Lost and Found...Love

Chapter 2

DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?

Anastasia Twigg-Jones, swinging her leather clad leg over the back of the silver and black Harley-Davidson, took off her goggles and looked up at the towers rising into the star filled night sky.

"What have I gotten myself into?"

Shaking her head, she removed her gloves and dropped them and the goggles into one of the saddlebags hanging on the side of the bike, which expanded and then contracted to catch and store them. Patting the bike's headlight she started up the stairs.

"Oh well, in for a penny, in for a pound. Goodnight, Tut."

Entering the front hall, the first thing she saw was Dobby, waiting at the base of the marble staircase.

"Well, hello!" She stooped down to be on Dobby's level. "Who are you?"

"I is Dobby, Miss, assigned by Professor Dumbledore to be your helper tonight. What can Dobby do for Professor Twigg-Jones?"

"Let's see .. I know my luggage arrived on the Hogwarts Express, so that's already been put upstairs in my quarters?"

"Correct, Miss, but I is not unpacking yet, as I is not knowing what you is want to be putting where."

"Right...well, we'll sort all of that out in a bit. Now, though, I'd love a little something to eat, as I missed the Welcoming Feast. Could you be a dear and put together a tray for me and bring it upstairs?" Anna Twigg-Jones smiled and added, "If that wouldn't be too much extra trouble?"

"Dobby would be pleased to do so. Does Miss have any favorite foods?" he inquired.

"Oh, just a little of this and a little of that, so I can nibble while I, or rather, we unpack. It's going to be a long night, Dobby." Professor Twigg-Jones smiled ruefully.

"Yes, Miss. I'll go to the kitchens right away, but is Miss knowing her way to her chambers?"

"Yes, Dobby, I know the way," she replied, then stood and glanced up the staircase. "Indeed I do."

Dobby ran off toward the kitchens and Professor Twigg-Jones started up the stairs. As she disappeared around the corner, Severus Snape stepped out of the deep shadows of the hallway that led to his dungeon office.

"A long night, indeed," Snape muttered under his breath. After waiting a minute or two, he followed her upstairs.

X # X # X

Professor Twigg-Jones arrived at the door to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, paused, took a deep breath and opened the door. All heads turned and Neville jumped up, exclaiming, "Aunt Anna!"

Framed in the door they beheld a tall, well built, leather clad, smiling woman with flowing hair and bright inquisitive eyes.

"Neville, my dear boy, look how you've grown!" she beamed at him as she advanced into the room and received a big hug from Neville.

Ginny, Hermione and Luna checked out her clothes and long auburn hair. Ron and Harry exchanged startled looks. This is Neville's Godmother? Noticing their collective openmouthed, astonished stares, Professor Twigg-Jones laughed as she headed over to Dumbledore, to give him a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"You were expecting some gray haired old prune, I gather?" Anna questioned, turning to face them.

"Oh! No!" "What? No, no!" "It's just .." "I mean .. blimey!"

"It's ok. I'm used to that kind of reaction," she laughed. "People expect Healers to be old, craggy and boring. You're saved! I'm NONE of those."

Professor Twigg-Jones removed her leather jacket and tossed it over one of the student desks.

"Neville, introduce me to your friends," she instructed him, waving a hand to indicate the other students.

"Oh! Yes, well," Neville started, looking around at the group. "This is Luna Lovegood."

"Luna. Are you any relation to the publisher of the Quibbler?"

"That's my father."

"Splendid! I've had my subscription address changed to Hogwarts so I don't miss an issue."

Ginny and Hermione exchanged looks and snickered softly.

"Ginny Weasley."

"Last time I saw you, Ginny, you were just a baby," said Professor Twigg-Jones, smiling, "being taken home from St. Mungo's. You were only two days old and as pretty a baby girl as I have ever seen. Arthur and Molly were just thrilled about having a daughter after all of those boys."

Ginny blushed furiously.

"This is Hermione Granger, Aunt Anna," continued Neville.

"Ah, yes, your father was my late husband's dentist, my dear. Lovely man. I have met you mother, also. A thoroughly delightful woman." Anna tilted her head, adding, "It's a small world, isn't it?"

"Yes, it would seem so," Hermione stammered.

"And this is Ginny's brother, Ron," Neville explained, indicating the tall red headed boy standing next to Hermione.

"Ron, I have a box to deliver to you from your brothers, Fred and George. I love their shop and when I told them I was going to be coming up, they packed a box of...what did they call it...oh, yes, 'Emergency fun supplies'. I think they had their doubts of you successfully smuggling it past Molly. It's somewhere in that pile." She airily waved a hand, indicating the numerous boxes and crates surrounding the teacher's desk at the front of the classroom. "I'll find it when I unpack."

"Oh, ah, well, thanks. I think," Ron stammered, looked slightly taken aback.

Leaning toward him, she whispered, "Better reserve judgment 'til you see what they sent you, eh."

Turning, she looked at Harry and a knowing smile spread across her face. "Last but not least..." Neville started to introduce him.

"Harry Potter!" Anna Twigg-Jones finished the sentence and to Harry's great surprise, gathered him into a hug. "I grew up with your father, Harry." She released him and then poked him in the chest. "And I was very nearly your Godmother, too. I was one of your mother's best friends. We'll have to have a long cozy chat some afternoon at tea, what do you say? I'm sure you have lots of questions about James and Lily."

"Yes," stammered Harry, stunned by this news. "I can't even think where to start."

"Tell you what; why don't you write all of your questions down and I'll try my best to answer them."

Turning, she looked over at Dumbledore, commenting, "Albus, you look splendidly magnificent, as usual."

"And you are as vivacious as ever, my dear. Welcome to Hogwarts, Anna."

"Yes, welcome to Hogwarts, Anastasia," drawled a deep voice from the back of the classroom.

X # X # X

Professor Snape was standing in the doorway. How long he had been there was anyone's guess. Closing the door behind him, he advanced down the aisle between the desks to join the group at the front of the classroom. He opened his mouth as if to speak but hesitated as Professor Twigg-Jones turned around to face him. The look of pure loathing on her face was enough to make him come to a complete halt. Whatever it was Snape had been about to say died in his throat as he slowly closed his mouth and one eyebrow went up in question.

"Severus Snape," Professor Twigg-Jones hissed his name. "I've been swearing to myself for almost fifteen years that the next time I came face to face with you, at the very least, I'd walk up to you," she advanced toward him, "curl up my fist," which she raised to show him, "call you a sorry .. no good .. low down .. worthless .. dirty old .. mangy .. egg sucking dog .. and hit you just as hard as I could!"

Pausing, she lowered her hand and relaxed. "BUT, thanks to your lucky stars and Albus Dumbledore, you're still standing here and not on your way to see Madam Pomfrey, sporting a cut lip, bloody nose or a black eye." She turned away from him and started to walk away. "However .."

"Still in possession of that appallingly bad temper, aren't you, little girl?" Snape sneered, crossing his arms.

"Little girl!" She froze in her tracks, turned and walked back to Professor Snape. "LITTLE GIRL?"

As she reached him, he looked down his nose at her and smirked. Quick as a flash, she lashed out, striking him with a resounding SLAP, the force of which staggered him sideways. Snape turned back with an angry scowl on his face, hand on his cheek, to find Professor Twigg-Jones' wand pointing at him, inches from his face.

"I'll take that as a yes, you consummate bitch," Snape spat at Anna, his eyes boring into hers.

"Severus!" Dumbledore took a step toward them.

"NO, Headmaster!" Anna's voice was cold but distinct as she glanced toward Dumbledore. "He is correct. I can, admittedly, be quite a bitch, but," focusing on the Potions Professor, "if you EVER call me 'little girl' again, Severus Snape, I swear by all I hold dear, I will not hesitate to blast you into next Tuesday and you know the reason why. DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?

Her voice trembled with rage but her hand remained rock steady. They glared at each other for a long, long moment, oblivious to the small group watching them.

"Crystal," Snape hissed through his clenched teeth, but she didn't move or lower her wand.

"Anna .. ANNA .. remember our conversation," Dumbledore said, breaking the silence.

Professor Twigg-Jones glanced down, then back at Snape, put her wand back in its loop and reached up with both hands to grasp his face. He jerked away, staring daggers at her.

"Oh, Severus, for heaven's sake, I'm a fully qualified Healer. Let me check for damage," she said, exasperated, hands on her hips.

He hesitated, looking to Dumbledore, who nodded. Snape lowered his hand, grudgingly. Professor Twigg-Jones felt gently for his jaw joints.

"Well, I didn't dislocate your jaw, more's the pity." She glanced at his cheek. "The redness will fade, and it doesn't look like it'll bruise ...you'll survive." She turned and walked over to stand next to Neville.

The students were all open mouthed again. They could hardly believe the quickness of her actions or the mood shifts. She knew Snape? Went to Hogwarts with him? What happened fifteen years ago? When Harry's parents died? When Neville's were tortured? What the bloody hell was going on?

"Where was I," Professor Twigg-Jones started again, sweetly, "before I was so rudely interrupted? Ah, yes, your lucky stars. HOWEVER...I've been informed of certain circumstances that I was not privy to at the time. So, as I find you standing in front of me now, I will..." At this point she turned to face Snape. "Walk up to you..." Which she did, slowly, as she continued, "put my arms around you..." Which she almost did, stopping just short of reaching him, arms held out slightly in front of her. "Give you a hug and say..." She took one more step, tears brimming on her long lashes, as she finished in a husky whisper, "Hello, Severus, shall we let go of the past, and live here in peace?"

The silence that greeted that statement was deafening. No one so much as blinked.

"A truce then?" Snape growled. Anna nodded.

Finally, Snape reached out and shook her hand. "Hello, Anastasia," he answered softly. "Welcome back to Hogwarts."

Anna laughed, shook hands with him, then threw her arms around him and gave him a hug. Grabbing her shoulders, Snape pushed her away from himself and held her at arms length.

"Unhand me this minute!"

Looking up into his eyes, she crossed hers and then winked at him. Snape's eyebrows shot up.

"Silly, exasperating woman." He looked up and rolled his eyes, which made her throw back her head and laugh out loud.

Dumbledore started to applaud, which shook the students out of their frozen positions. Hermione and Ginny were grinning and whispering to each other. Ron and Harry exchanged quizzical looks and shrugged. Luna tilted her head and looked thoughtfully at them. Neville, however, hung his head, turned and started to walk away. Professor Twigg-Jones saw him and excusing herself, left Snape and went after Neville.

Professor Dumbledore had walked over to Professor Snape to shake his hand and engage him is quiet conversation. Snape rubbed his cheek absently and Dumbledore chuckled.

X # X # X

"Neville .. wait!"

She caught up with him as he reached the door.

"I'm very happy for you; finding a long lost school chum and all that. Bravo. Splendid," Neville mumbled, staring at the floor.

"Neville, look at me." She reached out and touched his arm. Neville slowly raised his eyes and seeing how serious she was, frowned. "Neville, Severus is an old friend, but long ago things happened, changed, changed again and the world moved on...we moved on. I trust Dumbledore. He trusts Severus; so I will trust him. But, please remember, first and foremost, I am an Auror. Not a Healer or a teacher, an Auror. Mad Eye Moody was, and still is, my teacher and mentor and his first rule is?"

"Constant vigilance," Neville replied automatically.

"Correct. So, although I'm giving Severus a second chance, as Dumbledore has, I trust him about as far as I can throw him. At least until Voldemort is history and all of the Death Eaters are dealt with. I understand your feelings about Professor Snape, but I promise you, I would never do anything to put you, this school or the wizarding community at risk. I need you to know I would die fighting to save any or all of you and I won't hesitate to act against anyone, even old friends, to keep that promise. Neville, I'm not asking you to change your attitude towards him, but please, won't you at least trust me?"

"I trust you, Aunt Anna. I just can't like or trust Professor Snape. Yet."

"Fair enough for now," she sighed. Giving Neville a hug and a kiss on the cheek, Professor Twigg-Jones led him back toward the others.

X # X # X

While that conversation was going on Ginny and Hermione were discussing Snape and Anna Twigg-Jones.

"Wow .. that was some slap! Woman after my own heart!" Hermione whispered wickedly.

"What was with that hug, though?" Ginny pondered, peeking around Ron to check on Snape.

"I think she's keeping him guessing, on his guard, off balance. Or else she has a really wicked sense of humor like Neville said! Or a bit of both," replied Hermione, with a giggle.

"But what happened between the two of them fifteen years ago? Was she attacked by Snape or Voldemort? Was she there with my parents, or Neville's?" Harry wondered aloud.

"There're the first three questions on your list when you two have tea, eh, mate?" suggested Ron.

"I think this affair will be very interesting to follow. Snape loves her." Luna looked over at Neville and his Godmother talking. They all swiveled to look at Luna. She shrugged. "Watch and see. He's loved her for ages. She just doesn't realize it .. yet. Wonder how it will turn out?" Luna glanced at Snape.

"You're starting to sound like Rita Skeeter, Luna." Ginny grinned at her.

"How'd you figure he loves her? This is Snape we're talking about!" Ron asked with a snicker.

"My point, exactly. He took that slap but didn't get as mad as you'd think he would, for a teacher who'd just been smacked in front of six students. He wanted to hug her. I could see it in his eyes; he wasn't as mad as he sounded," Luna replied sagely. "So, it's logical; he loves her."

Their smiles faded quickly. They watched Professor Twigg-Jones rejoin Professors Dumbledore and Snape. Neville walked up, looking slightly less stunned.

"What'd she say to you, Neville?" asked Ron.

"She says she trusts Snape about as far as she can throw him, but she'll give him the benefit of the doubt, for now, for Dumbledore's sake." Neville shrugged. "I trust her judgment."

Why didn't I see?

The door of the classroom opened and in floated a huge tray, piled high with food and another, smaller tray, holding a couple of pitchers of pumpkin juice and some glasses.

"Dobby! You can't possibly think I could eat all of that!" gasped Professor Twigg-Jones, "That's enough for .. "

"Six hungry teenagers, with some left over for us adults, I should think," suggested Professor Dumbledore.

"Right! Midnight snack anyone?" Professor Twigg-Jones turned to the students, who promptly descended on the tray.

"I think, perhaps, I'll leave now, Headmaster," intoned Professor Snape, as he turned toward the door.

"No, Severus, wait!" Professor Twigg-Jones reached towards Snape's departing figure and grabbed his sleeve. "I've got something to give you. You too, Albus."

Snape hesitated, pulled his sleeve from her grasp and then bowed slightly, replying, "As you wish."

"Why don't you all make yourselves a plate and take it back to your common rooms with a glass of juice," Dumbledore suggested to the students, "and Dobby will collect the plates and glasses later."

"Right," Harry agreed, looking over from the food tray. "Ok, you lot, load up and we're off."

Meanwhile, Professor Twigg-Jones was rummaging through boxes and crates, scattering books and quills and personal belongings in her quest.

"Found them!" Anna exclaimed, emerging from a heavy wooden crate, clutching three large notebooks which she deposited on the desk.

"Well, see you tomorrow, Aunt Anna. I'm so glad you're to be our teacher!" Neville shifted his plate to give her a kiss on the cheek.

"It's good to see you again, too, Neville."

"Goodnight, glad to meet you." "Goodnight, Professors." "See you tomorrow." "Goodnight Headmaster, Professor Snape, Professor Twigg-Jones." The students said their goodbyes as they made their way toward the door.

"Goodnight, goodnight, see you all in the morning," returned Professor Dumbledore waving to them as they departed.

"See you tomorrow at breakfast. I promise to be on time!" Professor Twigg-Jones assured the students.

Snape nodded at them.

X # X # X

After the students filed out, Professor Twigg-Jones handed over one notebook to Professor Dumbledore and the other to Professor Snape.

"This one is for you, Albus and this one is for you, Severus. They are copies of Christopher's work on analyzing and comparing magical potions to medical drugs. It's a comprehensive cross referencing source. I also have a copy for Madam Pomfrey," Anna informed them, "which I will present to her tomorrow."

"Excellent! This solves my problem of what to have on my nightstand to read in bed! I think I'll get started on a chapter or two tonight." Dumbledore kissed Anna on the cheek and headed for the door, picking up a couple of cookies as he passed the food tray. "See you both in the morning."

"Goodnight, Albus." Anna patted his back as he walked away.

"Goodnight, Headmaster." Snape bowed.

X # X # X

"Dobby, I'm not going to unpack tonight, it's too late to start. I'll .. we'll .. tackle that job tomorrow sometime, but leave the tray. I haven't had a bite to eat yet!" Anna surveyed the tray. "It all looks so good. What's left anyway."

"You is welcome, Professor Twigg-Jones. Dobby will come back and clean up later tonight."

"Oh, just leave it 'til morning, Dobby. Don't make an extra trip all the way up here tonight."

"If that is what you is wanting, Miss. Goodnight Professor Twigg-Jones, Professor Snape." Dobby bowed out the door.

"Goodnight Dobby and thanks again!" Professor Twigg-Jones waved at the departing house elf. Snape ignored him.

X # X # X

After the door closed Professor Twigg-Jones turned to Professor Snape with a wry grin. "I'm knackered but I think we pulled it off."

"It was, quite possibly, an award winning performance, on your part," countered Snape.

"Albus certainly was right to get me up here last week and let us sort everything out, ahead of time. Otherwise, I might really have lost my temper with you!"

Rubbing his cheek, Severus frowned. "I suppose I should be grateful that you 'pulled your punch' I believe the saying goes. If that slap had been full force, I'd have landed in Flitwick's classroom."

Laughing, she advanced on him. "I am sorry about that, but I had just enough residual anger that had to be vented and it helped to make it more convincing, don't you think? Besides, you couldn't deny me one little slap after all those years of hating you?" She patted his cheek. "Those kids are dedicated enough to Dumbledore that what they saw tonight will only re-enforce the idea that I don't quite trust you and you don't quite know what to think of me. Correct?"

"Assuredly. The members of Slytherin House will be made well aware of my 'true feelings' about you at every opportunity," added Snape, nodding in agreement.

"Well, 'consummate bitch' was a start,' Anna conceded. "I propose 'aggravating cow' as a good nick name, too, don't you think?" she offered, with a curtsey.

"And any other descriptively malicious adjective that comes to mind." Snape gave her a slight bow.

Professor Twigg-Jones laughed and then headed for the food tray. Picking up a small plate she started to make her selections.

"Join me for a midnight snack, Severus? That's not a question, really, it's a suggestion. Stay a while, won't you, so we can chat."

Snape, who was flipping through the notebook Professor Twigg-Jones had given him, looked up.

"Certainly....Your husband was a remarkable man, Anastasia. I was sorry to hear of his death. Are you aware that he sent me an owl, telling me of his illness and thanking me for my help with his research?"

"No, I had no idea, but it sounds just like something Christopher would do; tying up loose ends, saying thank you and good-bye. We spent most of his final months furiously finishing all of the little projects he had started. When he became too weak to do the work himself, he still sat and directed us, so we would be finished before he died."

"Us?" Snape looked puzzled.

"Remus Lupin had been working for us for about five years, except the year he was teaching here at Hogwarts. He's been invaluable since Christopher's death; continuing the data gathering and cross filing," Anna explained and then added with a chuckle, "He took to computers like a duck to water."

"Computers .. remarkable," Snape replied in his usual condescending tone.

"Pull those claws in, pussycat."

"What?"

"Never you mind. Anyway, he's house sitting for me, as we speak. Oh, guess what!" Anna continued, excitedly, "Christopher developed a way to reduce the Wolfsbane potion down into pill form, so now Remus just takes one pill a day and two on the five days around the full moon. It's working fantastically well. His transformations aren't nearly as painful and he looks more like a skinny German shepherd than a werewolf. Pads around the house and says he's fully aware of everything, just wishes he could talk. He says he may try text messaging to communicate. That could prove to be helpful. But he'll need a bigger keyboard, I suppose, what with his paws."

"Pardon me .. Text message?"

"Computer jargon."

"Oh, more Muggle influences," sniffed Snape.

"Don't knock it if you've never tried it, Severus. Which reminds me, would you care to go for a ride on my bike?" she offered, batting her eyelashes at him, trying to look innocent and failing miserably.

"That Muggle contraption you arrived on?"

"That's the one. It's exhilarating! Like racing at ground level on a noisy broomstick!" Anna used her fork to pantomime a broomstick swooping around.

"Surely not?"

"Honestly! When do you want to go?" she inquired, looking up at him from her seat on the edge of the teacher's desk.

"Never."

"Never say never, Severus."

"Very well, I will not ride on that machine."

"Oh, yes you will."

"No! And that's final."

"Don't bet the farm!"

Snape shook his head. "Pointless argument."

"Fine. Where were we, ummm, oh yes, Christopher sending you an owl."

"Indeed. I imagine it was a bit of a shock to realize he had met me when he returned from the apothecary shop in Diagon Alley. That was over five years ago. You never told him about what happened between us. I've always wondered why you didn't, considering how much you hated me."

Snape put down the notebook and faced her, crossing his arms, waiting for her answer.

Forkful of salad halfway to her mouth Anna Twigg-Jones stopped, with a puzzled, thoughtful look on her face.

"I don't know. I think some basic instinct stopped me from blurting out anything about you and me. Something wasn't quite kosher with his description of you. Then it hit me. He'd said you were the Potions Master at Hogwarts, which meant Dumbledore was aware of something about you that I was not.

"So, I simply told him, yes, I had known you at school, same year, different houses and I did recall you had always been gifted in potions. I decided to not say a word all the time he was corresponding with you about potions and double checking ingredients and whatever. His work was more important then my 'problem' with you.

"Christopher always wanted to take a trip up here but I told him that with all of the anti-Muggle enchantments and protective spells he wouldn't be able to see it. Then again, he was always so busy with his research." Sighing, she picked at her plate and then set it down on the desk.

"Do you miss him terribly?" Snape asked quietly.

"I did at first. Even though we had discussed his impending death; what I should do, what I would be feeling while going through the grieving process. It turned out to be the loneliness, not the sadness, which affected me. Even with all of our friends rallying around and Remus working in the office, I had a hard time for the first six months or so.

"I was restless, fidgety, just couldn't settle my mind on anything for long. That's when I got Christopher's bike out and started riding. It helped clear my brain of all of the loneliness and depression. I could function again. Then, working in secret with the Healers at St. Mungo's on Alice and Frank's therapy took up most of the next few months.

"Before I knew it, a year had passed. Remus told me about the Order starting into operation again. I began thinking about going back to work as an Auror. I contacted Albus to ask his opinion. He seemed to think it would serve the cause better if I came here to teach. I resisted, not because of you, but I really wanted another crack at Voldemort ...and Bellatrix ...and Lucius.

"Albus convinced me though and I agreed to come here and settle things with you and take the teaching post and now...here we stand."

She had been unconsciously pacing around the classroom, watched silently by Severus, who hadn't moved or taken his eyes off of her.

"Christopher was right." Anna turned and smiled at Snape. "His favorite expression was 'what goes around, comes around' and here we stand, both of us back at Hogwarts, you teaching potions, I'm set to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts.

"The strange thing is, Severus, it feels right. Like it's all part of a big puzzle and the pieces are fitting together perfectly. I really sense that I'm supposed to be here, now, and I'm comfortable with that, with Hogwarts and even," she took a step toward him and placed her hand on his lapel, "with you, old friend. It's like I'm home."

Putting his hands on her shoulders, Snape drew her one step closer.

"This is where you belong, Anastasia."

Suddenly, deep in her soul, she realized that he meant more. That piece of the puzzle dropped into place, too. It couldn't be .. but, looking at him, Anna knew it was true. Slowly she slid her hands around his waist and took the final step toward him.

"Do you mean Hogwarts, Severus, or in your arms?" she inquired softly.

He took her face gently in his hands and whispered back, "Yes."

Drawing her into a kiss, he put his arms around her and held her as if he'd never let go of her. When the kiss finally ended, she looked up at him with tears in her eyes.

"Don't cry, you silly, absurd woman."

"Men," she rolled her eyes, "never can tell why women cry. I finally understand, everything makes sense, it all fits. I'm happy, you dolt!"

"Do you have any idea how long I've waited to kiss you?" Severus asked. She shook her head no. "Since our sorting ceremony."

"Severus! We were only eleven."

"Yes, but I fell in love with you the instant our eyes met, all those years ago. That was, until you crossed them and then winked at me. I realized I'd fallen in love with a lunatic."

"I was just trying to make you laugh or at least smile .. Why didn't I see?"

"I wouldn't let you."

"Why didn't you ever say anything? We became such good friends, despite James and Sirius giving us both a ton of grief about it."

"I realized, early on, that you were in love with Black. I was content with your friendship; it meant everything to me. "

"Oh, Lord. I was like a kid sister to Sirius, as I was to James. That was a relationship that could never have happened. Nobody could love Sirius as much as Sirius. I gave up on him in fifth year," she explained, shaking her head.

"I was a fool."

"No, Severus, just think back. You were getting deeper into the Dark Arts and I was heading for Auror schooling. We'd have had a horrible romantic relationship...big fights...the BIG breakup scene...typical tragic teenage melodrama. As it was, we just slowly drifted apart by the end of our years here. Fate put us on our proper paths and now those paths have crossed again, here, now. We can't change the past, so let's just be glad we found each other at this moment in our lives."

Snape kissed her again and then held her in a tight embrace. Whispering in her ear, he acknowledged the stark reality of their lives.

"You DO understand how truly dangerous this is? For both of us?"

She nodded, pulled back and gazed up at him.

"I know, but tonight...all of that doesn't matter. It can't touch us. This is our one chance for a bit of happiness that may have to last us for a very long time. Nothing else matters, Severus, nothing."

She reached up and pushed a strand of his hair off of his face.

"I realize, now, that I've always loved you, Severus. I've been the fool. I'm sorry if I hurt you."

"I should be the one to apologize .. for many things."

"Let's just forget all of that and focus on now. Truce?" She cocked her head and smiled up at him.

"Truce .. I love you Anastasia," Snape whispered, touching his forehead to hers.

"Ditto," she answered.

He straightened up, puzzled.

Seeing the look on his face, she shook her head.

"Forget it. I'll explain later. Just kiss me again...and again...and again."