How could he have let her leave here? It was his home after all. Their chambers. Why couldn't he have talked her out of it? She couldn't be serious could she? Did she have her mind made up?

All these questions rolled through Severus's head as he lay there thinking about what had gone many years earlier. He still missed her. Everyday he still hoped she would return, but Hermione never did.

She put him out like the burnin' end of a midnight cigarette
She broke his heart he spent his whole life tryin' to forget

He went on with his daily routine anyway. Each day he would get up, looking around his chambers, looking for any sign left. Appearances are deceiving one person once said and being skilled at Occlumency helped.

We watched him drink his pain away a little at a time
But he never could get drunk enough to get her off his mind

Severus had always been fond of Firewhiskey, but lately his fondness had grown. Rosemerta would comment about it sometimes.

"This is not healthy, Severus. Right now you believe no one can take her place, but you need to try to put it behind you."

He saw no console in the statement though.

Finally he just gave up trying.

He put that bottle to his head and pulled the trigger
And finally drank away her memory
Life is short but this time it was bigger
Than the strength he had to get up off his knees
We found him with his face down in the pillow
With a note that said I'll love her till I die
And when we buried him beneath the willow
The angels sang a whiskey lullaby

He was buried as close as one could get to the Whomping Willow. Dumbledore saw it fit to do so. It was where Severus had cheated death so many years earlier, and now it was his final resting place.

Hermione had heard about the death. She had long left the wizarding community. It was her escape. For all good reason she should be in Azkaban. She thought she would be helping Severus by taking the Dark Mark, and joining Voldemort. Relieving him of some of the burden; sharing it. She had no idea Severus would take it so badly.

The rumors flew but nobody knew how much she blamed herself
For years and years she tried to hide the whiskey on her breath
She finally drank her pain away a little at a time

She would often stock her cabinets with liquors and wines, but none seemed to suit her fancy. Only whiskey. The memories hurt though. She would think back on all of the happy memories, and wonder why she has to complicate it. Her mind would float to the beating she endured while under Voldemort. He had taken her by surprise. He was very powerful and he had controlled her. No one would believe her if she was on his side though. Many wizards thought she had left the world for protection against Voldemort.

Hermione stepped out of her bed for a minute and rescued a picture. Her and Severus, before the entire mess. She still loved him. She could feel it. There was only one thing left to do.

She put that bottle to her head and pulled the trigger
And finally drank away his memory
Life is short but this time it was bigger
Than the strength she had to get up off her knees
We found her with her face down in the pillow
Clinging to his picture for dear life

When she was found, Dumbledore made a fuss to get her body recovered.

"My dear, it's time to be reunited with the one you loved so dearly, even until your death," he said quietly to the woman who could no longer hear him.

She was buried next to Serverus near to the Whomping Willow.

Somewhere, the words were heard, "Separated in life, but together in death."