Forever Yours

16. Love

Weeks passed by slowly.  Lucy kept up her medicine regimen whenever she could and she helped Jo with The Potion Notion, taking her shifts sometimes so she could go visit Chad in the hospital.  When he finally got out, she brought him to their apartment where Jo insisted he stay until he was better.  He didn't object, and Lucy took care of him when Jo was gone to the store and vice versa.  By the second week, he was starting to feel pretty good again.  Weakness was pretty much the only thing wrong with him.  Severus had taken care of the rest.

Lucy had written to Severus, but with all the excitement around the house, she hadn't really gotten the chance to take it to him.  She missed him and his letters.  She was going to have to find a way to get it to him soon.

She walked into Jo's room where Chad was.  He was lying there, still asleep, in her bed.  She had been sleeping on the couch for the last two weeks.  

"Chad," Lucy whispered.

He didn't stir so she tried again.

"Chad."

Still nothing.  A sly smile spread across her lips.  He probably wouldn't ever miss her.  She was going to make a quick trip to Hogwarts and she would be back before anyone missed her.

~ * ~

Severus stood in front of the window looking out into the grounds inside of his classroom.  It was the first time in years he had pulled the curtains back and let the sun shine inside.  He heard murmurs from the students behind him, but he ignored them.  He felt empty and alone.  He longed to see Lucy again, and he knew that was what was wrong with him, but he refused to admit it to anyone...even himself.  Over the past few days had hit him the hardest.  He had been dreaming about her.  It was unusual for him to dream at all, but lately he had been dreaming of her.  One particular moment stood out in his mind: the hug.  He kept seeing it over and over again, and then she whispered, "I need you" in his ear.  It was going to drive him mad.

A loud ringing erupted from his desk.  The timer he had set for the potions they were brewing was going off.  He turned around slowly.  "Leave your potions where they are.  I will come around and check them.  Once I have checked, you may leave."

He walked around the room and checked each and every one, starting with the Slytherins first.  It was the way he always did things just to annoy Harry.  He always went to him last.  That much hadn't changed.  Harry glared up at him as he made his potion vanish.

"Not bad, Potter," he said.  "You're improving.  Dismissed."

Harry's eyes widened as Snape walked back over to the window.  That had been dangerously close to a compliment.  He frowned.  Something had been up with him for the past two weeks. He hadn't bothered to go out of his way to insult him or give him zeroes for his work in class.  Not like the first few weeks of school.  He walked quietly over to the window where Snape was standing and stood there for a moment, hoping he would notice him, but he didn't.  So he cleared his throat.

"Sir?"

Severus turned sharply, a scowl on his face.  He thought he was alone.  "Potter?  I thought I dismissed you."

"You did, sir, but I was wondering what was wrong with you."

His eyes narrowed.  "Excuse me?"

Harry sighed.  "It just seems that you­-  Well, I've noticed-"

"Spit it out, Potter."

"You haven't been yourself lately.  Since Lucy was here."

Severus opened his mouth to scold him, but decided against it.  The boy was right.  It was pretty bad when even his students noticed he was acting strangely.  "Go to your next class, Potter.  Don't worry about me."