Dumbledore watched as Snape fell to his knees before him, his deep dark eyes pleading frantically for his help.
"Please, hide them all." The desperation trailed from his eyes, amplified as it coursed through body. It looked as though the younger wizard were in a pain worse than any physical infliction as he begged at his feet.
"And what will you give me in return?" Dumbledore eyed the man suspiciously, as though trying to determine the true intentions behind his actions.
"Anything."
Dumbledore pulled himself out of the pensive.
It didn't seem to matter how many times he watched this particular memory, his feelings never diminished, if anything they seemed to only grow stronger. That particular memory was one of his most defining ones, something he was only coming to realise more and more this past decade.
Had Snape truly meant anything?
He sighed as whisked the memory from the vortex with the tip of his wand before cascading it back into a small vial.
He slid the vial back onto the glass shelf that held the rest of his most precious memories.
He was running out of time.
*~.~*
"Detention Potter." Snape spat as he growled at the boy from across the classroom. Harry turned to face him, a mixture of disgust and injustice flashed across his eyes. It was that look that made Snape get out of bed in the mornings as a smirk crept across his sullen lips.
"Perhaps then you will be more forth coming."
Harry's attention returned to the potion he was attempting to brew. He had been in the class for five minutes and Snape had already assigned him a bloody detention.
Gods he hated that man. Where was Slughorn anyway? It was bad enough having Snape for DADA class, but this one as well?
And forthcoming? Forthcoming about what? How Ron had called him a greasy git no less than 12 times this morning alone?
How was that his problem? Because Ron was his best friend?
Ridiculous.
He pried open the pages of his Advanced Potion Making book and searched for today's assigned potion.
If he didn't like being called a greasy git then maybe he should do something about it.
*~.~*
It felt as though Harry had no sooner left the potions classroom than he was back there once more.
Only this time it was just him and Snape.
"Mr Potter."
Harry supposed this acknowledgement of his presence was also his greeting.
"Today you will be," Snape had no sooner began to assign a punishment as Professor McGonagall strolled into the class.
"Professor Snape. The headmaster wishes to see you. He said it was rather urgent." She stated before turning once more on her heel for the exit.
A flurry of irritation swept across Snape's eyes as he watched the Gryffindor head of house stride out of the class as quickly as she had entered.
"Don't think this gets out of detention Mr Potter. You will come back tomorrow night to serve your detention instead." He stated flatly as he pointed at Harry, making it clear he was speaking to him and no one else, despite the fact that the classroom was devoid of anyone else.
Damn it.
Harry resisted the urge to roll his eyes, just when he thought he had caught a lucky break.
Damn.
Of course Snape would still make him pay.
*~.~*
"You sent for me?" Snape raised an eyebrow as he stood in the doorway to Dumbledore's office, as though he were awaiting permission from the man to enter.
"Severus my dear." Albus smiled as he rose from behind his desk.
"Come in, I wish to speak to you about a rather private matter." Dumbledore's smile faltered slightly as he witnessed his potions professor seize up slightly at his words.
It was as though he suspected he were in trouble.
"Have a seat."
Snape nodded in acknowledgement before taking the seat offered to him. He expected Dumbledore to sit back down behind his desk but was surprised to find him rounding the side of it before occupying the space on the couch next to him.
"What is this about?" Snape tilted his head to the side slightly, doing his best to disguise the concern from his eyes.
"Has Potter complained about me?"
"No." Dumbledore stated, though a narrowing of his eyes made Snape wonder if he was going to ask 'why?'"
Dumbledore took a deep breath before sighing greatly.
"There is something that I have wanted to say to you for quite some time. However, I feel it will complicate things."
Now Snape was very curious and made no effort to hide this fact.
Snape opened his mouth to speak, yet it seemed words were now evading him.
"Now Severus, I have kept you close to my side for these years however, I must confess that my reasons for doing so are not entirely selfless." Dumbledore sighed as though his words carried the weight of the world ten times over.
"What are you trying to say?"
"What I am trying to say Severus is that I," The Headmaster began before stalling once more.
"You what?" Snape's eyes narrowed as the suspicion within them seemed to grow.
"I love you."
Whatever words Snape had expected to hear, they certainly weren't these.
Snape's face seemed to grow even paler, if that were indeed possible.
"I love you in a way that is entirely inappropriate."
If Snape didn't know what to say before, then he certainly didn't now.
No part of him had expected this, at all.
"Now, I understand these feelings will be entirely one sided." Dumbledore sighed once more as he rose to his feet before tracing his way across the office, as though hoping Snape would say something.
"Why are you telling me this now?"
"You know why Severus."
"No."
"Yes. The time is coming where you must do as we discussed."
"You're not making this any easier."
Only this time it was Dumbledore's turn to look confused.
"Whatever do you mean?"
"The day is quickly approaching where I will have to," But Snape's words ceased, it seemed a lump had formed in his throat.
"When you have to kill me." Dumbledore interjected, feeling that the ex-deatheater wouldn't be able to complete the sentence.
"Now I have to do it knowing that you for some reason or another find me attractive."
"What do you mean for some reason or another? You possess a lot of attractive qualities Severus."
"Hardly." Snape sighed as his eyes darted to the floor of the man's office.
Dumbledore strode over to the professor before reclaiming his place on the seat next to him.
"You are attentive, conscientious, fiercely loyal. All qualities the Dark Lord finds valuable, yet so do I." Dumbledore leaned closer to the professor, so close Snape thought he was threatening to kiss him.
"I couldn't die before telling you how I feel." Dumbledore offered the man a smile as he patted him reassuringly on the knee.
"You're the most powerful wizard and of all the other wizards out there, you find me interesting?" Snape seemed to be having trouble accepting that Dumbledore didn't just simply find him interesting like a cat finds a ball of yarn interesting, but that he loved him. His eyes narrowed as though trying to determine some logical explanation for this.
"Now Severus, I think it best be time you headed off to bed." The Headmaster smiled before rising to his feet and returning to the seat behind his desk.
Snape rose also before trailing slowly for the door. A few steps out he turned around to face the man he had known for the majority of his life.
"What did you hope to gain from telling me this?"
"Its as I said earlier, I wanted to tell you before I die."