Almost, Always

Regulus was really hoping this would work out the way he wanted it too. He chased Severus around for two and a half years but the older boy would always turn him down. He was beginning to think this was his brothers’ fault, stupid, dumb Sirius just had to have a knack for stringing up the one person he actually liked. It’s not like it was actually his fault, all their lives they were taught that Gryffindor and Slytherin were enemies. They were always taught that there could never be a good connection between the two. Of course, it wasn’t until Regulus got a little older that he began to realize, good was not the color of the house but by the intentions within the soul.

By now, it was too late to turn back time. His fate had already been decided with the dark mark, plaguing cancer burned into his wrist, there was nothing he could do to change anything except keep on moving forward. That’s what he intended to do, but he’d do it with the one person he knew could hold him down or understand him. The same person who looked down on the more violent Slytherins.

Whether or not anyone could believe it, regardless of the morbid persona of Severus Snape, Regulus had seen a side of him that was partially compassionate to muggle-born or half-blood students. While he did preach the word of blood supremacy, he wasn’t all too fond of the way they were aiming to achieve it. Killing and pillaging, something barbaric that he thought below himself and any other well-respected pure-blood wizard. But who was he or Severus to judge the Dark Lord and his disciples?

“Black” A certain acid always seemed to lace the voice of his one beloved, even if he knew that most of the acid was aimed at his brother, it always hurt just as much as it always did.

“beloved moon shine, is there a reason you called upon me?” Severus looked down his nose at Regulus in resignation as he produced a green heart shaped card accompanied by caramel chocolates.

“While I do appreciate the effort, I would appreciate it more if you could stop this”

“I’m sorry, I cannot do as you ask. I will not give up until you agree to date me” The older Slytherin boy took a deep breath through his nose as his eyes dropped into a slow frown.

“Please give up on me, there is no hope for me in this accord.” Regulus smiled as he took the others’ hands. No more words passed between them, but Severus could hear the younger man loud and clear ‘I won’t give up’ Regulus could swear he heard the sound of something cracking slowly.

Little did they know, Lily Evans stood not far from where they were, eyeing the two boys in front of her. While the idea of two boys dating seemed almost as foreign as magic to muggles, she also thought that a young and wild heart would be good for her old friend. He was always so careful and cautious of what he would do and how he would move, Someone like Black would almost be a blessing for Sev. She was sure it would go double for the other also but only if he was anything like his brother that is.

She began to recall all the things she knew about the half-blood, facts she could somehow hint at the boy. Ways he could be able to woo the pessimistic heart of Severus Snape. It wasn’t easy, getting the information or finding ways to let him know without telling him face to face. Besides, it’s not like he’d willingly listen to her, she was, of course, a ‘dirty mud-blood’ she thought to herself bitterly.

Not many days later, she sat at the Gryffindor table with Her boyfriend and his friends. Unsurprisingly enough, the conversation once again steered towards Severus and Regulus. As always, Sirius bitched about how Severus probably enchanted his little brother, as if Severus was the one who begged the other to date him. Sirius also went on and on about Regulus needing to keep himself in check, like Severus didn’t belong to him ‘Not that he belonged to anyone, because why would they want him?’ He claimed. Before long, Regulus and a few of his friends strolled past the Gryffindor table and without thinking Lily spoke out loud.

“Well It doesn’t matter, Severus has a specific type” As soon as the words left her mouth, she saw their group slow down, pretending to not listen.

“He likes intelligent people. He wouldn’t date someone who was haughty” She could feel both Blacks contemplate her words. The almost knowing eyes of Alice and Remus smirking down at her. James looked at his mate and smiled.

“Don’t rack your brain over it” When Sirius looked up in confusion at James.

“You looked like you were close to an aneurysm” Sirius rolled his eyes as he turned away from James to look at Lily.

“How would you know? You haven’t been his best friend in three years”

“Maybe, that’s true. But in all the years I’ve known him, he hasn’t changed one bit. Even now, he’s still the same” She looked longingly across the room at him, sitting where he always sat. Slytherins closest seat to the doors, open book as he worked on whatever he was trying to get through. He glared at anyone who even tried to get so much as three seats close to him. Now she noticed the one person brave enough to get closer than skin would permit, the same person brave enough to push through his condemning scowls, potentially the only person who could open his heart, Regulus Black. Funnily enough, she didn’t even notice he’d left.

Ignoring the scowl on the older Blacks’ face, she smiled warmly at the idea. James however, knew why the other was so concerned and though he thought higher of his friend, he knew these types of situations were already hard enough to deal with even without the obvious judgment. So instead he clapped a hand on ‘Padfoots’ shoulder, ‘Moony and Wormtail’ smiled warmly. You are who you are, there ain’t nothing wrong with that.

Sirius was thankful of his friends, he knew they weren’t too keen on the idea. Even if he denied it, Sirius liked blokes. More importantly, he liked the same bloody bloke his brother liked. Yes, Sirius was an arse to the guy, but sometimes he really thought that Snape deserved it. Even if in reality he knew that Snape didn’t deserve it. It didn’t matter, looking at the smirk on his brothers’ lips and the light shining in the older Slytherins eyes, he knew it wouldn’t be too long before they ended up together.

TBC…