Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters contained within this story.
Undivide
"Can't be honest even now?"
He turned slowly towards the voice.
"You..." His voice failed him not for the first time.
"Not me. It is you. You must learn to forgive. "
He looked down.
"Why did you not show yourself?"
The man swallowed gravely.
"It was not necessary."
The woman smiled.
"So shy. Even after all this time."
"Snape, you old man!" another voice joined. A man's voice. "How've you been?"
"I am dead, Potter, what do you think?"
"Chirpy as always, eh ?"
The man didn't dignify him with answer; instead he turned his eyes once more to the woman by Potter's side. She smiled and reached out to him.
Snape stared at the graceful hand, the slim fingers, the soft, white skin. He did not dare take it; so she grasped his hand.
"Why so shy, old friend?"
He closed his eyes suddenly feeling the weight of all his years, all his mistakes, all his regrets.
This hand, her hand. It was redemption and light. It was forgiveness and rest. It was peace.
"Lily..." He dared to breathe her name at last. Her smile grew.
"Severus." She closed the distance between them. Her hand reached up to brush the hair from his eyes.
"Thank you for everything. For keeping Harry safe. For believing in him."
James' large hand closed in on his shoulder: "You're not that bad, you know."
He had never liked James Potter, but suddenly, none of that mattered anymore. He was free.
"Go on." he heard Potter's voice, but it felt far. He turned only to find James was no longer behind him.
He was waving from an ever-increasing distance.
This couldn't be. It couldn't. He was disappearing. Then Lily...
"We are going our own ways, Severus."
"No..." He choked out. "Lily..."
Fervently he implored in his mind all the mighty beings of the universe to stop her.
Lily squeezed his hand tighter.
"James and I walked the same path in life."
"Please. Lily...I can't...do not leave me again." The words scratched at his throat.
This was much worse than dying, worse than all the years without her.
Her hand cupped his face; her eyes bore into his.
"My path with James ended with the prophecy. Harry is now safe. James and I no longer share the same destiny."
Her hand caressed his face gently before reaching down and twining with his.
"Lily." Her eyes twinkled with all the vivaciousness and laughter he remembered them.
"Come Severus." She turned and began pulling him away. The light around them became brighter.
For the first time in decades Severus Snape looked into the eyes of Lily Potter, no, Evans without any regrets, shame, or grief holding him back.
"Lily..." He murmured again and she understood.
"Always."