I don't own Harry Potter
I am in New York, working from home so still pretty much a regular schedule. I however find myself working on this story wat more than before. As always please keep reading and reviewing . Stay safe people!
Chapter 52
He apparated to Hogsmeade. Tom trekked to the castle. He arrived in good time. The caretaker opened the doors for him. He nodded at him and made his way to the Great Hall. There were a few kids eating late dinner. He saw professor Slughorn.
"Tom. How wonderful to see you! Dumbledore stated that there would be a ministry official. I never thought he would ask you." The man laughed and clapped him on the back.
"I must say, I am surprised you made time for your old professors." The man said. Tom smiled. "Professor, you know better than anyone how busy I am at present but I always make time for my friends. Did you receive the crystallized pineapple I sent you?"
The older man laughed and clapped his back. "You were always my favorite. Now, Tom, Albus has equipped a room near the dungeons for you. I daresay it will be a very productive weekend.
Tom smiled and went into the room. It looked like his old dorm but it was more spacious and there were no drapes around his bed. He unpacked and fortified himself. He was not meet the faculty for breakfast and then lecture the Ravenclaw seventh years. He would spend an hour with them. He was then supposed to meet with the Gryffindor fifth years. Then he would have lunch and do the same for Gryffindor seventh years and the Ravenclaw fifth years. Tom would then have the afternoons to answer questions and spend time in the restricted section. Tom asked for permission after accepting. He almost canceled the seminar when Dumbledore showed hesitance. Tom got his way.
He stepped out of the dungeons and into the Great Hall. Tom smiled at some students and moved confidently. He took his place near the edge of the table. Minerva was nowhere in sight. She appeared almost by the end of breakfast time. He was surprised to see her look so different. Minerva was always slender but she looked tired, older, almost lifeless. She looked at him briefly and then pursued her lips. Minerva sat by the Headmaster. Tom tried to catch her eyes once more but Minerva refused to look at his direction, it was as if that side of the table disappeared for her. Tom did not dare to speak to her just yet. He would try his hand during lunch.
The morning went as expected. There was a Ravenclaw girl who appeared genuinely interested on joining the ministry but not as a law assistant. The girl wanted to be an auror. Tom gave her appropriate information and then answered a few polite questions. He hoped to have better luck with the Gryffindors that afternoon. The fifth years were all bright eyed and unsure. A few looked anxious about the upcoming OWLs. It was a wasted morning. He could have stayed at work. It was just like Dumbledore to pull something as silly as this so called seminar.
"Tom, come along." Slughorn hovered around him and sat between him and his path to Minerva. He was surprised when she did not appear.
"I beg your pardon, where is professor McGonagall?" Tom asked as he finished his meal.
"Most strange, she is usually very punctual." Slughorn then trailed off and told him one of his anecdotes. Tom smiled politely. She avoided him, it became clear when he entered the DADA classroom. The Gryffindors were seated. A young redhead stood up.
"Good afternoon Mr. Snape. I am Randall Fisher. Professor McGonagall is busy with other affairs and charged me with your introduction to our class." The boy then launched into a brief speech.
Tom smiled and lectured the young men. He was not surprised that more than a few asked for more information and brochures. It appeared they all wanted to become aurors. A few stayed after their time and asked for more details about the magical law department but wilted when he said how many years they would have to spend assisting warlocks.
The man then received the young Ravenclaws who were concerned about OWLs and their future but were too intimidated with the prospect of a job in the ministry to really take things in. Tom moved to the library and started to look at the books he coveted when he was a seventh year himself. He began his research and spent dinner time in the library. Tom was immersed in books and possibilities. He wanted to know more about time traveling and his parents' inability to age. He scoured the ministry for books and exchanged favors to enter the department of mysteries but there were no findings. He decided to take up the little project after seeing his parents during Christmas break. His parents looked younger than ever. It concerned him, would it happen that one day, he would look older than them? Tom needed to know. He was unlucky that night. There was only once incident reported in a book. A wizard who travelled an hour and lost all his hair. The ministry did not have any information on any time travel.
He missed dinner and had an elf bring him some tea and crackers. He was not allowed to take any books outside the library. He slept fitfully and paced around the room. He could go and see her. She was the transfiguration teacher. She should sleep in one of the towers. It would just take him some time to find his way around the stairs. It would need to be within the Gryffindor Tower. She was the head of house too. Tom pondered for few hours. What would he say to her? Minerva did not look happy to see him. He stayed in his quarters and decided to approach her the following day. It would be a Saturday and he had the afternoon and Sunday off. Dumbledore insisted that he stay for the whole weekend in case some of the students had lingering questions.
He woke up to breakfast. Minerva was nowhere to be found once more. Tom lectured the Hufflepuffs and Slytherins together as there were not many of each that year. The three Slytherins and five Hufflepuffs listened attentively, a Slytherin received the pamphlets and smiled at him. "I will reach out to you. You may know my older brother, Antonin."
Tom nodded, "of course, we were old classmates. How is Antonin?" Tom of course knew that Dolohov was abroad. He had been in Eastern Europe a little after Grindelwald's fall.
"Very well, he's married now. A baby on the way." The girl said and flashed him a bright smile. "Tony always spoke wonderful things about you. I'd like to know you better." The girl grabbed his arm and spoke lowly. She was a pretty girl, black hair, blue eyes and tall.
Tom shook his head and smiled politely, "I am sure we will see each other once you work for the ministry."
She smiled, "you are the biggest reason why I am joining." She winked and walked away.
Tom shook his head and joined the faculty for lunch. He had the opportunity to talk to Dumbledore. "Headmaster, may I ask? Where is Minerva?"
"Hogsmeade. She volunteered to watch the students. She is due back in a few hours." The man said politely.
Tom smiled and left the hall. It was the perfect time. He would look for her. Tom trekked to town but there she was nowhere. He asked a few students who replied that they had not seen her. He worried that something happened to her when he saw her turn an alley.
"Minnie." He yelled and ran to catch up to her.
"Do not call me that." She said and walked briskly.
Tom walked alongside her, "Minerva, we have to talk."
"Mr. Snape, I would appreciate that you keep away from me." She said coldly and went to separate a young couple.
"Stebbins, Rusher, step away from each other ten points from Ravenclaw."
She walked away. Tom could not make a scene. She would have to go back to the castle. Tom walked behind her.
He spied when she turned to the left towers and followed her. "I have to talk to you. Meet me in the Come and Go room tonight." He said.
"You and I have nothing to talk about." Minerva bit and walked up the stairs leading to her tower.
"I will wake the castle. I know this is your tower. I will go door by door yelling your name. I will talk to Dumbledore and tell him about that time when you and I had sex in his classroom after hours and then I will tell him that you let me inside the Gryffindor common room and your dorm every night after they separated us our seventh year." Tom said seriously.
Minerva's mouth became a straight line. "You would not dare."
"I would. You know I will. I have nothing to lose and I know how much you care about the old fool. It is frankly pathetic how much you care about what he thinks of you." Tom goaded her. He felt faint when there were no flashing lights behind her eyes. He hurt her with his words.
"Minnie, I'm sorry." He began but Minerva walked away. "I will only see you tonight. You and I are done." She said and left him at the foot of the stairs.
Tom did not go to his quarters. He went straight to the come and go room and concentrated on going back to their room. The room they used for their encounters that seventh year. He smiled and waited. It was a few hours before Minerva entered the room.
She wore the same robes. Minerva was displeased and the room changed its nature, it became white, there was a wooden desk and two chairs. She sat in front of him. "Out with it. What do you need?"
"I'm sorry." He said honestly.
Minerva nodded and stood up, "Good evening Mr. Snape."
Tom looked at her retreating form, "I miss you terribly." He called out before she turned the door to leave.
"I find that hard to believe." Minerva did not look back and tried to open the door once more. Tom stood up and turned her.
"I'm sorry. We can go back. We can be friends again. I will do anything. Anything to erase this year." He said quickly.
Minerva pushed him away. "I wrote to you every week for months. I tried to see you. I begged for you to come to Hogsmeade and you stayed away."
Tom could only repeat, "I'm sorry."
"Well, it isn't enough." She bit and tried to leave once more.
"What about the way you hurt me?" He lashed out. "What about all these years? What about the fact that I have repeatedly told you that I love you and yet you refuse to give us a chance?" He said softly.
Minerva flinched, "I was always clear. I am not in love with you."
"Why?" Tom asked, genuinely curious as to why not they could not love each other.
She stayed quiet and looked away.
Tom deflated, "I met him."
Minerva frowned, "what did you do to him?"
Tom laughed, "why? Nothing. I happened to go out with his sister. I looked into his mind." Tom then looked into her mind and showed her what was in his.
"You're not allowed to do that." Minerva said shrilly. She pushed him away.
"I am allowed as many liberties as I'd like. He took you away from me." Tom continued. "He's happy. His wife is expecting another of his children. She looks nothing like you. He cared for you but he did not love you. Not like I love you."
Minerva was red with anger, "how dare you? Of all the things you've done and said to me. This is the cruelest. I have no more words for you Mr. Snape." She opened the door.
He did not want this to be the end. He rushed to her once more. "Minerva, please don't leave me. I couldn't stand it. I can't sleep. I can't stop thinking about you. I dream about you. I can't stop, I miss you so much it hurts. I miss our talks. We can be friends. I can learn to be content with your friendship. I will not ask you for anything else. I am sorry. Minerva please."
She shook her head, "you left me first. You pull away from me. I will not to this dance anymore. I am better without you."
Tom frowned. "I deserve a hug. I deserve goodbye. We both do." He said desperately, trying to buy time. She was lying, she barely slept at night and she lost weight. They both looked horrible.
Minerva hesitated and then hugged him. Tom breathed her in. "Please don't. Minnie, I know you are not fine. You don't look fine and I miss you so much it aches. Please stop, don't be cross with me anymore. Forgive me. I will never ignore your letters again. My offer stands. I give up. I need to be your friend again." He said while his voice broke. There was so much grief behind his words. He would settle, he would learn to not desire her. He would learn to not feel the sparks every time they touched. He needed to be in her life, as anything. He needed to be near her. He loved her deeply and would take anything.
Minerva kissed his neck. "I miss you so much."
Tom couldn't help it. He kissed her gently and then kissed her eyes and cheeks. Minerva responded to him. She then kissed him with a little force. He was taken aback by her reaction.
"I've thought about what I would do when I saw you again. I did not know about the seminar. Imagine my surprise when you showed up." She kissed him again.
"I felt the happiest I've been in years. It scared me how much I wanted to see you and how happy I felt when I saw your stupid smirk. I asked Albus to leave for the weekend. I was afraid of looking at you, talking to you. These feelings I have for you. They are overwhelming. I am so angry. I was determined to hurt you and say goodbye forever and now, you near me. I can't think, I can only think of smelling you, being with you. I hate that you kept me away. I hate that I did not take you up on this sooner." She said and undid his tie.
Tom kissed her neck and undid the bun she had. "I want to be inside of you." He rasped and tried to undo his clothes and her clothes at the same time.
Minerva kissed him some more. "I want you inside." They kissed and undressed at lightning speed. Her body changed. She was still very slim but her breasts were not as perky and there was a bit of a belly. He loved her. Minerva sat on his lap and they kissed and touched until he felt her grind down on his erection. He shuddered when she started moving over him. She clenched around him, Minerva kissed his neck and hugged him to her. She moved up and down slowly, determined to take her pleasure. Tom caressed her back and enjoyed when she made those kittenish noises. He felt her come around him and moved her hips. Minerva slumped over him. He turned them and moved inside of her until he felt his orgasm. He slipped out her and exploded on her belly. Minerva shook and pulled her to her side. "Thank you." He whispered and kissed her once more.
He kissed her some more and his fingers traced some patterns on her lower belly. "I don't think I can stay away." She said as they kissed some more. Minerva bit his lip. "I have been miserable for months without you. I can give you this. I care for you deeply. I love you. Not like a girlish crush. I love you so much it hurts when you stay away. I understand that now."
Tom blinked and kissed her with ferocity. "It's all I ask. You said that I wanted the house, the kids, the family. You are wrong. I want you just you. I am extremely selfish Minnie." He parted her inner lips and began to play. "I don't want to share you with anyone."
Minerva moaned and kissed him some more. "No kids. No wedding, no papers advertising our relationship." She said while touching him too.
Tom growled and rubbed her thigh. "Marriage for sure. You and I get legally married, we live together. Hogsmeade, you and I make the abandoned house habitable. No kids, just us and we leave on vacation for Yule break, spend it with my parents abroad."
Minerva kissed him, "I go with you every other Christmas. We spend the other ones with my family."
Tom nodded, "I get summers then. We go to see my parents those years we stay in Scotland. We get a month for the two of us. We travel or stay whichever you like."
Minerva nodded, "I was serious Tom. I have no desire for children. I work around them all the time and the idea of taking care of one is not appealing."
Tom was distracted kissing her middle and then diving into her. He looked up, "I don't want children. I never have. Minerva, I only want you for myself. I want to be the only person you love best."
Minerva smiled and pushed him down. Tom worshipped her and the she took care of him.
"I like coming inside of you." He said and performed a quick contraceptive spell on him.
"I'm not getting on the potion." She said once he moved in and out of her. "Horace is too nosey and I am far too impatient to make them."
Tom moaned and grabbed her thigh, "I'll make it for you."
"You are far too busy." She met his thrusts one by one.
"Fuck. I'll fucking make it I swear. I'm not losing us." He growled and plowed into her.
He was breathless when he heard her laugh. "I'm never letting you go Minnie. You are stuck with me forever."
Minerva laughed, "when can we move into our home?"
