Severus Talks - Severus Snape (COMPLETE)

Explosion

Minerva arranged to meet with Severus late on Saturday night. Albus had recommended the Room of Requirement and so that was where they were going to go. She had asked both Albus and Poppy along for support, in case she needed it. 

The two were Disillusioned behind her. Minerva had asked Severus to meet her on the seventh floor, opposite the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy. No doubt he would be confused as to why they were meeting there.

Severus turned up precisely on the stroke of nine. He rather regretted agreeing to this but the Transfiguration professor was kind. She understood. He'd always been more comfortable in the presence of women rather than men. 

Women reminded him of his tired but protective mother. Men, like Dumbledore, reminded him of his overbearing, violent father, however much the Headmaster attempted to be consoling and fatherly. Severus didn't need another father. He was doing perfectly fine without one.

"Good evening, Mr Snape," Minerva greeted, as the black-haired Slytherin rounded the corner. 

Despite seeing him as Severus in her mind, she resolved to be professional at all times, no matter what happened.

"Good evening, Professor," Snape nodded curtly. 

He wasn't even trying to be familiar, choosing instead to omit her name. Maybe it was his way of ignoring relationships, by treating each person as a stranger. He certainly wasn't one to bandy names around. 

"Are we going into the Room of Requirement?" He asked. She was surprised that he even knew of the place and it must have showed on her face for he added, "Professor," very quickly.

"Yes we are, Snape," she replied and paced up and down three times, thinking, 'I need a place that is totally private, where no-one can hear us and no harm can befall anyone.' 

She didn't know why she added the last bit; did she really think she was going to get hurt by the Slytherin? The true answer was, unfortunately, 'yes.'

The door appeared and the boy gestured slightly awkwardly for her to enter first. So he did have some manners, Minerva thought, just not very many.

"Thank you, Mr Snape," she said graciously. 

The boy blushed and bowed his head so that his messy hair covered his face.

A mumbled "You're welcome" was heard. Minerva smiled, and opened the door.

*

They were inside, essentially, a padded cell. Severus looked very uncomfortable. Minerva thought hard, and a chair appeared in the centre of the room.

"Oh, well," she said, smiling. "The Room has its own requirements, I suppose."

Severus gave her a small smile and Minerva felt a sense of achievement. She hadn't even known he could smile. It was very endearing and, behind her, she heard a slight cough. Minerva looked sharply at the Slytherin. 

Had he heard? He was extremely intelligent after all. To her relief, Severus was staring off to the side, his mind elsewhere.