all these weeks you're looking so well. Besides, you really should be knocking on Potter's door and waking him up to thank him. It was he that told me where your body was and recovered what was left of your reputation."

Silence loomed over the room for a moment, giving Minerva just enough time to remember how she'd felt that evening, seeing not only one of her old pupils lying on the cold stone completely pale, but one of her friends. Maybe they'd never spent much time together, but they had some kind of mutual understanding of one another, mutual respect, despite everything. She'd been relieved to hear Harry Potter's redeeming news that Professor Snape had risked his life all these years working as a spy amongst the Death Eaters and the Dark Lord himself. Relief that he was still alive and in her book was a hero. There was even a bit of relief that they'd still be able to exchange their bit of banter over Gryffindor or Slytherin house points and troublesome adolescents.

And yes…maybe this new found title of hero had done something with in her…caused a bit of a crush to form, but it was nothing Minerva couldn't push away and bury until it was no longer thought of. After all, wasn't that what she'd done with the memories of Dougal after he'd gone and married another? She was a master at giving funerals for her emotions, burying them deep. This would be just another occasion to wear black.

"Actually," Severus finally spoke up, "I did speak with Potter today. I feel he and I have finally found an understanding. I find to my great disappointment," he said dryly, "that I don't entirely hate the boy. In fact, I think I'm starting to like it. So disappointing."

Minerva couldn't help but laugh at this, causing Severus himself, to smile.

"What a pity," she commented with a bit of mirth tugging at the corners of her mouth, "are you sure you don't want any tea, professor?"

Minerva wondered if she distracted herself if she'd be able to accomplish two this: finding her robe as she walked to search for a tea pot, and perhaps finding a bit of self-composure. If she wasn't absolutely careful he'd see right through her and that would be horrible. Especially since she was only a little bit smitten. Nothing to make a fuss about.

Severus noticed Minerva's apparent need to keep busy, and since he felt a bit awkward himself for coming here so late in the evening he finally conceded, "Thank you, Minerva. That would be…lovely."

Minerva nodded her head and rose from her chair, making sure to keep her back to the wall as to not reveal the predicament of her situation to her guest, nor embarrass the both of them with her indecency.

"Why have you had your hand behind your back this whole time?" Severus questioned her, catching her off guard.

Minerva sighed heavily, this was so uncomfortable! Your own fault, Minerva, she scolded mentally. You should have pulled on your robe before answering the door. And your hair is down, of all things! What Professor Snape must be thinking of you!

"I wasn't expecting any visitors," she said a little more coolly than she'd meant to, "and didn't quite finish buttoning up. If you'll excuse me I'll just grab my robe."

She half-heartedly mumbled the familiar words, "Accio robe."

The dark robe flew out of the closet and into her arms before Severus could make a rebuttal. She was about to put the robe on when he stopped her with a hand on her wrist. When had he gotten up? She wondered. Severus had been so stealthy that this not only surprised her, but unnerved her. Her heart was thumping and butterflies she hadn't felt in years seemed to spring out of nowhere and take over the core of her stomach.

"What are you doing?" she asked softly.

"Let me help you," he said softly, taking her by the shoulders and shifting her around slowly. He tenderly and skillfully fastened the last of her buttons and than took the robe from her hand and opened it for her to step in.

She felt in awe of him, but said nothing as she returned to her seat, forgetting what she had been doing before she felt his touch on the small of her back. She was sixty years old and in awe of a thirty-five year old. She couldn't believe her own thoughts. He deserved a young wife, children, not some ninny pining over him like a school girl.

"What are you thinking?" Severus ventured bravely. He didn't know what had come over him. Since he had woken from his coma days ago, he'd wanted nothing more than to see her. He'd been disappointed when she hadn't shown, having been told several times by Madam Pomfrey, that now that Minerva was back to being Headmistress, she was quite busy. Not to mention she was head of the school rebuilding project as well. Something inside him was drawing him to her, and he found it rather frustrating that he couldn't see her. He threw several tantrums that Poppy happily ignored, and finally managed to sneak out of the sick ward to Professor McGonagall's office when ol' Poppy finally dozed off at her desk twenty minutes ago. He'd never breached his and Minerva's non-verbal agreement that they were colleagues and nothing more until now. Now he'd not only crossed the line, he'd thrown a rug over it. He'd come because he had to know. He had to know what he was feeling…what had driven him here?

Minerva looked at him with doe eyes, looking far younger than her sixty aching years. Her ebony hair was a cascading curtain down her back, though it had grayed a bit at the temples, it was still rather thick and luxurious looking. Her cheeks were glowing in the dim lamp light, her green eyes sparkling like a teenager's amongst the wrinkles surrounding them. She looked young again. She looked like the professor he remembered from his youth. She didn't look sixty, she looked like a spry young 43 year old, as she had been when she'd taught him. Young and vibrant, intelligent, and beautiful. Minerva McGonagall had always been beautiful and nothing had really changed over the years, save for a few wrinkles and gray hairs. He'd never noticed her in his youth, he'd been so infatuated with Lily. He'd never even noticed her until this very moment, he realized, as he'd been so distracted with the war and Lily's memory. It was true he probably would never love anyone as he had Lily Evans. Lily had been the love of his live until James had come and ruined all of that. Or had it really been James Potter's fault to begin with? Severus shook his head and finally, for the first time, admitted to himself that it was he who had pushed her away. It was he who had chosen the dark arts and the wrong crowd over her. He'd let his ego be bruised by her interest in her other friends. He'd pushed her away, and he couldn't deny it any more. He wondered if this is what drove him to Minerva's quarters. She'd been the only one that had believed in him. Yes, they'd fought that awful night, but he'd seen something in her eyes…a disappointment. He knew then that she'd always believed in him, even when all others doubted, and until that night, had managed to hold on to that. She'd been the only one ever brave enough to stand up, to him, too, which he had to admit he found both amusing and annoying. Thinking upon it now, Snape had to admit to himself he'd also found it kind of…adorable.

"It doesn't matter," Minerva said finally, breaking the tense silence, "If we're done here, I'd like to go to bed, Professor."

"Of course," he said, his voice finally taking on it's normal cold tone, though he hadn't meant for it to, "I'll leave you. And again, thank you, Professor McGonagall."

"It was all Harry," she said dismissively, "Good night."

Severus crossed the room and opened the door, pausing for a moment in the door way. He wanted to say something, but what? Hadn't he already made a fool of himself? Severus thought better of this and began walking once more.

Alone in her room, Minerva let out an audible sigh. What exactly had happened tonight? She decided that perhaps Professor Snape hadn't fully recovered after all, because he certainly wasn't acting like himself.

She realized a short panicked moment that maybe someone had corrupted his food or cast a spell on him. She thought better of it a moment later when realizing that it was impossible after all, all of the remaining Death Eaters had been captured and none of them had known that Snape was working for Albus. Minerva closed her door and walked back into her bedroom, realizing not for the first time how exhausted she was. She continued her nightly ritual uninterrupted this time, and climbed into bed, her weary bones rejoicing as they hit the soft mattress. Minerva couldn't think what had come over Severus, but she couldn't deny she was relieved he'd all but recovered from his attack. She let this small thought comfort her as her eye lids grew heavy and sleep over came her.