*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
When a Man Loves a Woman:
Chapter IX: "When The Leaves Are Falling"
Hermione slowly walked out of the cemetery, it was time to go back to Hogwarts. Her mother had been more than happy to see her daughter, but hadn't followed her to the cemetery, because it brought back too many memories. Hermione understood her.
She made her way back with the train and just gazed outside the window without making a single noise during the trip.
Snape was in love with her. It was still a little bit of a shock for her, but she admitted to herself that some very strong emotions had started to bloom up inside her lately for Severus.
Everything was so confusing. First Draco, now Snape. Where was this going to lead? She knew that she could decide that by choosing one of them. Choose one but hurt the other. She wasn't sure that Draco would be hurt. After his attack at the hospital wing she wasn't sure that she would ever talk to him again.
But Snape. He had softened up quite much lately. He wasn't cruel and mean towards her anymore. 'That poor man' she thought. Maybe he has a better side and considering the great love he had for her, she was quite sure that he wouldn't be cruel to her ever again. He had saved her, protected her and really helped her the time when she had dropped her pen and it had rolled in under her desk.
She was so deep inside her thoughts that she even jumped a little when the train stopped. She was back.
She got off the train and started walking. As she reached the castle and was about to enter it, she changed her mind. It somehow felt too soon to go back. She took a walk by the lake instead. It was blowing quite much and the wind played with her hair and caught her robe in a swirling dance. It also made little waves in the water of the lake.
She sat down on a little rock that was leaning over the lake, she could see her own reflection in the water. The sun was hidden by the pale clouds that were covering the entire sky. It was the beginning of the autumn, and a little yellow leaf flew down from the tree behind her and landed on her lap.
She gently picked it up and smelled it, it smelled like autumn. There was this fresh wind scent combined with summer-rain.
'Life moves on' she thought and smiled. Even though she had been in troubles lately, she would continue her life. She let the little leaf go off with the wind as she released it from her grasp.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Severus was sitting in his dungeons with his own thoughts spinning around in his head. The little love spell he had been under had come off quite good now.
He felt as if there was no chance now. Hermione must be terrified of him right now after that chase that went through the entire castle. He had really screwed up now. If only it hadn't been for that clumsy Longbottom, then maybe he'd have a chance with her now.
Why does it have too be this way? If there really is an amazing man in the sky that is supposed to be the Father of every living creature, then this wouldn't happen to him, or would it?
Maybe Severus was learning a lesson and now paid the price for the blackness and cruelty he had shown to almost every student that had been sitting in his classroom.
He didn't know, all he knew that the only creature that he really loved was beyond his reach. But he had seen her vision in the Erised-mirror, and if she was his hearts deepest desire then maybe he was hers?
Well, who knew? It was about evening now, Hermione would be at Hogwarts any minute. He had a feeling that she didn't want to see him, so he decided that he would take a walk around the castle so he wouldn't bump into her when she returned.
As he opened the exit of the school a cool breeze greeted him. Severus looked around. All the leaves where still hanging on the trees, but their colour had changed. It was the beginning of the autumn, the last autumn he would spend at Hogwarts with Hermione in the same castle. Because this was her last year and when the summer came he would probably never see her again.
The thought made him sad, to never see her again. He knew that he would remember her as long as he lived. But to never see her again with his very own eyes. What was he supposed to do, ask her for a portrait of her?
He sighed. How would this end. He would end up alone and unloved his entire life. He had been well aware of that before and it hadn't bothered him then. But that was before Hermione had made his heart beat faster than normal.
He had never before planned to share his life with anyone, being a former death eater and all. But since the fall of the Dark Lord, he'd decided that he was going to carry on with his life.
And loneliness had never bothered him before, but now being infatuated made him long so much after something he probably never would get.
It was only Dumbledore that knew about his love for Hermione, but after his little marathon after her the other students must have sensed something. His mother was no longer among the living, and he was the only Snape alive now. And there was this great amount of money that he would receive when he married. But he didn't want to marry Hermione because of that. Hell no! He loved her!
He turned around the corner of the castle and saw a figure by the lake, but didn't have time to identify it, because a little leaf was flying right in front of his eyes. He caught it with his hand. The first leaf that had left a tree this season. He looked up from the leaf on his palm and looked at the creature that was sitting at the little rock by the lake. It was Hermione.
His heart raced away. Should he go over to her? Or maybe not. He bit his lip. He wanted to go over to her, but would she talk to him?
Taking a deep breath, he walked over.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Hermione sensed presence behind her and turned her head around. And there he was.
"Hello" he said.
"Hi" she responded.
"I'm sorry for what happened earlier, I was under a very powerful spell."
"I know, professor, I know."
He sighed a little.
"Could you forgive me?" he asked, holding his breath.
Hermione considered the situation a little.
"Of course, I do. You didn't really mean it, did you?"
'A part of me did' he thought.
Hermione patted the rock as an invitation for him to sit next to her.
He accepted and sat down beside her. Looking at her, she was so beautiful to him.
"Is it important to you that I forgive you?" she asked very tenderly.
He looked at her. If she only knew how important that was.
"Yes" he answered.
"I thought you didn't like me" she said.
Severus sighed a little and thought back at the past.
"I didn't before, but now..." his words trailed off and he looked down, hiding his face from her so she couldn't see the emotions that was storming in his eyes.
Hermione saw how it bothered him and decided that she was gonna take the first move. Taking a deep breath she hit it.
"Severus?" she asked and he looked up.
"Do you love me?" she asked, and he opened his mouth as if to say something, but closed it again.
After a second or two he responded.
"More than anything" he said very silently. Hermione thought that she was going to melt into a little puddle of emotions. Nobody had ever said that to her before. She looked into his eyes and only saw the love he felt for her.
When she didn't say anything, he rose and started to leave.
Hermione panicked. She flew up from the rock and grabbed him by the arm before he could take a step.
"Please, don't go" she said.
'She is touching me, willingly.' he thought.
He sat down once again.
"I knew you loved me" she said "I heard you talking to the headmaster when I was in your dungeons and you took care of me." Her hands moved from his arm and down to his own. She took both of his large hands in her own small.
When she held his hands he felt a fulfilment he had been searching after for so long.
"Then you knew all the time?" he said and looked into her brown eyes.
"Yes" she said. "You said that you have loved for over a year now, and that only looking at me without being able to do something almost drove you mad."
"Oh, Hermione, if you only knew the torture I've been through."
"I'm sorry" she said and looked down, Severus looked at her puzzled.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
She looked up at him and Severus saw the tears that was running down from her enchanting eyes.
"For putting you into this" she said later, and bent her head down again, sobbing.
She was crying for him, he couldn't believe it. Her tears was too much for him. He brought his hand under her chin and lifted her face up so he could look at her.
"It was not your fault, I've been suffering my entire life." At these words, there was something that broke Hermione's heart. That this man had suffered so much without no one really caring for him. As she felt the ache in her heart she suddenly realised. She saw him with her heart, not with her eyes. This feeling that suddenly bloomed up inside her. What was it? Madness? Sympathy? Fear?. No, none of them. It was...........................love.
Without any words she threw herself into his arms, placing her face against his shoulder, crying herself out while embracing him with the love she felt for him.
Severus eyes shot wide open at her sudden reaction. Her body was against his. He had always dreamt about this, and now it came true. He wrapped his own arms around her, and buried his face in her soft hair, breathed in her scent as he had always longed for, her lovely scent. Feeling it intoxicate his senses, he closed his eyes in delight.
Would he dare to kiss her? Just a little one, please. He gave her temple a kiss that was longer then he had planned.
As Hermione had thrown herself in his arms, she felt as if she was home. All her troubles had melted away and that hard shell she had built around her broke. As his arms came around her she felt her heart beating faster then it was already doing. And as the kiss against her temple came, she felt a spark coming through her body.
She brought her face up from his shoulder and looked into his dark eyes. Their face where only inches away. And they came closer and closer.
Then their lips came together in a pure kiss of love.
Hermione felt the love she had just discovered for him grow bigger and bigger.
Severus was in seventh heaven. Everything around them seemed to disappear, only the two of them existed. If the embrace had shocked him, then this would make him faint any second, but he didn't. Both of them closed their eyes in pure bliss.
He could feel her soft lips separating his own and her tongue came inside his mouth. They danced and swirled together to the rhythm of love. Never wanting to stop. Her hands came up around his neck and stroked his hair. It wasn't as greasy as she had thought it would be. In fact it was silky and very soft. His own arms tightened around her so she could be closer than she already was.
But soon they parted, both breathing heavily.
Severus eyes opened and he saw the most wonderful thing in the world. Her eyes shone of love to him also.
He still held on to her tightly, afraid that if he let her go she would disappear.
"I love you" he said as his forehead brushed against her own.
"I love you too...................Severus" she responded. Something she had never seen before appeared on his face, a smile. She responded the smile and their lips met again.
They were standing there in the wind with their arms around each other, unaware of the blonde boy that was standing at the balcony to the Slytherin- tower, with his fists so tightly clenched together that his palms started to bleed.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
There's no time for us
There's no place for us
What is this thing that builds our dreams
Yet slips away from us?
Who wants to live forever?
Who wants to live forever?
There's no chance for us,
It's all decided for us,
This world has only one sweet moment
Set aside for us
Who wants to live forever?
Who wants to live forever?
Now touch my tears with your lips
Touch my world with your fingertips
And we can have forever
And we can love forever
Forever is our today
Who wants to live forever?
Who wants to live forever?
Who waits forever anyway?
Queen - "Who wants to live forever"
When a Man Loves a Woman:
Chapter IX: "When The Leaves Are Falling"
Hermione slowly walked out of the cemetery, it was time to go back to Hogwarts. Her mother had been more than happy to see her daughter, but hadn't followed her to the cemetery, because it brought back too many memories. Hermione understood her.
She made her way back with the train and just gazed outside the window without making a single noise during the trip.
Snape was in love with her. It was still a little bit of a shock for her, but she admitted to herself that some very strong emotions had started to bloom up inside her lately for Severus.
Everything was so confusing. First Draco, now Snape. Where was this going to lead? She knew that she could decide that by choosing one of them. Choose one but hurt the other. She wasn't sure that Draco would be hurt. After his attack at the hospital wing she wasn't sure that she would ever talk to him again.
But Snape. He had softened up quite much lately. He wasn't cruel and mean towards her anymore. 'That poor man' she thought. Maybe he has a better side and considering the great love he had for her, she was quite sure that he wouldn't be cruel to her ever again. He had saved her, protected her and really helped her the time when she had dropped her pen and it had rolled in under her desk.
She was so deep inside her thoughts that she even jumped a little when the train stopped. She was back.
She got off the train and started walking. As she reached the castle and was about to enter it, she changed her mind. It somehow felt too soon to go back. She took a walk by the lake instead. It was blowing quite much and the wind played with her hair and caught her robe in a swirling dance. It also made little waves in the water of the lake.
She sat down on a little rock that was leaning over the lake, she could see her own reflection in the water. The sun was hidden by the pale clouds that were covering the entire sky. It was the beginning of the autumn, and a little yellow leaf flew down from the tree behind her and landed on her lap.
She gently picked it up and smelled it, it smelled like autumn. There was this fresh wind scent combined with summer-rain.
'Life moves on' she thought and smiled. Even though she had been in troubles lately, she would continue her life. She let the little leaf go off with the wind as she released it from her grasp.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Severus was sitting in his dungeons with his own thoughts spinning around in his head. The little love spell he had been under had come off quite good now.
He felt as if there was no chance now. Hermione must be terrified of him right now after that chase that went through the entire castle. He had really screwed up now. If only it hadn't been for that clumsy Longbottom, then maybe he'd have a chance with her now.
Why does it have too be this way? If there really is an amazing man in the sky that is supposed to be the Father of every living creature, then this wouldn't happen to him, or would it?
Maybe Severus was learning a lesson and now paid the price for the blackness and cruelty he had shown to almost every student that had been sitting in his classroom.
He didn't know, all he knew that the only creature that he really loved was beyond his reach. But he had seen her vision in the Erised-mirror, and if she was his hearts deepest desire then maybe he was hers?
Well, who knew? It was about evening now, Hermione would be at Hogwarts any minute. He had a feeling that she didn't want to see him, so he decided that he would take a walk around the castle so he wouldn't bump into her when she returned.
As he opened the exit of the school a cool breeze greeted him. Severus looked around. All the leaves where still hanging on the trees, but their colour had changed. It was the beginning of the autumn, the last autumn he would spend at Hogwarts with Hermione in the same castle. Because this was her last year and when the summer came he would probably never see her again.
The thought made him sad, to never see her again. He knew that he would remember her as long as he lived. But to never see her again with his very own eyes. What was he supposed to do, ask her for a portrait of her?
He sighed. How would this end. He would end up alone and unloved his entire life. He had been well aware of that before and it hadn't bothered him then. But that was before Hermione had made his heart beat faster than normal.
He had never before planned to share his life with anyone, being a former death eater and all. But since the fall of the Dark Lord, he'd decided that he was going to carry on with his life.
And loneliness had never bothered him before, but now being infatuated made him long so much after something he probably never would get.
It was only Dumbledore that knew about his love for Hermione, but after his little marathon after her the other students must have sensed something. His mother was no longer among the living, and he was the only Snape alive now. And there was this great amount of money that he would receive when he married. But he didn't want to marry Hermione because of that. Hell no! He loved her!
He turned around the corner of the castle and saw a figure by the lake, but didn't have time to identify it, because a little leaf was flying right in front of his eyes. He caught it with his hand. The first leaf that had left a tree this season. He looked up from the leaf on his palm and looked at the creature that was sitting at the little rock by the lake. It was Hermione.
His heart raced away. Should he go over to her? Or maybe not. He bit his lip. He wanted to go over to her, but would she talk to him?
Taking a deep breath, he walked over.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Hermione sensed presence behind her and turned her head around. And there he was.
"Hello" he said.
"Hi" she responded.
"I'm sorry for what happened earlier, I was under a very powerful spell."
"I know, professor, I know."
He sighed a little.
"Could you forgive me?" he asked, holding his breath.
Hermione considered the situation a little.
"Of course, I do. You didn't really mean it, did you?"
'A part of me did' he thought.
Hermione patted the rock as an invitation for him to sit next to her.
He accepted and sat down beside her. Looking at her, she was so beautiful to him.
"Is it important to you that I forgive you?" she asked very tenderly.
He looked at her. If she only knew how important that was.
"Yes" he answered.
"I thought you didn't like me" she said.
Severus sighed a little and thought back at the past.
"I didn't before, but now..." his words trailed off and he looked down, hiding his face from her so she couldn't see the emotions that was storming in his eyes.
Hermione saw how it bothered him and decided that she was gonna take the first move. Taking a deep breath she hit it.
"Severus?" she asked and he looked up.
"Do you love me?" she asked, and he opened his mouth as if to say something, but closed it again.
After a second or two he responded.
"More than anything" he said very silently. Hermione thought that she was going to melt into a little puddle of emotions. Nobody had ever said that to her before. She looked into his eyes and only saw the love he felt for her.
When she didn't say anything, he rose and started to leave.
Hermione panicked. She flew up from the rock and grabbed him by the arm before he could take a step.
"Please, don't go" she said.
'She is touching me, willingly.' he thought.
He sat down once again.
"I knew you loved me" she said "I heard you talking to the headmaster when I was in your dungeons and you took care of me." Her hands moved from his arm and down to his own. She took both of his large hands in her own small.
When she held his hands he felt a fulfilment he had been searching after for so long.
"Then you knew all the time?" he said and looked into her brown eyes.
"Yes" she said. "You said that you have loved for over a year now, and that only looking at me without being able to do something almost drove you mad."
"Oh, Hermione, if you only knew the torture I've been through."
"I'm sorry" she said and looked down, Severus looked at her puzzled.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
She looked up at him and Severus saw the tears that was running down from her enchanting eyes.
"For putting you into this" she said later, and bent her head down again, sobbing.
She was crying for him, he couldn't believe it. Her tears was too much for him. He brought his hand under her chin and lifted her face up so he could look at her.
"It was not your fault, I've been suffering my entire life." At these words, there was something that broke Hermione's heart. That this man had suffered so much without no one really caring for him. As she felt the ache in her heart she suddenly realised. She saw him with her heart, not with her eyes. This feeling that suddenly bloomed up inside her. What was it? Madness? Sympathy? Fear?. No, none of them. It was...........................love.
Without any words she threw herself into his arms, placing her face against his shoulder, crying herself out while embracing him with the love she felt for him.
Severus eyes shot wide open at her sudden reaction. Her body was against his. He had always dreamt about this, and now it came true. He wrapped his own arms around her, and buried his face in her soft hair, breathed in her scent as he had always longed for, her lovely scent. Feeling it intoxicate his senses, he closed his eyes in delight.
Would he dare to kiss her? Just a little one, please. He gave her temple a kiss that was longer then he had planned.
As Hermione had thrown herself in his arms, she felt as if she was home. All her troubles had melted away and that hard shell she had built around her broke. As his arms came around her she felt her heart beating faster then it was already doing. And as the kiss against her temple came, she felt a spark coming through her body.
She brought her face up from his shoulder and looked into his dark eyes. Their face where only inches away. And they came closer and closer.
Then their lips came together in a pure kiss of love.
Hermione felt the love she had just discovered for him grow bigger and bigger.
Severus was in seventh heaven. Everything around them seemed to disappear, only the two of them existed. If the embrace had shocked him, then this would make him faint any second, but he didn't. Both of them closed their eyes in pure bliss.
He could feel her soft lips separating his own and her tongue came inside his mouth. They danced and swirled together to the rhythm of love. Never wanting to stop. Her hands came up around his neck and stroked his hair. It wasn't as greasy as she had thought it would be. In fact it was silky and very soft. His own arms tightened around her so she could be closer than she already was.
But soon they parted, both breathing heavily.
Severus eyes opened and he saw the most wonderful thing in the world. Her eyes shone of love to him also.
He still held on to her tightly, afraid that if he let her go she would disappear.
"I love you" he said as his forehead brushed against her own.
"I love you too...................Severus" she responded. Something she had never seen before appeared on his face, a smile. She responded the smile and their lips met again.
They were standing there in the wind with their arms around each other, unaware of the blonde boy that was standing at the balcony to the Slytherin- tower, with his fists so tightly clenched together that his palms started to bleed.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
There's no time for us
There's no place for us
What is this thing that builds our dreams
Yet slips away from us?
Who wants to live forever?
Who wants to live forever?
There's no chance for us,
It's all decided for us,
This world has only one sweet moment
Set aside for us
Who wants to live forever?
Who wants to live forever?
Now touch my tears with your lips
Touch my world with your fingertips
And we can have forever
And we can love forever
Forever is our today
Who wants to live forever?
Who wants to live forever?
Who waits forever anyway?
Queen - "Who wants to live forever"