Please, Release Me!

AN: Two updated in one week! You guys are spoiled! Time to jump ahead in time again. Also, I have made some differences in this from the original that fit my story better. I hope you still enjoy it.

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It is May 2nd.

I have no idea how it is possible that the past month has gone by so fast, when time seems to stand still at this very moment.

In the midst of the final battle, everything slows as I watch my friends fall; some to never get up again. I witness some of the bravest Order members take their final bow to green curses and lay unmoving on the ground.

I step over Death eaters too sure of themselves but proven wrong by my side.

It´s all a blur from the moment Harry had returned with Ron and Hermione, to tell us about their journey, and ordered us to hunt down Nagini.

This is where I´m going now, to find and brutally murder that blasted snake, so that Harry can finally end this madness. To lead our side into victory; the light side that won´t bow to a Lord whose beliefs are so twisted that not even half the students present would be allowed a magical education.

I´m sweating heavily, as I walk briskly around the battlefield, not because my Gryffindor courage has failed me in this moment of truth, but because I have another goal; one I dare not fail to fulfill. If I do, darkness shall rule, and I cannot let that happen.

Voldemort has demanded that Harry surrender to him. He has promised to stop this blood spilling if my friend walks into the forest to be slaughtered. Naturally, Harry is willing to sacrifice himself to save the world.

I don´t think I have ever met someone as courageous and selfless as Harry, except Severus, who has spent his entire life protecting Harry.

Life is ironic really.

I wonder how Harry will react when he realizes that the one person he hates almost as much as he hates the Dark Lord himself, that Severus is actually the very reason that Harry is still here breathing.

Severus.

No, I have to concentrate on my task first. He´s with me in my mind, and my heart. Please let him be safe, please.

I see her now; she´s moving towards the small cottage Hagrid uses as a stock between the Lake and the Forest, and I follow her.

My breathing is rapid and I try to summon all my magic and courage and combine it. I´m going to need it that´s for sure.

As I step inside, I stop and my heart does too from the moment I notice Severus standing there. He doesn´t see me as I crouch behind a broken table. Nagini is hovering in front of him and her Master is standing right fucking there besides her facing my lover.

I can´t seem to focus on anything. I´m supposed to kill her, but I´m not stupid enough to not feel the protective spells Voldemort has cast surrounding himself.

He´s not mine to take on anyway.

I wait patiently while watching Severus standing there bowing slightly to his pretend-Master without having drawn his wand. I know why. Voldemort would see that as disobedience and punish him for it.

Severus is so smart. And brilliant. And all mine. I smile, even in the middle of this sick situation.

I blink as Voldemort leaves the room and taking his safety net of wards with him. He leaves his snake behind when exiting with two wands. Why does he have two wands I wonder?

Nagini rises in front of Severus.

No. this is not right, something is way off and I stand; with one swift movement, I am in front of my dark-haired lover. I hear a devastating scream. Maybe it´s mine. I don´t feel any pain when poisonous teeth sink into my lower back and I am sent flying into Severus´ shocked face and solid chest.

I turn without knowing it and in a flash she attacks again, but this time my spell hits her strongly and she drops to the wooden floor and ceases to move further. I stumble and fall, but hands catch me so the landing is softened and I hear my lover cursing angrily about my stupidity. That it was meant to be him in this mess, him that should be dying.

Huh – apparently I am dying then. This sucks. I take comfort in knowing that Severus survived Nagini, because that´s what you do when you love someone. You make sacrifices to make sure they´re happy.

I have to admit, that I had not planned on dying doing so, but that´s the way it is now. It burns like hell when the poison contaminates the rest of my body.

I order Severus to get out, to leave me here. He, of course refuses, so I know I have to force him.

Harry needs him; Lily needs him to keep his promise to her. And to Dumbledore too.

This is it, the ultimate test of friendship, courage and loyalty for him. How can I take away all of those years of sacrifices and bravery, because of me dying? That´s not right; Severus should be out there staying true to his word, like always.

I´m going to die no matter where he is.

I kiss him while my body shakes from the floor where he sits with me. It breaks my heart to leave him. He has already lost the love of his life once, and now it will happen again.

I know this, because he is letting tears fall down freely as I stare into his dark obsidian eyes, and he speaks the words I have been dying to hear for months. And now I am, literally.

Isn´t life ironic?

He speaks words of love and devotion. Words of hope for a future, after all this madness of evil has ended when Harry kills Tom Riddle.

Harry.

I kiss Severus one last time, before doing what needs to be done. I owe it to Severus to help him stay true to who he is now, and has been for so many years until I came along.

I speak the words softly. Words of pureblood tradition. Words that set up protective wards using blood magic to bind it. I watch Severus´ eyes widen, as he is thrown outside the small cottage, and I watch him bang and scream at the door, as my pureblood spells swallow up every possibility of someone outside the Longbottom family to gain entry.

Until I´m gone.

I let my own tears fall, as I speak more words to make sure Severus knows my love for him. To see to that he understands why I did this, and to beg him to not let me die in vain.

I see the moment clearly when my words have meaning to him. When hope leaves his beautiful eyes, when he stops banging long after the shouting has ceased so he could hear my voice one last time.

Our eyes meet again before blackness takes me, and I smile, and try to show him everything he is to me. Because he is everything.

I hope Harry forgives him for the past, and I hope Severus will get to him in time.

I hope.

*

Jan: Sev is a perv, I´m a perv – take your pick!

Lanie: SO, this is it. The moment I have been dreading, because I know, you will never read another one of my stories. I`M SORRY! Okay – it´s just, the way it has to be. Please – still love me. Pretty please.