Written for the Try Something New... For the Boldest of Writers Challenge.
Prompt: Erase (Uh. Lightly Used xD)
Pairing: Severus Snape/Hermione Granger -shudders-
You're breaking your own heart, Severus.
They were so alike though. Lily had her sharp mind and witty comebacks - rejections. Hermione, who possessed the undying need to learn and a quick tongue. Neither he was allowed to have. Lily… she'd always had Potter, hadn't she? And professors weren't meant to fraternize with the students. Plus, they both had the wrong blood.
Sometimes he wondered whom he loved more. Both attracted him – there was no doubt about that. There were times when he'd say Lily. Then he'd realize she was gone. There were times when he'd say Hermione. Then he'd remember how much he missed Lily.
What in Merlin's name are you doing?
Hermione, despite being so damn smart, had been easy to trick. One little detention had her crawling into his arms. He'd like to think it was because of his looks or personality – not the fact that she had no one else to turn to. She'd kissed him that night. Perhaps she was delirious. Perhaps she couldn't think straight. Maybe she'd mistaken him for someone else through her tears. Never mind that though, because she'd kissed him. That makes it her fault, not his, right?
He'd kissed her back, though. Yes, it was wrong – illegal. No, he didn't care – everything he did was illegal, anyway. So he'd kissed her back. Because he hadn't been loved (or even liked) for a long time. It felt good.
She'll leave you. Just like Lily did.
The threat of Voldemort frightened him. He didn't fear for his life. No, that would be a pathetic thing to fear. But it was Voldemort that had killed Lily, despite his pleas. What if Hermione left him the same way? Dead at the hands of Voldemort – at the hands of war. She couldn't leave him. He wasn't sure he could take it.
But they always left. Everyone left.
Leave first, you idiot. You won't feel pain then.
So when he saw a flash of green light, Severus Snape wasn't afraid or remorseful. He was free – free of pain. Free of love. Free of everything.