"What is it you asked me here for, Headmaster? As you know I am quite busy." Severus drawled, leaning back lazily in his chair, his eyes flitting from one former Head's portrait to another. It was clear from their expressions whatever the Headmaster had to say, it would be fairly interesting.
"Now, my dear boy, I fear I have done you a great disservice by keeping what I am about to reveal to you secret for so long. I wish for you to understand, however, that I was doing what I believed was both best and necessary to give Harry the best chance to defeat Tom. It was for the greater good." Worry lines contorted the Headmaster's face into the wary, weary, and exhausted expression that it currently was, worry lines that the Potions Master had not seen since before the war ended almost three years ago. A chill threatened to creep over the man as he realized that the damnable twinkle was missing from the piercing blue eyes.
Lips twisted into his characteristic sneer, he snarled back at the old man, "The greater good? Of course, Headmaster. It is a shame that I never seem to be part of it." His anger masked the pain he felt at learning that there was yet another secret the old wizard was keeping from him despite all he had gone through to rectify his past mistakes. Would he never atone enough for his sins? Would his loyalties always be questioned?
Watching the Headmaster, his sneer deepened when he saw the man's hesitation to continue with what had no doubt been a well-rehearsed and thought out explanation. "Get on with it." He snapped, tired of wasting the precious little free time he had until the imbeciles and dunderheads were back from the summer holidays to blow up his classroom in the name of "learning". There were better things he could be doing, like brewing, instead of having to wait for Albus's dramatic revelation.
After what seemed like an eternity, Albus Dumbledore took a deep breath and uttered the words he knew would change the life of his employee forever.
"Almost 19 years ago, Lily Potter gave her life for her son, as you well know. What you do not know, what almost no one knew, was that moments before Lily attempted to sacrifice herself for her son, Lily's mother sacrificed herself for her daughter and grandson. Rose Evans was visiting her daughter, son-in-law, and grandson that night. When Voldemort forced his way into the bedroom, she stepped in front of her daughter and grandson and sacrificed herself. As you know, Harry attempted to sacrifice himself in the final battle and destroyed the last horcrux at the same time. Because of his attempt we were protected and because of his mother's attempt so was he…what you do not know is that because of her mother's sacrifice, Lily too was protected." Here, Dumbledore paused, as if to give his words a moment to sink in before he shattered, using only four words, the life Severus Snape had built for himself.
"Severus, Lily Potter lives."
"Impossible!" Snape snarled, immediately on his feet. He threw the chair he had just vacated into a set of glass shelves, hardly taking notice when the trinkets that had been resting on them clattered to the floor loudly, and paced the room before finally spinning on his heel to face the Headmaster. Rage, grief, and pain flickered across his face as he fought for control of his emotions before finally succeeding. A cold, blank stare too the place of the anguish that had previously been there. "Nineteen years later. Nineteen years too late. It does not matter anymore. I have obligations now." Slowly, his long fingers twisted the golden band wrapped around his ring finger.
"You stood by at my wedding, Albus! You stood by while I married her and knew that she was out there."
"Sev."
Dumbledore was all but forgotten at the sound of that voice. He had not heard that voice in so long and the last time he had it had been filled with hatred and resentment, with pain and bitterness. It had been filled with the emotions he let eat away at him for almost two decades. Very slowly, as if afraid any sudden movement would scare the owner of the voice away, Severus turned. His eyes drank in the sight of the redheaded woman leaning casually against the doorway leading to the spiral staircase. She was both his Lily and not. Age had added lines to her face but the eyes, the eyes he saw in Potter's face for years. It was truly his Lily, older, but still his Lily. Silently, black eyes locked with green as the owner of the latter made her way across the room to the owner of the former.
"I've missed you." She smiled up at him, her hand reaching to grasp his. His other hand rose of its own accord and cupped her cheek. Lily leaned toward him, for a moment he leaned toward her and then pulled back, turning his head from her.
"My wife." He said simply, refusing to meet the woman's eyes.
"Is here." Another figure emerged from the doorway, another figure he had been too occupied with Lily to notice, and his heart dropped as he realized that it was the figure of his wife. Hermione stepped closer to him, rage filling her expression as she glared at Lily and her best friend's mother stepped away as if burned. Hermione's gaze turned to Severus and it softened slightly but maintained a hard edge.
Dumbledore cleared his throat pointedly and Hermione looked to him and nodded. A sigh escaped her and her shoulders slumped as though the weight of the world had fallen upon them in the span of a few moments.
"You love her." Hermione whispered softly, peering into her husband's she was searching for her husband didn't know but it seemed she found it because she bit back a sob and took her his hand in her own. It took Severus a minute to realize what she was doing and he was shocked when he understood. After a moment she broadened the space between them taking a step back, a gold wedding band clutched in her fist.
He was going to respond but found he had nothing to say. His wife's words had not been a question. They were a statement. She already knew.
"Always." Lily said softly, smiling at Severus.
"What are you doing?" Severus choked out at last, ignoring Lily for the moment, surprised to see that Hermione's tears were already slowing.
"Freeing you from your obligation." Defeat and exhaustion laced both her voice and her features and Severus found it disturbing. Where was the fierce young woman who had stood at Harry Potter's side as he vanquished the Dark Lord once and for all?
Before he could open his mouth to speak he saw her wand hovering in front of him. He cringed internally, imagining the bat bogey hex that was sure to come his way considering his wife's temper.
Swallowing hard and choking back her tears, Hermione pointed her wand at her husband's face, drinking in his face one last time, her mouth slowly forming the words of her spell.
"Obliviate."
For a moment, betrayal flickered across Severus's face as he realized what she had done but it lasted only a moment until the spell began to take effect.
Hermione stepped away quickly and watched as Dumbledore motioned Lily forward. Her face would be the first that he would see, it would be as the scene had been before she entered. His life would be the same before she entered it again after the war as well. As far as Severus Snape would be aware, he had never formed a friendship with the altogether insufferable Hermione Granger, let alone been married to her.
In one wand movement, one word, Hermione Granger had, for all intents and purposes, dissolved her marriage of two years. She was worse than widowed.
Severus's hand moved toward Lily's face, oblivious to Hermione and Albus once more. Lily leaned forward and Hermione turned away, running from the Headmaster's office. She couldn't bear to watch as her husband kissed the other woman. This was the woman who had held his heart his whole life, even during their short marriage. This was the woman whose ghost had clung to her very soul from the very moment Severus Snape stole her heart for she knew his belonged to this ghost. Her tears began flowing for the second time that night, blinding her even as she ran. She didn't care where she went, as long as it was far from the newly minted and clearly happy couple.
She bumped into Minerva on the spiral staircase, the woman having been present for moral support for the younger witch. Minerva soothed her quietly and guided her down the staircase and through the halls toward her quarters. She had no intention of leaving Hermione on her own during such turmoil. Calmly, she settled the girl, for that was what the forlorn crying witch looked like to her, on the sofa and poured her a glass of tea, waiting for Hermione to calm enough to accept it.
"How long?" Minerva asked, her gaze intently peering into her former charge's face.
"How long what?"
"How long have you known you were pregnant?"
A/N: This has been bouncing around for a while! Let me know what you think!
