The date ended on a sweet and innocent note, with him apparating me freely back to school grounds now that he wasn't in hiding. We made plans to meet tomorrow at sunrise, as was our custom, and Sev gave me a peck on the cheek to seal the deal before disapparating.

It was late in the night, and though I usually hate the dark, I had no fear walking back to the castle alone. In fact, I felt on top of the world. Invincible even.

My friends didn't bother asking this time and just rolled their eyes at my smiley mood, which I was grateful for, because I was dying to read the book he gave me.

Wuthering Heights. I felt the smooth indentations of the title under my fingertips as I took in what this book meant. He hadn't chosen it at random, just as I hadn't, and in it I would find a part of his soul. I would learn more about him on these pages than I had the seven years I sat in his classroom. The fact only a handful of people really knew Snape, and I was becoming one of them, gave me butterflies.

I tore through half the book before my eyelids became too heavy to continue, and I dreamt of a world where Sev and I could be shamelessly in love– no past loves, regrets, dark wizards, nor age differences to keep us apart.

~~~

I met Severus at dawn, still rubbing the sleep from my late night out of my eyes. Instead of inviting me into his sitting room this time, he met me outside and locked the door behind. I chose not to question our destination and instead follow his lead. I trust him.

The walk was long enough, and we had time to talk. He told me how painful going to Hogwarts was for him as a child, and how he was an outcast. The worst part is, even that was better than being at home.

He told me about how he met Lily in this neighbouhood as a child, and fell in love with her on the spot. He told me how heartbroken he was when she married not just another man, but the one who bullied him all those years.

He told me how none of that mattered when he held her dead in his arms, knowing it was his fault.

I felt for the man, and let him do most of the talking, just coaxing him on with questions here and there. He wasn't as down as the day on the Astronomy Tower, but I still wanted to hold and comfort him. He had been through so much.

Just after explaining how he grew interested in the dark arts to feel powerful, important, and brave, we came to a hill, and he grew silent until we reached the top.

"This is where I met her, the girl that changed the whole course of my life." I stepped forward and placed my hand in his, and he turned to give me a warm smile before continuing, "I wanted to take you here because I have a feeling you're going to change my life too. In fact, you already have."

He kissed me softly and reached in his pocket, pulling out a book. Jane Eyre. "I wanted to read it with you. To you. Would that be all right?"

I smiled, and that was answer enough for him. We took a seat leaning against a skeleton of a tree, and he wrapped his cloak around my shoulders as I snuggled up beside him.

His voice was slow and soothing, and his body nice and warm; who could blame me for dozing off before noon?