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"Severus! Wake up!"

Minerva was gently shaking Severus's shoulders for almost five minutes now, trying to wake the wizard from his deep sleep. She was getting impatient.

"Severus!" She hissed as she poked his side. He just moaned and mumbled incoherent words. Minerva only caught "Ly" somewhere in the middle.

Ly? She thought curiously.

"Wake up, Severus! We need to follow our schedule this morning."

Severus grumbled and chewed. The witch shook his shoulder harshly now that it made him reach for her hand and clamped it with his, stopping the further shaking. He stirred, opened his eyes and sat up. He looked up blearily to Minerva whose face was wrinkled in irritation.

"What?"

"Get up! We have to go shopping this morning, remember?"

He did not hear her for his attention was drawn to the feel of her hand in his. It felt so soft, fragile... as he assumed it to be. She was talking some more in the background but he did not mind her. He moved his grip up to her arm and pulled it to a space an inch away from his lips. He bit the air that was close to her skin and felt the witch cringed. His eyes met hers in a challenge as he smirked.

"That's what I want to do now, woman. Scared?"

Minerva's feathers ruffled. He was sure of that, so he thought he might receive a slap when she had successfully wriggled her arm free. Instead, she gave him a quick pat on the forehead.

"Don't start. Wake up and move now. Or don't blame me for a cold breakfast later." And she went to the kitchen.

"Really? So you're a cooking expert now?" He called out mockingly.

They ate breakfast, dressed themselves decently and went down town to the nearest grocery store.

"Here," Minerva handed the wizard a small parchment. "I divided the list in half. You're responsible for the things listed in there. I'll meet you at the counter once you're done."

Severus nodded and parted ways with her. He was actually glad of the arrangement. He didn't want to feel awkward for shopping side by side with Minerva. The picture would be very odd and he won't be happy about it. Plus, he wanted a time alone for a while. His previous days felt crowded.

He enjoyed picking things by himself, comparing brand and quality of one product to another. He also checked the price. It won't be wise to spend so much on their first shopping day. When he was done with his list, he went to the counter and looked for Minerva. She wasn't there. He ought to wait but he didn't know why he did the opposite, so he searched and found the witch at the flour, pancake and cornstarch section, standing on her toes to reach a pancake mix.

The sight was very normal if not for an inched up blouse showing a lot of her smooth and pale skin. A bloke standing nearby was happily eyeing it and this made Severus very uncomfortable. He marched to her and quickly pulled the fabric down and laid a firm hand over her stomach. He did not mind her surprise and protest as he reached for the pancake mix and threw it to the cart. He then turned and gave the man a deadly stare.

"It's not polite to watch." He hissed out loud, punctuating every word with venom.

The man swallowed and hastily left the area, acting like he met death itself. Severus was busy scowling at the direction where the man has taken off to that he didn't notice the rigid but protesting witch in front of him.

"Kings and dukes! What in the world are you trying to do?"

He heard her say in a somewhat panicked tone so he moved his hand off and gave them space.

"Would you stop getting things out of your reach?" Severus growled.

Minerva, who recovered from the contact, looked at him, confused, and when she opened her mouth to say anything, he cut her off by angrily saying, "You were showing your body!"

The woman gaped indignantly. "I was not!"

"Your stomach was showing a minute ago and the man nearby was shamelessly enjoying the show. Didn't you have a long blouse to wear? Would you be conscious of the things around you, Minerva?" Severus scolded.

"It... It was?" The witch gaped and blinked. "I didn't know." And she blinked again at the thought in her head. Did Severus really care?

"What are you stupidly gaping at?" He asked impatiently.

"I was just surprised." She said and hastily mumbled a "thanks".

"Are you done?" He righteously ignored her.

"I have four more to get."

"Then let's get the things so we could be done with this before you could slip your body out of your clothes."

Severus said his words in a hint that could mean there was no room to bicker so Minerva bit back the retort forming in her tongue. He looked very annoyed. She thought it best to let his last remark go and focus on the task on hand. She followed the wizard, who took over the remaining things, and after a while, they paid the groceries at the cashier.

"Let's head home."

"Don't be a spoil, Severus. Let's also visit other shops."

So they did, stopping at a book shop and buying some books they would read for passing time. The Potions master had a hard time dragging Minerva away from the pet store across the street. She was cooing at the cats and their kittens as if they were her close relatives. After noticing the grumble of their stomachs, they decided to stop by an Italian restaurant and eat lunch.

"So you really love cats. No wonder you're one in your animagus form." Severus said thoughtfully as he stabbed the meatball with his fork.

"I have always liked cats. My father gave me one on my seventh birthday. I called him Gordon."

"A suitable name for a gargoyle. Poor cat."

"It isn't!" Minerva insisted. "I thought it suited him so much since he was fat and grumpy."

"Suited?" The wizard inquired.

"He died from pneumonia six years later. I was twelve and devastated. It took me a month to finally let go." She said, her words slowing to a whisper.

Severus threw a glance at his companion who had stopped eating. She was looking at a distance through the window, lost in her memory. There was silence for seconds.

"Did you not get another one?"

"No." She looked at him and smiled. "I wouldn't want another one."

"Ah, the first love."

"Yes! You can call it like that!" Minerva's face wrinkled in laughter. Severus almost choked on his pasta. "I missed him."

Severus reached for his soda and gulped down before saying, "I bet you purr like him."

"I do not purr!" The Transfiguration mistress spat indignantly.

"You don't? You don't hear yourself when you sleep."

"And you do?" She countered.

The wizard just shrugged. "I still think you do."

Minerva scowled and she thought they were having a decent conversation for the first time in four days. Oh, they were but Severus the Git was being himself again.

Severus stifled a smile when the witch laughed. She looked twenty years younger. He heard her laugh before but he didn't consider it musical. Until now. He mentally slapped himself and drank from his glass of soda to refresh his reality. And when refreshed, the conversation ended with a glare from one party.

All was normal.

They went home after lunch and arrived at the house at around two o'clock.

"I'm going to watch." Severus said, after placing some of the groceries at a cabinet.

Minerva moved to collect the brown bags and folded them. "No. There's still work to do."

"What?"

"We'll weed the garden."

The wizard groaned inwardly. "Can't we just do it tomorrow?"

"No. Come on. Don't be lazy now." said Minerva, dragging Severus by his arm to the garden. He raised his brows when Minerva started the task adeptly.

"You seem familiar with gardening." Severus observed.

"You seem to forget I'm a close friend of Pomona."

"This is how you spend your time with her?" He uttered, sounding so shocked.

The witch nodded and gave a small laugh. "Not all the time. Once, twice... Pomona is amazing when she gardens. She does things hands on. It was always enjoying watching her tend to her plants."

"I'm glad I learn from my friends." She added. Severus's gaze darted to her. She was looking at him, a tiny smile on her face. When their eyes met, she hastily looked down at a weed she was tugging loose. But, she did see Severus nodded at her.

A nice feeling filled the wizard's chest. Friends. Yes, they were friends and he was happy she appreciated him for teaching her how to cook. But he'll never give her a chance to know that. Ever.

And so the pair weeded the garden, each of them wanting to finish it quickly. It did not take long enough to feel drained so Minerva offered to make them refreshments and went inside.

Severus sighed in relief. Damn, he was quenched and hot. His sweat dampened his shirt and it was uncomfortably clinging to his body like a besotted leech. He felt heavy.

"I should get this off." Severus said to no one in particular.

Minerva silently hummed to herself the nursery tune her mother used to sing for her as she made her way back to the garden with two glasses of orange juice. She was about to speak when she stepped outside but words left her as the half-naked Severus Snape caught her sight. She knew he has quite a body – muscular, toned – but hasn't seen it before out of clothes, glistening wet under the sun. Oh, that broad shoulders and wide back... How would it feel against her hands?

Great. Merlin's. Beard.

Severus heard the shattering break of glasses behind him and immediately turned around. He met Minerva's widened eyes. Embarrassment was evident on her face. She broke eye contact and quickly went on her knees to clean the mess and he was too late to say,

"Don't!"

"Ouch!" The witch gasped. She pricked her finger with a sharp edge of a broken glass. She jumped when Severus went to her and shouted,

"Are you out of your mind?!"

Minerva blinked when the man's bare chest zoomed-in in her vision. She felt herself melting. Severus held her hand and examined the wound. It was nothing deep but blood was flowing out of it. He dragged the woman to the kitchen, rummaged a drawer and found the medicine kit he came across a day ago. He let her sit on one of the chairs as he tended to the wound with alcohol and Betadine (muggle topical antiseptic for wounds).

"Were you that clumsy? Were you not using your brain? You should never clean sharp objects with your bare hands!" Severus lectured hotly.

Minerva opened her mouth to speak and she heard herself say something incomprehensible. Thank Merlin that the man ignored her.

"Would you just be careful next time?" He snarled. Not trusting herself to speak again, she only nodded.

The wizard scowled at her and she tried to avert the tension into something light.

"How did you know what to do? Who taught you this?" She managed to ask.

"Lily."

The answer was automatic and Severus stiffened. There was an uncomfortable silence afterwards when Minerva uttered a single, "Oh."

She didn't know what to say. Moreover, she didn't understand the dull sting in her chest. He mentioned the name with such fondness that it made her feel out of place – which was totally ridiculous to add.

Severus was wrapping a tape over the small bandage he used to cover the wound with when Minerva pulled her hand away, bringing it close to her chest.

"You don't need to fuss over a small cut." She said.

"I'm not done with it!" Severus roared impatiently. He tried to pull her hand back but she jerked away.

"I don't need your medication!"

And she stormed out, heading straight to the bedroom. Once inside, she leaned against the wooden door and looked down at her finger. The tape was dangling from one end. She carefully brought it around the bandage, tightly securing it but making sure there was still room for air. She clutched her heavy chest.

What the hell happened back there? Her thoughts echoed inside her mind. Why am I reacting like this?

They spent the rest of the day away from each other, sulking. At supper, they didn't talk. Only it was after they had eaten did one of them speak.

"I'll do the dishes." Severus said as he brought his plate to the sink.

"I will." Minerva countered, standing up to gather hers.

"I'll do it!" Severus snapped with his voice rising to a pitch.

She didn't fight back. She set her plate on the counter beside the sink and walked away to her room.

When the wizard was finished with the dishes, he went to the lounge and lay on his couch, deep in thoughts. He was so pissed. Minerva was damn careless and she didn't need his medication? That bloody woman. He was helping her! He was worried about her!

"The nerve of that arrogant witch..." He muttered under his breath. "After I helped her..."

Minerva McGonagall was also lost in her thoughts inside the room. She couldn't seem to understand why she was irritated with Severus even after he cared for her wound. She was being irrational. What was her reaction to Lily's name all about? Merlin, she knew the girl. She was a dear to her and to Severus as well. Then what was she –

She stopped herself. She felt even more confused now and she didn't want to complicate her situation with aimless notions. She was just tired and she just need to rest.

So, she closed her eyes, abandoning a fleeting thought inside her mind.