Disclaimer: All characters belong to the brilliant, J.K. Rowling.

At the staff room, 20 minutes ago.

"You'll give Mr. Longbottom another chance, Professor Snape!"

"I will not!"

"Don't use that tone on me, young man!" hissed Minerva.

"Don't treat me like I'm one of your students!" snarled Severus.

"I am not treating you like one!"

"Yes, you are! I'm a teacher here just like you and I expect you to treat me as such!"

"How dare you spar me with your expectations! I exactly deem you a professor in this school! "

"No, you don't! You act around me as if I'm a stupid student! Damn your insufferable superiority!"

The witch pointed a finger at him, raising her voice even louder, but not into a yell, "Now why is superiority in the subject? You're talking nonsense, Severus!"

"No! You're always acting superior but I am not intimidated of you, woman!'

"I'm hell not trying to intimidate you, young man!" said Minerva, her voice crazing into a shout as her string's snapped.

"Don't. treat. me. like. a. student!" bellowed Severus matching Minerva's.

"Will you both stop it?! You're not the only two occupying this room, you know! Give us some peace!" said Rolanda Hooch, slamming the book she was reading on her table.

"Oh God…" whispered Minerva as she put her quill down when the entire fight with Severus started to replay in her mind. She was trying to distract herself by marking the essays of the seventh years from the awful memory, and the constant throbbing ache of her head from the heated discussion (or was it even a discussion? Because as far as she could remember they nearly tried to hex each other) she just had with that slimy "I-Hate-Gryffindor" Slytherin. But, whatever desperate measures she willed herself to resolve to, the ache won't just leave her head. She thought of him and instantly regretted when the blood in her veins boiled. Why could he be so annoying? Why couldn't he just quit favoring his oh-so-good brats and treat the students fairly? Why did he always have to be a complete moron who kept on nattering about superiority and "stop treating me like a student" lines? Like he was not bad enough just being a greasy grown bat in the first place for goodness sake! That horrid thought forced her to hold one disgusted expression.

To think of it, they have often argued about anything else from the past especially about everything that may be related to Potter, Quidditch and... Potter, but she did enjoy those sparring of words especially when she got the best side of the argument. Yet the fight earlier was not a light bicker between them and none enjoyed it as they would always have. (A fact supported with Severus's twitched of the lips whenever they argue). The day was tiresome to begin with and their already tight nerves did not help their control to act as professionals. Oh, but the squabble wasn't just about anything. She should thank the teachers for cutting the fight for them.

She had always respected Severus Snape and treated him as. He was her friend after all. They would spend time walking on the school grounds on a clear day – while arguing sometimes – and would play a game of chess on Friday nights. She could understand, if not altogether, the man's nonverbal ways and this caused him to relax with her. She learned to trust him not because Albus trusted the wizard but because he was worthy of it. And the fact remains even with their famous arguments and house rivalries that they were friends. But, anger still didn't exempt Severus because he's a simply a comrade, or one may address "friend". She won't ease herself from it if he won't give Longbottom an extra chance. She knew about Neville's hopelessness and she can attest to that even in her classes but she'd never lose hope on him and Severus shouldn't. Poor Neville! He was forbidden to attend Potions anymore! That outraged her.

"Will you both stop it?! You're not the only two occupying this room, you know! Give us some peace!" said Rolanda Hooch, slamming the book she was reading on her table.

They went silent but continued on with their glaring match and had maybe slowly reached for their wands to fire hexes but both's ill intentions were not hindered from the staff in the room.

"No. Don't even try or I'll hex you both first before you could even kill each other!" said Poppy in a scolding manner.

"I'll help you, Poppy, before everything gets nasty here!" squeaked Filius Flitwick.

"Your famous arguments do get annoying sometimes." said Professor Binns dryly, who everyone unnoticed to have popped into the room.

"Why don't you two share some peace for a while? Won't you ever stop fighting?" asked Pomona Sprout.

The teachers usually enjoyed their arguments. The females would even giggle and point out that arguing was their way of flirting, that they have a strange way of being romantic, but the two would just scowl and claim it to be the most ridiculous idea in their lives.

The faculty went on with their sentiments while the two stood their grounds, glaring and listening. They were silently shocked to hear them scolding. Today must have not been gracious to them too, or maybe, they had had enough. Accepting defeat from the professors' joined forces; the wizard and the witch turned their back on each other and left the room.

Rolanda let out a sigh. "That would do for the meantime. I'm just tired enough to listen."

"Yeah, but I'm still on about teasing them though" said Aurora Sinistra.

"You don't ever give up, do you?" asked Filius.

"Nope, and I know you also have your hopes up for those two."

"Yes, yes." Filius muttered in defeat.

"They're perfect for each other!" said Pomona in a tune.

"Aye! As a couple indeed!" exclaimed Charity Burbage. All the teachers laughed in excitement.

Severus sighed in defeat and slammed his fist on the table. He was trying to distract himself from the flashing memory of the fight with Minerva by marking essays of the seventh years. Due to his anger, the papers looked like garbage with nasty remarks and scores. Only a few received good but none got excellent. Merlin, this day was nasty. His headache made it worse.

Hell, they were close to hexing each other! Credit to that Mediwitch who had cut the building climax of the fight. Why, Minerva was insufferable! Why couldn't she clearly see and understand that Longbottom was a hopeless cause? Why has she always seen to it that her lion cubs should be given importance? Even a hopeless one, damn it! Why wouldn't she even give him a chance to have his way once without even provoking him in the first place?

Oh, they have always argued. They have seen fun from it but the fight ago was different. Severus boiled madly with that one.

He had always respected Minerva Mcgonagall. She was a dear colleague after all, besides Dumbledore. In fact, he admired the witch. She was courageous, intelligent and stunningly beautiful even at her age. They would spend time together; strolling along Black Lake, having a jolly drink at Three Broomsticks Inn or playing chess on Friday nights. She was understanding and patient at times but she was even remarkable when she gave him her trust. They would occasionally open up their difficulties or frustrations with each other, and if nothing deeper, friendship still blossomed. But his anger didn't exempt friends. He won't lay to bed his grudge against her. She provoked him with his lack of sympathy against Longbottom! Merlin, the boy's hopeless! She could even attest to that, he dared thought. No, he will not ease up. Not if she'll not stop treating him like a child and let him be to his decisions. She would have to chop off his head for him to surrender to her for that.

Severus stood up and stacked the papers to the side of his desk. He decided to visit the library and borrow the book, Potions During the Dark Ages in Rome. He was considering bugging Irma Prince with comics to be archived in the process. That will piss her off. She was adamant about her rule of only letting academic references be housed in her sanctuary. The wizard smirked. There were other ways to get himself distracted with after all, he thought. Yep, his mood was getting better on the way starting that he has taken 150 points from blasted Gryffindors, 30 points from Ravenclaws and 20 points from the two Hupplepuff students just because they were staring at him and probably snickering inside at his greasy hair. Not surprisingly, the library became deserted when he came in. He grinned wickedly, thinking about how being intimidating was so damn good. He was busy smirking that he didn't notice someone had step into the library when he was about to exit, and they ended up smashing into each other. His headache came back, and his anger level shot to the moon when he recognized the person he had rammed into. Unfortunately for him, that "person" was the blasted, horrid, the one and only: Minerva McGonagall.