She was pacing back and forth in front of the Gryffindor common room, her hair falling out of its usual constraints. Pomona hadn't expected her friend to be anywhere else. When she had gone to check on her own students, especially since it was a member of their own house that had been lost, she knew her presence wasn't going to change what had happened. She took her role as Head of Hufflepuff seriously, but nobody lived it the way Minerva did.

"Min, get some rest."

When her friend looked up, Pomona could see the exhaustion in her eyes. She hadn't cried yet, and Pomona knew she wouldn't cry in front of any of the staff. Minerva was stronger than they'd ever be "I really should be here just in case."

"What benefit are you to them if you're half alive?"

"If anything happens to another student…"

Pomona moved to stand beside her friend and put a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it. She was thinner than she remembered. Pomona grimaced at the feel of her friend's boney shoulder beneath her hand. "My dear, you can't do this to yourself. They need you, yes. But, they need you rested and calm."

"I'm fine, Pomona."

"For someone so committed to loyalty, you sure don't have a problem with lying." Turning around, Pomona saw that the sarcastic remark had come from Severus.

As Severus approached, Pomona saw Minerva's face and shoulders relax slightly. Pomona smiled at this, hoping Severus could talk sense into her. It was rare she saw them interact in any manner other than professional. They were both extremely private people. Small moments where Pomona had a peak into their dynamics outside of teaching were something she had grown to appreciate. "Severus…"

Severus looked awful. His robes were dirty and torn and his face held the same exhaustion as Minerva's. From the way he walked towards them, Pomona could see he was limping slightly. Bruises were on parts of his face, clearly going to be darker as the hours passed. Minerva's face fell as he came into closer view, and Pomona felt her stomach turn at the sight of him. Yet, the moment he laid eyes on Minerva, concern was written across his face. "What is she doing now, Pomona?"

"She refuses to retire for the night," Pomona replied hesitantly, trying not to show her obvious concern for his state. Severus's duties, she knew, had always extended far beyond teaching.

"If you two hadn't noticed, I'm standing right here." Minerva turned to Severus. "I'm here simply in case something happens. It's best I keep watch on them." She stopped, seeming to suddenly notice Severus's disheveled appearance. She reached a handout and stroked his check. "Your face…were you with him?"

"Mm," he nodded, making his way beside her. Pomona tried not to gasp, knowing him had to mean the Dark Lord. She knew it wasn't her place to ask, but she felt her heart begin to beat quickly. Severus placed a hand on Minerva's. "You can be there for them from your rooms. They know where you live."

She yanked away, her voice slightly hysterical. "I'm not going to just hide in my rooms. A student just died on my watch! And You Know Who is rampant, look what he did to you!" She pressed a hand to her stomach, and Pomona thought for a moment that Minerva was going to vomit. "I'm a teacher, the Deputy Headmistress, and if comes anywhere near the castle-," As her voice trailed off, a single tear slid down her face as a small sob escaped her.

"I don't need to hear it again, Min," Severus said, putting a hand up. His voice was more tired than sharp. Severus looked at Pomona as if asking for help.

"I've been friends with her since we were young, and I still don't know how to change her mind."

Severus nodded. Once again, he reached out towards her, but this time he put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her into a hug. Pomona couldn't remember the last time she saw them hug in front of her. Minerva's face fell to his chest as if it was instinctive. "I have yet to check on my students," he said softly, his nose buried in her hair. He pulled away from her slightly, so they were looking at each other and cupped her cheek with his hand. "Will you do it for me? You know I'm not good at this…comforting shit with children."

"Of course, they may need someone to talk to." Severus and Pomona exchanged a glance. He shrugged slightly. Pomona knew pulling her away from the common room was at least a good start to get her to bed.

As they walked away, Minerva turned around and said, "Get some rest, Pomona."

"Take your own damn advice," Pomona muttered, making her way towards her own rooms.

The sight of her student's dead body woke Pomona up with a start. She felt herself sweating and got up to get a drink of water. As she let the liquid slide down her throat, she felt tears slipping her eyes. Any time anything happened to a student, it was horrible. Cedric had been a kind young man and she had always enjoyed him in her classes. Yet, his death meant so much more than that. Voldemort was back. There was no denying it. She wasn't thick enough to believe he wasn't. Somehow, they all had always known he wasn't truly gone. The last decade or so had been a nice break from it all, but the darkness had never really been over.

Pomona felt the tears come faster and faster down her cheeks as she thought back to losing her own brother back in the war. He'd been innocent, like Cedric, caught up in the middle of a situation he had no business being in. Cedric's death brought back all those memories. Knowing sleep wasn't going to come for some time, Pomona threw on a dressing gown and decided to take a walk to tire herself out. It was practically still the middle of the night so no students would be out of bed.

The castle was always eerie at night. The dead silence of the halls with only the faint flicker of candles made it somewhere that could be hard to navigate in the dark. Pomona decided she would just walk down a few halls to see if she could exhaust herself before getting a little bit more sleep before the next morning. With a death of a student, there were bound to be many letters from concerned parents, trying to get their children home as soon as possible. It would mean all hands-on deck, especially for the Heads of houses. She wanted to be as put together as she could be.

As Pomona rounded the corner to where Gryffindor tower was, she stopped in her tracks. Lying on the floor, propped up against the portrait entrance was Minerva, sound asleep. She was still in her teaching robes, her hair lying against her shoulders, her head on Severus's chest. Beside her sat Severus, also sound asleep, still scowling even with his eyes closed. His arm was protectively around her. They had seen them flirty, angry, but Pomona had never seen them so vulnerable. So, this was a peak into what their relationship was really like? As sweet as the sight was, Pomona knew that they would have to move before the students were out and about. Not wanting to wake up Minerva, she shook Severus gently until his eyes shot open, a look of panic on his face. Pomona put a calming hand on his shoulder, trying to show him he was safe. "Oh, Merlin, what time is it?" he muttered, rubbing his eyes.

"Early enough nobody saw you," Pomona replied.

"She refused to leave this fucking hallway."

Both looked at Minerva who hadn't stirred. "She needs to sleep."

"My back needs a bed."

Pomona watched as Severus pulled his arm from around her and, in her sleep, Minerva reached out and gripped his arm. Though it faded quickly, Pomona swore she saw a sad smile brush across his lips. "When's the last time she slept that heavily?"

"Not in some time," he said flatly. "I slipped her something halfway through the night- a simple sleeping drought. It should wear off in a few hours. It looks like I fell asleep waiting for it to take effect."

Severus stood and then reached down to pick her up, adjusting her so he could carry her. "She would kill you if she knew you were carrying her to her rooms like this."

"Wouldn't be the first time," he said, smirking slightly.

Pomona widened her eyes. Had Severus just made a sexual joke? Or was she spending too much time with Rolanda? The out of character remark, if it was meant to be taken that way, made Pomona smile. Together, with her staff, her family, she hoped they could brace the upcoming darkness. "I'm worried about her," she said after a few moments of silence.

"Me too," he admitted softly. One of his hands reached out and brushed the hair out of her face, almost as if he forgot Pomona was standing there. With that, he turned and began towards her rooms.

"Severus," Pomona found herself calling out. He turned back around to face her. "Thank you…for…taking care of her for us. All these years…we've never appreciated this relationship and what it's meant for the both of you…for that, I'm sorry. We need her, and she needs you, now more than ever."

The dark man nodded uncomfortably. "This area really isn't my strong suit…"

"There's no need to say anything." Pomona smiled slightly.

Severus sighed. "I…times are changing."

Pomona motioned to his bloodstained clothes. "We all knew it was a matter of time. I won't ask; I don't want to know what it is you do, or what you're going to do."

"Thank you."

"Lean on us, Severus."

He looked surprised, and Pomona realized it was the first real conversation she'd had with the man in over a decade. "Don't get soft on me, Pomona."

"A moment of weakness."

"Very Hufflepuff of you." Severus began back down the hall, and Pomona continued her walk until she heard her name again. Turning around, he still clutched Minerva in his arms, but his face was contorted with a nervousness she hadn't seen before. "Minerva is…stubborn."

"Indeed." She let him continue, seeing he was struggling to find words.

"Look after her…all of you…"

"Of course." The raw emotion in his voice was something Pomona appreciated, the real Severus was across from her, even if it was only for this one exchange. "I always have."