Just to warn everyone, this is the last chapter of Lily's Grace! For everyone who has followed me this past year, thank you so much for reading! And if you have not taken the time to leave a review before now, I would LOVE to hear your thoughts on the story as a whole!

Chapter 21

Two hours later, Severus knelt in the woods beside Lily, the Dark Mark burning like a wicked flame on his arm. No trace remained of the Dark Lord, the diadem and cauldron, or the spitting green fire. Evening was falling, and Severus had to get Lily safely to the castle. If only his arm would stop hurting for a minute so he could just think.

"Lily," he said softly. "Lily, my love, you have to wake up. He's gone. You're safe. And you'll never want to look at me again." His voice cracked on the last word.

The woods were silent for a long breath. Then Lily gave a quiet moan and tucked her chin to her chest, eyes still shut.

"Lily, can you hear me?" Severus asked with more urgency. "I love you so damn much. Please wake up."

Her breathing evened out, but still she did not wake. At last Severus gritted his teeth against the ache in his side and lifted Lily like a child. He was not strong enough for this; his legs were weak and the Dark Mark burned fiercer than ever beneath Lily's weight. But her cheek was so soft where it was pillowed against his neck, and she was so warm and alive. Step by torturous step, Severus staggered up to the castle, the sun dipping beneath the hills and throwing violet shadows across the lawn. By the time he reached the entrance hall, his arms had gone numb and the Dark Mark had faded to a raw ache.

Fumbling at the doors with an elbow, Severus managed to let himself in to the entrance hall, where he set Lily down very gently at the foot of the grand staircase. He sat beside her and leaned her against his knees as he waited for the tingling numbness to leave his arms. No one was around; he assumed they were all at dinner.

"Lily, come back to me," he said softly, smoothing her hair from her face. Bits of bark and dry leaves were caught among the bright strands, and he plucked these deftly free.

"If the Dark Lord did something to you, I'll kill him, I swear. Lily, I…"

He was about to try lifting her again—he did not trust himself to perform a levitation spell in his current state without hurting her—when her eyelids fluttered open.

Severus bent his head and pressed his lips to her forehead. Lily stirred and struggled to sit up as her clouded green eyes opened at last. The line of blood the Dark Lord had scored down her cheek stood out brighter than ever.

"Sev?" Lily whispered. "He was in the forest. Voldemort. Did you get that little cauldron? I put it in your pocket before Bellatrix summoned him."

Severus nodded. "But it's all over now. Bellatrix and Avery are in the hospital wing, and the Dark Lord is gone. You're amazing, you know—only a brilliant duellist could win against someone as ruthless as Bellatrix. But—" Severus turned away from her. He could not meet her bright, trusting gaze.

"I had no choice, Lily. He was going to kill you." Gritting his teeth, he tugged on the left sleeve of his robe until the Dark Mark lay bare, hideous and unmistakable.

Eyes widening, Lily put a finger to the black tongue of the snake as though afraid it would bite her. Then she twined her fingers through Severus's. When he dared to look up, he saw that her eyes shone with tears.

"I could never blame you for saving my life," she whispered.

Swallowing, Severus tightened his grip on her hand. "This has been impossible all along. Us, I mean. And now…" He drew a sharp breath. "I'm a coward, Lily. I don't want to die. I swore to obey the Dark Lord, and I'll have to do it. I'll hate myself, and you'll despise me, but maybe someday I can redeem myself. Meanwhile I'll learn as much about the Dark Arts as I can, until I find the Dark Lord's weakness. Someday I'll help destroy him. I swear."

Lily was genuinely crying now. "I know this has been impossible," she said brokenly, "but that was the happiest summer of my life."

Though he had told himself not to, Severus folded Lily into his arms and held her tight. Blinking away the fog in his own eyes, he kissed the top of her head.

"You have to go to the hospital wing," he muttered, though he did not release Lily.

She turned her face into his shoulder. "Come with me," she pleaded in a muffled voice."

"I can't."

Lily drew a ragged breath. "I know."

At last they broke apart.

"I love you, Sev." Lily's cheeks were blotchy and her eyes red.

Severus ached to kiss her one last time, but he couldn't. It would kill him. "No matter what I do—what I become—I'll always love you."

Lily nodded solemnly. Shoulders trembling, she got to her feet and started up the stairs alone.

"Always," Severus whispered.

Lily was gone.

THE END