When Severus woke, he felt completely disoriented. He became alarmed when he did not recognize his surroundings, but was too weak to move. Eliza had moved him to the bed in his sleep, and he sank against the pillow, moaning.

A blur moved through the door and she was instantly at his bedside.

"Severus, you're awake," she knelt in front of him.

He tried to speak, but could not form any words. Eliza smoothed his hair back and looked down at him, a smile of relief on her face.

The transformation was complete. He had changed in appearance, but not as drastic as one usually would. Severys always had had a gaunt face, with sallow skin. His eyes were only slightly darker. In the past few years he had already begun to fit into this world, just from his lifestyle

"I'll be right back," she whispered, making her way to the kitchen.

Opening the refrigerator door, Eliza retrieved one of the chilled vials. She poured some of the contents into a glass, and put the rest back. When she returned, she found Severus trying to sit up.

"Stop that," she chastised. "You are still much too weak."

His eyes grew wide at the cup in her hand.

"You need to drink this," she instructed. "It will help make you stronger. "

Severus' furred his brows and shook his head, refusing.

"Don't argue with me," Elizabeth told him firmly. "You have no idea what I went through to get this, now drink!"

Severus' hand shook when he tried to take the glass from her. Eliza quickly stopped him from spilling the contents, and helped him lift it to his lips. As soon as the liquid entered his mouth, he spit it out, accidentally spraying her in the face.

She blinked in surprise, and went to retrieve a towel. Severus looked ashamed when she came back, and tried to apologize, but she waved him away.

"I know you think it's disgusting right now, but I promise it will get easier," she assured him. "You need this to gain your strength back, just gulp it down."

He looked from her face to her outstretched hand, and nodded, allowing her to pour the contents down his throat. He choked, but kept the nourishment inside his body.

"Lay down," she told him, helping him get comfortable. She climbed in the bed next to him, wrapping her arm around him, waiting for the blood to take effect.

"What happened?" Severus croaked when he could finally speak, nearly twenty minutes later.

"A lot."

He gave her a scathing look. Eliza knew it was not a good idea to distress him.

"I will tell you when you are stronger," she promised.

"Tell me now," he demanded. "I feel a little better."

"Well I know you are lying, but I also know better than to argue," she surrendered. "Much has happened, and I don't know where to start."

"Is the dark lord-" Severus' voice trailed off, but Eliza was not sure whether it was from exhaustion or apprehension.

"He's been defeated," Eliza told him with a knowing look. "It was in the papers this morning."

"Can I see it?" Severus asked in disbelief. "Can it possibly be true?"

Eliza grabbed the paper off the nightstand and presented it to him. He could barely turn the pages, so Eliza propped it up for him, and they read it together.

"I can't believe its over," Sererus sighed heavily, as if a great weight had been lifted off of him.

He started scanning the casualties' list, and stared hard at one name in particular.

"I'm dead?" he looked her curiously. Eliza's eyes filled with tears.

"What do you remember?" she asked, voice cracking.

"I remember the dark-" but he stopped himself. "I remember Voldemort," he spat, finally fearless to say his name, and treating it like a bad taste in his mouth, "going on about the elder wand. It gets rather fuzzy at that point."

"He turned on you," Eliza told him darkly. "He ordered his snake to bite you. You were nearly dead when I found you."

"Wait, was Potter there?" Severus asked her, remembering a blurry vision of his face.

"He had left right before I got there," Eliza told him. "He told everyone what had happened. That you were on their side the whole time, and he had memories to prove it."

"How did he get them?" Severus wondered.

"You gave them to him, I guess," she explained. "That's what he said. He left because he thought you were dead. Well, thinks you are dead, I should say," she corrected.

"So then what happened?" he urged.

"He sacrificed himself, made Voldemort think he had killed him. Apparently the Malfoy's helped convince him, and have now been pardoned," Eliza filled him in.

"Draco is not going to prison?" Severus asked in relief.

"No," she smiled. "I spoke with him, right beforehand, he knew which side he was meant for."

"And Potter killed him then?" Severus questioned.

"Actually, he killed himself," Eliza explained. "He tried to kill Harry and the curse backfired."

"Amazing," Severus breathed, then began coughing.

Eliza was back in an instant, with a full cup. Severus drank without argument, but looked positively ill when he was finished.

"I'm so sorry," Elizabeth told him vehemently. "It was the only way to save you."

Severus stared off for a while, and his silence was trying Eliza's nerves. She knew most people would never choose this life. She had been very selfish, because she did not want to live her out her own existence without him.

"So what am I?" he finally asked.

"Full fledged," she said quietly. "Complete transformation."

"No sunlight?" she shook her head. He sighed, "Being in public?"

"Not very often," Eliza whispered, looking down.

"Forever?"

"Yes."

They sat in silence for a long while, Eliza still looking down at the bedcovers, Severus looking at her.

"Where is my wand?" Severus questioned. Eliza's sob answered his question.

"No more magic?" he sounded in severe pain.

"I'm sorry," she cried. "I didn't know what else to do."

"Shh," Severus tried to soothe her, pulling her into him arms. "I know, I know," he told her, smoothing her hair.

"You were dying," she sat up and tried to justify her actions.

"I deserved to die," he said in a numb tone. "But you saved me."

"Don't say that," Eliza sniffed. "If you were with them now, you would be a war hero. Instead you are stuck here," she replied bitterly.

"Who do you think I would rather be with?" he told her forcefully. "What do I have left out there?"

Eliza fell against him in relief, and he held her close.

"I'm not saying this life won't take some getting used to," he said rationally, "But its worth it, if it means I get you in the deal."

"For the next few hundred centuries," she told him with a small smile, "I'm all yours."

"Then I have everything," he sighed, capturing her lips with his own.

............................................................................................................................................

A/N: whoo hoo! Thanks for those who kept up with the story. I would like to know, should I write or short epilogue, or would you like me to leave it to your imagination?

Thanks to all my faithful reviewers, you really kept me going. It's been a great ride.