Chapter 13: The Astronomy Tower

"Rose loves me?" Severus thought to himself as he walked through the castle. He had thought she was only being kind, that she looked upon him as an older brother. Lily couldn't love him, it must have been the same for Rose. "I was so wrong!" He told himself. His wanderings led him to the Astronomy Tower. He knew she would be there. he began the steep climb of the stairs, musing through the revelations of the night. Would he be able to love her back? Would his love for Lily stay in the past?

Severus opened the door of the Astronomy Tower and what he saw took his breath away.

There she sat, calmly on the edge, a marble statue of perfection, her milky white skin seemed to glow in the moonlight. Her hair danced in the breeze like the small red flames of a crackling fire. Her silk robes hugged her every shape and all he could think about was how beautiful she was. She was no longer a little sister, she was a gorgeous woman that took his breath away. Severus blushed as the thought came to his mind. Could he really be able to move on from Lily, that quickly? Was Lily right? Did Rose truly love him as a man?

He still remembered the last night he had seen her up here. She had followed him to the tower after the graduation feast and begged him to come back to Hogwarts the following year.

"Severus please come back, you can apprentice under Slughorn, you know he worships the ground you walk on. You are his very own prodigy. Please don't leave me alone here." She begged.

"I can't Rose. I have bigger plans. I can't stay here and be a lapdog to Slughorn. He just wants me for his wall!"

"Severus please! Don't you get it? I don't want you to leave!"

"Why?!" He barked.

"Severus?" She looked at him puzzled. She walked over to him. "Don't you know how much you mean to me?"

What happened then still felt like a dream. She had closed the space between them and turned his face so he was looking at her.

"Severus, you are the only I care about. You're my only friend here. I feel empty when you aren't around." With that she closed what small space there was between the two of them and brought his lips to hers. His eyes widened in surprise, her lips felt like silk on his. His hands went to her waist and his mouth opened to take her in further. He heard a sigh escape from her and realised what he was doing.

"Rose," he said.

"I love you," she whispered.

"I can't..." he finished.

Rose looked up at him, the confusion etched on her face slowly turned to realisation and then pain. Her eyes filled with tears. She tore herself away from Severus and flew from the tower, her sobs echoing through the stairwell.

"I had a feeling you would find me here," she whispered quietly. Severus' heart skipped a beat and he was brought back to reality.

"How did she know I was here?" He thought to himself.

She turned to him and and he saw that she had tears in her eyes.

"Rose?" He closed the distance between them and took her hand in his.

"I know Severus. You loved her more than you ever loved anyone."She said sadly. They sat in silence, holding hands. He took the time to study her. Her eyes were an even brighter shade of green now that she had been crying. Lily had been beautiful, Rose outshone her. Her face was streaked with tears and yet she still looked like the image of perfection.

"Do you remember the last time we were here together?" She asked, taking him away from his contemplation.

"I do. I don't think I could forget it."

"You know that I meant everything I said that night?"

"I know," he answered. "I just didn't want to believe it because I loved her. I couldn't look at you that way either. You were my little sister."

"I know. I was so angry at her that night. When I went back to the common room, she saw me and followed me to my dorm. She asked me what was wrong but I couldn't tell her. I was so ashamed. I was so jealous. I knew you loved her and I was only the kid sister who tagged along but I hated her so much for taking your heart..."

"Rose, don't," Severus interrupted. "Let the past stay buried."

She looked him in the eyes, green met obsidian, she saw fear in his eyes and a new light she had not seen before. Her heart beat like a fast tattoo. His hand tightened on hers.

"Come with me," Severus whispered as he stood up and pulled her to him.

Severus' heart raced as he walked a few steps from where they sat and pulled Rose to him. He slowly began to sway and dance with her to a slow silent music only he could hear. She was so small next to his six foot four frame, she barely reached his chest. She had to strain to look up at him. As they slow danced, Severus pulled Rose in closer and closer with each step, until she was pressed up against him. Her head nestled against his chest and his chin rested on the top of her head. He breathed her in. Her vanilla scent was intoxicating. He looked down at her and as she brought her head up to look at him he felt a pull he had never felt before.

He stopped swaying and took her face in his hands. He bent down and gently took her lips and kissed her deeply and softly. Her mouth was soft and silky, hungry against his. He had little experience, having only kissed a handful of women when forced by the Dark Lord at revels. He had never kissed lips so soft or sweet. She intoxicated him and made him want more. A hunger burned deep in his heart, deep in his belly. He licked her bottom lip and as hers parted, he took the kiss deeper. A soft moan escaped her mouth. It only made him desire her more. HIs hands moved from her face to her hair and waist, crushing her against him, lifting her to his face. her hands were in his hair, on his neck. Each touch was aimed at pulling each other closer and closer. His hands explored her back, undid her hair so that it fell in cascades around them. Rose's hands moved and undid a few buttons of his dress jacket and her felt her cool hands on his throat. He opened his eyes and slowly drew from the kiss. Her eyes blinked open and looked up into his obsidian depths.

"Merlin you are beautiful!" He whispered hoarsely. Her hair was wildly blowing in the breeze, her lips red from kissing, her eyes burned with a green fire he couldn't attribute to anything other than desire. She blushed and his heart skipped a beat.

"Severus," she whispered.

"Don't speak, there is too much to say and right now I need to get you out of the cold."

Severus picked her up, cuddled her against his shoulder and chest, and headed back to her rooms.