So... it's been a hot minute since I posted an update. But, you know, I've been thinking about this fic a lot the last couple of months as I've been working on an original novel inspired by this fic. I've been itching to return to this fic, so here I am.

This chapter is a bit of a filler chapter before the next story arc comes in. Please forgive any mistakes or plot holes; this is un-beta'd, and I'm feeling a little rusty about this fic. Thank goodness I'm a planner and have a complete outline of this fic, or else I would have never been able to pick it up again.

Also, my writing has changed a lot over the last few years, and I'm struggling to get back into the style I had when I started this fic. So please bear with me as I get used to the flow again.

Anyway, I hope you guys like this chapter. I'm sorry I've been away for so long. I hope there are still a few people out there who want to continue reading this.

Happy reading! x

Chapter 20

If someone had told Minerva she would be practically cohabiting with Severus this school year, she would have thought they'd lost their mind. And yet, here she sat at her desk, watching Severus riffling through her ingredients cabinet without so much as a hello.

She sat back in her chair, her arms folded as she watched him with amusement. "Can I help you, Professor Snape?"

He glanced up at her, a frown on his face as if annoyed she was disturbing him. "You haven't restocked your supplies."

Minerva raised an eyebrow. "Considering you're raiding my supplies, I presume you have neglected to restock your own."

Severus scowled and returned his attention to her cabinet without acknowledging her statement. She laughed softly and approached him. "What are you looking for?"

"Powdered dragon claw."

"I haven't had that in stock for a while now," she said with a frown. "You more than anyone ought to know how hard it is to find."

Severus sighed and slammed the cabinet door shut. He flopped down on her sofa, clearly in a mood. Minerva rolled her eyes.

"I have a lot of work to do, Severus," she said, making her way back to her desk. "I don't have time for sulking."

He shot her a dirty look as she sat down, and she gave him a moment to respond. When he didn't, she picked up her quill and continued working on the report for the school Governors. Severus remained on her sofa, and she could feel his eyes on her. It was a distraction.

After a moment, she heard him stand. She didn't look up, but she could hear him moving around her quarters. The clinking of glasses gave away his intention, and she wasn't surprised when he stepped in close to her and pushed a glass of her favourite whiskey into her view.

"I really do have a lot of work to do," she said, picking up the glass anyway and taking a sip.

Severus nodded as he leaned against her desk and took a large swig of his whiskey. He looked like he had a lot on his mind, and Minerva realised this was his way of letting her know he wanted to talk. She turned toward him in her chair, giving him her full attention.

"What troubles you?" She asked.

"I've hit a wall," he said cryptically.

"What with?"

"Everything," he huffed.

She frowned. "Is this about Rookwood?"

Severus gave her a confused look. "No," he said after a moment. "He asked me to trust him. I am."

"Trust him with what?"

"I hope he will tell me eventually," Severus downed the last of his whiskey and moved to her drinks cabinet to refill it. He brought the bottle with him when he returned.

"Then why are we working our way through my whiskey?" She asked as he topped up her glass even though she hadn't finished.

"I'm working on a potion," he replied. "And I've hit a wall."

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

He looked at her from the corner of his eye. "You can find some Powdered Dragon Claw for me."

Minerva smirked. "I'll get right on that."

He eyed her carefully, his heavy sigh the only response to her teasing. "Are you nearly finished?" He asked after a moment.

"Not really," she said, giving him an apologetic look. "I need to finish these reports."

Severus moved the parchment around her desk, looking at what she was working on. "You'll be up half the night finishing these."

"The Governors have brought their monthly meeting forward," she explained. "These need to be finished by tomorrow evening."

"Can I help?" He asked.

Minerva smiled, touched. "No," she said, pulling him down and kissing him softly. "But thank you."

Severus drained the last of his whiskey and waited for her to finish. He then cleaned the glasses with a quick wave of his wand and returned the whiskey bottle to the cabinet.

"Don't be too long," he said as he approached the door to his quarters. "I have something for you."

Minerva raised an eyebrow, but he was gone before she could ask more. With that in the back of her mind, she found it difficult to concentrate. After an hour, knowing full well she'd need to work on the rest of the reports at every opportunity she had tomorrow, she packed everything away and stepped into Severus's quarters.

She found him sitting on his sofa, nose deep in a heavy tome. He had parchment scattered across his coffee table; notes scribbled in the margins of what looked to be ingredients and instructions.

She approached him slowly, not wanting to startle him, but he looked up before she reached him.

"Given up?" He asked.

"Funnily enough, I couldn't concentrate," she said, sitting on the back of the sofa and looking at him. He quickly placed the tome on the parchment, hiding it from her. "What are you working on?"

"Research," he said, avoiding her gaze.

Severus could be intensely secretive regarding his research, and she had come to understand that it wasn't that he didn't want her to know what he was working on. He liked to form his own opinions without outside perspectives tainting his conclusions. But there was always a point when he would need to voice his thoughts out loud, welcoming her to challenge him so he could revise his study. But this had not happened with this piece of work for some reason. Whenever she asked about it, he avoided answering her questions by turning the conversation in another direction. She couldn't help but be curious but still respected his privacy.

"You have something for me," she said, reminding him of his parting words.

"Get ready for bed and wait for me in the bedroom," he said, standing up. "But don't do anything to your hair."

She gave an amused frown but headed to his bedroom without question. She went through her usual routine, washing her face and cleaning her teeth before changing into the nightgown she'd left there the night before. As she slipped it over her head, she could tell from its floral scent that he'd cleaned it for her. The thought made her smile.

She was rubbing the last of her moisturiser onto her legs when he walked in, and she could feel his eyes lingering on her as he moved to the bathroom to get himself ready for bed.

While she waited for him, she picked up her book from the nightstand and resumed reading. She had to skip back a few pages to remind herself what had happened; Severus hadn't allowed her to do much reading the last few nights.

When Severus appeared out of the bathroom, wearing a black dressing gown over his pyjamas, he held a purple glass bottle in one hand. He conjured up a stool with his other hand and looked at her.

"Come here," he said softly.

Minerva laughed as she closed her book and placed it on the nightstand; she was sure she wouldn't be reading much more of it tonight.

She moved to the stool and sat down with her back to him. Severus handed her the bottle over her shoulder, and she peered at it carefully.

"What is it?" She asked as she felt his hands pulling the pins from her hair.

"An improved hair oil," he said, gently unravelling her hair. "Accio brush."

Minerva's hairbrush came zooming out of her quarters and into his waiting hand. She turned to look at him over her shoulder.

"You made hair oil?"

"It will keep your hair moisturised and strengthen it as your usual oil does," he said, nudging her to face forward and running the brush carefully through the lengths of her hair. "But it will also help you relax and give you a better night's sleep."

She popped the cork on the bottle and held it to her nose. It smelled beautiful—the sweet tones of lavender and an earthy, woody scent that made her think of Lailoken. She could detect herbs and something almost fruity in there, but she couldn't pinpoint what they were.

She poured some into his hands when he asked for it, and she closed her eyes as he began to massage it into her scalp. She leaned into his hands, letting a soft moan as he pressed his thumbs into the delve at the base of her skull. She could feel herself relaxing under his fingers, the day's worries slipping from her mind as that sweet, earthy smell engulfed her. He made quick work of coating the lengths of her hair in the oil and braided it just as she liked it.

"The braid needs more practice," he said with an air of dissatisfaction as he tied the end. "I doubt it will last the night."

Minerva didn't care. She stood up as soon as he stepped away and threw her arms around his shoulders, pulling him in and kissing him deeply. She felt his hands grasp her waist, holding her flush against his body.

He growled deeply as she pulled him toward the bed, her hands pushing his dressing gown off his body as he inched her nightgown up her hips.

She had needed to re-braid her hair twice; the first time, he helped her, but the second time, she did it alone, reminding him what happened each time he'd helped her. But she'd let him watch her, his eyes roaming appreciatively over her breasts that peeked out from his dressing gown.

He lifted the covers as she returned to him, and she snuggled into his chest, her eyes closing heavily. His arms held her close, and she felt him dip his head to her hair and take a deep breath.

"The hair oil isn't just for me, is it," she said, a sleepy smile pulling at her lips.

"The lavender and cedarwood help me sleep, too," he mumbled, sleep finally overtaking him.

Minerva laughed softly and turned her head, kissing his chest. "Thank you."

Indeed, if anyone had told her she would spend her evenings with Severus like this, she would have called them mad. And perhaps, if she told anyone of the things he did for her, they would call her mad. But she didn't care; she hadn't felt this happy in a long time.

-x-

Minerva opened her eyes and glanced at the timepiece on the bedside table. She sighed and rolled over to wake the man beside her but stopped when she found the bed empty. She sat up, glancing around the room, but there was no sign of him. She could tell he'd been up for a while. Severus wasn't a big sleeper, but since they had been sharing a bed, he rarely left it until she awoke.

She climbed out of bed and slipped into her dressing gown as she made her way out of his bedroom. She smiled when she spotted him, not at all surprised to find him hunched over the cauldron on his desk.

"Good morning, Severus," she said as she walked toward him. He grunted in greeting, his eyes too focused on what he was doing. "I'm going to change. I'll see you at breakfast," she said, placing a peck on his cheek.

"Wait," he snaps before she's taken even one step away from him.

Minerva smirked and did as he asked. It only took Severus a few seconds to finish what he was doing, and when he turned to look at her, fire in his eyes, she laughed.

"We can't be late for breakfast again," she said but did nothing to stop him as he pulled her close, his hands slipping under her nightgown.

"No one will notice." He nuzzled her neck, his hands dipping over her arse.

"Everyone noticed yesterday," she said, giving a half-hearted attempt to pull away from him. "I'm rarely late for breakfast."

"Then we'll be fast," he said with a grin.

"That's what you said yesterday!"

"And today, I mean it."

Severus backed her up against his armchair, nibbling along her jaw as he ground against her. She threaded her fingers through his hair, tugging it just hard enough that he pulled back to look at her.

"If you wanted to fool around, you should have woken me up earlier," she said, pushing him away.

Severus scowled. "You needed to sleep."

"I wonder why," she laughed, kissing him deeply and quickly escaping before he tempted her into other activities.

Once back in her quarters, Minerva took a quick shower and dressed for the day. While she was carefully twisting her hair into the customary bun, Teensy appeared with a pop.

"Morning, Miss Neva," Teensy said as she levitated a cup of Minerva's favourite peppermint tea onto her dressing table.

"Good morning, Teensy." Minerva smiled at her elf as she picked up the cup and took a deep breath.

"The young sir has already had his coffee this morning, Miss," she said, her eyes bright. "And I has his robes that need cleaning. I will takes yours when you head down for breakfast."

"Thank you, Teensy," Minerva said, and the elf bounced happily as she watched her finish her hair.

As Minerva prepared to head to The Great Hall, she glanced at the door connected to Severus's quarters and smiled. She saw a light reflecting on the doorframe and knew he was still working.

As she fastened her robe, she called to him. "Don't be late for breakfast!"

"I am perfectly capable of keeping my own schedule!" he shouted back. Minerva shook her head with amusement. She knows he's going to be late.

Sleepy students greeted her as she strode into The Great Hall, their eyes tired and some with dishevelled robes and bed hair. She caught up with Filius and Poppy, who were deep in conversation in front of the teacher's table.

"Good morning." Minerva smiles at her friends.

"Good morning, my dear," Filius replies, returning her smile.

Minerva frowned; there was something off about him. "Is there something the matter?"

"No, no, no," Filius laughed nervously. "What makes you ask that?"

Minerva looked to Poppy, who seemed confused. "Poppy?"

The other woman looked to Filius, but he gave her nothing. "We were just discussing a potion Severus is working on—"

"He's worked wonders on the standard healing potions we keep in stock," Filius quickly interrupted. "That Pepper Up Potion of his is so vastly improved to the usual stock we order that he should charge us for it." His laugh that followed was somewhat forced, and Minerva felt her suspicions grow.

"He is a very talented potions brewer," Minerva said, and she watched Filius relax.

"Oh, look, breakfast has been served!" Filius hurried away, taking his usual seat and quickly engaged Charity Burbage in conversation.

Minerva shared a puzzled look with Poppy as they made their way around the table to find their seats. "Are you going to tell me what that was about?"

Poppy sighed. "Filius never could keep a secret."

"And we have always confided in one another," Minerva said, giving her friend a pointed look.

"All I know is that Severus is working on a potion," Poppy revealed. "Filius thinks he may need my help but didn't tell me with what."

"I know he's working on some research," Minerva told her. "But from what I understood, he hasn't got very far with it."

"Perhaps he needs a Healer's advice?" Poppy suggested with a shrug. "I suppose we'll know more in time. If he ever comes to me, which I suspect he will not."

Poppy took her seat, and Minerva moved further along the table toward her own. She tried not to think too much about it but couldn't help but feel a slight sting that Severus had not come to her for advice, especially as she had offered to share her medical knowledge with him. However, she knew he would have his reasons, whatever they were.

Minerva had already finished her porridge when Severus swept into The Great Hall. He glared at the students, ignored the teachers who greeted him and sat heavily in his seat.

"Would you like some coffee?" Minerva asked, resisting the urge to comment on his tardiness.

"I don't want to hear it," he snapped, pushing his cup toward her.

"I wasn't going to say anything," she smiled.

"You were thinking it."

"I would never."

The look he gave her told her he knew she was lying, but still, she remained silent and nudged the milk toward him.

"If you must know, your distraction nearly ruined the entire cauldron," he said.

"My distraction?" She gaped at him.

Severus continued as if she hadn't spoken at all. "Fortunately, I have the required skills to rectify what you did, and I made much progress."

"What I did?" She watched his lips twitch. "You are skating on thin ice, Professor Snape."

"It is worth the risk," he said as he helped himself to a bowl of porridge.

"You're in an interesting mood today," she smirked.

"I've had a productive morning."

"And so, you wish to ruin mine?"

"Not ruin it, no," he said quietly. "I'm merely reminding you that had you stayed, you too could have started your morning in a much more, shall we say, pleasing way?"

"My loss, then," she smirked. Severus hummed in agreement.

"Perhaps you will reconsider next time," he said, giving her a challenging glare.

"And give you the satisfaction?" She laughed. "I think not."

"Then it is your loss," he shrugged.

Minerva rolled her eyes playfully. "I'm sure I'll survive."

They locked eyes briefly, their shared humour evident only to them, and then quickly looked away. She had always enjoyed the easy banter they had developed since Severus had joined the staff, but somehow, in the last few weeks, it had deepened. She knew instinctively when he was teasing, his dry and often dark sense of humour was no longer an enigma to her. She didn't need to search for the mirth in his face, in the quirk of his lip or the glint in his eyes. They had learned to read each other so well, and the thought sent a wave of fondness through her chest.

It was still surprising to her how easy things were between them. In Severus's first year, their friendship was often strained, and she sometimes felt like she was stepping on eggshells. But this year was different. Of course, it had had its share of ups and downs, but when she thought about their friendship, they had only grown closer, stronger.

It was common for them to spend most of their evenings together, and even if they couldn't, they would always sleep in the same bed. She occasionally thought about the rules she had established when they first started sleeping together, but it was never for long. She insisted on the rules to keep a strict divide between their personal and professional lives. After Russia, the line that divided the two had become so fragile that the moment she stepped through the door and spent the night with him, it was wiped clean.

If she thought about it for too long, she worried she would talk herself into reinstating the rules. She could imagine herself closing the portal and secretly meeting Severus once every few months. But she knew she didn't want to live like that anymore, and although they had never spoken of it, she knew Severus didn't either.

They didn't mind the other encroaching on their free time or making themselves at home in their quarters. And if she was honest, Severus was so unassuming that she sometimes forgot he was even with her. She had grown used to his presence, to hearing his quill scratching on parchment as he worked, his sighs of frustration as he marked essays, his warmth as he sat beside her on the sofa. He seemed content in her company, had learned her habits quickly and had come to know what she needed even before she did.

It was extraordinary how quickly one could adjust one's life to make room for someone.

But despite her desires, she knew they couldn't always live this way. Their friendship was not a relationship, and she was careful not to forget it. This arrangement would eventually come to an end. It had to. They would close the portal, return to sleeping alone and meet at the cottage when their schedules would allow them to. But she would enjoy it while she could. She would revel in his company, in the easy banter and peaceful nights in his arms.

She sometimes wondered if Severus had these thoughts, too, but was reluctant to ask. Too worried that bringing it up might trigger the end she dreaded. Her heart throbbed painfully at the mere thought of returning to how they were, but she knew it would be for the best.

She shook the thoughts from her mind when she felt him brush his fingers against the back of his hand as he reached for more coffee. She caught his eye, and she could see his concern. She gave him a small smile to let him know there was nothing to worry about and pushed away from the table.

"I should head to class," she said, folding her napkin and dropping it onto the table. "Try not to be late to yours."

Severus scoffed and gave her a scathing look as she rose. She bit back a laugh and headed for her classroom, knowing she'd probably pay for that comment later.

-x-

Despite knowing that their arrangement would eventually change, Minerva hadn't expected it to do so as quickly as it did. Barely two weeks after that morning, Minerva had been fast asleep when she felt the bed shift beside her. She rolled onto her back, scanning the room as she waited for her eyes to adjust. She could hear the rustling of clothes and the metallic clink of his belt as he dressed.

"Severus?"

She could sense that he froze, probably surprised that he'd woken her despite being so quiet.

"Go back to sleep," he said.

"What time is it?" She waved her hand over the candle on the bedside table and squinted at him.

"Just after 2am," he said softly. "Go back to sleep."

"Is there something wrong?" Her mind was already too active for any chance of getting back to sleep.

"Just a student," he said, sitting down on the bed next to her. "I had hoped not to wake you."

"I don't mind that you did," she said, sitting up. "What's the problem?"

"Stomach bug."

"Let's hope it's not contagious," she said, yawning behind her hand. "Flu season has finally ended. I'd like at least a few weeks of rest before the next thing sweeps through the school."

"Go back to sleep," he said again, encouraging her to lay back down and blew out the candle. "I'll be back soon."

But he wasn't.

When Minerva woke the following day, she found him sitting in his living room surrounded by parchment. He looked momentarily confused when she enquired after the student, but he covered it quickly, assuring her the student was fine. It didn't take a genius to realise he had lied to her, but she didn't question him further.

While nothing of note had changed in their situation, Minerva had noticed that Severus often just disappeared. He was a creature of habit, and she knew if he wasn't in his classroom or eating in The Great Hall, she would find him in his quarters or, on rare occasions, the Staff Room. But in the last two weeks, there were times when she couldn't find him at all.

She had been tempted to ask him where he went, but it felt too personal, like a jealous lover afraid her partner was sneaking around behind her back. But it wasn't that. She was curious and couldn't help but wonder if it had something to do with this mysterious potion Poppy had mentioned a few weeks ago. She had to keep reminding herself it was none of her business, and she successfully convinced herself of that fact about 80% of the time. It wasn't something she should concern herself with, and she knew when the time was right, Severus would confide in her. He always had before and had given her no signs that he would not do so in the future. But it still weighed heavily in her mind.

Minerva watched her final class of the week rush out of her classroom, everyone eager to start their weekends. Keen to begin her own, she quickly packed up the essays she needed to mark, and just as she was about to lock the door behind her, Severus appeared.

"Hello," she said, giving him a slight smile. It wasn't often he came to see her in her classroom. "What can I do for you, Professor Snape?"

"I wish to request an afternoon of leave next week," he said without greeting. "More specifically, 1pm to 3pm on Tuesday."

Minerva blinked at him; he'd taken her by surprise. "Providing we can arrange an adequate cover, I do not see a reason why you can't."

"I shall prepare notes on the lessons that need covering," he said, avoiding her gaze.

The air around them is suddenly awkward, and with so many students rushing through the corridor, they cannot talk as freely as they usually would. However, she had a feeling that even if they were alone, he would not be open to telling her what he was doing with his leave. Nor, she reminded herself, should she even ask in the first place.

"I know you—"

"I should get—"

They started to speak simultaneously and then stopped immediately, the situation becoming more awkward.

"You first," he said after they both fell silent again.

"I should get to the Staff Room," she said, indicating to her bag with a tilt of her head. "I have a lot of marking to get through before dinner."

Severus nodded and stepped back, allowing her to walk away from him. "Then I will see you at dinner."

"Yes," she said, not sure what else to say and quickly moved along the corridor. But before she descended the stairs to the Staff Room, she turned back and watched Severus as he walked away.

She wondered what he had wanted to say to her.

Thank you so much for reading! I'd love to know your thoughts, so please do leave a comment. And more specifically, what do you think Severus is up to? Let's see if your memory is better than mine! Haha. See you for the next chapter!