Hello Darlin'

One-shot

A/N: Based on the song by Conway Twitty. Yes, I am aware Severus wouldn't use the term darlin' he would fully pronounce his words in the most articulate manner possible, but for intents and purposes of this chapter… Just roll with it.

Hello darlin'
Nice to see you
It's been a long time
You're just as lovely
As you used to be

Severus Snape froze on the spot as he spied her from afar, her brown curls bouncing with every step she took, a small smile played on her face. Hand in hand with Ronald Weasley who looked very much like the cat who got the cream.

Weasley slipped off into a shop on his own, she was by herself, her head turning left and turning right surveying her surroundings, their eyes locked for a moment and he hoped she didn't realise it was him. He stopped breathing for a moment hoping and wishing she wouldn't come over but it was all in vain, she was coming closer one foot in front of the other step after step, it felt like an eternity.

He grabbed her soft, warm hand, leading her down a quiet alleyway beside Olivanders store. Her eyes grew wide at his touch, her hand twitched as flesh touched flesh. Her heart began hammering in her chest at his warm and tender touch. It was like they had never been apart. Her hand fit perfectly into his almost as if they were cast from the same mould, destined to fit back together.

"Hello Darling," He looked down at her, his index finger running down her check brushing away a stray curl before running the length of her jaw gripping her chin softly he tilted her head up to look at him.

Black obsidian eyes stared down into warm pools of chocolate. She took a shuddery breath before closing her eyes, a single tear slid down her cheek. Goosebumps erupted over her body as a chill ran the length of her spine.

"Nice to see you." He smiled at her.

Her teeth gripped at her moist tongue so as to control herself and not force it down his throat like a wanton hussy. The timbre baritone of his voice could vibrate the panties off of a nun.

"You're just a lovely as you used to be." His thumb traced her soft rose pink lips, the lips he longed for, the lips he hungered to taste again, the lips he wanted to press his own too.

"Thank you, Severus." She choked out. His body heat radiating onto her in the middle of the cold winter was more than welcome. She felt like crawling into his lap and cuddling into his body and inhaling his scent if she were being totally honest.

How's your new love
Are you happy?

I Hope you're doing fine

Just to know it means so much to me

"How's your new love? Are you happy?" He questioned her, hatred ebbing into him at the thought of her with anyone besides himself. But he really had no one else to pass the onus onto. He lost her and Ron won her back fair and square. He was a wretched human who treated her like she was a disposable commodity.

Heat crept into her cheeks, unsure what to say to him so as to not anger or upset him; she still cared for him and his feelings, even if she would never let it be known.

"He… He's fine, thanks. I am doing well, I guess." Her lips flicked into a smile of pity and sadness as the look on his face dropped from hopeful to agonisingly pained within a second.

She looked at the white powdered covering ground; she could no longer bear to see the hurt etched into his face and eating away at his soul. He recoiled his hand as if her skin was molten hot.

What's that darlin'
How am I doin'?
Guess I'm doin' alright
Except I can't sleep
I cry all night 'til dawn

"How are you anyway, Severus?" Words whisper quiet and sounded so sweet he thought he may have imagined them falling from her lips and for a moment, it felt as if she still cared for him.

He shrugged his broad shoulders as he kept looking down at her watching her watching the ground. She couldn't make eye contact with him any longer. She couldn't bear to see the broken man before her, she couldn't stand knowing she was the one who had caused the once courageous man to fall and to falter.

"I guess I'm doing alright Hermione, except I can't sleep and I cry all night until dawn," the words fell from his lips so easily and so smoothly he never once faltered despite the hurt in his heart.

His head was spinning, why now, why here, why did he have to cross paths with her so close to Christmas? Was this the god's ways of rubbing it in his face that this was his first Christmas cold and alone without her for the first time in five years. Were the gods looking down on him mocking him and paying him back for all of the blood he had spilt and all of the hatred that had spewed forth from his lips, burning like acid to whomever he spoke them to?

He would lay awake mulling over the reasons she had left, thinking and wondering if he went back into time could he fix everything, could he fix them?

What I'm tryin' to say is
I love you and I miss you
And I'm so sorry
That I did you wrong

"I guess I am trying to say in no uncertain terms that I love you and I miss you, Hermione. I was a fool to treat you as I did and I regret my actions all day, every day. It was my entire fault for being a fucking dolt and not seeing your true value and your amazing qualities. I guess I didn't know I love you so much until you left until I didn't have what my heart so truly desired anymore."

She still looked at the ground, she couldn't look at him while he was spilling his heart to her, she might break down into tears and show the weakness that she felt, she might show him that she wanted him and she would do anything to have him back, to be in his sweet embrace and to have his lips pressed to his as he traced feather-light circles on the small of her back as she moaned against him in pleasure.

Look up darlin'
Let me kiss you
Just for old time's sake
Let me hold you in my arms
One more time

"Look up." His voice low and husky as he ran an index finger under her chin once more, gently tilting her head up so she had to look him in the eyes again. Chocolate orbs welled with tears threatening to spill over the edge and not stop.

"Let me kiss you for old times sake. Let me hold you one more time to feel the warmth of your body and the beat of your heart against mine. Let me feel just one more time."

The deep baritone of his voice shrouded her judgement and dampened her panties. Biting her lower lip in deep thought she strained to hear if Ron was coming.

Silence.

Perfect.

Without even a second thought she launched herself at him, catching him off guard, grabbing onto him she wrapped her legs tightly around his waist as he steading himself. Wrapping his arms around her slender waist and holding her so tightly as if she might be pulled from his grasp her lips crashed onto his like a wave from a stormy sea crashed onto the shore.

She closed her eyes savouring the taste of him as their lips battled fiercely in a moment of passion before she pulled away. She rested her forehead against his, their hearts beating as one, their chests rising and falling in unison as they revelled in the embrace of one another, in the safety and the warmth that they felt.

Thank you darlin'
May God bless you
And each step you take brings you closer
To the love you seek to find

"Thank you," his voice soft and hushed. For a brief moment he felt complete, he felt like he had been pieced back together, he felt normal… He felt loved.

He was pulled from his reverie by a voice in the distance, calling, beckoning his sweet away from him. To break his heart and shatter him once again.

"I hope you have found the love that you sought to find." He let go of her waist and she slowly slid down the length of his body landing softly on the ground with a thud in the snow. She looked up at him again, a sweet smile on her innocent lips.

Goodbye darlin'
I got to go now
I got to try to find a way

To lose these memories
Of a love so warm and true

Ron's voice carried across Diagon Alley and reverberated down the small alleyway. He was calling her again, seeking her.

"Goodbye, Darling. I've got to go now."
He tucked a stray curl behind her ear, her cheeks littered with hot wet tears as she blinked rapidly trying to force them back.

"I've got to find a way now to lose these memory's of a love so warm and true. I'm sorry, Hermione." She smiled meekly at him as she began to turn away. Catching her by the wrist she shuddered at his touch.

And if you should ever
Find it in your heart
To forgive me
Comeback darlin'
I'll be waiting for you

"If you can ever find it in your heart to forgive me, I will be waiting for you," His voice laced with the sadness that filled him.

She gave a slight nod of the head; he gently let her wrist go watching her walk away down the alley and to her lover. She stopped and turned back her gaze meeting his own, "Thank you, Severus." She turned and kept walking

The better man won the one who treated her the way she deserved. He was a heartless wretch and he didn't deserve her. He could only hold out hope that one day, hopefully soon, she would come back to him and make him whole again.

-Fin.