Chapter 3 - Secrets

Severus Snape's P.O.V.    Secrets was something he was good at. For the last sixteen years he had been keeping a massive secret. The only people who knew were the members of the Order of the Phoenix and even then some of them didn't entirely trust him. Albus Dumbledore trusted him with his life as it were and that's all that matter to him. Because of Severus being so good at keeping secrets, he could tell when someone was keeping a secret from him. He knew that Andromeda was keeping something from him and Albus as she talked in hushed tones with Madam Pomfrey. Her already pale face went paler as Madam Pomfrey, or Poppy as the staff called her, spoke to her quietly. Severus watched as Albus went over to her, but she shook her head refusing to tell him anything. Severus knew trying to see into her mind would be impossible. Albus had taught her how to close her mind off. In fact, Albus had Severus teach her and he had taught her well. Severus turned away as he didn't want anyone to see that look that might cross his face as he thought about how he felt seeing her look so sick.    Severus had barely touched his breakfast earlier in the morning when he had made the mistake of looking at Andromeda. She looked so pale and very weak. He knew the instant she got up where she was going. He had excused himself from the table and made his way to the nearest girl's bathroom. He had to wait a good while, but eventually she came out.    "Professor" She spoke, her voice weak. He could tell why, she looked like she hadn't slept or was eating. He watched her rest a hand on the wall her body obviously weakened.    "How long have you been sick?" Severus asked his tone cool and even, though deep down he was very concerned.    "I am not sick" Andromeda insisted. He watched as she took a step forward and nearly fell. He grabbed her by the arm rather roughly to keep her from falling. She pulled away from him, but he couldn't help but feel his heart speed up at the contact. "I said i was fine."    "You don't look fine to me" Severus grabbed her arm tightly so she couldn't get away this time. He was unsure why he cared so much or was acting the way he was. Concerned was a new emotion to him and he didn't like it. "I am taking you to the hospital wing."    "You most certainly will not" Andromeda struggled against his grip, but he was much stronger then her. He knew he had been acting so different then normal. Always watching her, always worrying and always being mean towards her. She could see the uncertainty in her eyes. "Let go of me"    "Andromeda, please, see reason" He did something he rarely did. He said please, which earned him a look of shock from her as she stopped struggling against him. "you've grown weaker, you aren't eating and your sleeping in class. As your teacher it is my responsibility to see to your well being"    "I am not weak" She replied, but he could already see the darkness creeping slowly into her eyes.    "Fine" He growled and released her arm. The instant he did she fell forward and he was prepared. He caught her and lifted her easily into his arms. "What did i tell you, you stupid girl?"    "I am not stupid" Andromeda whispered before she lost consciousness in his arm. He cradled her against his chest and smirked down at her as he carried her to the hospital wing.    "Severus" His thoughts were interrupted by Albus's voice. Severus stopped pacing as he turned to face Albus. Despite his best efforts the older man looked very concerned. "Poppy said she's going to be fine."    "What's wrong with her?' Severus asked quietly as he glanced over at the now sleeping girl. She finally looked peaceful.     "She won't tell me, but she assures me that she is going to be fine" Albus smiled warily at his sleeping granddaughter. Severus saw the lines on his face and knew that it was going to be a while before Albus would sleep properly again.     "Why?"    "Because Severus" Albus put his hand on his shoulder and smiled a rather mischievous smile. One that worried Severus. "we all have our secrets"     With that he left a bewildered Severus standing in the middle of the hospital wing. Severus couldn't even begin to understand what Albus was implying. The only secret that Severus had never shared with Albus was him sleeping with Andromeda and there was no way he knew about it, was there? Severus gave a wirily sigh before moving over to her bed. He placed a hand on hers before doing something completely out of character. He leaned down, brushed a piece of hair out of her face and kissed her forehead. He then retreated to his room to think about what Albus had implied. Andromeda Dumbledore's P.O.V.     Secrets, lies and deception was something Albus Dumbledore had taught his granddaughter never to do, but that's exactly what she had done. She had lied to everyone when she said she was fine, deceiving them into thinking she was going to be okay and kept a secret from them all. A secret that will effect more then her in the future. She stared up at the ceiling wondering if she had done the right thing. She wondered if she should have told him the truth. But she had advised herself against it, she knew he wouldn't care, he had after all admitted he didn't love her. She turned her head as she heard footsteps approach her bed.    "Auntie Minnie" Andromeda whispered, and smiled as Minerva Mcgonagall sat in the chair next to her bed. She was the only one that Andromeda had trust with her secret.     "Andie" Minerva smiled before she continued. "you need to tell Albus    "I can't" Andromeda turned her head away to hide any tears that might decide to come. "he'll be furious with me."    "Well, at least tell Severus, he worried sick about you" Minerva spoke softly. Andromeda shook her head.     "No, no one must know" Andromeda rubbed her eyes wiping away any tears that she had.    "People are going to fine out eventually" Minerva put her hand on top of Andromeda's stomach.    "I know" she whispered. "and when that happens, when they do, he'll hate me for it and that's how it should be. He should hate me for this."    "Andie..."    "Auntie Minnie, I confess to you that i love him" Andromeda looked over at Minerva, but the only reaction she got from the older woman was a curt nod. Minerva's lips formed a tight line on her face. "but we collide, we don't mix. He's a cruel man, unkind and unfair. I can't subject myself to that"    "I understand" Minerva gave her a small smile before getting up to go. As she turned to leave she spoke one last time. "Just between you and me, he loves you too, but that will be our secret"    Minerva left before Andromeda could say anything else. Severus love her. That was an impossibility. Even if he did love her, how would Minerva know, she and Severus didn't talk. Until the words came directly from him Andromeda felt like she couldn't believe what she heard. That made her feel like a hypocrite though, here she was saying she loved him, but refused to tell him the most important secret of her life or his.     "What do i do?" Andromeda whispered to herself. She knew about Severus's past. She knew what he did for her grandfather and she knew the danger he put himself in everyday. That was something she couldn't live with. She couldn't live with not knowing if he was going to come back or not. So she never thought about it. She always attempted to forget where he was or what he was doing, but she remembered seeing the mark on his arm that night. Despite not remembering how they ended up that way in bed together se seemed to remember some details. The dark mark on his arm had felt so out of place against his smooth skin. She didn't know if he was a death eater or not, but the dark mark was there.     She felt her eyes water as she recalled the conversation she over heard outside of Dumbledore's office. She remembered her grandfather asking Severus if he loved her. Well not specifically her, since her grandfather didn't know it was her he had slept with. She closed her eyes as the tears fell. When asked the question, Severus's response was no, but in her haste to get out of there before any further embarrassment came to her, she missed the hesitation in his voice. Now in her loneliness she would give anything to hear him say he loves her. Albus Dumbledore's P.O.V. (1st person)    She asked her self what does she do? And for once in my life i didn't have an answer for her. She was the best thing in my life. After my daughter and son-in-law were killed fighting Voldemort fifteen years ago, i had raised her as my own and she was my everything. Now I was loosing her, not that she knew it. She knew she was my heart and my soul and i was hers, but slowly her heart was becoming someone else's. I knew how it would end, i would die. And in my death she would come to hate him instead of love him.     I sat at my desk in my office and rubbed my eyes. A small sigh escaped my lips, I have been slipping in my old age. I release now just how complicated things have gotten since my granddaughter invade Severus's life, and not just his life, but his heart. Despite all the lies everyone has been telling and the things that have been kept from me, I knew exactly what was going on. I knew all of their secrets. I knew that Severus loved her and despite Andromeda's best efforts to try and hide her secret I knew what it was. I had taught her never to lie to me, but i could understand, under these circumstances why she refused to tell me. Even though Poppy had been sworn to secrecy by Andromeda, she felt it her duty to tell me exactly what was wrong with Andromeda. What Poppy told me complicated matters even more then i had expected. Andromeda was two months pregnant and I knew who the father was.