Title: Chances
Author: Kleine Snowdrop
Rating: PG
Pairing: Snape/Charlie, and a little implied Snape/Black. Slash
Disclaimer: Not mine. I do not, I repeat, do not own anything here!
Summery: Severus fears he might lose his lover if he can't say just what he feels.
Chances
Severus Snape gazed at the form of his younger lover who lay bathed in the moonlight. The slivery light of the moon played off the red hair and tanned skin. Severus smiled at the contrasts between their skin and hair. He brushed his lips across Charlie's forehead and sighed. He wondered how Charlie had slept before they got together or on the nights that he was alone in Romania; because it seemed that the younger wizard needed to maintain maximum contact with him in order to sleep. Snape didn't mind because he loved Charlie. He had loved Charlie for quite sometime now that he admitted it.
Just when had he fallen so completely in love with the second eldest Weasley boy. He would never figure out the answer to that question. He had loved once before as deeply, but that ended in sorrow and Severus had always been one to guard his heart jealously.
Yet Charlie, Charlie had slipped in. He had always been there, it seem to Snape. The mere thought of hurting the dragon trainer sent pain to his heart. Yet, that was what he was doing.
He knew that Charlie loved him. Charlie apparently had been in love with him for years. Yet, he had never done anything to break up Severus and Sirius, or to let anyone but Tonks know about it. Charlie only wanted his happiness and he knew that Severus loved Sirius. Snape found this out one day about three years after Sirius had died.
He had been talking to Tonks; Tonks was Charlie's best friend. They had been since Hogwarts. Tonks was fried one day and took it out on everyone. She was tired; a recent boyfriend had just dumped Charlie in order to return his the ex and she was once again there for a brokenhearted Weasley. She was not in a good mood and snapped at Snape.
Whom she thought was worthy of it. As this all was his fault.
Severus could not believe that anyone would hurt Charlie. That set Tonks off and she let Snape have it. Charlie was mortified when he found out and ran.
Snape did not see him for nearly three weeks. Not for a lack of trying on Severus' part.
Snape wanted to talk to Charlie; he wanted to give this thing between them a try. Once he finally convinced Charlie that he was serious, he found that the Weasley was an attentive and talented lover. Severus was shocked when he realized that he was jealous of Charlie's previous lovers and vowed to himself that he would never hurt Charlie.
But that was what he had been doing.
He felt safe with Charlie. He knew that Charlie loved him, had loved him for a long time and wouldn't leave him. Snape was afraid he would disappoint Charlie. But Charlie was adamant that that could not and would not ever happen. The redhead would always love him.
Charlie, much to Severus' embarrassment, was very vocal about declaring his love for Snape. Not rabidly so, but he refused to hide behind Severus' insecurities. But Severus on the other hand was much more restrained. He was not even sure that he could say the words to Charlie. He had only said them to one other and he had died. Snape was still afraid of losing Charlie.
But he knew that if he didn't get over this, then sooner than later he would lose Charlie anyways.
Charlie would never admit it, but it hurt every time that Snape said nothing whenever Charlie told him that he loved him. And Severus knew that he was hurting the younger wizard. Snape tried every time he saw the flicker of hurt in his lover's eyes, but the words just wouldn't come. Severus could think them; he could scream them in his head. He could even say them out loud, but never to Charlie. Those adored blue eyes no longer twinkled as they used to.
Snape cursed his foolishness as Charlie woke blinking the sleep from his eyes.
"What ya thinking about?" he asked drowsily.
"You," replied Severus.
"Go to sleep," Charlie told him sternly, "You have class tomorrow."
Snape smiled and decided to take the bull by the horns. He tightened his grip on the younger wizard as his lover snuggled closer to him, "Charles."
"Yes."
"I… I lo… I love you."
Snape felt Charlie smile into the crook of his neck, "…love you too, Severus."
Severus felt as a weight was lifted from his shoulders as a peace settled over him. He looked out the windows at the night stars, and muttered a goodbye and drifted off to sleep holding this Weasley tight. He would not lose the chance he had to love this remarkable man. He felt that he was given a chance he didn't deserve. This was his second chance at love and he would not squander the years away. Not like before, not like with Sirius.
The end.