Twice Blessed
Title: Twice Blessed
Team: The Order of the Phoenix
Rating: PG
Challenge: Lily Challenge
Characters: Severus/Hermione
Word Count: 4 X 100
Glimpsing Severus blasting the rose bushes, Hermione groaned. Not a good sign. When she caught up with him, he turned a narrow glare at her.
“You self-righteous little prig-”
She lifted her chin and stared back. “I stand by what I said. If Lily-”
“What do you know of it? Have you ever made one friend outside your House? Did even one Slytherin get asked into your precious DA? Lily stood by me when I was sorted into Slytherin, defended me. Until I-”
“Said one cross word.”
“A word you would not have tolerated from a friend.”
~O~
“A word I would have forgiven from a friend that stood vigil by my door.” Risking a touch on his arm, Hermione felt reassured when Severus didn’t shake her hand off. “Did Lily ever invite you into her home? Introduce you to her parents?”
Not one such scene had been included in the bundle of memories she’d viewed in the Pensive. From the slight droop of Severus’ shoulders, she knew her guess confirmed.
“What little girl would have brought me home?” He shook his head. “Lily’s friendship saved me. Without her, believe me, I wouldn’t have turned away from Voldemort.”
~O~
“Bollocks. I saw those memories. ‘Only those I couldn’t save?’ Don’t tell me it was all about Lily. You did much more-”
“I didn’t say it was all about Lily. But sometimes people come into your life, and the moment they do, you know it’s a blessing. Lily made sure I didn’t grow a hairy heart young, taught me Gryffindor, Muggle-born doesn’t matter. When I almost died, I looked for her in her son and made my peace with him and because he didn’t die I was able to make my peace with her too. I’ll always love her.”
~O~
Hermione turned to go, but Severus quickly grabbed her arm. “I’m not choosing her over you. It’s no choice. She didn’t love me that way. I don’t think I would love her that way again given the chance. But I do love her, because without her in my life, I could have never loved you.”
There was nothing tentative about the way he pressed his mouth over hers, as if sealing a promise. By the time he was done, Hermione could barely remember Lily existed.
And if she still thought Severus deserved better, well, she’d make sure of that herself.
Team: The Order of the Phoenix
Rating: PG
Challenge: Lily Challenge
Characters: Severus/Hermione
Word Count: 4 X 100
Glimpsing Severus blasting the rose bushes, Hermione groaned. Not a good sign. When she caught up with him, he turned a narrow glare at her.
“You self-righteous little prig-”
She lifted her chin and stared back. “I stand by what I said. If Lily-”
“What do you know of it? Have you ever made one friend outside your House? Did even one Slytherin get asked into your precious DA? Lily stood by me when I was sorted into Slytherin, defended me. Until I-”
“Said one cross word.”
“A word you would not have tolerated from a friend.”
~O~
“A word I would have forgiven from a friend that stood vigil by my door.” Risking a touch on his arm, Hermione felt reassured when Severus didn’t shake her hand off. “Did Lily ever invite you into her home? Introduce you to her parents?”
Not one such scene had been included in the bundle of memories she’d viewed in the Pensive. From the slight droop of Severus’ shoulders, she knew her guess confirmed.
“What little girl would have brought me home?” He shook his head. “Lily’s friendship saved me. Without her, believe me, I wouldn’t have turned away from Voldemort.”
~O~
“Bollocks. I saw those memories. ‘Only those I couldn’t save?’ Don’t tell me it was all about Lily. You did much more-”
“I didn’t say it was all about Lily. But sometimes people come into your life, and the moment they do, you know it’s a blessing. Lily made sure I didn’t grow a hairy heart young, taught me Gryffindor, Muggle-born doesn’t matter. When I almost died, I looked for her in her son and made my peace with him and because he didn’t die I was able to make my peace with her too. I’ll always love her.”
~O~
Hermione turned to go, but Severus quickly grabbed her arm. “I’m not choosing her over you. It’s no choice. She didn’t love me that way. I don’t think I would love her that way again given the chance. But I do love her, because without her in my life, I could have never loved you.”
There was nothing tentative about the way he pressed his mouth over hers, as if sealing a promise. By the time he was done, Hermione could barely remember Lily existed.
And if she still thought Severus deserved better, well, she’d make sure of that herself.