Tomorrow is Valentine's Day by lemondropseven Title: Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day Author:lemondropseven Pairing: None Rating: PG Word Count: 2k Warnings: None (maybe a tissue warning—it’s rather sad) Summary: Severus’ life after the war is not what he hoped it would be. A/N: I do not own Harry Potter and company. Betaed by whitecotton. Thanks, darling. Prompt: #3 Severus was going to get his Valentine…one way or another.
He knew what he was supposed to be doing. He was brewing pepper up, a potion he’d had memorized since his third year at Hogwarts, two years ago. No, that wasn’t right. He’d been a teacher for years. Severus shook his head. It didn’t matter—he needed to finish this potion before Slughorn took points again. Reaching for the stirring rod, Severus picked up his toothbrush and stared at it for a moment before dipping it into the cauldron.
Stirring counterclockwise as per the recipe, plastic clattered against porcelain and Severus looked down at the running water in the sink. He knew what he was supposed to be doing. He was brushing his teeth, useless endeavor though it was. They were stained beyond all hope, but he had nothing else to do in this godforsaken place. Why they kept him locked up in St. Mungo’s was a mystery to him; there was nothing wrong with him, after all.
Wearily finishing his nightly ablutions, Severus dressed in his nightshirt and approached the large four-poster bed, pulling back the dark green velvet drapes. He sighed. Tomorrow was Valentine’s Day. Maybe Lily would forgive him if he showed her how sorry he was and how much he…cared for her. He could even give her something—flowers and chocolates—girls seemed to like that kind of thing.
Not feeling tired, but anxious for the next day to come, Severus slipped into bed, cursing the medicinal smell that permeated every corner of the hospital, even the rough, white cotton sheets he slept on.
~
Severus hated being late. He rushed through the hallways, shoving aside anyone unfortunate enough to find themselves in his path. Breakfast in the Great Hall was over by half past eight and the first class should be starting now, but the corridors were unusually crowded for nine o’clock in the morning. Was everyone running late?
Making a right turn at the end of the hall, Severus started up the stairs that led to the Astronomy Tower, hoping Lily would talk to him after class. He slammed face first into a white wall, nearly breaking his nose. Yelping in startled pain, his hands came up to cradle his injured face as blood poured from both nostrils.
“Severus!”
Turning at his name, he saw a plump woman in all white approaching hurriedly, muttering under her breath. The white halls and medical equipment reminded him of someplace else—a hospital, maybe? That couldn’t be right, though; he had to be in the Infirmary. But the woman gently guiding him to a sterile room with a bed wasn’t Madame Pomfrey, and how’d he get here anyway? He was going to Divination class, not the Infirmary.
“Honestly, Severus, why can’t you just stay put? Always wandering the halls as if you’re in a race. It’s no surprise you keep having accidents.” The healer continued to scold him good-naturedly, not giving him a chance to reply as she deftly stopped the blood flow and cast a quick spell to mend his swollen nose.
“Now, why don’t you just sit here, relax, and read today’s paper? Call me if you need anything,” she said, leaving him alone in the room.
Read the paper? He was supposed to be teaching his fourth-year first period class how to brew a calming draught—not that he thought the brainless brats were capable of such a thing. Besides, he always read the paper during breakfast.
Severus’ thoughts were interrupted by a commotion in the hall.
Walking over to the door, still prodding gingerly at his nose, he peered around the doorframe. Healers were rushing through the halls in a frenzy, shouting to each other and casting spells frantically. At the end of the hall, the big double doors were wide open to allow freedom of movement. From what he could gather from the staccato medical instructions, there’d been a case of accidental magic involving a large crowd, which included Muggles. The entire staff of St. Mungo’s was needed to deal with the incident, as the Muggles couldn’t be sent to their own hospital in their current condition.
No one was watching him, following him around like he was mentally unstable and incompetent. This was his chance. He could finally leave this hell-hole of a hospital and get on with his life. He supposed he was fortunate he hadn’t ended up in Azkaban instead. After the war, he’d been eager to live his own life—free from Voldemort, free from Dumbledore—just free. But somehow he’d ended up here.
Severus frowned, puzzled for a moment at his lack of memory of the events directly after the war. What was today’s date? It couldn’t have been more than a couple of months since he’d been stashed here. Shaking his head, he pushed the thought away—it didn’t matter. The only thing of importance at the moment was escape.
Slipping from his room quietly, Severus moved through the corridor unnoticed by the preoccupied Healers. Through the double doors, past the desk, and still no one stopped him. He could see the main doors. His heart beat faster. Placing a trembling hand on the large door, he pushed. Stepping over the threshold into the outdoors, he breathed in deep.
A man rushing into the hospital bumped into him, hard, and they grabbed at each other to keep from falling. Severus’ hand landed on the man’s waist, near his back pocket, the man’s wand poking him in the wrist.
“I’m sorry, I wasn’t looking where I was going,” the stranger spoke in a rush, attention already focused inside as they disengaged.
Seized by impulse, Severus palmed the wand up his sleeve, and nodded curtly. The man was already walking through the door, completely unaware he’d been robbed. Severus stood in the doorway, staring at the stolen wand in his hand.
He knew what he was supposed to be doing. Today was Valentine’s Day, and he was going to convince Lily to forgive him. Gripping the wand tightly he Apparated to Godric’s Hollow.
~
“Ginny, take the kids into the other room. Severus is here.”
Severus didn’t even glance at the woman gathering up a toddler and ushering two older children through the doorway. It was as if she didn’t exist—he only saw Lily. Taking a step towards her, he breathed her name, “Lily.” She opened her mouth, but Severus didn’t want to hear her reject him again. “No, please. Listen to me first, before you say anything. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to call you a mu- to call you what I did. I didn’t mean to-”
Lily put a hand up to stop the torrent of words. Severus frowned at the look on her face. Why was she so sad? Just yesterday she’d been roaring angry at him. Hope filled his heart. Lily reached out and laid a hand on his arm. Warmth from the simple contact streaked through him.
“Of course, I remember you, Potter!” Severus snarled, yanking his arm away from the man who’d bullied him throughout his school years. Swinging his wand up to point straight at Potter’s heart, Severus bared his teeth like an animal fighting over his territory.
“You’re the reason I lost Lily. She chose you—an arrogant bully—and now she won’t forgive me. It’s all your fault!”
Sneering, Severus opened his mouth to hex the prat—
“Expelliarmus!”
His wand flew from his hand, not towards Potter, but sideways, to a woman standing in the doorway. “Where did he get a wand, Harry?” she asked sharply.
Startled and angry, Severus took a step towards the woman only to have her quickly turn her wand on him. “Not another step.” Her voice was hard, but her face showed an odd mixture of emotions: pity, fear, and regret. Despite what she might be feeling, Severus knew she wouldn’t hesitate to hex him—he recognized the determination on her face.
But who was she? And who was Harry? He turned to Lily to ask her what was going on, but she was already speaking.
“I don’t know, Ginny,” Lily said, sighing and running a hand through her hair. “He’s not allowed to have one, and that’s not his. He must’ve nicked it.”
Ginny. He didn’t know anyone named Ginny in their year at Hogwarts, or in his or Lily’s neighborhoods. And she was obviously older than them—an adult. Thoroughly confused and becoming slightly suspicious, Severus broke into their conversation.
“Lily, what’s going on? Who is that?” he asked, glancing at Ginny.
Lily and Ginny exchanged a look he couldn’t interpret then Ginny handed a wand to Lily before leaving the room. He watched her go, their eyes meeting briefly when she looked over her shoulder.
A memory stirred of mostly inane chatter and offerings of a meal before the meeting. “Mrs. Weasley?” he murmured softly. Was there an Order meeting today? What was he supposed to be doing? A hand on his arm drew him from his thoughts, and he turned to Lily, who was smiling at him. He instantly forgot about Mrs. Weasley or Ginny or whoever the woman was. Flushing, Severus smiled back.
He knew she’d forgive him; it was Valentine’s Day, after all.
“I’m sorry, Severus,” Lily said, her smile turning sad, just before Severus felt the nauseating tug of side-along apparition.
~
Sitting in a tan and brown, threadbare armchair, Severus gazed out of a window charmed to show a wooded forest in winter. The bare branches of the illusory trees waved mockingly at him as a violent wind whipped through them, as if saying “I’m free, I’m free, and you’re not.”
And he never would be.
His arms were wrapped around his body, crossing in front of his chest with his hands gripping his shoulders, held in place by magic. The position wasn’t uncomfortable, but he felt like an imbecile—as if he were constantly hugging himself. But that wasn’t the worst of it. No, the worst part was his magic—they’d taken his magic from him. What was a wizard without magic?
Staring at the taunting trees, snippets of the conversation taking place just inside the doorway of his room at the Janus Thickey Ward reached his ears.
“Is it really necessary to restrain him like that?” murmured a distressed male voice.
Then the Healer’s soft tones, trying to soothe him, “Mr. Potter, he’s made it to your house three times in the last year alone, and I’ve lost count of how many times he’s escaped. This time he managed to get a wand. He’s a danger to himself and others. I regret it as much as you do.”
A sigh. He can’t tell who.
“I just…I wish there was something I could do.”
“I know. But your visits always seem to help.”
“Most of the time he doesn’t even recognize me…”
Severus stopped listening to the whispers. He knew what he was supposed to be doing. He was selling his soul for the greater good, he was doing it for Lily, he was protecting Harry Potter, the ungrateful twit and completely idiotic savior of the Wizarding world. That’s right.
“Severus.”
Looking up, an automatic sneer came to his lips. Speak of the devil. But something wasn’t right. Frowning, Severus peered intently at the man in front of him. It was Potter, but he was…older.
“Potter?”
A hopeful light entered the green eyes, and filled his voice. “You know me? It’s Harry Potter.”
“Yes, I know you. Potter, why am I here? What day is it? It’s Valentine’s Day tomorrow, isn’t it?” Severus watched Potter’s eyes—Lily’s eyes—close.
“Lily will forgive me this time. I know she will.” Lost in his plans to finally win Lily’s heart, Severus didn’t see the tear run down her son’s cheek.
Murmuring to himself, “Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day,” he didn’t hear him whisper, “I’ll see you next month, Severus,” as he walked out.