Chapter 24

A/N: I don't really know if this chapter would fall under R. they don't do anything, but Severus's mind gets a little sidetrack in this chapter. Well, just in case… this chapter is R-rated

Thank you everyone for the excellent reviews and your support on this Snape/McGonagall fic, I had expected to be flamed for daring to make them in love with each other… but I suppose there are more bizarre pairings than this…

Also, the potion in mention, is the one Snape makes for Remus, to help him during the full moon nights = Wolfsbane

And also, I dun know if it's possible, but in my fic, the teacher's table and student tables are pretty near each other…

@~~}~~

It was breakfast, and he was sitting where he usually sat every morning since he and Minerva had called a truce. Since there was no longer any animosity between them, she had taken to sitting next to him, also so she could talk to him silently about Athena. Right now however, her seat was empty, but he assumed she must be busy with Athena. Which in a way was good, because for some reason, lying in his cold bed, he had thought of what Albus had said about him needing Minerva and how Sirius had said in not so many word, that he should tell Minerva how he felt. Two days had passed and it annoyed the hell out of him that he couldn't get their conversations out his head. And it also annoyed him that Sirius's words and his acknowledgement of his feelings had affected his inner state to a point where he couldn't get anywhere near Minerva without turning into a blubbering fool. Just smelling her made his senses reel and whatever trace of intelligence left in him disappeared. He felt like a teenage wizard experiencing his first crush. He was bloody sixteen again!

"Good morning Severus," Minerva greeted him appearing suddenly at his side, and his response had been to choke on his toast.

"Are you okay??" she asked, hitting his back several times as he coughed up a racket. Eyes focused on him and he could feel his cheeks grow hot.

"I'm okay, a bit of toast got stuck in my throat," he mumbled. He didn't want to look at her, just in case he was blushing.

"Athena has started to sit up and I saw her trying to stand and walk as well," she whispered to him, her tone excited. His heart jumped as he felt her lean nearer to him and the smell of her citrus perfume was intoxicating. It consumed his brain and it was all he could do to breath normally. As for rational thoughts, there were none. Hell, he couldn't even form irrational thoughts. He could only feel her warmth and it filled every inch of him. if the student were to find out the state he had been in the past weeks, his reputation will never recover. He took a second to relax and managed to form a comprehensible answer.

"Really? By herself?" he asked and turned to look at her. Big mistake. He took one look into her sparkling eyes and he was lost. He was drowning in their depths, and whatever words that were forming on her lips washed over him. He just stared at her, then flick downwards to her lips that were moving excitedly telling him something he couldn't hear. They were so close, if he just bent down a little more, their lips would meet. How he wanted to kiss her, to catch her lips under his and consume her. And feel her moan in pleasure under him. How much he wanted to feel her hands through his hair, pulling him nearer, deepening their kiss, and in return he would bury his in her soft hair.

Merlin was she beautiful. It wasn't her physical beauty that overwhelmed him, but the raw intelligence behind it. If she were some wishy washy female, putting distance between them, baby or no baby, would be easy work. But her insightfulness, her quick response, her sharp tongue, made it impossible to be away from her. When he thought about it, he had been drawn to her even from before, though then he had just dismissed it as a need to trade banter with someone as quick and sharp a tongue as him. And the fights they use to have. He'd always have to be on his toes, she would challenge his mind, invoke his passion (not sexually), make him feel alive and though it may not show on the outside, inside he loved it. And her. He had been in love with her all these years and had been too blind to notice. Or too stupid to realize, till now. But he had valid reasons. Then, the future had seemed bleak, hope was almost non-existent, and with his past and present weighing on him, it was all he could handle. But now, the shadow has lifted its veil and bright has replaced gloom. Yet, he still held back. He no longer had a reason to do so.

She continued talking but he wasn't listening still, for now his mind had wandered to how it would feel to have her skin pressed intimately against his. He remembered that night, so long ago. It was over quickly but he remembered and he now wanted more. Now he wanted to run his fingers over her body, taking his time, to touch every corner of her skin and feel her hands doing the same with him. They would explore each other; get to know each other under the white sheets, his lips assisting his fingers. He wanted to delve into her secret places and know that she was all his, how her mind as well as well as her body belonged to him and his body and mind belonged to her. He wanted to pleasure her, to love her, fill her with so much passion that she would scream his name in ecstasy. And when they were both panting heavily from their love making, he would pull her into his arms and hold her tight, and whisper in her ears how much he loved her. Then he would love her all over again.

"Severus," she would whisper into his ears as they move together, their bodies in rhythm.

"Severus," again and again, she would repeat his name, crying out each syllable, as they reached fever pitch.

"Severus!" he blinked and his day dreams stopped. He focused back to the present and saw a very red Minerva in front of him, looking at her hands. Oh-uh, how long ago did she stop, he thought and looked pass her to the amused faces of Albus and Remus.

"Did you call?" he asked, trying to sound indifferent his scowl back in place, but his voice sounded rough to his ears. He cleared his throat several times. He shifted a little to ease the uncomfortableness that he suddenly felt in his pants, and he thought he heard Remus smother a laugh, but when he looked up, Remus's face was blank.

"Three times, actually, but you were so enthralled by Minerva's story, you naturally didn't hear us," said Albus. A small twitch at the corner of Remus's lips.

"He didn't even realize she had stopped talking, I don't think it was her words that he was enthralled by," Remus gave way to a smile as he muttered to Albus, loud enough so the other two could hear. Severus saw Minerva blush harder, and by the way Albus and Remus were grinning he knew he was blushing too.

"Remus was just wondering if you had prepared the Wolfsbane for him," Albus said again, motioning to a grinning Remus. Severus looked blankly at Remus, which caused Remus to grin harder before realizing what potion the headmaster was talking about.

"Yes, I have. Remus, come over anytime tonight," he said forgetting to scowl in his effort to get rid of his red cheeks.

"Night? I wouldn't be intruding now would I?" Remus asked, his tone making it very clear what he meant. Minerva looked up but then she quickly turned back to her hands Severus narrowed his eyes at the man, his scowl returning. Albus sent a warning look at Remus before turning to Severus and Minerva.

"Please continue your conversation, terribly sorry to have disturbed you two," said Albus. Remus couldn't help adding, especially since he was safely sitting behind Albus and away from Severus.

"And terribly sorry to have interrupted your lustful inspection of Minerva's lips," he said, earning another glare from Severus. Minerva's eyes widen at looked at Remus, and her face was redder than red. If looks could kill, Remus would be a dead man. Severus was thinking very strongly of giving Remus poison instead. And the snickering they all heard coming from the Gryffindor table didn't help Remus's case at all. The four turned and saw Harry, Ron and Hermione looking at them, being near enough to have heard every word. Ron looked at Severus's red face, and felt that Christmas had come early that year. Hermione had a hand over her lips and Harry was grinning plainly at the two blushing husband and wife.

"If you'll excuse I… err… have to go," Minerva suddenly said, having kept silent for so long. She got up and smiled at Albus but kept her eyes away from anybody else and quickly left. Severus gave Remus one more dagger look and walked out after her.