A/N: It has been a week, but I still cannot comprehend the fact that Mr. Alan Rickman is no longer with us. Like many of his fans, I find it nearly impossible to process the news. The following little tale is my tribute to the wonderful man, and to Rima, the love of his life.

Thank you JKR for giving us this magical world to escape, to cope, and to heal.

Summary: She was heartbroken, until she found him.

The Sign

She was relieved to see the faint light, candlelight through a window, perhaps, in the distance. It was the only glimpse of hope along her journey, like a lighthouse that was guiding her to the shore.

She couldn't remember how she started her journey, and where her destination was going to be. All she knew was that she had traveled a long way, alone, with emptiness aching in her heart.

It wasn't chilly along the country road; but even if it was cold she wouldn't have felt it. It never occurred to her that it was not the best idea to be without a winter coat while traveling at night in the middle of January. She simply didn't care.

Finally, her hand reached the wooden door. It felt like that one at her house; yet it wasn't the same.

The door opened easily at her push. Warm air greeted her cheeks like a gentle kiss. It smelt like home; yet it wasn't the same.

She didn't have the desire to look around the small cottage that she had found in the middle of the field; although in the back of her mind she wondered why she felt so comfortable in this unfamiliar place. The rooms were dark, except for the candle light radiating through the crack of another half-opened door, as if calling her name.

She followed the light, and found him. Like she had often found him in the middle of the night, he was sitting with his back against the window, a book in his hand.

"Severus!" She gasped; a lump quickly formed in her throat.

He looked up at her, not at all surprised. And then he smiled, still without a word.

She rushed to his side, reaching for his face with both her hands. "They said..." she drew a deep breath to calm her racing heart, "they said you're gone."

He arched a brow at her, slightly amused. "How many times have I told you, Hermione? Don't listen to what people say."

"But," she swallowed, "where have you been?"

"I've always been here." He put down the book in his hand, got up on his feet, and took her hands into his. "I never left."

"But where are we?" She frowned and looked up around her. His words confused her; and the surroundings didn't offer a single clue.

"Where do you think we should be?" His deep voice drew her out of her thoughts.

She looked back at him, and quickly found the familiar tenderness in his dark eyes. "I don't know. And I don't care. I just want you back." She whispered. "I want you to come home with me."

"I never left you." He smiled again, although a hint of sadness clouded his eyes. "You must know that, Hermione. I've been with you this entire time."

She frowned, suddenly feeling very confused. What entire time?

"Remember the promise that I made many years ago," his deep voice touched her aching heart, "the promise that I made on the day when you agreed to be my bride?"

"Of course," She broke into a bashful smile. "It doesn't happen very often when you say romantic things like that, you know. Of course I remember all of them." Her smile widened as she recalled his words when he proposed to her. "On that particular day," she reached up and rested one hand on his chest, "you promised me you'd make me happy for the rest of my life."

"But you are not very happy now, are you?" He lifted her chin up with his long fingers, searching for her eyes. "I must therefore solve the problem. I'm a man with his words."

"You can't make me happy if you are gone." Clarity seemed to have slowly returned to her mind. "It's not fair. You've been taken away from me far too soon." She kept her eyes fixed on the corner of his lips, knowing she would no longer hold back her sobs if she looked at him in the eye. "We have plans. We have so much to do. It was only a few weeks ago when we talked about the five-year plan for our lab, our journey around the world, and the visits to the libraries in the foreign lands. But now," she drew a deep breath to calm her aching heart, "You are gone. What am I going to do?" She choked. "I miss you."

"And I you." He brushed away a stray tear at the corner of her eye with his thumb. "That's why I need you to come here, so that I can tell you that I'm with you, that I'll always be with you."

"But how?" She could barely find her voice to ask the question.

"I will follow you when you take your morning walk in the park - take note of the breeze rustling your hair. I will be next to you on your way to work - feel the sunlight caressing your cheeks. I will be there with you all day when you're in the lab finishing the research that we just started last month - remember the scent of the winter sweet by the bookshelf? Yes, that is me, by your side. And at night, you will know I'm there because I will be the flames in the fireplace keeping you warm as you drift to your dreams. You said you don't know what you are going to do." He drew a deep breath, as if making an important decision, "let me tell you what you will do. You will continue on with your research, expand our lab by recruiting talented wizards and witches as we discussed; you will travel the world and bring home pictures of the most exotic plants in the far corners of the planet; and you will read all the rare books you can find in the near and far libraries along your grand tour around the globe. And you know what?" He smiled when she looked up at him curiously, "you can always find me here."

"So you will only be my imagination." She sighed, slowly looking away, "This is a dream, isn't it Severus? You only exist in my dreams."

"You are not listening to me." He frowned. "I can be in your dreams, but that's not where I am. I'm not your imagination."

"Then prove it." She braved a glance at the wizard, "prove to me that you are really here. Prove to me that you are here beyond my dreams. Give me a sign, Severus! Otherwise," She exhaled shakily, "I will set out a search for the resurrection stone. I will turn every stone in the forbidden forest. I will find it, and I will find you. I can't live on like this, Severus. I can't live without being with you."

"You will do no such thing!" He took hold of her shoulders and pushed her slightly away from him. He looked straight into her gaze for a very long moment.

"It's too painful to live with you gone." She closed her eyes, resigned to her understanding.

Just as she was about to give up, she heard his smooth deep voice again, "If you wish," he said, "I will prove it to you, in time."

She looked back and found tears glistening in his dark eyes. Before she could ask "how", he stopped her by placing a finger on her lips.

"But for now," He drew her into his arms, "come here. Forget everything that has happened in the past few days. It pains me to see you cry. Please Hermione," He whispered into her ears, "let me hold you."

So she gave in to his embrace and hugged him tight. With her eyes closed, she rested her cheek on his chest.

It was only then did she realize how exhausted she was. His arms made her feel warm, safe, and complete.

"Remember our research on the next potion?" He whispered in her ears. "It requires the first flowers in the spring. Spring is just around the corner, love. We'd better keep our eyes open for the first blooms..." The magic in his voice soothed her heart. The last thing she knew before she gave in to sleep, was a gentle kiss of his lips, touching her own.

She heard birds chirping before she opened her eyes. The bird songs were quickly drowned out by the noise of a busy city... people, cars, buses, and sirens in the distance.

Reluctantly Hermione open her eyes, and found herself slumping over the kitchen table by the window at her home in London.

She bit down on her lips, feeling her heart slowly breaking - it was a dream, of course, how else could she explain everything?

But then, at that very moment, a small black bird landed outside the window, holding something in his beak. Hermione frowned and studied the bird curiously - only owls deliver posts these days. The small bird didn't fly away when he saw the witch's face approaching the window. Instead, he tilted his head, as if showing off his harvest - a small pink bloom.

Slowly, Hermione opened the window by a small crack. A gentle breeze past through the window while the small bird hopped into the kitchen without hesitation. With just a few more hops, the bird landed on the book that Hermione just started reading before Severus fell ill a few weeks ago. The bird looked back at the witch one more time, before dropping the small flower and flying out of the window.

Hermione's eyes widened as she walked up to the small flower delivered by the black bird - it was a primrose, the first ingredient she will need for the new potion that they were planning on brewing in the new year.

The morning sun rose past the shadow cast by the neighboring building. Following the sunlight, Hermione tilted her head upwards to meet the ray of sunshine. She closed her eyes, and gave in to the gentle warmth. It felt almost like his embrace, and his gentle caress only moments ago.

"Thank you Severus." Hermione smiled with her eyes closed. "That's the sign, isn't it?" A small teardrop rolled down her cheek. "You want me to go to the lab, don't you? Primrose?" She whispered into the sky, "I love you, too."

Far away in heaven, above the misty clouds, Severus looked down longingly towards the world below.

"How long do you plan on staying here watching over her?" An old man with long white beard came up from behind.

"For the rest of her days, Albus." Severus answered without glancing back, "I will be here by her side until it is her time to join me in heaven."

"That will be many many years." Dumbledore looked at Severus curiously. "You are willing to wait that long?"

"Always." was all he said.

FIN