It's 2.30am in London and I can't sleep. So that means I'm writing because when I can't sleep I seem to get the urge to write. So here we are.

Anyway, it's a hot minute since I last updated. How are you all doing? I hope you're all safe and healthy and not going stir crazy from being housebound. What are you doing with your time? I'm looking for inspiration. Currently I'm working from home so that helps to break up the day but apart from them, I'm writing, playing a lot of Sims 4 and watching repeat episodes of BTS in Bon Voyage... yes. I have discovered the Korean band BTS... I can't be the only on here? :D

Anyhow, I found this chapter super hard to write. That's why it's taken so long to get this chapter up. I wondered if I should start right after the previous chapter, I wondered if I should show what punishment Minerva received for what she did... but then I though, nah, screw that! So after 4 different versions, I finally settled on this one. I really hope I made the right decision so please remember to let me know what you thought.

And please do not hesitate to drop me a message. I live alone and I'm craving conversations! Which is odd for me cause usually I don't like being around people but my god I'm bored hahah.

Anyway, enough of this ramble. Thanks for stopping by. Happy reading!


Chapter 14

Lailoken in winter always reminded Minerva of her childhood. Her father loved the winter months and she remembered fondly how he was always the first to run out onto fresh untouched snow. She remembered the day he ran out in his pyjamas as clear as if it was just yesterday. The love of winter resurfaced in Logan who, even before he could walk, was always enthralled by the feather light snowflakes that touched his nose. From her father's study, Minerva stared out across the thick white blanket of snow on her garden, she could see her father, she could see Logan... how fast time had passed.

"You seem out of sorts today."

Minerva turned to look at her brother in law. "Do I?" She gave him a slight smile and shook her head. "There's nothing troubling me."

Peter gave her a knowing look. "Come now sister, I know you better than that."

Minerva laughed softly and joined him by the fireplace. "I lied at my Ministry interview and I know there's going to be repercussions."

"That's not like you," Peter frowned. "What did you lie about?"

"I omitted certain details..."

"What will they do if they find out?" Peter was concerned.

"The Ministry won't find out," she said. "Not unless someone tells them... it's Severus I'm concerned about ..." she paused. "I left him out of what happened."

"Why?"

"Because Albus asked me to," she said.

"You've never acted on a request if you didn't agree with it," Peter said. "You must have wanted to for some reason." Minerva smiled, sometimes she forgot just how well he knew her.

"I was glad to keep his name out of it," she admitted.

"But why?" Peter scooted forward on his chair and leaned in closer to her. "You said you were glad of his help."

"I was," she said. "But I didn't want him there... when I had planned to go to wherever Logan was, no matter when or how, I had not planned for him to be there. I didn't want anyone putting themselves in danger for me... I knew there would be repercussions for what I did but I had no idea what they were. A year ago the Ministry tortured Severus because of his past, I wasn't going to let my actions land him in prison again."

"But you could have easily ended up in the same position," Peter pointed out.

"I made my choices and I was willing to accept whatever punishment they saw fit," she said.

"I'm sure Severus would have thought the same."

"But I didn't want that," she gave a frustrated sigh. "I know he would have, I know he would have taken whatever was thrown his way but I didn't want to be the cause of that."

"So you're worried he will find out?" Peter asked.

"I know he will ask," she chewed on her thumbnail. "I just don't know what I should tell him when he does."

"I think the truth will be best," he suggested.

"I'm not sure he'd like what I have to say," she gave him a wry smile.

Peter thought on her words for a moment before responding. "But can you really continue as you were if you keep it from him?"

"Of course not," she shook her head. "I just don't know where we go from here."

"Have you been worrying about this since you were suspended?" He asked.

"Yes," she laughed. "Stupid, I know."

"You haven't been able to write to him?"

"As part of my suspension I'm not allowed to contact anyone in the Wizarding World apart from Albus," she told him. "Severus and I haven't spoken since the hospital."

"Well, if you want my advice?" he waited for her to nod in consent. "You have to be honest with him. Severus will listen to you, he will hear what you have to say and if you understand each other as much as I think you do, he will see why you did it. If he does want to talk about it then you can't lie to him, what will that leave you with?"

"I know that you're right," she said. But she knew it wasn't as easy as that. As well as the Ministry interview, there was something else that Severus didn't know about. A letter she sent to Albus in her first week of suspension, a letter with an offer...

"And I know that I'm not telling you anything that you haven't said to yourself already," Peter smiled at her. "Talk with him. You'll work it out if you're honest. And after everything he's done for you and Logan, he deserves the truth."

"Will you come back to Lailoken and spend time with us if we get past this?" She asked with a slight smile.

"I'll do you one better," he smiled. "I'll come meet you in Hogsmeade."

When the day finally arrived, Minerva found herself walking toward the school gates with appreciation. She was nervous. Would her friends and colleagues treat her different? Would the students still respect her? Would Severus be happy to see her?

Even as she stood before the gates, she paused to gather herself. Whatever was awaiting her, she would face it head on as she always did.

She was drawn from her thoughts when the gates began to open. She glanced through the darkness to see a black figure walking toward her and as soon as she caught on to who it was, she felt tears swell in her eyes.

"You were supposed to be back for dinner," Severus said crossly.

"I got waylaid," Minerva smiled as she walked toward him.

"Thanks to you I had to come out in the cold to make sure you hadn't forgotten the way while you were on holiday," he sneered at her and it made her laugh. "Don't laugh at me Professor, I'm not in the mood."

Minerva laughed even more as she took the last few steps toward him until she was close enough to throw her arms around his shoulders and embrace him. She felt his head fall onto her shoulder, his arms snake around her waist and she heard him take a deep breath.

"Don't think I'm not still angry with you just because you're hugging me," he mumbled against her.

"I've missed you," she felt her tears splash down onto her cheeks but she wasn't sad, she felt happy. So happy.

"Did you?" Severus pulled away. "I hardly noticed you were gone."

"Is that why you came all the way down here to make sure I hadn't lost my way?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said with a cold voice as he began to walk back to the school. Minerva shook her head and laughed when Severus slowed and offered her his arm.

"How are you?" He asked as they walked through the dark.

"Well rested," she squeezed his arm gently.

"It seems your suspension wasn't the punishment the Ministry might have had in mind for you," he said.

Minerva shrugged. "I missed Hogwarts terribly," she said, admitting that she took her punishment worse than she might let on. "I worried about my students, about the school. Thankfully I had Logan and Lydia; we kept each other sane."

"How is he?" Severus asked.

"Very well," she gave him a slight smile. "He went back to work a few days ago. Desk duty until his Healer gives sign off for him to return to active work."

"At least you know he's safe," Severus glanced over at her.

"For the time being," she smiled. "What have I missed here?"

Severus narrowed his eyes at her. "You should ask Filius," he said. "I have spent the last two months either in my classroom or replenishing all the potions in the infirmary with Madam Pomfrey; that was Dumbledore's form of punishment for me."

"I'd say I got off lightly compared to what you've been through," she laughed.

"Its slave labour," he grumbled, his eyes narrowing.

"You could always give Poppy a list of instructions," Minerva smirked, already anticipating his response. "She's a proficient potion brewer, I'm sure she could manage without your help."

"It's good to see you haven't lost your sense of humour," he said with a sigh.

"Tell me," she said after a moment. "No one has done anything, have they?" She hesitantly asked. "I mean, there aren't any surprise welcome back parties are there?" Severus was quiet. "Are there?"

"What do you think?" He asked, glancing over at her.

Minerva groaned. "Was it Filius? No, it was Ro wasn't it?"

"You know your colleagues well," he smirked. "Perhaps house arrest doesn't seem so bad now?"

"No it doesn't," she laughed. "What have they planned?"

"They are waiting in your quarters," he said. "I was supposed to wait for you at the main doors and send word ahead that you had arrived. But when have I ever taken instruction from Hooch?"

"Not even when you were a student," Minerva mumbled and she ignored his glare.

"In any case, that's why I decided to come here to meet you," he said with a shrug.

"I'm glad that you did," she said softly.

"I only did it so that I wouldn't have to come to that wretched party..."

"Oh no, you don't!" Minerva quickly stepped in front of him, stopping him in his tracks. "If I have to suffer through this gathering then so must you."

Severus tilted his head slightly, his eyes narrowing. "I don't see why I must."

"Friends don't abandon each other at times of great need," she said and watched him look up at the night sky as if thinking about something.

"In that case I do not wish to be friends anymore," he said as he eventually looked back at her.

Minerva gasped in mock horror but she was unable to hide her amusement even as she turned and ran up the steps to the castle. Just as she reached the top, she felt Severus' arms around her and she suddenly found herself being pushed up against the wall. His hands were on her neck, his lips desperately close to hers...

"I cannot be behind closed doors with you tonight," he said, letting her know that he was keeping a distance to respect her rules. But she didn't want to think about rules now. Not tonight. Seeing him again felt like coming full circle. The last few months had been some of the hardest she had ever experienced and while it sometimes felt as though everything had changed, she realised that not much had. Severus was still the same, the school hadn't changed, and her colleagues were still up to the same mischief. Life was continuing around her and now that she was free to live hers again, she wanted at least one night free of rules.

"Why not?" She challenged him.

Severus frowned at her. "You know why," he said and he stepped back from her.

Minerva quickly lifted her hands to his chest and grabbed his robes as she pulled him close again. "I want you by my side," she said looking into his eyes. "Tonight, let us live without rules. Let us live as we wish. Just, please, stay with me tonight. Be with me."

"I will stay as long as you wish," he said softly. "Whenever you need me."

Minerva felt tears well in her eyes and she gave him a slight smile. "You're very good to me," she teased.

"After everything you've been through, you deserve all the good I am able to give."

It wasn't often that Severus spoke so sentimentally but when he did, his words often touched her deeply. Tonight was no different. She pressed her lips to his in a slow, sensual kiss. She wanted him to know how much she appreciated everything he said, everything he had done for her. He was a better man than he believed himself to be.

"We should go in before they all come looking for me," she said with regret.

"If you say so," he reluctantly stepped back but just before he opened the door.

Walking into her quarters after such a long time away felt strange to her. Her colleagues were waiting to greet her with cheers and hugs, while she could hear Ro berating an unconcerned Severus for his lack of warning they were on their way. Minerva scanned the room, looking for the one person she had been wanting to speak to. Filius smiled at her from the other side of the room and she immediately rushed to him.

"My dear girl," Filius gave her warm hug and Minerva felt her emotions swell again at seeing him.

"Hello Filius," she said.

"It's good to have you back," he said as they parted.

"It's good to be back," she swallowed the lump in her throat. "I've been wanting to thank you for looking after Lydia while I was in Russia... for months it's been eating away at me that I wasn't able to say how much I..."

"You don't need to thank me," Filius interrupted her with another warm smile. "I was happy to help and I always will be for a dear friend." He hugged her once more. "I'm just glad you're finally home."

"Home," Minerva smiled as she pulled away. She glanced toward her colleagues and for a moment her eyes lingered on Severus who seemed to be deep in conversation with Pomona.

"He's been at a loss without you," Filius said when he noticed where her attention had fallen. "I'm imagine you were too."

Minerva felt herself blush. "I'm sure he was fine without me," she tore her eyes away from him and turned to look at Filius who was laughing.

"If the Severs we've had over the last three months was the way he'd always be without you, then I hope you will never go away again," he said.

"I won't be going anywhere," she assured him.

It wasn't long before a large glass of wine was pushed into her hand and she found herself being ushered over to the sofa where she was quickly joined by Poppy, Pomona and Ro.

"What in Merlin's name possessed you to do it?" Pomona asked with concern.

"It was brave but I've never known you to be so reckless," Poppy said from the armchair across from them. "You could have been killed."

"I couldn't sit by and do nothing," Minerva said. "He's family..."

"We'd all do anything we could for our families," Ro nodded. "But why didn't you tell us? We could have helped..."

Minerva shook her head. "I knew the risks and I wasn't putting anyone else through that."

"Severus was with you," Pomona raised an eyebrow and Minerva was taken by surprise that they knew.

"Albus told us," Poppy admitted. "Only us, I think maybe so that you had people here who knew what happened. Just in case you wanted to talk..?"

Minerva cleared her throat. Talk was the last thing she really wanted to do but she knew her friends only meant well.

"I didn't want anyone putting themselves at risk," she said returning to the point they had been discussing. "I didn't want to involve Severus but he gave me very little choice," she said truthfully.

"Well, we've been worried sick about you," Poppy said. "Even when you were back at Lailoken, we all wanted to check on you but Albus said we weren't allowed."

"Indeed," Minerva said. "It was part of my suspension that I be forbidden from contacting anyone from the Wizarding World outside my family. Thankfully it meant Peter was able to visit often. "

"And you had Logan and your sister to keep you company," Poppy said with a smile.

"How is Logan?" Pomona asked.

"He's doing much better," Minerva smiled. "He's back at work..."

"So soon?" Poppy looked worried.

"He's on desk duty until he's cleared by his Healer for active work," Minerva explained.

"You must be worried sick about him going back out on missions," Ro said. Minerva noticed Pomona nudge their friend and shake her head slightly.

"I always worry about him," Minerva laughed. "But he's looking forward to getting into his work, the ordeal doesn't seem to have had a lasting effect on him."

"That's the young for you," Pomona said. "They seem to bounce back so easily."

"I think being cooped up in a house with his mother and aunt has aided his eagerness to return to his normal, everyday life," Minerva laughed.

"It's good to have you back," Pomona took hold of her hand and squeezed it tightly. "It hasn't been the same without you."

Minerva smiled at her friend, a wave of relief washed over her as she realised that she was right, nothing had changed between them.

"I always knew you'd be back," a voice said from behind them.

Minerva turned to look at Sybil.

"I saw it. It came to be when you received that awful letter... the inner eye never lies you know."

"And what did it tell you?" Ro rolled her eyes.

"I saw Minerva with her nephew, I the happy reunion. It was really quite beautiful."

Minerva felt her anger building and she found herself standing up to face the other woman. "If your all seeing eye truly had seen what you claim, you would know that Logan was barely conscious when I found him. It wasn't the happy reunion you depicted, it was wrought with fear, anger, anguish. It wasn't a journey of frivolity..." she finally got a hold of her emotions and stopped herself from saying anything else. "Excuse me," she turned to speak to her friends. "I'm rather tired and I should like to head to bed."

Pomona, Ro and Poppy quickly stood up. "Of course," they said. Sybil looked as though she wanted to say something more but Ro quickly peddled her away.

"Goodnight my dear," Filius gave her a hug as the other teachers began to filter out. "Come visit me one night for a game of chess, yes?" Minerva nodded. "You'll make sure she has everything she needs?" His eyes were behind her and Minerva turned to see Severus standing a few feet behind her.

"I will," he nodded.

"Then goodnight to you both," Filius said before he left.

Minerva let out a long breath once the door to her rooms was closed. She turned slowly to look at Severus and gave him a slight smile.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

"Yes," her response was automatic and she caught the way Severus narrowed his eyes. "Overwhelmed," she said truthfully.

"Would you like some tea?" He asked.

"No," she felt restless. "How about a walk?"

Severus nodded and summoned both of their heavy outer robes. Spring was on the horizon at Hogwarts but the nights were still icy.

Once outside Minerva took a deep breath and felt some of her tension dissipate as she let it out.

"Better?" He asked.

"Yes," she said as she started to walk toward the lake. "I've missed walking the grounds." She could feel Severus following closely behind her.

"You were only gone three months," he said quietly.

"It felt longer," she smirked at him over her shoulder. "There's just something about this place. Filius welcomed me home earlier and I suppose it touched something in me. This has always been my home. I feel more relaxed here than at Lailoken..."

"You have happier memories here," he said.

"Maybe," she said quietly.

"Well it can't be the people," he scoffed.

Minerva stopped walking and waited for him to catch up. "Well not everyone," she laughed.

"What happened with Sybil?" His question was somewhat abrupt but not unexpected.

Minerva rolled her eyes and continued their walk, Severus now walking beside her. "Did everyone hear that?"

"No," he replied.

Minerva gave a heavy sigh. "I let her get to me."

"That's not like you," he said sarcastically. They both knew Sybil had a way of getting to her like no other person, teacher or student.

"I think you were right," she laughed. "The people here are rather irksome." She nudged him in the ribs and he smirked. "Speaking of irksome colleagues, I hear you've been a curmudgeon while I was away."

Severus scoffed. "From who?"

"What happened?" She asked, ignoring his question.

Severus was silent for a moment. "It appears I am unable to navigate the social structure of this place without some help," he sounded reluctant to admit it.

"That can't come as a surprise to you..." she smirked at him and he glared at her.

"I thought I had come to understand it," he said. "As it turns out, our colleagues have merely been civil for your sake."

"I don't think that's true," she said.

"Filius and I argued some," he admitted.

"Over what?"

"Something he said."

"That's usually how it starts," Minerva mocked him lightly. "What happened?"

"I took a few meals in my quarters in the first couple of weeks of your leave and he came to see me..." he gave a sigh. "He said I didn't need to hide away because you weren't here..."

"And you told him that a proud Slytherin would never need an insufferable Gryffindor?" She knew him too well.

"Well it's true," he snapped.

"And I never thought this insufferable Gryffindor would ever need a Slytherin..." she pulled him to a stop and they turned to look at each other. "And yet here we are."

She watched Severus stare at her, his eyes shinning under the watchful full moon. She felt his hand touch her jaw and she closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of his thumb stroking her skin gently.

"I'm glad to have someone with which I can have an intellectual conversation with," he said after a moment. Minerva laughed and pushed him away.

"You are the one who is insufferable!" she exclaimed. Severus caught her waist and pulled her back to him. His arms circled her waist as he hugged her tightly.

"I'm glad to have you back," he whispered as he buried his head into her neck and took a deep breath. She realised then what he was doing, what he had done when she hugged him when she first arrived... he was smelling her. The thought sent a jolt through her lower stomach, a tingle between her legs. He stepped back all of a sudden, releasing her even quicker than he had grabbed.

"Severus?" She watched him turn and walk away, he kept his back toward her as he took a few breaths.

"Let's keep going," he began walking and didn't even glance around to check that she was following.

Minerva smirked to herself and walked after him.

"It feels odd to have missed Christmas and New Year," she said as she strode toward the lake's edge. "How was it?"

"Fine."

Minerva turned back to see Severus watching her, his arms folded over his chest. "Do you wish to head back?" she asked.

"We can stay as long as you wish," he shrugged.

"And what is it you wish for?" she asked him. Severus stared at her a moment longer before shrugging again. "You seem distracted... am I keeping you from something?" she asked.

"No," Severus lowered his arms. "It's just... I have questions..."

Minerva lowered her eyes to the ground and nodded. She knew this was coming but she thought she might have a little time to enjoy the night before they sat down. "Shall we go back inside?" He shook his head. "Alright..." she pulled out her wand and transfigured a hollowed out tree stump into a bench for them to sit on. She took a seat and conjured a fire to keep them warm. "We might as well get comfortable, I have a feeling this could take some time."

Severus frowned at her words. "We can call it a night if you do not wish to answer my questions," his tone let on that he wasn't pleased with what she said.

"I didn't mean..." she shook her head. "Come sit down, ask me whatever you please and I will try my best to answer it."

Severus did as she instructed and sat down beside her. "Why did you keep my name out of the report?" he asked. "Everyone knows I was there, the whole reason you knew where to look for him is because I told you."

"You already have enough against your name," she said. "I didn't want this to go on your record too."

"I don't need protecting," his eyes flashed dangerously in the glowing light of the fire. "Don't ever try to protect me. Not even now."

Minerva sighed, she knew that he had seen straight through her lies and thought back to Peter's words. He deserves to know the truth. "Albus asked me to keep your name out of it," she said.

"Why?"

"You should ask him that," she said.

"I want to hear it from you," he leaned forward, propping his elbows on his knees. "I want the truth from you."

"That is all the truth I have for you," she promised him. "He came to me when we were in the hospital with Logan. You had already been sent back to Hogwarts and Albus had come to escort me to the Ministry. He asked me to keep your name out of the statement I was due to give to the official Ministry Representatives. I suspected then, and still do, that it had something to do with the Death Eaters and what you did out there..."

"I told you that wasn't me..."

"I know," she touched her hand to the back of his head and gently stroked his hair. "I know you were merely playing a role but if Albus wishes for you to do more work for him, you need to keep your name away from anything relating to fighting Death Eaters."

"But you lied..." he shook his head. "You told them you stole the information from Mad-Eye... you were punished because you lied and kept my name out of the proceedings. That will forever be on your record."

"I would have been punished no matter what I said," she said with a shrug. "But even if my punishment had been lessened by telling them what really happened, I wouldn't have done it any other way." He didn't look very pleased with her response. "Albus' request aside, I would have kept your name out of it anyway."

"Why?" He narrowed his eyes.

"I was glad you were by my side during that time," she said truthfully. "But you know I didn't want you to come, this was my choice and you should have never been involved..."

"It was my choice to involve myself," Severus jumped up and began to pace. "I can take care of myself so you shouldn't try to protect me."

"This wasn't about protecting you," she gave a frustrated sigh. "I was taking responsibility for what I did, it was my actions, my selfish needs that led to us rushing off to Russia to find Logan. I didn't do it to protect you... I did what Albus wanted because it was also what I wanted." Severus looked as though he wanted to argue the point even more so she held up her hand to stop him. "We could argue this all night but we're just going around in circles..."

Severus stopped his pacing and turned to look at her. "Why did you offer your resignation?"

Minerva was surprised. She had asked Albus to keep her letter secret and it was unlike him to break his word. She had not expected Severus to know. "Did Albus tell you?"

Severus scoffed. "Of course not," he sneered. "I overheard him telling Filius."

Filius had stepped in as Deputy Headmaster while she was suspended so it made sense that Albus had discussed it with him. She only wished that they had been more careful. "I didn't want you to know..."

Severus frowned at her. "What if they had accepted it?" He was angrier than Minerva had ever seen him. "Were you just going to walk away? Serve your suspension and then never come back?"

"Severus..." her stomach twisted into knots but she didn't know what to say to him.

"Would you have told me or would you have let Albus inform me along with the rest of the staff?"

"Of course I would have told you..." she felt her eyes fill with tears.

"How? You were forbidden from contacting anyone..."

"I would have found a way," she got to her feet and stepped toward him.

"Bullshit!" He spat at the ground by her feet, stopping her in her tracks. "You would have walked away, just like everyone else in my life has done..."

Minerva felt her heart break and she couldn't hold back her tears any longer. "I meant what I said Severus," she said. "You are family to me, you are part of me..."

"Then why do this?" He marched toward her and grasped her arms tightly, shaking her slightly. "Why did you want to leave?"

"I felt guilty," she cried. "I felt I had let Albus down, the school... I dragged you half way around the world and then I lied at my Ministry interview... it was guilt. I deserved to be punished more than I was..."

"Stop being so damn noble!" He shouted at her. Minerva leaned forward and let her head rest against his shoulder as she cried. It was only then that Severus wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly against him.

"I never wanted you to know," she said through her tears. "I was ashamed. My guilt made me weak, made me second guess everything and I felt I no longer deserved this life. I regretted writing the letter as soon as I sent it but it was too late."

"Would you have ever told me? Even if I had not heard Albus talking about it?"

Minerva considered his words a moment. "Yes, I would have eventually," she lifted her head to look at him. Seeing the anger in his eyes made her heart ache and she pulled away from him. "I'm tired," she said as she magicked away everything she had conjured up. "I think I'll head back," she said as she began to walk back to the castle, knowing even before he spoke that he wasn't going with her.

"Good night Minerva," he said quietly behind her.

"Good night Severus."

Minerva cried silently on her way back to her quarters. She had offered Albus her resignation at a time when she felt so low, she was ashamed how deep she fallen into a dark pit of despair. She didn't want Severus to see that, to see what the trauma of almost losing Logan had done to her. She didn't want him to know what the Coven magic had done to her strength, how it had made her weak both mentally and physically.

"Welcome home my lady," Leander greeted her from his portrait. "I would have said it earlier but your colleagues got to you before I could say it."

Minerva smiled at him. "Hello Leander," she said.

"Are you well?" He asked, his painted eyes creasing with concern. "You seem upset."

"I'm just tired," she lied to him. "It's been a long day and this evening has been overwhelming. A little emotional."

Leander gave her a handsome smile, missing the lie in her words. "Teensy ran you a bath," he said as he opened the door for her. "I can have her bring you some tea if you wish?"

"No thank you," she said as she made her way into her quarters. Teensy had obviously been in already and cleaned everything up after her welcome home party. "The bath sounds wonderful though," she gave a slight smile before heading to her bathroom.

She undressed slowly, letting the steam in her bathroom cling to her skin and warm her. As she sank down into the hot water she felt some of her tension fade away, but the very last of her resolve went with it and before she could stop herself, she began to cry again.

There was some relief that she felt now Severus knew everything but the way they had left things made her feel uneasy. Given that he didn't follow her back, she was afraid that things had changed between them. She knew Severus must have felt betrayed by her but she hoped for forgiveness... she would continue to hope for it. She pulled her legs to her chest and hugged them, she rested her forehead on her knees and watched her tears drip into the water.

She heard the door to the bathroom open and she closed her eyes tightly, not wanting to look up in case the person she hoped to see wasn't there. She felt a towel lift around her back to cover the scars she never let anyone see. She held her breath as she felt him climb into the bath, and she hugged her knees tighter, curling in on herself even more as she felt him step around and then sit down behind her.

His hands were on her arms, his touch so gentle as he pulled her toward him. With a sob Minerva unfolded herself and allowed him to guide her body until she snuggled against his chest, with her head rested against his shoulder.

"I'm sorry," she whispered against his neck.

She felt Severus press a kiss to her forehead but he didn't say anything. His arms held her securely, protectively and she knew that while he was still angry, he had forgiven her. She lifted her hands to touch his arms, to hold him back as best she could.

She wanted to stay like that forever. Just the two of them, taking comfort in each other and sharing their strength. She knew she had hurt him but she could feel his affection for her in his arms, in the steady beat of his heart, in the soft kisses he placed against her skin. She knew she would need to open herself up to him completely if they were to keep what they had. She had to be honest with him but the feelings of doubt and shame were too new and she knew she wasn't ready to talk yet. She hoped, as she focused on the way his lips felt against her skin, that he would wait for her.


And there you have it! Thank you so much for reading and please remember to let me know what you think.

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