You landed at the Ministry, using your wand to dry yourself before walking into the building. You had no idea what you were going to say to him, but you were sure it was going to be uncomfortable.

After taking the rickety old elevator, you finally arrived right outside his office. Taking a deep breath, you steeled yourself for the confrontation ahead. The door to his office loomed before you, an imposing barrier between the unresolved past and the uncertain future. With a firm knock, you announced your presence.

"Enter," came the familiar, authoritative voice from within.

Pushing the door open, you stepped inside to find Lucius sitting behind the desk, parchment and quills scattered around. The man looked as handsome as ever, thought a little tired.

"To what do we owe this visit?" Severus asked, his voice measured and controlled. Your eyes gaze around the office seeing Severus standing near Lucius' desk. Lucius was relaxed in his office chair looking terribly smug.

"I need to speak to Lucius privately," you say, boldly. "Tsk tsk, anything you have to say, can be said in my presence," Severus interjected. Your eyes go to Lucius' then back to Severus, signaling a question.

"Can you believe this man? He thinks of himself as a clown I suppose playing silly cruel jokes on people. He let me fall in love with you Lucius, knowing this was going to happen eventually. He was never going to loosen his grip on me. Were you Severus? Lucius was never going to be your equal," you spat at him as you closed the distance between you.

Severus' expression darkened, his eyes narrowing as he took a step forward. "Mind your tongue, Princess" he hissed, his voice dripping with venom. "You speak of things you cannot understand. Lucius and I have a friendship that transcends your petty grievances."

"Is that because I have no real friends? Is that what you're telling me?" you look at him curiously.

Severus paused, his gaze flickering with an emotion you couldn't quite place. "Friendship is not something you demand; it is earned," he replied, his tone softer but no less intense. You look between the two men, trying to figure out what the secret was.

"Are you in love with Lucius as well?" you ask him blankly. The room fell into a tense silence, the air thick with unspoken truths and hidden emotions.

Severus' eyes flashed with a mixture of anger and something else—something deeper, more complicated. Lucius, for his part, remained seated, a small, knowing smile playing at the corners of his lips.

"Love is a complex thing," Severus finally said, his voice barely above a whisper. "It is not easily defined, nor is it easily understood. Do I love him like you? No, of course not. You unfortunately are the center of this. When you were in the hospital, you cannot imagine the stress we were under. We found ourselves getting closer in that time."

"So you're both basically liars. How many times did I ask what happened? 'A helping hand,' is all I was told," you spat at them angrily. "That was the truth. We did not have some sort of secret affair behind your back, you little witch. We are companions, or were until you and him ruined it," Severus tells you.

You felt a pang of guilt mixed with confusion. The room seemed to close in around you, the weight of their words pressing on your chest. "Companions?" you echoed, trying to grasp the meaning. "What does that even mean? Because from where I'm standing, it feels like betrayal."

Severus sighed, rubbing his temples as if trying to ease a persistent headache. "It means we relied on each other, found solace in each other's presence. But it was never romantic, not in the way you think."

"Where are the girls?" you ask Severus. "Safe, of course. I could see it in your face when you left the castle, you're not thinking straight," he said. His voice was as cold as ice, almost sending shivers down your spine. You start shaking your head immediately, knowing he's going to turn into an absolute bastard.

"Where are they?" you demanded again, your voice rising in pitch. "I need to know they're truly safe."

Severus narrowed his eyes, his expression hardening. "They are safe. I would never let anything happen to them. But you need to understand, your paranoia is driving a wedge between us all."

You took a deep breath, trying to steady your racing thoughts. "Paranoia? You expect me to just believe everything you say without question after all this?"

He stepped closer, his gaze intense. "I expect you to trust that I would never harm them. Nor would I let you harm them, darling. You have this rather concerning look in your eye. Like a caged animal."

The tension in the room was palpable, and you could feel the weight of unresolved emotions hanging in the air. "Why are you saying these things to me? Because I refuse to be blinded by you any longer. I thought you changed, but you didn't. Maybe you cannot. There's old Severus. I see him perfectly, the bitter controlling bastard that he is."

Lucius stood up, attempting to interject himself, "Perhaps we should just take a little moment," he suggested. "Perhaps, we should. All of us," you tell Severus.

"You do not speak for Lucius and I. He's coming back to the house, whether you are there or not. The girls need stability," he hissed. "Something you clearly cannot provide them."

Warning Mentions of SH:

In some way it was true. Your mood had gone down considerably in the last several months. You didn't verbalize the heartbreak you were enduring but it was eating you, however slow and deliberate. You couldn't do anything to yourself because of the girls, for fear it may affect them if they saw.

You fantasized about it endlessly, even being caught sometimes by Severus. Everything you had been going through was destroying you. Suffering was the only emotion you currently knew, and it was heavy, unending.

But you couldn't let Severus see you crumble. Not now, when the stakes were so high. You took a deep breath, steadying yourself, and forced a calm expression onto your face.

"Severus," you began, your voice firmer than you felt, "I understand your concerns, truly I do. But we need to find a way to work together, for the girls' sake. They need both of us, even if things are difficult right now."

Severus's eyes narrowed, but he didn't interrupt. Lucius shifted uncomfortably beside you, clearly caught between his loyalty to Severus and his concern for you.

"I'm not saying it will be easy," you continued, " but you cannot just force me away from them. I am their mother. Tomorrow you can put a note in my owl box at work tomorrow, telling me the shared schedule you've come up with."

For a moment, the room was silent, the tension thick and almost palpable. Then, to your surprise, Severus's expression softened ever so slightly.

"Fine," he muttered, though his tone was still sharp. "We'll try it your way. But mark my words, if there's any sign of instability, I will take them away from you."

You took a deep breath, feeling a mix of relief and apprehension. This tentative agreement was a small step, but it was a step, nonetheless.

"Thank you, Severus," you said quietly. "I assure you; their well-being is my utmost priority."

Severus didn't respond immediately, his dark eyes searching your face as if trying to read the sincerity of your words. Finally, he gave a curt nod and turned to leave the room.

As the door closed behind him, you sank into the nearest chair, your mind racing with thoughts and plans. This was your chance to prove yourself, to show that you could provide a stable and loving environment for your children. You knew it wouldn't be easy, but you were determined to make it work.

The next morning, you found the note in your owl box as promised. It was a detailed schedule, outlining the days and times each of you would spend with the children. It was strict, but fair, and you couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness.

Was this really where your marriage had fallen to? The girls were only 22 months old, you were pregnant with their brother and separating from their father. A flash streaked through your head, slam your head on the desk.

Nope, nope, nope, we're not doing that. Stop it.

You took a deep breath and steadied yourself, focusing on the positives. You were young, stunningly beautiful, brilliant in Potions, fantastic in bed and currently unable to get pregnant. A distraction is exactly what you needed.