I wanted to write something sweet and fluffy- and an outline for the first three or four paragraphs had been sitting around doing nothing for ages so I kinda melded it into a (hopefully) cutsie fluffy Min/Sevvy relationship. (for those whom I know will ask, Sev hasn't forgotten lily, he just knows he needs to move on. She wouldn't want him mourning her forever)
Minerva and Snape are around the same age here; anything from 20-25 to early 30s. So maybe when Harry is about... ooh... say, 5 or 6? Enjoy!
"The symbol for Gryffindor is a lion, strong and proud. And what have we here? a snivelling, shaking kitten. Huh." Severus Snape commented, upon finding the tabby cat sat against the wall in a corner of the castle, shivering violently with wide eyes.
Minerva didn't even hiss at him.
"Minnie." Snape drawled, secretly worried and trying to provoke a reaction.
The potions master knelt down, and put his hand underneath the little cat's chin, forcing it to look him in the eye.
"Your pupils are dilated. Minerva, what's wrong?" He asked, knowing there must have been something that happened to force Minerva to act like this.
The kitten only retreated further into the corner, if that was possible.
Another shiver ransacked it, and a tiny moan escaped the tabby.
"Oh.. Minerva." Snape murmured, not liking to see his colleague like this. "This is for your own good, OK?" And knowing he was practically signing his death warrant, he scooped the cat up in his arms; and then flinched, thoroughly expecting to feel several claws removing his skin.
He wasn't expecting however, for a cat to snuggle up to him, to the warmth he was giving off. Nor was he expecting Minerva to be so cold.
"Minnie, what is wrong with you?" Severus asked, not unkindly.
He stood there, stroking her; trying to think of any bug's or flu's that had been circulating the castle the last few weeks, but could only come up with the dragon pox which Minerva had been immunised against along with the rest of the staff.
"OK, Min. I'm sorry but I'm going to have to take you to Poppy." Snape concluded, and started on his way to the medical wing.
Just as he got to the third-floor level of the grand-staircase, he realised, that instead of taking Minerva to the hospital wing, where he would undoubtedly ruin any chance of friendship he had with Minerva (as everyone knew that Minerva abhorred being treated as an invalid) he could simply tap into her mind.
"Mmm. That would be easier..." He thought out loud, taking another look at the shivering cat in his arms.
"Everything al-right, Severus?" asked a squeaky little voice from behind him.
"Filius. I... wasn't expecting to see you." Snape put on his usual gloomy demeanour when speaking with anyone besides his Minerva.
"Is that Minerva, there?" Filius craned to see.
"Yes." Severus drawled, "She is unwell. With what, I do not know; however she is most definitely out of sorts."
"Oh." Flitwick gave a sad smile, "Headmaster's acting a bit weird too." The charms teacher continued walking on, "But when isn't he?" He called back over his shoulder.
Severus shook his head at the elf's madness, and stroked Minerva before taking a short cut through a painting to the dungeons.
There, in his chambers, he lay Minerva down upon his bed.
She looked up at him with what were usually so stern, so guarded eyes, but today just showed pain, and a plead for help.
"Shhh, Minerva." Severus soothed, stroking her neck. "Hold on." He said, placing his hands on the side of her head.
Whatever he had expected, Severus could safely say he was not expecting to see what he did in Minerva's memories.
Her parents- violently beating her.
Her attempted suicides- at home and at Hogwarts in her first years.
Being saved- from herself and her parents by Albus Dumbledore.
Her students- telling her how little they thought of her, and how much that hurt her.
Him- how proud she was of his achievements and how well he coped. The strength of the affection she has for him. And maybe something more...
And then- Pain. Blinding, consuming, ravaging, merciless; pain.
No reason- not that she can remember.
No cause- no reason for it to stop, either.
Severus pulled out of her mind, gasping for breath.
He had felt every emotion, every twinge of a muscle, every ounce of pain.
Still not fully recovered, he picked up the shivering Minerva and hugged her tightly; wanting to convey his pity for her, and his desire to put things right.
Not to mention his undying love for her, and his want to tell Minerva that she would never be alone again.
Poppy gave Minerva another scan with her wand, then declared it useless.
She sat down on the edge of the bed, and placed a hand on the top of Minerva's furry head and rubbed her ears.
"Look Min. I know it may be comfortable like this, and maybe you might feel better; but you have to change back. I can't find what's wrong with you otherwise!" Poppy sighed, exasperated.
Minerva hated being cared for, Poppy knew that from experience, but... Severus had managed to bring her here without needing urgent medical attention, so that must have meant something.
"Severus, can I?" Popped motioned for him to follow her outside of Minerva's privacy curtains (standard procedure for staff) and left Minerva curled up on the pillow.
Min shivered, she hated being left. She wanted the warm again. The safe warm. The kind warm. The dark, husky warm again. There he was! He'd come back. He sat on the edge of her bed, what was that in his hand? He pointed it at her.
A stick? She wasn't a dog!
She felt another shiver rack through her bones, and when it become apparent that the dark, husky warm wasn't going to pick her up, she squirrelled away under the duvet.
She heard him say something; then felt totally different.
Severus put his head in his hands.
Minerva was going to kill him.
He lifted back the quilt, still not quite sure was he was going to say, and gasped at what he saw.
There lay Minerva, somewhat naked (though he tried not to look) covered almost entirely in bruises, scratches and cuts, with tears racking her thin frame and goosebumps flying down her arms from the cold air.
"Oh Minerva..." He whispered.
Min looked up at him, with frightened eyes; and flattened herself against the bed in such a way that Severus just knew that Minerva thought he was going to hurt her.
"Oh Min, I would never hurt you..." He told her, gently stroking her face, hurting inside when she flinched at his touch.
Didn't she remember him bringing her up here?
Minerva lent into his gentle hand, and another rush of goose-flesh enveloped here. She sat up, and with tears flooding her eyes from the pain of it, she lent into him, pressing her tiny frame against his larger, warmer one.
Severus had never really noticed how dainty she truly was, with her head pressed against him, her arms clutched to his chest; her fingers squeezing his shoulders.
Poppy...
He looked around hopelessly, and saw Poppy gathering various medicines and such from the store cupboard through a gap in the curtains.
Resigning himself to whatever fate had in store for him, he put his arms around her.
She was cold, he could feel that much through the thin sleeves of his robe.
He rubbed her back, then stopped as she moaned in pain.
Lifting his head from the top of hers, he saw yet more welts and bruises on her back.
"Ohh... Minerva..." He breathed, gently pulling her away from him; his heart melting as she tried to cling to him.
"What happened?" He whispered.
Her large eyes fled from his. She knew. She knew what had happened, but she didn't want to tell him.
Why not? What could be so terrible that she didn't want him, the (retired) Death Eater, to know?
Poppy slid through the curtains then, carrying as many vials and creams as possible. Then quickly dipping back out again, she returned with a flask, into which she put most of the potions.
"Minerva? I want to drink this for me, OK?" Poppy held out the flask to Minerva, who took it with shaky hands.
She drank it, wincing when she swallowed, yet making no fuss.
Poppy and Severus exchanged worried glances - all this acceptance she wasn't well was very un-Minerva-ry.
Handing back the now-empty container; it occurred to Minerva she was sitting on a bed, stark naked; with a man present.
She blushed furiously, and transformed into a cat before diving under the covers.
"Oh no, no Minerva! You musn't!" Poppy cried, throwing back the quilt and blankets that Minerva was under.
The animagus squirmed when Poppy picked her up to berate her, but Poppy held firm. "Now you listen to me, Missy. Transform yourself right back, or I'll do it myself."
Poppy placed the self-conscious cat in the middle of the bed, and held up her wand menacingly.
Minerva backed against the pillow, her ears flat against her head.
"No Poppy," Severus said softly, drawling out his words with careful thought, "I.. I'll leave." He nodded, agreeing with himself. "Just... don't do anything rash." He added; not quite sure whom he was addressing.
Snape stood outside the light green curtains, straining to hear Poppy as she told Minerva off.
He heard someone huff, then Poppy appeared at the curtain opening. "You can come in, now." She muttered, clearly annoyed about something.
Turning back to scowl at a Ravenclaw with a broken leg who had sniggered at him, Severus entered the curtains to find Minerva was now propped up with cushions and wearing white cotton pyjamas.
He presumed that, and the applications of the cream must have been done by magic, as there was now way that Poppy was quick enough to do all those things by hand.
Minerva sighed deeply; her breath rattled in her lungs, and she shook slightly. The bruises and cuts on her face seemed to be fading already; but Severus was willing to bet the pain would stay a lot longer than the proof of pain.
When she opened her eyes, she saw Severus watching her.
He wasn't seated on the bed any more, he was on a wicker backed chair; though he still leant towards her.
He smiled, noticing her looking at him. "Hello."
She frowned slightly; and sighed deeply. "Hi." She managed.
He put his head to one side. "So, um." He bit his lip. "Do you-"
Minerva watched him become more and more awkward. "Spit it out already." She said wearily.
"There's the old Minerva we know and love." He smiled; affection wrinkling the corners of his eyes as he smiled. He shook his head slightly, "Please Minerva, what happened? I hope you know you can trust me, and that I only want to help..." His voice had lowered to a concerned whisper.
Minerva looked down, and though she had almost stopped crying, a lone tear flowed freely down her face.
"I can't Severus. I just- can't." She breathed, not looking at him.
Severus felt a pang of emotion inside him; but whether it be helplessness as to how to assist Minerva, or hurt that Minerva chose not to tell him; he couldn't say for sure.
He sighed silently, then moved so he was sitting in the corner of Minerva's bed. He gently put his hand underneath Minerva's chin; and lifted, so she was looking at him.
"Minerva McGonagall." He softly spoke. "I love you." Tears of his own appeared in his eyes. "With all of my heart. And I will never be able to convey just how much it hurts me to see you like this." Tears fell off his face and landed on Minerva's soft cotton pjs. "So please; please let me help you."
Minerva looked into his sincere, dark eyes. Welled with tears; they spoke of a soft, tender emotion she had never seen before; not on Severus's face; not on anyone else's either. At least not directed her way.
"Severus." She whispered, her eyes reflecting his; her own emotions surfacing.
"Severus." She said his name like it in itself was a blanket of warmth for her; a comfort. Then she pulled the man in close to her; wrapping her arms around his back; holding him to her like she never wanted to let go.
And Severus put his arms around her too. Whilst he was being careful not to hurt her; he held her tight against him, hoping she found the same comfort in his arms that he found in hers.
Severus was a little taller than Minerva; so her head rested against his shoulder and upper chest, whilst he rested his head against the top of hers.
Inhaling the sweet smell of Minerva (which was kitten fur and roses and parchment(and sunny days))Severus realised he did, never want to let her go. His stomach contained somersaulting butterflies as he realised that it was Minerva; it was real; she was actually in his arms (by her choice no less) and it felt so right.
He sighed contentedly, only wishing that he could take Minerva's pain; and save her from it.
He lifted his head, as she turned hers to look at him; still resting against him; and he broke into a blissful smile. Who'd imagined that one day he would be holding the girl of his dreams in his arms, with her smiling up at him.
He planted a small, soft kiss on her forehead; no more than a whisper, and he melted as Minerva cupped his face with one hand and placed soft kisses of her own on him. She kissed his cheek, his eyes (which were closed in sheer bliss) the end of his nose, then, finally (taking him by surprise) she placed a lingering, sweet kiss on his lips.
"Minerva, can you-" Poppy walked in with a vial in hand. "Oh. You're busy. I'll uh- come back later."
Please review! xD