Author's Note: Just a bit of angst that came to me while reading a story called 'Care of Magical Creatures' on the Sweet and Sour Archive. Severus/Hagrid Pairings rule! Give it a chance. There are excellent stories on this archive, well written and very believable. (The nine lives reference is because Severus' amigus form is a black panther.)
"You're not friends. You'll never be friends. You'll be in love till it kills you both. You'll fight, and you'll shag, and you'll hate each other till it makes you quiver, but you'll never be friends. Love isn't brains, children, it's blood...blood screaming inside you to work its will."-Spike, Lovers Walk.
Darkness cannot drive out darkness only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.-Martin Luther King Jr.
The Price of War
The battlefield was covered in blood, bodies lying scattered over the ground. Low moans of pain could be heard as men, giants and house-elves alike died before the medi-witches could reach them.
The war against Voldermort had been won... but the cost was more than just the lives lost.
Rubeus Hagrid was alive after the battle; with half his face burned an arm broken in two places, six broken ribs, and jagged laceration across his abdomen that was bleeding profusely. He should have been lying still as not to agitate his wounds.
The half giant continued to make his way slowly towards the center of the battlefield, desperately searching...
"Sev'rus? Sev'rus...Please..."Hagrid said hoarsely.
After what seemed a eternity, Rubeus heard a breathy whisper.
"Ru...beu...sss." It was only a foot away.
"Sev'rus! Thank Mer'lin." Hagrid fell beside the tiny wizard, gasping in relief. Then anguish at the sight of his mates twisted body.
He knew Severus wouldn't make it. Even if they somehow managed to find a mediwitch.
Gently, and ever so carefully he pulled Severus into his lap. He cupped Severus's face wincing as he jostled his broken arm.
The eyes focused on Rubeus slowly as if weighted. Pain filled the expression.
-------oo00oo-------
Severus looked up at Hagrid. Half his hair along with face was gone. H e knew he wasn't going to scrape death this time. His nine lives were up.
He thought of how empty his life had been.
Hagrid managed to get past his defenses, with his honest and gentle nature. The man always gave and never asked for anything in return. It was just how he was.
For the first time in Severus forty-three years he let down all his defenses and let Rubeus know exactly how he felt.
"I-I... Love you...Ru..."
And he was gone. His body gave up the struggle to live, now that Severus had said what he wanted to say.
Tears poured down Hagrid's cheeks as he let out an unearthly roar, into the night sky.
The stars continues to sparkle merrily unaware of the despair they were witnessing.
-------oo00oo-------
Author's Note: Written at 5am, so please excuse any mess-ups I just had to post this tonight.