AN: Deathly Hallows spoilers. Don't read, don't be spoiled. I'm super into Snape/Lily now. I can't even explain it.
And yes, Snape is an animaugus; at least, in this story.
Disclaimer: JK Rowling proudly owns. Thank God.
Afterlife.
Severus Snape opened his eyes. He felt soft grass underneath his hands, so he grabbed a handful of it, and pulled. Looking in his palm at dirt and soil, he pulled himself off the ground onto his feet. Snape found himself staring into the lake on the Hogwarts' grounds. He loved this place. The only place he ever truly felt at home was at Hogwarts.
"Hey, Snape!"
Snape turned at the sound of his name, to find James Potter, age seventeen, looking back at him from a spot about 30 yards from where Severus stood. He walked slowly towards James, waiting for the snide comment, of the spell that would lift him off his feet upside down, but nothing came. As he got closer to James, and the oak tree he was standing under, he noticed Remus Lupin and Sirius Black also looking up at him. Lupin was Sitting with his back against the tree, and Sirius was kneeling over the lake's edge, watching a fish swim lazily by. Sirius looked up at Snape when he was casting a shadow over the water.
"Um. Hi, Snape." James said sheepishly. "You know, um. Thanks, for helping, well- for helping keep Harry safe, and all. I guess. I- um- well, yeah. I'm sorry, for, you know, all the stuff I did to you, and, all..." James faded off. He was rubbing his left arm and looking at the ground. "No hard feelings, right?" He said as he looked up.
Snape loathed this man in life. He stole Lily from him, he had the life Snape always wished for, he got the girl Snape had been in love with since he first lay eyes on her,yet Snape couldn't bring himself not to agree with James.
"Right." Snape said, as he looked down at Sirius and Remus. "And you guys too, right?"
"Right." They said in unison. As Snape smiled down at them, he heard his named called, once again.
"Sev!! Hey!" A familiar woman's voice called. He hadn't heard that voice in over seventeen years, and the last time he did hear it, it was getting married to James Potter.
Snape turned, just in time to be enveloped in a bear hug that he swore cracked a rip or two. Lily Potter, or Lily Evans, he wasn't sure which she was here, was looking up at him, that familiar sparkle in her eyes that he loved so much.
"I missed you, Sev." She said, as she squeezed his ribs harder, making it difficult for him to breathe.
"I missed you too, Lily." He said as he smiled down at her. "But can you let me go? I'm suffocating."
She laughed as she released him. "Hey, walk with me. We need to talk." She looked him in the eye, and he followed her away from the marauders, and towards the castle.
When they were right in front of the great oak doors, she turned toward him. "Sev, thank you for watching over Harry. I knew you'd be able to help him. James was skeptical about it, but I knew you'd come through." She looked over the grounds. "Isn't this place beautiful? It's just like our seventh year! I can't believe when we die we get to look like this! I'm so happy." She looked at him again. "James and I know, and agree, that we shouldn't be together. He loves another girl here. She's really nice, too. You'll get along with her. And, Sev, I love someone else, too. Do you understand?"
Snape thought she was trying to let him down softly. How did she know that he loved her, though? He cringed on the inside, while on the outside, he looked very happy for her.
"Of course I do Lily. I hope your happy with him. But tell him that if he hurts you, I'll re-kill him." He smiled down at her again, while inside, his heart broke, again.
"Severus, don't be silly." She took out her wand. Hm. I guess they do have wands in the afterlife. Snape thought. Lily pointed her wand out to her right, and said calmly, "Expecto Patronum."
Out of her wand shot a snake. Not just any snake, though. It looked like Snape's animaugus form. It slithered toward the two, and looked at Severus. Then, it turned, and faded away. Snape looked back at Lily. "But-when?"
She had been staring at the spot where the snake vanished, but at his words, she looked up at him again.
"Always." Was all she had to say. He looked back down at the place where the patronus was. Then he felt around for his wand. When he found it, for it wasn't where he normally kept it, he also whispered "Expecto Patronum."
A silver doe materialized onto the grass and looked at Lily and Snape both. Then it walked up to Lily and stared at her for a while. When Snape told the doe it could leave, it turned around and vanished in the same spot as the snake. When he looked back at Lily, she had tears in her eyes.
"Sev, I've made so many mistakes. You have no idea. I hope you can forgive me for everything I've done to you." She told him, and she broke down in tears.
Snape scooped her up off the ground, and held her close to him, hugging her. "Shh." He soothed. "It's ok, Lily. You didn't mess up. You are, and always have been, wonderful. Not only to me, but to James and Harry and Remus and Sirius and anyone else you've met. I love you, Lily. I hope you forgive me for ratting you out to Voldemort. I swear I didn't mean it to be you and James. I was only doing what I thought was-"
He was silenced by her lips on his. When she pulled away from him, she rested her head on his chest. "It's ok. I love you too, Sev."
AN: I hope I ended it well. I always have trouble with endings. Please review to tell me what you think. Remember, Creative Criticism!!