Hi everyone. Thanks for your reviews. We seem to have lost some regulars and gained new readers. Messages for everyone at the end. lol.
Chapter Twenty
Where Did You Sleep Last Night?
She woke with a start, certain she'd heard something.
Her body was turned in to him, her head in his shoulder, arm flung across his chest and one leg between his.
She looked up at him.
"Hmmm. Did you say something?" He looked at her through half-closed eyes.
"No, I..."
They both jumped as they heard a knock on the door to the quarters.
She gave a cry of pain as their skin ripped apart like sticking plaster and they both dived out of bed. In the rush, her leg tangled in the sheet. Frantically she extracted herself and ran to where she'd taken her dress off the night before - but it wasn't there.
"Wha...where...?"
She glanced all around, puzzled, and as she turned, saw him going out of the room, fully dressed, closing the door securely behind him.
She padded over to the door and listened.
"My sincere apologies, Severus." That was Albus Dumbledore.
"No need to apologise for punctuality, Dumbledore," she heard an unfamiliar, rather bumptious voice say. "It's nine o'clock as arranged."
She heard people shuffling into the room.
"Our visitor's not here, I see," said the unknown voice.
"No, Minister," said Snape. "I believe she had rather a late night. She may have overslept."
Oh Severus, you are so cool.
"Well, perhaps we could get one of the house-elves to wake her? I do have rather a busy day ahead and to be quite honest, I'm not quite sure why Dumbledore wants me here at all."
Then a thought struck Andi. Whatever happened, she would eventually have to make an appearance and it would have to be through this door.
Shit!
They were trapped.
She looked around again for her dress and her heart sank as she realised it was still crumpled on the floor by the fire. Not only would they see it lying there, but she was naked and no clothes to put on.
Severus, please get back in here.
Perhaps he could magic her back to her own room or something, so she could make her entrance through the expected door. Or at least whisk her up some clothes.
She went to his wardrobe and opened it. Shirts and trousers which couldn't possibly fit her...but, hey... She took down a black gown - a teacher's gown. It was too long for her, but with a belt of some kind it might just work.
She pulled the gown around her and fastened it with the cord from the bed hangings, then went back to listen at the door.
"Well, I can't hang around all day, Dumbledore...Oh I say, Snape, I wouldn't leave such delicate material so near the fire..."
Andi cringed as she realised the Minister had seen her dress.
There was a silence that Andi could feel through the door.
"This appears to be a woman's dress! Why would a woman's dress be on the floor of your living quarters, Snape?"
"Cornelius, I rather think that is Severus's business." said Dumbledore, quietly.
"It is also Ministry business, Dumbledore. We don't run a school for all kinds of shenanigans to take place, you know."
Andi stood there feeling like a sixth-former who'd been caught snogging in the broom cupboard. Then she thought, why am I feeling like that? We're two grown adults. What the hell has this got to do with the Minister - or anybody?
Well, she was going to do something about this.
She opened the bedroom door and walked out as if it was an every day occurrence.
All three faces turned to her.
Having to carry a handful of gown so as not to trip over, she glided up to Snape and stood on tiptoes to peck him on the cheek.
"Good morning, Darling. Oh, Headmaster..." she said in her best 'hostess' voice as she walked over to him, extending her hand. "It's lovely to see you again." Then she turned to the Minister and extended her hand to him. "You must be the Minister for Magic. How do you do? I'm Andrea Carver. I'm so sorry, we appear to have overslept. Have you both eaten? Severus and I were about to have breakfast, would you care to join us? Darling, would you do the honours?"
Snape, stunned, moved slowly to the fireplace and pulled out the brass handle.
"Minister, what can we get you?" she smiled, invitingly.
The Minister looked completely thrown. "Er...just...er...coffee will, um, do."
"Headmaster?" She turned to Dumbledore, whose eyes were twinkling with amusement.
"A large bowl of Sugar Puffs, please," he answered. "And tea."
She turned to Snape. "And I'll have my usual, Darling - French toast and tea."
"Severus," said Dumbledore, still smiling. "If you are to have guests for breakfast, you really should get a few more chairs." He waved his wand and two extra chairs appeared at the table.
"I'm sorry, Dumbledore, but this is most irregular," said the Minister, clearly agitated. "These quarters have obviously been used for dubious purposes. Snape, I must say, I am shocked. You have taken advantage of your position, and of Josie here..." The Minister reeled at his own words and turned a deep shade of claret.
There was a heavy silence, and then Dumbledore said quietly, "I wondered how long it would take, Cornelius, for you to acknowledge the striking similarity between Andrea and Josephine Carver."
Andi jumped to hear her Grandmother's name coming from Dumbledore's mouth. "How do you know...?"
Dumbledore smiled at her. "I recognised your face the day you arrived here, my dear. Coupled with your name, it left little doubt that you were related to a young Muggle woman who came to Hogwarts forty-seven years ago-"
"Forty-eight," said the Minister, quietly.
Dumbledore lifted an eyebrow. "Really? I am getting forgetful in my old age."
Andi sat down heavily on a chair. "My...my gran was here?!"
"She arrived in a similar fashion to yourself - through the archway in the Castle ruins. In fact, her finding the stone paved your own way to us."
Andi thought of her Gran making her promise to visit the castle ruins. Had Gran known what would happen?
"Your grandmother had to stay at Hogwarts while we arranged for her to be sent home. Cornelius was at the time, about to enter the Ministry, but spent a few months as a relief teacher here. As he had fewer duties than the rest of my staff, I put him in charge of the young lady while she was here." He turned to the Minister. "I believe you became good friends, Cornelius."
"Yes...yes, we did..." replied the Minister, frowning.
Andi stared at the Minister and then looked up at Dumbledore. He smiled at her and nodded gently.
"Miss Carver, you have been given clarity, I see. Would you care to tell Cornelius what you all ready know?"
Andi looked back at the Minister. "Minister..." she began, and then hesitated. How on earth should she say this? "Minister...my gran had a holiday romance while she was here. My...my mother was born nine months later."
The Minister went white, pulled out a chair and sat down heavily. He stared at Andi.
"Josie...she...I..."
"Severus, a glass of water for the Minister, I think," said Dumbledore.
Snape had been standing by the fireplace watching silently. He went to the bedroom and came back with a glass of water, put it in front of the Minister, then sat down at the table.
The Minister took a mouthful of water, his hand shaking as he raised the glass to his lips.
Andi all ready knew the answer to the next question, but wanted to hear it acknowledged.
"Minister...are you...are you my grandfather?"
He looked at her and she saw his eyes shining with moisture.
"Josie and I... Yes, we... I never knew! I never knew! Why on earth didn't she tell me?"
"Because she would have had no way of contacting you, Cornelius, and also I imagine, because you had done nothing to stop her returning home. A mistake I believe you regret to this day."
"I meant to keep in touch but..."
"Your Ministry ambitions and your tendency to bury your head in the sand, prevented you. Ah, breakfast."
The house-elves arrived with the food. They set it down on the table and left. No one moved to eat or drink.
The Minister looked up at Andi. "Yes, my dear. I believe I am your grandfather." He smiled.
Andi smiled back at him, feeling strange about all this. It felt, suddenly, wonderfully, as though she'd got a little bit of her gran back again. He was now her only living relative. Well, apart from her mother of course, but she didn't count.
The Minister glanced at Snape and his face darkened. He stood up slowly from his chair and withdrew his wand from his cloak, gesturing for Snape to stand.
With a bewildered expression, Snape stood and then backed away to the cabinet as the Minister advanced on him, pointing his wand at his chest.
"How dare you take advantage of my granddaughter!"
---------
Thousandl - It certainly wouldn't get any worse in my eyes!
FemmeLoki - thank you. I've never read Harlequin, but sort of know what they are - pretty sugary?
Helena Oe - another update! Thanks for making me happy with your enthusiasm for my story.
Kerichi - I think we'll leave kinky for another story - or later, perhaps - who knows?!
Inversnaid - thanks for reading. I really appreciate new readers.
Persephone Lupin - I am overwhelmed that you have read the story from start to finish. Is your name really Andrea? Thank you for all your recent reviews. There are SOME Tom Waits songs that are just beautiful - try 'Take It With Me' and 'I'm Still Here'.