Under The Stars

More Secrets

Chapter 11

ANs: Cliffhanger!! I'm so evil XD

"What did you just say?" She knew exactly what he said, but wanted to hear it from him, just to confirm. The warm fuzz slowly vanished away, clearing her mind.

Severus' heart dropped, he had mistakenly taken Hermione for Lily. The thought of her brought tears to his eyes. He turned his back to the startled girl, hiding away his emotions. Luckily for him, his fire whiskey was placed in front of him on the table. He reached out for the bottle and shot it back, taking a quick gulp. He cleared the lump in his throat and regained his confidence.

"It's time for you to leave." He couldn't bring himself to mention her name, not trusting himself to get confused again. His voice turned stern and cold.

He cursed himself for being so foul to her. He was finally having a bit of fun with the girl he was growing to love. But he slipped up and everything turned sour. At this point, he knew he only had himself to blame. Severus always had a tendency for screwing up things or people he got close too. There was no hope for him in the world to love someone again, at least that's what he thought.

"No." Hermione rejected his command. Her negative emotions finally being expressed.

They stood their silently. Snape didn't want to argue with her.

"Please just go." Severus begged, feeling his gut ache. He didn't want to fight her either. He wanted to be left alone with his own feelings and cry himself to sleep over, his worn memories of Lily.

Hermione wouldn't leave until she got answers. Her clear mind suddenly put two and two together like a jigsaw. The young woman stormed over to the nightstand and grabbed the image of young Severus and Lily together.

Tears formed in the corners of her eyes, as she observed the picture once more. It was Harry's mother, Lily. She knew that they attended school together, but she never knew they was that close. She never knew Severus was close with anyone. If he did have an association with this woman, then it must have meant a hell of a lot to him.

Hermione sunk on the edge of his bed, with the image still in hand. Looking at how happy they were. She felt empty inside, she didn't know what to feel at this moment. Was he in love with a dead woman? She could only ease her curiosity by asking.

Severus had not acknowledged her for the past 5 minutes. But Hermione finally broke the tension.

"Did you love her?" Her hoarse voice broke the tension, that lingered in the air. She wanted him to look at her. She wanted him to hold her and tell her that, it was only she that he loved.

Severus lost control of his emotions. His hand raised to cover his mouth instantly before a sob was heard. Tears prickled the corners of his eyes, as he squeezed them shut tightly. The man cried silently in his hand. Not wanting her to hear. Not wanting her to think of him as weak. He had been strong for far too long.

Hermione choked on her own cry, as she got her silent answer. She heard him hide his pain away from her. The girl placed the picture down beside her on the bed and walked out of the room. She concealed her own cries once she entered the hall.

Her back slid carelessly down the stone wall, letting go of her pain. The reason he didn't love her was that, he was in love with someone else. Someone who was dead. Someone she could never compare too.

Severus was left devastated, for now losing another girl he loves in the world.

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A couple of weeks had past. Severus and Hermione hadn't crossed paths since. Hermione's feelings for Severus was still alive, although her appearance became discouraged. Her mind became blank and her soul was empty without him. She felt like she was stuck in the depths of the ocean and he was her only hope.