A/N: Hi! Thank you for the reviews, favorites, alerts, visits, hits... Everything! First of all I want you to know that I hadn't planned to write this chapter and I was finishing the next chapter when, after BigReaderUK's review, I decided to write the meeting with Albus. It's not big but I think it gives us the general idea of Severus' feelings about Hermione. I'll stop writing now and leave you with the chapter.I hope you enjoy it and review please =D ***Nad***

Disclaimer: The characters belong to the brilliant mind of J. K. Rowling (the green eyed monster atacks! lol xD)


Secretly

CHAPTER 4

Previously:

And now here he was. And she must hate him at that moment. Once again he ruined it. Or maybe not. It was not a lost cause. Now that he knew what she felt about him he needed to do something about it. He needed to talk to the Headmaster.

Now:

Snape was determined to do all in his reach to win, for once in his life, some happiness. For once in his life, he was fighting a battle for himself and without obeying to the orders of someone else. This was his battle and he intended to win, no matter what.

The potions teacher headed to Albus Dumbledore's office, said the password "Lemon lemonade" 'What a stupid password!' and waited as the gargoyle conceded his access.

He knocked on the door and waited for the office's owner to answer.

"Come in." the Headmaster said.

"Good afternoon, Albus." Severus greeted him.

"Good afternoon, Severus. Please sit. Do you want a lemon drop?" he asked but as the answer was negative he continued "What brings you here?" he inquired with his usual twinkling in his eyes.

"I came here to talk about Miss Granger." Said Severus, sitting in the chair in front of Albus' desk.

"Ah, Miss Granger! So intelligent! Anyway, I suppose you are not here to talk about her marks, since I haven't noticed anything wrong with them. She continues to have an outstanding performance in every class." Albus said.

"No, you're right. It is not about her marks." Severus started "I have noticed that lately Miss Granger has been a bit unfocused and today she even blew up a cauldron in my class."

"Is in the right of the human being to make mistakes, Severus."

"I know, I know. That's why I asked her if was everything alright with her at the end of the class."

"And…?"

"Firstly she said it was all fine but when I insisted…" he hesitated

"Continue…"

"She told me she was in love with me." Severus concluded with a sight

"And that bothers you because…?"

"That is the problem! It doesn't bother me! It makes me feel the happiest man in this damned Universe! I love her! That girl… woman, makes me feel that perhaps there is more out there than what I've seen and faced. She makes me believe that everything is possible! And with her confession, it only made me believe it even more! I love her! I love her! And I don't care what you or anyone else has to say about it! I will fight for this love! For once in my life I will serve no master! For once in my life I feel that maybe there's a chance for me to be happy with someone I love! And that person is Hermione. " When he paused he was almost hyperventilating but he was proud of his speech. He meant every word in it. And he had a finish note to add to it "Like it or not, if you do not support my decision, I will quit from my position as a teacher in this school and you will never put your eyes on me again."

Albus Dumbledore just remained silent, watching the man he met years ago - when he was just a boy - and that sacrificed his life since then to serve by his side. Albus cared for Severus as a father cares for his son. He knew that Severus had done many wrong decisions throughout his life, but he also knew he had regretted each and every one of them. After all, who could say that had never made a mistake? No one. So why complain?

"Why are you looking at me like that? Were you one of those who though that I was a heartless bastard?" he defied.

"Severus, my boy, I never thought such thing. Strict? Yes, I always knew you were; but heartless? Never. I was looking at you because I was admiring your persistence in the search for your own happiness. And only Merlin knows how proud and pleased that makes me be" The Headmaster began.

"You see, I have seen you fight against all kinds of things, from torture to death, and they all made me suffer myself. But the battle you did that made me suffer the most was the one you have been making from two years ago until now. It is the battle you have been doing against love, my boy… Oh yes, I knew… I knew all along… But I couldn't do anything to help you. That was your own personal battle. I had hoped that this day would come when you finally gave up and admitted defeat.

"You knew?" Severus asked in a whisper "But how?"

"Let me just say that being the Headmaster has its advantages…" he answered with that familiar twinkle under his half moon glasses.

"You even knew about her?" he asked Albus with incredulity all over his face.

"Yes, Severus. I had noticed that Miss Granger had a special place for you in her heart. You know, every time anyone, and I mean anyone, was saying something rude about you she would defend you with everything she had. Maybe not so much lately because she knew her friends were getting suspicious… She only stopped defending you when she really wanted to change the subject, afraid of what Mr. Potter or Mr. Weasley could discover." Albus looked at Severus, who was trying to absorb all this information, and then concluded his speech

"About your resign to the position as a teacher I must ask you not to do it. It would be very hard to find a Potions Master like yourself, as you know." Severus looked at the old man in front of him. He could read in his eyes that he was asking for him stay not because of his talent in Potions, but truth be told, Albus didn't want him to go away. And Severus didn't want to go either, but if Albus refused him his happiness he would go with his plan until the end.

"I only have one more question, Albus. Do you support me, Hermione, us?" he asked in a serious but calm tone, like a son would do to a father.

"In every way possible. If you want to keep it a secret, I will support you. If you want to tell the entire school, I will support you. If you want to travel around the world, spreading the new, I'll support you, also, but if that is the case, please do it when you don't have classes to teach." He finished with a smile and, once again, with that twinkle that everybody loved.

Severus was at a loss of words. The only words he was able to say were "Thank you, Albus."

Severus left the Headmaster's office and went to his own, waiting for the day to pass, anxious for the hour when the young woman would appear knocking at his door.