A/N: Okay, so it has been so very long since I started this story that I can't quite remember if Minerva and Albus have made love before, so my apologies if the below doesn't make much sense!.

It had been several weeks since Minerva had left St Mungo's and slowly all of her questions had been answered, of course she was still at a loss of how she had come from her duel with Tom mostly unharmed. The last Minerva had heard, Riddle had been unfortunately healed, the only rewarding thought was that he would spent his life in a living hell. Nothing less of what he deserved.

Things had begun to return to normal, of course Minerva wouldn't have it any other way, except nothing for Minerva was now normal. She had vowed to herself to not let what happened destroy her, not let it change the person she was, the person she wanted to be.. but it had.

Albus had noticed the way she now favored wearing black, how her hair was always tightly in a bun, he missed seeing her midnight locks flowing. The sparkle in her eyes had gone, her thirst for life seemingly dwindling. It hurt him so dearly to see her like this, to not be able to make everything that had happened just disappear. He would give anything, everything for her.

Even though everything had returned to normal for most aspects of her life, there was no normal about the way she felt anymore. Even though she was surrounded by people day in, day out, she had never felt so alone, perhaps she had made it that way. She didn't want anyone to be close to her, she didn't want them to see who she had become.

The warmth that once resided in her, now cold, the laughter that used to fill her chambers as she read, now gone. There was a hollow inside her and it was growing day by day, she didn't know how to fill it or even if it could be.

She had stopped her weekly visits with Albus, she couldn't seem to focus each time they played chess and every time she lost, she felt the old 'smart' Minerva was simply failing, her mind couldn't focus, her mind trailing over every detail of what had happened, making her stomach churn more and more each day.

Albus simply couldn't take the quiet anymore, he couldn't take the feeling of losing his closest friend, his companion, his other half. She was fading further and further away from him, becoming colder and bitter toward him. He stood outside her office, his fist lingering in the air, constructing a conversation in his head, this wouldn't do, so he simply knocked and without waiting for a reply entered.

"Minerva, could we talk?.". He silently walked to her desk.

"It would appear we already are". Her tone was short and sharp, which stung Albus. She didn't look up from the parchment she was reading.

For once, he was slightly at a loss of how to put his words.

"Minerva, I can't begin to understand how you have felt these last few months..".

"No, you couldn't" Was her simple reply. She now looked up to him, her expression blank, her eyes just looking through him.

"Minerva, I, I hate to see you like this." He paused a moment. "The life has just gone from your eyes, your beautiful zest for life, for your work, for your students. It, it isn't there anymore. Your smile has faltered, my soft and caring Minerva..".

"She's gone.". Her voice had a tone of bitterness in it. "Is that what you want to hear?. Do you think telling me how I have changed, will make me feel better?.". Her lips thinned, her eyes daring him to argue with her. "I know I have changed, I know the person I once was has gone, I know I'm not your sweet little Minerva anymore.". She looked as though she had a bad taste in her mouth. "She went when my innocence did.".

He hadn't known that Riddle had taken her innocence and the thought saddened him dearly, his head lowered. "I didn't..".

"Of course you wouldn't know." She took a deep breath. "How can I be the person I was when I can't feel anything?. I don't feel anything, Albus.. I'm damaged, damaged goods". It was now that he saw the tenderness come back to her, the sorrow in her eyes. He immediately stepped forward, kneeling beside her and taking her hand into his.

"Minerva, nothing that has happened, changes the wonderful, bright, talented woman you are. You simply don't know how strong you are, how special you are.". He gently cupped her cheek "You aren't damaged, you aren't broken. However you need me to help, however you need me to listen or to just leave you be, I am here, I'm always here.".

Minerva gently nodded, her eyes never leaving his, perhaps he was right, perhaps she doesn't have to be a wreckage, she doesn't have to be a victim. She was tough, she always had been and she now swore to herself, she always would be. Yes, this event would change her, yes it may make her a little colder but she would survive.

"Albus, stay with me tonight?.". She needed to be comforted, she needed to be held.

He didn't have to respond with words, he simply stood and tightened his hand on hers, their night spent simply in each others arms.

A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter, please let me know what you would like to see from the rest of the story?. I love reviews too 🙂.