Severus Snape crouched behind a messy bush at the bottom of the Potter garden in Godric's Hollow. His heart pounded like a drum in his ears, and his breath was short and shallow, steaming up on the cold air. His hands and face were even whiter than usual; almost blue.

Severus' large, black eyes darted over the square, checking for movement. He was waiting for the tell-tale swish of the robe, the footsteps, the hiss and rattle of his breath, but as of yet all that he heard was impenetrable silence. From within the Potter house however, came laughter.

Her voice was like the pealing of bells, wringing his heart through and through. He wanted to rush in and warn them, but he couldn't. He would be killed. He would be breaking his promise to Dumbledore. And she had him, he told himself. She already loved another.

Finally, he came. Severus watched as, in a cloud of black that did not quite touch the frosted cobbles, Tom Riddle appeared. Was there suddenly wind, or was it simply the icy aura around him that blew through Severus' hair and robes, turning his skin to goose flesh? The cloaked figure swept with arrogant assurance to the Potter resident, and with an almost invisible flick of his wrist the gate swung upon. It creaked a little, and Severus held his breath, willing James or Lily to hear, to realise, to run. He didn't care for James to say the least, but he knew Lily wouldn't run without him.

Severus did not fear for himself. He did not expect Riddle to notice him, Disillusioned and silent as he was. These measures were probably unnecessary anyway; Riddle's purpose and concentration made him as good as blind and deaf to everything other than his intended goal.

With three long strides Riddle was at the door. The keyhole flashed white, and the door unlocked. Laughter came to an abrupt halt. He heard voices, feet on the stairs and a scream that could only be Lily's. Then a flash of emerald light that reminded him oddly of her eyes, and a low, cold laugh.

Lily's screams turned Severus' blood cold. A door slammed, and he couldn't help himself: he stood up and raced into the house, and saw Potter's body ungracefully strewn across the staircase.

There were shrieks from upstairs.

"Not Harry! Please, have mercy! Have mercy! Take me instead... take me!"

"Stand aside, foolish girl," said a low voice. It was almost a cackle, scorning her. Anger swelled within Severus, but he forced himself to hide yet again.

"Take me instead! Take – " A scream, a bang and another flash of green light. Severus couldn't help it; he jumped out of his skin and felt his knees weaken. A low laugh resounded upstairs, and a mutter of, "What a waste." His skin crawled at the thought of Riddle looking at Lily, thinking she was pretty, perhaps desiring her. Then, finally, a high cackle and, "Avada Kedavra!"

A flash of green light told Severus the child was dead too. But then there was a deafening explosion and a white flash which blinded him momentarily. Severus pulled himself into a cupboard, shielding his eyes. Then there a moment of icy coldness, as if a breath of wind swept into the house, travelling low to the ground, blew through Severus.

There passed minutes of agonising silence before Severus dared to emerge, looking around frantically, chest heaving as he panted and gasped. From upstairs, a noise floated down. It was a baby, crying softly. The Potter child? It couldn't be, surely. Could Lily have killed Riddle? No. It was impossible; he had heard her pleas, her screaming, and the malicious cackles that were unmistakably Riddle's.

Finally, curiosity unbearable, Severus raced upstairs as quietly as he possibly could, although the noise of his footsteps seemed insignificant in comparison to the pounding of his heart in his ears. The door of a bedroom at the end of the corridor swung back and forth, blown by the wind from the open window. Over in the cot, a boy sat crying and looking down at something on the floor.

Severus had to consciously force his gaze downwards, dreading what he would see. He collapsed instantly, his knees buckling beneath him, and wrapping his arms around her, pulled her to him. Sobs wracked his body, tears dripping from the end of his crooked nose and falling onto her skin, which was already stained with the pallor of death.

Severus ran his fingers through her hair, pulling her head against his chest, savouring her smell.

"Lily," he murmured, voice broken with sobs. "I'm s-sorry, Lily. I d-did not do enough. I was not enough for y-you. I am sorry, m-my Lily. My Lily."

He looked into her glassy green eyes through his black ones; vision blurred with tears, and knew this would be the last time. At best, he had a few minutes before someone from the Order of the Phoenix turned up to take the bodies and the somehow still-living child.

Gently, as delicately as his shaking hands could muster, he slid his hands over her face and her eyes glided shut. He lay her down on the ground, and bent over her, a curtain of his dark hair brushing her skin and hiding their faces. Severus lowered his lips, blue with cold and wet with salty tears, to her immobile ones, and pressed shakily. The only kiss he would ever take from Lily Evans.

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