"I wish we had more time," Severus Snape whispered through the blood leaking out from the wound in his throat. He tried to raise a shaky hand to wipe her tears away, but was too weak to do so.
Hermione broke into tears, wrapping her small hand in his. His hand was so cold, his life was draining out of him.
"Severus, please... please hold on...help is coming..."
He gave her a small smile, a mere shadow of his previous powerful self. His eyes locked on to hers desperately, wanting her beautiful face to be the last memory etched in his mind. She watched as the spark of life left his eyes, saw him struggle to hold on for her sake, but failing.
"No..no, Severus..no, please... please Severus, don't die. You can't die. You can't die!"
She shook him, thumped him in the chest, the world a hazy blur through her lens of tears.
NOOO!
Hermione screamed, sitting up in her bed. Her heart beat erratically, her face wet with tears from the recurring nightmare. He was at her side instantly. She hugged him desperately.
"It's just a dream, love. Just a dream..." Snape's familiar sultry voice relieved and anchored her to reality.
She was sobbing in relief, it had seemed so real when he died. He engulfed her in his long arms, she came gratefully, breathing in his familiar musk, hearing the steady reassuring beat of his heart.
"Hush now, Hermione..." he whispered softly, crooning nonsense nothings, rocking her gently. Eventually she calmed down, feeling a little silly at her outburst. He tilted her face up with a finger, a small sneer twitching at the corner of his lips.
"Silly girl.." he muttered in an affectionate tone that she knew he only reserved for her alone. His lips met hers gently, laving her swollen lips, biting a little until she whimpered while he soothed the pain with his tongue. With a small sigh, he sat up against the headboard of their bed, pulling her with him, guiding her hand to his heart.
"I'm old, Hermione...I will die before you someday, especially with the number of enemies I have made..." When she interrupted him by shaking her head, he admonished her by flicking his index finger at her nose.
"Listen...you know that I love you and I would do everything within my power to be with you and take care of you but there will come a day when the choice is out of our hands. When I'm gone, I want you to live, Hermione. Live the life that you were meant to live. Be happy." He paused a moment, deep in thought.
"I'm here," he took her hand and guided it to her heart, "Even when I'm gone, I'm here, always with you."
And when your time comes, I promise you...I will meet you at the end of the light and we will be together again."
"Don't talk like that, Severus, please.." she said, pushing herself away from him.
"Please Hermione..." He rested his forehead against hers. It felt so cold in contrast to her feverish forehead. "Please try to remember this..." And for once, Severus Snape's smooth voice broke with emotion, "Please try to remember that I have always loved you and I will always be in your heart, my love. I wish we had more time..."
She was crying again, shaking her head in denial. "No, Severus. Why are you saying all this? You're alive and well now. That's all that matters."
He shook his head sadly, and she saw tears welling up in his eyes, mirroring her own. She closed her eyes as he kissed her forehead.
"You've got to wake up, love."
xxxx When she opened her eyes, he was gone. He was never there. He had died in her arms, at the boathouse.
She was lying on her side, in bed, her pillow damp with tears shed through the night. Every night. Her eyes had been swollen and bloodshot since the night he had died as she grieved for the Half Blood Prince who had died so that they could have a world free of Voldemort. As the wizarding world had celebrated, she had withdrawn into her own world, going through the motions. She felt disconnected, all she could think about was him. It came to a point last night when she had downed a bottle of sleeping pills just so that she would never wake up again. And then she had dreamed of him. Alive and well.
Hermione slowly got up, groggy from the long sleep. It felt like she had been asleep since after the war. Sunlight streamed from a partially open curtain and she threw it back, wincing at the intrusion of light.
"Even when I'm gone, I'm here, always with you.
And when your time comes, I promise you...I will wait for you and we will be together again."
A lone tear streaked down her face as she recalled his promise. And for just a moment, she could have sworned she felt his presence behind her, enveloping her in warmth and love. She felt her heart clench painfully.
"Live the life that you were meant to live. Be happy."
"I love you, Severus Snape. I hold you to your promise," she whispered to the empty room.
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