The Book of Love

By: Elise Jacobs

Disclaimer: I don't own anything and I am not getting anything out of this except the sick twisted pleasure of making Rowling's characters do things that she never wanted them doing.

Warning: This is slash…so if you don't like it DON'T READ IT!

Chapter Six

Friday, April 2nd

"Oh Mr. Potter I can't tell you how happy I am with it. You seemed to have captured my Sarah's personality."

I just wished that this damn woman would leave; she had been here for an hour now. "Now Mrs. Smith it was my pleasure to paint your granddaughter but you really mustn't give me credit for anything undue."

"Oh but Mr. Potter, you know I don't give complements where they aren't due. I'm going to tell my daughter in law about you, when she sees this painting of Amelia's little Sarah she will have to have one for each of her sweet daughters. My Son sure knows how to pick them. Mary and Thomas have SIX children all girls, can you imagine? And that's not all she is pregnant again, and this time with twins. I really don't understand them, what are they thinking eight children. Mary will certainly want to see you, so the next time we have lunch I'll be sure to bring her in to speak with you. Yes I can assure you that you haven't seen the last of me or my family and friends."

Smiling courteously, I continued my slow maneuvering. I was trying to get Mrs. Smith, who had already paid me, to the door and hopefully she would take the hint and leave. So far it had taken me fifteen minutes to move the old hen halfway to the door. "I'm very grateful to have your patronage, and I look forward to working with you again."

"Oh it just occurred to me, are you single dear?"

"Actually,"

"You aren't married that is for sure, no wife would tolerate her husband dressing the way you do. It's a shame, young men and women nowadays putting off marriage the way that they do. You're what, Twenty Five?"

"Twenty Four Ma'am,"

"Well you best get a move on young man or all the good ones will be gone. My John, bless his soul, had married me and had a son at your age AND he was running a very successful business. I'm sure a handsome young man like you has his pick of the ladies,"

"Yes but,"

"On to the point, you see I'm on my way to meet the granddaughter of very dear friend of mine and she's a bit of an artist too. I dare say that you too would hit it off!"

"But Mrs. Smith, you see,"

"Jenna is just about your age and is currently working as an engineer for the city but I'm sure she is just waiting for something better to turn up, you should join us, see if you two get along."

"Mrs. Smith,"

"You two would make a very handsome couple there is no doubt about that. She is a grand cook and I'm certain that she would fatten you up, Oh and to think if you two were to be married the children would simple be gorgeous."

"Mrs. Smith, I'm very sorry,"

"Sorry? What have you to apologize for?"

"I'm sorry to tell you that I am in fact, already in a relationship."

"Well that shouldn't keep you from lunch and meeting a beautiful young lady. There is absolutely nothing wrong with seeing what else is out there."

""I'm not so certain that my BOY friend would share in your belief."

The old woman looked at me as if I were a new toy to be played with "Oh how marvelous. Are you really gay?"

It will never cease to amaze mw how amused some people were by that fact, "Have been ever since the day I was born. But I must tell you, I do envy straight couples. I always did want to be a father but Mother Nature seemed to think differently."

"Well then Jenna and I will just have to dine alone, "

"Probably for the better, I'm terrible company," Finally the door!

"I'm sure that isn't true. I hate to leave you but I'm sure that we will be seeing each other very soon. "

"I'll be looking forward to it."

As the bell rang as the door closed I breathed a huge sigh of relief. Turning around I looked at the clock which read 12:07. I leaned back against the door and looked around the room. What to do? What to do? It was about time to rearrange the artwork. Three paintings had sold in the past week on website, so I needed to get those packaged and down to the post office. The floor looked as if it needed to be cleaned. I should probably come in on the weekend to take care if it.

Taking another deep breath I pushed myself forward toward the far wall where I picked a still life of an empty vase and sunglasses off the wall and walked in to the back. I didn't want to think. It I let my mind wander I knew exactly where I would roam. It was way I wasn't painting. I knew that my work was going to be crap if I decided to pick up a pencil or brush.

Carefully I wrapped up the painting. It was being sent to Las Angeles. I have no clue who would have really wanted it. The painting was crap but who was I to complain. One of the great things about being an artist was this if you hated a piece you could sell it and never look at it again. Sadly that was what happened to a great many pieces that I loved too. If I had known that my style would change over time, I would have saved more samples of my works from when I was in school. As it was, all I really had left were the dream works, the "Fantasy Works". Luna had always loved them.

I laughed out loud at the thought of her. She was just so loopy. Walking back out into the main room I picked up another painting from the displays. This one was of shoes lots of shoes. I hadn't noticed that I had been doing so many still lifes. Looking around the room I noticed about three others that subject matter consisted of stationary objects that lay scattered about the loft area. Maybe Severus isn't the only one that was lacking in the inspiration department as of late.

"STOP IT HARRY!" I yelled at myself, "You can't think about it. Severus loves you. Things are going to get better. After we get back from New York life will go back to normal. And Severus will be home more, Ron and Hermione's new baby will be here and we can go back to being happy!"

I willed myself to believe what I was saying. I had no other choice. I had to hope for the best. I had to ignore the alternative.

"There is no alternative; things are going to get better."

I picked up the other painting to be packaged and walked back into the storage room. I love brown paper, and twine. It made me remember Sirius. Chewing on my thumb I reached across the table and grabbed some tape. These small paintings would be placed in reinforced cardboard boxes for shipping but I needed to protect the paint, so I wrapped them with care.

RING!

I nearly jumped out of my skin as the phone from my office rang. Setting down the scissors I ran to pick up the receiver, "Art by Potter, how can I help you?"

"I think I'm going to be really late tonight."

Was this really happening? Was I really hearing this?

"You should expect me around nine or so."

It was happening…..But there had to be an explanation. "Is there a rehearsal for the musical?"

"No I just received wind of another student who is going to be at the audition next week from Bauxbatons, and he is singing the exact same piece as Sean. It's a complete disaster."

"Oh,"

"Yes, I regret that you are going to have to amuse yourself tonight. I'll be home around nine."

When the bell to the shop door started to jingle quickly yelled out the door that I would be right with them.

"Can't this wait until Monday? Does he really need to change his song this late? After all I'm sure that there is nothing to worry about if he is as good as you say he is."

"You don't know what you are talking about."

"NO if he is really that good he should be able to impress the judges even if he is singing the same thing as someone else."

"Harry, I'm not going to argue with you, about this. He has to change his selections. It is as simple as that. I won't have him miss this opportunity just because my lover won't let us have the time that we need to work. I'll be home nine we can talk about it then."

I set down the receiver and looked up in to the main room. The blonde woman from the previous day was standing in the middle of the show room twiddling with the sleeve of her blue sweater. I wouldn't think about Severus right now.

"I didn't expect to see you back here so soon how can I help you?"

She smiled a large smile, and walked forward to shake my hand. "I had been thinking about it ever since I was here last week. Your work is simply wonderful. And I have been in the market for and Artist for while. Truly the reason I came in last week was to buy a painting for the dining room, but I wasn't expecting to find what I did. It is almost as if providence brought us together."

I was confused, and I didn't try to conceal the feeling from my face, "Do want to see the paintings again. I'm sorry to say I haven't anything new."

The blonde smiled and looked at her shoes before continuing, "I remember you saying that you did commissioned work."

"Yes I do, would you like to come up and sit down," I pointed to the loft where my easel was set up, "If you want me to do something I don't mind doing a few sketches for you. I could show you what I'm working on right now."

"That'd be great." She picked up a book bag from the ground and followed me up the spiral staircase, "I'm a writer you see. And my book was picked up by a publishing company about month ago."

I led the lady, who I just now realized, whose name I didn't know to sit down in the corner. "Really? That's wonderful, I'm sure your husband is very proud.
When she giggled lightly I felt a small pang of jealousy, "He is."

Reaching for my sketch pad I asked one of the most practiced lines in my vocabulary, "What is it you would like me to do for you?"

When she reached down to the bag I felt nervous, dear lord, please don't let it be a wedding picture. To my surprise she pulled out a large three ring binder. "This is my book. I would like for you to illustrate it."

I was shocked. I quickly reached over and took the offering.

"It's a young adult novel about two sisters, and their differences. The elder, Nat, is content to do what ever family wants of her, never once going against their wishes, the other, Marcy, is a social light, and quite the favorite of her parents in spite of the fact that she is always getting into trouble."

Opening the cover I see the title page. Blackberries, by Analiese Koch. I began to flip through the pages. I noticed several dividers, one for each chapter, and several more with words such as Character Bios, History, and Geography. "It's not fantasy?"

"Oh it is. There is a great deal of magic. The girls, they are both witches, and they go to school with all sorts of beings and creatures. Their mother and father are both healers. And they want Nat to follow in their footsteps and go to university and get married and have kids."

I smiled up at her, "But she doesn't want to."

"She thinks she does. That is until she gets put in an unexpected class by mistake."

I flipped to the Character bios section and saw her amateur drawings of Nat and several other students. I couldn't help but be amused by them.

"She is confronted with several problems: A very handsome teacher who has a reputation of flirting with, and possibly sleeping with," I frowned the images, "several of the girls in his classes, a boy who challenges all of her views of the world, her parents divorce, a sister who is on the road to destruction, a love for an art form that is slowly becoming her world. All of this is going on while worrying about the up and coming college entrance is then forced to choose between her dreams and her family's wishes."

"What does she choose?"

"What all good little girls do, she gives up on her dreams and does what her parents want her too. She goes on to become one of the world most promising doctors."

"What happens to the sister?"

"She dies."

"I thought you said that this was for young adults."

"It is, I never said anything about it having a happy ending. True life is making compromises and putting together the best life you possibly can. Adults lie to children. They tell them anything is possible. Well it isn't. Our lives aren't fairytales. So, neither is my Fantasy."

As I looked through the book all I could think about was how excited I was.

"I don't usually do stuff like this."

"I don't usually walk into coffee shops and start conversations that lead sex. But that is how I met my husband."

I laughed at her, then looked back at the notebook I began to wonder what it would be like to visualize someone else's dream for them.

"Analiese?"

"Oh how silly of me. I never introduced myself, did I? Yes my name is Analiese, Analiese Koch my married name. I used to be a Jones, so when the opportunity arose to get rid of the common name I did."

"It's nice to meet you Analiese, and I look forward to working with you." I offered her my hand which she took.

"Oh I'm so relieved." I series of emotions flashed across her face before she jumped up and picked up the now empty book bag. "I have to go tell Robert!"

"Wait, can I get your number?"

"Oh it's on the second page. Shall I come in tomorrow? See how the drawings are coming along."

She was so animated. I almost wish I had my camera out so that I could get some snap shots of her for some potential work in the future. "Give me a few days. I need to read it first. I'll call you when I finish. Will that work?"

She seemed a bit embarrassed. "Yes of course. I'll just leave you to it."

Looking at the book I decided that I would have to wait until I got home for the night. 'True life is compromising, and putting together the best life you possibly can.' She was right, life was making compromises. I was happy in a way. I looked over to the railing and saw the nearly completed painting of Sev's hands. I needed to get some work done on it. I began chewing on my finger again.

"Get up Harry, and work."

The rest of the day was very lazy: mailed the packages, finished the hands, worked on a few more marionette dolls and rearranged all the work on the wall. It was now seven and I couldn't force myself to get up and leave. I didn't want to go home. So now here I was, mopping the floor, just about to lock up, watching people outside dressing in their club clothes as they walked from their cars to the Bar/club district that was just around the corner from here.

They were all my age. Mrs. Smith hit on a valid point earlier. The kids, and we were really were still just kids, of my generation really weren't ones to settle down. Ginny had only just recently been married. Blaise felt obligated when he found out she was pregnant. Hermione and Ron were extremely unique. They got married right after they got out of school and started having babies right away. Even I had rushed into a relationship. I never thought twice about it.

In school I had Tom and after that I was alone then I had Sev. That was it. Was that normal? I had never had any doubts before. Why should I care now?

Looking around I realized that I had nothing left to do. It was Friday night, I was twenty four and I had nothing to do. How lame was I? Picking up the notebook and my bag I started turning off all of the lights, and locking up.

The drive home was pleasant I was able to watch the sunset. Sev had never really appreciated them. But then again I had never appreciated the way a person's voice smoothly changed pitch as it formed words, then sentences and then thoughts. He once said that listening to my voice was like listening to the greatest symphony. I just laughed at him. Just like he laughed at me when I told him that I could look at him for hours and never find a fault. That seemed so long ago now.

When I climbed the stairs of our complex I saw that another package had arrived. It was probably some new music for Severus to sift through. Severus might not have much personal recorded work but nobody denied the fact that he was one of the best Choral directors in the country. He turned out the strongest new talent in Europe. Too bad he didn't see it.

When I unlocked the door and walked into the apartment and saw what a sty it was, I felt a bit disheartened. I immediately started to tidy up. The last thing I wanted was for Sev to start bitching when he got back. By the time I had finished getting the place in order it was 8:47.

"What to do, what to do?"

I ran in to the bedroom and pulled out a pair of flannel PJ bottoms, then quickly replaced my blue jeans with them. Opting to lose the shirt completely, I threw the dirty clothes into the hamper and walked back into the living room where the notebook that Analiese had left for me was sitting on the coffee table. It was as if it was begging me to read it. Who was I to refuse when it had been so patient all day?

I sat down on the sofa and opened it. The story jumped off the page at me. Before I knew what was happening I lost myself in it. Nat, a studious little witch fought with her sister the entire way to school. It was the first day of her senior year, and she was not looking forward to having to see her ex boyfriend.

It was odd, I hated reading. But for some reason I couldn't make myself stop reading this story even if I had wanted to. I was captivated. I was three chapters into it when I heard the familiar sound of Severus feet climbing the stairs. He was later than he said he would be but I refused to care. Instead I decided to try and keep reading. It was then that I noticed something very odd. There was a second set of footsteps. When the door opened I could just hear something being murmured but I couldn't make it out.

I closed the book and stood up when Severus entered quickly followed by Sean Malloy.

"If you don't mind can I use your bathroom Severus?"

"Sure, it's just down the hall." I looked at Severus as the kid disappeared into the back of my home.

I swallowed my grief, gave him a strained smile and walked over to him to give him a quick kiss. "Did you two get a lot of work done?"

When he smiled at me I felt empty, "Yes we did, actually. I'm sorry about this; Sean just came up to use the toilet."

I never in my life would have guessed that a statement containing the word toilet would comfort me so much. I reached my arms up and pulled my lover into another kiss.

"Well it's good to see you too. I'm glad to see that you aren't too mad at me." Severus joked. He then picked me up and carried me back to the sofa and proceeded to sit on top of me.

"Sev! Stop it! I was reading"

When he began to tickle me I just about died.

"Please stop, PLEASE! I can't breathe!"

In my hysterics I didn't notice Sean walking back in to the room. It was only when he coughed that Severus desisted and turned to speak to his student.

"Thank you again for the ride. Good work today."

I grabbed Sev's elbow and rested my head on his shoulder. Hopefully Sean was getting the message that this man belonged to me. When the other brunette made eye contact with me I was certain to send daggers at him with my eyes. But nothing could have prepared me for what left his mouth next.

"What time should I be here tomorrow?"

When Severus' hand grabbed a hold of mine it did little to ease my anger.

"You should probably be here around nine."

"Alright, thanks again Severus. I can't tell you how much your help means to me."

STOP using is name you little shit! Sev squeezed my hand as if to say something, but I was in no state of mind to figure out what.

"I'm your teacher that's my job."

When the boy had finally left I sprung from the couch and stormed into the kitchen to make myself a drink.

"Harry, I wanted to tell you myself."

Slamming the cabinet door I screamed back at him. "What that you are inviting a student over to your home for the day."

Severus walked in to the kitchen as I was pouring orange juice into a half full glass of vodka. "We only have five days to make sure he has this new piece down," He reached around me and picked up my drink, "I thought it would be more comfortable here than at school."

"Give that back to me." I reached to retrieve the glass from his hand only to have it moved out of my reach again. "And you had absolutely no right to invite him into my home with out asking me!"

"You shouldn't drink when you're upset. It only leads to things you will regret."

I kept trying to reach the glass only to watch as Severus poured it out. "That is none of your concern! If I want drink then I'll drink, god damn it. I'm a grown ass man for Christ's sake"

"Then stop acting like a petulant child. You know that if I had asked you, you would have thrown a hissy fit and refused to let him come over even though it would be better for everyone involved if we worked here."

"I DON'T THROW HISSY FITS!" I hated it when he referred to my justified anger towards him a Hissy Fit.

"Really what are you doing right now?"

"You know damn well that I would have said no because it was inappropriate, not because I wanted to be a pain in the ass!"

"We are working on an audition. Teachers have lessons in their home on a regular basis all the time. There would have been nothing inappropriate about it."

I turned and picked up a glass and the vodka bottle and walked into the living room. I proceeded to pour a glass as I continued with my argument, "nothing inappropriate my ass. The boy calls you by your first name."

"So did you when you were my student." he interjected taking my glass and the bottle back into the kitchen where he poured both of them down the drain.

"That was different. And I'm not an idiot Severus Snape. Don't think I don't know what is going on!"

The apartment was completely silent. When Sev walked out of the kitchen I saw anger painted on his face.

"And what pray tell is going on?"

"I know how he looks at you. I know because I used to look at you that exact same way."

"You should also know how I feel about affairs with students."

"I only know that you wouldn't sleep with me. But that didn't stop us from becoming very sexually involved not even a year after my graduation. No one commented on it then, so maybe you thought they wouldn't comment this time."

Severus took a step closer to me and looked me in the eye. I could read his eyes now. He wasn't even trying to hide his emotions. He spoke calmly and forcefully "if you have something to say, and then say it."

I couldn't handle it; I stepped back and into the wall. "I…I…"

"You what" he took another step forward.

I turned my eyes away against my better judgment.

"Do you think I'm sleeping with a student?"

"No I…" I started to panic. Tom please stop!

"Do you think that I am having and AFFAIR with Sean Malloy? Do YOU!?"

I screamed when Severus punched a hole in to the wall next to my head. I sank on to the floor and started to cry. I don't know really what happened next. All I could think was that I was sorry and that I wouldn't do it again. I'm sorry Tom, please forgive me. I love you. Please! I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, It is all my fault.

I distantly heard some one calling my name. Part of me wanted to just stay hidden away from the word the other wanted to follow that loving voice, the one that seemed so caring.

"Harry, Please I'm sorry, Harry look at me. Come back to me. You have to trust me. Come on Harry. Please."

I forced myself to leave the dark world of my mind and I looked up into his eyes I saw fear and regret. They were begging me to say something anything. "I'm sorry, Severus!"

He pulled me against his chest and I cried.

I couldn't bring myself to stay angry at him. He was so good to me. Tom would have just left me there. Severus loved me enough to care for me at my worst. It didn't matter if what I alluded to was in fact the truth. It didn't matter because he loved me. If he didn't he wouldn't be holding me.

"Come on, I have get off the floor my leg is going to sleep."

I laughed at him, "is that a rheumatism you are complaining about you old bag?"

"Hardly," He said as he led me into the bed room where he plopped me on the bed.

Yawning I rolled over on to his pillow and inhaled his ever present scent. I watched as he changed out of his work clothes and prepared for bed. I was content to just lay there. When he left and reappeared with two toothbrushes and two small cups of water, complied quietly. Looking at him walk away to return the dental hygiene utensils to there proper place, I noticed that he was tense. So after he came back from the other room and sat down I got up on my knees and began to rub his back.

Severus let out a moan, "God Harry, you have magic fingers"

I laughed at him softly, "that's what she said."

"Ha Ha," Sev sarcastically laughed back at my bad joke, "Aren't you supposed to be mad at me right now? Jesus, I'm mad at myself."

"I really don't want to talk about it. I've cried, I've forgiven and I now I want to forget."

"Harry," I frowned at him as he turned around to look at me. "What I did was unforgivable. I promised you I would treat you like HE did."

"You never have. And even if you did I wouldn't care."

"What kind of thing is that to say?"

"What do you mean?"

"I put a hole, the size of your face, in the wall. I almost hit you. And you don't care?"

"I love you, and you love me. I know you would never hurt me."

Severus looked scared, "but Harry I almost did. I never told you but saw it once. I saw the way HE treated you. You had told me about it before but I saw him years ago. HE …I watched as he backhanded you then pushed you in the car. You must have been fifteen. HE…"

"Why are you afraid to say his name?"

"He did horrible things. He's not worthy of a name."

"He's a person. He deserves to have his name used. Tom wasn't always like that. He could be sweet and kind, I remember a time when just his name would make me smile. He never treated me too terribly."

"What are you talking about do you not remember the cuts? The bruises? How he would force himself on you? Do you not remember what he did to all of those young men and women?"

"He can't be held accountable for his actions! He has a disorder!"

"What that he is fucked up!?"

"That's why he's getting help!"

"Harry he RAPED twenty seven people! And I suspect he raped you…."

I was pissed at him, "I ALWAYS consented. Tom wouldn't have done that to me. He loved me! I know you don't understand that. And I don't try to say that what he did was right. But he needed help! Help which he is getting now."

"Can you not see that what he did was unforgivable?" Sev thrust his arm under my face for me to see. "I know you remember this! They did this! He and his gang were responsible the Hogwarts Shooting! Do you not remember that day? Thirty one students DEAD! Forty three wounded! Who knows how many more if you hadn't stopped him."

I looked at the white scar from the gunshot wound that nearly cost Severus his arm. We never talked about Tom. We never talked about the shooting. I hadn't been with him for a year. I blamed myself for that day. If I had been a better lover, if I had loved him more, if I hadn't been so demanding then I could have stopped it.

"None of that matters now! I don't ever want to discuss it again. Tom is locked up where we all agree he should be. I love you, and you aren't Tom. You're Severus Snape. And YOU would never hurt me. You were angry, rightfully so, and that's that. This argument is over!"

He opened his mouth to protest, "I said OVER!"

He just turned and re-set the alarm.

I had to make things better. The day couldn't end like this! It couldn't.

I watched as he turned out the light and climbed under the blankets, but I couldn't bring myself to speak. Crawling back in to place I turned off my own light and lay down next to my long time lover. I felt like crying again, but I couldn't let myself. I couldn't, so I did the next best thing I rolled over and slid my hand down Sev's chest.

I carefully leaned down and kissed him. I had to let him know how mush I loved him. At first he didn't respond but after a moment he kissed me back. But instead of taking it further he rolled back over and left me alone. The tears stung the back of my eyes and I couldn't handle it. I grabbed my pillow and walked in to the living room to make myself a small nest to curl up in, and I cried myself to sleep.

The next thing I knew the phone was ringing. When it stopped in the middle of the second ring I new Severus had answered it. I decided that I would just go back to sleep it was still dark out after all. So when Severus appeared and sat down next to me on the sofa I felt very worried.

"That was Ginny, She is coming to pick you up. There was a fire, and Ms. Lovegood was taken to the hospital in London."

"Luna?" I sat up and walked quickly in to our room and pulled a suitcase out of the closet.

Severus joined me and started getting me shoes that I would want.

"Don't worry about me, get your things ready." Silly Man.

"Sean is going to be here in three hours."

I looked up at him. Completely at a loss for words, "but Luna she…."

Severus looked at his hands. "You are going to need to be in London until at least Monday. I have classes and Sean can't afford to lose that practice time."

I wanted to scream but I couldn't. Neither of us could handle another fight. I nodded and went back to packing.

Ginny knocked on the door at 6:30. She had Hannah with her, who needed to be changed. So while she was taking care of her I turned to Sev, "I'm sorry about the fight."

"Me too."

"I'll call you when we get there."

"I'll be here."

Tears stung my eyes. I didn't want to leave. "When packing for the trip on Wednesday, if I'm not here, don't forget to pack extra socks. And I'll be sure to be back for your surprise on Friday. Don't forget! Just you and me…" The tears started to flow.

Sev pulled me in to a hug. "It'll all be okay. Just wait and see. Luna will be okay."

"I d-don't want to leave y-you." I couldn't control the sobs, "Not like this, n-not after the fight." I pulled back to look at him.

:"I think it's best you go alone." His hands held my face, and he brushed the tears from my cheeks. They always had been just the right size. "I need to think. So do you. And besides Sean and I have a lot work to do, I'm sure you don't want to hear us squawking like magpies all day."

Sev always was one make the tears stop by bad jokes.

"If not before then, We'll see each other on Friday. Right? five o'clock you and me?"

I nodded, and watched as Severus carried my bag out the door.

Ginny came over and gave me a hug carefully as not to crush the baby. "I'm sure she is fine if she wasn't they would have told us."

If only that were the reason I was crying. I felt for all of the essentials. Wallet, keys, prescription sunglasses, on an impulse I picked up Analiese's book, maybe Luna would like for me to read to her. I followed Ginny down the stairs to the car where Severus stood leaned against the hood still in his tee-shirt and pajamas pants. I ran into his arms and hugged him.

"Really, all these hysterics. One would think that we will never see each other again."

"Just shut up and kiss me!"

And he did. It was sweet and tender.

"I love you." and told him as he helped me into the SUV.

"I know, drive safe Ginny."

"Will do Severus."

He closed the door and ran to the curb. Ginny slowly started to back out and I watched as he turned and walked back up the stairs. I watched until we turned the corner and the complex disappeared from sight.

"You know how much I love him don't you Ginny?"

The ginger woman smiled at me, "I do Harry, but honestly. Not even Hermione and Ron get like that when they have to be separated. It is just a few days."

I looked at my nails looking for something to chew on and found nothing. I don't need to think about it.

"I hope she's okay."