Beautiful Dawn

Authors notes

I haven't sat down and actually written a story in a while, so forgive me if it's not up to scratch.

I love Severus, and so because of that I decided after all he'd done he deserved a little bit of heaven. It also helped quell my sadness of his death a little, I hope it does for you.

Disclaimer

I don't own any of the Harry Potter series, all the glory belongs to and I am making no profit from this fan fiction, it's for entertainment purposes only.

'Look at me' I said, and he did his emerald orbs, Lily's emeralds orbs, looking at me with understanding and gratitude, not pity and somewhere in my mind I was grateful for that.

I stared into his eyes as I felt my heart give out a final few shuddering pumps. He'd succeed. He'd do Lily proud. I'd done Lily proud. Lily would be proud.

Then a seeping blackness took me, and I closed my eyes.

I woke. Which was a strange thing in itself considering the last thing I remembered was dying. I squinted, the light was so bright compared to the darkness I'd just been floating in, soon my eyes adjusted showing me a beautiful dawn. A stretch of green dew covered field rose and fell to meet a glowing golden sun emitting shimmering rays sparkling against the pink hues meeting the day's blue sky. My mind should have been planning and panicking, it wasn't. It was peaceful and calm. I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding.

I rolled to my back, the sky was clear, a perfect blue with wisps of carefree clouds draped across the sky. Perfect sunset, perfect sky, perfect scenery- this was heaven then. Heaven meant I was dead, I remembered, and I ran my hand along the part of neck Nagini had bitten, it was clear and smooth. A thought occurred to me so I lifted my left arm, pulled back the sleeve and gasped, the space were the dark mark once marred was for the first time in many years perfectly pale with a trickle of blue veins showing from beneath the skin; with my other hand I ran my fingers over the new skin and sighed in relief.

I noticed then what I was wearing then, simple dark muggle jeans like the one's Lily had made me wear once, black dress shoes and a simple white cotton mandarin collared shirt. The whole ensemble was comfortable and airy enough so that the new rising sun's heat didn't cause me to overheat but still enough to stop the light breeze from causing goose bumps.

I turned away from the sunset to examine the rest of this world. My breath hitched, my heart stopped and she smiled. There lying next to me was Lily.

Her red hair glowing with the morning sun, a few tendrils blowing gently across her face and in the air behind her, her massive emerald eyes glittering looking at me. I reached out; despite my logical conscience telling me it would only shatter this beautiful illusion. My hand made contact with her perfectly smooth and warm cheek; she smiled wider showing her pearly white teeth.

A tear fell from my eye, her delicate thumb caught it, balancing it she blew it and it became spherical and floated away like a bubble, she watched it with an absent minded smile. I watched Lily. I opened my mouth to speak, her eyes came back to me and she placed a pale finger over my lips. I couldn't take my eyes of her, every freckle, every eye lash and each fleck in the plethora of green threads that made up her striking eyes.

She laughed tenderly, I shivered, the sound bringing my heart to life. Her laugh was like a peal of bells that never failed to smile, and I did. I smiled and it felt natural.

I pulled her to me, revelling in the feel of her alive and warm in my arms, the soft ebbing of her breath against my neck, her hand pressed against my heart. We sat like that as the sun rose slower than it ever had done back on earth; I pulled back after immeasurable moment, and held her perfect face in my hands.

Her eyes sparkled at me, so I did what I'd wanted to since I first met her.

I kissed her.

Her lips were soft and it was everything I ever expected and far more. I ran my hand through her silky hair, the kiss wasn't soft or fierce it was perfect like we'd kissed a thousand times because our mouths seemed strangely familiar to each other. I pulled her up and on top of myself and I held her to me again. Trying to remember every movement, every contour of her body against mine.

The momentum of the pull caused us to roll down the grassy hill I hadn't really noticed before, our mouths never leaving each others lips, I wrapped her in my arms like a protective cage though the grass seemed to bounce us gently, her laugh and happy eyes set my heart on fire and I laughed too as we rolled to a stop.

Her light frame resting on top of me, she leant on her arms and her hair tickled my face, and I blew it gently aside.

'Lily' I said, shaking my head, trying to make myself truly believe she was here, and she wasn't going to disappear the moment I did.

'Severus' she replied and kissed my forehead.

'Where are we?' I asked, I already knew but the sound of her voice never failed to thrill me. I didn't look away from her. She was really here. My Lily was really here.

'Heaven I think Sev' she said lightly and my heart took a joyful twist at hearing her voice say my old nick name. She rolled off me then and sat up, head tilted back to the sky and I noticed what she was wearing. She was in pale blue jeans almost the same colour as the sky, a thin cotton white blouse with delicate lace patterns over it, her shoes where simple white pumps.

Then a perfectly white butterfly fluttered by me, landed on my chest then fluttered onto Lily's already outstretched and waiting hand, it was then I noticed her watch. Another genuine smile grew on my face, the watch had a simple white leather strap with green trims, the face itself silver with delicate green hands that were barely moving. It was the watch I had given her one Christmas, I'd bought it in a muggle shop she'd taken me to once, I had found it boring until I saw the wonder upon her face as she looked upon the selection of straps and faces that you could mix and choose. I didn't want to tell her what she already knew-that she could transfigure any old watch, because she looked so transfixed. She didn't buy one, she said they were too expensive but still liked to look.

So I'd swallowed my own fear and entered the shop, despite myself I did become quite engrossed and eventually with the help of a happy and plump woman, pick out and design that watch. Lily had almost cried when I'd given it to her, she'd kissed my cheek that day.

She saw me admiring it and smiled.

'I still love it' she whispered, and gave her finger a slight wiggle and the butterfly flew off. I propped myself up on my arm and wrapped the other round her tiny waist; she rested her head on my shoulder.

We sat like that, simply enjoying each other's presence and enjoying the still rising sun's heat against out skin.

'Shall we walk?' She asked, turning her face to me, I kissed her and nodded, standing taking her hand and pulling her with me. We began walking, and without knowing when it appeared we were on a perfectly smooth cobble path, lined with blue, red and white verendas; the path seemed infinite.

Our hands where entwined, fitting together perfectly. My mind still couldn't get over the fact she was here, here with me. Just me. A dark thought crossed my mind.

The sky seemed to clouded over, the grass' dew frosted, a cold wind whipped around, the flowers closed and shrank away, all the colours faded and dulled as the thought became more and more prominent in my mind even though I tried to quash and ignore it, I felt my brow furrow. I strengthened my grip on Lily's hand.

'What's wrong Sev?' she asked, her own brow creasing, how I detested her looking anything but happy or intrigued. I looked at the now un-even and traitorous cobble path.

'James' I choked out, my stomach twisting into knots, my heart twanged with a familiar but far worse ache. I'd forgotten reality. Of course this was only temporary, just like everything else perfect in my life. I felt cold, like dementors where wrapping their dark limbs around me; I couldn't lose her again.

Maybe this was Hell I thought. It felt like it.

She shook her head, pulled me to a stop so I was facing her and she pulled my chin so I had to look at her. Then she balanced on her tip toes and whispered in my ear.

'No Severus. This is your heaven. I always loved you on some level, even after everything, and because you always loved me, I can be here. Just yours. Forever. Or as long as you want me here' she said, the words tickling and warm. 'You were brave and strong Severus, in ways no other person could have been. No matter how much you argue, you are a true Gryffindor and you deserve this heaven.

With amazing speed the sun burst through the clouds which faded to whips almost instantly, the flowers burst into bloom, the cobble path became perfect again; the colours returned tenfold and a phenomenal amount of multi-coloured butterflies swirled through the air and birds chorused a perfect melody.

I grabbed her face in my hands, looking into her eyes to tell she was telling the truth for one moment before kissing her. I span her round, her arms wrapped around my neck. I could trust her. My Lily.

We broke apart, I felt almost glowing with happiness.

'Always.' I said. I would always want her here.

And so I kissed her again because every tomorrow would start with her.

I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Please review, good or bad, it makes my day :)

Read long and prosper,

RandomReggie

:)