The Exposure

Chapter Forty-Three

          Your heart drops in your stomach and your eyes widen, "What? How? Who?" He still looks shocked and shakes his head, "I...have no idea, but...whoever it was saw that you were wrapped in my robe," he says softly. Your eyes sting with tears, "Oh, Professor...I'm so sorry, I didn't want this to happen." Your heart pounds and you feel all the air leave your body and your words come out jumbled, your voice shaky, "Your position, your reputation will be jeopardized, and I..."

          Your voice trails, your hands cover your mouth and tears spill down your cheeks. He quickly rushes over to you, taking your face in his hands, his brow furrowed in compassion, "Shh, shh...no," his eyes look into yours, "Don't worry about this. It will be alright." His thumb wipes away a tear, "There are things more important to me than my position or my reputation..." He smiles tenderly at you, his eyes gazing intently into yours and you melt.

          He pulls your face against his chest and strokes your hair a moment before he kisses your cheek and says, "However, we don't want to prove any rumors to be true if we can help it, so you can't be seen leaving my quarters. We'll have to also think of a way to explain your absence from your dorm last night..." He stares into the distance thoughtfully. "Perhaps I can speak with McGonagall and we will figure something out..." His eyes flash back to yours, "I'm afraid...you'll have to stay here, for the time being, until we figure out what our story is." He looks at you apologetically but you smile, "I'd actually prefer that, Professor...I don't want to be seen by anyone right now, anyway," You say softly, "And...I rather like it here. It feels safe."

          He looks at you affectionately, something in him warming at providing a safe place for you. He takes your hand, kissing your palm softly. "I will return before too long." He gets dressed quickly; as quickly as one can with so many buttons, and when he opens the door to go he pauses, looking back at you, "And remember...you are not allowed to worry." He winks at you. You smile and nod, but when he leaves your mind immediately begins doing what it's always done best.

          "I don't know, maybe murder really is the only solution for these hateful little imps...who on earth could've possibly seen us? Who was awake at such an hour...and why?" He quickly moves through the halls, his cape billowing behind him. Any student that dares make eye contact with him is met with a sweltering glare, quickly stamping out any attempts to read him to see whether these rumors are true.

          He makes it to the Headmaster's office and pauses, taking a deep breath before stepping inside. "Severus," Minerva turns and looks at him, her eyes filled with concern. He nods curtly before she continues, "I'm afraid we are going to have to do some damage control to contain this rumor. We cannot let its validity become known." She shakes her head and her brows shoot up in exasperation and she continues, "And now I have heard there was also an altercation of some sort?" 

          He sighs and steps forward, his hands resting on the back of chair facing her desk. "Firstly, I...have no idea who saw us or how, but...I was doing my evening rounds when I saw Misters Knightly and Hoffman. They had just come inside the castle from where they had spoken with Miss Y/n...they found her in quite an agitated state. They asked me to check on her and I did.  It would seem Miss Baker had rummaged through her things and found some rather personal and...sensitive writings of hers." He looks away when he thinks about the writings.

          Minerva sighs, "I see. And the altercation?" He pauses before continuing in a staccato voice, "I was also informed by the two gentlemen that that Miss Y/n...struck...Miss Baker, after a particularly tense confrontation over the discovery of her journal." His eyes eventually come back up to meet Minerva's unimpressed expression, her brow arched and her mouth tight.

          Snape's shoulders slump in frustration and he raises a hand to rub the bridge of his nose, "You must understand, Minerva...she has become a target. These girls, they...used her trust as a weapon to exploit her." The contempt in his voice is evident as he speaks. McGonagall huffs, "For Merlin's sake, you'd think this was middle school with all the drama this year's students have caused."