Green Eyes Sublime

For:

Rarity88 -Who gave me Jean-Claude.

My faithful reviewers -Who were there at the beginning but stayed till the end.

And to everyone who ever took the time to read this story.

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Chapter Thirty

The End of an Era

x

In all its time, hardly anyone could remember Hogwarts being quite as busy as it became in the days to follow. Ministry officials flooed in and out of the one open floo network that was set up for them, day and night. It seemed that there were a lot of things that needed to be confirmed and facts needed to be straightened.

There had been two deaths that night, so under the pretense of gaining all relevant information and identifying the remains -and although anyone in the wizarding world would have been able to close their eyes and do it by the end of the first three days - Albus Dumbledore seemed to be everyone's wizard of choice.

By the end of three weeks however, Dumbledore shut down all non-emergency inter-floo-net connections and began to ignore the hundreds of owls that required his attention. The entire world had gotten their opportunity to celebrate the death of the Dark Lord and by God, it was time that Hogwarts be allowed their moment of peace and silence.

The announcement was made, the food was being prepared and although there was a fair bit of sadness among the students, everyone seemed genuinely willing to be a part of the momentous occasion.

Even Remus and Severus promised to make an appearance.

Yet again, from where he had retaken his seat near the two of them, Albus tried his best not to project his condolences unto them. They had been through enough and worry had probably begun to take its toll on each of them, but there was really nothing more that anyone could do to lighten their burden.

Albus really hoped that he was doing the right thing.

x-x-x

"I have very bad news Severus."

Remus' quiet words sent a chill through Severus' entire body. He paused in his task of closing the door to his quarters before slowly turning to meet the gaze of his colleague.

"Well what is the news?" he prodded. "I don't have all day and Albus expects us at his 'celebration' whether we wish to go or not."

Remus sighed long and loudly. He seemed to be grasping for the right words but couldn't decide on the correct way to deliver his news. Instead he sighed again and actually seemed to be fighting tears as he gathered his thoughts once more.

"Severus, Harry is...Harry has...They tried to help him through it but he -," he pause again before finally whispering. "Severus, Harry has died."

"I see," Severus said very softly, determined that he was not going to fall apart before the werewolf if he could delay it. "Have you heard from St. Mungo's then?"

Remus nodded slowly as he held up an owl post stamped with St. Mungo's emblem.

"It's all in here. He died about five minutes ago," Remus confirmed. "They flooed this to me via the emergency fireplace in the Hospital wing. You know I've been sitting there waiting since breakfast. Well this is it."

Severus nodded. His gaze fell to the floor, as his world seemed to sway just a little. It was a few minutes later before he managed to meet Remus' gaze again.

And it was only then that he noticed the slight twitching at the corners of Remus' mouth before the wizard seemed to not be able to hold it in much longer. He broke out into laughter so hard that for a moment he even doubled over in silent shakes.

"Oh Sev, you should see your face!" he gasped between cackles of laughter.

Severus gazed at him in murderous outrage. "What did you call me?"

Remus immediately calmed himself, although he was grinning from ear to ear. He had to wipe at the tears that had streamed down his face. By the time he was finished, Severus was sarcastically clapping him.

Not to be outdone, Remus took a deep bow.

"Well if I had ever forgotten what an immature dolt you were Lupin, it has certainly been acutely reminded of me," Severus growled with narrowed eyes.

Remus just kept on grinning. "A performance worthy of an award, don't you think? And there I was thinking that the Maurader's mischief in me was long dead. I haven't laughed so hard for so long."

Severus threw him a death glare.

Remus held out his hand in consolation. "Truce?"

"You seem to be in a happy mood," Severus noted sullenly, although he reached across to shake hands. "We have done this truce thing on numerous occasions and still you think of something to break it. I don't know why I even trust you anymore."

Remus smiled. Touched by the acknowledgement of trust.

"I had to do it Sev," he said with a shrug. "James and Sirius would have rolled in their graves if I had let the opportunity pass me by. We have been so good and proper for so long now. Don't you remember how much fun we used to have together in the Order when we were assigned on missions together? You hadn't trusted me then either, but we still managed to make a good team. I had to try and pull one more performance on you."

Severus' eyes narrowed again. "You'll notice how dead James and Sirius are at the present time? Don't forget how many times I swore to send you to the land of the deceased for these 'performances' of yours, before."

Remus chuckled and Severus sighed in exasperation.

"What's in that bloody owl any way?" he asked, trying to snatch it from Remus' hand and failing miserably. "It better be good for the ordeal I just had to endure."

Remus smiled mischievously, placing a finger across his lips.

"It's a secret," he said softly. "Maybe you'll find out later. My gift to you Sev. See I'm not such a bad person? I won't even spoil the surprise for you."

Remus chuckled softly again as he turned and began to walk down the Slytherin corridor, heading in what he assumed was the direction of the Great Hall. Severus watched him go in barely concealed distaste.

It would serve him well if he got lost in the Dungeons.

x-x-x

"Do you think that if he were here he would find all of this endearing?" Hermione asked softly.

Behind her, Ron's arm tightened around her waist. "It would embarrass the hell out of him. I'm half happy that he isn't here to see all this."

The Great Hall was decorated with all four colors of the Hogwarts houses. The tables had all been pushed to the side to allow for a big space in the center of the room, supposedly for dancing. At the front of the room, the Head table sparkled a brilliant shade of finely carved gold. The joined effort of all the Professors for the occasion, it seemed.

At the back of the room, near the wall, was an extraordinarily large painting of Harry embroidered out of silk thread and was garnished by red and gold tassels on all four corners.

This was what his friends stood staring at.

"What a year, huh?" Dean said as he, Neville and Seamus joined the other two.

Hermione nodded. "And it's almost over. Just about two more months left. We've almost made it."

In the background the poignant chords of a slow song floated along and suddenly there were shuffles of footsteps and couples swaying to the gentle tune in the middle of the room.

"Do you get the impression that there were a lot of things happening that we missed this year?" Seamus asked, breaking the silence that they had all fallen into.

Across the room, near their table, the Slytherins held back. A few of their numbers were missing, but the surprising thing was that even when Death Eaters had begun dropping like flies across the world, many of the Slytherins had made the decision to remain at Hogwarts. Most of the other students realized that Draco Malfoy had a lot to do with it.

It was on him that all eyes turned to now.

Will had walked into the hall fashionably late it seemed, but his stride of confidence was cut abruptly short when a pale hand reached out to grab him. Before men and gods, Draco had him backed against the nearest wall in a few seconds, with one leg planted firmly between the Ravenclaw's.

He trailed a finger across Will's face and tucked away a strand of stray hair, all the while conversing in a low tone of murmured words to which Will rolled his eyes and smiled. Then slowly, very slowly, Draco lowered his lips unto Will's in a kiss that took quite a few people's breath away.

At which point the five Gryffindors turned away. Hermione, as the only female, could not seem to hide the huge grin that lit her face.

"Speak for yourself mate," Ron said with a roll of his eyes while planting a light kiss on the back of Hermione's neck. "Some of us actually take our head out of our arse sometimes."

Everyone else laughed, as Seamus threw Ron a mock glare.

Amidst the laughter, Hermione turned around in Ron's arms so that she could look towards the Head table. All things considering, the professors seemed to be enjoying themselves. Professor Hagrid was chatting a mile a minute to Dumbledore while Professor McGonagall, somehow finding herself between the two wizards, swirled a glass of red wine as she peered threateningly at two First years who seemed to be dancing far too closely for their little age.

Professor Flitwick, Hermione suspected, was as drunk as hell, if his hiccups and random laughter were anything to go by.

On the two seats at Dumbledore's other side Professor Snape and Professor Lupin were the only two people who were not giving the students quick hawk like glances to ensure that order was being maintained.

Strangely enough, Remus looked far less sad than he had been for the days before. Snape still left far too much to be desire, if his expression of disjointed murder was anything to go by.

Hermione and Ron had become experts at deciphering that particular expression however. It meant that their professor had a knot the size of Birmingham in the pit of his stomach and that at times he blamed himself for what had happened to their best friend.

"So what news?" Neville's voice broke through Hermione's reverie. "The only thing we still know is that Voldemort is definitely, indisputably dead this time and that Harry didn't fair much better."

"Coma," Ron supplied their answer in one word, but quickly smiled at their worried glances. "Oh don't worry, the Healers at St. Mungo's said he'd be fine as soon as he woke up. They may even let him come stay at Hogwarts if he awakes before school ends. Lucky him. He doesn't have to be here for this today though."

"Bet he gave Dumbledore a scare," Dean commented.

Ron nodded. "He gave everyone a scare. You should have seen him when we found him. It was brutal. McGonagall swore that he was dead and Re -uh- Lupin looked like he'd forgotten how to move. Mind you, that wasn't so surprising. My mind went completely blank. All any of us seemed to be able to do was stare."

"Except Snape," Hermione added softly. "If he hadn't been there..."

Her voice trailed off as she and her boyfriend turned to look at each other.

Harry had been lying in an ocean of blood by the time they found him. He was pale and cold, his lips had even turned a light shade of blue and he certainly had not been moving. Remus looked as if he had shattered internally at the sight and Dumbledore had not been able to comfort any of them. McGonagall had clung to him while Hermione cried and Ron shook uncontrollably.

But Severus had just kept moving forward.

They watched as he knelt beside Harry and pulled the lifeless looking body into his arms as he whispered a stream of words that they had not known him to be capable of. Severus Snape, Head of Slytherin had broken down before their eyes. They understood then, every one of them, that the Severus had really, truly loved Harry.

And when Harry's heart had begun beating again, he lived only because Severus had asked him to.

"Professor Snape helped?" Dean asked with a look of slight disbelief.

Both Hermione and Ron smiled coyly.

"Yeah. He helped," Ron said, turning to look over at the Head table, and watched as their Potions professor slipped out of the hall. "He helped a little, you can say."

x-x-x

Severus returned to his quarters eager to escape the happy noise of a hall filled with celebrating wizards.

He slunk into the chair behind his table and with a wave of his hand sent all parchments and writing implements flying to their respectful areas on the bookshelves. Next he pulled out a bottle of Firewhiskey and a wine glass.

He had never before drunk in excess, having had it drilled into his head at a very early age that all drinking should be done in moderation. But if the people he allowed himself to care about were just going to keep ending up incapacitated, then moderation be damned, in his opinion.

He could still see it in his mind, the vision of a demon and a saint lying beside each other.

Severus had never before felt such an acute pain tear through his body as he stared at the man he loved. When everyone else had forgotten how to walk, Severus had forgotten how to exist. What had he been before Harry? Who was he without the gaze of emerald eyes upon him? For a moment, Severus had forgotten how to keep breathing.

"I cannot hold you to this world, but you cannot expect me to say goodbye. It is too much to ask of me and I don't have the strength to let you go Harry," Severus whispered to the wizard who laid motionless in his arms. "I'll walk the plains of hell to punish him for this if I have to. Know that I will mourn you forever and even beyond that. I love you. I don't know how to even begin a life with you not in it."

He slipped the Spiritus from the chain that hung at his neck, unto Harry's finger. Then he clung to him, burying his face at the still soft flesh at Harry's neck.

"So if there is even a chance that you may still be alive," He finally continued softly. "Please...you have to come back to me."

And that was when he felt the pulse. Faint, but a heartbeat nonetheless.

The knocks on the door resounded so suddenly that it startled Severus as he poured his second glass of the magical alcohol. For the briefest of seconds, Severus would have sworn that he had imagined them, but a moment later they came again.

Three sharp knocks, very softly.

Severus hurried over to the door and threw it open quickly. In the split second before the action was completed, he swore to himself that if it were anyone else who had come to disturb his peace, he was going to hex them into next month. As it were, there was no need for such violence.

"Good god! Are you drunk?" Harry asked with an amused grin on his face.

Severus paused at the open doorway to sentimentally drink in the glow in Harry's gaze. Harry was leaning against the doorframe and looked incredibly pale compared to his previously healthy complexion. His eyes looked a little sunken and his lips were still tinged a little blue, but considering the fact that he was standing there, Severus couldn't seem to avert his gaze.

"Aren't you supposed to be at St. Mungo's? In a coma? Scaring the hell out of everyone?" Severus asked with a raised eyebrow. "What the blazes are you doing at Hogwarts?"

Harry looked as if he was about to shrug but couldn't find the strength to move.

"I just woke up. Well, about an hour ago. The Healers were nice enough to not protest when I told them that I'm coming here and that they could either help me up out of the bed or get the hell out of my way. I flooed into Dumbledore's office, left him a note, heard the commotion in the Hall and realized that you would be down here. So here I am."

Severus' expression didn't change in the slightest, and for some reason that sent doubt scurrying across Harry's eyes.

"Right," he whispered. "I'll just get out of your hair then. I'm sure Pomfrey will spin circles around the room in absolute joy to know that once again I'll be taking up residence in her precious wing."

He actually began to turn away before Severus quickly reached out to pull him against his own body. Harry let out a gasp of pain.

"You can't even bloody move," Severus chided into his ear, although his grasp loosened considerably.

"I can move," Harry countered, resting his head on Severus' shoulder while he wrapped his arms around the thin waist. "I'm here. I'm alive and you're here with me. I can bloody dance if you ask me to."

"Alright." Severus shuffled backwards into the room, taking Harry with him so that the door could be closed again. "What do you want to do while you're here, Potter?"

Harry raised his head to pull Severus' lips against his own. Severus slipped his tongue past the willing lips as their mouths reacquainted themselves with each other. Harry clung to him and for every moan that was elicited Severus silently swore to cherish them.

"Dance," Harry finally murmured when their lips were parted. "I want to remember what it feels like to have you in me."

"First we need to talk," Severus said, his tone getting serious once more.

Harry groaned as he slumped yet again upon Severus' shoulder. "We can talk later."

"We'll begin now."

Harry groaned again. "I did what I had to do. You said it yourself. You drilled it into my head before I left. 'Stay away from the blood, Harry. The potion is transferable and it spreads though the blood stream. In fact, he just may not die if it is spread to you in this way.' It was the perfect solution."

"It was not!" Severus growled. "You could have bloody died! I never tested the potion. It was only the theory that I was informing you from. Don't you ever trust me so implicitly again! There was a ninety percent chance that I had been wrong and you almost died as proof of that!"

"But I didn't die," Harry countered softly. "It worked. I transferred the potion into him. I made sure not to let go until I couldn't hold on any longer and I was certain that he was dead. It worked. I didn't die. It doesn't matter anymore that I made a desperate, dangerous decision."

"It matters to me!" Severus exclaimed.

He moved one of his hands from around Harry's waist to first cradle the pale cheek in his hand. Then he moved it gently across so that soon his fingers were slipping through strands of ebony hair.

"It matters to me," he repeated softer. "I thought you were dead. I felt as if I had sent you to your death. I never intended for you to use the side effect of the potion as the main plan."

"I'm sorry," Harry whispered, pressing a kiss to Severus' neck.

Severus groaned, exasperation and worry and guilt all in one breath before he slid his cheek along Harry's then rested his forehead within the niche created by the curve at the bridge of Harry's nose.

"I don't want to hurt you," he finally whispered slowly. "But if you're still up for it, I really think that I need to have you in my arms right now."

Harry chuckled softly. "Bloody took you long enough."

But, when Severus released him to work on removing the wizard cloak and unbuttoning the uniform, Harry swayed dangerously on his feet.

Severus quickly pulled him into his arms again. Again, Harry whimpered.

"Harry, maybe this isn't the best idea," Severus noted softly, but Harry immediately shook his head.

"I'm fine," he said, although he took a deep and shaky breath. "I'm just a little weak. The doctors said I'd be fine in a couple hours and the Healers thought it best to go along with them and not to finish trying to heal me as soon as I woke."

The concept of Harry's words would have been difficult to imagine, of Muggle doctors and magical Healers working side by side, if not for the fact that Severus had been there to help when Harry and all the previous muggle prisoners had been transported over to St. Mungo's.

"Harry I don't want to hurt you," Severus said, clearing his head again.

"You won't hurt me Severus," Harry replied with a smile. "As long as we go slowly, I'll be fine."

Severus allowed Harry to guide his hands to the fastenings of the clothes again. Then gently he removed Harry's robe and shirt, pants and other pieces of clothing until Harry stood naked before him. He tried not to glare at the huge patches of bruises that marred Harry's flesh.

"It's times like this that I wish we had left the velvet couch in here," Harry finally said softly. "The bedroom is beginning to look like an entire continent away."

Severus reached out to him, pulling him loosely into his arms again.

"Don't ever try this on your own," he warned, before suddenly they levitated about an inch off the ground and began moving towards the next room.

Harry shrugged as he rested his head against Severus. There was still so much that Severus could do that managed to impress Harry.

They landed on the black carpet as Harry swayed again, but the look in his eyes begged Severus not to comment. Instead, Severus wandlessly closed the door with a wave of his hand.

In gratitude, Harry brought their lips together again while his own fingers worked on the buttons of Severus' robe until Severus was in the same state of undress as himself. Immediately, Severus levitated Harry over to the bed, laughing at the gasp of indignation that Harry gave, before he joined him on the silk sheets.

He pulled Harry against his body again, running his fingers through Harry's hair and kissing every inch of the paled and purpled golden skin that he could reach.

"Tell me what to do," he whispered.

Harry laughed. "Do what you always do. I'm fine. And if I'm not, I'll tell you."

Severus growled in doubt, but he conceded anyway. And soon he was gliding kisses along Harry's body, eliciting groans and whimpers from Harry that made Harry's green eyes sparkle.

And, when Harry laid with fingers clawed into the sheet below, his eyes tightly closed and the sound of soft jagged breathing escaped through clenched teeth, Severus rolled with him so that Harry's body was aligned perfectly on top of his.

This time it was Harry who wandlessly caught the oil-based potion in his hand.

Severus had to lay very still while Harry prepared them both, but by the time Harry slowly began to slide down his length, it was all he could not to whimper also at the feel of being inside of Harry once again.

"Are you alright?" Was the first thing that he asked though.

Instead of answering Harry smiled and leaned down to place a kiss upon his chest as he moved ever so slowly up and down. He trailed a line across the surface of the Severus' lips before moving on to splay his palm over the X shaped scar that Severus had kept. Then slowly he reached up to Severus' forehead to mimic the zig-zag of the lightening bolt scar that he still bore on his own forehead. At that Severus drew in a hiss of breath before gazing apologetically at his young lover.

"I'm sorry," he said very softly.

Silently, his body convulsed beneath Harry's as he came. But, before Severus could reach out to him, Harry was soon gasping with the strength of his own release.

Severus quickly cleaned them both, but he was barely finished before Harry was half draped across his body again. Their breathing seemed to be in sync with each other and their heartbeats' rhythms complimented each other.

"Get some rest," Severus finally whispered softly.

Harry smiled tiredly. "I love you Severus and I'm sorry about what I did. For the next Dark Lord that comes along, I'll be sure to not do anything heroic or brave."

"Very funny Potter," Severus said, mock glaring at him.

Harry just laughed softly at that, but soon he was drifting off to sleep as Severus suggested. Right before Severus himself fell asleep he wrapped his arms around Harry and placed a reluctant kiss on the mop of raven hair.

"I love you too you insolent brat," he whispered back very softly. "If you scare me like that again, I'll hex you ten ways to purgatory."

x-x-x

"What are you doing here?"

"Can't I visit you any more? You haven't even told me thank you for talking everyone out of Obliviating you. Don't you much prefer the Forgetful Spell?"

"I would say thank you, but for a small problem... I still love you."

"You wanted to forget that? I thought...I guess I just assumed that -"

"I don't mind." Softly. "I myself assumed you would have preferred me to forget, mon Coeur (my love/heart)."

"Jean-Claude..."

"I'm sorry, Harry. I shouldn't call you that. I won't anymore."

"I don't mind. I can't tell you to stop and assume that you will. If love could be dictated like that then -"

"You don't want to love him?"

"He's Severus. He's stubborn. I'm not expecting him to understand. He probably won't even believe me."

"Well tomorrow you return to Hogwarts. Tell him. Don't wait. He will have the whole year to learn to believe you."

"A year." Pensive. "What if...what if I don't live that long?"

"What? Harry don't speak like that."

Silence.

"Jean-Claude will you remember me when I die?"

"What?" A sigh. "Mon Dieu (my God) why do I feel like we've had this conversation before?"

"We have. The day after we ended my sessions with you. We went flying and I asked you. Of course you're not supposed to remember any of that in detail, otherwise the spell would be useless. I just want to know if you've changed your thoughts. So, will you? Will you remember me when I die?"

"When you die Harry?"

"Yes. Will you remember me as the person I am? Without the fame and the pedestal? As just Harry? Can you remember me for who I am?"

"Mon Coeur, tu ne comprends pas (my love, don't you understand)?" A sigh. "I love you Harry. For the people who love you, you will always be remembered."

"Jean-Claude, I -"

"Shhhh." A broken whisper.

Fingers traced the curve of Harry's face followed by a kiss. Too light to be considered as such. Too brief to warrant much thought.

"You should leave. Go back to Hogwarts. Go back to your Professor Snape."

"I'm sorry. I never meant -"

"And I never meant to fall in love with you." A sad smile. "Harry, you have to give me time. Give me time to heal. What I did was stupid. You were my patient, I never should have allowed myself to get so close to you."

"You didn't and have never done anything wrong! You've been very professional."

"Even so, will you just leave?"

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I would just rather not love you when you love someone else. Somewhere out there is a wizard for me and I hope to have at least a part of my heart to give him."

"So is this supposed to be goodbye or something?"

"No." A reluctant laugh followed. "Goodbye is forever. You know where I work. I'm sure that we will see each other regularly."

"Thank you," Harry whispered. "I never say that often enough to you, I think."

"No," Jean-Claude smiled. "Believe me when I say that the pleasure was all mine, Harry Potter."

x-x-x

Hours later, having finally been properly healed, Harry stood in the center of the Quidditch pitch and gazed at the star sparkling sky above. All around him there was silence, but this time he could feel the lightness in the air.

The world was right again. Everything was relaxed and pure again.

Harry could almost feel the world sighing in relief and the air seemed to vibrate with gratitude and unrestrained magic.

For the first time, Harry smiled at the gift that he had given to the world.

"I feel so old," he said very softly. "Like I've walked a million miles and aged a thousand years, but suddenly I don't have to walk any more."

He turned around to face the silent figure of Draco Malfoy, who was standing almost motionless behind him.

"I have no idea what you mean," Draco replied with a shrug that made Harry laugh. "I, as well as everyone else on this earth, am currently indebted to you."

Harry shook his head. "No you're not. No one owes me anything. We all played our part in this victory. We don't owe each other anything."

Draco nodded slowly before commenting softly. "So this is it. This is the end."

"That's what Voldemort said," Harry responded just as quietly. "But this is a new beginning."

They both stood in silence facing each other as a gentle wind blew around them. It reminded them of the seven years that they had spent together chasing each other on that very Quidditch pitch.

In each other's face they could see the years roll by.

"The world is changing," Draco finally whispered. "Can you feel it? It's subtle but it's definitely happening. One day there will be no more Purebloods or Muggles."

Harry smiled for him. "There will always be Purebloods, Draco. Just like there will always be a Malfoy for every Potter in this world."

Draco blushed a slight tinge of red.

"I wouldn't be so sure," he said softly. "Is it strange that we're both in love with another wizard?"

Harry looked at him inquisitively at the mention of love, but Draco stubbornly held his gaze.

"Strange," he answered. "Right. Perfect."

Draco nodded again.

"You kept the lightning scar?" he asked.

Harry laughed. "Yes and you're keeping the rubber band I see."

Draco glanced at it. "It grew on me."

"So did my scar," Harry responded.

Side by side they turned and began to walk together over to Hogwarts' castle. By the time they were nearing the Great Hall the sounds of music and laughter flooded them and once again they turned to each other.

"This is the moment of truth Potter," Draco quipped. "Once you enter, all eyes will be on you again. You may have won the war but you certainly sealed your title as the Boy-Who-Lived-Again. You won't ever be able to dream of escape again."

Harry laughed. "How about if we just make a bee line towards Severus and Will?"

Draco nodded his agreement with a wry smile on his face.

Then with new found determination they strode into the hall of students together. The place went silent. Draco strode over to Will and pulled him into his arms as Harry caught a glimpse of Ron's wink and Hermione's grin. He walked over to the Head table as the professors all rose to their feet. Then he gave each of them a tight hug before finally stopping in front of the Potions professor, who moments before had looked as if he couldn't believe that he had returned to the festivities.

Harry bravely reached out a hand to rest over the spot where Severus' heart beat the loudest.

"I love you Severus Snape," he said softly, in a voice that seemed to echo within the silent Hall.

Severus stood staring at him for an extended moment, before he reached out to pull Harry into his arms, resting his forehead upon the Gryffindor's.

"And I love you Harry Potter," he whispered back.

Then amidst a chorus of gasps, Severus lowered his lips upon Harry's in a kiss that sent ripples of shock through the student body.

'Green eyes, sublime.'

The words echoed within Harry's mind and as he gazed into onyx eyes, he laughed.

Soon he was being pulled into a death hug by Hermione, Ron, and Remus as Dean, Neville and Seamus whistled amidst a thunder of clapping in the background.

Green eyes, sublime.

X-x-X

Love's not time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks,

Within his bending sickle's compass come.

Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,

But bears it out even to the edge of doom.

x

Sonnet 116 by William Shakespeare

X-x-X X-x-X X-x-X THE END X-x-X X-x-X X-x-X