A/N: I find it ironic that this chapter, being the one that inspired the entire story, my very original idea for the fic, is the one that has taken me more time to write. I know that it's probably because it's the one that I have pictured in my mind more times and I wanted it to be perfect, guess what... it is not.
If I have to be honest, which I always try to be in these pre-chapter notes, I am not quite happy with how it has turned to be. This should be the most exciting chapter of the story and I feel I have neglected to transfer that feeling on it... Of course, you (the 5 followers that we have so far) will be the judge of it.
I hope you like it and, given the plot twist - if it can be said that, because I think you could perfectly see it coming - I would really appreciate your comments this time telling what you think of the story so far and the characters.
Talking about the characters... As I said, usually I write A/N at the top of my chapters that sometimes turn up to be as long, dull and pointless as this one. Since it didn't look like there was much interest for the story, I didn't bother this time, although I did reply to the reviews, something I always try to do. Anyway, what I was going to say is that, since we're approaching the end of the story, it is time for me to say that if the Minerva and Severus look out of character it is on purpose, because they are ten years younger and my intention was for this experience to change them into the two Rowling characters we know.
Well... time to let you all read ^.^ Enjoy the update and thanks for reading!
1982
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Chapter 7
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The rematch
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by Saeshmea
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Severus went into the teachers' lounge hoping to find it empty, but apparently he hadn't been the only one with that idea.
Minerva, who was checking some essays sitting on her own in the large table, raised her head and looked at him. None of them said anything for a long while, even their breathings seemed to slow down, trying to stop time.
"I will go," he said. He didn't even know why he'd announced it; he could have just turned around and leave without saying a word, but he guessed he wanted to see her reaction, he needed to, because they'd been avoiding each other for the entire week and he missed her.
"Please, don't," she said, and there was another long silence, "I owe you that rematch, remember?"
…
He wanted to ask her so many questions… Had she liked the kiss? Had she felt anything? Had she thought about it since then? But he didn't dare, he couldn't find the courage, the confidence… And there was the fact that She was married, and it was not right to fall in love with a married woman.
He could feel himself getting sick, his teenage self taking control of his body again, but then… he would think of that moment, that instant, that kiss… and all his pains and fears would go away.
...
"Severus, it's your turn," she said as they sat on the armchairs near the fire, face to face, with the old chess board between them.
He made his move, a suicidal move, he realized, when Minerva killed his last Horse with her still standing Queen, putting his King on checkmate. He had lost again.
"There is no doubt, now," he said, "you are an excellent chess player."
"Thank you," she smiled.
"I don't get why Ethan would say there's no challenge on playing with you," Severus pointed out.
"He just hates to admit that I'm better than him at this," she explained.
"Or maybe he just wanted me to believe it so you could humiliate me," he joked, and Minerva let go a shy giggle.
"Let me make you some tea to lower the shame, then," she stood up and Severus began to gather the pieces back into their box. He tried to be fast so he could join Minerva at the buffet and help her.
He stood behind her, very close to her body, breathing the smell of roses of her hair, as she poured the tea into their cups. She didn't ask him to move away, she neither pushed him or gesture him to stand back.
He was confused, a part of him wanted her to do so, to stop him, to put some common sense on his actions… She was a married woman. But Minerva didn't seem to care, she seemed to encourage him to do it, she seemed to be begging for him in silence.
He drove one hand to her waist and brushed it up her torso to her shoulder. Minerva shivered and Severus made his hand slide down her arm, tickling her skin over the fabric of her dress, stopping at her wrist and… A mark, a small part of her skin burned, distracted Severus.
"You burned yourself again?" he asked, stepping next to her, now, but still holding her wrist and pulling her sleeve up to see how up that burn went.
"I did," she quickly replied, getting free from his hold and pulling the sleeve down, "but I still have some of your potion left, so in a couple days it will be gone too," her lips smiled but her eyes didn't, "it's late," she suddenly said, drinking half her tea on one long sip and leaving the cup on the buffet, "I should get going."
She never left his mind; it was as if he had drunk a love potion because Minerva McGonagall had become his first, last and only thought of the day. If he could remember his dreams, he was sure they would smell of roses and taste of chocolate.
"Try bite me now, bitch!" Severus listened to a very familiar voice shout as he was picking ingredients in the forest, and he run to the animal's enclosures to see what was going on.
From behind the trees, Severus spotted Ethan in the pregnant hippogriff's pen. Well, she wasn't pregnant anymore; a small hippogriff baby was lying only a few steps further, watching its mother being attacked by the raging wand of their carer.
Ethan was throwing spell after a spell against the poor animal, which was bleeding and too weak to defend itself. Severus thought of doing something, maybe trying to calm his friend down, he wasn't like that, he was just furious with the poor beast because she'd bite him; but then, from the spot where he was standing, Severus noticed the skin around the hippogriff wounds looked as if it had been burned.
He let the plants and mushrooms he was carrying fall to the ground and then he ran. He had never ran so fast. Ignoring the faces of the students around him, Severus rushed up the staircase and kept running until he reached Minerva's office door on the first floor.
He knocked it noisily, not caring at all if there was anyone around, and when she came to the door he didn't even listen to her saying:
"Severus, hi, what's wrong?", he just forced himself inside, closed the door with a skillful kick and grabbed the fabric of her dress with both his hands.
"Severus, please, what are you doing?" she was scared, but he didn't stop to notice that. Using probably more strength than he needed, he started ripping her clothes off, "Don't, please!" she begged, even sobbed, and they struggled for a moment, but her dress tore up easily and now her torso was naked, showing a beautiful black lace bra and a collection of marks and scars on her pale skin.
Severus stepped back and Minerva covered herself with her hands, curling against the wall, trying to hide from him.
"I can't believe I was so blind," he muttered.
"Please, leave," she whispered among her sobs.
"He deserves to be lock down," he rose his voice, "maybe some of his own medicine will teach him a lesson," he grabbed his wand strongly, "as soon as he crosses that door I'll kill him!"
"NO!" Minerva suddenly shouted and Severus looked at her astonished, "You have to leave," she said clearly, now that she had his attention, standing only a few feet from him and not bothering to cover herself anymore.
"You can't ask me to leave," he said.
"I just did," she defied him.
"I will only leave if you come with me," he said approaching to her slowly.
"Oh, Severus," she sighted, lifting her hand as if she wanted to caress his face but not reaching it, "things are not that easy..."
"I won't let him treat you like this anymore," he grabbed hold of her hand and pulled her closer to him, "he has no right," he whispered, using his wand to magically undo the damage he'd done on her clothes.
"He is my husband," Minerva said, trying to get free from Severus' hand in vain.
"That didn't stop my father to kill my mother," he announced, and Minerva looked at him, suddenly understanding a little more about the soul of her former student, "I looked away many times and I failed to protect her, don't ask me to do it again," he said, "not with you," he added, "this is not a kiss I can just forget."
Still on Severus hold, Minerva raised her other hand and caressed his cheek. Her touch was tender. They were standing very close to each other and Severus was taken back to the ballroom, if he closed his eyes, he could even feel the crowd of people dancing around them shielding them from the watch of her husband. Minerva's hand descended to his chest, and grabbing his shirt, she slightly stood on her tiptoes and kissed him.
"I don't want you to forget," she whispered, and he let go of her hand.
"You have to report him," Severus said and he was replied by a dry laugh before she spoke.
"I can't report something that is not a crime," she said, "nobody will condemn a husband for going too far in a domestic dispute."
"Then we'll talk to Dumbledore, he won't ignore the situation."
"That would only make things worse," she desperately cried, "he would confront Ethan, and probably fire him and he would get mad at me," she was speaking so fast that Severus could barely follow her speech, "Ethan would come after me, he wouldn't let it go-"
"Stop," he interrupted her, "now answer me," he held both her hands between his, "do you want a way out of this marriage or not?"
"There is not such way, Severus, I am his wife."
"You once said to me that we all take wrong directions but that admitting it and redirecting our lives is a brave thing to do," he quoted her, "you're a Gryffindor lioness, Minerva, you are brave by nature."
"I have no courage left, Severus," she said, "I've been losing it day by day in this marriage."
"Then I will be it," he said, "I'll be your courage, all you have to do is take my hand and come with me."
…
As he walked down the halls with Minerva at the end of his hand, Severus could feel his stomach getting sick, but he got control of himself and made his old insecurity go away. He had no time to lose on his childhood fears, he needed to be confident, to be brave, for her. Of course at that moment he didn't know that would be the last time he would feel that way, the last time he would fight against the need of throwing up his dreads; maybe if he had, he would have allowed himself a moment of nostalgia to grief that old part of him that was finally and slowly going away at every step forward that he made.
After saying the password to the gargoyle guarding Dumbledore's office, Severus felt Minerva squeezing his hand. He turned around and allowed himself a moment to admire her beauty; because even with her hair a little messed up after their earlier struggling, she looked beautiful, especially with those shiny emerald eyes of her suddenly filled with hope; a hope that he had inspired on her. This thought made him smile.
"Ready?" he asked and she nodded.
They climbed the stairs and knocked. After knocking one more time without receiving response, Severus decided to go into the office uninvited.
"Albus is clearly not here, Severus," Minerva said, that nervous tone of voice on her mouth again, "this was a bad idea."
"It was not," he responded, very calmed, almost with no music on his voice, "we'll wait for him."
He walked to the sitting area of the Headmaster's office and put the fire on. Minerva followed him and sat on the sofa; with her back rested on the pillows, she looked at him getting comfortable at her side.
"Don't look at me that way," she said, "I hate pity."
"It's not that," Severus said, trying not to gaze her so she wouldn't misunderstand his concern again, "I just…"
"It's complicated," she said.
"What is?" he asked.
"Everything…"
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TO BE CONTINUED...