"And I will always love you, will always love you, you, my darling, you. Bittersweet memories, that is all I am taking with me. So goodbye, please don't cry," – Whitney Houston, I will always love you
Chapter 12: I Love You
On the last day of school Severus joined the rest of the seventh years for a late breakfast. The entire Great Hall was buzzing. After breakfast the seventh years were dismissed to do what they pleased for the rest of the day until the graduating ceremony later that night.
Severus wandered out onto the Hogwarts grounds. Near the lake, Faith and her friends lay stretched out in the grass staring up at the sky. He sat in the shade of a tree and thought of what he was going to say to her later.
Severus paced his classroom. Faith was leaving. Again. His stomach kept twisting itself into large knots. The sky was becoming dark, leaving Severus in a dark,cold classroom. He didn't even lift a finger in attempt to light anything. Sighing he sat in his desk chair,
"I'll just stay here, no need to go talk to her. That would just be the thing to bring me down," he muttered to himself. Groaning he put his forehead down on the desk.
At lunch Severus sat at the Slytherin table, reading his favorite novel, History Lies. As he read another book slapped itself down on the table. He looked up as Faith came and sat down next to him.
"Sign my year book?" she smiled.
"When did these get delivered?" he asked lifting the book up and flipping through it.
"Few hours ago,"she replied. Severus looked through the yearbook. The first page said simply:
Hogwarts
School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Class of '77
Printed by Magic Ink
Edited by Frank Longbottom
The second two pages were blank. A spell had been put over the book so that went the graduating class picture was taken it would appear in all the yearbooks. The Next Page was the entire Ravenclaw class. They all stood perfectly straight with gleaming smiles. Next was the Ravenclaw Quidditch team's page. Streaks of blue would occasionally fly across the pictures. Following was Huffelpuff, the Huffelpuff Quidditch team and then Slytherin. There were less smiling faces on this page. In fact most of them scowled.
Severus's picture was second to last. His black hair hung around his face, occasionally a piece would fall in his face and the picture would move it out of the way. After was a picture of the Slytherin Quidditch team and then the Gryffindor page.
James Potter's picture was directly above Lily Evans's and he was busy leaning far over his picture to try to talk to her. Sirius Black was looking rather bored as several girls stared at him. Remus Lupin looked tired as usual and Peter Pettigrew was busy eating.
"There you are," Severus pointed to Faith's picture. She was smiling as she stared directly into the camera. Her hair looked like it was windswept and her eyes held that friendly twinkle in them.
"Yup," she smiled, as she leaned in to look at the picture.
The next page held the Gryffindor Quidditch team. James and Sirius were busy showing off on their brooms while Faith just sat on hers, shaking her head at the two. The two must have coaxed in into trying it too, because soon she was standing on her boom.
The next page had all the prefects and the HeadBoy and Girl looking very clean. Following was the page for Mr. and Misses. Popularity. It was a picture of Lily and a Ravenclaw boy named Thomas Sunder smiling, standing in the Great Hall. It was obvious that they had just found Thomas and Lily, brought them to the Great Hall and taken their picture, because they didn't even have their school uniforms on.
The page for Mr. and Misses. Personality was next. Faith and a Huffelpuff boy whom Severus didn't know smiled as they leaned against a tree. Faith's arms were crossed and her smile was brighter than the boys.
"I didn't know you won…"
"eh…It was kinda embarassing winning…Did you order a yearbook?" she asked as he began to write in hers.
"No,"
"But how will you remember me?" Faith questioned jokingly.
"Unfortunately, I don't think I could forget you even if I wanted to,"
Faith nodded, "Yeah, I'm a pretty unforgettable person. What can I say?" she shrugged. She laughed and rose from her seat, "Well, I'll see you tonight at graduation I guess,"
"Wait….sign this," Severus stopped her and handed her his book.
"Are you sure?" she wondered as she balanced the book in one hand, her quill in the other. He shrugged and mumbled, "How else will I remember you?"
Severus closed his eyes and tried to push the thought of Faith out of his mind, but he just couldn't do it. She was every where all at once, her smile, her voice, her smell. Opening his desk drawer, Severus reached in and pulled out his worn down copy of History Lies. He read it so many times he could practically recite it word for word. He flipped to the back of the book. Scrawled there on the back pages was Faith's note to him from so many years ago:
Severus,
Classes sucked, but tutoring was certainly interesting. And Don't let what Sirius and James said get to you. Just remember Karma.
Meeting you has been one of the more enjoyable moments of my life. You're a riddle trapped inside a 17 year olds body. I love talking to you. A smile creeps on my face every time I think of the good times we had at Hogwarts.
I sincerely hope we don't lose touch and continue to be friends long after Hogwarts is over. I would hate to think we couldn't be friends once we get out into the 'real' world. I hope our paths cross more often.
Love,
Faith
Severus rose from his chair and went to find Faith, determined to tell her how he felt.
"Fashionably late as usual!" A booming voice, which Severus recognized as Sirius's hollered. All the seventh years waited outside the Great Hall in lines according to house. Inside the Great Hall their families waited for them to enter and begin the ceremony.
"You know me. Catch!" Faith's voice echoed off the halls. She was trampling down the stairs, and threw her black graduation robes over the railing. Sirius caught it and Faith continued down the stairs, holding tightlythe red and gold Gryffindor Ribbon that was to go up and around her neck in one hand and her shoes in the other.
As she reached the bottom of the stairs, Severus could feel his heart jump into his throat. He was already extremely nervous about telling her how he felt, but the way she looked made his nerves hit an all time high. Faith's hair was tousled and appeared windswept. Her bangs were hanging beautifully in her eyes. She wore a simple black dress that revealed her long legs and caused several of the boys to stare. As she ran over to Sirius she managed to slip the shoes on.
"You look good," Sirius smiled.
"Shut it," Faith grumbled grabbing the long black robes and hastily pulling them on. She then slipped the Gryffindor Ribbon around her neck just as the doors opened and they were emitted into the Great Hall.
'Now starts the countdown,' Severus thought, his heart slamming so loudly in his chest, he thought he'd have a heart attack.
Severus walked up to the portrait of the pale women reading. They all looked up at him and then began to whisper. One finally said
"Yes?"
"Is Faith in there?"
"And you are?"
"A friend, is she in there?"
"No,"
"Do you know where she is?"
"Yes,"
"And?…" Severus asked getting aggrivated.
"Packing,"
"Packing?"
"Yes, Packing she's leaving you know," the woman rolled her eyes and the girls in the back only gossiped louder.
"She's not leaving till the end of the year,"
"Well, for someone that's her friend you are awfully ill informed. She is packing now, she plans on leaving as soon as possible,"
"And now, I present to you, the graduating class of '77," Dumbeldore's voice boomed. The entire class stood up and cheered, as did the parents. Within minutes the students began to scatter, running to parents or their friends. Severus jumped to his feet and immediately began to scan the area for Faith. Finally, he spotted her. She stood with Lily as a man—who Severus assumed to be Faith's father—snapped a picture. As soon as the picture was done, James, Sirius, Remus and Peter all jumped in, the camera flashed again. Faith's father then handed the camera to Faith, gave her a single white rose, kissed her forehead and muttered something to her before walking over to join some other parents.
Then something happened that made Severus scowl. As Faith and Lily were talking, Sirius grabbed Faith by the hand, twirled her around and wrapped her into a tight bear hug. She returned the hug, over her shoulder, Sirius's eyes met Severus. Sirius flashed a toothy grin and narrowed his eyes at him.
Severus forced the door to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom open. He raced across the classroom, bumping into a desk as he moved. He entered the office at lightening fast speed. The entire room looked like a tornado had hit. Paper and books were strewn everywhere. Faith sat at her desk, her forehead on the edge of it. She looked up and immediately stood.
"What do you want?"
"I-I…" Severus stammered losing his nerve and voice, "I…heard you're leaving…now,"
"Yes," she replied nodding and turning away from him.
"But…" Severus said finding it hard to find the right words, "I found a reason for you to stay,"
"Oh?…" she turned back to him.
"Yes," Severus muttered taking a step towards her. "You can't leave because…because…" 'Just say it! You love her! Why is this so hard!'
"You can't leave because…your students love you. What would they do without you?" 'AHHHHHHHHHH! No! Wrong answer!'
"I think they are use to teachers leaving after a year," smirked Faith turning back around and looking out at the reason. Severus hit his forehead and beat himself up over being so stupid. He stood there staring at her back for a minute, debating what to do next. He marched up to her, grabbed her arm and spun her around to look at him.
Severus grabbed Faith by the shoulders gently. He stared directly into her eyes and admitted
"Faith…I love you. I've always loved you. When you were tutoring me in Charms, whenever we fought, when you became a deatheater. I never told you before because I'm a coward. A damn coward. But I love you. Always. I always will love you." He then brought her forward and their lips brushed against each other. He paused, unsure of what to do.
"Hey," smiled Faith, grabbing Severus by the shoulder and spinning him around to look at her.
"Hi," he said softly playing with the end of his Slytherin Ribbon. He looked down at the ground, Faith peeked her head underneath his and stared up at him.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing,"
"Liar,"
"Faith!" Lily, James, and Sirius all shouted. She spun around and motioned for them to go on without her.
"Since when did you become so chummy with Sirius?" Severus hissed.
"Forgive and Forget right? Today is supposed to be a fun, happy day. Not one for grudges,"
"Right,"
"Cheer up," she smiled brightly and touched his chin. She then wrapped her arms around his neck and brought him into a tight hug. It took him slightly off guard but he returned the hug. As she slowly pulled back their gaze caught and held. He leaned forward and kissed her softly. He then let go. She looked at him, smiled and simply said, "Bye Severus,"
"Bye Faith," he muttered, his courage leaving him to wallow in his own stupidity for not telling her how he felt.
He kissed her.
Severus still held Faith by the shoulders as he kissed her. When he broke it off he searched her eyes for an answer. Her eyes were downcast and she didn't speak. When she looked up at him there were tears welling in her eyes.
"Severus we can't." Faith whispered shaking her head. Her voice cracked in several places. Every part of Severus went numb at that instant. At first what she had said didn't register with him…and then finally it did.
"But why! Why can't we?" he shouted in surprise. She just bit her lip and looked down. Severus could feel his heart drop into his stomach. His entire body went cold and rigid. Finally he regained his senses, he let go of her and slowly backed away. He felt as if all the breath had been stolen from his body. The room was suffocating him. It was her. Her presence. Severus stormed out of the room. With every step he took away from her his heart was breaking and tearing itself. He was still finding it hard to breathe and his mouth was going dry, his throat getting a large lump in it.
"How can she not…AGGGHHH! I'm such an arse." Severus yelled at himself as he entered his classroom. As he stormed to his desk, he picked up a glass vial and threw it at the wall. It smashed into a thousand pieces. He sat at his desk and put his head in his hands. Anger welled up inside of her. Anger at himself. His blood quickly began to boil and his heart continued to tear itself up.
A noise caused him to look up. The door slowly opened and in walked Faith. Severus stood up shocked to see her. Hadn't she caused him enough pain? Did she have to come in and help rub salt on the wound? She walked up to him and looked into his eyes. She held his gaze for a minute at least. Severus searched her eyes for a reason for her to be here. He went to speak but stopped when she looked like she was going to speak. Faith didn't say anything she just wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. His arms smoothed down her arms and went around her waist as she deepened the kiss.
"I love you. So very much," she breathed.
The End
"I hope life treats you kind,
And I hope you have all you've dreamed of
And I wish to you joy and happiness
But above all this, I wish you love"
Whitney Houston, I will always love you.
(A/N: Maybe its the end and maybe its not. I havent quite decided. Thanks for all the fabulous reviews.