"Two days to go, Min!" Rolanda Hooch cheerfully exclaimed, as she nudged her friend in her usual, over-enthusiastic way, sitting down at the already filled high table. She broadly grinned as Minerva almost dragged her down beside her.

"Rolanda. Hooch;" she muttered curtly between clenched teeth.

"Will. You. Please. Keep. Your. Voice. Down."

Rolanda laughed out loud, then patted her friend's back.

"No need to worry, Min. And no need to dislocate my arm, for that matter..." she added, lightly touching her shoulder with a painful expression on her face. Her smile immediately broke through again, though.

"Anyway, Min, your dangerous friend over here won't ruin your life by letting Severus…"

The Potions master was, luckily, seated at the other side of the table…

"… know what we're up to. At least, I won't ruin your life yet…"

As Minerva's smile slid of her face at this comment, Rolanda rolled her eyes and in a not-so-subtle way pointed at their employer, who was sitting on Minerva's other hand.

"Min, come on." she hissed. "I am tired of seeing… it…" she trailed off, as Albus' inquisitive, blue eyes were suddenly gazing very much at her direction.

"Ican'tstandthosepuppyeyesofbothofyou!" was Rolanda's last word, and Minerva squeezed her friend's arm- hard.

"Could you stop discussing my love life at the breakfast table?"

Her lips were now so very much pinched together, that even Rolanda Hooch- a woman with lots of experience- almost didn't understand what she said.

"Now shut up and eat!"

===================

"McGonagall?"

Minerva half-turned around in the corridor- a needless act, because she already knew who was speaking. The deep, dark voice was unmistakable… When her eyes met the deep, black ones of her Potions colleague, her feeling was proven right.

"Snape." she acknowledged, granting him a curt nod and something perhaps resembling a faint smile.

It was not, she decided, that Severus Snape and she didn't get along with each other. They did not held grudges or things- they were even, to a certain level, good colleagues, but they were also Gryffindor and Slytherin, and one could not possibly mix fire with petrol without causing an explosion, now could one?

Minerva and Severus strode on next to each other, not saying anything, until- heaven forbid!- they walked past one of Rolanda's damned posters… Minerva wanted to turn around and run off in a very Rolanda kind of way, but she knew that'd certainly give her away. A sudden spark of recognition in the normally so motionless eyes told her he'd already noticed the devilish thing.

"By the way, Minerva…"

His use of her first name was rather unusual, as well as the sudden change of tone in his voice.

"Do you know anything about this…" He read out loud.

"Minnie and the Tabbycats?"

With this, he half turned around, so that he was facing her and his black eyes bored into her green ones. Minerva felt panic.

It was ridiculous, of course, she scolded herself. They were two grown up people- it was not like he'd laugh at her forever!

Or oh hell yes, it was…

But the one thing that bothered her mostly, so Minerva decided, was the possibility of losing his so slowly earned respect. It was the same thing with her students. Would they still respect her as the stern professor McGonagall, when they had seen her stand on a stage, and…

It was a risk. But deep inside, she did realize Rolanda was right with her rolling her eyes, with her mocking. She would never dare to admit her feelings to Albus. Not that she'd do it now, of course… but through the music, she hoped at least some of the love that had consumed her heart for decades seeped through towards his… And after all, what could she do but hope?

But despite all her serious thoughts, a faint bit of Rolanda humour leapt into her mind.

Right, Minerva, this is it. The end of fair Professor McGonagall. Lie to your colleague! Now!

And, to her great surprise, her lips immediately obeyed her mind's thoughts…

"Nothing, Severus. And I don't really think I want to know anything about it. I am afraid our dear Headmaster had another one of his thoroughly insane idea's again."

It wasn't even that much of a lie, and as Severus turned around again, Minerva knew she'd convinced him.

A perfect performance.

And yes indeed- what could she do but hope?