Stay with me

As stubborn as a mule

The two men went into the living room and
whilst Severus informed Albus of what happened, upstairs Minerva kept herself busy. Mainly rearranging the bed. She puffed all the pillows, pulled the duvet back ready for later. Re-arranged some of the potions left on her dressing table then decided she'd run a bath.
She walked into the bathroom adjoining her room, she began running the water then gathered a jar of red liquid and poured it in to the steaming water. With a sigh the woman went back into her bedroom and found something else to occupy her mind.

She heard Albus shout his goodbye before hearing the whooshing sound followed by a pop. Upon hearing the stairs creaking with each step she made her way to the en-suite and turned off the tap. She took a deep breath, not wanting to set off her temper again. What was done was done, there was nothing she could do about it now. The stubborn man was quite set on shortening his life span, and Albus apparently was on board too. She turned around and left the bathroom to see the very man lurking in the doorway of her bedroom.

Silence fell upon them, Severus eyed the woman before him, trying to figure out the safest move. He really didn't want to argue with her anymore. It wasn't as fun or as entertaining as their banter at Hogwarts. This was different, much different. She wasn't only hurt, but the fear in her eyes didn't belong there. Those eyes were the only indication of the women's true feelings. They were the door way to her heart, and only the ones who knew how to look could read them.

She said nothing, she simply stood there tall and proud and silent. With a sigh he slowly and carefully approached the woman. She didn't move, she didn't even look at him when he stopped directly in front of her. Severus Snape wasn't a man who enjoyed physical affection all that much, as a matter of fact he did his best to avoid all physical contact...except with her. She was the only exception. Before the woman changed her mind or her temper ran away with her again he enveloped her into an embrace. She stiffened, he was half excepting her to pull away, though a smile threatened to tug at his lips when he felt her relax, in fact she nudged her head against his chest, grasping at the front of his robe and he tightened his hold on her. He lowered his head and rested it atop of hers. He gave her a minute, he could feel her trying to control her emotions. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath himself.

He wasn't an emotional man, he kept his feelings buried deep inside, they got him nowhere. She however, drew them out of him like a magnet. Especially when he saw her own emotions bubbling around the surface of her ocean eyes.
"I thought you'd left that part of you behind." She whispered, he barely caught what she'd said. He daren't pull back now, he couldn't afford to meet those eyes of hers.

***

Minerva was quite insistent he stay in her bed, she ignored all protest he threw her way. She hadn't prepared the guest room, not properly and before last night it hadn't been used for months, and she wasn't about to let the injured man use it. He followed her as she went back and forth between the airing cupboard and spare room, preaching his protest, fully aware she was ignoring every single thing he said. He took the pile of blankets from her with a grumble and marched to the spare room, her hot on his heels.
"If you keep behaving like a stubborn child and not rest, how can you expect to heal?" She marched up to him and snatched the blankets back from him.

"I would rest perfectly fine if you stopped behaving like a stubborn mule and let me have this room."
"I've already prepared my room for you, all the potions are there, the bed is ready, now get out of my way." She narrowed her brows at the brooding man who refused to let her pass.
"I am not letting you sleep in here."
"My house, my rules now move."
The man simply folded his arms, quite determined to not move.
"Oh so you're going to stand there all night now are you?" She quirked her brow.
"If I have to, yes."

"Fine, fine be like that. I'll just sleep downstairs on the settee." She huffed throwing the blankets on the bed and storming out. Severus growled as he followed her, knowing damn well she would indeed sleep on the settee.
"Minerva, fine have it your way. I'll sleep in your bed." The woman stopped dead causing him to nearly bump into her. She turned to face him with a satisfactory smile on her face.
"Good, I'm glad you've come to your senses." She changed direction and headed to her room instead of downstairs. The man followed with a grumble, feeling the potions start to wear off.

"I've run you a bath." She called from the en-suite, he followed her voice and sure enough she was there, casting a heating charm on the lukewarm bath. He stood leaning against the doorframe, she turned to face him a soft smile gracing her lips.
"Now I imagine the potions will be wearing off soon, I have another batch prepared for when you're finished in here." She walked towards him.
"Will you be alright?"
"I'll be fine."
"Well I'll be outside if you need me." She placed her hand on his chest a moment, patting him gently before taking her leave, closing the door behind her. Severus closed his eyes and took a deep breath, wincing slightly at the pain in his chest.

They really did a number on him tonight, though there definitely was worse to come, on that note the man made his way to the bath tub, thanking whoever would listen, he wasn't going through this alone. She might be angry, might disapprove of what he was doing, but she was here. She didn't send him away.