It's been a while, but I'm back! It occurred to me that I kinda left you
hanging with Why? so I wrote an ending. Hope you like it.
Song - Charlotte Church. It certainly ain't mine! Characters - do I really have to say it?
Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll finish . . .
*~*~*
Dream A Dream
When the night is still
And the sea is calm
Lonely shadow, you call upon me
A hand shakes my shoulder gently. I groan and roll over, blinking in the candlelight. It's McGonagall. I feel my heart turn to ice, suddenly certain that something terrible has happened. She looks so worried and forlorn. I scramble out of bed and don my clothes, dragging a brush through my hair. Following her through the tower, I notice how silent everything is. The school has never seemed so dark and sorrowful before, and I should know, the number of times Harry and Ron have dragged me out of bed in the middle of the night.
Lay by my side
Fear not tonight
Lonely shadow, you'll find a new light
We're going down into the dungeons. That cold foreboding in my heart intensifies. Something has happened to Professor Snape. I wonder why I am being taken down there. She stops by the door to his private chambers, turning to me. I barely hear her as she tells me that Snape has been seriously injured and wishes to see me. I want to see him, I need to see him.
Dream a dream
And see through an angel's eyes
A place where we can fly
I slip into the room, unsure now what I will say. A low gasp escapes my throat as I look on him. He is lying, perfectly still, in bed, his pale face almost the colour of the white pillow he is resting against. Except for the blood. He seems to be bleeding from everywhere. I can hear his breath rattling in his throat.
'Professor?' I say timidly, not wanting to disturb him.
His eyes snap open, making me jump. Dark eyes, full of pain and sorrow, and something else, something familiar that is always there when he looks at me. He lifts a hand and I go to him, falling to my knees on the floor beside the bed.
Ride with me upon a shining star
Above the moonlit sky
We will find Elysium
'Hermione . . .'
I look up at his bloodied face gazing down at me. There is no malice, no spite, nothing that usually marks his face in that gaze. Only sorrow and that strangely familiar emotion I have yet to identify.
'I am dying, Hermione,' he rasps, coughing violently. A spurt of blood trickles down his chin. I feel tears begin to prick my eyes. No, he can't die, I won't let him!
'I wanted to see you . . . to tell you . . .'
He trails off, and I can hear the effort he is making to speak. I long to tell him to stop, to save his strength, but part of me knows he wouldn't listen to me anyway. A surge of love for him flows through me. He is truly the strongest person I know.
Hear the nightingale
Sing a lullaby
Lonely shadow, you'll find a new light
The tears are running freely down my face, salty tears of a bittersweet sorrow. He smiles softly, raising a hand to stroke my hair.
'Don't cry,' he whispers. 'Please, Hermione, don't cry.'
I swallow the sobs. Anything to make this easier for him. His hand on my hair is so comforting, and yet I know that it shouldn't be him comforting me. It should be the other way around. He sighs, his chest heaving with effort.
'You are so brave, my Hermione. My brave little Gryffindor.'
My heart slams in my chest. My Hermione? So many times I have wanted to hear him say that, and it only happens now, when he doesn't have any more time. I long to tell him how I feel about him, perhaps it would give him a reason to live.
Dawn will be kind
All will be bright
Lonely shadow, rise from the darkness
I can't stand to kneel there by his side and watch him fade away before my eyes. Muttering under my breath, I produce a bowl of water and a cloth and set about cleaning his face and hands. He watches me silently, showing no sign of discomfort, though I know I am not as gentle as I would like. Suddenly he grasps my hands. I look down into his eyes, and see tears.
'I love you, Hermione.'
My throat constricts. How can this be happening? My tears flow again, mingling with his as they drop onto his hands.
Dream a dream
And see through an angel's eyes
A place where we can fly
I kneel again, my face close to that of my beloved Severus, and whisper,
'I love you, Severus.'
He smiles at me through his tears, his eyes wondering. I smile back, leaning forward to plant a soft kiss on his lips. Drawing back, my heart seems to stop for a moment. He is staring at me, but there is no light in his eyes.
Ride with me
Above the moonlit sky
He is gone.
We will find Elysium . . .
Song - Charlotte Church. It certainly ain't mine! Characters - do I really have to say it?
Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll finish . . .
*~*~*
Dream A Dream
When the night is still
And the sea is calm
Lonely shadow, you call upon me
A hand shakes my shoulder gently. I groan and roll over, blinking in the candlelight. It's McGonagall. I feel my heart turn to ice, suddenly certain that something terrible has happened. She looks so worried and forlorn. I scramble out of bed and don my clothes, dragging a brush through my hair. Following her through the tower, I notice how silent everything is. The school has never seemed so dark and sorrowful before, and I should know, the number of times Harry and Ron have dragged me out of bed in the middle of the night.
Lay by my side
Fear not tonight
Lonely shadow, you'll find a new light
We're going down into the dungeons. That cold foreboding in my heart intensifies. Something has happened to Professor Snape. I wonder why I am being taken down there. She stops by the door to his private chambers, turning to me. I barely hear her as she tells me that Snape has been seriously injured and wishes to see me. I want to see him, I need to see him.
Dream a dream
And see through an angel's eyes
A place where we can fly
I slip into the room, unsure now what I will say. A low gasp escapes my throat as I look on him. He is lying, perfectly still, in bed, his pale face almost the colour of the white pillow he is resting against. Except for the blood. He seems to be bleeding from everywhere. I can hear his breath rattling in his throat.
'Professor?' I say timidly, not wanting to disturb him.
His eyes snap open, making me jump. Dark eyes, full of pain and sorrow, and something else, something familiar that is always there when he looks at me. He lifts a hand and I go to him, falling to my knees on the floor beside the bed.
Ride with me upon a shining star
Above the moonlit sky
We will find Elysium
'Hermione . . .'
I look up at his bloodied face gazing down at me. There is no malice, no spite, nothing that usually marks his face in that gaze. Only sorrow and that strangely familiar emotion I have yet to identify.
'I am dying, Hermione,' he rasps, coughing violently. A spurt of blood trickles down his chin. I feel tears begin to prick my eyes. No, he can't die, I won't let him!
'I wanted to see you . . . to tell you . . .'
He trails off, and I can hear the effort he is making to speak. I long to tell him to stop, to save his strength, but part of me knows he wouldn't listen to me anyway. A surge of love for him flows through me. He is truly the strongest person I know.
Hear the nightingale
Sing a lullaby
Lonely shadow, you'll find a new light
The tears are running freely down my face, salty tears of a bittersweet sorrow. He smiles softly, raising a hand to stroke my hair.
'Don't cry,' he whispers. 'Please, Hermione, don't cry.'
I swallow the sobs. Anything to make this easier for him. His hand on my hair is so comforting, and yet I know that it shouldn't be him comforting me. It should be the other way around. He sighs, his chest heaving with effort.
'You are so brave, my Hermione. My brave little Gryffindor.'
My heart slams in my chest. My Hermione? So many times I have wanted to hear him say that, and it only happens now, when he doesn't have any more time. I long to tell him how I feel about him, perhaps it would give him a reason to live.
Dawn will be kind
All will be bright
Lonely shadow, rise from the darkness
I can't stand to kneel there by his side and watch him fade away before my eyes. Muttering under my breath, I produce a bowl of water and a cloth and set about cleaning his face and hands. He watches me silently, showing no sign of discomfort, though I know I am not as gentle as I would like. Suddenly he grasps my hands. I look down into his eyes, and see tears.
'I love you, Hermione.'
My throat constricts. How can this be happening? My tears flow again, mingling with his as they drop onto his hands.
Dream a dream
And see through an angel's eyes
A place where we can fly
I kneel again, my face close to that of my beloved Severus, and whisper,
'I love you, Severus.'
He smiles at me through his tears, his eyes wondering. I smile back, leaning forward to plant a soft kiss on his lips. Drawing back, my heart seems to stop for a moment. He is staring at me, but there is no light in his eyes.
Ride with me
Above the moonlit sky
He is gone.
We will find Elysium . . .