A/N: Happy belated Valentine's Day, my faithful readers! My students had a quiz on Friday, and instead of planning for next week like I should have, I wrote this for you! Because I love you just that much :) Enjoy!

Same disclaimers apply

When Hermione and Severus finally finished their work for the day and came back into the main part of the quarters, Harry was already sitting on the settee, reading in front of the fireplace. He looked up as he heard them come in.

"How'd it go?" he asked, clearly unsure he wanted to know the answer.

Hermione smiled brightly. "Really well," she assured him. "We'll definitely be ready for the full moon, and then we'll just have to wait and see."

Severus remained silent, not wanting to add his opinion that he very much doubted their endeavor would work.

Harry stood and marked his place in his book. He made is way over to Hermione, who stood ready to go through the floo.

"Thanks," he said, wrapping her in a hug. "I knew you'd be useful."

She snorted and smacked his head as she pulled out of the hug. "I've been 'useful' since the day you met me," she laughed. "Severus," she turned to face the still-silent figure behind the settee. "Thank you for letting me work with you today. If you'd like, I can come by at the full moon and see if I can be of any 'use'," she threw a playful glare at Harry.

Severus gave her a tight, thin-lipped smile and nodded his head with a jerk.

Hermione leaned in to give Harry a kiss on the cheek. "He's still skittish," she whispered into his ear. "But he's desperate to understand the two of you. You might want to think about showing him a memory or two."

Harry nodded as Hermione stepped back, giving him a significant glance before throwing the floo powder into the grate and stepping through in a whirl of green flames.

"So, dinner's in about half an hour, do you want to take it in the Great Hall?" Harry asked, making his way back over to the settee and flopping down gracelessly. At Severus's reticence, he exhaled in relief, "Good, I'd rather eat in here as well. Why don't you sit down?"

Severus eyed him warily but finally made his way to the opposite end of the settee. He sat down stiffly and stared at Harry as if he had something he wanted to ask, but wasn't sure how to phrase it.

"Hermione told me you talked today," Harry finally took pity on him. Severus gave a slight nod. "Is there anything you'd like to talk with me about? Anything you'd like to ask me?"

"I do not wish to make you uncomfortable," Severus responded.

"It won't upset me," Harry assured him. "You must have some questions," he sighed. "You look like you're ready to bolt at any second. Is there anything I can do to…help? Anything I can say?"

Severus paused before answering him. "Perhaps, if you showed me," he led.

"Well, I do have some photographs," Harry deliberately misunderstood.

Severus's face fell slightly. "I suppose that would be a start."

"Unless you had something else in mind," Harry straightened up on the couch.

Severus pressed his lips together, clearly deliberating whether or not he should ask Harry to see his memories. "I find it difficult to believe the Dark Lord is…gone," he settled on that piece of information, quite sure Harry wouldn't have any photographs of that nature lying around.

Harry brightened, pleased that Severus wasn't asking to see memories of the two of them right away. "I can show you my memories of that," he offered.

"Are you familiar with Legillimency?" Severus asked, going for his wand.

"Yes," Harry grimaced. "We don't use that with each other. It isn't very…pleasant. I've got a Pensieve, though." He stood and made his way to the other side of the room to a shut door. "It's in my office," he said as he opened the door and made his way inside.

Severus followed and once he was in the study, saw the Pensieve sitting on a stone column. Harry was already taking his wand and removing the silver-blue strands of memory from his temple and depositing them into the basin. Once he had finished, he replaced his wand in its holster and stepped back.

"All right," Harry gestured to the memories swirling in the Pensieve. "This is everything relevant I could think of. I can go in with you, or…" he trailed off awkwardly.

"I believe I would prefer to view your memories alone," Severus hoped Harry wouldn't be offended.

"Of course," Harry nodded politely. "I'll be…right here."

Severus stepped up to the stone basin and put his hands on either side, watching the memories float around in a thick mist. He glanced up at Harry for the barest of seconds before he lowered his head and fell into the first memory.

Severus landed on the grass on the grounds outside the castle. He was unsure of what he was supposed to be seeing, until he heard someone crying softly behind him. He nearly whipped out his wand until he reminded himself this was a memory and no one could attack him. He turned and saw a young girl being tended to by another.

"…I just want to go home…"

Severus couldn't hear what the other girl was saying. He sucked in a breath at the sight of the fire-red hair of the older student. He heard something by his side and he turned to see its source, but there was nothing there. Suddenly, he realized there was someone there, but they were invisible – either through a Disillusionment charm or some sort of cloak. He wasn't sure how he knew, but it was a memory, and he supposed it had something to do with that. He heard the person walking toward the Forbidden Forest, and he followed closely behind. Not too far into the forest, he saw the invisibility cloak come off and he blinked in disbelief when he saw a younger Harry standing in front of him. He saw Harry pull something out of his pocket and whisper unintelligible words before taking something out and flipping it in his hands a few times. The Harry-memory then began to talk as if there were people around him. What he was saying made little sense, but Severus noticed he was crying. Then Harry started walking again, deeper into the forest. Severus froze upon hearing two other voices – voices he recognized. He wanted to shout at Harry, to tell him that the two men speaking were Death Eaters. He knew that no good would come to Harry if he kept walking in their direction, but there was nothing he could do.

Finally, Harry came upon a clearing and Severus's blood ran cold when he saw the crowds of Death Eaters flanking the Dark Lord. The Dark Lord looked hideously disfigured compared to when Severus had seen him last. He had no clue as to how the man could have altered his appearance so drastically – or why. Severus realized he had missed the important parts of the conversation between Harry and the Dark Lord when he saw the latter raise his wand at the boy – who did not seem to be defending himself – and utter the Killing Curse, sending a streak of green light square into his chest.

Severus lurched forward as Harry's body was lifted up into the air, but the memory dissolved and Severus was taken into a second one, this time inside the Great Hall.

Harry and the Dark Lord were dueling atop one of the long tables in the Hall, and without warning, they both cried out curses at the same time, their wands connecting in a burst of light. Severus watched in awe as the young man slowly advanced on the Dark Lord, bringing the evil wizard to his knees. Suddenly, the green light of the Killing Curse was forced back into the Dark Lord's wand and he vaulted backwards, landing spread-eagle on the stone floor. Severus stood, rooted to the spot as he watched the entire Hall erupt into cheers as the pronouncement of death was made. The memory began to dissolve and Severus felt himself lifting out of the Pensieve.

"You died," Severus's voice held both awe and despair.

"I did," Harry nodded.

Severus shook his head in confusion. "I don't…"

"Sort of," Harry clarified. "Long story – for another day."

"He is truly gone, isn't he," Severus leaned against the desk for support.

"He is," Harry confirmed.

"I didn't see myself in the forest clearing," Severus narrowed his eyes.

"You weren't there," Harry nearly shrugged.

"I also did not see myself in the Great Hall," Severus tilted his head slightly, not relaxing his gaze.

"You weren't there, either," Harry put the memories back into his head with the tip of his wand.

"And I was not present at either location because…" Severus raised an eyebrow.

"You died," Harry finished bluntly.

Severus's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Sort of," Harry clarified again. "Long story – for another day," Harry hoped he could get away with that pronouncement twice.

"I think I should be allowed to hear that story now, if you don't mind," Severus stood up and crossed his arms in front of his chest, looking every bit the imposing professor.

Harry stifled a laugh. "All right," he acquiesced. "But over dinner, yeah? I'm famished."

Severus gave a quiet harrumph and followed Harry out to the dining nook where food appeared as they sat down. Harry immediately took a large spoonful of soup, but swallowed hastily at an incredulous glare from Severus, choking on the hot liquid.

"Right," Harry wiped the soup spray off of his shirt. "You eat, I'll talk."

Severus looked as if he had no intention of doing anything until he understood the circumstances surrounding his 'sort of' demise.

"Erm," Harry took a swig of juice to buy him some time. "You got bitten by a snake."

Severus's eyebrows shot into his hairline. Harry wiped the excess juice off his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Voldemort's snake," he added. Severus flinched at the use of the name, then his eyebrows raised even further in disbelief.

"The Dark Lord had a snake?" was all Severus could manage to get out.

"Yeah," Harry nodded, taking a bite of sandwich. Severus glared at him for taking the time to chew, so Harry swallowed noisily and took another gulp of juice. "Nagini. He had turned her into a horcrux." Harry thought Severus's eyebrows might disappear.

"The Dark Lord acquired a snake," he ticked the information off on his fingers. "He named that snake 'Nahgeenee,'" he drew out the pronunciation. "He turned it into a horcrux, and then it bit me?"

"Pretty much," Harry avoided eye contact as he began his pudding.

"I cannot believe I was careless enough to let myself be bitten by a snake," Severus shook his head arrogantly.

"You weren't," Harry spoke with a full mouth.

Severus looked at him with undisguised disdain.

Harry swallowed before he continued. "Voldemort," (Severus flinched) "ordered her to attack you."

Severus stilled, suddenly uncomfortable. "Ordered?"

"He," Harry began, but didn't want to try and explain the Elder Wand saga to Severus. "He thought he could get something important if he killed you. But instead of killing you himself, he made his snake bite you." Severus just stared at him. "She was really poisonous," Harry tacked on.

Severus looked like he wanted to roll his eyes and swat Harry on the side of the head. "I surmised as much. And I am assuming she was not poisonous, but venomous, since she bit me and I did not ingest her."

"Oh, right," Harry nodded, used to Severus correcting his misuse of words. He bent toward the table to finish off his pudding, but he saw Severus staring at him expectantly. "Oh," he sat up. "You almost died. I thought you died, actually. Turns out, you had a hidden portkey that took you to a private house and your elf took care of you. Saved your life. You were transferred to St. Mungo's after about a week so they could finish your healing."

"I have an elf?"

Harry nodded.

"And a private house?"

Harry nodded again.

"And these," Severus brought his hands to his throat, tracing the scars that lay there. "These are from the bite, then."

Harry nodded a third time.

"I thought I had gotten them through some other means, but now their strange shape is explained."

Harry almost nodded once more, but felt a bit ridiculous, so he settled on spooning his final bite of pudding into his mouth.

Severus stared at him with one eyebrow raised. "Do you always eat as though you have been starved for weeks on end?"

Harry laughed. "Pretty much."

Severus shook his head and rolled his eyes.

"You're always trying to improve my manners," Harry chukled, leaning back in his chair and shoving away from the table slightly.

"I was wondering," Severus began after he had swallowed a sip of his wine. "Perhaps I could see some other memories."

Harry shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

"There are some things I need to know," Severus continued. "If – if the counter potion does not work, I shall need your assistance to be able to live some semblance of a normal life."

"Are you sure it won't upset you?" Harry worried.

"No," Severus was honest. "But if I am to begin doing anything at all with some sense of normalcy, I shall have to at least be aware of the two decades missing from my mind."

Harry nodded in resignation and leaned forward, putting his elbows on the table and face in his hands. "You're probably right," he agreed. "Do you want to see some now? Or would you rather wait until tomorrow?"

"I believe the sooner I regain some understanding of the missing time, the better," Severus took another sip of wine.

Harry let out a long sigh. "All right. Well, finish your dinner and come into my study when you're done. I'll have some ready for you."

Severus watched as Harry walked out of the dining nook and noticed his shoulders were slightly hunched, as if he was trying to hide some sort of sadness about something. Severus wasn't sure what that might be. Short of seeing how he and Harry had become involved, the only other thing Severus wanted to personally witness before he fell asleep tonight was the death of Albus Dumbledore. He wasn't sure Harry had been there, so he may not even have a memory for Severus to see, and so he hadn't asked to see that memory first. He thought perhaps that might make things easier for Harry if he asked to see another memory that didn't involve their relationship. He took a final bite of his pudding and stood up from the table, making his way into Harry's study.