This is the second part of this small series of drabble/one-shots for the pairing of Severus & Lily. Make of it what you will.

Words: 583

The floor was hard and small stones seemed to be trying to bury themselves into his knees. The rain was steadily falling down and he was nearly wholly soaked. It was how he measured how much time had passed since he had arrived on the foot of the small hill a few miles from Hogsmeade. Still dry, already feeling damp and chilly, then shivering from the chilly air that met his almost wet robes, and at last being half-soaked and now completely soaked. It kept his mind occupied, and slightly detached. He wondered whether the stones, that had passed the point of becoming painful hours ago, would eventually manage to bury themselves into his knees, if he just waited long enough. Not that it would matter, because he deserved it. He deserved it all. All that had happened, and all that would come. Because his path from now on was clear. It had already been clear before, but he did not want to see it. She, on the other hand, she didn't deserve it. Why would she? Why did she - ?

For a split second there was complete silence, then –

FLASH, THUNDER – lightning struck the tree on top of the hill he was kneeling besides. 'That could have been me, should have been me', he thought. 'Anything would be better than… this.'

His gaze was on the ground, in the aftermath of the lightning strike he never noticed the appearance of another wizard, who was slowly making his way towards the kneeling man.

"Mr. Snape"

The kneeling man's shoulders tensed immediately, his wand hand and his head shooting upwards on instinct, before he suddenly stopped and let head and hand fall back down. Should he be killed, so be it. It would never suffice as penance, but maybe it would make it all go away. Maybe. He rather doubted it. He wondered whether he would see her again, but that was highly improbable, considering she was a near angel, and he… he… he belonged to the devil. Not that he was religious, but he did believe that good deeds as well as bad deeds had their consequences, even in the afterlife, he reflected.

"Mr. Snape"

He flinched. His thoughts were running in circles, and he had forgotten that the old man had already arrived – 'Not the old man, Headmaster Dumbledore, you are not a Death Eater anymore' – and expected him to react. The problem was, he didn't know how to, and he certainly felt unable to meet those blue eyes, whose unusual iciness was in no way belied by the cold and harsh address of the old m– the Headmaster. He never thought that just seven letters could convey so much contempt and disappointment-

"Do you feel as if paying attention to me is beneath you, Mr. Snape?", Albus Dumbledore said frostily, "Do you feel as if you deserve to treated with satin gloves and special consideration now that you have seen the 'light', so to speak? Why have you come? You could run, could you not, Mr. Snape …"

"I came for her," he whispered. He knew that much. He didn't deserve her, but she definitely didn't deserve this.

The white-haired wizard frowned.

She deserved everything. "I came for her." He stated, more strongly. Eyes wandering up the white-haired wizard's body, reaching for his eyes. He had to express the sincerity of his words. Had to make him believe, or it would all be for nothing.

"You have to save her."