Chapter 21: Their Death-Marked Love

Chapter 21: Their Death-Marked Love

“Severus?” said Hermione with a sigh as the morning sun melted the dew on the flowers planted just behind her window.

“Yes, love?” I replied softly. Juliet Granger Snape lay between us, dozing gently in her blanket. We, being the quintessential overjoyed parents, sleepily inhaled her sweet, new scent.

“What’s going to happen now?” She turned her doe-like eyes up to me.

“I—” I took a shaky breath. It was now or never. “I’m going to tell you what happened that night in June.”

She gave a soft, exhausted smile. She began to pat my chest, and I started to speak as quietly as I could so as to not wake the sleeping babe.

“Before the school year started, Narcissa Malfoy and her sister, Bellatrix, came to my house and demanded that I help Draco. I offered to make an Unbreakable Vow to ease the mind of my former best friend’s wife. I knew nothing of the Dark Lord’s plan for the boy, and the women had strict instructions to not tell me a word of it. Voldemort was well aware of Dumbledore’s powers of Legilimecy and did not want his plans to be overseen. Narcissa made me promise to protect Draco and carry out his task should he fail.”

I paused for a shaky breath. “I knew something would be taking place at Hogwarts in the year, but I did not know what. I was merely informed to fight when called. And so I went through the year, fearful about everything. I told Albus, rest his soul, that I knew there was a plot against Hogwarts. We spent hours into the night puzzling over what could happen.” I stopped and let out a sour laugh. “If only we had really known.”

“So that night rolled around when Flitwick ran into my office. I knew the summons was coming, so I stunned him and left. I apologize most deeply for not acknowledging your presence; I thought it most unwise considering present company. I ran to find out what was happening, and a Death Eater by the name of Jugson—a real imbecile of a man—told me Draco was about to complete his deed. I ran outside to find Dumbledore, Draco, and a few assorted Death Eaters, and I also felt an invisible presence leaning against the wall, which I soon found to be Potter.

“I heard Dumbledore calling my name. I pushed Malfoy out of the way. I looked down at him, and he nodded. I silently preformed Legilimecy on him to find out what I was to do. I remember his words as clearly as if it were moments ago. ‘Severus, you have to kill me, lest you blow your cover.’ I know that a strange hatred rose up in me, a revulsion at the very idea that I couldn’t save him. I told him that I would save him, but he firmly explained to me that I had to kill him for the good of the cause. His sentence was hardly finished when the magic of the Unbreakable Vow raised my wand...”

Hermione gasped. “Oh, my god,” she whispered, rocking Juliet in her arms.

“So over the past few months, I have been living alternately in a cave and in random inns in the countryside. Since I can neither safely choose Voldemort or be accepted by the Order for what I’ve done, I live with no side.”

She gently drew up my left sleeve. She leaned down to reassuringly kiss my Dark Mark. But when it wasn’t there, she assumed she had the wrong arm. But when she drew up my other sleeve, she was equally shocked.

“What happened to it?” She whispered a squeal.

“He removed it; he has come to think of me as his most faithful servant.” My voice dripped with disdain.

“My!” she cried, and Juliet stirred slightly in her slumber.

I conjured a wicker bassinette for the child and took her from Hermione’s arms. When the baby was tucked into her lavender blanket once more, I kissed her delicate forehead. I then returned to Hermione and kissed her softly as well. The kiss never heated—it was slow and patient much like our returning trust for each other. When it subsided, I got up from my kneeling position by her bed and sat back in my chair. Our hands were interlocked, and I stroked her smooth skin tenderly with my thumb.

“I enjoyed Romeo and Juliet,” I said after a few moments’ silence.

“Did you?” She smiled.

“I read it three times,” I professed. She smiled still and turned onto her side to face me.

“I wanted to show it to you because it reminded me of us. Two warring families, fate-destined to love…” She trailed off, glancing wistfully over at the bassinette.

“It is true, though, that we have a ‘Death-Marked Love’,” I said, gazing out the window.

“What makes you say that?” she asked earnestly. Her sweet, brown eyes held an inquisitive, intellectual edge that used to scare me so much.

“All the odds are against us, dear.” I kissed her hand. I felt myself transform under her eyes. I knew that what we had was permanent. Star-crossed lovers didn’t just go their separate ways. I wouldn’t let our relationship end as Romeo and Juliet’s had. It was probably because I wasn’t a pretty-boy prat and Hermione wasn’t a clueless lamb. We were both seasoned by the world, and we had the tools to prevent such a catastrophic end. Besides, I loved her so much I would gladly fight Death itself away from her.

“I love you, Severus,” she murmured as she drifted into a much needed sleep. I kissed her softly on the cheek.

“I love you too, dear.” I stood and strode to the door. “Perhaps a bit too much.”

Author's Note: Well my hypothesis about why Snape killed Dumbledore was fairly close! (this was written months before DH was released)