Forewarning: Snape is OOC in this chapter, but it serves a purpose.

Snape just stood there looking at Molly. "What do you mean?"

Molly walked into the sitting room and started pacing, without any notice of the two students by the fire. Snape walked in and looked at the young witch.

"Molly, what do you mean? Where's Serina?"

"She's gone. I woke up this morning and went to go talk to her, but she wasn't in her rooms. I found this on her bed." Molly handed Snape a small piece of folded parchment. He opened it and read the note inside:

Dearest Daughter,

I am sorry that I must leave you while you start off on this new life, but I trust you will be fine. I will see you again in a few years, perhaps during your summer vacation or something.

Understand that this has nothing to do with you, it is all me. I can't remain at Hogwarts near your father, no matter how much I still love him. I will contact you as soon as I'm settled. I love you darling. Please tell Dumbledore that I am sorry.

Take care of your father for me.

Love,

Mom

Snape looked up from the parchment and at Molly. "Do you have any idea where she could have gone?"

Molly shook her head. "No, my grandparents disowned her when they found out about me and the fact that she wouldn't tell them who the father was. She sold everything to buy a ticket on the boat to America and then spent all of her money to get us a small apartment in New York. She doesn't have anywhere to go here."

Snape turned and walked out of the room and back into his bedroom. He returned a couple minutes later, fully dressed.

"Where are you going?" Molly asked. He turned to his daughter. "To find Serina."

Snape walked toward the door to his quarters, Molly followed. "She left because she is afraid of you. How are you going to find her when it is obvious that she doesn't want you, of all people, to find her?"

"I don't know," Snape said opening the door and securing his wand in his cloak. "All I know is that I lost her once, I don't plan on loosing her again." Snape pointed to his sitting room. "Stay here with Mr. Potter and Ms. Granger. When she wakes up call the Headmaster to come talk to them. I'll be back soon."

With those last words, Snape walked out of the room.

Molly walked back into the sitting room and looked at the two forgotten students. She sat next to Harry. "What happened?"

Harry looked at the kind DADA professor and began retelling the entire story about Hermione and him.

Serina walked along as quickly as she could. She had passed Hogsmeade hours ago. The sun rose about two hours ago and she still was walking.

"Keep going," she said to herself. She continued following the road telling herself to keep going. After a while she stepped off the road and hid herself among the trees along the side. She sat and opened her backpack. She pulled out a piece of bread and rested, eating.

Suddenly she heard something behind her. She tensed instinctively. She suddenly felt a breath by her ear as a familiar silky voice spoke to her softly.

"Where are you going, Serina?" Serina jumped up and turned to face Snape. He looked at her with concern shining in his eyes.

"What are you doing here? How did you find me?" Snape took a step toward Serina as he spoke.

"I came to find you. I just followed my instincts and I remembered your love of the forest so I traveled along this way until I got lucky. Thank god I found you, there are strange creatures in these woods. Why did you leave?"

Serina took a deep breath. That was a question she didn't want to answer, was afraid to answer. In some ways, she didn't know the answer.

"Serina?" She looked back up at Snape and held back her gasp. His black hair was hanging by his thin, pale face and brought out the concern and pain in his eyes. He was still handsome in Serina's eyes, even with his hooked nose.

"Why did you leave?" Serina swallowed against her fear and took a deep breath. "I left because I don't want to be hurt again. You don't want me, you made that perfectly clear."

"When did I say I didn't want you? When I wrote that damn letter?" Snape walked forward until he was standing directly in front of her. "I'm sorry about the past. I can't change my mistakes, and I can't take back what happened, but please don't leave me again." Snape fell to his knees in front of Serina and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her toward him. He rested his head against her stomach and held her tight.

"It killed me when I couldn't find you after I changed. I thought that the worst had happened, that you had found someone else and was lost to me forever. Then you walked back into my life," he looked up at her with tears in his dark eyes, "and I don't plan on letting you go again."

Serina fell to her knees and pulled Snape into a hug. She let the tears fall onto his shoulder as she let all her feelings out. "I thought that you still wouldn't want me, that you didn't care about the little old muggle."

Snape pulled away from her and took her face in his hands. "It doesn't matter that you are a muggle. I love you just the same."

He kissed her with all the love and hope that he could. She lifted her hands and ran her fingers through his hair. It just felt so right.

She pulled away. "I love you too, Severus." They stood and gathered up the stuff before starting back up the road toward Hogwarts.