As soon as he arrived, he started pounding heavily on the door. Lila was in her bed sleeping when she heard the obnoxious noise. "Alohomora," Snape cried. It didn't work. Damn her for taking my advice he thought. He was frantic. Every second felt like an hour to him. It took her a few moments to get to her door and open it. Severus let out a barely audible sigh of relief and then immediately grabbed her head, putting one hand on each side of her forehead and searching her eyes for any telling signs.

"What were the last words you spoke to me?" he demanded. Someone could have disguised themselves as her using polyjuice potion.

"Severus, why are you behaving like this? Are you ok?"

"The last words you said to me! I need to know, now!"

"I told you that I loved you."

He closed his eyes and put his fore arm on his forehead in relief. He was happily reminded of her last words but also thankful that it was the real Lila before him.

"Here, sit down," she could tell he was stressed. She turned on her stove and began heating up some water. "Are you okay, Sev? Do you need anything?" She sat down next to him on the sofa.

"I'm staying here tonight and you cannot ask me why. You have to trust me." He was worried someone might come to collect her in the middle of the night. He needed to be there to protect her.

She was fine with his first demand. She liked spending time with him. "What's the matter?"

"No, Lila. You cannot ask why," he repeated.

She became increasingly suspicious. "Remember when I asked you if where you had been sneaking off to was dangerous, if your life was being threatened? You said nothing bad would happen. Is that still true, Severus?"

He realized it would be nearly impossible to cover up all of his lies. It was unmanageable. He took in a worried breath, "No."

"Was it ever true?"

He paused, "no."

She thought about what he said as she got up to fix a hot wet towel with the boiling water. She folded it over slowly in her hands and returned to her seat on the couch. She began dabbing Severus' head with the towel to relax him. "Should we tell Dumbledore?"

"He already knows."

Lila was trying to understand, "he already knows and allows you to continue you to be put in harm's way? Are you telling me the truth right now, Sev?"

"It's not his fault that I am in this predicament, it is by my own doing," he explained with sorrow.

Lila laid her head on his shoulder in confusion. Fishing for answers was not the right thing to do at this moment. He was consumed with worry and Lila knew he needed her support. "At least I know I'm safe for the night with you around." She rubbed his arm. She moved her hands to his and grabbed it as she stood up, "come lie down."

"You go ahead; I'll be there in a minute. I need to think."

"Don't worry so much, Sev. It's not good for you."

"I know, I know," he politely shooed her away.