I Will (Severus Snape Oneshot)

I Will

A/N: This story is intended to take place after Harry Potter's sixth year at Hogwarts after the death of Albus Dumbledore. This oneshot is entirely fictional but is set to add to the storyline of Severus Snape's behavior in the Deathly Hallows. The gender and name of the narrator are up to the reader. Enjoy.

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The day was cold.

The air was salty, misty, and oddly sticky; I could feel the tinge in the air sticking to my hair, stiffening it and roughening up its usual softness. I sniffled as I closed my eyes, shivering from the ocean's breeze washing over my skin. I was gripping my left forearm with my right, grunting from the pain that was arising from it.

I dug my boots into the sand, trying to open my eyes to at least enjoy the view while I waited. The waves were soft and welcoming today, the water reflecting the sun's strong sparkles and rays as it was setting; nothing was roaring and rude, the only demanding aspect of the waters being the calmness from the eyes of the beholder. As the sun set further, I felt tears well up in my eyes, my knees failing me as I sunk into the sand. Before I knew it, I was sitting in the now cool sand, watching the sunset across the horizon while gripping my arm, failing to let go as I was ashamed of what I had beneath it.

I looked away from the waves for just a moment, sniffling again as I peered down at my robes. The particles in the sand were sticking to the wet ends of the fabric, marking a reminder of my visit to my secret hiding spot. I was sure that I was safe here for the time being; I needed to be. I had no other choice.

For what seemed like hours, I was staring at the setting sun, tears rolling down my face as I stared at its bright beam of light. It seemed to be the only promising thing in life now: its cycles constant, circulating the world like sand in an hourglass unless murky and concealed through dark, storm-filled clouds and a lack of clarity. It was funny how something we depend on daily could disappear in just a moment, much like all other light.

I sniffled again and wiped my tears on my sleeves, still gripping my forearm. I pulled my knees to my chest, resting my forehead on the only surface I could possibly create in a landscape of emptiness in my lonesome. I let myself cry real tears rather than pathetic sniffles, the reality of my situation settling in on my spirit. Through squeezing my eyes to get rid of the blur that my hot tears created, I watched as the sand beside me faded from yellow to orange, slowly losing color as the lights in the sky began to creep away from my body. I almost lost myself in my thoughts when I heard a branch behind me snap in half.

I gasped and held my breath, all movement freezing in my body. My eyes widened as my heart rate increased, the pounding of the organ practically fighting its way out of my chest. I slowly lifted my head up, swallowing my spit heavily. I was no longer alone.

I kept my head straight for a while. I could tell there was a looming figure behind me, standing still at first. Before I could be the one approached, I stood up quickly, swiftly turning my body around to greet my intruder with wet tears down my cheeks, the ocean waves now beginning to crash behind me as the moon began to show itself in the sky, meeting the sun halfway through orange and blue.

I gripped my wand in my right hand, swiping my sleeves down on my robes as I glared at him, my vision slowly clearing from the tears and the salty, irritating oceanic mist. There he stood, almost bat-like with his cloak wrapped halfway around him, hands down in surrender. The sand was brushing against the ends of his robes as well, the particles clinging to the unforgettable shade of black that belonged to only one person's wardrobe.

"How long have you been watching me?" I asked, finally breaking the silence.

He peered at me through his piercing black eyes, his pale skin looking naturally vampiric and protective against the terrors of the night, his hooked nose not moving from his faceless expression. His greasy black hair ever so slightly flowed behind him, the ocean's waves revealing his face to me.