Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter

(A/N—I know—you're thinking—WHAT? AFTER ALL THESE YEARS YOU FINALLY DECIDE TO FINISH THIS STORY? AND YOU EXPECT ME TO READ IT? I know...I'm sorry. But—here it is *sheepish grin*).

EPILOGUE

Tara walked slowly towards the grave. It had been nearly a decade since she had been able to get herself to go back to England, but now that Voldemort was gone, she didn't have an excuse anymore. She stopped when she was just within sight of where her best friend lay.

"Oh, Lily," she whispered, tears starting to stream down her face.

Then, she sat and waited.

Three weeks later, it finally happened. When Tara arrived for her daily vigil, she saw a figure standing at the foot of Lily's grave. The person's hood was drawn, but she recognized the build ... the walk. Even after all of these years.

She got up and carefully made her way closer.

When she was within hearing range, she spoke.

"I knew it," she said.

There was no response.

"I knew you would come."

Again, there was silence for a long moment. Tara started to feel the tears come again.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here to save her," she said.

After Tara could take the silence no longer, she was about to continue, when the person spoke up.

"There was nothing you could have done," it said.

"Well then," she said, "can we agree that there was nothing you could have done either?"

After a long moment of no response, Tara sighed and continued to speak.

"I didn't come all this way to listen to myself talk. I didn't want to have to resort to this in this setting, but I know Lily would have approved. If you don't have a decent conversation with me, I will not only tell everyone that you're alive, but I will have it written in history books that Severus Snapes' official nickname was Sexy Sevy," she said.

The figure barked a laugh before it could stop itself.

"I'm getting through," she said triumphantly. "Now, turn around..."

Severus Snape turned slowly around and smirked at Tara.

"Yes, I believe Lily would have approved of your methods," he said, with a sad smile. "But before we go any further, I want to get one thing straight. You did not know I was going to be here."

Tara laughed. "Why on earth would I be here waiting in the snow all day if I didn't know you would come? Who else would I be expecting? Lucius? You just can't stand the fact that someone was smarter than you and figured out your plan." she said.

"Well, I seriously doubt you even know the potions I used in my plan exist," he said, rolling his eyes. His expression changed, though, as he looked down at her face. "It's good to see you, though, Tara, even if you are as frightfully annoying as ever. You haven't aged a day."

"Maybe I'm better at potions than you thought...but I learn the ones that are actually useful and important," she said with a small laugh. "Although, I might have changed just a little."

After a slightly awkward moment of staring at each other, Tara laughed again.

"This is no good, Sevy," she said, and jumped into his arms.

Taken completely aback by this show of affection, it took Severus a few seconds before he stiffly hugged her back.

"I think it's been too long since you've hugged someone," Tara said.

Severus laughed. "I didn't know that was possible."

"So fine," Tara said with a sigh as she stepped back, "I knew you didn't die the instant I heard the report. Killed by Voldemort's snake? Impossible. Not the great Severus. I knew you had something up your sleeve. Going out like this so you can quietly slip away was just like you. I was so sure that I came all the way from France an hour after I heard. But, I have no idea how you actually did it."

"A master never reveals his secrets," Severus said cockily.

"Too late, Sexy Sevy. I have too much on you. Not to mention the fact that I know you're alive..." she said.

Severus grunted. "Fine." He sighed and then said in a lecturing tone, "It's actually quite simple. There's a potion that makes it appear that I am dead and then fades after a few minutes. Of course, I have taken precautions to be immune to all snakes' poisons...and a potion I took constantly during the war made my body strong and resistant to being hurt. The snake thought it had killed me and moved on. Then, a simple spell to make a dead deatheater look like me for the burial...and it was done. I feel a little bad for Harry, of course, but if I am to be free from my old life...it was necessary."

Tara nodded slowly. "I understand."

"I doubt it," he said smugly.

Tara sighed. "I meant, I understand why you did it. It's impossible to go back to the way it was...so where will you go?"

Severus sighed. "I don't know. I just can't leave her..." he said, glancing back at the grave.

"She would want you to be happy," Tara said. "She loved you. In another life...if things had been a little different..."
"Harry would have had much better hair," he said with a smirk. "Is that what you're getting at?"

Tara smiled sadly. "Well, that's debatable old friend," she said. "But, what I was also getting at is, you should come with me."
"To France? Wouldn't your husband and children mind?" he asked.

"I never married, Sev. I came close a few times, but things never worked out. So anyway, it's perfect. I'll be there for you and make sure you don't pine your life away. It's what Lily would want," she said, placing her hand on Severus' shoulder.

She looked down at the gravestone. "We don't have to get over her death completely, but I think we both need to move on. We need to say goodbye."

Severus stood there for a few minutes, but then finally nodded.

"Goodbye my dearest friend," Tara said, her words catching in her throat. "Until we meet again. My life was so much better because I knew you."

Severus placed two fingers to his lips and then touched the gravestone. "Goodbye Lily Evans. Since we met, I've lived my life for you, and it was worth it."

They waited in silence until the sunset faded from the sky.

Tara took Severus by the hand and they slowly walked from the cemetery.

A/N Wow, that wasn't how I was originally going to end it, obviously, since many of the books hadn't come out when I originally planned it. I decided recently, though, that Sev was MUCH too cool to die the way he did in the 7th book. Sorry if you guys find this cheesy. It has been a long time since I've written ANYTHING, so I'm trying to get back into the groove of things.

The original epilogue would have been similar, but only a few years after Lily's death, and Sev wouldn't have left with Tara forever, obviously.

I was really upset about a lot of things in book 7 that I thought could have gone better directions...but then I saw a bit of the 2nd movie and realized... I STILL LOVE HARRY POTTER SO MUCH. So, I decided to finish my fanfics. It's good practice to get back into writing anyways. I hope I didn't butcher this too badly. If this reads like the epilogue from book 7—someone please stop me. teehee.

I love ALL of my readers. You're awesome.