A disclaimer: I don't own any characters, from the Harry Potter Series, just the ones I make up.
Harry Potter
Saving Lily
Chapter 8
***Lily's POV***
Tears drip from my eyes and slide softly down the flesh of my cheeks. The beating heart in my chest feels like it is going to rupture within its confines, Peeves' words echoing in my head. Every single condolence I had received thus far replays on a loop as my legs falter beneath me. I should have braced myself for impact, but I didn't care. This simply cannot be my new reality. There must be some kind of mistake. James and Harry have to be somewhere waiting for me to find them. They have to be somewhere waiting for me.
Just as the ground rushes to meet me, I find myself being ensconced in warm arms. I clench my eyes shut. I want the arms to belong to my husband. I need James. How am I ever going to recover from my greatest loss without him? We should be together. My whole family should be together. Now, I am alone. Entirely alone. I don't want to be alone. This has to be a mistake. This is all just some sick, twisted joke. Some sort of lingering dream that is overstaying its unwanted welcome.
I look up with an unfocused gaze and meet the hazel eyes of my husband; when I blink again those hazel eyes morph into black.
***Severus POV***
"Lily, hold on," I say softly as I easily bear her weight in my arms. I gently help her to her feet and take hold of her hand again. I lead her over to the hidden door to my chambers, and with an inarticulate spell the door swings open to allow us entrance.
Once I carefully guide Lily inside, I kick the door closed behind me as I lead her over to the sofa and encourage her to sit on one of its cushions. Her tears pull so hard at my heart strings that I fear they will snap and I will die before I can even begin to try and help her.
I rub my hands together awkwardly as I pull in a strangled breath. She is in this kind of pain because of me. I am the reason she is suffering now.
"How about some tea?" I ask as I flee to the kitchen before she can respond.
With a wave of my wand, the kettle fills itself with water and comes to rest on one of the burners. I slowly walk over and turn the knob that ignites the burner.
I lean against it with my hands resting on either side of the stove. I inhale deeply. The look of pure, unadulterated pain on her face replays in my head and eats away at my mangled soul. I slam the palm of my head against the edge of the stove as I curse profusely in my head. What have I done? This was not what I wanted. I did not want her to hurt like this. I never wanted to break her heart, and now I have done so twice. Why in the hell did Dumbledore believe it was a good idea for her to be here with me? I can't wrap my mind around it.
The whistle of the tea kettle startles me as the hot steam billows from its spout. I flip the stove off but stand there breathing deeply before I straighten my stance and prepare the two cups of tea. Once I add just enough milk and honey to Lily's cup, I grab the saucers and take them back to the living room where Lily is waiting.
She is still sitting in the same place that she was in when I fled. Her tear-streaked face gnawing at me as her red-rimmed green eyes find my own. I hold the tea out to her as I shift my gaze away. When she doesn't move to take it, I set mine down on the side table next to my chair and hold the cup out to her again.
"You haven't been eating, please at least have some tea."
I look at her, raising my eyebrow as she opens her mouth, probably to protest my statement, before she closes it again. Slowly, she reaches up and takes it from me. She sits the saucer in her lap as she holds the steaming cup with both her hands. She inhales its scent as I move to sit in my green armchair.
When she doesn't move to take a drink from the cup I frown. "Please? It's your favorite."
She looks at me briefly before gazing down at the dark golden steaming liquid in her cup. She slowly brings it to her lips before sipping it.
Her eyes widen in surprise. "This is exactly how I like it."
"I know," I say as I take a draft of my own tea. At least she was getting some kind of nutrients in her even, if it was predominantly sugar. It is better than nothing.
"How on earth do you remember how I take my tea? It's been what, 4 years since we've…" she lets the words die on her lips as her eyes drop back down to the contents of her cup.
I suppress a grimace at the thought. "I just do." I say finally. "You've always liked things a little too sweet."
"And you've always liked things a little too bitter, " she rebuttals in a murmur. I can't hide the smile that touches my lips at her words. For a second I saw a flicker of the Lily that I once knew. She's still there, just buried deep within her sorrow. I fear if I can't reach her soon she may drown in it.
For a moment, our eyes met and the glimmer of hope that I felt in her tone fades away. The sadness is once again consuming her. Her eyes slowly slide away from mine.
"Thanks for letting me stay here," she says slowly, "I know it's an inconvenience."
"Not at all," I say slowly as I set the cup down on the side table. "You can stay here as long as you like."
Stay forever.
"We can go to Diagon Alley if there is something you need. I have an extra room in my home you can stay in when we don't have to remain at the castle. I normally go home on the nights I don't have to stay on the grounds."
She nods slowly and I can see her slipping away again. "Lily, you know you can talk to me about how you feel, don't you?"
She didn't look at me for a long moment before she finally nodded, to my great relief. I couldn't really ask for much. We've not been friends, to my devastation, since fifth-year.
I clear my throat before standing. "Let me show you where you will be sleeping; your things should already be there waiting for you."
She places her cup on the dark wood coffee table, nodding as she stands. I led her to one of the doors off the living room. "This will be your room while we are at the castle."
As I thought, Lily's belongings are in a suitcase on the bed. "Please make yourself at home here Lily. If you need anything do not hesitate to ask me."
"Thanks Sev."
The sound of my nickname on her lips sends an involuntary shiver down my spine.
"Where is your room?"
I swallow hard, she is not going to like my answer.
"This is your room, isn't it?"
I nod, "It is. I will be sleeping on the couch if you need anything."
"Sev, I can't take your bed…"
"Lily," I say reassuringly, "You are not taking anything. I am offering it to you. Please accept the one thing I can offer you."
A/N: There you go everyone! I hope you liked the chapter! I would like to think my beta WrathofMacy for her work on this chapter! I also want to let my readers know that I will not be able to update again until probably December. No to worry though! I will be back! My stories will not be forgotten! Until next time! Please review and have a great day!