A/n: I'm so sorry for the dreadful delay in getting this next drabble to you. I've been so busy at work that I haven't had a moment to myself until this morning to get this to you. Huge big thank you for helping me break the 200 review barrier – how exciting. Lovely to see new reviewers dropping me a line too. Enjoy this update.

Drabble 50

The two heated voices that had ricocheted down the stone walls of the corridor were well known to her. With a heavy sigh, she made her way along the corridor to attempt to quell the disagreement. She arrived just in time to see the tail end of Harry Potter running down the corridor. She was about to call after him when a strangled noise caught her attention.

The door to Severus' office had been left ajar and through the gap she could see him bent over his pensieve. She noticed that his fingers were curled tightly around the stone basin's rim and it looked like it was the only thing that seemed to be holding the defeated man up. Pushing open the door, she invited herself into his office and closed the door behind her.

"Severus," she said as she approached him slowly.

His head whipped up from looking down into the pensieve and his eyes locked with hers. She felt as though he was looking right through her into her very soul and she fought the chill that ran down her spine. As quick as a flash, he came to her, his hands immediately reaching up into her hair. The pins that she had painstakingly replaced only moments before leaving her office to go for a walk dropped one by one on to the floor beneath her. His long, lithe fingers threaded through her ebony locks ridding her of her usual tight bun and only then did he speak.

"Minerva," he whispered before burying his face into the crook of her neck and wrapped his arms around her.

Not knowing the best way to broach what had happened between him and the teenager, she returned his hug and waited for him to compose himself enough to tell her what had transpired between them. His grip on her was vice-like but she could tell by the tenseness in his shoulders that he was restraining himself from gripping her any tighter. Tenderly, she brushed her lips against the top of his head while her hands moved up and down his back soothingly.

"Caught him with my pensieve," he finally revealed, not pulling away from her, not looking at her. "He looked at me like she had, eyes full of pity. I reacted exactly the same as I did back then. Angrily!"

"It was never pity, Severus," she told him softly. "Lily was disgusted by James' behaviour that day and I'm sure Harry felt the same. He shares much more with her than just her eyes."

"She wouldn't have taken it upon herself to herself to other people's memories," he replied as he shifted position slightly. He was still refusing to look at her and seemed perfectly comfortable in hiding amongst her locks of hair.

"That's true," admitted Minerva with a roll of her eyes. "She didn't need to because she could pick up on things. It's a girl thing! I don't think Harry set about to pry into your memories, Severus. Like a lot of things, he stumbles into situations that he often had no intention of ever getting himself into."

"Like his father," he responded angrily.

"No, not like James," she told him. "James looked for trouble, looked for ways to get one up on you. Harry cares and that's what gets him into trouble. If he saw what I think he did then rest assured he will not talk about it because he will be as ashamed of James' behaviour as Lily was, as I was."

"Why do I always lash out at those who mean the most to me?" he questioned as he pulled away from her and finally looked at her.

"Are you telling me that you care for Harry?" she asked, a small smile threatening to appear on her lips.

"Course not," he responded as his hand dropped from her waist and sought out her hand. "Lily and you. You've dealt with so many blows when it comes to me and my pride and yet, you always remain constant."

"There are times when you drive me to point where I want to hex you into the next kingdom come and back," she admitted as she squeezed his hand. "But, when it comes down to it, I know you better than yourself at times and I love you. I know recently, we've fallen out and I know it's been down to my inability to let you look after me."

"Which drives me to distraction," he admitted, smiling for the first time since she had come into his office. "We're even then!"

"Yes, we are," she agreed, smiling. "And I'll try to let you look after me from now on."

"I'd like it if you did allow me from time to time," he told her as she felt him pull her towards him again. "You know I'm sorry for everything in the past, present and future, Minerva."

"Are you planning future arguments already?" she questioned with an amused glint in her eye.

"Covering all bases, my love" he simply said before capturing her lips with his own and kissing her soundly.