Chapter Nine
Nearly two weeks later, I needed to see her. I had to know I hadn't missed any pieces of information. I sent a message again to her, asking her to Floo to my private chambers. When the Floo opened, there stood Ginny Weasley, covered in soot! I don't recall anything ever looking as stunning as her.
"Severus!" she smiled as she waved her wand, cleaning herself up.
I rose from my chair and she threw herself into my arms. "How have you been?" I asked.
She didn't reply, but stood on her tiptoes and kissed me deeply. It was hot and purposeful, and my need for her was great. I wanted to feel and touch every inch of her. For the first time ever, I made love to her. I touched and caressed her, taking my time to memorize every square inch of her. We both enjoyed every nerve that was touched by the other. We even achieved orgasm at the same moment! We can fuck hard in a while, but she will return home before dawn.
As we recovered, I chose to alert her. "Ginny, I need you to hear me."
"What is it?" she asked.
"When the end comes, if it goes badly, believe me you can and should trust…"
"Snape! Snape! Potter's in Hogsmeade!" Carrow's voice came, along with him banging on the door that connects my quarters and my office.
I jumped up and quickly started dressing. Ginny did the same.
"Stay here," I ordered.
"I can't!" she yelled in a whisper.
I glared at her and pointed to the bathroom door. "Get in there then," I ordered.
She scooped up her clothing, entered the bathroom, and closed the door. I then stepped out into my office.
Ginny's POV
I waited until I heard the door connecting the rooms close and rushed to it, pushing my ear against it.
"The alerts went off all over the village! They haven't been located, but there was also a break-in in the Lestrange's bank vault. He's coming here, the Dark Lord is sure of it!"
I could hear the rumble of Severus speaking, but he always spoke at the same level; low. The damn English oak door was too dense to hear his reply. I then heard the other door slam, so I came away from the door, which then opened. "I have to go. Stay here or return home!" Severus explained.
"If he's on his way here, I have to see him!" I hadn't seen Ron since Bill's wedding. I had been so worried about him and Hermione and Harry, but Ron mostly.
Severus got a weird look that told me he wasn't happy, I knew that much. "Fine, go to him like you have wanted for so long," he spat at me. I didn't understand his anger.
Ron's my brother and I needed to see him. Severus could pout all he wanted. I turned on my heel and raced to dress. When I stepped out of the bathroom, Snape was messing with bottles in his desk drawer. I was mad at him for not understanding, so I didn't speak a word; I just bolted out and headed to the Room of Requirement.
When I stepped into the Room, I first saw Harry. "Harry!" I did care about him, perhaps more than I cared to admit. Along with having feelings for Harry for six years, I knew that Harry's whereabouts went hand in hand with Ron. Ron was mumbling something and Seamus stated that Harry was all I had wanted. They don't understand that getting word about Harry was word about Ron and I was more likely to hear about Harry than Ron.
"What is it, Ginny?" Neville asked.
"Snape knows. He knows that Harry was spotted in Hogsmeade!"
Later, I stood silently and watched as Snape dueled with Professor McGonagall. How no one noticed him deflecting her spells from himself and causing them to hit the Carrows will remain a mystery to me for years to come.
That night, I lost my brother Fred and a number of friends, but hearing Harry say Snape died killed me. It hurt so much! He was gone! I would never hear his voice again! I would never feel his rough hand as he stroked my cheek. I would never again smell the unique odor of sandalwood and a Potions lab that was his.
I recall, after it was all over, sitting with my head on Mum's shoulder. I don't know how much later it was, but I wanted to feel close to Severus one last time. I needed to be alone in the place that we were so often alone. His sheets would still hold his scent. In his quarters, I could feel close to him one more time. I made my way out of the Great Hall. I wanted to get to Severus' room. Perhaps I could take something to remember him by.
When I stepped out of the Great Hall, Hermione, Kingsley, and another man I didn't know were coming into the castle with Snape's body. I gasped at the sight.
Hermione came over to me. "I didn't think he should rot in the shack, but he's not dead, not fully. They're going to take him to the hospital wing."
He wasn't dead! Relief washed over me. He didn't look good, though. He looked pale, even for him. I felt my hand cover my mouth to hide a sob or gasp, I'm not sure which. I walked away from Hermione and followed the men.
Madam Pomfrey and the rest of the school staff all knew how much time I had spent in his office this year, so not one of them questioned me sitting at his bedside. When no one was around, I sat on the bed, holding tightly to his hand and stroking his cheek, praying for him to be alright. "Severus, it's all over. We won! Tom's gone! You're free!" I whispered to him, hoping it would give him the will to live. I knew we had a plan if Tom won, but we never dreamed to speak about what would happen if we won. "Don't worry; I will make sure they all know you were on our side," I vowed.
At one point, he called out, "Lily." I still stayed. I heard Harry talk about Snape loving Harry's mother, Lily. I realized that she was the love he spoke of the night we made our plans if Voldemort won. I realized that I would never compare to her. The idea hurt, but I stayed.
I stayed there for two days. Harry finally came by to see Snape. "They said you've been here since he was brought in."
"I spent a lot of time working in his office this year," I stated.
"He was likely protecting you because you reminded him of my mother," Harry surmised. He didn't know that Severus had called out for his mother. Harry didn't know he was causing a wound.
I spent time reflecting on the facts I had heard about Snape's love of Lily Evans Potter. I could see how I was like her; a redhead, a Gryffindor, and, always hearing how Harry looked like his father, perhaps seeing me with Harry also caused him to think of Lily every time he looked at me. I started to think that perhaps I was just a convenient substitute, which also hurt.
"Ginny, do you think we could start over again?" Harry asked as we both sat at Severus' bedside.
I looked at him blankly. "Harry," I whispered, "It's not the time for that."
I heard the healer that was working with Madam Pomfrey say that if Severus woke up, he would make it. "Severus, please come back to me," I begged an hour or so later. I finally felt purposeful movement; he was coming around! He was coming back to me! The relief hit me like waves. I called for the healer. I was pushed out of the way while the healer checked him out. Harry had heard he was awake and came to see him too. Once he was checked over, Harry was permitted to be bedside first. The savior of our world would get priority over all others, I had thought sarcastically.
I couldn't hear what they said to each other. My eyes remained locked on the shielded area around his bed. It seemed to take forever for Harry to step back out. When he did, Harry didn't close it. As he walked over to me, I saw some Aurors approach the healers.
"Ginny," Harry said as he touched my cheek, "Your mum is worried that you haven't come home."
The Aurors stepped in and closed the curtains again.
"I can't, not yet."
Harry smiled at me. "You came to care for him, didn't you?" he asks.
"Harry, this year - you don't yet fully understand what it was like. He kept me, all of us, as safe as he could without blowing his cover. I have to talk to him." I wasn't ashamed of what had happened between Severus and myself, but I understood how private a person he was. I refused to betray the trust he had placed in me. "Tell Mum I'll be home once I'm done here. I still need to talk to Luna and Neville, too."
"Neville's still here, but Luna went home with her dad. They need some time together."