Severus Snape dared to hope three times.
The first time it lasted for years. In his starless sky the moon finally shone bright. A red-haired girl proved him that there was beauty in the world after all. He'd see affection in her green eyes each time she looked at him. No one had ever looked at him like that. He felt his dark heart come alive. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear once, gently touched her cheek and gazed at her eyes. She smiled. So many things he wanted to tell her at that moment... He decided against it. He had yet to learn to be brave. The next time he saw her he called her a Mudblood. He wanted her to leave, not to see him in his humiliation and weakness. And leave she did.
The second time it lasted for weeks. Albus Dumbledore himself promised to keep her safe. It didn't matter anymore that she chose his greatest rival over him, that she wore Potter's ring on her finger and gave birth to Potter's child, that she didn't care for him anymore, that his moon extinguished and left him blind... None of it mattered. He didn't pray anymore for her to love him. He prayed for her to live. He was denied.
The third time it lasted for seconds. The venom burned its way through his veins and blood gushed down his neck. He died a long time ago. He died with her and each following day he died over and over again, killed by every word he hadn't said. But as he stared once more at the exact same green eyes, the pain faded and he knew he was going to her. He envisioned her welcoming him to eternity. He imagined the yearning coming to an end at last. He dreamed of her embrace. But then he remembered... Not even in heaven will Lily be his.
Severus Snape dared to hope three times. He was a brave man.
A/N: This was inspired by Alan Rickman's performance in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. He was every bit as brilliant as I had expected him to be.
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