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LOVE WILL FIND A WAY
: Felnezia Elaine Lloyd
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PROLOGUE
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It was over. About time, too, considering that it had been going on for so long and had taken so many lives. It had taken the lives of his parents, and then his godfather and not too long ago, of his best friend – first friend ever.
Yes, it was about time he did something to end this war.
Somehow, he wasn't surprised at coming out of it alive and well. It was as if he had known all along that he would come out of it alive and well.
Finally, he opened his eyes.
He knew he was in the infirmary of his former school. The last rays of the setting sun confirmed his suspicions. Well, this was his eternal shelter, he thought wryly. However, he was glad not to have woken up at the St. Mungo's. No, it was better here where it felt so like home. Maybe because he had always thought of it as home, even after he had settled down in a lovely cottage with his fiancée.
Now, it was so quiet. Looking around, he found that no one was there.
His eyes fell on the door at the far end of the infirmary. He knew that it did not lead to Madam Pomfrey's living quarters, unlike what students had always thought for so long. He had himself spent three weeks in the room in there. It was a place for those who had to be under medical vigilance for a long period of time.
He even knew who the sole occupant there was.
Pushing away the covers and changing out of his hospital-gown, Harry put on his gold-rimmed spectacles and moved towards the door at the far end of the infirmary.
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He stood for a long time at the threshold, gazing thoughtfully at the man who lay oblivious of the victory he had worked so hard for. Severus Snape had fallen before the Final War.
Harry wondered what he would think of it when he would wake up and realize that he had missed out on the climax. He wasn't sure. He had never really given a thought to what Snape would feel and think. Most of the time, he was just happy enough believing that the Potions Master did not feel and think. He wasn't like Hermione. He hated Severus Snape. Till now.
Still, he blamed him for the death of his godfather. Somewhere, though, Hermione had made him realize that all of it wasn't really Severus Snape's fault. No, not really.
But he wanted to blame someone. He wanted to see someone suffer for what had happened to Sirius. He had chosen Snape, knowing full well that he was the one Sirius had hated the most for all his life.
Did he think the same way now? He wondered. He had made Bellatrix Lestrange suffer horribly with the most gruesome curses for what she had done to Sirius. Then he had killed her.
His anger and desperation was spent.
Now, he felt… empty. In this case, seeing the man lying defenceless and helpless in front of him, Harry wondered if he really blamed him for Sirius' death.
He really couldn't decide.
If Severus Snape lay in this pitiable state there, it was partly his fault. He should have warned him that Lucius Malfoy was out there especially to get him and that Draco wasn't really the frightened-but-willing-to-change good boy he was pretending to be. But he hadn't. A part of him had wanted to see someone pay for Sirius' death. Who better than the greasy git of a Potions Master? Everybody always seemed to blame him for everything. So why not he, too?
It wasn't until he had seen him in this state that he had realized the gravity of what he had done.
He had confessed it to Hermione. She had never talked to him after that. Not even at Ron's funeral. She had stayed aloof, hating him. Did she really hate him?
He so wished she didn't. He wanted to hold on to the small time of pleasantness in his past. Hermione was the only anchor of that time. But she never forgave him this mistake.
He thought it was distinctly unfair of her. He was her best friend after all.
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"Harry?"
When he turned, not only did he see Ginny, but he also saw Hermione. She didn't look up to meet his eyes. Was he that great a monster?
"Ginny…" After some hesitation, "Hermione…"
She didn't acknowledge him.
"Hermione…"
She pushed past him into the room in which Snape was.
He stared after her but not for long for she slammed the door shut in his face.
"Harry."
"Was it all so bad, Ginny?"
"It was bad."
"So bad?"
"Yes… I guess."
"I am her best friend, you know. She needs me, doesn't she, after…"
He trailed off. He wasn't going to mention Ron before his sister now.
Ginny kept an emotionless face.
How can women do that?
"Will you take a walk… near the lake? It seems we need to talk about some things…"
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She laid him back on his bed and shrugging off her dressing-robe, she slipped into the bed with him.
Propping herself on one hand, she gazed down lovingly at him. Her fingers toyed with his moist hair.
"You should wake up now," she told him wistfully. "Please, wake up now."
She didn't shed tears when he didn't respond. She had shed all the tears she had in herself to shed. Now, all that remained was hope, wistful, yearning hope. Hope, which was bitter and sweet at the same time.
She knew that he would wake up. He would never leave her alone like that. He had promised after all – on his honour at that. And she well knew what an old-fashioned man he was. He greatly valued things like promises. For him, promises were never made to be broken.
Soon, her eyes grew sleepy. She had been hard at work all day long. There were many people out there who needed her help recovering from the war.
But all she needed was this unconscious man – his proximity, his touch…
Sighing, she lay down her head close to his and was soon enveloped in deep sleep.
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And here he was thinking that the shine in that old man's eyes would never die out. Well, at least he had always given him this feeling.
"Hermione is… I am worried about her."
"So am I, Remus," said the old man wearily.
"I want to do something about it."
"Even Filius has given up hope."
"Professor Flitwick? Oh, well, okay, but I will do something nevertheless. I can't see Hermione like this."
"What will you do?"
Remus stared hard at the desk as he said, "Visit Snape Manor, perhaps. I heard Lady Snape is still alive."
Dumbledore looked at him sharply. "Remus…"
"Oh, come on, Headmaster," said Remus impatiently, "I am sure that Severus would rather live because of his… wife, than die in this horrible manner."
"You haven't thought about Hermione at all, have you?"
"I have. I think she would rather have him living and in the arms of another woman – which would be rather legal than anything – than dead in her own arms."
Dumbledore admitted defeat.
"It is dangerous – very dangerous."
"Not impossible," said Remus gravely and went out to execute his plan.
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