When the Stars Fall

Twenty-Three: Aftermath

"Body of Notable Citizen Found"

By Rita Skeeter

A body was discovered by house elves this morning, just beyond the massive grounds of the Malfoy estate. The body has been identified as that of Narcissa Malfoy by her very grievous and distraught husband, and owner of the Malfoy Estate, Lucius Malfoy. When questioned, the grieving widower adamantly refused comment, and this reporter assures that no further attempts to question him were pursued.

The late Mrs. Malfoy was involved in numerous charities along with several other wives of prominent citizens of the magical community. She had been reported missing late last evening, only to be tragically found this morning. It is believed that she was strolling through the grounds when viciously attacked by some beast rumored to be one of many found in the forestry surrounding the grounds. No foul play is suspected.

This is but another tragic blow to Mr. Malfoy, who earlier this year was estranged by his son, Draco Malfoy, in attendance at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. One can only hope in these times of sadness and grief that the last remaining members of this family can overcome their differences to better accept and find comfort in each other over such a great and profound loss.

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Black eyes ran over the article, rage building within the man as he read it from beginning to end once more. Finally unable to stomach the offending trash any longer he crushed the paper into a ball in his vice-like grip and muttered, "Incendio."

He looked up, startled by the knock at his door, threw the flaming ball of paper into his fireplace, and then answered the door. A scowl spreading over his countenance as he opened his door to one of the last people he wanted to see, Remus Lupin.

"What do you want Lupin? To share in the grief or make sure I don't try anything rash? I don't need a babysitter," he hissed.

"I didn't come to be your babysitter, Severus. I came to see how you were. I felt it too. I felt her die," Lupin said.

"You felt her? Did you love her too?" Severus snapped.

"No, she was my friend. I never loved her the way you did," Lupin answered and then sighed. "She came to me afterward. She wanted me to look after you. To make sure that you were taken care of."

"So you came to honor her final wishes," Severus Snape sneered.

"No, I came on my own behalf, you git," the former werewolf bit out. "I've been in love with you since our third year at Hogwarts when I was paired with you for Potions. There, it's finally been said now. I swore to myself that you would never know while she still lived."

"You what?!" Severus asked flabbergasted.

Remus took a deep breath and found himself falling back into one of the dark green velvet wing back chairs by the fire. He watched with attentive light brown eyes as the stunned Potions professor took a seat in a similar chair across from him.

"I understand how shocking this may be for you, especially now. This certainly isn't the most appropriate of times for such a confession. You see, Narcissa and I were confidants; I told her things that I couldn't tell James or Sirius. She knew my preference towards men, and of course when she told me about her relationship with you she knew immediately how I felt for you, but I was happy for her, and the issue was never brought to light again until that night when Sirius sent you to the Whomping Willow. I was horrified to discover what had almost happened to you. What I'd almost done to you. You were so afraid of me after that and I was so ashamed. That will always be between us, Severus," Remus finished in a whisper, "And for that I will always be sorry."

Severus looked at the man before him, taking in the curly light brown hair speckled slightly with gray and the kind eyes. He found himself wondering what it must have been like for the man as a child, so kind and growing up with such a terrible curse thrust upon him at so young an age. He'd finally been cured, but how much of his life had been stolen from him because of his former case of lycanthropy? He saw the man in a fresh light.

"Both of our lives have been hopelessly wasted. Mine over what was never to be, and yours over what you couldn't help. What a pair we make," Severus said with a derisive laugh, and with that the other man's head snapped up.

Light brown eyes narrowed upon Severus Snape, as the soft spoken man replied, "I did not come here for anything beyond seeing how you were. I honestly believe that coming here was a mistake. You are too distraught to be expected to handle all that I've said. I'll leave you now."

With that the former werewolf stood up and began to head toward the door, but Severus was faster. He got up in one fluid movement and stepped into the other man's path. "How can you leave after pouring your soul out to me? What makes you think I would allow you to leave after that?"

"So you would play games with me now? I suppose after all of the years you've lived in fear of me, I deserve nothing less, but this is still cruel, even from you," Remus spoke with resignation.

At that Snape's left brow rose. "Cruel am I? Then, think me cruel," he said and then dipped his head, catching the unsuspecting man's lips in a crushing kiss.

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It was only the day after Draco's mother had died. It was a Saturday, and the Daily Prophet had come and with it the official news of the death of Draco's mother. Draco received several condolences from the Gryffindors, and a few from the Ravenclaws. The Hufflepuffs still were reserved toward the former Slytherin, and the Slytherins simply sent hard looks his way. Of course, upon reading the article about his mother's body being found, which had been front-page news, he'd retreated to Gryffindor Tower to the room he shared with his wife, and had yet to leave it.

Hermione of course had been outraged by the article and resolved to remind Rita Skeeter of her promise. Hermione was in the middle of drafting a letter to the reporter when Harry and Ron approached her.

"Hermione, is there anything we can do? We've seen the article," Harry said.

"Yeah, Mione. Ferret Boy might be, well, Ferret Boy, but well... I know how I'd feel if I lost my mum, or any part of my family... Even Percy," Ron added.

She looked up with a faint smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Thank you, but really, I'm more than certain I can handle it. Well, as soon as I can get him to open the door. He really needs time to be alone right now. He's taken her death far better than I would have expected, especially with the news of his true parentage, and now this article. I think this has finally made it real for him. Before that was always the hope that it wasn't real, that this hadn't happened. Now that it has been reported, and in so distasteful a manner... All I can say is this, Rita Skeeter will know what it is to cross me."

"And what do you have in mind for the pest?" Ron asked. "A spell that prevents her from escaping her animagus form until you remove it?"

Hermione's smile finally reached her eyes at that moment and then Harry shook his head in awe as he looked from Hermione to Ron and said, "Unbelievable! Ron, I think you just gave Hermione an idea."

"Well, it would be rather fun to see her scuttling about again. I have fond memories of her trapped in that jar," Hermione said with a hint of wicked humor in her voice, and then she sobered, "But as it is, once I finish this letter I will have to find a way to talk to Draco. Despite his need for solitude at the moment, I can't help but worry."

"He will be fine eventually. These things just take time. Dealing with any loss just takes time. You'll see. Besides I doubt he would try anything at the risk of losing you or the rest of his family, Ron and myself excluded of course. He probably wishes we were excluded from his now extended family," Harry said with a wry grin at the end.

"You're probably right," she said with a small smile, and then her hand found its way to her abdomen, and she felt a slight bump. A couple of months into the pregnancy, and she'd felt the first bump. Could it be the babies kicking, but wasn't it too early to feel anything? A warm glow enveloped her as she felt the slight movement once more and looked up at her two friends.

"They're moving. I would have thought it was too soon to feel them, but... Oh now, I have to see him. Excuse me, Harry, Ron," she said and with that she dropped her quill upon the desk, stood up, and hurried up the stairs and to her room.

"But, what about your letter?" Ron called after her.

"It can wait until later," she answered and was then opening her door and entering her room.

Harry and Ron exchanged a look, and then shook their heads in disbelief. In all of the time that they'd known her, Hermione had never left anything unfinished.

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He sighed as he turned another page in the book, his eyes running across every word, drinking it in. He could understand how Hermione got so tied up in the book Wuthering Heights as he delved deeper into the story. He felt something rise and fall in his chest as he read of the death of Catherine Earnshaw Linton.

'Let me alone. Let me alone,' sobbed Catherine. 'If I have done wrong, I'm dying for it. It is enough! You left me too: but I won't upbraid you! I forgive you. Forgive me!'

'It is hard to forgive, and to look at those eyes, and feel those wasted hands,' he answered. 'Kill me again; and don't let me see your eyes! I forgive what you have done to me. I love my murderer--but yours! How can I?'

There were silent--their faces hid against each other, and washed by each other's tears. At least, I suppose weeping was on both sides; as it seemed Heathcliff could weep on a great occasion like this.

He was startled by a knock at the door. He used his wand to mark his place and then looked up toward the door, a brief smile crossing his face as his strange eyes fell on his glowing wife. He closed his eyes, grateful to whatever god had deemed him worthy enough to possess such a woman.

"I hope I'm not disturbing anything," she spoke lightly and raised an eyebrow as she noticed her favorite book in his hands. "Wuthering Heights? My husband would actually read a book by a muggle woman? Why, Draco, I'm utterly shocked and almost appalled at the very thought," she added playfully.

"It's rather entertaining. I find myself oddly reminded of Severus in Heathcliff's character. I wonder if their love was as timeless as the one so carefully written here..." he answered quietly and then sighed. "Of course the narration is flawed by the opinions of this border and that servant. How are they to know the true depth of emotion felt between the lovers? They can only witness, not truly participate in the affair."

"And there you have a literary argument all in a nutshell," Hermione said with a slight smile, and then her expression changed to a bit of discomfort followed by a broad grin as she brought her hand to her stomach, which was beginning to swell with the life growing there.

"What is it? Is something wrong?" he asked, worry in his tone.

She shook her head. "No, it's just... Well, they're moving. Do you want to feel?" she asked.

"They are moving? Are you certain?"

"Of course," she said, then crossed the room, took his hand, and placed it upon her stomach.

He watched her hand over his intently and then looked up at her in awe when he felt movement against his palm.

"We did this," he whispered. "There is life inside of you, because of us. Oh, Merlin, Hermione, I can't lose you. Promise me that I will never lose you."

"I promise," she said in a soothing tone and then looked into his eyes, seeing something of awe and insecurity there. "What has you thinking this way? Why do you think you would ever lose me?"

"I don't know," he answered honestly. "We're in the middle of a war, whether or not it is active is irrelevant, but every morning I wake up with you in my arms and I know I want that for the rest of my life, but I'm so afraid to hope. I don't know if I could live without you. I don't think it's possible."

She put her arms around his waist, and he drew his arms around her, gently drawing her closer against him. He leaned down and kissed her curly silky hair, and let out a deep breath. Somehow they managed to make it to the edge of the bed and sat down on it. She withdrew from his arms and then looked into is face. She felt her heart constrict at the pain she saw in his eyes.

"Tell me what I can do, please. How do I make this better?" she whispered.

He shook his head. "You can't bring her back. She's gone, and that's all there is. I can only imagine how Severus must feel. I know how I would feel if I lost you. I hope he can find solace. He's been so lonely, all of his life, and now I can understand why..."

"You were close to him growing up, weren't you?"

Draco nodded. "He was there for me, always when I needed something. Lucius, well, you can only imagine how he treated me. When I was younger I was a nuisance to be ignored. I only interested him when I was old enough to be properly trained. Severus was there for the little things. Every birthday, every Christmas. Every time I was sick. It means more now that I know."

"What about your mother?" Hermione asked.

Draco looked down at the silk coverlet and took a deep gulp of air before whispering, "She was my entire world, until you."

Hermione's eyes filled with the tears her husband was unable to shed and she wept for him, as the pain he felt engulfed her in waves. He wrapped his arms around her and clung to her, tears finally flooding his eyes and spilling down his cheeks.

"Why is it so hard, Hermione? Why was she taken from me? She never did anything to anyone. Her only crime was loving Severus and loving me," he choked out.

She began to rock him back and forth, as for the first time since he was a small child Draco let his grief pour through him, and wept for his loss...

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For a moment Remus simply stood there, his mind caught up in the suddenness of the kiss and the arms circling around him, and then through the haze clarity surfaced. Remus pushed against the chest of the other man and came up sputtering trying to catch his breath and figure out what exactly had happened. He hadn't initiated anything, so what in the bloody hell was going on?

"What the bloody hell?" the usually mild mannered man bit out and stared at the dark haired man standing across from him, carefully noting the mixed emotions of fear, wonder, confusion, loss, hurt, and hope, doing battle and being squelched in the sable eyes.

"I'm tired of being alone. I should have stopped living in false hope and memories long ago. She died the moment she was forced to marry Lucius, and a part of me died to, but I've lived as though I were completely dead ever since. I'm tired of it all. I want to live, Lupin, that's all. If you are to be my savior then so be it. As I said, I think I woke up in hell, and well I suppose that would make us a rather fitting pair?" Severus said, and with a wry smirk added, "Doesn't it seem a bit hot in here?"

"I won't be used to help you get over her!" Remus snapped.

"And I've no intention of using you. You know my present situation. I have only today. There has never been a tomorrow for me. So take me as I am if you still want me, knowing that," Severus said in all seriousness.

Remus closed his eyes, took in a deep breath, and being only human, he gave into weakness. "Please," he pleaded. "Don't make me regret this, Severus."

"I won't promise anything, Lupin."

"Remus."

Severus sighed wearily. "Very well, Remus..."

And with that last sighed statement a star fell from the sky and centaurs in the forbidden forest witnessed a new love being freshly written in the stars, one not as forbidden as the first had been for the Potions Master...