Why do you look so familiar

I could swear that I have seen your face before

I think that I like that you seem sincere

I think I'd like to get to know you a little bit more
----------Avril Lavigne, Who Knows

She sat down in the empty staff room, her back erect and her hands folded neatly in her lap. Minerva waited patiently for Albus to walk through the door and call her out so she could meet the new Potions Professor. She had heard that the other Professors had met the new Professor at the Three Broomsticks the other night, and she had been far too busy to meet him. Today the new Professor was to move his things into his quarters, so she had a special meeting arranged for them. She had told Albus that it was no big deal and that she could meet him some other time, no special meeting was needed. But Albus had insisted, he insisted that it was more of a warm welcome if he had met all the teachers, so she just nodded her head and agreed.

Just then Albus' head had popped through the door, he smiled warmly at her and said, "Are you ready to meet the new Professor?"

Minerva stood up and walked forward, she gave a curt nod and followed him down. As they walked Minerva asked him a few questions.

"How old is he?"

"About twenty-eight I think."

"Are you sure he is qualified? It is very hard to find a decent man who knows Potions."

"I am very sure he is qualified, his skill surpasses anyone that I have met before. He is a very talented man."

Minerva's expression darkened, she stopped walking and she asked in a low voice, "Albus, is he the former Death Eater that you were speaking about?"

Albus sighed and he replied, "Yes, Minerva, he is. Please don't suspect him of anything, he has come to me to redeem himself, he has asked for forgiveness and he has been forgiven. All I need is his word, I am sure he won't break his loyalty to me."

Minerva was about to protest but Albus raised his hand for her to be silent before she could say a word.

"Professor Mcgonagall, I need your full support on this. Lord knows what that man has been through. It must have taken a strong amount of courage to come and ask for forgiveness," he put his hand on her shoulder and continued, "Can you trust my decision?"

Minerva sighed, "Yes, Headmaster, I trust your decision."

Albus squeezed her shoulder gently.

"And can I trust you to accept this man?"

Minerva nodded, "Of course, Headmaster."

Albus smiled and started to walk again.

"Come Minerva, he is waiting for us."

Minerva nodded and followed him.

As they walked down the stairs, Minerva saw a dark haired man walking through the open doors of Hogwarts. His head was down and he was furiously shaking his luggage, trying to make the little house elf let go of his belongings. Albus nudged Minerva's shoulder and motioned for her to walk forward and introduce himself. She walked to him and extended her hand.

"I am Minerva Mcgonagall, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts. It is a pleasure to meet you."

But then, Minerva's hand immediately dropped as the man looked up. He brushed some of his hair out of his face and then mirrored her expression of shock and mortification. He dropped his belongings and his heavy luggage squashed the house elf, it squirmed underneath and pushed the luggage off of itself. Both of them pointed fingers at each other and yelled.

"YOU!"

After these two years Minerva still remembered that face so clearly, his black hair, thin frame, and deep black eyes. She had never forgotten his face even though she had never found out his name. She had expected never to see him again after that night, yet here he was, in the flesh, standing right in front of her, and apparently he remembered everything too.

"What are you doing here? What do you mean, what am I doing here? I asked you first!" they both yelled in unison.

"Albus! What is this man doing here?" Minerva yelled at the Headmaster who stood quietly behind them, curiously watching the curious spectacle before him.

"Well, Minerva, I believe that he is our new Potions Master. You remember Severus don't you? Your former student I believe?"

Minerva looked at him now in disbelief, and then turned her wide-eyed gaze to Severus, who was also looking at the both of them in disbelief. Then she yelled again.

"SEVERUS SNAPE?!"

Then Severus followed.

"MINERVA MCGONAGALL?!"

Albus had gotten the idea that it was his cue to leave now; he waved to the both of them and walked up the stairs.

"Wait! Albus! Where are you going?" Minerva yelled. She had a feeling that she didn't want to be left alone with Severus right now.

"I think I left my stove on. Please escort Severus to his quarters, Minerva. I'll see the both of you later!" Albus said cheerfully. It seemed the best thing he could do right now was to leave them be, he didn't want to meddle with personal affairs.

"But Albus! Wait!" Minerva yelled in frustration, he didn't bother to turn around or even look at her. "You don't even have a stove!"

They stood in front of each other, neither of them were sure of what do to or what to say. Minerva noticed that the silence was even worse than the yelling and shouting.

"Well...shall I show you to your quarters?" Minerva asked, not looking at Severus.

Severus nodded and they walked down into the dungeons. Both of them were walking quietly, they didn't look at each other, for embarrassment prevented them from talking. When they arrived in front of his quarters Minerva just stood in front of the portrait. Severus raised an eyebrow, Minerva shifted her gaze a little from the floor and looked at him, making sure neither of them had eye contact.

"I don't know the password," Minerva said, breaking the silence and answering Severus' silent question as to why she just stood there.

Severus lifted his gaze from the floor and looked at the portrait of the sleeping snake. "Horntail."

The snake on the portrait lazily opened one of its eyes, it hissed at them for waking him up and the portrait swung open swung open. They stepped inside, behind them the portrait closed and they stood awkwardly silent in the dark room.

"I..." They both began but trailed off and their still gaze was on the floor.

Severus was trying to think of something to say; unfortunately his mind was like a blank piece of paper. He watched the small house elf scurry around the room. When the house elf ran across Severus he grabbed it and hissed, "Get out of here now."

The house elf gave a nervous squeak. It snapped its fingers and disappeared.

Minerva raised her head a little and gave Severus a scolding look, which he did not see because he was now looking at his bright green wall.

"You don't have to be so harsh."

Then it became quiet again.

Severus wanted to pull his hair out and scream or shout, whatever, both sounded good. He was inside a room, alone with a woman he had had sex with, and that woman turned out to be Minerva Mcgonagall, his former teacher. It wouldn't have been so awkward if he had known who she was that night. He wouldn't have even dared to lay a finger on her if he knew who she was! And what made it worse was that SHE WAS HIS FORMER TEACHER. But anyway, that time had already passed, and he was ready to face the music.

The cold, hard, shocking music.

"Professor, I-"He was cut off since Minerva had started to speak to and she clearly didn't want to be interrupted.

"Severus, I'm sorry. We were both drunk and had no idea of what we were doing." Minerva paused for a while, and took in a deep, shaky breath. It seemed that she was having a hard time finding words, but when she spoke she sounded perfectly calm. "Let's forget that that night never happened. We never speak a word of it and start over."

Minerva extended her hand and tried to give him a smile, but the smile came out funny and awkward. "Let's make it easier, shall we?" she cleared her throat and addressed him formally. "I am Minerva Mcgonagall, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Head of Gryffindor, and Transfigurations Professor. You may remember me as your former professor. It is a pleasure to see you again."

"Uh..." Severus took her hand and shook it. He didn't smile like she had, and he didn't speak as professionally as her, he still felt too shocked and dumb to think properly. "Severus Snape, Potions Master of Hogwarts..."

Minerva acted calm, but on the inside she was silently cursing at herself. What had she done? It repeated in her head over and over. She desperately needed to leave this bright green room and get away from Severus, far, far away from Severus. She couldn't stand looking at him or even be in his presence because of the great embarrassment she felt. She walked to the exit, a little too fast and rushed than she meant. She gave him one last obviously forced smile.

"Have a good night Severus, sleep well." Then she disappeared into the long and winding corridor.

As soon as Minerva stepped out of the room Severus immediately ran to his bed, ripped his clothes off and buried his face in his pillow. Hoping that everything that had just happened was just a bad dream, a really bad dream.

"What have I done?" Severus repeated aloud over and over again.

Minerva was in her room. Her face was buried in her hands; her hair was loose and ran messily down her shoulders. She made muffled sounds that sounded like, "What have I done?"

I feel so STUPID. It's the second week of school and it feels like all my intelligence has withered away, has been flushed down the toilet, died even.

Feck.

I think that the song fits the first chapter more. Oh well...

R&R please...I bet my intelligence might come back home if you guys review...