Author's Note: Had to write this... Snape's my favorite character and I just want him to have the happy ending he deserves.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

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The Playground

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"Look… at… me." Snape gasped and watched as Harry's emerald eyes met his.

The vibrant green was the last thing he saw before his world went dark.

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He was only slightly aware of the gentle breeze that was playing with his long dark hair. He could feel the soft ground beneath him. It was warm… not like the cold hard floor that he thought he had been lying on before. But the thing that struck him as most odd was that he was no longer in pain.

He slowly opened his eyes to reveal black pupils. All he could see was blue. He was confused for a second before he realized he was staring up at the cloudless sky. He sat up and noticed he was in a field. A soft breeze was blowing the grass around him. He was no longer in his Death Eater robes, but his usual ones he wore while teaching at Hogwarts.

'I'm… dead?' Snape wondered.

He stood up to look around. Off in the distance he could see a playground; he could just make out someone sitting on the swings. With one last look around him he started walking. A hand unconsciously came up to grope his neck… there was no wound. As he neared the playground he realized that it was the same one he used to play on when he was a child. And the person on the swings…

Snape stopped dead in his tracks. Lily Potter was slowly rocking herself back and forth idly in one of the rusted swings. She was looking down at the ground, one hand wrapped loosely around the chain. Her long dark red hair was being brushed gently to the left.

"L-Lily?" Snape asked softly.

Her eyes slowly rose till they met with his and she smiled. Oh how many times had he pictured that smile in his mind? How many times did he wish he could see her again? How long had he tortured himself for her death? He never realized till this moment how much he had missed her... how much he loved her.

"I was beginning to wonder when you were going to come." She said and stood up.

"H-How are you… I mean how am I… here?" Snape stammered unable to tear his gaze away from Lily.

"What do you mean Sev?" Lily asked. "You… you do know you're dead right?"

"Yes of course I do." Snape snapped before silently chastising himself.

"Then, what's to know?" Lily asked still smiling.

"I just… I didn't think I'd see you… when I…" Snape said and looked down at the ground.

"Why not?" Lily asked.

Snape looked back up at her in shock. He opened and closed his mouth a couple times before words came out.

"Why? Because of what I've done! I can't possibly deserve to be here… not after… it's my fault. It's all my fault. I don't belong here… I should be in hell… after what I did to you…" Snape said.

Lily laughed and Snape frowned. She reached up and placed her hand on his cheek.

"Sev… you're not still going on about that are you? I don't blame you… I know you would have never told him if you knew… everyone makes mistakes. Besides… you've been protecting Harry all this time. You've been doing more than anyone to bring Voldemort down... risking your life everyday. You deserve to be here Sev." Lily said before dropping her hand.

"You… you don't hate me?" Snape asked.

"I could never hate you." Lily said.

She took Snape's hand and led him over to the swings. They sat down and Lily entwined her fingers with his. Snape looked over at her and a small smile graced his face.

She didn't hate him… she didn't blame him.

For the first time in his life… Severus Snape was at peace.