To Mend The Broken Heart (Snape/Student Love Story)

Epilogue

EPILOGUE

I screamed out, pain exploding in my body. Naginis fangs sank deep serval times, slicing up my neck. Hot blood gushed from the deep wounds, and Claudinias screams of agony echoed in the room.

When Voldemort left, and she was finally released, she crawled over to me. She placed her hand on my neck wound, and I wished she wouldnt have. I didn't want her to have my blood on her once I'm gone. She took out her wand to try and heal me, but I shook my head. She dropped her wand, sobbing.

When I died, it felt... Odd. Sort of like falling asleep, only in my case, under extreamly pain. I can't remember the exact moment it happened, but the next thing I knew, I saw myself, lifeless, and my dear Claudinia, holding my body.

I knew she couldn't see me, but I dropped to my knees only a foot from her. She burried her face in my robes, and the other students showed sadness. I could only stare at her. I didn't want to be hurt like Lily had done to me, and yet, I have managed to curse her with the same feeling that the red headed beauty bestowed upon me.

Guilt washed over me, even though I knew it wasn't my fault whatsoever. There was nothing I coukdnhave done about it. I had tried to persuade Voldemort, but the bastard stood steady as a rock, and wouldn't sway.

I suddenly felt a breeze of cool wind, and a melancholy aura settles over me. When I looked behind me, I saw someone I never imagined I would again: Lily. She looked exactly as she did when I last saw her, holding her dead body similar to how Claudinia did now. She gazed at me, sad and knowing, with her gleaming green eyes. There was little color to her, but I could never miss those eyes. I could pick them out of a crowd.

"Lily..." I breathed, disbelief washing over me. She leaned her head to one side, still watching me intently. "Hello, Sev. It's been a long time." She replied in her silky smooth voice. A touch of anger bit at my insides. "It's been almost twenty years." I snapped, my lip curling. I didn't mean to; it was just how I acted normally. She took no heed to it. "I know." She replied.

"No... I'm sorry. I don't mean to hiss at you." I apologized. Lily nodded and blinked her pretty eyes at me. "I've grown accustomed to it, Sev."

Her eyes moved to behind me, and Claudinias tortured cries came back to my stunning realization. Lily nodded her head towards the girl, who crouched over me in a horrific pile of tears. I stared down at her, feeling suddenly very empty. "You love her." Lily said.

There was no specific emotion conveying in her voice. If this would have happened a year ago, he would have denied living anyone else but her. Yet... When I looked down at this sad, sorrowful girl, I felt as if my love for Lily wasn't the most importaint one anymore. She was.

The thought made me flinch. It wasn't as if I didn't still love and think of Lily, I told myself, it was just that Claudinia... I waat even sure how to put it. I jut felt as if Claudinia held a part of me that no one else could. "More than anything." I replied, still looking down at Claudinia.

I didnt know how Lily would feel. Somewhere inside, I hoped she would feel jelous. But, to my surprise, and small pleasure, Lily was happy for me. She smiled, and my insides tingled. "I'm happy for you, Sev. She's lovely."

I nodded, unable to take my eyes off Claudinias crumpled figure. I felt as if it was all my fault, though I knew I couldn't change anything. My dead heart broke at the sigt of her. I imagined that's how I looked when I held Lilys dead body. I sighed, and Lily crouched next to me.

"I wanted to thank you, Sev." She told me, and I furrowed my brow at her. She blinked at me, a small smile still playing on her lips. The lips I used to dream about kissing. But now, thinking of kissing someone, I could only think of Claudinia. Her full, light pink lips, the moist, soft feel of them. I could lose myself in her mouth for hours on end. The first time I kissed her, back in Hogsmead, how hesitant I was.

"For what?" I asked her. I never really did anything to deserve her thanking me, in all honesty. Lily looked forward, and I followed her eyes: Harry. "For watching over and protecting my baby."

"He is no baby." I retorted. Lily laughed, like a tinkering of a bell. The sound melted my insides. It felt a lot like old times, being children again. Laying in the meadow with her next to me.

"I know, Sev." She murmered. She suddenly laughed again. "Merlin, I feel like you raised him!" She exclaimed. I see why she laughed; that was a silly notion. I snorted. "I did nothig of the sort." I mumnled under my breath.

She still heard me. "Oh, you've always been so shy abour being nice. Always keeping the bet of you concealed. Mr. Tough guy." She playfully punched my shoulder. Merlin, it must have been twenty years since the last time we were this close.

"I missed you so much, Lily." Pain laced my voice, all the hurt from that day Lily vowed never to speak to me again filling its contents. Lilys smile vanished, and she leaned her head on my shoulder.

"I should have forgiven you. I was just so... Mad. Not just at you, really... But at the people you were friends with. I accused you of being evil. I should have known better, Sev. I should have known my best friend better." Through the middle of it, her voice cracked, and she blinked her eyes rapidly as if not to cry. Can ghosts even cry?

I didnt care right then. Her forgiving me and appologizing for being so harsh to me... It was enough to melt my heart. I wrapped one arm around her from the side, resting my own head on hers. I felt oddly... complete. I would be a father. I experienced true love. I had my best friend back. I felt as if I had traveled back in time, back to being nine years old, laying under the blossoming tree in Spring.

A sudden realization came to me. "Is this it? Were dead, and just float around here forever, doing absolutly nothing?" I qeustioned Lily. She looked up at me with her big green eyes. "Nk, theres heaven. Youcan reallyfo whereever you please." She replied, turning her gaze back to Harry.

I knew I would never leave Claudinia. I couldn't. I would watch over her, as Lily had done for Harry all these years. I had weighed the consequences over and over for weeks, every day after class when I gave her extra lessons... Inthe beginning, I hated having to stay after and teach overtime for a pathetic girl, yet I had still felt a small chip inside of me that wantedto be close to her.

I wasn't sure what I was feeling at first. Then, after two weeks or so, I knew I had feelings for her. Every night I would stay awake, replaying the images of her smiling when she did somethig right, her every movement, her hair bouncing around, the exact shade of her eyes, the sweet, delicate scent of peach that drifted with her.

I knew it was wrong, yet I couldn't resist. I chastised myself inwardly for thinkig such thoughts of a student. And now, I scold myself for not falling in love with her sooner. I wasted away years doing my best to ignore her, all because I told myself I would never love after Lily. Complete ignorance.

I would watch over my her. Forever.

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