Twilight was beginning to fall and the sky was turning a subterranean shade of azure. Angelina's eyes gazed unfocused on the jade green of the faraway hills as she quietly mused,

"Do you ever wonder when this peace will be broken?" Her question caught his attention and quickly brought him out of the contentment of a moment before.

"What makes you ask that?" A strange sadness overcame him. It was if the blackness of reality had finally found his light. Since Angelina had come to Hogwarts a tiny ray of light had begun to break down the stone wall that Severus had long ago erected around his emotions. For the first few weeks he had forced himself to take no notice of the feeling that her smile gave him but now there was no denying it. Not that anything would come of it. Severus would not let his thoughts even stray to that dangerous land of wishful thinking. Not that he could control his dreams.

"Blimey, I dunno. I have this feeling that… You know that sense of foreboding that you get sometimes? Like you're just certain that something bad is going to happen soon? Not just bad, like an argument with a friend, or something like that, but actually horrible. Ever since the accident with Madame, I've had that feeling. That her death was just the beginning. You know how in music they have crescendos? Where the music is soft and pleasant and hardly worth noticing but then, before you know it, it grows into an obscenely loud frenzy of discordant sounds? I feel like we're at the beginning of one and we'll be at forte sooner than we know it." Her voice trailed off quietly as she continued to ponder the perilous future. Although eerie, Severus thought her description of the situation was amazingly accurate, not to mention eloquent. Struggling to keep his tone steady and calm, he attempted to placate her fears by directly addressing the horror that they both knew she had been referring to.

"I think it will be better than last time. We have more knowledge of what He's doing and we are much better prepared." And if I do my job right, less people will die this time. Angelina finally turned from the hills and gave him a small grin.

"You don't have to try and make me feel better. I'm a big girl." Their previous conversation was quickly pushed to the back of his mind as she turned her body to face him completely. The speed at which she could change temperaments never ceased to amaze, or excite him. She looked up at him, her eyes now clear and earnest.

"I'm sorry I'm being such a downer. We might as well be happy while we can, and honestly Severus… can I tell you something?" her voice was quiet, and almost, but not quite, a tad bit coy. Her face was so close to his that he could almost count her eyelashes, feel her warmth, touch her lips with his own. Yet he controlled himself and answered just as quietly,

"Of course."

Her answer amazed him, shocked him to his very core, for as much as he had come to terms with his own feelings, he had never even dared to wonder how she felt.

"You make me happy, Severus."

Her words remained in the room long after the sound had disappeared. For one of the very first times in his life, Severus threw caution to the wind.

"Lina…" His hand grazed her shoulder lightly. Angelina could feel goosebumps rise along her arm at his touch. The light material of her robe slid off her shoulder as his fingers continued to move against her skin. She looked up at him shyly. His eyes were dark, full of an emotion that she wouldn't even dream of guessing at. He moved slowly down toward her trembling lips. He touched his lips to hers softly. They slowly broke away, both of their cheeks flushed with passion. Unable to resist, he lifted her chin and indulged in her lips yet again. She leaned her body into his; the feel of his strength took her breath away. His hands moved down to her waist and gripped her tightly as their kiss deepened. They separated slowly and Severus began to open his mouth to explain himself. His voice was low and quiet.

"I'm sorry, I..." Angelina held up a soft finger to his mouth and pressed her face to his chest and held him. Severus felt as though he were dreaming. Never in his life had he ever felt so much emotion. Holding her in his arms was like holding happiness. It was at this moment that Severus completely realized what he had, what he felt. There was no way that his life would ever be the same. Every worry, every problem that he had to deal with on a daily basis melted away in this moment and he only knew one thing. He wanted to be with Angelina Johnson for the rest of his days.