Winter In My Heart

Winter in my Heart

By Savine_Snape

Disclaimer: - As always I own nothing of the Potterverse. All Rights belong to JKR Warner Brothers etc. No monies are required nor made from my dabbling in this universe.

Severus Snape lay on the dusty floor of the shrieking shack. This was not how he’d envisaged his life would end. True, he had known for some time that the likelihood of reaching old age was slim at best for him. After all, who could continue to serve two uncompromising master’s into old age? It was however quiet ironic he thought, that the former head of Slytherin should be reduced to worm fodder by the familiar of the Dark Lord, a damn snake of all things.

He laid waiting for the arms of death to enfold him in her steely embrace; he pondered his life choices, was there anything he would do differently? Just then he was distracted from his chain of thoughts by the appearance of The-Boy-Who-Lived-To-Blight-His-Life and the Insufferable Gryffindor Know-It-All, although to be honest he thought to himself she has grown into a woman of amazing intellect and courage. All of a sudden he became aware of just how much blood must have flown from Nagini’s bite as Granger gave an audible gasp. Somehow though he thought he had to complete the promise he’d made to Lily the night he laid the single white flower on her grave. Potter needed to know the last piece of the jigsaw that Albus had neglected to let him know about. Summoning what little magic he had left in his body Severus Snape let go of some important memories and hoped that at least one of the hapless-trio would understand what the silver-blue liquid was and would know what to do – surely Granger would understand?

With that last monumental effort Severus Snape felt the encroaching cold embrace wrap its unrelenting fingers around his heart; felt the venom of the snake as it pounded through his veins wrecking havoc everywhere it reached. His mind slipped to his time at Hogwarts as a pupil, to Lily and the Marauders. Would she be there to greet him, would Potter and Black be there, would Albus be there with his damn lemon drops? His thoughts returned to Lily, oh how he’d failed her. It had been too late for Lily to save him by the time that Potter pulled his little prank after their O.W.L’s. Lucius had already introduced him to the Dark Lord by then, starting him on his dark journey to hell and damnation. Oh how he had missed Lily since the Dark Lord had assassinated her, only she’d never really been his Lily had she? Ah regrets there were a few.

Time seemed to slow right down; the pain in his body was increasing with each passing second. His chest began to tighten making breathing increasingly difficult until eventually he felt himself drift towards the fabled veil. Was this it, no blinding light just a dark uncompromising cold that sank to the depth of his bones? His mind slipped once more this time to Granger, the Not-So-Insufferable-Know-It-All. Damn her for seeing past his carefully erected facade. For breaching his barrier, a barrier which had served him well for nearly 20 years, and she had seen right through it to the man hidden below. Or had it simply been the case that he was tired of winter in his heart and the little chit offered the chance of both spring and summer. He became vaguely aware of a set of footsteps approaching...but was past the point of caring. Surely by now it was already too late to stopper death too much damage had been done by the venom of Nagini.

Snape felt his head being lifted and something being pressed against his lips. Someone was trying to administer some kind of potion. It was then that he became aware of the distinctive sound of Phoenix song...a similar song to that which Fawkes had sung when Albus had passed away. He felt warm tears fall on his neck; whilst the potion that was being administered was helped to course down his paralysed throat...slowly he became more aware of his surroundings once more.

Slowly he opened his eyes to be greeted by a mass of chestnut brown curls...her hair, Granger’s hair. She’d come back and she’d brought Fawkes. Oh his brave Gryffindor lioness had utilised her hard earnt intellect. After all she’d help him to brew the anti-venom following the attack on Arthur Weasley...Mmm he mused Albus must have directed her towards his personal store of potions that was located in the secret compartment of the Headmasters desk.

“Oh Severus...Don’t leave me. Please come back to me, we need you, I Need you. Please don’t cross over” she sobbed unable to contain her emotions.

Hang on, what’s happening here? This wasn’t part of the plan. He was to sacrifice himself, make Potter aware of what he had to do to save wizarding kind and then He could quietly slip through the veil to the other side. However, If Granger had given him the combined anti-venom and blood replenishment potion; the world could indeed be offering a spectacular second chance, a chance to embrace spring rather than the winter which had been a predominant feature of his life. Summoning all his strength he muttered two quiet words “Miss Granger”

“Severus...Professor-has it worked, did we...have we stopped death?”

Gently squeezing her hand Severus Snape tried to communicate a whole host of emotions to his Miss Granger. His Brave, Beautiful, Courageous and Intelligent Gryffindor Lioness.