Beautiful! Thank you. :)

This story is perfect. And the fact that you can write such a beautiful story in so few words makes you perfect. Kudos, you rock at life.

Very nice! I really like this one! Almost poetic in a way!

It has been some time since I read this, and it was as much joy to read as at the first time. It's a bit like "Severus and Minerva in a nutshell", showing the essence of their relationship as well as of their characters.

My favourite line:

"She found, however, that her "alone" was not much compromised by the addition of Severus."

Lovely! Thanks for sharing

Heartbreakingly beautiful. Well done.

Amazingly well written!

Oh, I really like this!

This is phenomenal!

As a Scot I love your take on the first-footing ritual.

thanks for sharing

xLx

Beautiful. It certainly speaks to me.

I can't help thinking about their future, though, beyond the 'uncertain now'.

'Minerva takes care always to be asleep.' So would I.

All right then, crossing the threshold to my own 'now'. (Sigh)

This piece is gorgeous in its specificity, and it introduced me to yet another observation of the turning year with which I had not been familiar. (If I were to tally up how much I've learned reading fiction, I think it would be quite more than I think... because the universe is composed of details).

Nearly every sentence in this lovely little prose poem strikes it own particular note in the progression, but I'll just pick out a few favorites:

"That's how he serves the cause of righteousness, after all: he comes to the light through the back by-ways of the dark. And though he is the first to cross her threshold every year, he does it by going out."

"If their age difference ever gave her pause, that pause was brief - years of war and loss have taught her the folly of sacrificing too much present pleasure to propriety."

Their parting ritual: where she 'makes sure to be asleep' so that he feels safe to make a gesture of affection...

I think one of the things I particularly love about this piece is the theme of threshold (my own particular territory in the fan-fiction) and you've developed it gorgeously here.

Beautiful language. I thoroughly enjoyed this.

Aw, I find it sad. Can't this two be such a happy couple?

I love the last part though it is kind of sad for me. Surely, Minerva would have longed to wake up in Severus's arms and same as to with Severus. But still, it's a great story. Please write more. :)

Ah, very, very nice drabble. I love how she is always careful to be asleep when he leaves.

Actually I read this before somewhere else, must have been on LJ I guess? Anyway, I like it very much.

It's brilliant!