Severus Snape

The faint scent of lavender greeted my nostrils as awareness came over me. I could feel the weight of something warm across my chest, despite the overwhelming ache pulsing throughout my body. As I opened my eyes I found Ms Brown's arms and head draped across me from where she sat awkwardly on the chair at the bedside, crumpled like an old rag doll as she slept.

I reached hand up and touched her shoulder. She stirred but remained asleep. I sighed before I reached for her shoulder again, but paused to brush the hair from her face. The wild blond locks fell back across her features as soon as I released them. As I brushed it away again, she stirred awake.

Groggily, she sat up, running her hands down her face and blinking her eyes over and over as they squinted to focus. "Severus?"

I pushed myself up with a groan. My ribs ached and my head spun as I took a deep breath.

"Oh. Please lie back down." She reached for my shoulders. "You are still recovering."

I sighed and as a hand reached to rub my throbbing temples."Go home, Miss Brown. It is over. The Potter's are safe."

"We are back to Miss Brown, are we, Professor?" She pulled her hands away, her eyes full of question as she watched me.

"Lavender, there is no reason for you to stay."

"Perhaps I am here because I want to be, not because I have to be."

"Then you are being ridiculous."

Hurt reflected in her gaze briefly as she pressed herself straight in the chair. "I guess I thought you might want someone… me... here."

I sighed. "Whatever connection we may have felt during these last few weeks was formed under duress. It would be inappropriate for us to-"

"Who the hell cares about what is appropriate? I certainly do not." She frowned.

"I'm old, and I'm tired, Lavender."

"I get it. I'm tired too." Tears built in her eyes. "I am so exhausted of a world where everyone has given up on me. But I thought maybe-"

"Stop." I looked away. I could not bare to hear that she'd developed some sort of feelings toward me, even though I already knew the truth. I'd been inside her thoughts enough recently to understand more than I should, but I could not let her speak the words.

"As you wish, Professor." She stood. "I knew your promises were too good to be true." She trudged out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

Shit. Of course that was why she was here. Both relief and disappointed seemed to wash through me simultaneously. But my thoughts were interrupted as the door swung open again.

Minerva McGonagall stepped in, a sour look on her face.

She shook her head. "What did you say to her? She has not left your side for two days."

"The truth." I frowned.

She sighed, giving me a look I had seen far too many times during my tenure at Hogwarts, as though the events of my final year there had never happened. "Severus, you may be one of the most intelligent people I have ever known, but sometimes you can be quite dim. Do you not see she cares for you?"

"Precisely the problem. Her affections are misplaced and irrational."

She laughed. "That may be true, but that rarely matters in such things."

I groaned as I attempted to stand up. "Are you actually condoning this, Minerva?"

She sat down next to the bed. "I did not say that exactly. I just don't think it would hurt you to consider the possibility that -"

"That what? Do you really think I have anything to offer to anyone…" I laughed.

"It does not really matter what I think, Severus. It matters what she thinks. And I have no idea what happened between the two of you during the last three weeks, but I do know she has stood guard for you against the press and the Aurors and others who have come to disturb your convalescence. Actually, I am surprised I have even been allowed through. I had to prove I understood you had been on our side all along. Anyone that can spend that much time with you and still be by your side afterward…" She shrugged.

"I am not having this. It is wrong. It could only end badly, and I can hardly believe you would encourage such things."

"Things are different now, Severus. War changes things; changes people. We should all be so lucky to find some solace." She reached out and patted my hand.

I withdrew from the touch and shot her a glare. "No. I got what I deserved, and Ms Brown deserves better."

"She said something similar about you when I ask her why she stayed." Minerva stood. "I hope you have thought this through."

"I have no idea what you are implying, Minerva?" I frowned.

"Thanks to Ms Brown, you have a another chance at life." She raised an eyebrow and glanced at me as she moved to leave the room. "But you are getting older, Severus, might not get a another chance at love."

Lavender Brown

Why am I such an idiot? Will I never learn not to open myself up like this? I stomped down the hall several meters before I felt the hot tears streaming down my face. Tears? Tears for Severus Snape? Who am I?

I gritted my teeth as I paused to swallow down the lump in my throat. "No. I refuse," I said aloud to my reflection in the window. "I will not do this." I pressed my forehead to the cool glass and closed my eyes.

The tears did not stop as I wrapped my arms around myself to stop my shoulders from shaking.

"Lavender?" I heard a soft voice beside me and took a deep breath. I wiped the tears from my face as I looked over.

"Parvati…" I smiled weakly as I turned to embrace my friend.

"Lavender." She squeezed me. "What the hell? What the bloody hell?"

I sighed immediately understanding that she was at once asking about the Patronus, Professor Snape, my current emotional state, and the fact that I had not spoken with her in over a year. "It's a long story."

"Fine. You can tell me later." She released me and ran her fingers across face, wiping away fresh tears. "I've missed you."

I smiled. "I've missed you too. But I just couldn't… I'm sorry."

She nodded. "You don't need to apologise. I understand. Things happen. Life happens."

I laughed. "I forgot how well we can read each other without words, without legilimency."

She echoed my laugh. "Yes. But that doesn't mean you won't have to explain everything later. I must know how you ended up with Professor Snape of all people."

My breath caught in my chest as a fresh wave of emotion came over me.

Parvati's eyes widened. "Wait. You're with Snape?"

I sighed. "...No." I chewed on my lower lip as my cheeks burned.

"But you want to be?" She gasped as she saw right through me. "But why?"

As she grasped my hands and leaned closer, I was reminded of late nights whispering gossip, talking about boys and complaining about parents as we sat together in a corner of the Gryffindor common room. "It's not that exactly. Just that I have confusing feelings toward him after everything we've been through. Parvati, he showed me wandless magic. I dueled Lucius Malfoy with just a stick and won! He believed me when everyone else literally thought I was mental. He kept me focused and gave me hope." I sucked back more tear with a loud sniffle. "And he said he could fix me. I wanted him to fix me…"

She nodded. "Yes but...he's Snape? He did so many terrible things."

"No. There is so much more to that story. Harry was right. He was on our side all along."

"So you really have feelings for him then," she shook her head. "I suppose you could do worse." She laughed.

I joined the laugh for a moment before sighing. "As always with me, it is completely one sided."

"Well, I have something that might cheer you up."

"Doubtful."

She reached into her bag and pulled out my wand.

I swiped it from her. "How did you get this?"

"When your parents were by earlier and you turned them away they asked me to give it to you." She smiled. "The are very apologetic, Lavender. And very proud of what you have done."

"I am not quite ready to forgive them for leaving me there." A wave of anger hit me followed by fatigue.

I glanced out at the window. I could not see the moon, but I sensed the waxing silver slice in the sky. Another round of tears began. "Parvati, I can't do this again. I can't bear another cycle. I just can't."

She wrapped her arms around my shoulders and held me close. "I am so sorry you have to endure this. It is not fair." She sighed. "If I had more than my friendship and support to offer, I promise you I would give it."

"I know," I whispered as I patted her arm. "Thank you."

"How about I take you out of here for a bit. Get you out of those hospital clothes and feed you something other than hospital food." She turned to me, grasping my shoulders.

I nodded. "Yes. I think a break from hospitals would do me some good. Let's go."

Severus Snape

I stared into the face to Parvati Patil as she finished telling me of her concern for Ms Brown's wellbeing while standing on my doorstep.

"And what do you think I can do about it, Ms Patil? It's late, and I arrived home only a few hours ago." I frowned. She must have used her contacts within the Ministry to find me.

"Professor Snape, I have no idea what happened between you two over the last three weeks, but I know it had an effect on her and I suspect on you as well. I don't know how to get through to her when she is like this, and I am afraid she's a danger to herself. I can't see her locked up again."

I gritted my teeth as I glanced out the window. It was only three days into the lunar cycle. "Damnit. I do not want to be involved."

"You already are."

"I cannot be what she needs."

"Yes, you can. You already have. Willingly or not, somehow you were the one there when the rest of us were not. Now you can be the one that can reach her when no one else can." Her dark eyes begged me.

"This is absurd." I turned away.

"Fine then. But if you care for her at all, you can find her at the Leaky. Likely dancing on the bar if she hasn't been kicked out yet." She stood and walked out leaving me wondering if I preferred it when the wizarding world despised me.

I found the witch exactly where Ms Patil said I would; dancing on the bar at back of the Leaky Cauldron singing off-key something about a kilt and slinging a stein of beer in her hand. Her blue dress seemed twisted about her frame, and she was missing a shoe. A few other patrons seemed to be paying her some attention but most seemed to simply be ignoring her antics as the drank their early morning woes away.

She draped her arms about my shoulders as she stepped down from the bartop when I approached. "Professor," she slurred, whiskey smelling on her breath. "What brings you here?"

I rolled my eyes. "I have come to get you out of here. Let me take you home."

She laughed. "Your house, I hope." She dragged a finger down my chest as she looked up, her teeth played at her lip flirtatiously.

"Merlin. You're pissed."

"Yes," she sputtered. "And you are not." She frowned as she stumbled into my arms, losing her other shoe.

She placed her palms against my chest as she lowered her voice. "There is not enough drink in the universe to keep away the oncoming demons, but at least it's a start." She inhaled deeply and giggled again. "But your body feels nice against mine, don't you think?" Her hands snaked around my waist.

"Stop this." I grabbed her wrists and pulled her from me.

"Damnit, Severus. I just need to be with somebody tonight. It's been too long and the numbness is finally letting up." She pulled free and stuck out her lower lip in a pout.

I shook my head. "I will take you back to my place, but not for that reason. Come."

She stepped away. "No thanks. I'll find someone else who wants to shag me senseless then."

A few heads looked up from their drinks.

"While I am sure that will not be difficult tonight considering the display you have put on, I am asking you to consider my offer instead." I glanced around at the other patrons. Would they cry foul if I threw the girl over my shoulder and took her out of here? Likely not, however, I suspected Lavender would feel otherwise, should she even remember the event tomorrow.

She frowned but said nothing.

I sighed as I reached for her hand. "Do not make me beg?"

"You wouldn't?"

"Yes. I would. I am attempting to apologise, Ms Brown, but I think it would be more effective in private."

Her eyes narrowed. "Okay, Severus. But there better be breakfast involved."

"If that is your wish."

She wrapped her arms around my neck. "Yes. Apologies are always better with pancakes."

With another shake of my head, I sighed and picked up her shoes. I led her out of the pub. "Hold on." I disapperated us.

As we appeared in front of the last house on Spinner's End, Lavender pulled away and doubled over.

"Fuck me," she moaned as she vomited into the grass.

I pinched the bridge of my nose. "I am regretting this already."

She stumbled to the ground and started to sob. "I can't do this again…"

A crackle of her unfocused energy pulsed around me as I kneeled to assist her. Now, more than ever, I noted how frail and thin her petite body seemed. "Let me help you, Lavender. I promised to help you."

Her tear-reddened face and empty grey eyes looked up. "There is no help for me. You said it yourself. There is no cure for lycanthropy."

I lifted her arm around my shoulder and we stood. "Yes. But you are not a werewolf."