Speechless

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

Author's note: This one-shot is in alliance with another one called Real. Feel free to go to my site to read it as well.

There have been only four times in Severus Snape's life in which he has been rendered purely speechless.

Granted, he was originally not a man of many words, but he made an opinion for every person he met, for every situation he was in. He always had a retort ready on his tongue, waiting for the precise moment to unleash his verbal lashing of a student or anyone in particular.

But there have only been four moments in his life that his mind has completely stopped in thought due to pure and utter shock. The moments in which his continuously active brain jolted to stop left him unable to move, to talk, or even comprehend his surroundings lasted a few seconds, maybe even a minute. But then he was back to his normal self, though a little jittery as his brain caught up with himself.

The first was when he learned of the death of Lily Potter and the seaming defeat of Voldemort. This first lapse of speechlessness was by far the longest and most nerve-wracking for Severus. He had fallen to his knees and wept, not for the searing pain his arm due to the mark, but to the consuming guilt and grief that left him shaking. It took him a full three minutes and twenty four seconds before he could compose himself enough to return to Hogwarts and plead with Dumbledore.

The second was at the final battle in which Nagini bit him. Maybe it was the venom or the sureness of his death, Severus Snape had fallen to ground and for a full forty seconds in which he was sure that he died instantly he had not a single thought, only a self-pitying despair as a single lovely face crowned in red hair floated in front of him. Then the screams of the battle returned and the face vanished. It was all hazy from there but Severus remembered the last flash of green light and the silence that ensued.

It had been the first time that he had seen her as a budding beauty of eighteen. She had fallen to her knees next to him and pulled his body to hers, looking down into his glazed over eyes with so much despair and grief that it nearly touched his ice cold heart. She was smeared with the dirt and grime of war, and was bleeding from a nasty cut on her cheek. Her dull brown curls were a mess that haloed her.

To Severus it was a fitting and ironic last image.

But then he heard Harry's muffled voice and Severus mumbled his last words to him, straining to replace her with the green eyes of his beloved Lily before a blinding white light enclosed him in an eternally blissful sleep.

The third time was when Severus was left speechless was when he woke up from supposed death. An Auror was there stand guard which Severus thought later on upon reflection for he had been so weak that he could barely lift his eyelids. But alas, he did (a shock to everyone as well as his own) and Severus lay there for a full minute with a blank mind before the searing pain caused him to whimper. Yes, the snarky and evil Severus Snape whimpered. If there had been anyone other than the dozing Auror there, Severus would have been horrendously shamed and teased.

But fortunately there was no one there, and there wouldn't be for a day before news of his stirring caused a swarm of visitors, the most constant being Harry Potter and her. Because of this new found loyalty, he was able to escape being sentenced to a Kiss or a life sentence in Azkaban.

So when she turned up in his apothecary, essentially demanding to be made his apprentice, Severus reluctantly obliged. And from then on it was fate.

The fourth moment lasted a whole five seconds that Severus hardly considered it "speechlessness". He had been expecting her to leave him, to ask for a divorce. After all, it had been nearly two and half years of a marriage to a man most considered to be insufferable. But the words that had left her mouth had hit him hard and the shock that came with it was soon smothered by a wave of relief.

Now, nearly six months later, Severus Snape was yet again rendered speechless, but this time, it held far more impact than any other moment. And he knew without a doubt that this was it; he knew that this was the pinnacle of his life. This was the real reason why he existed. He watched speechless as she reached her arms towards him with little bundle in her hands. His hands shook as he hesitantly took her offering. He looked down, and felt his heart soar.

Shameless tears fell from his eyes as he smiled down his tiny red-faced son. The little baby yawned within his cocoon of blanket and opened his bright newborn blue eyes. A soft laugh escaped Severus's mouth as their eyes locked.

"Severus," His name unwillingly tore his gaze from his son to his wife, who was also crying and smiling at the same time. Brown shimmering eyes full of love met his on softened black eyes.

And the moment was broken, and he was able to speak. "Thank you."

It was al he could say then, but it was enough.

Jeez, I'm such a sap with this fluff. Read and review.