Gone. She was gone. He could hear the echo of her footsteps fading away in the corridor. The pain cut through him as if a swords' blade had gashed across his chest from one shoulder to the waist. It was worst now. She cared for him. He tried to fight the overwhelming ache with other thoughts. He was a death eater now, a part of something big and meaningful. He would become powerful, a great, a feared and respected wizard…but even if he didn't want to fully admit it he knew deep inside that was cold comfort…

Lily…

She was running along the corridor. She knew that if she ever stopped….

Tears spilled over, she could not fight them back. She hurt too much. Severus. She wanted him. Not anyone, not James, just him. Severus. It stroked her how sure she was.

She stopped, panting slightly and wiped her face.

What if he loved her, if he truly loved her? Might he chose her over the dark path, abjure being a death eater, and turn his back on lord Voldemort?

It was now…or never…soon James would want them to marry…

But she had already tried to warn him about his creepy friends all these years. How many times had she complained about them and their beliefs? Had all of this not been enough to open his eyes to what they think of muggleborn, of people like her, of what they wanted to do to them? Why- why would he listen to her this time? What if he truly shared and believed this nonsense about blood purity? Her heart pounded heavily in her chest. She had to be sure, she had to try again, at least just this one last time or she would regret it forever. She had to tell him her true feelings. Now, tonight.

She turned back.

She caught the glimpse of Severus's black hair flying around the other end of the corridor. She hurried after him still careful to pad as noiselessly as possible. He could run away. She feared she would lose his track and the time she needed to reach the end of the corridor seemed an eternity. But he didn't go far. She saw him shelter in a dark nook, drop himself on the floor, and crumple in a tight small form. Knees tucked under his chin, and head buried in his folded arms.

Soon his shoulders began to shake. He was crying. It broke her heart and gave her hope at the same time. He cared for her.

She looked at him for a moment and breathed deeply. There was still a chance. She was both so nervous and so determined to make the best of it.

She sat on the cold stone floor very close besides him, almost pressed against him. She felt him tense at once and fought hard to stop sobbing. He rubbed his face with his sleeve.

Lily laid softly a hand on his arm.

"Severus" she whispered.

He tilted his head slightly up, just enough for him to meet her eyes.

"Lily, what's the hell… why are you here?" he spat angrily. But actually he was upset and bothered for her catching him unaware in the act of crying not for her being there.

"Did you come to torment me again?" the words blurted out of his mouth before he could even think of them. But Lily seemed neither nonplussed nor irritated. She just stared at him through the darkness of this little recess. Her hand still rested on his forearm.

"Go" He swapped her hand away and gave her the most scaring look he could manage.

"Go away" he billowed under his breath "and never come back or…"

"Or what? "She replied calmly. His eyes flittered away and then he turned his head slightly to stare at the wall in front of him, scowling and frowning.

She just sat there and kept quiet besides him. After a moment he heard the rustling of fabric and he supposed he had managed to deter her and that she was going at last. However after a while he could still feel her against him so he cast a quick glance. She had only wrapped her arms around her knees. He stared back at the wall but he was not so much infuriated now, sadness overran him again. He sniffled.

"Severus?"

He kept silent.

"I would like to ask you simply one question, and I would like you to answer it truthfully. Do you agree?"

There again he could feel anger rise up.

"And tell me why would I do you the favor?"

But she ignored his reply and waited very quiet besides him. He was beginning to feel curious.

"Yes" he finally answered. He felt her tense a little the moment he had spoken. She took a deep breath.

"Severus?" something in her voice made him turn his head and search her eyes. She had such a look, both fierce and soft. They looked at each other for a moment, then she spoke quietly:

"Severus, do you love me?"

The shock made him dizzy and a million things crossed his mind at the same time, he blushed furiously but he held her gaze. He swallowed hard.

"Yes" he whispered and his eyes flittered away. There let her know that then…so she could delight in his despair and failure. But Lily's hand reached up, touched the side of his forehead and gently grazed down his cheek, brushing a strand of his hair out off his face. That was so much of what he had longed for and getting a bit of it now…now that it was too late…

A surge of pain and sorrow overwhelmed him. He had expected her to mock him, to despise him to look disgusted or at least to tease him…but she seemed to truly care for his feelings. That was the last straw. Tears spilled silently over his cheeks and he didn't even bother to hide them this time.

"Lily please go now" he barely managed to utter out off his tight throat.

But her hand still brushed his hair and his cheek, slowly and gently, until his eyes finally met hers again. Her beautiful emerald eyes reflected his pain as she spoke very softly.

"I love you too Severus"

He blinked once or two and stared at her rather blankly but his mind was blank anyway. He could not tear his eyes from hers as if they were magnetically attracted.

"I love you too…but" She paused, her hand dropped down in her lap and she looked away for a moment, taking a deep breath before staring back at him. "But as I said earlier I can't follow you on the path you choose"

"What-what do you mean?" he choked.

"You have to choose between being a supporter of Voldemort and me"

"But there is no choice anymore" he claimed in a desperate and broken tone. His insides twisted, torn up with a surge of pain."I am a deatheater Lily".

But it seemed she had already thought he might answer something like this because she stayed calm and replied quietly, though a little pained:

"there is always the possibility of making a choice, Severus, Always. Even when everything seems already set, we can always make our own choices, always. I do believe it. It's never too late... You still can choose Severus"

He looked in the depths of these brilliant emerald eyes. They were so filled with hope.

"Maybe but even if I wanted to, they won't let me quit. You must know that…" his voice trailed off.

"That what?"

"That leaving means death" he said softly.

Fear shaded her eyes but only for a moment. "I know people who could help you…"

"Is that all then? I-I just 'I don't know how' quit and you'll be…you'll be with me?" his voice sounded angry and hurt again, and disbelieving too.

She swallowed hard and he could tell she was dying waiting for his choice and she was slowly losing her calm and confidence.

"Yes Severus"

"But-but Lily why didn't you tell me before?!" he had spoken rather really harshly this time and he saw Lilys' eyes glow with forming tears.

"I tried! I thought I tried Severus! All these years I warned you…" she was crying outright now and his anger subsided quickly.

"Lily…sh…sh…I-I would give up my life for you" he murmured

"Does… it mean… you… choose me?" for the first time he could hear something akin to need, expectation and fear in her voice.

He reached out and stroked her cheek gently, wiping a tear with his thumb.

"There's never been a choice Lily…because it has always been you…always"

He leant toward her a little and stopped halfway, for a brief moment, time seemed to be suspended. He just stroked her cheek slowly and gently. She was staring at him in such a way…she just looked as she was holding her breath and waiting. His hand remained still on her cheek and he leant slowly lower until his lips brushed hers. He felt her yield under his touch and tilt her chin up toward him.

And then he was kissing her very shyly and gently almost gingerly but with so much fervor, reeling every fiber of her being. Tears of relief dripped along her cheeks. She knew she had been right. Oh god how could have she been about to let him go…

When he leant back she reached out and wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him closer and kissing him back. He threw his arms wildly around her then, holding her tight and breathing heavily as he was about to cry again. She let herself drown in his embrace. It was so good and so right. That was where she belonged.

After a moment, he murmured in her hair "I love you Lily…but you know they won't let me quit".

"We will find a way Severus. I promise you, we will find a way" she whispered back fiercely, pulling away just a little to look at him.

"I promise you" and she kissed him again.