Truths and True Loves
THRUTHS AND TRUE LOVES
Disclaimer : All the characters belong to J.K. Rowling. This story is just a different take on the defeat of the dark lord, among other things. It's also my take on the fact that J.K. Rowling said that Snape would redeem himself in book four. Here it is. I hope you enjoy, Athena

I glance at the young man next to Percy, Neville Longbottom. Percy has his arm around the man, holding the shivering body close to him. My heart aches at the love that I see between them.

I turn my eyes now to the two figures on the other side of Harry. Once she got over the initial shock, Hermione has been very comforting to me. But, she is now holding her love's hand. I wonder at the grief that fills Draco's face. I notice that all along he really did understand my love. I'm glad that Hermione is there to comfort him now.

My eyes roam across from me to the rest of my family. My mother is standing in my father's arms. The twins are for once looking serious, and I exchange a grateful look with them. I had pleaded for the last two days with them to be serious at this funeral. Then, I turn my tear-stained eyes to Bill and Charlie. Their red hair is billowing in the slight wind, contrasting greatly with the dark black suits they wear. Neither has been completely supportive of me, but then again, neither has been negative either.

I refuse to let tears fall. I won't let that happen. It's the least that I can do for my lost love. But, when my eyes catch the beautiful wood casket, I have to try extremely hard not to break down and sob.

Finally, Professor Dumbledore and McGonagall arrive. He locks his eyes with mine, and I notice that the usual twinkle is replaced with sorrow and regret and sympathy towards me. As I look into those deep eyes, my mind starts to wander.

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"Detention, Miss Weasley," the cold voice bit into my mind. I shivered at the coldness and uncaring in that voice.

"Yes, Professor," I murmured back.

But, when I arrived at the dungeons that night, the man that met me was not the same coldhearted man that I knew. His voice was soft and his eyes were brimming with tears.

"What's wrong Professor?" I asked worriedly, rushing to his side.

He just stared at the letter in his hands. He couldn't seem to find his voice. His body shook with a sob, and I laid a tentative hand on his shoulder.

"Please, tell me what's wrong," I pleaded with him. His dark eyes raised to meat mine, and he lost himself. He burst into thick sobs, and I wrapped my arms around him, not completely sure why.

That night, Severus Snape poured his heart out to me. He told me of his old best friend, who was just killed by the dark lord for Severus's mistakes. I held him that night, and I took his heart. I wasn't sure why, but this death seemed to change him.

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I shake my head, trying not to remember that night. I force myself to look over the other faces in the crowd. Most of them were Slytherins and wizards who had worked on our side during the defeat of the dark lord. I shiver again, despite the warm weather, and let my mind wander back to better times.

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I woke early, to the feel of hot breath on my cheek. I opened my eyes and gazed up at the passionate eyes that met mine.

"Severus," I protested.

"Shh, my Ginny. Let me love you, this is the last time until next September. Please," Severus pleaded even as his hands traced my body in that loving touch he always used.

I giggle. "Oh, I love you so much," I manage to get out before being drowned in the love of the man next to me.

Hours later, we forced ourselves to take showers and quickly dress. I looked at my packed trunk, which stood by the door of Severus's rooms, and tears filled my eyes. Severus came to me, and wrapped his arms around me.

"I'll always be here, my love. Write if you need anything. Actually, make sure write even if you don't need anything. I'm going to miss you so much. But, we must be strong, my love," he whispered to me, whipping my tears away.

"I don't know how I'm going to do this without you. Three whole months sleeping alone, waking up to silence, cold and darkness. I don't know how I'm going to do it," I whispered back.

"This will be the last time, love. Once you finish school next year and you've graduated, we're going to escape. I'm going to take you for my bride, and you're never going to have to wake up alone again."

I giggled and felt my heart lift with happiness at the promise. He grasped my hands and we danced for long minutes before I gave him a quick kiss and rushed out to the Hogwarts Express.

That summer had been the hardest of my life. But, it went quickly. Severus and I had exchanged long letters. Those letters kept me alive, along with the antics of my brothers. That summer, Fred and George finally decided to open their joke shop. Those two trying to actually work, was quite interesting. Also, Ron moved out and that had upset the whole household. All my other brothers had lived at home for a while after graduation. But, Ron and Harry had decided to share a little apartment. The place was not far from my house, and I spent many long days trying to help them decorate. Men have such bad taste!

Upon arriving at Hogwarts that September, my heart leapt in anticipation. This was my last year, and when it was over, I'd be able to run away with my dear Severus and live a life together.

That first night had been amazing. We had never made love with such desire and passion. I will always remember that night as the best night of my life, except for one other night.

That other night happened in late February. I will never be sure exactly what had made that night so passionate. But I will always remember that night as the last night that we spent together in peace, with out the worries of Voldemort's return laying on our mind. That night was also the night that Severus gave me the most precise things that I will ever have.

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Severus's precise gifts kick at my stomach and draw me out of my revelry. I place my hands on my swollen stomach, and massage it. I try to reassure the worried twins that Severus and I had created on that amazing night. Was the really just six months ago?

The preacher stands up to speak. At first, he talks about death and god's will. Then, he talks about my love, and the gift that he gave the wizarding world. I let my mind remember that awful day.

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"Ginny, stay here! I won't have you get hurt!" Severus yelled at me as I stood stubbornly by the doorway.

"Severus, I won't let you and Harry go alone!" I tell him, keeping my voice calm.

"Please, Ginny. I love you, I don't want you to be there. Some awful things might happen today," Severus pleaded with me.

I nodded my head. I knew what the prophecies said. They said that today was the day that good would meat evil, and the decision would be made for all time. Severus was going to spend the day with the dark lord, learning his secrets. He would come back later that night and report to our side, and then Harry would challenge Voldemort. I knew that no harm would happen to Severus, but I was not going to let him do this alone.

"I'm coming. I will stay with Dumbledore, out of the line of fire. Don't worry, I'll be alright," I told him, completely sure of myself. How was I to know that that day would go so wrong?

Severus sighed and went to me. He crushed me to him, letting his worry be shown with his gesture of love. "Fine, if you insist on coming, then lets go."

I follow Severus down the stairs and out onto the Hogwarts grounds. The day was beautiful. I will never forget the beauty of that late June day.

When we got to Dumbledore, he fixed us with a strange look. I got the feeling that he knew we were lovers, but I refused to believe that thought. No one knew of us then.

"Severus, are you ready? This is the last of it, just stay strong and it will all be over if all goes well," Dumbledore said to Severus before giving him a grim hug.

I stood next to Dumbledore as I watched my love walk away from me to a great danger that I couldn't keep him safe from. In February, the day after we had created our twins, Severus had been promoted to Voldemort's second in command. It still surprises me today that the dark lord never found out that Severus was really on our side.

I spent that day wandering about aimlessly. The whole wizarding world hadn't known of our plan. Only a select few. For some reason, Dumbledore seemed to know that I knew of it, but I will never understand how.

As the hours went by, I began to get worried. I followed Dumbledore, McGonagall, Hermione, Draco, Ron, and Harry into a secret room. Again, Dumbledore let me follow for reasons that I will never understand.

"Harry, I think you should go now," Dumbledore said to the young man.

Harry turned frightened eyes on him. "But Snape hasn't come back yet."

"I know, but you must go now. Time is running out. Hopefully, everything will still be all right. Hopefully Severus has just gotten a bit delayed." Dumbledore seemed to direct these last words to me, not to Harry.

At this point, Hermione broke down in Draco's arms. Harry looked at her with an understanding in his eyes, but I was shocked. It wasn't until later that I found out that the two had been dating for a year in secret. Harry had been the only one to know about them.

"Ginny, I have something to ask you," Dumbledore said, turning to me.

"Yes, Professor, anything," I replied, my voice choked with worry for Severus.

"Will you follow Harry? If anything that we haven't planned is happening there, run back to us and tell us. Can you do that for us?" Dumbledore asked, piercing me with his dark eyes.

"Yes, Professor," I nodded. I gave Hermione a quick hug before following Harry into the growing darkness.

I will never remember the trip in much detail. All I know is that we ended up in a small room next to a large door in some town very far away from Hogwarts.

"Severus, do you have something to tell me?" Came the cold voice that I instantly knew was Voldemort.

"No, master. I don't hide things from you."

My heart leapt with happiness at hearing his voice. I was so happy to find out that he was still alive!

"Now, now Severus, do not lie to you master," Came the voice again from the next door.

The scream that erupted from Severus at that moment made Harry and I knock down the door and rush into the room. My eyes widened at the sight that meat my eyes. My Severus was lying on the floor, writhing in pain. Harry quickly said some kind of spell, and my love stopped writhing.

I flung my self down on the floor by my side, taking his head in my hands. "Severus," I cried.

"Ginny, you shouldn't be here. Run!" Severus told me in a shaky voice.

But, my eyes were riveted on the duel that was taking place between the dark lord and Harry. They must have thrown spells at each other for over an hour before Voldemort resorted to his fatal tactic.

He turned his wand to me and resorted to his last choice. But, the babies that I was carrying inside me, who only I knew about, decided to kick at that very instant. Severus's head was lying on my belly, and he felt the kicks. Suddenly, he realized what that meant, and his eyes went wide. He thrust himself in front of the deadly curse that Voldemort threw at me. Right before it hit Severus, he uttered a fatal curse and it killed Voldemort.

But, I didn't care what had happened to Voldemort. I turned with tear stained eyes to my love.

"Why didn't you tell me, Ginny?" Severus asked in a very weak voice.

"We needed you, Severus. I didn't want the twins to change you opinions on anything," I choked out, cradling his head in my hands.

At that moment, Dumbledore and McGonagall aparated in the small room. Minerva ran to Severus while Albus questioned Harry, who was lying on the floor, completely exhausted and injured from the duel.

"Will he live Minerva?" Albus asked her, coming to my side.

Minerva shook her head. "No, Albus. The curse was too strong."

I let one tear fall down my cheek. Severus gathered his strength and took me in his arms. I lay there, our tears mixing together on his robes.

The three other figures in the room seemed to understand about our relationship and gave us the privacy that we deserved.

Suddenly, an idea crossed my mind. "How long does he have, Professor?"

Minerva sighed. "A day, at the most."

I looked into Severus's eyes and an understanding passed between us. Severus looked up at Albus. "Albus, please get us back to Hogwarts. My Ginny has to graduate before we can be married."

"Are you sure that's what you want? Why get married right before you die?" Minerva asked us, confusion in our eyes.

"I won't let my children be born to unmarried parents, Professor. I love Severus, and I want the world to know."

Albus, Minerva, and Harry exchanged surprised looks.

Graduation went quickly, then we were on to the church. Everyone was there, though some didn't agree with what we had done.

"I do," I said, looking into Severus's weak eyes.

"I do," Severus also said, and he kissed his bride.

We spent our last night together, holding each other in bed. We spent the night in Severus's rooms at Hogwarts, for Severus wouldn't have it differently. Suddenly, he started to shake and I called for Madame Pomfrey.

"Be strong, My Ginny. Tell the babies that I love them, that I will always love them. I love you," he told me, his eyes peaceful as drifted away in my arms.

"I love you," I whispered, holding his still form in my arms. I wept and then vowed to myself that I would be strong, and I would raise our children like we should have raised them together.

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I let a small tear fall down my face as Dumbledore tells the assembled crowd of what a strong man Severus had been. I take a quick look over my shoulder, and realize that most of the wizarding community is there. I guess everyone shows up for the funeral of the man that killed the dark lord.

I take a deep breath and Harry squeezes my hand as I make my way to where Dumbledore stands. He gives me a nod and I start to speak.

"There's so many of you out here that will never know what a man Severus really was. So, I'm here to try and tell you, though my words won't be able to say even part of what I feel in my heart. " Severus was a strong man. For years, he worked for us, pretending to be on the side of the dark lord. It wasn't until his last moments that Voldemort realized that Severus had ticked him. "Severus was always strong, but never harsh. He was always worried for me. He always insisted that we kept our relationship a secret, knowing that it would hurt me if our secret was released. He always did things that were in my better interest, even though it hurt him terribly. Even in his last act, he died to save our unborn children and me. "Yes, Severus and I did have a secret relationship. Yes, the twins that I carry are his. But, that doesn't mean anything. Our love was pure. The age difference didn't matter, our reputations didn't matter. We never cared whether or not we would be accepted by the wizarding world. I ask you people gathered here today to remember that. Love comes in many ways, but no way is better than any other. All forms should be accepted. I loved Severus, no, I love Severus. That will never change. Thank you."

I step down and kiss Severus's coffin. The bright August sun beats down on the gathered crowd. That day, I reached many hearts. Now, all loves are accepted. Percy and Neville particularly thank me for it. **************************************************************

"Wow," Hazel Snape whispers through the tears that flow down her face.

Her brother, Indy, can't say anything. He watches as his mother finally lets herself cry in the arms of her friends. He finally looks up from the tape and looks up at Dumbledore with a tear stained face.

"You two needed to know exactly what happened to your father. Hopefully, this little video will explain to you a lot about your mother and why she's always so strong," Dumbledore tells the twins.

"Thank you," Indy whispers, taking his sister's hand and holding it tight. Thank you for reading. I know the end's a little strange, but I hope you enjoyed the story anyway. Please r/r. Thanks, Athena