DEDICATED: To songs, because they inspire me.
WARNING: Slash SS/HP.
DISCLAIMER: I do not, nor have I ever, nor will I ever own the rights to Harry Potter. I just enjoy playing within the world.

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Into the Night

"Like a gift from the heavens, it was easy to tell
It was love from above that could save me from hell
She had fire in her soul it was easy to see
How the devil himself could be pulled out of me"
-Santana; Into the Night

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Severus Snape was currently cursing all the gods that he could think of, as he stepped once more into the dimly lit hell that was the club, "Into the Night." After two weeks of the nothing coming to fruition, he was ready to just say to hell with the whole endeavor. Of course, Severus snarled, that's what he had been saying to himself for a week now, but he had yet to actually stop coming to the music pounding horror. Because, every time he began to seriously consider leaving, the memory of the Dream would come back, and he would be powerless to leave.

Severus, now safely ensconced in the booth that he was beginning to think of his own considering that he had spent half a month sitting in it, allowed himself to lean back and call forth the Dream. It started with him walking into the club and sitting in this exact booth. And then, he would wait, watching the dance floor, for how long was not known, because the time moved as it did in all dreams, flowing and folding over itself, so a moment could feel like it lasted years, while years could flash by in a moment. And then, Severus could feel Him.

Time would slow as Severus looked for Him, his match, and when he found them he would get up slowly and move over and hold Him and dance with Him, and he would feel the magic sparking beneath their skin, like two pieces of metal striking each other. Magical connection, such as the one that Severus felt in his dream, rarely happened. It was the stuff of legends and myths, of soul mates and stars. Severus had never dared to even think, let alone hope, that it would ever happen to him. And then, he had started to Dream, and any true wizard could tell the difference between a Dream and a dream, between the truth and the fiction. And so, despite the fact that Severus didn't really believe there was anyone out there in the world for him, he had gone ahead and searched for the club.

And so here he was, sitting out for the second Thursday in a row, watching the dance floor, until closing, waiting for Him.

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Another Thursday later and Severus had gone beyond frustrated into thrumming with almost constant anger... and a headache. Instead of getting used to the loudness of the music, the exact opposite had taken place, and ever subsequent day of that torture made him feel worse and worse.

Severus had had enough.

If He didn't come today, Severus was quitting. He had gotten to the point where he was so irritable that none of his colleagues could speak more than three words without him going for their throat. And the sheer amount of points that all the houses, including his own, had lost had finally reached record numbers with the prospect for more on the horizon if this hell of his own making continued. So, Severus decided, this was it. If He didn't come today, He would have to look for Severus.

The night crept by, with Severus getting more and more agitated as time passed and He didn't show. And, slowly, as the minute hand crept round and round, so did Severus' thoughts. Maybe, he thought, saying today was the last day was stupid, after all, why quit at the beginning of the weekend? Why not at least finish out the weekend? Two more nights won't hurt anymore, and sleep can be caught up on Sunday…

Reaching his decision, Severus left the club as the last patron, as usual, but this time, for his last Thursday.

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Friday night bore no results and that Saturday night, as Severus ducked into the club, he felt as though he would be sick to his stomach, a feeling that was only aggravated by the now constant migraine. This could be it, his thoughts tinged with panic, this could be the end of the search of the only true happiness that might be found. And Severus almost went back on his promise to himself, but then the music surrounded him again, and Severus knew for his sanity's sake, he had to stop. If it was meant to be, Severus thought with just a touch of sadness, they would have to find each other a different way.

And so, Severus sat himself in his booth one last time, and fixed his eyes on the already crowded dance floor. His heart thudded once, thunderously, and then again, as his eyes widened. He was here.

No longer caught up in his own thoughts and pain, Severus could now feel the magic brushing his, curling and folding into one another. He was here. His chest so tight that he could barely squeeze a breath out, he watched the dance floor like a hawk, trying to feel through his music who He was.

And then the writhing group of bodies parted, like the water commanded by that muggle prophet, and there He... She was? Severus stared in complete confusion at the young woman that was staring back at him with the same look in her eyes. Severus knew that in his dream it had been a male, but neither could he deny the way his magic was reacting to this young woman's. She was beautiful, Severus could say that, far too beautiful for the likes of him. Her black hair fell in curls around her shoulders, and her dark green eyes were widened. Unlike most of the other young women in the club, she was dressed rather conservatively: jeans and a tank top, showing just the barest curve of breasts.

She looked panicked for a moment, and her eyes flickered around in a way that showed she was clearly looking for an exit. But Severus was already smoothly standing, and making his way to her. He had found hi... her, and he was not about to let her go now. He was, however, a little worried about her reaction, because it denoted familiarity. Had he taught her? He didn't think so, his years as a spy had taught him to always recognize a face, and although hers bore a faint resemblance to someone he couldn't quite recall, he was positive he hadn't seen her. Perhaps a sibling to a student then? A student who had told her all about their horrid potions teacher and then pointed him out at graduation? That would explain the fear that was now shining in her eyes.

Yes, a sibling, he decided, as he reached her, although he couldn't figure out who she was related too. If she had been a student, he would have surely felt this magical connection before now. But then, why not at the student's graduation? Perhaps she hadn't reached her magical majority yet. Although most children reached theirs between thirteen and nineteen, the stronger the witch or wizard, the older they would be before they got theirs, and it was not unknown for the stronger ones to be in their twenties before it was reached. The sheer strength of their magic had to have a more mature body to be able to handle it. Feeling that magic spark against his, he decided that had to be it, because he could tell already that her magic was stronger than any other wizard or witch's he had met, including Voldemort, Dumbledore, and even the horrid Potter boy.

Gently, and slowly, so as not to frighten her further, he reached out and clasped her hand... and gasped, as the magic sparked and danced between their hands. When he looked back up at her face, her own lips were parted as she stared at their hands, confusion evident in their depths. Then she looked back up at him and, catching him staring, flushed a brilliant red. Severus studied her for the moment, still slightly confused on how he could have gotten the gender so wrong in his Dream. She was a handsome woman, that was true, and she seemed to be a tomboy, if her clothes and lack of any makeup were anything to go by. But, still, to be that wrong…

During his thoughts it seemed that the young woman had found courage from within her, despite the earlier look of fear, because Severus was suddenly jerked from his thoughts as lithe but strong arms wrapped around her neck, and she began to rock to the rhythm of the song. Severus gasped, grasping her waist, as the embers of magic jumped between their skin. She pulled him closer, until they were dancing in that completely indecent way that her generation was apt to, and which Severus had always considered completely disgusting. Perhaps, Severus was willing to admit, not so disgusting, as the woman ground her hips into his to the rhythm of the song.

This… this was perfection. The only perfect thing that existed in this blasphemous world, Severus thought, as his hands slid underneath the young woman's tank-top, and finally touched bare skin. She arched into his touch, as the magic danced over their skin, tinder igniting. Severus could barely breath, the magical connection was so consuming, and when she turned around in his arms, and began to grind her ass into his crotch, Severus was sure that no torture had ever been so exquisite. His hands slid over her hips, to plaster themselves against her belly, all the skin-to-skin contact only making the magic connection more intense. Severus' breath stuttered and almost stopped when his mind wondered what sex with her would be like.

They danced like that for well over an hour, the magical connection never dying down and instead strengthening. This wasn't right, Severus thought with the small part of his brain that could still think. Magical connections weren't supposed to strengthen unless the two people had spent a lot of time together and knew one another's minds. It was directly affected by the growing intimacy between the two people who shared it. This… was strange.

And, as if that was some sort of cue, the young woman in his arms suddenly stiffened and stopped dancing, her arms dropping down from Severus' neck so that she could check a small watch that was around her wrist. Severus saw her mouth a rather dirty word, before she shot him an apologetic glance, and made to leave.

Severus was shocked to say the least; what person, in their right mind, would try to leave someone they had that kind of connection with? Luckily, a shocked Severus was still faster than the majority of other people, because despite her quick movements, he still caught her wrist. She shook her head, all those black curls moving with her, and mouthed, "I have to go."

Like hell she did, Severus thought. He had been in this hell of months and he refused to simply let the person he had been waiting for leave him. He tightened his grip and shook his own head, his face turning steely. "No," he mouthed. "We need to talk."

Her gaze turned a little more frantic, and Severus felt the sparks leaping between their touching flesh suddenly heighten in their intensity, with her increasing panic. "No, no, no…" she shook her head again, her expression becoming upset. "I have to go. Now." She jerked her hand, trying to free her wrist, but Severus refused to let go, and instead pulled her closer, so that he could actually reach her ear.

"Not without talking first," he yelled, hoping that she would him over that blasted music.

This caused a completely different reaction. She jerked back and this time her expression was complete fury. "You have no right to tell me what I can and cannot do!" she yelled, loudly enough that he heard her over the music. "Let go of me. Now!" Her gaze was fierce and, once again, Severus had that vague feeling that he should be able to tell who she looked like and, once again, when he tried to grab the feeling it slipped out of his grasp.

"No," he sneered, and began to try to pull her closer again.

But this time she was having none of it, and stayed where she was, eyeing him with fury. After a moment of though, she pulled his hand, pulling him closer to her, and pulling his arm until he bent over. Then, standing on her toes, she said, "If you don't let go of me right now, I will hurt you." She backed away again and stared at him. Severus believed her, he knew somehow had no doubt that she would back up her statement. But to be so close, to have touched her, to have held her, and then to simply let her go because she wouldn't listen… Severus would not be able to live with himself.

"Please…" the word felt foreign and uncomfortable coming from his mouth, and apparently the woman knew him better than he had given her credit for, because that single word stopped all struggle. She stared at him as though he had just turned into a frog before her eyes. "Please," he repeated, "Just let me talk to you."

Her eyes closed, her breath shuddered as she apparently fought with herself. However, much to Severus' horror, when she opened them the look was only fiercer. Severus tightened his grip, knowing that something coming, but was completely unprepared when a wandless, speechless stinging hex caught him in the hand, causing it to jerk reflexively open. And she was gone.

Severus cursed and, cradling his stinging hand, gave chase. He had just parted from the mass of humanity that was the dance floor to see her disappearing out the back door. Sprinting for the door, Severus opened it just in time to hear the crack of apparition, and then nothing but the sound of the night. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck! Severus thought, letting to the door shut behind him, and leaning against the brick wall of the alley. Fuck.

She was gone. The person he was mean to be with, his soulmate, was gone. Fuck.

Severus closed his eyes, his breathing hitching for just a moment in awful parody of a sob, and for the first time ever wished that he were the type of man that cried.

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Harry Potter, leaning against a wall right around the corner, hiding his panting breaths with a silencing spell, shuddered and shook as the female body that he had borrowed for the night slowly disappeared, replaced with his naturally male one. And, as his shoulder-length hair disappeared to be replaced with his normal messy bird's nest, he heard the hitching almost-sob, and echoed it with his own.

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A/N: Please note that, as of this moment, there is no planned sequel for this story. In fact, to be totally honest, I haven't written any new fanfiction in a very long time. That all being said, if you want a sequel, please give me some ideas of what you'd like to see; you never know, maybe something that you say will spark an idea and I'll get back to writing. Either way, please review and let me know what you think.

Petra Megami Assari