Chapter 17

They were married in a small ceremony in Spinners End. There was no cake, no flowers, no guests. No one else mattered. Nothing else mattered. They exchanged vows and were bonded for all eternity.

Tonks let the word linger in her mind. Eternity. It was such a simple word. How was she to know that eternity was so short?

She had forgotten many things in her life. She couldn't even remember her first kiss. The day she found out the true length of eternity was not a memory she could ever erase. It was one of the few memories that permanently imprinted itself into her mind. A memory that would never fade.

He was dizzy again. It was becoming too common and that worried her. She scolded him again. He needed to been seen by a healer, but he wouldn't hear of it. The pride of the Potions Master sneered at her.

On that particular day, Tonks had had enough. He could barely function. Pride or not, he was going to St Mungos. She grabbed his arm, apparating them to the hospital doors.

How she wished they never went. If she could take it back, she would have listened to him. She would have stayed there. Tonks would have played oblivious, in their beautiful home.

Severus took her arm and led her away from St Mungos' gates. She protested, but his demeanor silenced her. He apparated them home, seating her on the couch.

In this spot, the place where she agreed to be his wife, he told her he was dying. The venom in his veins had not been cured, only slowed. Death was only delayed.

Tonks stilled, unable to process his words. For the first time in her life, she couldn't react. She couldn't feel. Even tears eluded her.

"Dora, say something, " he pleaded.

She couldn't. She screamed inside her own mind, but her body froze. Time stopped.

Severus laid his head down on her lap, arms wrapped tightly around her. He wept into her, "I don't want to die, Dora. It's taken me so long to find you. I don't want to leave you."

She didn't know how long they stayed like that. Hours? Days? It felt like an eternity; until the words finally reached her heart and she screamed out. Endless pain racked her entire body, suffocating her. She shook uncontrollably, like a women possessed.

He held her down. Severus tried to calm her. He whispered apologies into her ear. He rubbed her back, letting her scream until she pushed him away.

How dare he try to comfort her. He was leaving her. He, who promised forever. Anger was the only emotion she had left. Tonks threw everything she could reach, at him. Vases, throw pillows, pictures frames and even the shoes, that once covered her feet, flew at him. Incoherent babbles echoed through the small living room.

Severus stood in place, deflecting anything that got close. He knew her temper. He knew she would stop, only when she tired. He let her, continue her rampage, until she fell lifelessly to the floor. Only then did he dare to approach her. He knelt in front of her, reaching for her hands. "I'm sorry Dora."

Her eyes were swollen and red. Her lips trembled, "How long? "

He hung his head in defeat, "I don't know. Maybe a few months… maybe a few years."

Tonks grabbed his shirt with both hands, pulling him close. She wanted to see his eyes, "How long have you known? "

Severus leaned his forehead against hers, "From the beginning." He unlatched her hands, kissing them, "I was never meant to survive."

"Why," Tonks whimpered. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Snape held her face in his hands, looking deep into her eyes, "I didn't want you to love me because I was dying. I loved you enough to live."

She climbed into his lap, wrapping her arms around him. Nymphadora buried her head in his neck. "I can't Severus. I can't live without you."

He held her tight. Oh, how cruel the Gods were. They had given him everything he had ever wanted, only to take it away. He'd waited all his life for her, to find her. How unjust it was to find her so late in life. Why couldn't she been there in his prime. He would have taken the other road and given her, his youth.

Severus rocked her slowly, letting her sob her frustration and anger into him. She wept for hours, finally stilling when exhaustion took over. He carried her sleeping body to their bed and laid her down. She clung to him, even in her dreams.

"I'm not going anywhere, Dora. I'm just getting the covers."

She shook her head, "I don't want them. I only want you. You'll keep me warm."

Tears filled the Potion Masters eyes. He laid down next to his wife. Severus wrapped himself around her, "Always."