Disclaimer: All of the characters belong to J. K. Rowling.

Warning: I am not an English native speaker, so I apologize for any grammar or vocabulary mistake you may find.

Chapter 3:

It was already late enough so there was no other person even patrolling in the corridors, so it was extremely easy for Lily –AKA Hermione Granger – to move from one extreme of the castle to the exact opposite looking as a dead woman. If Professor McGonagall saw her she was to have a heart attack for sure, but Hermione had made sure it didn't happen. No. She was truly alone.

She was alone all her way down the stairs, and remained alone facing the man's door. This was her last chance to step back and continue with her life before knocking on his door and risking everything; if she got herself discovered it would mean her transfigurations project was poor rather in functionality or execution, but this was not what scared her the most, no, it was actually him discovering her based only on words. She had no idea about Lily's life! A simple question could go terribly wrong, and it was not just information about her, but her personality! Everybody always said Lily was the best witch of her generation, and not just because of her magical abilities, but her charisma and true love for others… could she even attempt to impersonate such an angel? It was no wonder she had been the only woman worthy enough of Professor Snape's heart.

"He didn't notice the last time… You can do this, Hermione, just keep the focus on him." She took a deep breath, calming herself and moving her hands nervously along her pants, as if she was drying them, though it was not really for that. "And stop calling yourself Hermione, you are now Lily Evans, yes, he will most surely prefer you refer to yourself as Evans, do not bring Harry into the conversation, we don't want him to get triggered." The now woman proceeded to clear her voice and knock on the door, softly at the beginning but with the time running and nothing happening she decided to knock a bit harder. Just when she had decided that the lack of any answer was for the best, and had just turned around her heels she heard it; the click of the door magically opening from the inside, whatever was protecting it from being opened was gone and then that meant…

"Lily?" Her heart rate doubled in speed, while all logical thinking dissembled from her brain to fully connect it with her heart; his tone had not been the one of a teacher, firm and impersonal, no, it had been soft and longing, as if he was unsure this could be happening again. She felt terrible; Professor Snape had created this image of an unreachable man, despicable and glacial cold, she was not expecting he could actually… feel, at least not those emotions present in his voice.

"Hi, Severus."

"… What is happening?" Oh, she panicked, the man had slightly opened the door and was currently wearing his cloaks, and though they were covering half his body she could notice how under them there was a different kind of fabric, smoother than the usual… pajamas, perhaps? Though, it was not that what alarmed her, but her question; did he already notice something off?

"W-what do you mean? I am just visiting you." She had started to scrub her hands once again, nervous.

"I can see that, it is just… is my brain damaged? I have never dreamed of you twice… and you look just like yesterday." She felt even worse, now he was thinking of brain damage; all because she had decided to play pretend. The woman let go of a nervous laugh.

"No, of course not, you… silly." She stopped for a minute to check on his expression; was that something Lily would say? Would she dare call him silly? But he remained looking just as baffled. "The world is full of magic, Severus, I think having the same dream twice is perfectly normal, even for muggles."

He seemed to believe it, but still didn't move and remained with his hand holding the door, unsure of how to behave or what to do with such an information.

"I was thinking perhaps we two could talk…? If you are not busy, I mean, I could totally understand that." 'Stop acting dumb, Hermione, the man was obviously busy sleeping when you decided to wake him up.' The girl recriminated herself internally, only to add, as a cover for herself, "Since I know you are now a teacher."

"I would say I was actually sleeping, but if honest I am unsure if to say 'was' because I assume I still am… for any case, no, I'm not busy, at least not for you. Please, come in." it was now and just now that he removed himself from the door, and Hermione sighed relieved, step 1; being granted access was a success. Step 2: Finding something to talk about, was still uncertain.

"Thank you." Just as the previous night, he had taken his time to close the door, and Hermione paid close attention to see if he was locking it, she needed after all an escape route in case of necessary; but of course he was not, he didn't do it the night before either. She tried to keep her eyes on him, desperately looking for a comment or an ice breaker, but time was passing and he remained in there; imperturbable, stoic, calm and her anxiety increasing.

"I don't intend to pressure you, I really don't, but… what is it you want to talk with me, Lily?" She took a deep breath, trying to buy some time, and it was worth the effort, since he actually continued "Or… or you are not really here to talk?" Hermione wondered if Lily would look just like Ron when he got embarrassed, with her cheeks and hair becoming almost the same tone… because if he was asking her if she was not there to talk, could he be implying she was there for… "I" she added before Hermione could jump into any other conclusion, and the way his voice almost broke at the simple pronunciation of 'I' made her shudder, she had heard that sound before: whatever he was to say, was definitely unrelated to any 'physical interaction', but emotionally devastating.

"Sev…? Severus?" He raised a hand to shut her down, although they were almost 3 meters away.

"I've been thinking." The woman worried, his eyes were definitely avoiding her now. "I've been thinking on why you would appear to me looking so young and… this is not the first time." The first time of what? Was this something the real Lily would understand? "I've dreamed of you many times before." Her hands intertwined, a bit unsettled by his comment, "but it had never… ever been like yesterday."

"What do you mean?" She panicked again; he had definitely noticed something different, what gave her away?

"Dreams are just a mental representation of thoughts held during the day, memories, emotions, feelings… I am no expert in dreams, I have no interest in such a brand of magic, but I think even muggles know the basics." He was getting all warmed up, and Hermione took a defensive posture, completely scared for what was happening; none of this obviously in her plan. "For seventeen years I have dreamed of you, but not 'this' you, an older one, with the exact same clothes, in the exact same place, with the exact same blank and dull look in your eyes, and the exact same fate… dead, always dead."

Hermione suppressed a squeak, she had gone too far, she had not just scratched an old scar of the man, she had savagely stabbed him.

"And now that everything is over, you present to me looking just as fresh and beautiful and… charming." Now he looked at her, straight to her, through her. "I know myself, and I get the message… I've been thinking all day about you."

"Si-" she bit her tongue, almost calling him sir. "Severus, thinking about me is fine, but you have to understand that it has already happened and-"Completely aware this was none of her business, the least she could do was to take responsibility for the man falling apart in front of her, and so she walked towards him; she would be scared of Professor Snape, but this man in front of her was most definitely not the same as the one in Potions.

"Please, forgive me." She froze, unsure of his reasons. "I know I have no right to ask, but… please, forgive me." His face had disarranged into an expression of pure guilt and pain. "The image of you dying for seventeen years is nothing compared to the vision of what you truly were, the who you could have become if not for me, if not for so many wrong decisions, if I had not been so selfish and I don't know what else to do, I don't know-" Whilst he was fighting his emotions to burst in front of the woman he still loved, she –or actually not the real she- had decided to act out of her own volition and with eyes full of resolution, causing him to prepare for a beating as it sounded just natural for his dream, she actually hugged him. "Forgive me."

"Severus."

"It was me."

"No, it wasn't you; you know it was not you." Her head had perfectly fit in the space between his shoulder and head, with Lily being slightly taller, and her one concern was taking all his fears and insecurities through her soft strokes to his back, even if it took her all night.

"Yes, it was me. I was the one who told him, you could still be alive and raising Potter Jr. together with Potter Sr. and-"

"And the magic world would be ruled by a psychopath… you made all the right choices, si- Severus."

"I didn't, stop telling me I did, because I did not, you are not the kind to lie."

"Everybody makes mistakes." When she was positive he had finally calmed down and his heart was back to a healthy rate she let go of him, only to lock her eyes on his while holding his face between hers. "But not everybody is strong enough to accept them and work in mending them as you did. You saved Harry."

"Granger saved him; you should go stalk her dreams, not mine." For a minute her heart stopped working, only to start laughing, one of her hands covered her mouth, positive that was not supposed to be Lily's response. But he didn't seem to be upset or suspicious, he actually looked delighted. "After all this time… you are still the one who seems to understand my exquisite sense of humor."

"Have you always had it?" Completely relieved by the realization her response was quite 'Lily-ish' she ventured to keep the conversation going. "Do you even show it to others?"

"Most people don't understand its complexity… they simply call me-"

"Mean?" There was his delighted expression again, it made her shudder it was so weird an unusual to see him so happy.

"Only you referred to me like that, I am sure the others are not that kind to express about my sense of humor or personality for the case. But yes, Lily… mean, people think I am mean, and it is quite accurate, if I may say." Was this even happening? Was professor Snape actually opening up about self to her? No, it was not to her, it was to Lily, the one person he would truly trust.

"Haven't you considered stop being so mean, then? I am sure some people would appreciate not being bullied by their teachers." Without noticing her arms had crossed in front of her and for some reason this gained her an amused snort from him.

"Give me a break, woman, are you coming back from death to continue scolding me for telling the truth?" Although his expression was supposed to be outraged his tone was full of amusement.

"No, I already told you I came back to thank you, but I can see some scolding is actually needed, you can be too rude sometimes, Severus." Her arms still crossed, the relief she was feeling was not enough to suppress her indignation, he seemed perfectly fine if not proud of insulting others. However, her last statement made him stop, his expression back to serious and she worried once again; had she gone too far?

"Is this… is this because of yesterday?" her arms dissembled, with her brain racing for an answer, what did he mean? Was this something Lily – an omniscient ghost – would know? "I apologize for it, I was not expecting for you to come back, and I understand even if a dream, I may have… overstepped some boundaries."

'Oh… the kiss.'

"No, Sev." She stopped once again, for some reason calling him 'Sev' sounded almost natural, once she was sure he didn't seem to mind, continued "That was… that was not okay." That is what Lily would most definitely say, a married woman with a son. "But that is not the problem in here, listen, the thing is-"

"It has come to my attention how people may consider me rude, it is not in my plans most of the time, you know me, Lily, I don't interact much with others, sometimes what seems as a perfectly normal social interaction to me ends up as insulting for everybody else in the room… and sometimes I don't simply measure my strength, I didn't mean to hurt you." Hermione froze with her mouth slightly open… Lily's lips at least. This man everybody bad mouthed was currently confessing her that it was honestly not his fault, at least not all of the time, and it made sense. Yes, he definitely was intentionally rude and abusive, that was not to question, but… why was he even like that? There were so many things she didn't know, things nobody knew but Lily… a pity she was dead.

"You didn't hurt me."

"I respect you."

"I am a married woman, Severus, I have a child." She stated as she was positive Lily would.

"This is unbelievable; both Potters ruin even my dreams. Don't I get a break from them at least in here?" his voice just as nagged now as in classes.

"It does not work like that… dream or not, I have a family, and-" her left index slowly reached his forehead, with him not even blinking "-you know it in here."

"As a resume… I hate myself so sharply I am not allowing not even the slightest of the happiness to happen though in my dreams." He didn't actually look angry or even upset by it; his expression was more of a man who had accepted it as something natural for him to happen all the time.

"Severus…" Her tone was so charged in pity he flinched, but before she could add any comforting comment, an alarm set off again and Hermione knew it was time to leave. "Time to say good bye." Being already close to the door, she just had to reach for the door knob.

"Are you coming back?" She froze in the threshold, she had to say no, she was not supposed to ever go back, not looking like that. But… she just couldn't.

"Would you like me to come back?" it took him a few seconds to answer, with his eyes intently looking at her and the girl getting more nervous with every passing second, positive her appearance would start changing any minute.

"Always." Harry had told her about that word, about the memory he had beheld, about the real meaning of it, but it was nothing compared to the actual tone full of so many different emotions said by the original man. It was breath taking.

"Then, see you soon, Severus." Just when she had turned to leave, the man got her by the wrist.

"It may be a serious mistake to say this now, but… with family or not, this is a dream, and… people are allowed to do anything they want to in them." Pulling her arm in one strong and almost raw movement, he got her to step back, slightly pressing against him in order to not fall. Her eyes widened, was he implying he would take her by force? Her heart rate doubled in fear, not just because of the atrocity that would mean, but because she had no time for it, he was already looking somewhat taller which could only meant she was going back to her normal size "No repercussions in reality…"

Then, he let go and the still woman backfired to the corridor, with a consistent distant between them.

"But I would never do such a thing… to you." Hermione wanted to ask what did he just mean by that? Would he do it to someone else? Was he being intentionally creepy while thinking his actions were part of a dream and had no real impact in an actual person? Would he do it to someone real? Would he- she didn't have time, and so she ran.

She ran till her hair stopped looking bright red, till her eyes became almond brown, till her clothes became slightly larger and till her lungs allowed her to.

He hadn't suspected a thing, that was for sure; Severus Snape would never say such an aggravation to a student. Never.

Hope this chapter hadn't come out as too anguished or out of character for Severus.