Falling for the Half-Blood Prince

Chapter 20

They stood there, staring at one another for what felt like hours. Their surrounding were blocked out as they took in the presence of each other.

"Jasmine..."

A shiver coursed through Jasmine's body as the sound of his voice entered her ear. Oh how she missed him, but wished she never seen him all at once.

Severus was at a loss for words. He couldn't believe she was in front of him. She was breathtaking, literally as he forgot how to exhale for a few seconds. He felt the love he tried to let go for the past 5 years rush back into him all at once.

He took a step forward, then another. He felt bold enough to get closer, as if he really needed to see if she was real. He needed to know if this was just a dream. If he was just hallucinating. Was he so obsessed with her that he conjured her up in his already buzzed mind? No. She was really here, staring back at him with her beautiful hazel eyes.

She wanted to run, runaway far from him, yet she wanted to touch him. To hug him, to kiss him. She realized he was now only inches away. She looked up into his dark eyes, noticing all the harshness was nowhere within them. It was the eyes of a broken man, a man she hurt. She blamed herself for it. If she would have just stayed with him...

His face was still somewhat the same, maybe slightly stressed. He was still handsome to her, but he didn't seem like his old self.

Goosebumps formed on her skin as his hand reached up to caress her cheek. His touch was soft and gentle, as if she was as fragile as glass.

"No, no!" she pulled away.

"But-"

"No. Just pretend you never saw me and just go away. I can't-I can't be near you." she backed away, turning her back to him.

"Do you truly hate me so much that you can't even stand the sight of me, Jasmine?" she can hear him say in a sad voice.

She whipped back around, appalled by his accusation,"Severus! That's not even the reason! How can you be so...accepting of me? Knowing this is all my fault."

"What's all your fault?"

"This!" she motioned her hand between them,"This tension. Our broken friendship. I should have never told you we couldn't be friends. I should of never let you go so easily. I should have stayed! I should have went back, but...I was hurt. I was hurting so bad, but I hurt you too and-"

"Jasmine stop! Please." he grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips,"I'm sorry, too."

It was all he could say to her. What else was there so tell her besides his sincere apology. He was caught off guard when she leaned into his chest and embraced him. He wrapped his arms around her and held her as if she was going to slip away from him again.

"I'm truly regret the things I said to you and the things I done to cause you any tears. It was never my intention to cause you any pain." He mumbled in her hair.

"I'm so sorry." she sobbed into his chest repeatedly.

"Merlin's beard, I've missed you. I thought you'd hate me after all this time." he spoke as he lifted her chin with gentle fingers, their eyes meeting.

"Never." she squeezed him tighter, inhaling his familiar scent mix with some expensive cologne.

"How was it possible for you to become even more beautiful than before? I never knew that was possible." he chuckled.

"You always were the sweetest man, Severus," she glided her hand in his hair.

"Do you forgive me?" she asked after a minute of silence.