alisanne | Fic: At Last

Title: At Last
Author:

alisanne
Rating: PG
Pairing: Severus Snape/Harry Potter
Summary: Eventually, everyone stops lying to themsleves.
Word Count: 1370
Genre: Mild angst/romance.
Warnings: DH Spoilers! Beware.
A/N: Written for

rakina's birthday! I dunno why this scenario came to me when I thought about what to write for you, luv, but it did. *hugs* I hope your day was great! ♥
Beta:

sevfan
Disclaimer: The characters contained herein are not mine. No money is being made from this fiction, which is presented for entertainment purposes only.

~

At Last

~

After tossing and turning restlessly for hours, Harry finally sat up, blinking in the darkness. Ginny's soft, measured breathing reminded him where he was, and he extricated himself from her arms and stretched, his eyes adjusting to the gloom easily.

Why was he still ruminating on things he couldn't change? It had been years. Ten to be exact. Snape was gone. He'd seen him die with his own eyes, so why wouldn't his heart believe it?

A glow came from the window and Harry, startled, squinted towards the light. He moved as if in a dream, pushing back the covers and padding over to the slightly open window.

Peering outside, it took him a while to see what was causing the glow, but when he did he gasped, stepping backwards inadvertently. It couldn’t be...

The doe Patronus looked up at him, her liquid eyes filled with some nameless emotion, and she pranced, tossing her head impatiently.

With one last glance at Ginny's sleeping form, Harry wordlessly Summoned his robes from the chair and put them on as a guard against the chill night air. He climbed out the window and dropped to the ground, only just managing to keep his footing. Glancing up, he realized he was being watched closely by the doe, who it seemed had only been waiting for him to look at her.

With a graceful turn and another insolent toss of her head, she took off at a run, darting past the trees at the end of the garden and into the woods beyond. Harry almost shouted, then, with a sigh, took off running, following just behind her.

The woods were dark but she lit the way clearly, and it never occurred to him to be afraid. Somehow the presence of this creature made possible danger seem unimaginable, unthinkable.

Harry eventually stumbled into a clearing, his eyes still focussed on his guide who had somehow managed to always stay within sight of him. He watched as she dissipated, and only seemed to awaken when the sound of a throat being cleared came from behind him.

He whirled, wand in hand, then stared. "I... you... how?"

Snape, looking no older than the last time Harry had seen him, rolled his eyes. "I had hoped for a more articulate response, but I should have known."

"Snape? But... I thought you were dead," Harry said, his wand still trained on the spectre before him. “We all thought you were dead.”

Snape snorted. "You really believed that I would allow that maniac to kill me?" he asked. "As if I couldn’t predict that some day he would try to kill me and have preparations in place. You thought I would allow myself to not have a bezoar on my person?"

"Er, no, I guess not. So, um, you're really alive? Not a ghost?"

Snape walked up to Harry and whacked him sharply on the head.

"Ow! Oh, all right, so you're alive," Harry said crossly, putting away his wand. "Why did you send your Patronus to me after all this time? And why did you let everyone think you're dead?"

“It was simpler,” Snape said. “In the beginning it would have brought up all sorts of questions and annoying inquiries by the Ministry about my wartime activities. By the time the true story came out, thanks to you, it had been several years and I was content.”

“And now?” Harry wondered if he dared hope that the same thoughts and wishes that had haunted him over the years had haunted Snape as well.

“I decided that you were old enough to contact.”

Harry raised an eyebrow. “Old enough? I’m twenty-seven!”

“Yes, only a few years younger than I was when I became a Death Eater.” Snape sighed. “Anyway, there are a few things of your mother’s that I thought you ought to have," he said, reaching into his robes. “These are correspondences she and I shared. Not the originals, of course, but copies.”

He held out a sheaf of papers towards Harry, who took them slowly, almost reverently.

"Thanks," Harry said. "I don't know what to say."

"It's always better if you don't say anything," Snape said, turning away.

"Wait!" Harry wasn't sure why he wanted to stop Snape from leaving, but something in him did. "Stop, please."

"What is it?" Snape stopped but did not turn back around, presenting a stiff back to Harry.

"Will I... will I ever see you again?"

“Why would you want to?”

Harry swallowed heavily. That was the question, wasn't it? He thought about Ginny, who was waiting for him back at the cabin and he sighed. "I don't know," he said softly. "Did you know I named my son after you?”

Snape’s head bowed. “Yes, so I understand. I... it was a nice gesture.”

Harry smiled. “Thanks. Anyway, I just... I hate for you to go away. I think I would miss you."

Snape laughed mockingly. "Miss me? An old, unsavoury wizard such as myself? I rather doubt that.”

“I’m serious,” Harry said, stepping closer. “Didn’t you feel it that night? The connection between us? Haven’t you ever wondered what that could have been?”

Snape shook his head. “Trying to keep all your options open, Mr. Potter?" he asked. "I wonder if you even know what you're saying?"

Harry frowned. “Wh... What?”

Snape spun, staring silently at him for a moment before sweeping forward and gathering Harry into his arms. “You don’t even know what you’re asking for with those eyes, do you?” he rasped. “Very well, I shall give you something to remember me by.”

Before Harry could say a word, his mouth was being plundered by Snape’s, whose tongue made short work of reducing him to a quivering, trembling mess. It was only Snape’s arms around him that kept him from collapsing under the sensual onslaught.

Harry moaned into Snape’s mouth, his arms creeping up to tangle in lanky hair, and that seemed to bring Snape to his senses. He pulled away, but not before one last lingering suck on Harry’s lower lip.

“That is what I have to offer,” Snape panted, pushing Harry away brusquely. “No flowers, no romance, just passion and fire. Can you find that with your Weasley?”

Harry licked his lips as if trying to memorize the taste of Snape’s mouth. “I don’t know,” he said.

Snape smirked. “If you decide, let me know.”

As he walked away, Harry called after him. “But where will you be?”

“Send your Patronus,” Snape called back. “He can find me.”

Harry sighed as the Apparation crack sounded in the distance. He had a lot of thinking to do.

~

Harry waved as the Hogwarts Express moved away. Lily, her face bright with excitement, was all but falling out the window, her brother hanging onto her for dear life.

“That’s the last of them,” Ginny said. “So... are you going to him now?”

Harry blinked. “I... what?”

She smiled sadly. “You thought I didn’t know?” she asked. “You forget how well I know you, Harry.”

“Ginny --”

She interrupted him. “Don’t,” she said, holding up her hand. “I know you love him. Yes, I know you love me, too, but not...” She choked for a moment then continued. “What you feel for me is not what I feel for you. I accept that. We’ve had a good life together, but now that the children are gone, you deserve to be with the one who makes your heart beat faster.”

Harry shook his head and wordlessly hugged her, then, turning away, he stepped quickly through the crowd, running up to a tall man whose face was hidden. They conversed briefly, intensely, then they embraced, and Ginny could see the passion flowing between them from where she stood.

Harry’s face was shining as he grabbed Snape’s arm and soon they were specks in the distance.

Ginny wrapped her arms around herself. She shivered, suddenly cold. She had always known this day would come, but that knowledge did not lessen the pain. One good thing had come of it, however. Harry, her Harry, could be happy at last, and that was something.

Ginny sighed and turned away. She, too, would be happy again – one day.

~