Title: Punishment Suffered

At midnight Minerva hid in the shadows and waited. Her cat senses on alert for Severus Snape's arrival.

Everyone who needed to known the truth behind his actions on the tower that night, and could be trusted not reveal the secret, had been informed. Albus' will and stored Pensive memories had seen to that. But Minerva was still angry, still upset. How could Severus have agreed to and carried out that last, terrible order? She couldn't just forgive his crime as part of necessary strategy! How could anyone—how could Severus, who owed so much to Albus; how could he have killed him!

She heard the soft pop of Apparition at the other end of alleyway and tensed.

How she hated Albus for making her the exequatur of his will; for requesting this of her. But she would do it. She would meet Severus and give him Albus' gift, then she would leave without a word and without looking back.

He neared her position, 'Minerva?' he whispered.

She transformed and thrust the box towards him. 'From Albus.'

He stood dumbly before her. His hands hesitant as though the box might explode if he touched it. She wished it would. His face was slack. The mask of his carefully constructed expression had fallen away, and his eyes were bright with--it seemed—unshed tears, and she could feel her resolve begin to crumble. 'Well?' she snapped.

It ended the moment and he took, almost snatched, it from her. 'Thank you,' he mumbled. Face set, expression cold once more. A sudden fury welled up inside her and she slapped him hard. As though by doing so she could knock the mask away for good.

His free hand rush to his cheek. The shock apparent on his face as he looked at her.

Minerva felt a momentary satisfaction at this. But then his whole body shook, his knees gave way and he sank before her, gasping in great gulps of air and heaving out long suppressed sobs.

She didn't remember her own knees giving way, but she held on to him, and cried with him, until the soft light of dawn broke over them.

What Snape never got for his birthday: A slap for killing Dumbledore.