Disclaimer: "Even In Death" is not my song. Neither is HP my book.
AN: Been meaning to write a darker story for awhile. Not too happy with this one, but hey. Even in Death is written my Evanescence. This is a ONE SHOT!
Even in Death
Give me a reason to believe that you're gone
I see your shadow so I know they're all wrong
Moonlight on the soft brown earth
It leads me to where you lay
They took you away from me but now I'm taking you home
I will stay forever here with you
My love
The softly spoken words you gave me
Even in death our love goes on
It was not true. These people with their false looks of sympathy had to be a farce, an elaborate ruse to confuse Voldemort, and they simply forgot to include her in it.
He just could not be dead. No, he was much too wily for that...Severus Snape could never have been killed so easily. He was waiting for the time to strike, and then he would return to her...that was the truth, that was what lay beneath the farce.
"Hermione? Are you listening to me?" Harry asked softly, touching her shoulder, "I just said--"
"A lie!" She snapped, jerking out of his grasp, and giving an overloud forced laugh. "You're lying! He's not dead! And you wouldn't be sorry if he were! Sorry, Harry, no Oscar award for you!"
Harry looked slightly confused, "Hermione, no...I told you before I wouldn't let my dislike of Pr-of Snape to interfere with your relationship! I am sorry he's dead, if only for you!"
"Well don't be!" Hermione yelled, "Because he's not! Do you hear me? He's not dead!"
Harry sighed, "Hermione, look...come see for yourself..."
"NO! I told you it's a lie! He wouldn't leave me!"
Harry had a pained expression on his face, "'Mione...it's not like he wanted to--"
"Shut up! Just shut up!" Hermione whimpered, hands clamped over her ears, "He's not dead! He's not!"
"Hermione..." Harry whispered, taking her in his arms and hugging her, "I'm sorry...I know it's horrible, but why would I lie to you about this? Why?"
"I-It's a plan! A ruse!" She insisted, voice cracking, "Oh, Merlin, he can't be dead!"
She gave a hearty sob, and fell into Harry's embrace, weeping, "He promised me forever..."
Some say I'm crazy for my love, Oh my love
But no bonds can hold me from your side, Oh my love
They don't know you can't leave me
They don't hear you singing to me
My love
the softly spoken words you gave me
Even in death our love goes on
Five years...Five years had passed in a slow, meaningless, blur. The funeral, the memorial, the annual cards of sympathy. Everything was for her benefit alone, it was obvious none of them suffered any grief over the passing of the most brilliant Potions Master possibly ever to live.
Which could only mean he was not truly dead. No...no one could be so cold they could not see beneath his surly demeanor to the shining beauty within, past his scarred and battered exterior to the perfection within. Who could be so horrible they could not shed a true tear for someone so kind and beautiful?
No, he was still alive, still planning. But...Voldemort was already defeated, Harry had already won. The Death Eaters were all killed or shipped off to Azkaban for the rest of their lives. No one was chasing him, no one would want to harm him...so where was he? That was what everyone told her...everytime hey visited it would degenerate into such an argument, and so most had quit coming for visits.
She gave a dry sob. They just did not understand! They had truly fallen for the ruse! But not her, no...she saw him still, in her dreams, in dark corners of the pub, following her home at night. He was still alive, she knew it...he visited her in her dreams and sang sweet lullabyes as he held her close.
She had no reason to believe he was truly dead, no, she had more than enough proof to know he was alive. He would never leave her. He could never leave her.
And I can't love you, anymore than I do
People die, but real love is forever.
Hermione collapsed onto the floor in sobs. It had been ten years, no one spoke to her anymore, and a doctor from St. Mungo's had started pestering her every weekend. No one understood, she would point him out in a crowd as he followed, or simply stood watching with that snarky smile of his, but when they would look he would always dive into the crowd.
She did not understand it, she was the only one that saw him, the only one that felt his arms at night and danced through endless golden halls with him in her dreams. Why would he do this to her? Why did he not snarl at them and threaten to hex them into oblivion for calling his wife delusional? She was so distressed she had ceased bothering to eat some time ago, instead devoting all of her time to finding him and keeping him in sight long enough to prove to everyone she had been right.
She gazed down at her white-gold ring, delicately wrought around her ring finger. She had not taken it off once since this ruse began, and it's constant chafing was a source of ceaseless irritation and pain to her, but she would not let go...she would not allow the last thing that connected them to slip away. She was shivering uncontrollably, and could barely hold her head up, but it seemed almost as if a shadow fell on her.
Gathering her strength, she lifted her head up slightly, and looked around the room. Her beloved stood above her with his insufferable smirk, hand outstretched to help her up. She gave a tremulous smile.
"I...knew you were alive..."
The man's smile soften slightly.
Feeling strengthened by his appearance, she reached a hand up and took his. She felt so light as he pulled her upward and drew her in for a kiss...he was finally with her for real, she was finally in his arms again.
"I love you, Severus..."
He leaned forward and gave her a soft whisper in reply, "I love you, too, Hermione."
My love
the softly spoken words you gave me
Even in death our love goes on
A small man sighed, once again she refused to answer the door when he knocked. "Really, Miss Granger, ignoring me wil not get these meetings over withany morequickly!"
There was, as usual, noresponse.
He gave a shakeof his head, and withdrew thekeyto the apartment, "I'm coming in, Miss Granger, I hope you are properly dressed!"
Once again, no response. The man was starting to get irritated now. Sighing in irritation, he gave the door a shove, and entered. To his shock, his aurburn-haired client lay crumpled on the floor.
"M-Miss Granger!" Any previous irritation he had with her dissolved, as he rushed to her side, and turned her over. Her sunken cheeks were pale and cold, and her haunted brown eyes had slid shut. "Miss Granger!"
And I can't love you, anymore than I do
People die, but real love is forever.
AN: Wow. Was listening to the song over and over again as I was writing this to make sure I kept in the flow of it, What do you think?
I thank Hikari for pointing out how vague the ending was...
-Yusagi