Chapter 15: The view of the Outsiders

Albus turned from his view of the two young lovers at the entranceway to his own lover that sat upon the edge of his bed. He smiled walked over to join her, when he was seated; he reached over and grabbed the two glasses of wine on a side table. He handed one to her and said, "To us my dear."

"Oh Albus, you are such a flirt even after all these years. Do you honestly believe that I don't know what you are really toasting?"

"My dear, I am certain that I don't know what you are talking about."

"Albus, you are toasting the two newest love birds of Hogwarts. I'm younger than you Albus, and therefore, I have not lost my senses."

"Oh my dear,"

"It's alright Albus, I want them to be happy too, both of them deserve this." After this statement, she tapped her glass against his and took a sip. He too took a taste and smiled at her.

"Minerva, you amaze me with your wisdom, and you power of observation."

"My dearest Albus, I didn't choose a cat as my animagus for nothing." She smiled at him as he leaned into her for a loving kiss. He pressed against her the best he could in his current position. As the kiss deepened, so did their motions. Albus and Minerva fell to the bed and then they made love.

The two sets of lovers attended breakfast the next morning as if nothing was out of the ordinary. Albus sat next to Minerva and held her hand secretly under the table just as he always had. However, instead of participating in the usual conversation, he watched the young couple to his and Minerva's right. He noticed something different, his colleague that he viewed as a son was only eating with one hand, the other was tucked under the table and he instantly knew that his young colleague had taken his relationship to the next level, and for him, that was a big step. Yes, Minerva was right, they both need this, He thought, and he smiled to himself and continued to eat his breakfast.

As soon as people started departing to go about their business Albus leaned over Minerva to talk to Severus, "Severus, when you get a moment, I would like to talk to you, alone if I may."

Severus said nothing; he nodded and gripped onto Hermione's hand tightly. She grimaced and whispered, "Severus?" No Response, "Severus," a bit louder, this time he turned to look at her, "can I have my hand back?" He looked down and released her hand, "Sorry." he said.

"It's alright," she said massaging the feeling back into her hand.

After they were all done, the two couples walked out of dining hall, Hermione and Minerva were going to go discuss the bonding and the rest of the details of the internship. And before they could go in the opposite direction, Severus grabbed Hermione's hand tighter and pulled her to him. There was no one else around but Albus and Minerva so when she got close enough he kissed her. She didn't fight, she wasn't ashamed of her and Severus' relationship, and if he was going to be open, she wasn't going to argue. She enjoyed the kiss, and she pulled away, and said, "Severus, I have to go, and so do you." He quietly groaned so that only she could hear. She smiled and then pulled away and when she looked at the two older professors. To her, and Severus' dismay, they were smiling, crap, she thought.

They looked at each other and split away, than they each went their separate ways with their designated teachers.

When Severus and Albus got to the headmaster's office, they both sat down at the office desk and when Albus sat down, he asked, "Lemon Drop?"

"Albus, you know that I don't like those things."

"Very well, so how are things with Miss Granger?"

"Fine, given the circumstances."

"Good, good."

"What are you really interested in Albus?"

"Can't an old headmaster be curious without having intensions behind it?"

"No."

"Well then, I suppose that I am just curious how things are going in general, you know, just making sure that you are both working at this because every relationship takes two..."

"Listen you old coop, I do not need you to interfere with my relationship with Hermione, this is important to me."

Albus simply smiled and let it rest.

"Look, Albus," He sighed, "I know that you are just trying to help but I think that it would be best if Hermione and I both broke the news to the Order instead of you."

"I was hoping you would."

"Ok, is there anything else?"

"Not unless you are going to tell me anything about your progress with Miss Granger."

"Nice Try," Severus said.

"Ok, then you is free to go." Severus stood and left the office.

Minerva had a bit more luck then Albus when it came to getting information from the young witch. "So how is everything going, are your feelings the same that they were when we went to Diagon Alley?"

"I don't know, I mean I do have some feelings that have developed for him, especially since dinner, but it's all a bit fuzzy to me."

"Dinner? Do you care to indulge an old witch?" Hermione relayed that night's events to her mentor and when she was done, Minerva just sat there, in shock. When she came to she said, "Well, then did that clear up things for you."

"Yeah it did, I think I could love him Minerva," Hermione smiled to herself.

"That's good, I know that this is going to be a bit awkward. I know that you will adjust to him, but please keep an open mind with him; he really needs this just as much, if not more then you. He's had a hard life my dear, and he does not trust easily."

"He trusts my parents and the Malfoys."

"Hermione, do you realize how long it took him to confide in them?" Silence. "Lucius, Narcissa, and Bellatrix tried for four years to try and get him to talk to them. He finally gave in when his father beat his mother to death during the summer before his fifth year. That is actually when he was first introduced to the idea of joining Voldemort." Hermione was silent in an attempt to comprehend what had just been confided in her. "Look Hermione, all I'm saying is that I want you to be patient, he is stubborn, as you well know. Just stay with him and don't hurt him."

Hermione fully understood what had been said and they let the topic drop and drift to the internship. When they were done, Hermione left the office with her head spinning with questions.