A disclaimer: I don't own any characters, from the Harry Potter Series, just the ones I make up.

Harry Potter

Saving Lily

Chapter 6

***Severus Snape POV***

I sit at my desk as I grade, more harshly than I intend, the essays on the Weedosoros potion I had set for the fourth-years. I don't want to be reading these pathetic excuses for essays, but I must. If I had known Lily had been suffering in the hospital wing, I never would have assigned these monstrosities.

The gentle knock at my door causes a sigh of frustration to escape from my lips. I don't have time for distractions. I need to finish these bloody essays so I can get back to the hospital wing. I didn't like leaving Lily alone there for long in her current state and I have already been gone for several hours.

"Enter."

The frustration of a student interrupting me at this moment is slightly irritating, because it will delay me for a longer period of time. However, I will give the student the appropriate amount of attention that their need would require.

I do my best not to let anything hinder my duties as Head of Slytherin House, determined to be there for my students. My Slytherins need someone to help guide them and I am resolved to not let anyone else fill the position. On top of that, if Lily found out that I had let my duties slip because of her arrival, she would be tremendously upset with me.

When the door opens to reveal Albus Dumbledore, and not a student in need of my attention, I am on my feet instantly. The sight of him sends fear bursting through the pit of my stomach; it courses through my veins as the thought of something happening to Lily, especially while we are in such close proximity, races through my head.

"Headmaster! Is everything alright? Is Lily…?"

He holds his hand up in a calming gesture. "Relax Severus, everything with Mrs. Potter is as it should be."

I sink back into my seat in relief.

"In fact," he continues as he closes the door behind him, "Poppy believes that two more doses of the elixir that you have been brewing should suffice and Mrs. Potter should be well enough to be released from the infirmary soon."

I gaze at the Headmaster; they would be releasing her? Was that a wise decision? With the state she's in…

"I need to speak to you about Mrs. Potter's placement once Poppy thinks it's safe enough to let her go ."

"Headmaster, you aren't thinking of sending her to Petunia Dursley are you?"

A knowing chuckle escapes Albus Dumbledore's lips. "Of course not Severus, although that is an option."

"No." I say shortly, "It's not."

"I'm glad you feel that way," he says with his eyes twinkling. "I believe that the safest place for Mrs. Potter to reside at the moment is here at Hogwarts. But, alas, in her current state I feel it is unwise to leave her alone. A companion would be preferable and beneficial to her recovery."

"Albus , you are not suggesting…"

His smile widens as he nods, "I took the liberty of having a few of Mrs. Potter's things placed in your chambers."

All I can do is stare at the headmaster in dismay. How could this man possibly believe that any of that was a good idea? The whole plan was ludacris, pure idiocy. Lily would never agree to it.

"But, headmaster, I don't think..."

Dumbledore looks at me from over the top of his half-moon spectacles. "Unless, of course, you would prefer that I send Mrs. Potter to stay with her sister Petunia?"

"No!" I grind through my teeth. "Of course not!"

His eyes twinkle once again. "Then it's settled. I will get professor Slughorn to take over your classes for a few days after Mrs. Potter is released from Poppy's care, so you can help her get settled into her new surroundings."

With that, Albus Dumbledore sweeps from my office before I can say another word or come up with a solid reason as to why Lily staying with me is a bad idea. I already know my still being considered an "active" death eater to the Dark Lord is not going to be enough to dissuade the headmaster from this decision. Knowing Albus, the old man probably believes that my already being a death eater is what makes her staying with me the safest option. The Dark Lord probably would not expect me to be harboring a desired fugitive directly under his nose like that. I close my eyes, pinching the bridge of my nose, and rub small circles with my thumb and index finger.

After that fiasco of a conversation, I begrudgingly finish grading the rolls of parchment on my desk. It takes me another hour and a half to get it completed and by that point, I am fuming.

Frustratedly dropping my quill back into its proper place, I exhale deeply. Stretching my arms and legs a little as I flex my ink stained fingers a few times before standing. With that daunting task complete, I roll my shoulders to release the growing tension and emerge from my office. It's past time for my visit with Lily and I don't like leaving her alone for too long in the hospital wing. Which I feel as though I have already done as it is already well past lunch time. My feet carry me down to the infirmary quickly, this way I am no longer hindered by more interruptions. My conversation with Albus Dumbledore is still in the forefront of my mind.

After I close the curtain behind me I stare down at Lily as the sight of her causes all of my tension to fall away. I conjure a chair. Poppy offered to leave me one but it is just as easy to conjure the chair for when I am present so that it remains out of the matrians way when she comes to tend to Lily's needs.

My brows furrow at the sight of the untouched tray that sits on the nightstand. It is well past lunch time. I gaze down at Lily's sleeping form and ponder the thought of waking her and encouraging her to eat at least some of her meal. But, since it's growing closer to dinner time, she might prefer something that is being served then. According to Poppy, food has not been high on Lily's priority list; in fact, she hasn't really touched a meal since she woke up in the Hospital Wing.

I reach out to move several copper strands from her face as the realization about the conversation we will have starts to sink in slowly, causes me to hesitate. What is she going to say when she wakes up and finds out that she and I are going to be sharing my tiny quarters? My racing thoughts slowly start to consume my mind as all her response scenarios grow worse as they form within my head.

The sound of Poppy opening the curtain to collect the untouched tray startles me from my erratic thoughts. The look of concern on the matron's face sends a chill down my spine.

"Madam Pomfrey," I turn from Lily and gaze into the infirmary wing's matran's concerned eyes. "How long has she been asleep?"

She frowns at me, "A lot longer than I would like. The sleeping draft I gave her should have worn off long before now."

"Sleeping draft?"

She nods, "Yes, she has some pretty rough nights. Sometimes they're so bad that she scares the children, so I give her a light sleeping draft to help her rest peacefully. Last night was particularly bad. I have checked all her vitals and they all come back normal. The poor thing she must have really worn herself out."

I can feel the anger boiling in the pit of my stomach. I grit my teeth as I try to suppress it. "Why was I not informed?"

Poppy watches me closely, "It's nothing that I can't handle, but if you wish to be informed I will do so next time. My apologies Professor Snape."

When I turn to gaze back at Lily, I can see the perspiration forming on her forehead but she remains motionless. When I reach out making contact with her arm to try and wake her; I try to suppress the panic clawing its way from the pit in my chest. Upon contact she jumps flinching away from my ink stained fingers. Slowly her eyes snap open and she stares unseeing at my hand for a long moment. Once the sleepy daze clears from her eyes she relaxes under my fingers.

"Bad dream?"

She doesn't respond but her eyes remain focused on where my hand rests against the skin of her arm. I quickly pull away unsure if the contact is a welcome one. The moment my fingers leave her skin her emerald eyes meet my black ones. I carefully reach out to touch her hair when she doesn't pull away or indicate that she doesn't desire me to do so I run my fingers down her hair comfortingly, "It's okay. Oh, I almost forgot…"

I reach into my pocket and pull out a red box that is decorated in gold, blue and little tear drop designs that are strategically placed to resemble three pedals on one side of a flower. "I brought you a Cauldron Cake. If memory serves they were your favorite."

Lily's eyes drop from mine and peer down at the decorative box, her fingers twitch as she slowly reaches up with a tremble to take the box I hold out to her. The trembling is probably a residual effect from her dream. Lily sits it in her lap and a small smile touches the corners of her mouth as she gently runs her fingers over the lid of the box. She doesn't open it.

I can't stop the sigh of relief at the sight of the smallest indication of joy seeping onto her face. She looks back up at me and the flicker dissipates as fast as it has come. Her thumbs however still absentmindedly run themselves over the top and edges of the box. I run my fingers through my hair as I watch her carefully.

Within the next few days Lily and I could be sharing quarters, this makes my heart clench apprehensively. The thought of knowing her reaction tugs at something deep within. A fear that I am not entirely sure that I am ready to face, but it is something that I must do now before I possibly lose my nerve. I have seen many things within the company of the Dark Lord and while working for Dumbledore. This is something that feels entirely out of my astuteness.

Exhaling slowly I brace myself as I cross the boundary that I will never be able to uncross. This decision will open me up to someone on an entirely new level, and that possibility is unnerving.

"Lily, you are recovering well. I am so relieved. I've been told that you will be released from Madam Pomfrey's care in the next few days. I was wondering if Dumbledore spoke to you about what would happen after you were released from the matron's care."

She nods as I continue, "If you would rather stay with your sister Petunia, I understand."

I avert my black eyes from her emerald ones as I murmur, "But, just know that my quarters, at Hogwarts, may be small and my home on Spinner's End might be run down, not what you're used to, but my home is open to you should you want to stay with me."

I can feel the embarrassment rise from the depth of my stomach as I refuse to meet her eyes again. What am I thinking? She'll never want to stay with me. Dumbledore is out of his mind. I climb to my feet and prepare to flee with my dignity intact when I feel cool fingers incircle themselves around my own. I turn to gaze at Lily's hand as it clings to my own before I meet her eyes.

"I can stay with you?" her voice questions quietly, a little distant. "Please."

I give her hand a gentle reassuring squeeze, "Of course."

"Thank you, Sev."

Something inside me swells as it seeps beneath my flesh. It starts from where her fingers encoil themselves around my own. It spreads through me entirely and the edges of my mouth turns up ever so slightly. Something that hasn't happened in a very long time.

"You're welcome, Lily."

A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter everyone! I would like to think my beta WrathofMacy for all of her work on this chapter! Until next time everyone! Please review and have a great day!