He called her Lily sometimes. Especially when he climaxed.
Ginny lay in bed next to her old Potions professor. She could hear his deep, steady breathing on the other side of her back, facing away from her. She lay in silence.
When morning broke, and Severus Snape stretched beside her, placing a hand on her hip with a gentle 'good morning', Ginny also stretched, though she hadn't slept a wink. She glanced at Severus with a smile.
It was the summer holidays, so Severus didn't need to be at Hogwarts just now, though he had left their modest two-bedroom flat in muggle London to visit Diagon Alley. Ginny sat in their bed as she heard the door shut as he left, and made her way to the bathroom.
Looking at herself, she felt old. Her thirtieth birthday was next week, and Snape's fifty-first was coming up too. They'd been together twelve years now – why was she suddenly discontent? Was it that he had called her Lily again last night? She wasn't stupid, nor was she naïve. She knew why he said it – Harry had told her. She knew she was transporting him back to his youth – to when Lily lived. And she also knew that when he came, thrusting inside her, he wasn't thinking about her.
Severus returned to the flat at about one. Ginny was sitting at the dining table with a glass of wine. There was a sodden tissue clutched in her hand. Immediately he was beside her, holding her hand in his.
"Ginny? Are you alright? Has something happened?"
Ginny shook her head with a sad smile.
"You did it again last night," she murmured.
"Last night? What?"
"You called me Lily again."
Severus didn't reply for a few minutes, and when he did it was with restrained annoyance.
"Ginny, I'm sorry. You know I don't mean to, it just happens. You know I love no one but you."
Ginny refused to look into his eyes.
"Severus, I don't think I can do this anymore. I gave up my friends – my family, to be with you. And you don't even love me for me. You love me for who I look like – a woman who died thirty-odd years ago!" Ginny was mad now – the tears were back and she had pulled her hand away from Severus' sharply. She stood in one quick movement and made to push past his chair. He grasped her arm but instantly let her go when she spun and slapped him. He could see she regretted it at once, and he looked at her not with anger, but pity.
Ginny sobbed and wiped the tears from her eyes. Severus sighed and stood slowly, embracing the small woman in his arms. She sobbed again and tried to beat his chest but he held on to her until she gave up and began to cry into his chest, gripping his arms so tightly it hurt.
"Ginny, please stop. You know I love you, and you know I don't mean to call you that," Severus spoke into her hair, before placing a light kiss on her head.
"I… I know, Sev. It's just, sometimes I can't help but think…"
Severus shushed her.
"You don't have to explain yourself to me. You have every right to be mad."
Ginny leaned away from him to look at his face. As their eyes made contact, Severus smiled and leaned down to place a light kiss onto her lips, pulling away before it turn into anything more.
"I love you, Severus."
"I know, Ginny. I love you too."