Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or No Promises by Bryan Rice.

Warnings: DH spoilers obviously, language, sexual scenes, violence, character death.

Never Meant To Be

I don't wanna run away, baby you're the one I need tonight, no promises …

Several months had passed since the amorous encounter in a Hogwarts classroom and the world of Charity Burbage had been ripped apart it seemed. Burned up and crashed down. Albus Dumbledore had died, and his death had left a horrible scar in Charity that no amount of time would ever fully heal. The loss of her mentor who she'd greatly admired and cared for left Charity broken, but from time to time she found salvation in the most unlikely arms of Severus Snape.

Their time together these days were always short, rushed and infrequent. If times had been different Charity might have wondered why Severus was always so busy and secretive, but with dark wizards roaming their everyday lives and Lord Voldemort lurking at the back of everyone's minds everyone seemed to be acting at least a little out of character. She knew she'd even changed herself; some of her cheerful spark had been lost and replaced with bitter hatred and a stronger sense of right and wrong.

But not tonight. For tonight was a moment stolen from Time and Charity was savouring it as she was lying naked in her bed, her skin kept warm by the lit fireplace in her bedroom and the memory of the bold touches of the dark man lying next to her.

Even though Charity could feel drowsiness tugging at her eyes, willing her to go to sleep she stretched her arm forward and let the tip of her finger lightly run along a deep scar standing out on the pale skin of Severus's shoulder. Charity thought back to one of their first encounters …

Charity was wandering around in the Hospital Wing of Hogwarts looking for a headache potion. It was her first year teaching there, and it'd only just begun. Madam Pomfrey was attending to several first years that had collided during one of their flying lessons, leaving her busy when Severus Snape entered, bruised and bleeding.

Charity had gasped loudly, and been torn between rushing to aid the man or getting Madam Pomfrey who was fixing a bleeding nose and hadn't noticed Severus yet. As Charity saw Severus calmly sit down on the nearest available bed, clutching his right shoulders with this left arm she figured it couldn't be too much of an emergency and went over to help him.

"Hello." Charity cautiously greeted Severus, she'd heard rumours his personality wasn't exactly the friendliest "I'm Charity Burbage, the new Muggle Studies teacher, I don't believe we've properly met." she introduced herself and clumsily reached out her hand, until she noticed Severus's dark eyes sweeping across the gesture with annoyance and Charity remembered his injured arm.

"Oh right, sorry." she pulled her arm back and asked instead "What happened to you?"

Severus hesitated for several seconds, before vaguely answering "There are many creatures in the Forbidden Forrest." He still hadn't even winced from pain, or called Madam Pomfrey away from her other patients and Charity was admiring him for it.

"Oh I see" she said worriedly "Would you like me to help you?"

Severus couldn't help scooting further back on the bed, away from her concerned tone and caring personality. He'd noticed her in the halls and at meals before, this new Muggle Studies teacher; her resemblance to Lily Evans filled him with unjust dislike of Charity Burbage.

Charity misunderstood his disapproving expression and quickly said "Oh no don't worry, I studied to be a healer for a year before I dropped out to become a teacher." she was no longer nervous, and gave Severus a confident smile. That too reminded him of Lily.

"I know what I'm doing." Charity assured him before placing her hand over the one clutching his injured shoulder and prying it away. Why he just let her Severus didn't know, but having a woman smiling at and touching him this way was a temporarily joy after years of misery.

And if he closed his eyes it was like Lily fixing a cut on his knee after a Herbology class their second year at Hogwarts.

"This cut is from a Thestral!" Charity realized with a gasp, there were Thestrals at Hogwarts? Her voice pulled Severus away from his pleasurable daydream and he grudgingly remarked "I know." in a way that let Charity know her observation was obvious and therefore unnecessary.

Charity thought Severus ungrateful and angrily left the Hospital Wing without a word as soon as his cut was healing; leaving him a scar that could've been prevented if she'd bothered to stay.

The school year after that, the famous Boy Who Lived Harry Potter attended Hogwarts for the first time and Charity felt like she hardly saw Severus that whole year. In fact they didn't have a clash again until her fourth year teaching at Hogwarts.

As Charity followed up her light caressing of Severus's scar with brief kisses, he made a somewhat appreciative noise and turned around so that he was resting on his back instead of his stomach and his dark eyes stared at her "Must you keep me awake?" he remarked, but Charity didn't answer as she instead leaned forward and kissed his neck, her hands lingering on his hips.

Truth to be told she did want to keep him awake; sleeping while in Severus's company seemed like such a waste at the moment, when their time together was so scarce.

Charity's full, pink lips found his as Severus traced the curve of her naked breast with one hand, his other splayed out on the small of her back.

Reluctantly Charity broke the kiss, panting hard in need of oxygen. Severus watched her closely as her thoughts drifted up to that clash her fourth year of teaching and though her pale, blue eyes seemed blank a small smile was gracing her lips, a rarity these days. She twirled a lock of her red hair around her fingers, just like Lily had done when something was bothering her. Charity didn't seem bothered, but almost like a force of habit Severus asked "What are you thinking about?" like he would do if she'd been Lily.

"Our first kiss." Charity replied, resting her head on the bicep of Severus's arm …

The sound of their rushed steps was echoed in the empty corridor and several portraits were following their argument intensely "How could you do that?!" Charity yelled, annoyed that she seemed to have some trouble keeping up with Severus's fast pace.

"It's only fair that people know the truth." Severus had calmly replied, continuing his rushed walk, that woman was really getting on his nerves. How dare she turn up after his class and throw accusations around like she'd done.

Charity wasn't sure where she'd gotten the courage to do that from either, but it had been necessary "But they won't understand! And you know that perfectly well, that's what makes your actions even more despicable! They're too judgemental to-" but Charity was cut off by Severus's silky voice "They're too judgemental? Miss Burbage I believe that assuming that about every parent of the students of Hogwarts makes you the judgemental one." He was mocking her. She knew it.

"Do not twist my words Severus! You know what I meant, no matter how great a teacher Remus has been to their children, parents are going to demand him fired because you felt like you just had to tell the truth about him being a werewolf. You know as well as me what a wonderful person and teacher he is, and that he would never harm anyone. So why did you do it Severus?" Charity was shaking from anger and she'd stopped walking.

But Severus wasn't paying attention to her angry words anymore; the only thing he heard was her delicate voice saying his first name. He'd gotten used to everyone referring to him by his surname, Dumbledore not included and he had to admit it sounded quite different in a soft, female voice.

"Fine!" Charity's raised voice as she threw her arms into air in a surrendering gesture brought Severus back to reality "If you're not even going to answer me or try to defend yourself, I might as well go." she started walking the opposite direction of him, but stopped momentarily and turned around "But I think this was a low-blow at trying to get your hands on the position as Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher." She'd meant to leave him silenced by her nasty comment.

She hadn't however expected him to scowl angrily at her and a second later feel his hands gripping her upper arms so hard, angry red marks was appearing on her fair skin and tears were pricking behind her eyes. His face was dark and so close to her own as he furiously hissed "Don't ever pretend like you know anything about me again!" in a low voice. He saw fear in her eyes, and she looked just like Lily had when she'd first seen his Dark Mark.

And then Severus did what he'd wanted to do to Lily back then; he slid one hand from Charity's arm to her fiery red hair, tightly gripping it and pulling her head towards his own to capture her lips in a searing kiss that caused Charity to close her hands around Severus's robes, clinging to him as if her life depended on it. When he broke the kiss and walked away from her, tears were spilling from Charity's eyes down to her swollen lips.

Until the beginning of Charity's seventh year teaching at Hogwarts they didn't speak of the kiss, in fact they avoided each other altogether. But then it was as if something happened, as they kept ending up in each others company and the night Charity's mother died it was Severus she went to for comfort. He gave it to her both emotionally and physical. They never spoke of their relationship to anyone. Charity assumed that two teachers at Hogwarts dating would be frowned upon, and was fine with keeping things to herself.

Severus seemed uncomfortable with her answer to his earlier question, and she guessed it because he was actually the one who initiated their romance that day. Charity felt him shift around in bed and soon he was lying on his side instead of on his back, his Dark Mark all of the sudden more visibly to her and she unintentionally pushed herself further away from Severus. She knew he'd been a Death Eater once, but numerous teachers at Hogwarts and even Dumbledore had assured her of his loyalty when she'd first found out and she'd truly believed them.

But with the way the times were she felt almost nauseated when she saw it, and Charity turned her back towards him and closed her eyes, readying herself for sleep. Severus turned too and as they were lying there with their naked backs facing each other, it seemed as if all their differences were separating them from each other.

A/N: I know there isn't much plot in this chapter, but this sort of explains everything about their relationship. I hope Snape isn't too OOC, and that everyone enjoyed this. I'll try to get the last part up soon. Thanks so much for reading, and please review it keeps me happy.

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