Chapter 23

"Sirius Black!!" cried Minerva, before remembering there was a sleeping baby in the other room. Surprised didn't even begin to describe her shock at seeing her old friend. After what Severus had told her, about his "meeting" with a livid and cussing Sirius Black, Minerva was sure he didn't want to have anything to do with her. So this unexpected visit from him was truly… unexpected.

"You sound surprise," he said, smirking at her. Minerva gaped at him for a couple more seconds before she managed to string together words.

"I am… Severus told me you were angry… very angry and well I thought…" she stammered.

"That you'd never see or hear from me again?" he finished for her. She nodded. Sirius blushed slightly. He had over reacted a little when Remus had told him and attacked Snape without much thought. But he did calm down in the end and allowed Snape to explain himself, with only the occasional growling and snapping of jaws for good measure. The end result had been quite interesting and had made him wonder what Minerva's take of the whole situation was. Well, he would find out soon enough.

"Yeah, I guess I did blow my top… but not enough to be robbed of a kiss from the bride," he said. Minerva laughed. Sirius was always full of teasing, a trait she was glad to see come alive again since the end of the war. He walked up to her in two strides and picked her off the ground, planting a kiss, a little too passionately, onto her lips. She pushed back against him.

"Sirius, I am not a trollop to be kissed like that, I'm a married woman," she said trying to sound stern but her lips curved into a smile. She knew it was wrong, but his kiss had made her feel attractive, a feeling which she quickly brushed off. She was too old to have such silly feelings like that. He looked back at her his eyes twinkling; he saw what she felt clearly in her eyes.

"Admit it, I'm a much better kisser than Snape," he said, grinning from ear to ear. Minerva blushed but didn't say anything. She didn't know how much Remus had told Sirius.

"That's none of your business," she retorted back. Instead, with a flick of her wand, she conjured a cup of tea and gave it to her friend. He took it and sat down on one of her armchairs. She remained standing.

They stared at each other for awhile.

"Well," he began.

"What?" she asked.

"Aren't you gonna show me your daughter?" he said, looking at Minerva as if she was daft. Minerva hesitated.

"It can't be that ugly," teased Sirius.

"She is beautiful," she snapped, but smiled when she saw he was teasing.

"Oh, so she looks like you? That's a relief. Remus said she looked like Snape. If I had a baby that looked like him, I'd be embarrassed too," he said again. Minerva didn't respond to that. She beckoned for him to follow her silently. Athena was a beautiful baby and she was the spitting image of her father. But she'd let Sirius come to that conclusion himself.

They tip toed into the nursery and the adults bent over the sleeping baby. She was sleeping soundly on her back, a minute thumb snug between her lips and a small hand wrapped possessively around a stuffed doll her daddy had given her. Her blanket had been kicked to a corner of the cot. Carefully as to not to wake her up, Minerva covered the baby with her blanket again.  The two didn't say anything until they had left the room and entered once again the living room.

"Well?" she asked. Sirius looked baffled, as if he had seen something that didn't make sense.

"Minerva she's beautiful but…" he said, stopping not knowing how to put his thoughts into words.

"But…" Minerva encouraged him to speak. She smiled softly. She knew what he was going to say and somehow understood his predicament.

"She bloody hell looks like Snape!" he finally spat out. Minerva just smiled at him and motioned for him to sit down.

"It's called genetics," she said wryly. She handed his mug of tea.

"Do you have anything stronger?" he asked, looking at the tea but not taking it.

"Whiskey?" she asked. She kept a bottle of Scottish whiskey in her cupboard, for urgent situations and this was as urgent as it could get, Sirius looked as if he was about to pass out. She returned minutes later with a glass of whiskey. Sirius took it from her and finished it in one gulp. He closed his eyes as he let the spirit work its wonders on his body. Eventually he opened his eyes and saw Minerva perched on a chair arm, looking amusedly at him.

"Another one?" she asked. He shook his head.

"Sorry, but you can imagine my surprise…" he said, but she held up her hand. She understood.

"Its okay, Sirius," she said.

"Snape must be laughing his pants off at me. I told him that any baby that looked like him would make top listing in a freak circus," he said warily. Of course when he had said it, Severus had been anything but amused. It's a good thing years of running made his reflex sharp and quick. There were some pretty nasty curses that Snape had been throwing at him.

"But now you're obviously wrong and will get on your knees and beg for forgiveness right?" she said, her humor not as dark as Snape, thank heavens. Sirius smiled then looked at her. She may have been his teacher for seven years but she was his friend for much longer. There was no longer a teacher-student line separating them.

"Minerva, come sit here," he said patting a seat next to him on the twin sofa. She went without hesitation, as she felt the same; he was her friend much longer than he had been her student. He pulled her into his arms and she rested her head on his shoulders. They sat like that for a while.

"Are you angry?" she asked eventually.

"Why should I be angry?" he asked, sounding tired. Minerva said nothing, just feeling his heartbeat under her palms.

"I realize you and Severus aren't the best of friends… have I betrayed you?"

"No, no of course not. I'm not angry, just confused," he said. Minerva was relieved to hear the honesty in his voice. She could deal with an angry Sirius, but she couldn't stand it if he had felt betrayed. Sirius has had his fair share of betrayal; she didn't want to add to the pile.

"If you wanted a family, there are so many other men you could've married, who would love and cherish you. I don't even know if Snape can love," he said. Minerva lifted her head and looked at him.

"Oh yes, he can. You should see him with Athena. He's a completely different person now; he's nicer, kinder and not so sullen. He changed because he loves her, and believe it or not, we're actually friends," said Minerva earnestly. Sirius snorted at that and looked into her shining eyes and wondered if it was because she was talking about her daughter or Snape. Sighing slightly at his response she dropped back her head onto his shoulder.

"I wasn't looking for marriage Sirius, Athena happened. She wasn't planned," she said softly.

"Are you saying that, you're sleeping with him on a regular basis?" he was clearly baffled.

"NO! How dare you suggest such a thing? As if I was some wanton witch," she cried her tone defensive. Sirius laughed at her vehemence and the kitten sheathed her claws.

"It was the night when we came back from the graveyard," she said and she could feel him stiffen. He was still affected from the night. But he remained silent and she knew he was urging her on.

"Albus was seriously hurt, and so many had fallen. You and Remus were hurt… Severus pleaded to me to take him back to his quarters. I shouldn't but I did, and once there I couldn't leave him. He was covered in blood and filth, you couldn't differentiate one from the other… so I cared for him and one lead to another and we… we…" she stopped there. He didn't want to hear the words anyway. But she wasn't finished. Now that she had begun, she couldn't stop.

"One minute I was bathing him and the next… I couldn't pull away. I needed it. Albus said it before but only now I see his words. At that moment I needed his strength. Not his physical strength, but his mental and emotional prowess. He had been through so much but he still hung on. He still had hope to survive and I needed some of that," she said and let out a huge sigh. She had said it in the open. No longer could she lie to herself. Albus's words had been true. It that moment of uncertainty, she and Severus had found comfort in each other's body, no matter how brief it had been. But Sirius wasn't satisfied. He pulled her so she was looking at him.

"If you wanted to be made love too, I would've done it. I would have loved you long and sweet, the whole night, the whole week… why did you turn to him?" he nearly cried out loud, but only could revert to a hiss. He didn't understand. Hadn't he shown her that he loves her? They were friends and he would do anything she asked him to. The times they had spent together, all the bad and good… why would she turn to that greasy bastard! He couldn't, just couldn't understand.

"Sirius, please. It wasn't the sexual bit, but the psychological bit. I… should tell you something else too… I… forced myself onto him. He was delirious, his eyes were half glazed, he didn't know what he was doing, but instead of stopping I used it for my own release…" she said in a pleading tone, a last attempt to make Sirius understand. She disengaged herself from her friend and moved to stand in front of the fireplace.

Sirius snorted again. So its part guilt that she was doing this. She felt that she owed it to him to give Athena to him… the irony: Snape had said the same thing to him. He had taken advantage of her… and he owed her to give Athena a name. The same song and dance routine Minerva was doing now.

Then a thought entered his head, and he wondered why he hadn't thought of it before. Athena needed a name and the security of legitimately married parents. Minerva and Severus had done that. Why should they continue to bind themselves to each other? A divorce would not strip Athena of her newly acquired family name and would give Minerva and Snape back their freedom. He suddenly had a flashback and remembered the look of longing and despair in his eyes when Snape had explained Minerva's conditions. Sweet Merlin… could they actually be in love and not know it?

"Minerva do you love him?" he asked suddenly. Minerva whirled to look at him, her eyes round like saucers.

"What?" she asked disbelievingly.

"Do you love him or do you not love him?" Sirius asked again, his tone urgent. Minerva blinked at him. What was her answer? She had never thought of love before.

"No," she breathed. He got up and stood in front of her.

"No what? No, you love him, or no, you don't love him?" he asked again. Minerva suddenly felt dizzy. Her mind was in a sudden whirl. No what? What did she say no to? Did she love him or no she didn't love him? Why was Sirius doing this to her?

"If you don't love him, then leave him! Get a divorce! Why are you still with him?" he said, grabbing hold of her arms and shaking her a little. Her blue eyes were dark as they looked into his black piercing ones. He hated to do this to her, to shake her foundation just as she was about to gain stability, she had to know where she stood in the matter… and him too. He'd like to be able to explain to James about this if and when he meets his friend in the after life. He was going to take a gamble that he hoped he wouldn't regret and in the end ruin her.

"Minerva, leave him, you don't love him! Leave him and marry me! I'll love Athena like my own. Minerva marry me," he half yelled at her.

"NO! NO!" she yelled. "I won't marry you. I won't leave him… I love him! I love him… oh Merlin, I love him!" her voice dropped to a faint whisper in that sudden moment of clarity. It was a wonder the sleeping child heard nothing. She slept peacefully as her mother felt like she had been struck by lightning.

"Minerva," Sirius whispered. It was out. The truth is out. No more lies, no more deceit, no more denying. Minerva's legs had turn to jelly, and could no longer support her weight. All her energy was being used to understand what she had just confessed. He gently lowered her to the carpet. She looked at him, her eyes wide, and the blueness bright with realization and despair.

"I love him, I love him…" she whispered before finally succumbing to something that she had deprived herself for so long. Resting her head on Sirius's shoulder, Minerva McGonagall began to cry.

@~~}~~

A/N: I realize that it may seem a little unnerving that Sirius would offer to help Severus and Minerva to work on their marriage, but I'd like to think Sirius was more a friend than a foe… even to Snape.

@~~}~~

Severus didn't take his eyes of his work. He didn't even want to know how that mutt got into his private quarters, but there he was staring at him with those beady eyes of his. Five minutes and the figure didn't move, didn't blink. If it weren't for its heavy breathing, Severus would've have forgotten about him. Giving in, Severus let out a loud sigh and put his quill down.

"What do you want Black?" he growled. He watched as the shaggy dog changed into his least favorite person.

"Your warm hospitality never ceases to amaze me, Snape," he said, not exactly grinning, but not exactly frowning either. He had spent half an hour comforting a broken down, sobbing Minerva before he could convince her to get some sleep. Although he too wanted nothing more than to curl up and sleep, he had to know.

"If you're here to exchange banter, I'm not up for it," he said and went back to his notes, hoping that Sirius would take the hint and leave.

"I went to see Minerva," Sirius said. Severus looked up from his notes and Sirius knew he now had the other man's complete attention. And the answer to his question.

"Why?" he asked, his voice low… with dread? Sirius thought he must be mistaken.

"To see her, and her baby," replied Sirius.

"She's my baby too," snapped Severus. Sirius shrugged. He wasn't going to beat around the bush.

"I asked her to divorce you and marry me," he said simply, but the minute the words left his lips, Sirius braced himself for an attack. Severus would feel his claim on Athena threatened, and Sirius knew he would retaliate against such a threat. As expected Severus shot up to his feet, his face dark with anger and hatred, but Severus's words startled him.

"Keep you filthy paws away from my wife!" the potions master roared at Sirius. But when Severus realized what he had said he sat back down, his anger replaced by despair and clutched his head in his hand. This night was not going well for him.

"What did she say?" he asked his tone softer. How could he compete with the debonair Sirius Black? Every witch's fantasy?

"No," said Sirius. Severus looked at him questioningly.

"No?" he asked. Sirius nodded.

"She won't marry you?" he asked again. He couldn't be sure what Sirius had said was what he heard. But Sirius was past that topic.

"Do you love her?" he asked. He made it sound like it was the most common question in the world. Like, would you like fries with your burger? Or do you want plastic or paper bag?

Sirius must be daft in the head if he thinks Severus was going to answer that question. It was no business of him anyways what he felt for the deputy… his wife.

"Black, I don't even like you. Why should I answer any of your questions?" he said, leaning back on his chair, looking fixedly at the man in front of him. Sirius was unfazed.

"Do you love her?" he asked again.

"Listen you mangy mutt… my life is of no concern on yours…" began Severus but Sirius cut him off.

"Damn it Severus! Do you love her?!!" he yelled at the potions master. Severus was shocked. He wasn't sure if it was Sirius yelling at him or that he had called him by his first name.

"Yes." The answer was automatic, he didn't have to think it, in his shock, he had allowed the voice of his heart to speak.

"Was that so hard?"

"Damn you to hell," he snapped at Sirius. Shit what had he done? He had not completely not thought of it, but by not saying it out loud, he almost made the feeling seem unreal. But now… his chest hurt. His heart hurt. A hundred cruciatus curse would be better than this.

"So…"

"So nothing! If you tell her, heaven help you, I will hunt you down like the filthy mongrel you are and use your moth eaten fur as a doormat!" Severus growled. Sirius held up his hands.

"My lips are sealed… besides she should hear it from you," said Sirius.

"Humph! You do have pebbles for brains," he said, and rubbed his temples, a habit when he was nervous. He could just imagine the horror on Minerva's face if he were to profess his undying love to her.

"Well, I'll just leave you in your cocoon of misery and get some sleep," said Sirius. Severus didn't say anything. He didn't look up as Sirius turned back into his animagi form and padded out of his room. Severus never left his seat for the remaining of the night.