Disclaimer: Do not own the Wonderful World of Harry Potter… not making any money from my writings…DO NOT LIKE that Rowling has killed Sirius Black and have chosen to pointedly ignore that certain part, allowing him to make an appearance here…

Note to readers: your reviews are only welcome in these types of formats: praise, gushing, skepticism, flames, anger, denial, repulse/disgust, and I suppose constructive criticism can be entertained as well…

A/N: Warning: Snape/McGonagall appearance starting from this chapter, will get worse as story progresses, or as worst can be without increasing the ratings. Also be prepared for unorthodox reaction of Harry towards Snape and Snape's unSnapeish behavior

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WARNING! INTENSE S/M FLUFF HERE! NOT FOR THE WEAK MINDED…. Hehehe… I love exaggerations; it adds so much color to one's drabby life… ;-)

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She hesitated slightly outside his door. Memories of the last time she had been there resurfaced. It had only been a week. Taking a deep breath, she rapped her knuckles against the wall. Seconds later the anaconda came to life and formed a door, which parted slightly. She pushed it open further and saw him in the corner unpacking his boxes. His whole room was littered with boxes and packing materials.

"Severus?" she said tentatively. He didn't look up, but his movements faltered for a minute. She took it as a sign to come in. she walked into the room she knew so well, and turned to close the door. It was slightly stuck and refused to close. She tried again and it swung shut easily.

"Severus, I have your letter of reinstation," she said softly. He reached out and took it from her. She lingered on. Lost in their thoughts, neither heard a cupboard door slowly creak open and shut.

"So were you going somewhere?" she asked then mentally slapped herself. What a stupid question, Minerva!

"Didn't think I'd get acquitted," he grunted half heartedly. In the cupboard Harry was beginning to fume. Stupid git! What did he want from her? A letter of apology from the queen? [Harry]

"Well, you have been, so you can begin teaching again tomorrow," she continued. He didn't answer. Inside the cupboard, Harry nearly hexed Snape if Jessica hadn't taken his wand away.

Minerva sighed. She was getting nowhere. He was too angry. They could never be friends again. She turned towards the door. Suddenly he spoke up.

"Minerva what are you hiding from me?" he asked softly, fingering the parchment, his eyes staring fixedly on words he didn't see. She stopped, her hands on the doorknob. But she didn't turn around.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Severus," she replied.

"You never believed the girl's story. You didn't believe I was guilty of her accusations," he said. She still didn't turn around.

"Severus, you don't know what you're talking about," her voice still impassive.

"I do know that if you had believed what you saw, I'd be out of here faster than you can blink. The only reason why I am, was, facing trial is because you gave the ministry your vote of confidence. It goes deeper than this doesn't it? Something that you can't trust to tell me. And that hurts, Minerva, much more than you believing me to be a cradle snatcher," he said. Minerva let out a cynical laugh.

"Cradle snatcher. How appropriate you should use that term. You're not the cradle snatcher, I am," she said bitterly and finally turned to look at him, her eyes wet with unshed tears.

"Look at me, Severus, look at us. I'm having a liaison with someone half my age, not just any liaison, a sexual liaison," she cried. He moved closer, but she held out her hand to stop him.

"Minerva, I'm a fully grown man. What we're doing is not illegal. I..." he said but she held up her hands to her ears.

"Please don't say it. It's wrong. I used to teach you in seventh year! You were my student!" she continued.

"And now I'm your colleague. Things are different. Please Minerva…" he pleaded. Severus Snape had never pleaded, not even for mercy upon his life, but to have Minerva McGonagall back in his arms, in his life, he would walk through a sea of fire on his knees. Minerva inhaled deeply. This was a bad idea. She should have never agreed with Albus. Her whole body ached to be near Severus again, but her mind resisted. If only she had listened to it from the beginning, she wouldn't be in this mess.

"No, Severus. It ends here, we mustn't continue," she said softly, turning back to the door. One minute her hands were on the doorknob, the next they were pressed against his chest. His arms were wrapped tightly around her waist, his dark eyes piercing deeply into hers.

"How dare you use the summoning charm on me?!" she hissed. Anything to stop herself from melting in his arms. Oh, how wonderful it felt to have him hold her again. But Severus wasn't buying her angry damsel routine. He caught her mouth in a hungry kiss, his tongue softly parting her lips. The two tongues met in a rhythm they knew so well and had deprived each other for so long. He felt her shudder in ecstasy in his arms as he gently nipped her bottom lip. But just as he thought he had her back, she proved to be made of sterner and stubborn stuff. She pulled back and released herself from his grip moving as far as she could with her wobbly legs. The two looked at each other for a while, both flushed, both panting hard, her swollen lips pink and moist, his eyes dark with desire. Then her fortress crumbled. She dropped to her knees, her shoulders shaking, hot tears streaming down her cheeks. He picked her up in one quick movement and placed himself on the worn out armchair, her on his lap, her head cradled against his shoulder.

"Shh," he said, his voice soothing. He released her hair from its tight bun and stroked it gently.

"Minerva, please don't shut me out," he pleaded softly. Minerva's sobbing slowly eased and finally she stopped. She removed her head from his shoulder and looked at his face. The face that she loved so much.

"Has anyone been making snide or derogatory remarks about us?" he asked. She shook her head.

"No. Albus said once that the teachers have been commenting that it's about time we used our zeal in something else besides fighting over quidditch timetables," she said, laughing through her tears. Severus smiled also, and ran his fingers though her hair. It was so soft, small curls framing her face, causing her to look much younger than the strict old woman she tried to be.

"So…" he said, to encourage her. Her laughter died and she looked sad.

"When I saw you with that girl," she began but he interrupted.

"I was never with that girl. She threw herself at me. I nearly cursed her when you walked in," he said. She smiled a little and planted a soft kiss on his lips.

"Darling, don't interrupt, it's rude," she said as if she were addressing a small boy. He just grunted and let her continue.

"At first I was really angry. She's minor for heavens sake. Then the thought struck me. Oh god, what I'm doing was no different than what I had thought you were doing," she continued. He opened his mouth to protest but she shook her head, so he shut it back.

"I felt awful. The dark era had ended. You were free, you should be with someone your age, get married, have children," she said, and then sighed. As for Severus, he just looked at her, completely baffled.

"You're kidding right?" he asked, his tone incredulous.

"What?"

"Me? Children? Are you trying to drive me to an early death? I've had enough children to handle right here," she laughed at his statement.

"I guess you're right,"

"And about getting married to someone 'my age'. How incredibly boring, especially when I'm actually living my schoolboy fantasy, unlike many other boys," he said. She looked curious.

"What schoolboy fantasy?"

"Having an affair with my teacher, of course. It may be twenty years too late but still," he replied, his tone teasing. She laughed again, and then snuggled against his shoulder.

"Minerva, I have no regrets. I don't want a life if it doesn't include you," he said, his tone serious. She just sighed again, lost for words. Who would've though she'd be having the romance of her life at such a late age?

"And also thank you for believing in me, when Albus told me what you did, it made the pain a little more bearable," he said again.

"Once common sense kicked in, I knew she had to be lying. You would never do something like that," she said. They shared a kiss.

He suddenly got up and set McGonagall to her feet. He took his wand and dimmed the lights (as if they needed dimming). He then turned to her, and wrapped his arms around her waist. He pulled her in for another breathless kiss.

"Jessica was right," she murmured as he unbuttoned her top buttons and trailed kisses over the exposed skin, his hands caressing her body. He pulled up slightly.

"Jessica?" he asked, before moving up to kiss her neck, then the back of her ear. It took her sometime to collect her thoughts.

"Yes, didn't you know she and Harry were behind this whole thing? I think they like you Severus," she said and laughed as he grunted.

"The way they like a mad Erumpet. No, I must have missed that bit. I wasn't really thinking who the brains behind it all had been," he said, as more buttons became undone.

"She told me to talk to you and she said it would all be okay," she said. Severus smiled slightly before returning to kiss another part of her body. Suddenly he pulled up and looked at Minerva.

"Did you say Harry was behind this?" he asked urgently. She nodded, surprised by his sudden interest.

"That boy has a horrible habit of seeing things done till the end. He would've made sure we settled our differences," he said. Minerva was confused, and Severus scanned the room. The he bellowed on the top of his lungs.

"Potter! I know you're somewhere in here and unless you wish to learn some techniques to show Ms. Stanford, I suggest you leave," he yelled. Minerva blushed crimson and she too began looking around the room. Then from the closet came the loud sound of the cupboard door slamming open and seconds later the front door being opened then closed, none too gently. Grinning, Severus turned back to his blushing lover.

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Once they had left the dungeon the two slowed down to a casual walk, the invisibility cloak folded neatly on Harry's arm. Jessica turned to look at him. He was smiling, satisfied.

"You look like a cat that just ate a huge, juicy canary," she said laughing a little at his contented look. He smiled broader.

"I'm happy for them. My debt is done, although they didn't seem to need our help much," he said.

"Not to seem crass but didn't he save your life?" she asked. It wasn't much that she was being petty but she wanted to think that Snape's help hadn't been to hook Harry up with a girl.

"I know, but McGonagall means more to him than his life. He didn't beg even when he nearly died," said Harry softly.

"I think he'd probably appreciate the fact that you believed in him too," she said.

"What you did for him was amazing," Harry blushed a little a her lavish praises.

"How about you? I know how much you hate him, yet you still helped," he said. She smiled secretly knowing that her willingness had nothing to do with Snape or McGonagall. But of course she couldn't tell Harry that.

"After seeing that side of him, the sweet side, I'm beginning to think that he's not such a bad guy after all," she said instead, then laced her fingers with his and they walked back to Gryffindor tower.

The next morning, Professor Dumbledore announced to the school that Professor Snape had been cleared of all charges. Surprisingly the entire school, not only the Slytherins, cheered loudly. Unfortunately, no one could congratulate the Professor Snape as he and Professor McGonagall were … missing. In fact, potions and transfiguration were taught by substitutes that day. Harry and Jessica received a HUGE box of Bertie Botts and chocolate frogs each and although it came with no note, they knew who had sent it.