Chapter 7

Scattered Secrets and a New Beginning

Disclaimer: I don't own anybody or anything. I simply have WAY too much time on my hands, so I make up stories. Like I said. WAY too much time.

After dealing with the boys, Minerva left her office feeling flustered, constantly reliving the look on the boy's face when she had turned around to face them. She giggled to herself, surprising, isn't it? We have lives too. Well, I do now! She walked down towards the Great Hall, for the start of the feast. She arrived at the table, and smiled ever-so-slightly at Severus, who turned away. He mustn't have seen me, she told herself. Sitting down, she felt herself deflate slightly; after all, she had spent a good deal of their time together kissing him. She told herself not to be stupid, and she turned to Professor Flitwick, and proceeded to chat to him about his holidays. Every now and again, she would glance at Severus, hoping he might be looking at her. He never was. Flitwick was waffling on about the bird his wife had bought him for Christmas, and she strained to hear what Severus was saying. Something about Quidditch; Slytherin's chances for the cup this year.

"So, what about Minerva, then? Ready to take her on?". That was Lucius.

"That insufferable woman has no idea what's coming her way this year. She's so uptight, picking all the wrong people for the teams; everyone knows they're as weak as, well, you get the idea. She has no personal life, does she? The least you'd think she could do would be to get a decent team together."

They both laughed, and Minerva felt her cheeks flush, and her anger spill over. That bastard! That absolute BASTARD! She pushed chair back with a squeal, and stormed out of the hall. It was the end off the feast anyway. No one would miss her, and besides, she had some serious cursing to do. Charging down the corridors, Minerva felt the fury bubbling in her veins. She had been KISSING that man no half an hour ago, and she had been stupid enough to delude herself with the fact that he had felt the same way. Don't be stupid Minerva. No one could love you. You're old, you're bitter and you've left it too late. Accept it. But I thought... In front of her, she saw Snape, coming back from the feast, full, content , and chatting to Lucius Malfoy, who was there as a special guest.

She couldn't take it. She turned around and headed back in the direction of the hall. That, that man had used her and was making jokes about her to Lucius, and he treated her like vermin, and...

"Ah, Minerva, you do realise you are blocking the way?", he asked coolly. Big mistake. "Sorry, should I be giving a wider berth to make way for you AND you ego? She didn't let him reply

"You are a selfish, arrogant, hypocritical little rat, and you know what? The people who hate you? Everything they say about you? All the hate that is channelled towards you? You deserve every little bit of it, because you are a bastard, and a user, and I am done with you! You and your two-faced attitude, your lies, your promises. Every word that comes out of your mouth is tainted with you bitterness, and your lack of empathy for anyone besides yourself. You deserve your loneliness. You deserve to be alone, because you are a bastard, AN ABSOLUTE BASTARD!"

Those last words rang out into the hall, and the students entering the corridor froze.

She had said this without thinking, and now she was hoping, wanting him to do the same back. She didn't care that half the school, Lucius and Dumbledore were watching, and that all were keen to hear what would happen next. Needless to say, he responded, and well. The next 10 minutes were filled with hurtful words, reducing both to their bare minimums, neither daring to believe that they were saying the things they were, spilling the secrets they had been entrusted with, and broadcasting them for the whole of Hogwarts to hear. Dumbledore finally stepped in, silencing them both with a blast from his wand, and sent them to their rooms to think it over, before reporting to him. He then sent the students to bed, and told Lucius, leaving no room for misunderstanding, that he was not to repeat anything that he had just heard to anyone, especially the tabloids.

Sighing, Minerva lay herself down, playing with the cord on her bathrobe, thinking. It was wrong of her to say the things she had said, but he shouldn't have said those things in the first place. She shouldn't have listened in on their conversation. But those things, they were meant for no other ears than his, and now the whole of Hogwarts would know them. It was then that she wept, and kept crying until she fell asleep. She slept soundly, and woke to a bright yet chilly morning, and got ready as though she was fine, and had not spent the majority of yesterday with Severus Snape, in his arms, believing that she was loved.

She washed her face, and then stepped into her old tartan robes. She felt comfortable in them, they were like an old friend; a second skin. They weren't at all fashionable though, and she began to think that she should get some new ones. But if she bought new robes, she would have to buy new shoes, hats, gloves, find new hairstyles, and get some sort of a make over. She just didn't have the time or patience. However, it would give everyone a shock, seeing her making an effort, not just for herself but also for Severus, who she wanted to shock. She'd show him just what he was missing. She would have a social life. Hell, she was alive, wasn't she? Making up her mind, she used some Floo Powder to book a complete makeover with Madam Beatty's Beauty and Fashion Parlour, and left the room quite satisfied with her morning's work.

I'm not so sure about this one, can u suggest anything or am I just being paranoid? Thankyou so much to all my reviewers, I love getting your ideas, so keep them coming!!!!

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