In rage and sorrow, Minerva pulled her arms free of the grasp and began pounding on the chest of the man who had forced her curse off course. Her eyes filled with angry tears as she pounded and pounded, sobbing, "Let me kill the bloody traitor… kill… traitor… he killed… Albus… my beloved Albus." The arms merely pulled her to his chest, holding her tight to him.

She seemed to gather strength again and she pulled away with defiant eyes. "Let me give him what he deser…" She stopped abruptly, eyes wide, face pale. She began shaking her head slowly in disbelief.

"You're dead," she said matter-of-factly. "Dead. He killed you!" She pointed to Snape. "YOU'RE DEAD!"

"No, Minerva, my darling, I am not dead," Albus responded with pain in his voice. He then felt a stinging pain and everything went black for a second. His hand went to his cheek, now red from her slap.

"Minerva," he began, knowing fully well how hurt and confused she must be but feeling the need to explain. He was, however, interrupted.

"You BASTARD!" Minerva screamed in his face. Then she lowered her voice to a whisper. "You left us all to think you were dead! How could you! Don't you understand that we need you! I've been trying to run Hogwarts, the Order and my own life for a year, knowing that I had you and your love for less than twenty-four hours! You left me." Her voice broke. "You left me without as much as a goodbye. Without telling me what you were up to. I can only assume it was some clever magic trick of yours. Don't you see, Albus? Had we merely been employer and employee, had we merely been friends, had I even still thought that my love was unrequited, I could have handled it. But we were not! I knew that you loved me. I thought that as long as I knew that, I could go on! And then you do this! Why, Albus? WHY!" Tears were streaming down her grazed and bruised face and she was very well aware that many people were following the scene. 'They don't even try to hide it,' she thought bitterly.

She was startled to see tears also leaking from Albus' eyes. His hand reached out hesitantly to caress her cheek as he had that fatal morning. No matter how much she wanted to lean into his touch, she stiffened.

"Will you believe me, when I say that I am beyond sorry for all the pain I have caused you?" he asked, his eyes filled with hurt and pain. His hand dropped from her face.

"Albus…" She took a deep breath. "I don't think you can fully grasp the amount of pain you've caused me. I don't know if I should be relieved that you are finally back, that you didn't leave me for good, to live my life without you or if I should curse you into oblivion for doing what you did to me and this, Albus Dumbledore, is not an empty threat!"

"Excuse me, Headmaster, Minerva," a voice interrupted before Albus had the chance to answer. They both turned to find Severus Snape facing them with a wand pointing to his throat. Behind him stood Harry Potter, holding his wand tightly, ready to hex Snape. "Potter seems convinced that I actually did try to kill you, Headmaster. Would you mind awfully setting his mind right?" Snape's voice was low and his tone was dry and ever so slightly sarcastic.

"Lower your wand, Harry. It seems I've some explaining to do. But first we need to see to the wounded and get the Death Eaters locked up safely somewhere."

Minerva spoke the password to the spiralling staircase that would lead them to her office. She heard Albus sigh behind her and turned around to face him.

"I am merely glad to be back, Minerva," was his answer to her still unspoken question. She smiled a small smile.

"We're glad to have you back, Albus," she replied. They entered her office but as Minerva sat down in her chair behind the desk, she noticed that Albus had stopped right inside the door.

"You know, Albus, you can come in."

"I… Nothing's changed." He looked around in disbelief.

"No," she smiled. "Nothing has been changed." Her smile faltered. "I couldn't bear to change anything. Please sit, Albus. I think we need to talk."

"I believe you're right, dear," he said, walking across the room. "But please, Minerva, can we move this talk to the living room? I do not desire to tell this story across a desk." His eyes were pleading and Minerva gave a curt nod. She wasn't quite sure what to feel. Happy that he was back? Or angry that he left her at all? Should she jump into his arms and kiss him as she had dreamed of so many nights this past year? Or should she simply tell him to leave her alone? Could she forgive him for what he had done so easily?

TBC...

A/N: I'm so sorry I haven't updated before now! Please forgive me. ;)