Boom chapter nine, the last chapter is up. I want to thank you all for your support it has been wonderful to hear your comments :D

-Enjoy

When you are dreaming with a broken heart the waking up is the hardest part. Happy endings are possible but never required. They are rare pieces of color in a black and white room, the comic relief in a melancholy movie, the sweetness at the bottom of the pie.

For me there is no color in this room, there is no comic relief, no sweetness in this pie, no, there is only the heart that was mended only to be broken and my hope that was restored only to go with her.

Earlier on I mentioned that this was a story of a man finding hope when hopeless this is partly true. I did find hope but I never said it stayed. She was my hope, and she is gone. Just like Lily, gone. I was glad to have that hope. Even if it wasn't for long I still had it. I had hope once and once was good enough for me.

I dream with a broken heart and my dreams haunt me. I see her face, her smile, I see her in a wedding gown, I see her with our children, I feel her beside me, her blue eyes looking into mine. In my dreams she is beside me always there living the life we should have had. But I wake…and she is gone. My dreams tease and trick me into believing she is there sleeping beside me. But she's gone.

Every time I wake I can't shake that feeling that she will be down those stairs, that she will be waiting for me. I am haunted by their blank eyes, their pail skin, their limp bodies, their no longer smiling mouths. I am haunted by visions of the past of where their eyes are bright, their skin glowing and warm, and their mouths laughing. And of a feature that can never be, a future of a wedding, our children, and friendship.

One green, one blue, both gone, both have passed their eyes on to their son's, eyes I will do anything in my power to keep from becoming like their mothers, this is what gives me the strength to wake every day, knowing that I have a job to do.

Now I suppose you want to hear what happened to Cissa, Lucius, Draco, and I though I think you can guess. There was a flash of green light, a sacrifice, a crying child, a crying man, a man made of darkness, and the last words of a one most loved.

Lucius stood in the doorway. Murder flashing in his eyes. He walked in, taking slow steps eyeing his prey.

"I do admit I didn't think you had it in you Narcissa, bravo truly bravo. I must watch you more closely this time. Come." He held his hand out to her.

"She's not going anywhere." I stood in front of her.

"You have no right to take my property snape." He slowly withdrew his wand from his cane. I was enraged.

"Your property? She is a human being she can't be owned. Neither can your son"

"The ring on her finger says otherwise." He inclined his head to Cissa's hand. " She belongs to me Severus. You have taken what is rightfully mine, my son included, hand them over and they will not be harmed in your presence."

"If I keep them none will be harmed at all." We were circling each other now. Cissa attempted to pull me back.

"Severus, stop this." "Lucius I will go." There were tears in her eyes, her worst fears had come true. She pulled me away and stepped from behind me.

"No Cissa." I pulled her behind me again. "Let me fight for you." She was hesitant but spoke.

"No Severus I won't let you die for me. I'm sorry…" She moved away once again, standing in-between Lucius and i.

"Lucius, I agree I will come home…I must get Draco…"

"No. Stay Narcissa we can get Draco later." Cissa didn't move a muscle.

"Smart girl." He spat the words out. He grabbed her roughly by the jaw and kissed her, my stomach churned.

"Don't you dare even touch her.." I growled at him.

"You are in no position to make threats Severus." He smiled.

I could not stand it any longer.

"Sectumsempra!" the hex barely missed his head.

He turned around murder once again flashing across his pail arrogant face. He released Cissa and raised his wand. He spoke first.

"You should keep the best spells to yourself." With that he shouted.

"SECTUM-"

There was a scream of "NO!" And I fell to the ground Cissa bleeding beside me.

Blood coated the floor. We heard shouts coming from the outside. Lucius ran , only to be captured in a fight with two auors.

"Cissa…No Cissa please." I crawled over to her and attempted to perform the counter curse but the damage was too deep I could only buy us time, and lessen her pain.

I held her bleeding body in my arms. She took gasping breaths and griped my robs.

"Cissa…Stay with me Dumbledore will be here any minute we…we can get you help…Cissa please!"

She was weakening and when she spoke I could barely hear her. She placed her hand on my cheek I held it there my tears falling onto it.

"S-Severus…Make me a promise…promise me you…you will move on…promise me you will find…find another woman…who treats you…like you deserve…promise me you will forget…" Her eyes began to close her hand was losing the little strength it had.

I shook her.

"No Cissa…I will always remember…" My heart was breaking. This couldn't be happening.

"I was…hoping you…would say…that…" She smiled a weak little smile and uttered her last words.

"I'm glad I could die in your arms…But…Living in them…would be so much better…" Her hand went limp and her heart stopped beating. So did mine.

Draco's sobs met my own. I rocked her limp body back and forth, all the while begging her to come back. Dumbledore came in only minutes after words and placed a hand on my shoulder tears falling silently down his face. He informed me that Lucius had been captured and would not be having a speedy release from Azkaban. He left only moments after words not being able to take another look at the tear jerking scene before him.

Hours passed and I stayed there not moving holding Cissa as close to me as possible. I took the ring from its velvet box and gently placed it on her hand. I carried her body in my arms and out to the garden and gently placed her in the grass. I cleaned the blood off of her and her clothing. I cast enchantments all around her building her a tomb of enchanted blue-bell flowers and preserving her body.

I went back inside and held Draco to my chest, I was all he had in the world now, we needed each other.

I carried Draco out to the garden to her grave, I held him as we both cried.

Years have passed, Draco is a man, Tom Riddle is vanquished, all is well but yet I still dream with a broken heart. And waking up has never gotten any easier.

When you are dreaming with a broken heart the waking up is the hardest part.

Clarealbell-

I hope you all enjoyed the story!