Fallin'
Prologue: The war is won. The dark lord has failed. The Golden Trio triumphant. This is an Alternate Universe.
In the Chamber of Secrets, it happened. Ronald Weasley kissed Hermione Granger. She was all a flutter. It finally happened. A Horcrux gone and a longtime dream fulfilled. But is was all for naught, for Ron was still in a relationship with Lavender.
"This didn't mean what you think." he said coolly as they exited to find Harry.
"What?" she hissed.
"I love Lav, you know that. You- you took advantage of the situation."
"Excuse me, but if I recall you eagerly latched on too. This was not just in my head, Ronald. You felt it too."
"You're mental. Listen, we were scared, you had just destroyed a Horcrux. I bloody know how that shoots to your adrenaline. It was nothing and if you are stuck on it being something, you're wrong. I love Lavender."
Hermione would saved her sobs for when it was all over and done.
Harry had saved Severus Snape from Lord Voldemort. The Dark Lord gone. The Elder wand destroyed.
Hermione walked through the Hall and found everyone consoling, celebrating, crying, and laughing. The Weasleys gathered around, still mourning the death of Fred. Molly Weasley saw the bright witch and held her arms open and enfolded the girl into her. Hermione couldn't help but to let her sobs come.
"You brave, brave girl. I am so very proud of you." she held her tighter, then loosened and faced her family, "All of you. I am so very proud to have fought this fight with you all." Molly tried to stay strong for her family, but the loss of her child weighed heavily on her heart. Arthur came to gather his love.
Hermione looked around to the group again. Harry and Ginny stood in each others arms. Both afraid if they let go, they would be separated indefinitely, again. She longed for love that she saw in that moment. She could not help but to glance towards Ron. He sat facing her, Lavender draped in his lap with her head resting on his shoulder. Lavender was crying. Ron had a stoic face as he looked at Hermione. This look was cold and unlike him. He simply shook his head as a message to never speak of what happened down in the Chambers.
Hermione turned on her heel and exited the great hall. Feeling more alone than she ever had before.
Severus Snape stood in the Headmasters office. Everything cold and darkened. He stood in disbelief. Lily's son saved him. After all of the doubt and animosity, they had for one another, Potter proved himself different than his father and saw the unusual kindness that stemmed from, his beloved, Lily. Severus felt queasy and uneasy. He went to the Mirror of Erised, where he spent many lonely nights infront of to view his Lily. Over the years catching glimpses of the two of them together kept him going. Severus knew that this was a folly. Still here he stood in front of the Mirror, however he was not greeted with Lily dressed in a wedding gown, nor her eyes and smile. A grim scene was painted before him. It was him lying in a coffin. He was dead. Severus stumbled backwards and fell to the floor. He felt shaken to the core and sad because he knew the mirror painted the painful truth, he no longer wanted to live. "Severus." the cool, familiar voice called. Severus looked up to Dumbledore's portrait. "My dear friend, you succeeded." the portrait portrayed Dumbledore's faint smile, just as the memories of the night on the Astronomy tower overtook Severus' mind.
