Time After Time.

A Harry Potter based fanfic by MCGEEandME.

Disclaimer: I don't own Severus Snape, or Lily Potter or James or Harry. But I do own Rose Griphons, but of course you do not know her yet. And I own these events (well, most), and the actions these wonderful characters perform.

'The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.'

... "It means…you know…living beyond death. Living after death."

But they were not living thought Harry: They were gone.

-x-

"Look…at…me…." he whispered.

The green eyes found the black, but after a second, something in the depths of the dark pair seemed to vanish, leaving them fixed, blank, and empty.

-x-

Severus awoke, still grasping the picture of those emerald green eyes, still grasping the thought of Lily and all he had done for her, all he always wanted to do for her. Groggily, he opened his eyes, dreading what he was about to see. He faced what looked to be a child's playground, and his eyes wandered towards the swings. They creaked slightly in the wind, but no one sat a top the old swings. No girl of Severus's dreams waited for him. But yet, his mind swiftly brought him back…

"You're…you're a witch," whispered Snape.

She looked affronted.

"That's not a very nice thing to say to somebody!"

She turned, nose in the air, and marched off toward her sister.

Severus yanked his mind out of his memories, keeping his focus on the present. Or was it the present? Was there time where he stood? Carefully, slowly, he turned his head, not knowing what he had expected to see. But there, standing in front of him, was the grave of Lily and James Potter. As he began to creep towards it, it started to rain. Harder and harder the water pounded upon the ground, upon him, until he was drenched, kneeling in front of the tomb marking that day he had killed them, the day Voldemort had arrived at their house, ready to slaughter.

"The—the prophecy…the prediction…Trelawney…"

"Ah, yes," said Dumbledore. "How much did you relay on Lord Voldemort?"

"Everything—everything I heard!" said Snape. "That's why—it is for that

reason—he thinks it means Lily Evans!"

And the rain poured, pounded, thumped, as he stared at the tombstone. 'The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.' And on came the rain, as he wept there.

"Come on Sev, dance! Dance with me in the rain, Sev! Dance!"

And he couldn't help but to hurt inside, the pain and misery, pounding against his chest, his heart yearning to get out, to leave him to his selfless shame…

And footsteps were heard in the distance. Loud footsteps, thick footsteps, coming closer, making his throat jolt with agony.

And once again, Severus tuned, carefully and slowly, finding himself face to face with a tall man, holding up an umbrella to shield him from the pouring rain. And then, out of thin air, he pulled out a second umbrella and handed it to Severus, already drenched head to toe.

"He-hello…?" Severus stuttered, not quite sure what he was seeing.

"Severus Snape, I presume?"

"Y-yes."

"Thought I would be seeing you long again. Things would have been different if you had, eh?"

Severus looked at him strangely, trying to grasp onto what he was saying. "Where—where are we?

"Ah, heaven, well, not quite heaven yet, The Portal, you could say. Everyone that enters sees their happiest memories and their worst times here. Helps us distinguish who you are."

"B-but, who are you?" Severus questioned.

"Part of the 'Angels', not much of angel you'd probably think. I've been gaining a bit of weight lately. My wife's learned to cook!" The man chuckled. "But, come on, we've got a lot of talking to do, and choices to make. Follow me, Severus Snape."

And Severus stepped towards the man, gradually leaving Lily and James's bodies behind him.

"Follow me Sev, come on. I found this amazing place earlier today."

"Where are we going," he asked, with a widening smile upon his face.

"You'll see."

"Excuse me, but I'm not sure what we're doing. Where are we going, to heaven?"

"Just follow me, you'll see," said the man, and Severus' mind ached with the pain and ping of memories.

They walked onward, past other souls he did not recognize, some were happy and exhilarated, while others were weeping. The man stopped abruptly and Severus nearly walked into him, but the man did not seem to notice.

"Abusive father, separated from best friend through 'to be' Death Eaters, the man to marry Lily picked harshly upon you, unforgivable word slipped out, drawn towards You-Know-Who's requests, turned over the info that would attack the Potters, became Dumbledore's 'man', saved Lillian's son countless amount of times…" muttered the man to himself. Severus did not catch all of it, but he felt the sickening feeling of knives being thrown towards him at every event the man recalled. "Well, Sunny, it seems you have a choice to make."

"Excuse me?" Said Severus. He couldn't think of any decisions he would have to make up here, where he was dead.

"You had a hard life, Severus. You always wanted to do the right things, say the right things, but you were burdened with the thought of your past, and wanting to finally belong. And the father didn't help, nor did James much. And you certainly struggled to do the right thing."

"And you are telling me this, why?" asked Severus curtly, getting back into his edge.

"Uh, well, you're going to be a toughy, eh?" He chuckled. "So, the choice: Up here in heaven, we love to give second chances. If you had died long ago, when Lillian and James Potter died, as you had wished—"

"How do you kn—"

"Please, don't insult my intelligence. I'm an angel!"

"Right," responded Severus as though it answered everything. So he's been spying on my darkest moments, Severus thought.

"No, not spying, merely watching, guiding, if you will. So, yes, back on topic. You've changed in the last seventeen years. Grown. But still, have not truly loved—"

"You spy on me and tell me nothing I did was out of love!"

"Oh, no, I'm sorry, I meant you've never loved someone that truly loved you back. Friends, yes, very good friends indeed. But love? No."

Severus clenched his fist. How dare this man insult him? He had already admitted he saved the Potter boy countless amounts of times. He saved the boy of the man he hated with all his gut! All for one woman, the woman he always loved—

"I'm sorry. I've upset you. This is not how I planned this to go." He cackled. "I don't want you to view me as someone that does not understand you. No—listen! I have watched from up here for your whole life. You may have done horrible things, but you realized that what you had done was horrible, and learned from those moments. You died for a very good reason, but that doesn't make it fair."

Severus felt much more relaxed now.

"So, the choice. Severus, you deserve a second chance, just as Albus Dumbledore gave you that night you asked him for help. And I will give you a second chance as well, a second chance at life."

At that one word, Severus perked up, listening at what he had been saying. What was this man talking about? How could he get another chance at life?

"So, I see you're intrigued. I know you, maybe even better than you know yourself. You have loved and lossed. I think now it is time to love something you won't lose. I know that you have a heart, and once that heart is guided in the right direction, it sticks to it. You love Lily Potter, and she is thankful beyond words that you saved her son. But none the less, she loves James and does not regret it. If you stay, you can see her, as well as James. If you choose the other option, you can talk to her briefly, let her forgive you, and move on. If you choose that option, you will get another chance of life, picking up where you left off. But, with strong exceptions. You will have knowledge of your cruel past, of your childhood and life at Hogwarts. But you will no longer be a wizard. Yes, you can make potions, fly on broomsticks, know other witches and wizards. But you cannot use a wand, and you cannot come in contact with certain large member of your life. I think it wise to stay away from the Death Eaters, but you're smart enough to figure that out. And I also think it is wise to stay clear of Harry Potter for the time being, until you are ready to speak with him. And some that knew of you will question why you are still alive, but you shan't tell them. You may think this is odd, but no one knew why Harry Potter stayed alive on numerous occasions, but they learned to accept that. Now, what will it be?"

Severus' head swarmed like bees. He had loved Lily—correction, he still loved Lily. Was it possible that he could love someone as much as he had loved her—

"Son, anything is possible. You just have to wait for the right girl to come around. And watch your language this time."

But still, he could only see Lily once more. How could any woman be ass perfect as she was? It would need to be someone that deeply cared about creatures. Someone that appreciated that he sometimes wished to be alone, that he sometimes did not wish to see certain people for no reason. Someone that would accept his flaws, and all the mistakes he had made in life. Someone that would accept that he may always love Lily the same as he loved her, maybe, possibly (although it was hard to admit) that he might still love Lily more after spending years with his dream woman. And someone that would forgive him if he made a mistake with her, and someone that would never leave him for someone else.

"So, what will it be, Severus? You are full of passion. I know that Lily will have wanted you to be happy, and that she would feel deep regret if you never found love because you were still attached to her."

"I'll—I'll think about it."

"You can always take your talk with Lily now. This is a big opportunity, it's a second chance."

Severus and Lily sat in the woods down beside a creek. Lily was chatting and discussing how beautiful she thought the day was. She looked up at the clouds and smiled.

Oh how I love that smile, thought Severus. Severus then concentrated hard upon the ground, and a beautiful spring daisy sprang out of the soil, facing Lily.

"Oh, Sev, it's beautiful!"

"I know you are," he whispered to him self. God, he thought, I wish to marry her someday.

Severus sat on the ground well this angel, and angel he didn't even know the name of, discussed Severus with other people. The thought that they were talking about him upset himself. He shredded leaves on the dirty grass floor and thought of that day Lily and him sat in the woods, discussing everything. Of course, then Petunia had to come in and ruin everything….

"Hi, Sev."

Severus looked up immediately at the sound of that voice and the girl that had said his name that way. He beamed into her beautiful emerald green eyes, thinking about how he thought he'd never see them again.

"Hi."

"I'm sorry," they both said at the same time. Severus blushed as though he was still a little boy. "I should never have called you that fowl word. I—I was scared at why I needed help from someone else. And I pushed you away, and I know that, and well…Mulciber was an ass."

She laughed. Oh how he loved to hear her laugh. "Yes, thank you, and I know I should have forgiven you."

"No, you were right, I deserved it. I still do."

"How can you say that! You saved my son! You saved Harry, even though he was the son of the man you detested! Sev, come on, let those bad memories go. You have a second chance now, a chance to shine, don't give it up."

James came over to speak to his wife, and Severus couldn't help but to feel resentment. It was over seventeen years since he had seen him last, and he was still cutting in on their private conversations.

"Sev, I've go to go. But I know you'll find what you're looking for."

And with that, her and James turned around and walked off.

There she goes

There she goes again

Racing thru' my brain

And I just can't contain

This feelin' that remains

There she goes, there she goes again

She calls my name, pulls my train

No-one else could heal my pain

And I just can't contain

This feelin' that remains

There she goes

There she goes again

Chasing down my lane

And I just can't contain

This feelin' that remains

Song taken by The La's (There She Goes)

PLease R&R, i have things in mind for this story...