House: Ravenclaw

Year: 6th Year (Standing in for ACoolerUsername)

Category: Short

Prompt: McGonagall/Snape pairing

W/C: 1,042 (Google), 1,037 (Word)

Notes: AU notice – you've been notified ;) Also? META? Notice? I don't even know if that's the right kind of not to put at the beginning here but - just be super warned that crazy things are about to happen.

Read & Enjoy

Professor McGonagall swayed her hips as she approached the Potions Master, a twinkle in her eyes. The room smelled of dried roots and freshly cleaned cauldrons. Merlin's beard, it was intoxicating. She did the only thing she could do when in his presence. McGonagall turned cold. "Professor, could I borrow you for a moment?"

"Absolutely," he said with a forced frown. The Potions Master knew why she was there. She had missed him dearly, though they'd spent all morning together in the Great Hall sharing a copy of the Daily Prophet for their routine news consumption. Everyone knew they were a couple, no matter how much they denied it. "Shall we?"

"It'll be just a moment," she declared confidently in front of the students.

Professor Snape gestured towards his office, indicating that he, too, desired privacy from their student's prying eyes. Scattered giggles spread across the room. Both teachers turned, glaring at the students for their behavior. Once everyone faked being occupied, the pair turned back around and went on their way. And when they did, all eyes shifted back towards them.

Once through the door, she couldn't keep her hands off of him. Professor Snape melted under the pressure of her hands cupping his cheeks before they met in an urgent embrace. Opposite in nearly every way, they found over time that their differences made them fit together perfectly. There was balance in their unexpected romance.

Even with their love being so obvious to others, discretion was key. McGonagall demanded it from him, and he craved her affection far too much to consider rejecting her need for discretion. After all, she was the Deputy Headmistress. Dumbledore was a walking, talking scandal on his own – no need for his beloved to draw in more attention.

"I want you," she breathed into his mouth, unaware that the door hadn't latched and that everyone could hear her.

"This is a load of rubbish," Minerva said, tossing the crumpled piece of parchment into the fireplace. Severus had brought it to her in her private study after finding it on the floor in his classroom. A good many things came out of the minds of children, most of which was vulgar fantasy, but it didn't make this any less unnerving. Minerva McGonagall? Having a love affair with Severus Snape? Not only was she his superior, but she was comfortably his senior in age as well. Perhaps she was old-fashioned, but she thought the age difference was far too much to overcome.

Also, there was the whole matter with Severus having been a Death Eater in the past.

Severus shrugged his shoulders and dropped into a chair across from her in a slump. It wasn't often that they found writing from a student that was anything like this, and when it was – it was usually more along the lines of students writing themselves into mature relationships with older students. This was brand new territory. "Who do you think wrote it?"

"I found it after class was dismissed," Severus starts, almost humming. "However, I did find it beneath the assigned seat of one of your students."

Minerva laughed at the comment, though her features shifted from 'appalled' to 'amused' very rapidly. It was almost as if she was less surprised to hear this than to know that the note even existed. She confirmed with a quiet huff.

"Care to guess which one?" The inquiry came with a cheery tone, which was unusual for Severus, but not unfamiliar to McGonagall. They had been working together for many years, now, and it was more like they were family than anything else. She didn't care for all of his choices from the past, and not even the choices of his present, but Minerva could still appreciate him.

"Miss Brown," she grinned, "I assume?"

"Correct, as always," he confirmed.

Minerva nodded. "She has quite the imagination. Now that I think about it, she's been caught writing strange stories like this before – only about the Grey Lady and the Bloody Baron, I think."

Severus couldn't hide his smile. Had Lavender Brown really done that? He almost wanted proof of it before he realized it would've been burned too. "She has quite the imagination."

That much was true, but what was more disconcerting to McGonagall was what these sorts of stories told. People who should hate each other falling in love; ethereal entities finding romance in the afterlife… Was Lavender trying to paint a picture of something specific? If so, then what?

Minerva second-guessed her decision to burn the piece of parchment that Severus had presented to her not even ten minutes ago. Perhaps it made no difference whether she had the written copies. She knew about the content of both stories. It would not be easily erased from her memory.

"I love you. I do, but it is because I love everyone here," her flat voice made the declaration sound melancholy. Of course, it wasn't – and it wasn't exactly surprising either. " Miss Brown has mistaken my affection. Hogwarts is my home. Even when I want to rip my hair out because of cheated homework assignments and failing marks, I love my life here."

"Even a misguided soul such as mine?" he muttered, not sure if she really meant 'everyone' had her love. Nobody really loved Severus and he knew it too well. After all, the one woman he had wanted to love him chose his arch nemesis instead of him – him, her best friend!

"Well, there were times I could've done without your meddling. Do you remember thieving those books from my personal library? Or when you would write strongly worded complaints about how I favored Gryffindors in my classroom?" Minerva smiled at him, a maternal glint in her eyes as she met his gaze directly. It left no doubt about her sincerity. "But sometimes, yes, even a misguided soul like you."

Severus nods his head at her. "I was right, you know."

"You always were," Minerva said as she waved her hand at the door. He has overstayed his welcome, clearly, but their visits didn't need to be particularly long. "Now, go play your own game of favorites before I write a complaint letter to you, Severus."

Acknowledgements:

Major thanks to the wonderful BETA reads I got from these gals on such a short notice: Celestia0909 and TheCrownprincessBride.