Chapter thirteen: To love a Death Eater.

Kyra returned to Severus' bedside and stared for what seemed like centuries at the man who lied there, seeing him now under a different light.

' Dumbledore is as puzzled as I am by what happened... but the fact here is that he is a Death Eater. What could have driven him to turn to the dark side? And how come the Headmaster trusts him? God... I can't believe the man I love has been marked by evil, but what amazes me the most is that I still love him. He's not a murderer, I know that for I know his true self...' she reflected. ' I won't walk out on him, not because of this, not now, not ever.'

After that, Kyra must have dozed off for a while, because when she returned to her senses, Snape was quiet. A bit alarmed, she got up from the chair and ran to his bed. There he lay, sleeping peacefully and she noticed a trickle of sweat on his forehead. Exhaling a deep sigh, Kyra bent forward to touch his face; his temperature was normal. Smiling now, she went to where Dumbledore was catnapping.

" Headmaster…" She whispered, gently placing a hand on Dumbledore's shoulder.

The man was immediately awake and alert. " Miss Gardner, how is he?" He asked, full of concern.

Kyra smiled soothingly. " He'll be OK. He's sleeping tranquilly and the fever's gone."

Albus returned her smile, relief all over his face. " Thanks Merlin for that."

" Yeah…"

" You can go now," he offered.

The girl shook her head. " No, I'd rather stay and see him when he awakes."

Dumbledore nodded benevolently, knowing there was nothing he could say or do to change her mind.

" I don't need to remind you that all this has to remain… confidential. I just wish I could tell you why," he said with a sigh.

Kyra shrugged. " There's no need to, really. I know you have your reasons."

After nodding and giving her an appraising look, Dumbledore cleared hi throat and spoke to her in a very solemn tone. " Listen, child, many have told me that I am a fool to have a former Death Eater working for me. They see the man and judge him by deeds done when he was not yet aware of how they would stain his consciousness. Will you do the same and treat him differently from now on?"

" No, sir," she replied earnestly. " Professor Snape's past activities, though shocking as they surely are, don't change the fact that he's still one of the best teachers here at Hogwarts. He has my respect and no Dark Mark will change that."

" Then go back to him. He needs the purity of your presence to recover," said the Headmaster, the twinkle in his eyes now back.

Kyra obeyed, without fully understanding his words and returned to Severus' room, kneeling by his bed.

The woman smiled to herself. She had always believed that everyone looked more innocent when they slept. Watching Snape's light breathing and relaxed face, she knew it to be true, for even he seemed lighter, the scars and losses so clearly visible in his eyes hidden and forgotten.

" God, Professor," she whispered, " why does everything have to be this difficult? I love you, yet you are so far away from me... I long for touching your hair again, kiss you, fell your warmth between my arms… but I know that's impossible, you're my teacher and you probably see me as one more of those 'dunderheads' you have to teach. Well, maybe not, since we have become… friends, I guess. But I know you still don't see the woman in me.

That woman you manage to send into emotions she has never experienced before with just one look from those onix eyes... who is so desperately in need of you that she can barely breath when you're next to her. If you only knew, Severus...

Yes, Severus, do you know how much I like your first name? I yearn for saying it out loud, scream it to the stars or whisper it into your ear. I love you, Severus... do you know that? I feel this uncanny sense of completeness whenever you're near me and I don't think it'll ever go away. So all I have to do is wait... maybe fate has some happiness for the two of us in store.

But, Lord, what will I do if it doesn't?"

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Sorry, I know it was awfully short, but I'll make it up to you on the next chapter!!!!!!!

Love, Jeanne.