Minerva McGonagall sat alone in her new office. Silver instruments lay about the desk. The inhabitants of the portraits on the wall were sleeping. The students inside the castle were doing the same, as they were all prepared to go home the next morning.
The week's events had taken its toll on the woman. One of her oldest friends was killed by her lover. She could not believe that Severus, even with his dark past, could do such a thing. Even beyond this, she could not believe that somewhere in her heart, she still loved him.
Minerva McGonagall was a woman, and just like many others, she wanted to be loved.. She was getting older, and had somehow allowed her heart to grow colder. But, somehow, she had allowed one to penetrate her heart. What started as an innocent way to get to know one of her fellow staff members soon turned into love. Severus had revealed a side of himself to her that no one else had seen.
"No use dwelling on the past," She said in her typical no-nonsense tone. She stood and exited the office, having no particular goal of where to walk in mind.
She walked slowly. In the darkness, she could be alone.
She had hoped that she would receive some sort of letter or something from him. But, after many days of waiting, she had given up hope. She never thought that she was a bad judge of character. In this one case, she was. She thought that she had changed him. She thought that the darkness had left him, but his actions spoke louder than words.
To Minerva, it seemed like the world was coming down around her. She had been made the new Headmistress of the school. Albus was dead. Harry Potter stated he would not be returning, and half of the school was going to do the same. Severus had abandoned her. She would prevail though. She was never one to give up. All of it would work out.
She stopped, a few feet short of a door. She had entered this door many a time. It was the door to Severus' office. The Ministry of Magic had decided not to search it. They had the word of Harry Potter and many others as enough proof that Severus was not to be trusted.
She entered his office. No matter what Professor would soon take this place, it would always be his office.
Bottles of different colored liquids stood on shelves against the wall. A thought made her smile. She remembered the night when Severus had stayed up, pointing out all the different ingredients.
A shimmering basin on the desk took her attention. It was his pensieve. Figures were in it. She leaned over it, and was immediately taken into the one of his memories.
From these memories, she learned what she needed to know. Severus was no murderer. He was only doing as he was told to do, by none other than Albus himself.
She was prepared to leave the office when a fire came alive in the fireplace. "I love you," said the familiar voice. She turned, just quick enough to watch the fire turn back into nothing. Her heart smiled. "I love you too," she said.