Disclaimer: Harry Potter does not belong to me. Bugger.
Endlessly
DMT 1/24/07
"I will wait for you," she said, "endlessly."
So spoke, misery.
-Endlessly, She Said by AFI
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"This cannot continue." His voice was unintentionally harsh. Final.
The girl only nodded. Her face was calm, but Severus couldn't help but notice that her brown eyes were slowly filling with tears.
"After this, I do not want to see you in my office anymore," he told her. Internally, he winced.
She bit her lip. Severus wanted to kiss her then; he wanted to take back everything he had just said. However, it was for the best. They both knew this.
"I understand," she said.
He knew she didn't understand; not completely. Thought she did understand a lot, including how much he was already regretting his decision.
There was a pause.
"I could lose my position here," he said, wondering who he was really trying to convince. She hadn't argued with him. Not once.
He would lose it anyway, eventually.
"I know."
She did. Tears spilled over her lashes, trailing down her cheeks. Severus resisted the urge to wipe them away.
He wanted to tell her the truth of what he was going to do; what he needed to do; but there was nothing.
Silence.
"I love you," she said, tentatively.
Severus glanced at her. "I know."
The unspoken words rang throughout the room: I love you, too.
The teenage girl heard them, he knew she did, even as she still sniffled.
She fiddled with the silver ring on her finger. The silence was suffocating.
"I'll wait for you," she said, finally.
Severus' head jerked up and he stared at her. Was it such a surprise, really? He knew she would.
"You won't want to."
Her eyes lingered on him a moment before she looked back at the ring. "I will. Always."
"Endlessly," she read off of the ring on her finger. "Forever."
Their eyes met. She offered a small smile.
"Endlessly," she said again, more certain this time.
Severus nodded and he turned to go. He couldn't bear to look at her anymore. It was too painful.
"Severus?" she called. Her voice was almost a whisper, but it carried around the room.
He hoped that voice wouldn't haunt him in the future. He turned and stared at her.
There was a question hanging in the air.
He touched the necklace that he wore around his neck. A silver ring hung from it.
That was all the answer she needed.
"Good bye, Professor."
He closed the door behind him.
Good bye, Ms. Granger.
Hermione, Severus thought, and sighed
A/N: Most of my fics are being inspired by my own drawings lately... It's strange... Halfway through this AFI just started randomly playing in my head, so I just went with it. It fits. Please tell me what you think :)