"S—Severus," I whisper, not wanting to give in to hope.

He stares at me, his emotions visible upon his face. Without thought, as if an invisible string pulls me towards him, I begin to take small steps back to stand before him. He watches me, his black orbs as wide as my own. I can see him shaking slightly.

"They started when I was a boy," he begins softly, and I still at the sound of his voice. "I could see your face as clearly as I see it now. I have dreamed of your eyes, the love shining from them, for the better part of my life. I saw a life with you, one that confused me and excited me all at once. In the madness and hellish part of my life that was my childhood, I longed to close my eyes so I could be with you."

My face crumbles at the sadness in his voice. I try to pull myself together, but I cannot find the strength to do so. I try to force myself to go to Snape, but my legs have stopped cooperating with my mind. I am shaking now, and I know that Snape can see it. It seems as though he is having the same problems as I am, for he stands as still as stone.

"All of the dreams that I have had, everything is real, is it not?" he asks.

I can do nothing but nod my head.

"You were always real?" Snape closes his eyes for a moment, his face becoming lighter, as if a huge weight has been lifted from his shoulders. When his eyes open again, I see they have become clear, as clear as I have ever seen them. Never before have I seen him look so at peace, even in the world that I come from. "Everything that you showed me I already dreamed. I—I thought you had read my mind somehow and was showing me my dreams. That is why I reacted the way I did. I was angry that someone would take something so wonderful and use it against me. But you didn't do that did you?"

"No," I murmur.

Snape's lips twitched into a ghost of a smile causing my heart to thump wildly in my chest. Oh, how I have missed his smile. My feet find the courage to take a step towards him, and I am surprised when he mimics my movements.

"You have been in my every thought since I was a small boy. When I came to Hogwarts, I began to search for you. I—I thought you would be waiting here for me. Seven years, I searched every corner of this school, every face, but I could never find you. Each night, my dreams would show me something else, a vision of you and me. I became obsessed over finding some sign that you were real. By the time my seventh year came around, I was angry and bitter. I thought it unfair that this angel existed in my dreams but would never truly be mine. I withdrew from everything, withdrew from everyone. I made myself miserable, but I could not stop it. I almost lost the one true friend I had here."

My eyes grow wide, for I realize who Snape is talking about. "Lily," I breathe. Snape nods his head, confirming my suspicions. "You—you never loved her?" I ask, thought I am not sure that I want to know the answer.

His eyes grow soft, boring in to me. It is as if he can see through me, to my very soul. "How could I have loved anyone else when you consumed me mind, body and soul."

Those words are enough to open the floodgates to my eyes. The tears run down my face. They are warm against my chilled skin. He never loved Lily in this world because of me. He never knew the heartbreak that she would bring to him.

"For some reason, I just knew you and this school were linked. It is the reason I came back here to teach. I was desperate to find you, desperate for my dreams to become reality. Every year, I watched the students walk into the Great Hall, and every year I would be let down. Then, I found you. The moment I saw you that night, it took every bit of my strength not to jump from my seat and rush to you. You were the only student to ever be brave enough to look at me and smile. There was no fear."

I look away from Snape as my face falls. I cannot look him in the eyes, for it was not me that he saw that night...not really. Over the sound of the wind, I hear him walking towards me, yet I still cannot look at him. What if it was the other Aileen he fell in love with? What if it isn't me he wants? The moment I feel his fingers underneath my chin, I take a long, deep breath. He is so close to me. His smell engulfs my senses, and I have to fight to keep from grabbing him. Too long has it been since I have been surrounded by the man I love. Slowly, he raises my tear-filled eyes to meet his. I see the concern in his black orbs, but I cannot speak to reassure him that I am fine, because I am not.

"I have watched her all these years. I have went so far as to bring us closer by being her mentor. From the very beginning, I knew something was wrong, something was off. When I looked into her eyes, I did not see what I remember dreaming. Yes, there was something familiar there, but it never felt right. Miserably, I made the decision that I could never have what I had in my dreams. I let her go, yet I swore with everything that I was that I would protect her for as long as I was able."

His free hand comes up, grabbing my right arm softly and pulling me towards him. We never lose eye contact. I cannot look away, even if I want to. He has hypnotized me. The hand holding my chin moves to my cheek, where his knuckles softly caress my skin. On instinct, I want to close my eyes, but I fight against it. I fear that if I look away, Snape will blow away with the wind.

"But the moment I saw you that day in the hall after we rescued you from the cave, I knew it was you. The look of love I remembered from my dreams was staring me in the face, and I could not breathe for the longest time." With every word he speaks, Snape's face moves closer to mine. "I knew in an instant that you were not the Aileen from this world, but you were the Aileen from my dreams, as if you jumped from my memory and became flesh."

His eyes have a look of pain, and I slowly reach up to touch them. As soon as my fingers touch his eyelids, they close. I do not want to see that pain, never again. The hand holding my arm tightens, and he pulls me, slowly, further in to him. Our faces are inches from one another when his eyes open again. I rest my hand against his cool cheek, not wanting to believe I am touching Snape again.

"Forgive me for the way I have treated you, Aileen," he whispers. I want to tell him there is nothing to forgive, but I do not have the strength to speak. "I had to test you, had to be sure it was not some cruel, horrible mistake." His hand glides slowly down my cheek causing my skin to hum at his touch. "By the time I talked to Albus, I was sure that it was no joke."

His lips are inches from my own. I can feel his breath upon my skin, feel the heat from his body shielding me from the wind. I want so badly to run my hands through his hair, to feel the familiar texture of his dark hair, but I cannot move. I am afraid that just the slightest movement will cause this dream bubble to burst. I cannot find the courage to believe this is real, cannot believe that finally Snape is with me. I do not know how much he really knows or feels, but the way he is holding me, the way his eyes stare into mine, is enough for me at the moment.

"I must admit, Aileen, that I do not understand all that is happening. I have my dreams, or memories, whatever they are. The same memories that are in that head of yours." Snape's hand reaches up, lightly touching the side of my head. He touches me as if I am made of glass. Perhaps at this moment I am. "May I ask you more questions?"

"Anything," I answer.

"Did—did I make you happy?"

His words surprise me, but the uncertainty in his voice is what catches my attention. He looks unsure of my answer. "I do not know happiness without you," I answer immediately, putting him at ease.

"Will you tell me everything. I—I know that I have my dreams and what I've seen in your memory, but I want to hear the story from you."

When I agree with what he is asking of me, he slowly pulls me down to sit. It takes me an hour to tell him our story from start to finish. By the time I am through, I feel worn. I am staring at his chest watching it rise and fall with his breath. What I have told him is a mouthful whether he has had his dreams or not. Snape brings me to him, and I find myself wrapped inside his black cloak. Slamming my eyes shut, I reach out and take a fist full of his shirt. It is in that moment that I finally allow myself to believe that Snape has come back to me. It is in that moment that I finally believe that we have found each other again.

"I always feared that believing in my dreams would drive me mad. Now, if I have gone mad I welcome it with open arms," he breathes into my hair.

"Let us grow mad together," I say, laughing softly.

Snape leans back, staring at me without talking for a few moments. I cannot tell what he is thinking. I do not have time to prepare for what he does next, but I am not sure I could prepare myself even if I had time. As gently as the wind blowing in my hair, Snape leans forward and presses is lips upon mine. It is the softest touch I have ever felt, yet it ignites a fire deep within me. Far too long as it been since I have felt his touch, and I long for more. As swiftly as I can, I pull him towards me. Our kiss deepens, and I am relieved when he does not pull back. Instead, he rises to the occasion that I have set and parts my lips with his own. The movement of his lips are exactly as I remember. To my disappointment, the kiss does not last long. He leans his forehead against mine, breathing slowly.

"I want to do right by you, Aileen. I feel we must take this slow, until I feel that my head is not swimming with confusion. Though I know without a shadow of a doubt who you are and what you mean to me, there are still so many questions that I need answered. Some of them only you can answer, but there are some that I need answered by Albus."

I cannot help my dejected look. I try to hide it with the darkness surrounding us, but he is so close that it is easy for him to see my reaction. He softly kisses my forehead, his lips lingering on my skin. "It does not change how I feel about you, Aileen. I have waited almost my entire life to find you. Now that I have found you, do not for a moment believe that I will let you go," he whispers.

"I understand," I say.

Snape rises to his feet, bringing me up with him. As we stand, he does not let me go, but wraps his arms around me. "You saved me. You saved us all."

"No, it is you that saved me, you that saved us all," I answer, my voice cracking. He laughs. It is a true laugh, something that I have seldom heard from him, yet it is as sweet as rain on a hot summer's day. I close my eyes, relishing in the sound and freezing it in my memory. "I am no hero, Aileen."

"You were my hero in more ways that I can even begin to tell you."

His strong arms around me squeeze gently. For a while longer, we stand in silence. We are content with just the feel of one another. Our embrace is all that matters in this moment. I know the moment is coming when we will have to leave, and I am dreading it. If only I had a way to freeze this moment in the darkening silence of his arms.

"It is almost midnight, Aileen. As much as I do not want to leave you, I must get you back to your room. Unfortunately, you are still a student and I a teacher. I do not think someone like Minerva would understand our situation if we were to be caught up here at this hour."

I breathe heavily, yet I agree with what Snape is saying. McGonagall would eat us alive if she was to catch us. I force myself to release my hold on Snape, yet as I do, he grabs my hand in his. He no more wants to let me go than I want to let him go. As we turn to leave the Astronomy Tower, I feel the wind pick up. There is a chill in the air, something that was not present earlier. I am aware of it immediately and I stiffen. Beside me, Snape reacts the same way, as if he feels the change in the air as well.

I feel the hairs on the back of my head begin to stand on end. There is something behind us, something that causes my skin to crawl. The voice in my head screams at me not to turn around, but when have I ever listened to reason? I know what awaits me before my eyes fall on the figure behind me. It is too late to ignore him as I slowly turn to meet his stare. Snape turns as well, but I do not know if he is able to see what I see. The moment he steps before me, putting himself between me and the hooded figure, my question is answered.

In one swift move, Snape's wand is out before him pointing towards the hooded figure. I grab the back of his shirt, trying to push him to the side, for I do not want him harmed. I know why Death is here, and I am not sure if he will strike Snape to get to me.

"Aileen, get out of here," Snape murmurs over the wind.

The wondrous feelings that I had from earlier are gone. Fear begins to grow within me as I push my way past Snape. He reaches for my arm as I pass him, trying to protect me. He cannot protect me from this. Death is covered from head to toe in a black robe, something similar to what Snape is wearing. I cannot see his eyes, yet I know he is watching me. I can feel his smile upon me. It feels like thousands of insects crawling all over my body. A shiver assaults my body, yet I do not take a step away. Instead, I move forward, forcing my arm from Snape's grasp.

"You will not hurt him," I say. I want my voice to sound strong, yet I know it comes out sounding like a weak kitten.

"No..." Death drawls, sending me into a long shiver. "You made sure of that, did you not?"

I can hear the bitterness in his voice, feel the hatred falling off of him. Snape tries to pull me back to him again, but I take a step out of his reach. I will give Death what he wants. I will jump from this tower as long as he stays away from Snape. Somehow, I must get distance between them. Though Death says he will not harm Snape, I cannot trust him. What would he do if Snape tries to attack him? Would he retaliate without thought? My time is not up yet, so he is not here to collect me.

"Severus, leave us...please," I whisper, beg him.

"Like hell," he hisses at me.

It is then that Death pulls his hood from his face, and I come face to face with him again. His red eyes are as horrible as I remember from the cave and my dream. I hear Snape's sharp intake of breath behind me. I want to look at him, reassure him that all is well, but I know that it is not.

"You have five days left, dear Aileen," Death speaks, his words as smooth as silk.

With those seven words, he takes to flight before us. I hear the fluttering of wings as the blackness swallows him from my vision. Five days? I only have five days left. I stare at where Death stood, my eyes unseeing. Even as Snape swings around to stand before me, he is out of focus. I feel his hands upon my shoulders shaking me lightly. His voice sounds far away, and I cannot tell what he is saying over Death's words playing in my head.

Suddenly, the world around me comes rushing back. Snape has me by the arm, pushing me towards the exit. We rush down the stairs until we are hurrying towards the dungeons. There is no sound but our footsteps in the darkened hallway. I can hear Snape's ragged breathing beside me, and I take a moment to glance towards him. In the moonlight shining from the windows, I can see how pale he looks. His eyes stare ahead of us, wide and scared. His hold on my arm becomes painfully tight, yet I keep my mouth shut. Death will be another thing I have to explain to him.

As soon as we are in the dungeons, I turn towards the Slytherin common room, but Snape snatches me back to him. He turns us towards his quarters, and I go without complaint. We push past his classroom towards his private door in the corner. It is as I remember, the small hall heading towards his private quarters. For just a moment, I can pretend I am back in the old world and everything is as it should be. If only for a moment, I can pretend that Death is not after me. It does not last, of course, as Snape pushes me into his room and slams the door shut. I turn and watch him leaning against the door, his back turned to me, as his head leans against the door. It seems like an eternity before he finally turns to me and speaks.

"What was that?"

His voice is calm, yet his eyes are burning in to me. I can see their fear, see their confusion, shining back at me. How do I explain this to him? There is so much we must work through, so much confusion, and now this! I take a long, deep breath trying to calm my nerves.

"When I went back in time to save my father, I not only saved him but everyone that had died by his hand. What I did was unnatural. It went against the way things should work. I completely changed a world that existed. There are consequences to such an act." My words are barely above a whisper as I finish. "Death has come to reclaim what he has lost. I took from him what was his, and now he has returned to collect."

"Collect what?" Snape says harshly.

My eyes meet his, and I cannot hide the emotions running through me. Was it only this morning that I accepted my fate? In Dumbledore's office, I felt at peace with dying. I was okay with that being my penitence for what I did. But now, having Snape back in my life, I am not so sure anymore. I do not want to die.

"Me," I whisper.

For a moment, there is no sign that he has heard me. Snape stares at me, his face completely unreadable. I do not know whether to ask him if he heard me or keep going. I decide to keep going and get it out in the open before I come apart.

"The day in the cave, Death was waiting for me. It was he that brought me to this world, opening my eyes to the things I had forgotten. His goal is to allow me to see the world I created only to snatch me from it. He has given me seven days, which now are only five. That is why he showed himself tonight on the Astronomy Tower, to remind me of how much time I have left."

It takes all my effort to speak the truth to him. With every word, Snape's eyes grow wider. With every sentence, his face turns whiter. I take a few steps towards him, wanting nothing more for him to hold me in this moment. As if he knows my thoughts, Snape rushes towards me, cutting the small gap between us, and wraps me in his arms. I crumble.

"I will never let him have you, not when I have just found you again!"

"There is nothing you can do!" I cry.

"That is not true, cannot be true! I will find a way to save you, Aileen, I swear it! What you did, saving us all, was not unnatural. It was the bravest act of sacrifice, and something like that cannot be rewarded in death! There has to be some way to stop this."

I look up at him, though I cannot let myself find hope in his words. "I have looked, Severus. The one thing that could have possibly saved me does not exist in this world. Even Dumbledore is at a loss for what to do!"

"Then we will just have to look harder, Aileen!"

I do not hesitate to capture his lips with mine. I need to feel him close. He does not turn me away, but wraps me tighter into his embrace. His movements are as desperate as mine. Snape picks me up, easily, and places me upon his bed. Our embrace never shatters as he lays me beside him, searching my eyes for something.

"Sleep," he commands, laying my head against his chest, where I can hear his heart beating, a heart I could not have dared dream would beat again.

Snape rouses me from a dreamless sleep, yet I cannot remember sleeping so soundly. I feel his lips upon my forehead, hear his soft voice saying my name. I do not want to open my eyes, for I am in heaven. He chuckles softly, his arms squeezing me.

"You must get up, Aileen. If you are found in my room, I will be sacked immediately."

"Dumbledore wouldn't allow it," I whine, snuggling further in to him.

"Perhaps not, but I do not want to take that chance, nor put Albus in that kind of position. I do not want you to go, but you must go, Aileen."

With a growl of frustration, I open my eyes. He is leaning over me, staring down at me. His face has found some of its color again. His eyes are soft in the dim light around us. I reach up, caressing his face. His eyes flutter close, as he smiles softly.

"I love you, Severus."

The words slip from my mouth without my consent. I fear that it may be too early to say such a thing, and my cheeks turn scarlet red. Embarrassment causes me to turn my eyes away from him. I feel his fingers on my chin, trying to turn my face towards him again, but I resist.

"Look at me," he says low. For a few moments, I do not react, but I cannot resist looking at him. He climbs from the bed, bringing me with him. I feel the tears trying to gather in my eyes, for he has not spoken. It was too soon for me to confess my love for him. As he walks me to the door, I try to compose myself and hide my hurt feelings. Snape opens the door and walks me through the small hall towards his classroom. Once we are there, he opens the door to check and make sure no one is around. Once he is certain no one is in sight, he turns back to me. I cannot read his face in the darkness. I am glad of the darkness, for it covers my mortified expression.

I release my hold on his hand and walk swiftly past him. I need to get to my room before my tears fall. It is not fair to show him my hurt. I cannot begin to imagine what this is like for him. He warned me to take it slow, warned me of his confusion. I should have kept my mouth shut. I am through the door, when I feel his hand grab my arm again. Before I can think straight, I am back in his arms as he kisses me hurriedly. My heart is racing. My mind is a foggy mess. Slowly, me moves from my lips to my ear, kissing them lightly.

"I love you too, Aileen Riddle."

My eyes pop from their sockets. My lips begin to grow, until I am smiling like a silly schoolgirl. I pull back from him, so I can see into his eyes, see if I heard him right. The love I see there confirms what he says.

"Goodnight, my Aileen," he whispers.

"Goodnight," I say, still smiling widely.

For the rest of the early morning, I lay in my bed. I cannot close my eyes, so I stare up at the ceiling and replay all that has happened in the last few hours. There are so many emotions to wrap my mind around. I try to keep my mind focused on Snape, but the scene with Death continues to play over and over. Can there be a way out of this? Is it possible that there is something I'm overlooking, something that would save me and allow me to stay with Snape? My mind is blank when I think of what to do.

"Good morning, Miss Riddle." I look up from my half-eaten bagel to see Professor McGongall eying me harshly. The bagel becomes like rock as I try to swallow it down my parched throat.

"Good morning, Professor McGonagall," I answer, my heart beginning to explode. The woman is looking at me like she knows something. Did she catch me leaving Snape's quarters this morning? I steal a quick glance at the teacher's table and come face to face with blazing eyes. Snape is watching McGonagall and I closely, which does not make me feel any better.

"Professor Dumbledore requires your presence in his office," she says crisply.

My friends sitting beside me have become quiet, their eyes turned to me. I try to look innocent, as if I have nothing to hide, yet my eyes will not quit looking at Snape. I rise slowly and turn to walk away, but my feet will not cooperate. I stumble towards the next table and would have fallen face-first into a sixth year student, but Harry was there to save me from embarrassment. I mumble my thanks as I head towards the exit. I have just a moment to take one last look at Snape, but his chair is empty. There is no time to search the Great Hall for him, so I continue my walk towards Dumbledore's office. I should not be afraid, not really, for Dumbledore knows the whole story. He knows my feelings for Snape, whether any of the other Professors do or not. He knows the truth. Then, why do I feel as if I want to throw up as I climb the spiral staircase?

I hear someone coming up behind me, and I turn to see Snape. For a moment, we are frozen in a stare. He cuts the distance between us, coming to stand beside me. I feel his hand slip in to mine, and I look up at him thankfully. If we have been caught, he will not let me face this alone. At the last moment, he reaches over and plants a soft kiss on my temple. I knock on Dumbledore's door and with one final squeeze, Snape lets go of my hand.

"Come in," says Dumbledore's muffled voice.

Steeling myself, I turn the doorknob and step inside. Snape is right there with me. The moment we both enter, we freeze. I am like a statue, my eyes staring straight ahead. Somehow, I find the strength to turn my eyes upon Dumbledore. He is looking at me with an apologetic look, and I want to tell him he should apologize. He should apologize for not warning me. What do I say? Where do I begin? My eyes drift back to the two people standing between me and Dumbledore, their smiles bright as the sun.

They are standing before me before I can blink. Snape stands aside, allowing them room, yet I want to scream at him to come back to my side. I am not sure I can do this. They throw their arms around me, holding me tightly. I am surrounded by smells I do not recognize, feelings that threaten to take me under. My eyes meet Dumbledore's and I see raw emotion in his blue orbs. I do not have time to search for Snape, before my eyes close on their own.

"Mom...dad," I whisper, before I faint in their arms.