A/N Chapter 9 is short and bittersweet. It's a lot different from chapters 7 and 8, I felt like the story need to turn around before I ended it. Which will probably be in a couple of chapters. Yep. This chapter isn't dedicated to anyone; I don't think anyone would be really "honored" to have it dedicated to them. Characters and everything else except the plot belong to JK. Anyways, enjoy and read on. Roses

Close your eyes, my love, let me make you blind;

They have taught you to see

Only a mean arithmetic on the face of things,

A cunning algebra in the faces of men,

And God like geometry

Completing his circles, and working cleverly.

I'll kiss you over the eyes till I kiss you blind;

If I can—if any one could.

Then perhaps in the dark you'll have got what you want to find.

You've discovered so many bits, with your clever eyes,

And I'm a kaleidoscope

That you shake and shake, and yet it won't come to your mind.

Now stop carping at me.—But God, how I hate you!

Do you fear I shall swindle you?

Do you think if you take me as I am, that that will abate you

Somehow?—so sad, so intrinsic, so spiritual, yet so cautious, you

Must have me all in your will and your consciousness—

I hate you.

"A Spiritual Woman" D. H. Lawrence

Chapter 9

Severus woke up a few hours later, the morning sun coming over the treetops of the forbidden forest and dancing across the snow. He looked around at the decorations that had appeared over night. It was Christmas evening, his most despised night of the year. At least he had New Year's Eve off. He could drink away this particular year and forget about the Hols. He stretched, realizing he was lying by himself in the bed.

Wait a minute; this is Minerva's bed…

Severus slowly realized by the angle of the light entering the room and his position. Jumping up, as he feared the worse, he began to dash out of the enclosed area. Nearly crashing into to someone he stopped, taking steps backwards to help keep his balance.

"My word Severus, where's the fire?"

Minerva appeared, supported by crutches, both of her legs in overly large bandages looking to him in question.

"What?"

"Where's the fire? It's an American term th-"

Severus shook his head and nodded down to her legs.

"What?"

Minerva looked down and began to laugh.

"Oh. That. I guess I didn't tell you last night when you came to my room…"

She trailed off and Severus looked up to her remembering what he had said last night.

"You heard… saw… me?"

She smiled and laughed.

"No, I woke up with you sitting next to me."

He nodded and looked down to her legs again.

Good.

"So… what exactly?"

"Oh. I've been doing some research in my spare time, believe me, I've had lots of it too. Anyways, I was browsing through an old book from St. Mungo's and I found something and this is what became of it. My legs are willing to hold weight for once and I can sort of move them but it hurts. Poppy says I should be up before the hols are over for the students… and us."

She smiled and Severus nodded. He couldn't bear to bring himself to tell her how wonderfully amazing it had been for the past few days to tend to her despite the conditions in which it had been brought upon him.

"Yes. So, you'll be going back to your classes I presume? I hope Albus didn't do too much damage. Well, Minerva, I should be going off. I have many essays to grade and I believe Longbottom's is the first on my stack…"

Minerva frowned; she had always hated Severus' disability to believe in Neville. He was short minded, even she had to admit but, he was a Gryffindor and there was a reason he was placed there. Just look at his parents and you'd know why. That was probably the main reason for Snape's detestation in him considering how much Severus loathed the Longbottom's.

"You really shouldn't be that hard on him Severus. If you only gave the poor boy a chance…"

She tutted at him but then shook her head.

"Anyways, thank you Severus, for… everything. Merry Christmas."

Minerva smiled at him but it soon disappeared like smoke. She didn't know what to say. She couldn't say what she had heard last night; she was certain the truth would crush Severus or he would deny it. Then Severus nodded at her and walked out, his head hung low as he tried to forget the past.

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