Severed Ties || Severus Snape

19. I Can't Lose You Too

"Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise, Emma."

"I don't like surprises."

Severus shot her a sideways grin, as they walked down the path across the Hogwarts grounds. "You'll have to make an exception today."

Emma scoffed. "Will you please just tell me where we're going?"

"You'll see soon enough." With a swish of his wand, the Hogwarts gates swung open to let them through. As it shut behind them, he held out his hand.

She looked from him down to his hand and back up. "Apparition? Is that really –" Her head shot to the right. She scanned the distance, but only the first line of dark trees of the Forbidden Forest were visible.

"What is it?"

"I thought I heard something." She shook her head. "Is apparition really necessary?"

"It is if you want your birthday present."

"Well, maybe I don't want it."

Severus let out a deep, rumbling chuckle, before pulling her in and wrapping his arms around her. "Please don't think I was giving you a choice," he whispered before whisking them away.

When they arrived at their destination, Emma couldn't find it in her to move just yet. It was Severus who stepped back to let go of her, which felt like an instant loss. He looked down with a worried look on his face. "Are you alright?"

"Yes! Yeah, just a little travelsick." Liar.

"Sorry. We're here."

Severus looked up and Emma followed his gaze. They were standing on a beach, a weak December sun high in the sky and seagulls squawking all around. It was only a small stretch of beach, surrounded on all sides by rock, like their own private little cove.

"Severus... Why are we on a beach?"

"You don't recognise it? Look closer."

At those words, it began to dawn on her. "Have we been here before?"

He stared across the water, smile tugging at his lips. "Indeed we have. Do you remember when?"

Emma glanced around again, as the memories started to resurface. She made her way to the rocks nearest to the water. There was a little depression between the rocks, a basin, that was filled with beautiful shells and conches. They were dragged in by the high tide, only to get trapped there.

"My aunt took us here," she said softly. "In the summer after fifth year. We spent hours looking for the best seashells, while Aunt April got herself a tan." She chuckled. She remembered the words she and Severus had said to one another as they brought him home that evening. "Best summer ever."

"Best summer ever," he concurred, light dancing in his black irises.

Emma climbed over the stones to a nearby flat bit of rock. She sat down and stared out across the water, enjoying the cold, salty breeze on her cheeks and the sound of the waves rolling on and off the beach. Severus soon followed suit.

"I don't think I quite appreciated back then just how beautiful it is here. I can see why Aunt April chose this place."

Severus nodded. "Or perhaps she simply wanted a tan."

Emma chuckled. "For such an active woman, she really did like to sunbathe." She sighed, lowering her head onto his shoulder. "I really miss her, Severus."

"I know. She was..."

A short silence followed. Just when Emma wanted to ask if he was going to finish that sentence, he yanked her aside. Something zoomed past her shoulder, hissing in her ear as it shot by. She fell forward, her knee scraping the edged rock, but his arm around her waist stopped her from smashing her head into the stones. The sudden movement sent her heart racing.