There was a bit of a pause, and Minerva almost didn't know what to say. She wasn't expecting him to reveal his emotions to her of all people since they tended to have a more professional relationship. When she remained shocked, Severus glared at her. "Is that what you wished to hear, Minerva? My weaknesses? My flaws?" He asked in a tone that only reflected anger. "I am only speaking with you for Beth's sake! She is in a very fragile state of mind, and she has begged me to get through to you when she can not!" She replied as he stood up and lightly hit his hands on her desk. "I love her, more than anything and anyone else in this wretched world. My fear is not being the man that she wants or needs, and when this child arrives, she will see this. I fear she will reject me, as Lily once did. I can not allow more pain. It is all I have ever known." He said in a cracked voice. He cleared his throat as he sighed. "Severus, please sit," Minerva ordered him as he sat down slowly. "Please, just speak to her. She is the only one who understands you better than anyone else at Hogwarts. She needs you, more than you know." She said quietly as he looked down for a moment. As much as he wanted to block out this conversation, he could not. His love for her was strong, stronger than his anger, and stronger than his fear. He nodded at her and got to his feet. "Then I will. Speak nothing of this outside of this very room." He spoke as he quickly exited the room and went up the stairs. He had to find Beth. He had to apologize for his behavior. He hoped that she could forgive him for shutting her out. He knows only now of the hurt she was in and that he had given her and he had to find her. Now.
He did not know where she was, as he would have to use his mind and look in places where she could be. If I wanted to be alone, where would I go? He wondered to himself as he held his head. No....no, he had to put himself into her shoes, not his. He moved rather quickly through the halls as he paid no attention to the students who went by him. He grew nervous as he couldn't seem to think where she could be. Did he neglect her like that? Careless, so careless. He went to his quarters and opened the door forcefully, expecting her to be there. She was not. He let out a growl of frustration as he saw her robes on the bed. That usually meant she was to take a bath. He bit his tongue as he went into deep thought.
Why yes......this was the answer. She was in the bathing room.
After confirming his thoughts, he walked quickly to where the baths were. The guilt of what his actions had done was eating him alive and he couldn't walk fast enough. He blamed his older feet for this. He sighed as he finally reached his destination. He opened the round and golden handle, and the door flew open. This startled Beth as she dropped the soap bar into the water and yelped. She dove down into the water and retrieved it calmly and as she arrived at the surface, Severus was standing over her. "Severus! Do not just sneak up like that!" She said as she shook her head. He showed the nerves on his face when she got started and he stiffened his posture. "M-my apologies." He mumbled as she looked up at him. It was hard to speak right now because she was naked in the water and it was making him more nervous. Beth saw his face and sighed. "Would you rather I be decent?" She asked slowly as he awkwardly gave her a curt nod. He just couldn't be distracted by anything because he was admitting he was wrong and that took a LOT for Severus Snape to admit he was in the wrong.
Beth got halfway out and put a towel around her wet body and she was watching Severus' behavior this whole time. It was very different this time because there was real guilt there, not just him saying the words "I'm sorry" which he had done a few times since their relationship started. When she was ready, she faced him. There were some silences shared between them and he slowly stretched out his collar around his neck because it had gotten sweaty. He sat down along the edge of the large and circular bath and looked into her eyes. "I have......I have made a mistake." He said as Beth tilted her head and crossed her arms in disapproval. He growled at her and rolled his eyes. "Alright, alright. Many. I've made many mistakes." He said as Beth nodded a few small times. "I am....horrified, horrified to be a father. I do not know how to contain fear other than anger. It is hard to understand my position Elizabeth unless you are.....you are me." He stated as she continued to have her arms crossed. "And you have to understand MY position of being rather happy to be having a child but your behavior is making this happy occasion not so happy." She said as he winced his face a bit out of frustration but sighed instead. "I am.....I am truly sorry for the way I have been treating you. I am." He said quietly as she looked up at him and her right leg moved around in the warm water. "And?" She spoke as he growled again. "And for not supporting you and supporting the......the child." He added as she moved her head up in a snarky type of way. "Hmm.....I suppose I shall forgive you." She said as Severus exhaled and she smiled. "Now, take off your robes and join me." She said with a wink as he shook his head. "My lady, I could never stay away from you for long...." His voice went a little deeper as he gently took off his robes and shoes.
It was refreshing to know that Severus apologized for the lack of support and that he would promise her more of it. She took off her towel and he watched her closely before getting into the water. He gently placed his hands on her bump, rubbing it in a circular motion. He could feel the kicks against his hand and it made him jump a little. Beth laughed as she held his cheeks. "Isn't it exciting?" She whispered as she cuddled into him. He smiled a little at her as he was grateful that she loved him so much and that he could be forgiven for his crude actions. She then looked up at him and sweetly kissed his lips, something that had not been done in what seemed like forever. He sighed deeply into the kiss as he held her sides and they sat in the water close together. They were losing track of time, but it mattered not if they missed dinner or not. She learned a very valuable lesson today. Humans could make mistakes and a relationship can be saved by a very special power.
The Power of Forgiveness.
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Fanfiction**UNFINISHED* Let me take you deep into an alternate universe. Where perhaps the ending was not what you thought it was. The tale of a broken and bitter heart that was once again mended by kindness and love. No one would have guessed that his heart...
