Disclaimer: Sadly, I am not J.K. Rowling, and although I wish I did, I do not own the Harry Potter series.
9 years old
Severus sighed as he looked over at Lily as she lied next to him. "I should tell her I love her," he thought to himself. "Hey Lily," he said.
"Yeah?" she asked looking over at him.
"I…um…have something to tell you," he said nervously. He was scared that Lily wouldn't love him back.
"What is it?" Lily asked with a light smile.
"I..." he started, "I can't wait until we go to Hogwarts." He couldn't tell her, at least not yet.
"I know," Lily responded happily. "It's going to be amazing."
"I'll tell her tomorrow," Severus thought to himself.
11 years old
"Sev!" Lily exclaimed as she and Severus walked onto the Hogwarts Express. "We're actually going to Hogwarts! This is going to be amazing. We're going to be best friends forever." She smiled at Severus, and he decided he should tell her that he liked her as more than friends. He loved her.
"Lily, there's something I need to tell you," he told her.
"What is it?" Lily asked as they walked into a compartment with four first year boys in it.
"I…" Severus started, but he was cut off by one of the boys.
"Who are you?" remarked the one with shaggy black hair and hazel eyes. The boys continued to talk to Lily, so Severus decided to be polite and not interrupt them. "I'll tell her tomorrow," he thought to himself.
13 years old
"Sev!" Lily screamed as she ran towards him. She looked so beautiful as her hair blew behind her while she ran. Severus envied any other boy that would ever touch her, talk to her, or even look at her. He decided to tell her that he loved her so that no other boy would ever get the chance.
"Guess what!" Lily squealed as she stopped in front of Severus.
"What?" he asked.
"I got an O on my Potions exam!"
"Good job," Sev said. "I have something to tell you."
"What is it?" Lily asked looking as beautiful as always.
"I….I…" Severus couldn't force the words out, so he said, "I got an O too!"
"Oh my goodness! That's wonderful! I'm so proud of you!"
"I'll tell her tomorrow," Severus thought to himself as they walked away.
16 years old
Severus sat with Lily in the library and listened to her rant about the Potter boy. "I don't know what to do. He asked me out again today, and I really wanted to say yes. However, he's such a brat that I know I shouldn't date him. What do you think I should do?"
"I should tell her I love her," Severus thought to himself.
"Sev? Sev? What do you think I should do?" Lily repeated.
"Oh, sorry," Severus said. "I think you should… Lily, wait. I have something really important to tell you."
"What is it Sev?" Lily questioned.
"I…I…I…" he began.
"Sev, spit it out," Lily commanded.
"I think you should ask a girl about dating advice. I'm no good at him," he muttered.
"Good idea. See you later, Sev," Lily replied as she stood up and walked away.
"I'll tell her tomorrow," Severus thought to himself as he watched her walk away.
17 years old
"I can't believe it's already graduation!" Lily exclaimed.
"I know," Severus agreed. He decided this was his final chance to tell Lily that he loved her before they started their jobs together at the Ministry of Magic. "Lily, there's something I should tell you before we leave."
"Yeah?" Lily questioned.
"I…" Severus began, but he was interrupted when Lily's boyfriend James came and kissed Lily. "I'll tell her tomorrow," he thought to himself as he walked away from the kissing couple.
20 years old
Severus stared down at the wedding invitation in his hands. He cried silent tears as he thought about the girl he loved walking down the aisle with the man he despised. He knew he shouldn't go to the wedding, but it was truly his final chance to tell Lily that he loved her.
The next morning Severus dressed in a nice suit and apparated to the church. "Lily!" he cried as he burst into her room.
"Sev!" she exclaimed. "I didn't think you'd come!" She ran over to him and hugged him.
"I came because I have something important to tell you," he said.
"What?" she asked.
As Severus looked into those beautiful green eyes, he decided he couldn't tell her. He couldn't ruin her wedding day. "I…I am happy for you," he told her. He hugged her again and walked out of the church with tears running down his cheeks.
"I'll tell her tomorrow," he thought to himself.
22 years old
"No!" Severus cried as he saw the Potters' house in ruins before him. He walked through the broken doorway and saw the dead body of James Potter on the floor. He ran upstairs and hesitated before walking into the nursery. He collapsed at the sight before him. Lily dead on the floor. He gasped and cried out in pain as he crawled over to cradle the body. Tears ran down his cheeks as he stroked her hair. "I should have told her," he said to himself. "I love you," he said to the body, but he knew it was too late. He had missed his chance.