Penseive

A Rather Interesting Night

When the owl had reached her it was nearing four in the early morning. Minerva had been urked with hearing the persistant tap-tap-tapping of a large beak upon her bedroom window, so she groggily went to inspect the creature. By the time she had skimmed the letter the woman had flung herself out the door conjuring her night time wear into her robes in mere seconds and when Albus met her in the Grand Hall he was clearly white with horror.

"He'll be here shortly, he's got the girl... she's in horrible condition." His voice quivered with worry. The old man looked near terrified, not often a condition he physically expressed as he paced back and forth folding his hands.

The stone walls looked menacing in the torch light while the sounds of roaring rain could be heard on the other side of the thick blackwood doors. Minerva couldn't find her voice. If it wasn't bad enough that so long had passed, the girl was in danger the entire time and she remained in the castle helpless. These thoughts twisted her stomach into a giant knot which is when the wide doors creaked open revealing Severus Snape soaked to the skin holding a thin pale figure to him.

"We need to take her to the nearest rooms." Severus yelled frantically while rushing passed the pair and down into the dungeons, skipping stairs two at a time. Albus raced beside him while Minerva ran behind. For a moment she was amazed just how fast the dark eyed man could sprint through the castle all the while harboring another person in his arms. Every thought vanished when he placed her limp blood soaked body on his very bed while Albus had already began performing healing charms and charms that could help with the further diagnoses of her condition..

"She's alive.." Severus whispered more so to himself than to anyone else though Minerva heard his voice ring in her ears. The last time they met flashed through her mind like lightning.

"Minerva I've been dying inside knowing that I'm leaving, at first I thought it was because of my grades all my work wasted, I tried so hard..." She sensed that the older woman was about to say something so she quickly continued, grasping on to her mentors hands when she felt that they were slowly being retracted back to their owner. "But I realized that it wasn't the pain of leaving Hogwarts that's be tearing me apart... I've worked for so long for your attention and you gave it to me, your friendship and trust.. I hadn't realized that all of it was for you."

Minerva sat motionless. Her mouth became dry, her thought's had stopped since Hermione had begun her heartfelt proclaimation. The brunette took the silence as acceptance and continued with sudden ease.

"I love you."

Hermoine's hazel eyes were tender as she looked upon the auborn haired woman.

When Severus came to look for her, after the long hours of work, she could barely look him in the eye. He touched her shoulder and she turned her facing away from him unable to endure the weight of his hand..

"Minverva... I'll never even attempt to understand your friendship with that girl but you should know she will be fine," His voice was as tender as he could possibly express but still to him it merely passed for dull. "I know you won't take my word for it but she will live a very fulfilling life because she's strong."

"She made it through these months I have no doubt she's strong," Minerva snorted through her tears. "But what will come next... she'll have to live with this and how do you expect that will be?" Severus shook his head ready to try and convince the older woman otherwise before she raised her hand in protest.

"I turned her away Severus." The older woman stated quietly. Snape's eyebrows slowly pursed together as he turned his gaze to the moulding stoney walls seemingly lost in thought.

"You turned her away?"

"She came to me.. she had to tell me something important," Minerva decided to refrain from admitting the exact reason to keep the matter mostly private. "And I couldn't take it, handle the information so I simply turned her away." The woman let a sigh escape her lips and she shook her head, tears falling more freely now. Severus folded his arms loosely across his chest and appraised the woman silently.

"I doub't she'll ever trust me again..." She whispered while dragging a hand over her upper lip, wiping at a few stray salty drops tickling her nose. The Potions Master simply nodded his head curtly then turned away. Minerva watched him with red rimmed eyes wondering after his quick as he began to close the door to his quarters his expression made it perfectly clear.

"You're probably right." The man stated with a curled lip before closing the door with a gentle thud leaving a cat to sit whiskers down-turned in the dank hall.

TBC..