AN: I know it's a rather short chapter, I hope you enjoy it anyway. Thanks for all your support!

I don't own Harry Potter and don't make any profit.

November had passed quietly and it was the beginning of December, when Hermione was standing in front of the mirror sighing.

"What's the matter my girl?" Severus was asking and coiled his arms around her waist from behind, lightly nibbling at her neck.

"My hair, I hate it. It never does, what I want it to do. I look hideous. Like a scarecrow."

"Now you're exaggerating. You look lovely. And today your hair matches your temper a bit."

"Thanks," Hermione grumbled. "Just because I ran out of Sleekeazy's."

"Come on, don't let your hair ruin your evening," Severus said turning her around.

"You look stunning in this dress, and dark red really suits you."

Hermione harrumphed.

"Hey is there something else wrong?"

"It's about the bag."

"What bag? What are you talking about?"

"My beaded bag. I gave it to Neville for the auction."

"You did? I thought you didn't want to give it to him."

"I know, but this is so much bigger than the stupid handbag. It's about the nursing facility. It's about making the life of some people brighter. What's a stupid handbag in comparison to it."

"But I thought you love that bag? Hey Elena, leave Flipsy's ears alone. He still needs them you know," he said to his daughter, who was clinging to the house elves ears as if her life was depending on it.

"It's okay Professor Snape. Professor's daughter and Flipsy are having fun," the house elf replied, untangled itself out of the toddler's deathly grip and chased a giggling Elena around the room.

"Have a lovely evening," Flipsy panted.

"Thank you Flipsy," Hermione answered.

"Hermione I just remembered something I have to do, I'll meet you at the entrance to the Great Hall in ten minutes," he said and quickly pecked her on the cheek.

She just rolled her eyes in response.

Hermione was standing at the entrance to the Great Hall, taking in the buzzing excitement of the forthcoming event. All the students had been sent to their dormitories early this evening to eat their dinner there, while the Great Hall, had been decorated Christmassy. The house tables had been banished. Instead there were round tables for six to ten people. As it seemed every witch and wizard of distinction had come. Hermione felt very proud of Neville, who managed to set up this event, for the benefit of the nursing facility.

"Hey I'm back, sorry it took me a little bit longer than I thought it would," Severus pecked her on the cheek again, slightly panting.

He offered her his arm and they walked into the Great Hall talking animatedly, totally oblivious to the many eyes staring at them, as to the fact that they were a very handsome and interesting couple.

"Ah that's our table over there. Alice and Frank are already there."

"Poor guys, they seem a bit lost," Hermione said sadly.

"Good Evening Frank! Good Evening Alice! How are you doing?"

"Hello Severus! Neville is gone. I don't where he is? Do you know?" Frank replied with wide fearful eyes.

Severus sat down next to Frank and gently patted his hand. "I'm sure he will be back shortly and for now Hermione and I will take care of you."

"I'm thirsty," Alice said.

"What would you like to drink," Hermione smiled at the older witch.

"Bubbly water. It always makes my nose tickle. I like that."

"Here you go," Hermione said handing her a filled glass.

"Mum! Dad! I'm back. I'm sorry I left you alone. It's mad around here. Everybody wants to talk to me," Neville said approaching the table.

"Hi Neville, it's okay. Go do your thing. We are here and will have a nice time with Alice and Frank."

"Are you sure," Neville asked a bit insecure.

"Yes, it's your night."

"Well it's Hermione's night as well. You should come with me."

"That's very sweet of you, but thanks, I'm done with being the centre of attention. I'm happy just helping in the background."

Neville once again was dragged off, while Alice and Hermione were admiring the Christmas decorations.

Slowly the hall filled and Minerva and Neville went up the little stage, which had been set up, where usually the head table was situated.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I'm happy to welcome you all at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As headmistress of this school I'm honoured to host this event and be able to support one of our best former students …"

Severus snorted, causing Hermione to elbow him in the ribs.

"… Mister Neville Longbottom."

"Thank you Minerva. You are bit exaggerating though, telling everybody I was one of the best students. Just look at Severus' face, it tells it all…"

The audience was laughing and Neville was grinning.

"… Anyway, thank you so much Minerva to make the auction tonight possible, by hosting it here at Hogwarts. I'm happy and honoured you all came to help out with this project, which started as a teenage dream of mine, to help my parents…"

While Neville was talking, Hermione looked at Minerva, who was standing next to him and what she saw made her worry.

"Minerva doesn't look too well. She is very pale and her hands are shaking. Look at the dark circles under her eyes," Hermione whispered in Severus' ear. Severus nodded.

"I know. I just realised at the staff meeting yesterday, when I asked her about it, she said it was fine," Severus whispered back.

"… so please enjoy your dinner, before I'll tell you a little more about the project and we'll start with our auction," Neville ended his speech and with thunderous applause walked back to their table.

"Man, I'm nervous," he said quietly.

"No reason to be, you did fine," Severus smiled at him. During the meal, while Severus helped Frank and Neville helped his mother, Hannah and Hermione were talking vividly about some party they both attended, were the twins had pranked Ron, Harry and Neville.

"We come to object number three this evening. It's cufflinks, made out of finest silver, with the relief of a serpent on each of them. Professor Snape was wearing them on the day of the final battle…" the auctioneer said, when suddenly Minerva stood up, paler than before looking with wide eyes at the presented cufflinks, gasped and collapsed.

Severus quickly got up and rushed over to the table were most of the teachers including the headmistress were seated.

"Poppy! Get Poppy quickly!"

He kneeled down next to Minerva, waving his wand over her running a couple of diagnostic spells. He forcefully closed his eyes, opened them again and had to steady his breath. Severus forced a smile and got up.

"Ladies and gentlemen, dear guests please take your seat again. Our headmistress had a lot of work to do over the last couple of weeks, so if I would have to venture a guess, I would say she needs a couple of days away from the school on holiday and she'll be as good as new. So please order another drink and enjoy the evening. We'll continue with the auction in couple of minutes," Severus announced conversationally to the guests and that seemed to do the trick. The baffled and alarmed faces turned back to smiles and people went back to talking, laughing and joking.

Just Hermione and Neville didn't seem to be reassured. They knew Severus too well, to read the seriousness of Minerva's state in his face. When Poppy came they talked quietly to each other for a moment, before Severus gently lifted the headmistress up and carried the fragile looking witch through the crowd, smiling reassuringly all the time.

Hermione hardly followed the auction any more, lost in her own thoughts. She hardly realised that her beaded bag was sold for a horrendous price and didn't even wonder that the guy who bought it seemed vaguely familiar to her.

When Severus came back twenty minutes later, he cast a wandless Muffliato and said, "It doesn't look good. She fell in some sort of coma, triggered by something she saw. Maybe my cufflinks, we don't know. We are not quite sure yet, but it might be her body telling her to slow down, maybe it's something post-traumatic. Minerva is not in any mortal danger, but we don't know how long she'll be in the coma. We need to find out more about it. So please for tonight act as if she is just overworked and needs some rest."

Hermione, Neville and Hannah just nodded. The auction went on for another half an hour, before Neville announced the impressive end result that would go to the nursing facility and Severus as deputy headmaster said good-night to the guests and reassuring them the headmistress was fine and just sleeping for now.

After they said their good-byes to everyone Hermione asked, "Can we maybe go and see her?"

Severus nodded, "Let's go."

"She looks so small," Hermione said, when they were sitting at Minerva's bed in the hospital wing a few minutes later.

"You know what's weird. It's me now," Severus mused.

"What? What's you?"

"I'm the one with all the responsibility now. It was always someone else, Albus or Minerva, never me."

"But you were headmaster for a year," Hermione interrupted.

Severus rolled his eyes, "Please, I was a puppet, no responsibility. I just wanted to make sure nobody got hurt too badly, which I personally think I failed miserably at."

"But that was kind of a responsibility, wasn't it?"

"Maybe, but this time it's different. As long as Minerva is away I am the headmaster and I've got the feeling I've got to prove myself. I have to make up for last time. I've got all the responsibility, it does scare me. I've got to be the grown-up now. I am the headmaster for Merlin's sake. I am running this school now."

Severus suddenly got up and started pacing the room. Hermione got up as well, looked at Severus and opened her arms wide. When he saw her gesture, he hurried over into her open arms and whispered into her hair, "I'm scared Hermione."

She soothingly stroked his back.

"You'll be fine. I'm sure about it. You already proved it tonight. Everybody believed that she is just under a lot of stress. And if there is anything you need my help for, just let me know and I'm sure Neville is happy to help too. You know, you are not alone. You've got some friends."

He nodded into her hair and slowly untangled himself from her hug.

"Come on my love, let's go to bed. It has been a long evening. Good night Minerva," she said and took the headmistress' hand in hers and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Good night, mum," Severus said softly and kissed Minerva on the forehead.

AN: Reviews always welcome! ;-)