Nestling under his blanket Severus stared at his ceiling, his head resting soundly on his plush pillow while his body stayed unmoving, waiting for slumber to drift him away from reality. The white light coming through the open curtains illuminating the darkroom, what use to be his safe place was now a reflection of what he mourned.

It felt like it was yesterday when Hermione had woken up in his bed, her arms wrapped around his waist while their naked body naturally melted against the other, united. He remembered her lips, the way they caressed his in perfect harmony, her taste like the sweetest of nectars making him dependent to her essence. Stifling a giggle as he remembered the way her hair would bounce as they made love, her breast wiggling under him while she met his thrust synchronically. They knew each other's body as if they had created it, knowing each one of their pulse points, craving the other's love like starved animals.

Rolling onto his side, his eyes transfixed on the empty space beside him, allowing his imagination to take over as he imagined how her body would feel like besides him, her fingers caressing his back as he kissed his way down to her centre, aching to feel her on the tip of his tongue. Smirking in content, Severus continued imagining the way she would arch her back under his studied touch, writhing frantically on the mattress while moaning his name like a prayer. His whole body reacted to his dream, his flaccid member now growing with need, its blushed tip graving for a sweep of her meticulous tongue.

Lowering his hand to grasp his endowment Snape cried in a mixture of bliss and pain as he stroked himself, his aching balls finally finding relief. He had refused to seek pleasure in self-satisfaction, stubbornly praying Hermione would rush back to him, willing her body entirely to his once more. Yet he could do so much, and he had reached a breaking point. Potion after potion to reduce his potency only increase his want, which had now reduced him to mush as he came hard under the confinement of his silk blanket.

"Hermione," he moaned as his seed purred out of him, his heartbeat increasing rapidly leaving him lightheaded, "come back to me."

Somehow he envied the romance his older self-hand shared with Hermione, the burst of courage that had surged through him, seducing one of his student without the fear of rejection or consideration of the outburst if they ever were to be found it. Even when she had found refuge inside her older self, Hermione's soul was still firmly attached to her husband. He missed their interaction or the inappropriate ways she used to charm him, insulting one of her teachers only to mark her territory. It had amused him to say the least, yet now he realized he should have cherished these moments and not worry about tomorrow.

The dangers were still present, Seraphina's confinement only a tactic to break her, weaken her enough to have her speak the truth and reveal her plan. Yet the task had been harder than he first anticipated as she had shown impressive signs of resistance, keeping her walls firmly in place. When Hermione had passed away and her younger self had woken up from her slumber Severus had spent the evening questioning Seraphina who - although had been betrayed by her acolyte - didn't bulge to any of his death eater methods. He was furious, seeing only darkness as he tortured her with no mercy, yet I wasn't enough. The curse placed on the Horcrux had weakened her sufficiently to make her speak, reveal a few of her initial plans yet not enough to make him draw a line between her own fiction and reality. She had been obliviated more times than once, and many of her memories had been altered, which made the task harder.

Jumping at the sound of a bird chirping, Severus stood up, his naked form like Adonis moving about his room towards the window, before opening it, allowing the baby white owl to fly inside, a letter held at his beck.

"And who are you Sir?" He asked, his amused tone making the bird flap his winds in amusement.

Removing the letter from the animal's grasp Severus studied the handwriting at its back, his name nicely written in silver. Instantly he knew who and send it to him and hastily opened it, worried something must have happened while in his absence.

"Dear Severus,
I hope this letter finds you well. Although my time seems limited, the Dark Lord growing stronger every day, I must beg you to ensure Draco forgoes his mission.
There is so much I can endure, curses that I will willingly indulge if it means protecting my family, yet Narcissa's life is now also in the line.
Her monstrous sister has betrayed us, yet the Dark Lord decided it was opportune to make Cissy pay for my mistakes.
I wouldn't be risking exposure if I didn't trust you, my friend. Please, protect my son and my wife even if I'm no longer of this earth. He must never get to them.
Sincerely,
L.M"

As he reached the last words the bird flew away before disappearing into the darkness of the night, leaving a heart wrenched godfather and friend.

There was no way he could protect both Draco and Hermione, no matter how hard he tried. He knew he needed to make a choice should it ever come a day when one would need the other more, yet who would he choose?

Love or family? Yet what if one of them holds the two options, and all it mattered was time?

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A/N: Hey everyone! Sorry for the long wait! I've been incredibly busy but never gave up on this story and still won't 🧡

I hope you'll enjoy these chapters

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