Title: Lilies
Author: Nemesis
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: HP/SS
Summary: Severus is going to lose his lover… or is he?
Disclaimer: Not mine. Some Brit's.
Warnings: Character death, dark.
Genre: Angst, Dark, Romance
I press the flowers tightly to my chest, burying my face in the fragrant petals. My senses are deadened by the sorrow, the anger, the frustration, the sheer pain coursing through me. The petals are soft and silky against my cheek, but the comfort is minimal. Nothing can mitigate the pain I'm feeling. My lover is going to die.
My little imp, my lover, my love is going to die today. We both know it. He's going to die, and I can't do anything about it. All I can do is sit here and wait anxiously for news. Then again, it's futile. We both know today is his last day with us, upon this earth.
I remember how he leaned close to me, whispering so many things to me, everything from endearments to serious news. He planted butterfly kisses all over my face, finally grazing my lips with his. He stood up and I grabbed his hand, wanting him to be near me for as long as possible. He walked away slowly, his hand finally slipping out of mine.
I miss him already, a terrible sinking feeling in my stomach. How am I ever going to survive without my little imp? After all, it is because of him that I'm alive.
And now I'm forced to stay here, even though everyone I know and care about is risking their lives on the battlefield.
He told me to stay, almost begged me. He told me he needed to know I was alive even during his last moments. He said he couldn't do it otherwise.
So now I stand here, with these flowers pressed to my chest, crying, letting them take my tears.
He's going to die. I know it. There's no way my imp'll survive this one.
Green flashes burst on the far field, and I tremble in fear. Trying to divert myself, I look at the flowers Harry gave me.
They're lilies. How appropriate. Lilies, after his mother, who sacrificed herself for him. There's a note attached to the stems.
I look at it and read it out loud. "My dearest Sev. I'm going to die. Find my body, hopefully not too mangled, and bury it beneath a tea tree you planted. These flowers are lilies, like my mum. All my love to you, for eternity. Your Harry."
I try desperately not to cry.
There are screams and flashes coming from the battlefield. I sit down on the step and cry for many minutes.
When I pick my head up, the battle seems to have stopped. I run toward the battlefield. Come hell or high water, I have to find his body. I must. He asked me to, and I will. I need to.
Ministry officials are starting to take the bodies off now. So many dead. So, so many dead.
They stop when they see me.
"Can you identify this body for us?" they ask.
I nod dumbly. Why not?
They set down the stretcher and pull back the white sheet.
It's Neville Longbottom. I drop to my knees and deliver an apology. It was unjust of me to be so cruel.
He's so young, his face hasn't lost that innocent joy yet, but there he lies, dead. Yet scum like me can live.
I identify him, and new bodies come. I identify those I can, but all of them are lost in a swirl. I make a vow, once the world is calmer and they are all buried, to plant lilies on each of there graves in memory of my dead lover, Harry.
With every body, I move closer to the battlefield, still clutching my lilies.
A Ministry official corners me and asks me identify another body.
I sigh and nod. He pulls back the sheet. My eyes widen. It's Remus, his long, graying hair tied back neatly in a ponytail, his amber eyes open and shocked. There's a smile on his face.
And I know why. He's finally going to join his lover in whatever comes after death. He's going to be happy again.
The survivors are struggling off the field now, pressing towards the castle.
Draco stumbles towards me, carrying a body.
"He's dead," Draco gasps in a sorrow-laden voice, and then he faints.
I look at the body he hauled in. Black hair. My Harry.
I turn it over and frown in puzzlement. The body has black eyes, not green. Not my Harry.
It's Blaise Zabini. Draco's lover. That's who Draco said was dead.
Arthur stumbles towards me.
"Is he…?" I trail off.
Arthur shrugs. "I haven't seen him."
Albus is next to me now, but he, too, knows nothing of my Harry.
Where could he be?
I turn to search for him, but as I walk towards the battlefield, I hear a voice crying for help. I make my way toward it.
"Can you help?" the person asks.
I nod and support his weight.
"Are you looking for someone?" he asks me in a hoarse voice.
I nod again.
"Who?" he asks.
"What is it any of your business?" I snap.
He looks at me, and my breath catches in my throat. "Because I want to know if you're looking for me or not, Sev."
It's my Harry. Alive and breathing.
What more could I ask for?
I have my little imp.
End.