Mina awoke the next morning feeling very unsettled, as if someone was staring at her. She glanced around her room slowly and jerked violently when she noticed Severus perched in her arm chair reading the newest edition of the daily prophet.
"Sev! You scared me!" Mina yelped as she tugged her blankets tightly around her.
"Good thing I wasn't someone trying to hurt you, you'd be dead." Severus replied coldly as he folded his paper back down and sent Mina a dark look, "Do you know you sleep with your mouth open?"
"Oh shut it!" Mina growled as she narrowed her eyes at him.
"So, is there any particular reason why you skipped all of your classes yesterday?" Snape asked sternly.
"You mean a reason besides almost being spotted by Narcissa?" Mina sneered as she climbed out of bed and checking to make sure she was decently dressed before she did so.
"Oh please, one class maybe but all of them? No, something happened." Snape assumed as he turned his attention back to his paper so Mina could get dressed.
"If you must know, I fell asleep." Mina replied which wasn't a complete lie but it wasn't the full truth either.
"Hmm." Snape answered from behind his paper.
"Why was Narcissa here?" Mina asked as she quickly pulled on her uniform.
"To check on her son." Snape said reservedly.
"And…" Mina tried to pry.
"Mina the boy's father is in Azkaban and his Mother was worried about him. End of Story." Snape retorted as he snapped the paper down as Mina finished dressing.
"Lucius is in Azkaban?" Mina asked as she spun to look at Snape suddenly.
"Yes, he was caught aiding the Dark Lord in the department of Ministries." Snape spoke slowly.
"I didn't know that." Mina admitted as she thought back to everything that had happened the night before.
"You'd have the ministry to thank for that. They're doing their best to try and cover up their mishaps with the whole Dark Lord Business." Snape continued as he once again picked his paper back up.
"Is he alright then?" Mina implored as she started to gather her school books for her morning classes.
"Who?" Snape drawled.
"Draco." Mina replied softly.
"I'd think he'd be a bit shaken up but he seems well enough to me." Snape speculated as he folded his paper up all the way and placed it down on the arm of the chair.
"Something happened last night with him." Mina confessed as she turned to look out the porthole in her wall.
"What? What happened?" Snape questioned as he suddenly jumped to his feet.
"I saw him destroying his room. He was so upset and he had accidentally hurt himself." Mina explained as she continued to gaze into the lake.
"Why didn't you come get me?" Snape spoke suddenly as he appeared next to Mina.
"I healed him." Mina whispered as she reached for Sirius's necklace absentmindedly.
"You What?!" Snape bellowed as he grabbed Mina's arm gently causing her to turn to look at him.
"He was in such a bad way and I knew I could help him without causing a scene or embarrassing him further. So I healed him." Mina confessed.
"What the hell were you thinking Mina!" he sighed as he shook his head and ran his hand through his hair.
"I just wanted to help." Mina breathed.
"I know that it's hard for you to sit by and watch things happen but I beg of you to not get involved with him or any other student in this school. You are here to lay low and instead you go and heal a boy who's father is directly connected with the Dark Lord." Snape growled as she turned to look at Mina.
Mina turned slowly, "I know Sev, I'm sorry. He just looked so…lost."
"As he should." Snape crooned as he made his way over to Mina's trunk and opened the secret compartment where she kept her small stash of blood vials.
"Where's the vial?" Snape asked as he slammed her trunk shut.
"He had a wound on his forearm that he wouldn't let me touch so I left the few remaining drops with him so he could heal himself." Mina admitted as she saw Snape's eyes go wide with shock.
"HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND!" Snape sneered her, "Of all the idiotic things to do Mina!"
"I didn't tell him what it was." Mina confessed as she sat on the edge of her bed.
"Did he use the rest of it?" Snape grilled her.
"I don't know! He was being really strange about his arm." Mina confided in him as she gave Snape an odd look.
"I will deal with this. From now on Mina you go to class, you eat in the great hall and you speak to no one. Is that understood?" Snape growled at her.
"You're not really My God Father you know?" Mina laughed awkwardly as she grabbed her bag off the floor.
"This isn't a game Mina." Snape spat at her.
"You think I don't know that?" Mina shot back, "You weren't around the last time I was imprisoned by a Dark Wizard."
"And Thank God for that!" Snape growled out as he crossed his arms tightly tucking his fingers into his cloak.
"Don't forget you work for Voldemort too!" She shouted back.
"Yes, and I've paid for that! I've lost everything Mina!" He snapped back, "I won't lose you too!"
Mina opened her mouth to argue back but stopped as she realized the importance of what he had just said. Snape's eyes had began to tear up and without hesitation Mina rushed over and wrapped her arms around him.
"I'm so sorry Severus." Mina whispered as he slowly hugged her back.
"I know." Snape urged her.
"You're right." Mina replied as she nodded.
"No I'm not. You should be allowed to live your life, you've already been through so much." Snape sighed as he let go of her.
"Maybe one day Sev, but right now I need to focus on staying under the radar so I can remain free." Mina said aloud as she grabbed up her bag and followed him out of her room.
Three weeks flew by as Mina kept to herself. She stopped venturing out into the library and only spoke to the other students when it was absolutely necessary. She had spoken to Draco a handful of times but only in class and only when it was something related to the classwork. This seemed to put Draco off to the point where he had began to ignore Mina but she thought that had more to do with her missing Qudditch practice than anything else. Severus had written her a note to excuse her from the first few practices although she couldn't keep missing them if she wanted to remain on the team.
Mina awoke in the morning at a normal time. She got dressed and grabbed her bag, and had just flung her door open when something red caught her eye. There pinned to her door was a single red rose and small piece of parchment. Mina snatched the items off her door and dared a glance up and down the hallway before closing her door silently and retreating back into her room.
She carefully unfolded the piece of parchment and brought it towards her eyes to read the very scribbled handwriting inside.
I know it's lame but I miss the sound of your voice. I miss the way your eyes light up when you ramble on about some random magical creature that I've never heard of before. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I miss you. Here's to hoping that I can make your day just a little brighter since your smile alone always brightens my day. -Yours, Miles.
P.S. You better make it to our next Qudditch Practice or I think Graham may spontaneously combust.
Mina chuckled softly as she brought the rose to her nose and inhaled deeply. She closed her eyes and thought to last time someone had given her roses and a big grin crept up her face.
*FLASH BACK*
Mina's eyes fluttered open as she snuggled closer into Sirius's arms. He had spent the night with her in the Room of Requirements just as they had many nights before. They were tangled together in nest of bedsheets and furs.
"Good Morning Beautiful." Sirius whispered as he brushed his lips across her forehead and pulled her closer into him.
"Good Morning." Mina replied as she snuggled her head into his bare chest and smiled against his skin.
"How did you sleep?" Sirius breathed into her ear as he rested his chin lightly on top of her head and traced circles on her arm.
"Better than I have in weeks." Mina confessed to him.
"I guess we could always just sleep here every night." Sirius mused as his lips broke out into a smile.
"I bet you'd like that wouldn't you?" Mina teased as she slowly pulled herself out of Sirius's arms and reluctantly forced herself to get up to get dressed for the day.
"Nothing would make me happier." Sirius replied as he took in the site of her naked body with eager eyes.
"Don't look at me like that. I have to go." Mina sighed as she put her uniform back on.
"You always say that, but wouldn't you rather just stay here with me?" Sirius asked in a husky tone as he stood up, stretched and grabbed a bed sheet, wrapping it loosely around his waist.
Mina turned her back to Sirius, trying to hide her blushing face as his two muscular arms wrapped tightly around her waist.
"If I stay here, we'll never leave this bed." Mina managed to make out as she placed her arms on top of his.
"And what's so bad about that, my love?" Sirius questioned as he leaned down and nibbled on the bottom of her ear.
Mina moaned softly as she tried to wiggle out of his embrace.
"Nothing, except for the fact that my paper on harpies won't magically write itself." Mina replied as Sirius grabbed a hold of her and pulled her into him, planting a fiery kiss upon her lips.
Mina twisted her fingers up into his hair and pulled him closer, allowing him to place his tongue inside of her mouth.
When they finally pulled away from one another, Mina stood there panting.
"Well then before you go, at least let me give you this." Sirius flirted as he walked over to a random pile of boxes and pulled out two things from behind the pile.
He strode over to Mina, holding a bouquet of white roses and a palm sized wooden box.
"Sirius, I thought we agreed we wouldn't give each other gifts until tonight?" Mina exhaled as the site of him standing there with nothing but a loose bed sheet clinging dangerously low on his hips sent her heart into overdrive.
"Yes we did but I can't wait that long." He admitted as he stopped right in front of her and handed her the gifts.
Mina reached out and accepted the gifts. Breathing in the scent of white roses before laying them down on the empty chair beside her.
"They are perfect, Thank you." She smiled at him.
"Happy Anniversary Mina. Now open the box." Sirius instructed as a nervous smile danced across his lips.
"Alright." Mina smirked back as she opened the box to reveal a beautiful Silver Necklace with an Onyx stone pendant, encircled by a ornate pattern that had been set in silver.
"Oh Sirius, I don't know what to say." Mina gasped as her breath caught in her throat.
"You don't have to say anything." Sirius beamed as he took the box from her hands, picked up the necklace and held it up to put around Mina's neck.
Mina spun slowly as Sirius clasped the necklace on, making sure to brush her hair out from under the necklace once it was on.
"The Stone contains some of my hair, that way a piece of me will always be with you." Sirius informed her as Mina's fingers gravitated towards the onyx pendant.
"I love it! Thank you so much." Mina exclaimed as let the pendant drop back down against her skin and threw her arms around Sirius's neck.
She kissed Sirius passionately, allowing her hands to run over his bare chest. Sirius clasped his hands behind Mina's waist as he began to unzip her skirt.
"Does this mean you'll stay here with me?" he pleaded against her lips.
Mina didn't reply as she allowed her hands to skim around the edge of the bed sheet as she yanked it off of him and they both tumbled back into the scrambled pile of bed sheets.
*PRESENT DAY*
Mina found herself aimlessly tinkering with her necklace for the rest of the day. Luckily her classes seemed to fly by for the day and soon enough she found herself rushing off towards the edge of the forbidden forest to attend Care of Magical Creatures. Today they would be studying Thestrals. Mina asked Snape to get a hold of several books on these animals by none other than her favorite zoologist, Newt Scamander, that way she could avoid running into any other students in the library.
Earlier That Week:
"Still pining over that yuppie?" Snape teased her as he quickly jotted down the names of the books she had asked for.
"You're just jealous, I never pined over you like that." Mina shot back as she snatched up her bag from off the floor.
"You know one of these days you should write your own book. It would be called something along the lines of, Been alive for 500 years and only had one successful relationship." Severus teased mercilessly.
"What would your book be called then? How to take your time at becoming the Defense of the Dark Arts teacher?" Mina winked at him as Severus sent a her an obscene hand gesture.
Mina blew him a fake kiss as she exited the room and headed off to the great hall.
*Present Day*
Mina as always was the first to arrive at Care of Magical Creatures. Hagrid was always so excited to see her. He made sure she knew that he wished she could be there to help assist with every class.
"Maybe one day when there are no more dark wizards trying to take me hostage." Mina laughed as Hagrid shrugged his shoulders and set everything up for the class.
A small group of Thestrals sat in a wooden fence enclosures at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Mina made her way over to them reaching into the small pouch that rested around her hip, pulling out some apple slices to toss to the creatures. The biggest of the group strode over to Mina and nudged his head against her shoulder.
"Hey Finn, Long time no see." She cooed as she reached up and grazed the creature's leathery skin on the top of his head with her fingers gently.
"Don't let the other students catch you doing that. You'll make them think that they are harmless." Mile's voice called out as he silently appeared beside her.
"Miles, you scared me." Mina admitted as she dropped her hand and stepped away from the thestral.
"I don't know many other students who can also see them." He confessed as he leaned on the railing to look at the creatures.
Mina didn't need him to elaborate, she knew the only reason he'd be able to see them was if he had witnessed a Death in real life.
"What are doing down here?" Mina asked attempting to change the subject.
"Oh you know, I just came to see if you got my gift that I left you this morning." Miles smiled brilliantly as he turned slightly to glance up at Mina.
"Oh no I don't believe I did." Mina teased as she watched Miles's face fall slightly.
"Although, I did get this rather embarrassing display of a rose and an even more embarrassing note from this complete weirdo this morning." Mina smirked as she turned to face Miles.
"Wow, well that guy sounds like a total creep." Miles beamed at Mina as he placed an arm on the railing.
"I couldn't agree more." Mina laughed as Miles began to chuckle.
"I don't know what you're doing later but I was wondering if…" Miles started to ask as a voice suddenly called out to them.
"Not in your lifetime Bletchley." Blaise growled as he and a gang of Slytherin boys came blundering down the hill.
"Seriously what the hell were you thinking?" Theodore laughed as he came over and slapped Miles on the shoulder hard, "Mina isn't just some easy one night stand, so leave her alone."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Miles snarled as Mina turned away from him feeling very much like a deer in headlights.
"What he means to say is that you are dog. You say all the right things to try and get your way with the ladies and as soon as you get what you want you disappear." Theodore snickered as he walked back over to the group of boys.
"Listen if this is about your sister…"Miles started.
"No, it's not just his sister Miles, it's over half the Slytherin girls in this school." Blaise spat.
Mina felt a pang of betrayal as she looked from Miles back over the boys, that's when her eyes fell on a familiar blond headed boy near the back of the group. Draco stood behind the boys with a look of pure hatred on his face as his eyes remained locked on Miles.
"Mina, don't listen to them. They are just jealous that I had the courage to ask you out first." Miles pleaded as he reached over and took a hold on Mina's hand.
"Miles I…" Mina started as she tried to pull her hand out of his grip.
"Don't touch her." Draco growled as he crossed over in front of Mina as fast as he could gently guiding Mina behind him before gripping his wand from out of his robes, and aiming it at Miles.
Blaise pulled his wand out as well.
"Oh this is hilarious." Miles laughed whole heartedly as he raised a hand to his chest.
"What is?" Draco managed to say through his teeth.
"The fact that you are here to come to her rescue." Miles managed as he stopped laughing and started glaring at Draco.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Blaise challenged as Mina noticed some of the other boys in their group also had their wands pointed at Miles.
"Mina, Do you know what they call him around here?" Miles went on, ignoring Blaise's question as he drew his wand from his robes and pointed at Draco.
"Watch it, Bletchley." Blaise sneered as he took a step towards Miles.
"Ask him Mina. Ask him what they call him." Miles insisted as he smirked at Draco.
No one spoke. Mina could feel her heart racing out of her chest, she wondered if she would have enough time to fetch Hagrid to put a stop to this.
"They call him the Slytherin slut." Miles barked with a wide grin, "It's even rumored his father passes him around to various ministry members to get blackmail on them so when the time comes he can use it to his benefit."
Draco's face faltered as his wand shook in his hand, it was all the hesitation that Miles needed as he took another step forward.
Mina without thinking grabbed a hold of Draco's waist and spun him so that both of their backs were to Miles.
"CRUC…" She heard Miles start to shout as several other spells sounded off at the same time.
Without faltering, Mina apparated clinging tightly to Draco.
They landed hard somewhere in the Forbidden forest causing Draco to trip and land on top of Mina.
"You saved me." Draco whispered as he braced his arms on either side of Mina's face.
Mina looked up at him, feeling her heart racing at the site of him leaning over her. Her hands that were pressed into his chest began to tremble as she felt his heartbeat hammering away through his school uniform. Slowly he lowered his face to hers, their noses were almost touching, she could feel his breath on her lips.
"MINA!" they heard someone shouting from the trees to the right of them.
Moments later Severus appeared. Mina shoved Draco off of her and climbed to her feet.
"Sev, I mean Uncle Snape!" Mina corrected herself as she started brushing off all the leaves and dirt from her robes trying her best not to look at Severus's face.
"Thank God!" Severus exhaled he rushed over to them.
"Are you hurt?" Severus questioned as Draco got to his feet and stood beside Mina.
"No, we're fine." Mina answered as she pulled off the last piece of debris from the bottom of her robes.
Draco didn't address Snape. He kept his eyes focused on Mina. Mina startled suddenly when he reached over and brushed a leaf from out of her hair, brushing her cheek briefly as he did. Mina felt warmth flood her cheeks as her eyes locked with Draco's.
"Thank you." Mina nodded awkwardly as she took a step away from him and ran her fingers through her hair to make sure there were no more lingering leafs.
"Right, well if you two are quite done flirting with each other, perhaps we should head back." Severus says as he turns his back on them and starts to walk off.
Mina looks to Draco as he just motions his hand towards Snape. Mina nods and takes off after him, Draco following closely behind.
"So you can Apparate." Draco says finally breaking the silence.
"Yes." Mina replies as she tries to speed up her steps.
"How?" he asks her as he started walking faster to keep in step with her.
"In America we learn how to apparate our fifth year at Hogwarts." Mina lied as she continued to walk on.
"See here's the thing Mina, My Father works for the ministry so I know that most the laws here are the same in America." Draco replied, not responding the way Mina had hoped.
"So?" Mina laughed nervously.
"So," Draco started as he grabbed a hold of Mina's arm. Mina stopped and turned to look at him, "I know you're lying."
"Why do you care?" Mina spat as she pulled her arm from out of his hand.
"Why are you lying?" Draco challenged as he took a step towards her with his arm still stretched out.
"Are you two coming or do I need to do this the hard way?" Severus spat as he appeared before them with his arms crossed over his chest.
"We're coming." Mina responded, not taking her eyes off of Draco.
"Good, then let's go." Severus growled as he turned around once more.
"I will find out you know." Draco called after Mina as she started to walk off.
"Can't you just drop it and be grateful that I did it?" Mina hissed as she focused on where she was walking.
"No." He replied in a matter of fact tone.
Mina spun on heel as Draco walked into her, not realizing that she would stop. They foreheads collided together.
"Ow you idiot!" she sneered at him as she took a step back and rubbed her forehead.
"You were the one who stopped walking!" he spat back as he rubbed his own forehead.
"Alright that's it, Mina get over here now. Not another word out of the two of you. Is that understood?" Severus barked at them as he grabbed a hold of Mina's arm and dragged her alongside him.
"What is your problem?" Mina muttered in a hushed tone as she forced Severus to let go of her arm.
"Right now my problem is you. You just revealed that you can apparate to several of the students here." Severus hissed under his breath.
"I'm sorry what did you want me to do, get hit by an unforgivable curse?" Mina grumbled.
"A what!?" Snape hissed as his eyes darted to Mina.
"Miles was trying to cast the Cruciatus curse." Mina informed him.
"That little…" Severus started to hiss under his breath as they finally reached the edge of the forest.
"How did you find us so quickly?" Mina asked trying to change the subject to take Severus's mind off of what she had just told him.
"I was on my way to drop off the last of the books you had asked me to get for you." Snape said in a unpleasant tone as he reached into his robes and shoved two leather bound books into Mina's hands.
"Thank you." Mina managed as she accepted them and brought them to her chest.
"Mina! Draco! You're okay!" called Hagrid's voice as relief swept over his face.
"Yes they're fine, no thanks to you." Severus sneered at the half-giant.
"Stop it!" Mina muttered under her breath at Severus.
"I'm Sorry Professor Snape, I turned my back for just a moment…" Hagrid tried to plead his case as his eyes turned to the ground.
"No, it's fine. This isn't your fault." Mina reassured Hagrid as she glared at Severus.
"Was anyone hurt?" Draco's asked as he looked towards where the class was supposed to be.
"I'm afraid Blaise took the brunt of some pretty nasty spells, but Theodore was able to disable Miles before too much damage happened." Hagrid told them.
"Where are they now?" Draco asked.
"In the Hospital wing." Hagrid answered as Draco looked at Mina with a worried look.
"I'm fine. Go." Mina insisted as Draco nodded, giving Mina a longing look before rushing off towards the castle.
"I have to get back to my classroom. We'll finish this conversation later." Snape added as he didn't so much as look Mina's way before stomping off towards the castle.
Mina watched him tearing off towards the castle, knowing full well that he was about to give Miles detention for life. She took this time to glance down at the books he had handed to her. Mina knew she would have to deal with all of this later but for now it was time to focus on her favorite subject.
"Oh Hagrid, I've been meaning to ask have you ever read Newt Scamander's entries on Thestrals?" Mina asked as Hagrid looked up with a large grin.
"I can't say that I have." He answered.
"Oh you simply must see them, they are incredible!" Mina gushed as the two of them headed back over to where remaining students were gathered waiting for their class to start.