Don't Own

Please R&R

Enjoy!

…

Harry stood stiffly beside the pensive, staring down into its swirling depths but not really seeing anything.

His knees felt weak and he could feel his chest tighten.

He was going to die.

He had to die. If a piece of Voldemort's soul lived inside him then he had to die so that Voldemort could die. For all the people downstairs, in the castle, fighting for their lives, he had to die to protect them, so that no one else ended up like Fred.

He had made a promise to Lesley; he promised he would make the world a safer one for her to live in. This was how he had to do it. If it meant that she would live a better, happier life, he would do it. He would die for her.

Harry felt a light pressure on his shoulder and heard Severus' voice behind him, asking "Harry?"

He spun around; he had totally forgotten that Severus was in the room.

Severus let his arm drop to the side as Harry looked at him as though he had never seen him before.

Harry stared at Severus. The man had given up his life in order to protect Harry. Yes, he had made a mistake when he gave Voldemort the details of the prophecy, but he had truly regretted it and spent the rest of his life making up for it.

He had risked his life on many occasions to save Harry's. He had put himself in harm's way to spy for the light, and had even killed his mentor to make sure it was the light who triumphed.

He was a true hero, and he was the man that Harry loved.

Harry felt tears form in his eyes as he flung himself forward and wrapped his arms around Severus' neck. He buried his face in Severus' robes and relaxed as he felt the older man pull him closer.

"Oh Severus" Harry sobbed, his voice muffled by Severus' robes.

"Harry…" Severus breathed out, his arms tightening around the boy.

They stood in each other's' arms for a long time.

Harry pulled back first "I love you" he said and then he rested his forehead against Severus'.

"I love you too" Severus whispered back.

After a moment of silence Harry said quietly "I have to die."

Severus stiffened "I wouldn't think badly of you if you decided to run away instead."

"No…" Harry said and a tear ran down his cheek "No, I have to do this."

Severus sighed as he used the pad of thumb to wipe away Harry's tear "I knew you were going to say that, foolish Gryffindor."

Harry smiled sadly up at Severus "Snarky Slytherin."

The room grew silent again, and then Harry whispered "I'm scared."

Severus held him tighter "I know…but I'll be with you."

"What?" Harry asked, confused.

"I'll go with you," Severus said "I'll be by your side; I'm not going to let you walk to your death alone."

"But you can't!" Harry said stepping back in horror "He'll kill you!"

"Harry," Severus said pulling the boy back to him "I don't care. Once you…" his voice cracked "With you gone, I'll have nothing left to live for."

"That's not true!" Harry said, groping for something in his pocket.

"But it is…" Severus began but Harry cut him off.

"It isn't," Harry insisted as he thrust the golden watch that the Weasley's had given him into Severus' hand. "That's what you have to live for!"

Severus looked down at the pocket watch, and then looked back up at Harry, his brows furrowed.

Harry rolled his eyes and reached over to open the watch. "That," he said holding the picture up for Severus to see "is Lesley Morgan Potter Snape, your daughter, and believe me, she is worth living for."

Severus was shocked; he gaped at the picture, and then took it from Harry's hands to get a better look at it. The little girl was smiling in Harry's arms as she looked up out of the picture. Her brilliant green eyes a perfect match to her father's, who was smiling beside her.

"My daughter…" Severus said with a shaky breath.

"Yes your daughter," Harry said "and you need to go on living for her, because I won't be there and I don't want her growing up with the absence of two parents. I know what that was like Severus, and I don't want her going through it. If I can't be there for her, at least you can."

Severus still looked to be in disbelief "My daughter," he said again, and then his eyes widened "I have a daughter…we have a daughter."

"Yes," Harry said, a little worried now about Severus' reaction. He hadn't even stopped to think about how Severus would take it, because up until a few minutes ago he never thought he would tell Severus. He didn't know if the other man even wanted kids because they had never talked about it. Harry bit his lip as he looked at the older man; he hoped Severus would be okay with this.

"Severus?" Harry questioned.

Severus' eyes flew to him and then he pulled Harry to him again "We have a daughter…" he said and then leaned down to passionately kiss Harry.

Harry felt like his lips were on fire, he hadn't even realized how much he had missed the feel of Severus' lips against his, and he kissed back eagerly.

When Severus did pull away he had tears in his eyes.

Harry looked at him worriedly "What is it?" he asked.

"I'm sorry," Severus said "I'm sorry I didn't know…and what you must have gone through, having to go through it alone. I'm sorry I wasn't there."

"Severus please don't do this," Harry said forcefully "I understand why you couldn't be there. You've been protecting me all along, and you shouldn't feel bad. I don't want you to feel bad, ever."

"Right," Severus stated, looking away for a second.

"So…" Harry began "You'll look after her?"

Severus looked back at him "Of course," he said intensely.

Harry nodded and blinked a few times, he felt like he wanted to cry but wouldn't let himself.

"She's nine months now," Harry said as he thought of his daughter's smiling, happy face "and she's living with Bill and Fleur at Shell Cottage. I wish I could be there for her but I understand what I must do to give her the life she deserves."

Harry sniffed, unable to hold back, and tears ran down his cheeks.

"Harry," Severus said sadly, holding a hand out to him.

But Harry didn't take it; instead he stepped away from Severus and walked back to Dumbledore's desk.

Wiping his eyes, Harry searched the desk for a quill and parchment.

"Bill and Fleur won't be pleased to see you since they believe, along with everyone else, that you killed Dumbledore. So it's not like they're just going to welcome you into their home, they don't even know that you are Lesley's other father. So I'll write them a letter and sign it with my magical signature, and you can give them your memories. Hopefully that will be enough" Harry said as he found what he was looking for and began writing the letter.

Severus moved closer to him as he wrote.

"Ron and Hermione are her godparents, and I'm sure they'll want to be in her life. I want them to be in her life" Harry looked up at Severus as he said this, and gave him a stern look.

"Of course," Severus said.

Harry nodded and looked back down. He finished writing the letter and then folded it back up and handed it to Severus.

Harry took a deep breath "I want our daughter's life to be filled with love. I want her to be raised to be a good person, and always see the good in other people. I want her to be raised without prejudice, I want her to feel accepted and loved no matter what. Whether she grows up to be in Slytherin, Gryffindor or even Hufflepuff."

Harry was breathing hard now and a fierceness shone from his eyes "Do you think you can do that?"

"Yes," Severus said.

"Okay…" Harry said and then allowed Severus to pull him into his arms again.

"Severus?" Harry asked.

"Yes?" Severus inquired, waiting for Harry to speak.

"You'll let her know that I loved her right, that she was the best thing that ever happened to me?" Harry asked.

Severus felt his heart breaking "Of course I will Harry."

Harry nodded "Thanks."

Again they stayed silent for a long moment.

Harry wished he could stop time and stay wrapped in Severus' embrace forever, but he knew he couldn't, and he knew if he stayed there much longer he wouldn't be able to leave at all.

Harry's hands wove into Severus' hair and he pulled the man down for a brief kiss, trying to put everything he felt for the man into it.

Then he pulled away "I need to go" he said.

Severus shook his head "No," he said quietly.

"Yes Severus, I have to" Harry mumbled and he began to walk away.

Severus reached out and grabbed his hand, pulling Harry back "I love you" he said again, kissing Harry with passion.

Harry moaned into the kiss, before making himself pull away again. Harry reached out his hand and ran it down Severus' cheek.

Then, without another word, he made his way to the office door and left quietly.

Severus just stared after him.

Harry's heart was beating wildly in his chest as he made his way down the spiral staircase. At the bottom of the staircase Harry stopped and closed his eyes. He forced himself to open the link with Voldemort' mind and figure out his location.

He saw that Voldemort was standing in the Dark Forest; a few of his followers surrounded him.

Harry let out a deep breath and closed the link. Then he took one last look at the gargoyle that guarded the office and threw his invisibility cloak over himself and began to make his way to the Dark Forest.

The castle looked to be in shambles as he walked through the corridors. They were crumbling around him and a few people ran past him fighting.

Harry stunned a few Death Eaters as he walked, but didn't join in the battle other than that. He already had his mission.

When Harry got to the Great Hall he decided to take a quick look in before making his way outside.

As Harry looked in he realized that it was the room they were bringing the injured and dead. Madame Promfrey was bustling around trying to help people, while two older students stood guard at the doors.

Harry saw Fred's body lying off to the side, and then with a gasp saw Remus and Tonks' beside it.

Harry felt like someone had stabbed a dagger into his heart, and he began to feel numb all over again.

Harry backed out of the room; he couldn't bear to look at their lifeless bodies.

His conviction to end everything was only strengthened when he thought of little Teddy growing up without his parents, and he clutched his wand tight to his side.

He would do what he had to do, and soon everything would be over.