Severus knew that he was dead; there was just no denying it considering his surroundings. He just didn't know the afterlife would look like the park near his childhood home. But, he supposed, this was better than where he thought he would find himself for certain after his demise. It was a place so full of memories and a place he felt was perfect for asking for forgiveness from the one woman he had loved above all others. He figured she would show up eventually, and so he sat himself under a tree to await her arrival.
After what felt like hours and yet at the same time only a few minutes he noticed a figure approaching from the distance. As the person came closer he could see they were female, but he still couldn't make out any specific details yet. She was steadily making her way towards him and Severus could see her more clearly now. She had her hair down falling just in between her shoulder blades and there was a small breeze picking it up and making it flap about behind her. As she was only a few meters away he could see just how young she really was compared to him now. She was so much shorter than him now too: when during his younger days he had never been one to be considered tall. She came closer and he saw how beautiful she truly was, with her eyes sparkling in a way he hadn't seen the last time he saw her in life.
She was now just a few feet apart from him and she graced him with one of her smiles so full of love and compassion. She slowly raised a hand to gently cup the side of his face and his traitorous body leaned into the loving touch deriving comfort from this lovely being before him. He was openly crying now, not hysteric sobbing but tears just trailing down his face. Severus was so overwhelmed at this moment, he was elated and yet so sad and so very sorry for all he had done to this wonderful woman. She brought her other hand up to his face and started to tenderly wipe away his tears.
Severus couldn't help it and he let out a strangled sob at her kindness. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her forward in a fierce embrace, one that could convey all that which he couldn't say at the moment. She had started to rub soothing circles on his back and he broke down completely at that. He began sobbing and his body was shaking so much just trying to keep those keening wails back. Finally after what must have been a while he could manage to breathe again without hiccuping. He pulled back to see her face and when she flashed him another gentle smile he fell to his knees before her.
"I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry. I'm sorry for all of it. I never should have said that to you. It's my fault that you're dead and I don't know how you could ever forgive me. I'm so very sorry. Please forgive me…Mother."
Severus looked up at her face and all he could find was love but he didn't understand how she could still love him when he was the reason she was dead. If he had just stayed home that night instead of going to Lucius' house; if he had listened to her when she caught him at the park preparing to port-key away he could have prevented her early demise. Instead he had lashed out at her, called her weak and a poor excuse for a witch. He had told her she was a coward and a terrible mother. Then he had left; his last sight of her being her tear-stained face and her outstretched hand. He had returned to find her dead body the next morning.
Looking up into tear-filled, compassionate obsidian eyes he saw her total and utter forgiveness and the unconditional love she would always hold for him. She cupped his face in her hands and leaned down to place a gentle kiss on his forehead. She smiled at him, then pulled him towards her and laid her head upon his.
"Always my love; I will always forgive you."