Daunted Death

Sorry about the shortness. It seemd like a good ending.
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Yet another week had to go by before Snape could make sure Voldemort hadn't gone back after her. Snape was at a loss for things to do. So, it seemed, was Potter. Severus had not given up on his search in the library on the dark spells he needed to know inside and out, and every time he returned Potter was there, numbly writing on parchment or staring blankly into a book. He was there even without Granger. Snape wished the boy would be less conspicuous, but Snape had little to speak for on that subject.

The boy looked like he would vomit when Snape told him of the events when he returned to his chambers, still breathing harder than normal. Potter left appearing as stressed as Snape felt.

The Potions' Master was running out of things to do. He reported on the usual Death Eater meetings to the Order, fed Voldemort false information, kept up well with his classes, and continued to research dark spells in the library. He now seemed to live moment to moment for the few minutes he could spend with Lily.

With four days to go, a thought hit him. He would get her out and to the Weasley's-- and then what? She was weak without money or her old things. He simply couldn't just dump her off with nothing. Decided on what to do, he waited for his last class to finish. He sent a note to Dumbledore saying he had shopping to do, wrapped himself in his cloak, and left the grounds for Diagonally.

After extracting as much gold as his pockets would carry, he intended to head for Madam Malkin's, but then he paused. Lily was muggle-born. She would be more comfortable in muggle clothes, and she would probably not like such overly heavy clothes. Instead, he changed his gold for over a thousand dollars in muggle money with gold to spare and set off.

He found a store with clothes and household and personal supplies. This store also had food, which he thought she might like, but then remembered most of it would likely be sour by the time she got to eat it. The thought depressed him greatly. He decided he would get that when she was safe and thought about it no more.

Going through the store, he bought several outfits for various whether. He had to admit to himself he had little sense of fashion, so he stuck to what looked like he had seen her wear over the summers so long ago. He estimated her foot size and grabbed light green and white tennis shoes and red flip-flops (It took him a while to remember what they were called. He hadn't been in the muggle world since he was a teenager, not counting the time the Dark Lord would send them out to terrorize and murder.). He grabbed short socks and long socks and found himself in the woman's underwear. He was completely baffled. He didn't want to pick out anything that might end up looking too sexy or childish, but he was pretty sure old lady underwear were not the way to go either. After several minutes of mental debate (He realized her must have looked like a creeper.), he chose the kind that looked the most picked through, hipsters.

He continued on over to the shampoos and similar products. He spent the most time here, searching through every kind of shampoo and conditioner for the perfect sent he always associated with Lily. Finally he came across it, Suave strawberry-kiwi. He grabbed a few of both shampoo and conditioner and then thought of a brush and hair binders. She was never one for makeup, so he stayed clear of those isles. He snatched a toothbrush and toothpaste on the way out. When out of sight, he shrank the many bags and placed them in his pocket before apparating back outside the Hogwarts grounds.

In his rooms, as he placed everything in his closet, he realized he had achieved his goal; it was only a couple hours until dawn.

~

This time she did not need his to coax her into knowing him. He was halfway across the room, wand alight, when Lily held her hands out for him. More grateful than he thought he would be, he set his wand on the stone floor and knelt with her, taking her hands in his. She pulled his hands against her chest and held them there. He watched her face, her eyes closed, her face completely content now. She seemed peaceful.

“Are you hurt?” she whispered.

“No,” he told her at once, “No, I'm fine.... I have warm food for you.”

After a couple light tugs she left his arms go. He unloaded his pockets: water, juice, breaded chicken breast, granola and cereal bars, bread, jelly, crackers, sausages, and pie. All the food he had given her previously was gone. He shrunk the empty water jugs and pocketed all the empty wrappers and baggies.

“Did you have enough food for the week?” he asked softly as he removed the chicken breast and diced it to dime-size squares, “How long ago did you run out?”

“I don't know time. There is no sun,” she explained, “But I wasn't very hungry often, not like I used to be....”

As she trailed off, eyes downcast, Severus placed his hand on the side of her face, and told her, “It won't be like that again, I promise. Here, eat this.”

As they spoke in hushed tones, Severus set one piece of chicken in her hand at a time for her to eat.

“What is Harry doing at school?” she asked between bites.

“The same things he usually does: Quidditch, homework, detention, sneaking out after hours. He's very good at that.”

A small smile pulled a her lips.

Snape continued, “He is more focused on his school work now, but I think that's because the new teacher has turned the school into something of a military academy. Usually he lets his friend float him through half his classes. She's the highest of their year, and all of them actually.”

“Girlfriend?”

“No, she'll end up with their other friend, which is sad. She'd much too good for him.”

She grinned at him and asked, “Do you often get opinionated with your students' relationships?”

He gave her a bit of a dirty look, which only served to make her smile further, and told her, “Only when they are so obvious about it.”

The thought crossed his mind to tell her about Ginny Weasley and her obsession with him, but then he figured with the Dark Lord standing in the doorway he had probably already said too much.

“How's your head?” he asked to change the subject.

“Fine, I just have to not move it too quickly,” she replied.

He extracted a vial of dark green liquid from his pocket and uncorked it. He wrapped her hand around it and guided it to her mouth, saying, “This will make it better for twelve hours.”

She drank it without grimacing at the taste and let him take it back. They sat in silence for a minute. She looked down at her hands almost shyly. The longer he watched her the more he needed to reach out and touch her face. He refrained because he knew both other occupants of the room would not approve, and he did not want a repeat of last week.

“I'll probably have to go soon,” he said softly, “So if you hurt anywhere else or need anything, you should tell me now.”

She said nothing for a minute, then she placed her hands on the floor and pushed herself closer to him. She took his hands and placed them around her torso. He didn't need much convincing. He pulled her into his lap, and she buried her face in his chest. She curled her body against him. He couldn't get her close enough. Laying his face in her hair, he silently thanked whatever gods that be for her survival, for her to be with him right then.

“I miss other people,” she whispered, “I miss being held by a warm body, the comfort of someone right there.”

He knew exactly how she felt. He had missed it since they were kids and she would patch up his many wounds over the summer.

“Will I ever leave here?” she asked, her breath soaking through the fabric of his clothing and heating his clavicle.

He told her softly, “I will do everything I can to get you out of here one day, I promise.”

“Now,” said Voldemort sharply.

Snape squeezed her as close as he could then set her back in her usual place tucked into the corner. He stood and took his time leaving the room in case the Dark Lord lost his temper again, but it was unnecessary. Snape exited the room, and his master followed.

~

After what seemed a decade, Hogsmead weekend finally approached.