Disclaimer: As you know, I don't own any of this. J.K Rowling does. Unless of course. I am J.K Rowling? How will you ever know?

Summary: A short one-timer about two young wizards, who aren't so young anymore. Their romance is only being discovered now that it is long over and has no chance whatsoever at being rekindled again. Slash.

Old Love

"Potter!" grumbled Severus Snape as he caught up to Harry Potter in the hallway of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, "Remember, Occulmency tonight at 7:00 p.m sharp. Do not be late." And with that, he continued down the hall, robes billowing out as usual, never even making eye contact with the-boy-who-lived. Harry sighed and continued on his way to dinner.

The last thing he wanted to do was watch Sirius die over and over again for a few hours. Dumbledore had decided that Occulmency was more important than ever now that the war had truly begun, so his encounters with Snape had been growing longer and more frequent. Yet, there was no improvement. He was too depressed to concentrate on blocking Snape out, and after seeing Sirius even once at a session he would fall apart completely. Snape had even stopped using a pensive. Harry's hopes were not high for tonight's meeting.

He entered the Great Hall and sat the Gryffindor table, sipping his pumpkin juice and half-listening to Ron, Hermione and Ginny's conversation on OWLs. Hermione kept offering him food, but he wasn't hungry. He was never hungry. At least. not anymore.

He excused himself and got up from the table to leave for the dungeons. He took his time as he walked through the hallways. Every painting, every statue, every person he saw reminded him of Sirius. his godfather. Sirius had been the closest thing to family he'd had left. And he had lost him. And it was his own fault. He had been stupid enough to be lured to the Ministry by Lord Voldemort.

He knocked on the dungeon door, and entered the large, airy classroom.

"Are you ready to begin?" asked Snape as soon as the door had shut. Harry nodded affirmatively. He was as ready as he'd ever be.
"Legilimens!" shouted Snape. Harry couldn't stand to see Sirius tonight. He just couldn't see him again. Watching him die over and over again was the worst punishment he could ever be given.
"Protego!" Harry heard himself shout. And it actually worked.

Harry saw things he recognized. A greasy-haired teenager being laughed at in class and a little girl laughing at a scrawny boy trying to mount a bucking broomstick. But then he saw something new -- something unexpected. A familiar face, nearing Snape's, leaning in for a sweet kiss, then the same familiar face screaming at Snape that it was over. A young Professor Snape crying, alone in his bedroom over his lost love. Then a present day Snape crying over the same person. But then it ended.

"STOP IT!" screamed Snape. He had fallen to the ground, and tears were welling in his eyes. He looked up at Harry, obviously at a loss for words.
"You? And --" Harry stammered, "No. No! I don't believe it. I won't believe it!"
"Harry. I can explain. I love him. We were together. But a very long time ago." Snape said shakily, "He hadn't cared for me that way in a very, very long time. I swear!"
"He never even told me?" Harry asked, more to himself than to Snape.
"There was no point." Snape said softly, "It was before you were born."
"IT DOESN'T MATTER!" screamed Harry, "HE HID IT FROM ME!"
"You wouldn't of understood!"
"I hate him." Harry said softly.
"He loved you." Snape said, "He wanted what was best for you." Harry collapsed onto the ground next to Severus, burying his dry sobs into his own arms.

"I need him so much. I love him so much"
"I do too." Snape replied, "And wherever he is. Sirius knows it."

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