Sweat drenched his brow as fingers clutched at his sheets. He could hear her voice again, haunting his dreams. Her face swam in his consciousness; Charity's plump cheeks, her bright blue eyes, and her rosy smile. He had always snarled at her unending patience, her naivety. She should have known better, especially with the dark steadily encroaching on their world.
"Severus, please..."
Charity hadn't deserved to die. He should have been stronger, quicker with his words. He could have-- should have-- saved her.
Like he should have saved Lily.
"But...but Severus, we're friends..."
His teeth clenched as he growled in his sleep, his head thrashing on the pillow. He didn't have friends. He didn't deserve them, not since he'd lost his only friend to his need for acceptance. So why did Charity's face haunt his dreams?
""Not content with corrupting and polluting the minds of wizarding children, last week Professor Burbage wrote an impassioned defence of Mudbloods in the Daily Prophet. Wizards, she says, must accept these thieves of their knowledge and magic. The dwindling of the pure-bloods is, says Professor Burbage, a most desirable circumstance... She would have us all mate with Muggles..."
The words of the Dark Lord echoed in the dark void, taunting him. She'd been a meaningless kill for him, really. Charity posed no threat to his cause, not like Minerva or Filius did or even Aurora or Sibyl did. Her death had been for sport, merely a bit of after-dinner entertainment.
It sickened Severus.
"AVADA KEDAVRA!... Dinner, Nagini."
He could see it in his mind's eye as clearly as if it were yesterday; her body falling to the table with a loud 'thunk,' Nagini's low hiss as she slid over the polished wood to her prey. Severus had watched as the large snake devoured the body, making certain that Charity's body would never be found.
A low groan slipped from his lips as he watched the scene replay in his dreams. Only this time, before her head disappeared into the jaws of the snake, her eyes flew open one last time, her gaze locked onto Severus' own.
"Why did you let me die, Severus?"
Jolting awake with a startled gasp, Snape sat straight up in bed, pressing a hand to his chest. Just a dream, he thought, again. In the mirror across the room, he could see his reflection clearly in the moonlight; hair wild, eyes wide, and pale skin gleaming with sweat. His Dark Mark was stark against the whiteness of his arm, reminding of what he really was.
A coward, unworthy of friendship... or love.
He had failed Lily, and he had failed Charity. He wouldn't fail anyone else. Of that, he was avowed.
Severus Snape/Charity Burbage-- Unworthy (PG)
Sweat drenched his brow as fingers clutched at his sheets. He could hear her voice again, haunting his dreams. Her face swam in his consciousness; Charity's plump cheeks, her bright blue eyes, and her rosy smile. He had always snarled at her unending patience, her naivety. She should have known better, especially with the dark steadily encroaching on their world.
"Severus, please..."
Charity hadn't deserved to die. He should have been stronger, quicker with his words. He could have-- should have-- saved her.
Like he should have saved Lily.
"But...but Severus, we're friends..."
His teeth clenched as he growled in his sleep, his head thrashing on the pillow. He didn't have friends. He didn't deserve them, not since he'd lost his only friend to his need for acceptance. So why did Charity's face haunt his dreams?
""Not content with corrupting and polluting the minds of wizarding children, last week Professor Burbage wrote an impassioned defence of Mudbloods in the Daily Prophet. Wizards, she says, must accept these thieves of their knowledge and magic. The dwindling of the pure-bloods is, says Professor Burbage, a most desirable circumstance... She would have us all mate with Muggles..."
The words of the Dark Lord echoed in the dark void, taunting him. She'd been a meaningless kill for him, really. Charity posed no threat to his cause, not like Minerva or Filius did or even Aurora or Sibyl did. Her death had been for sport, merely a bit of after-dinner entertainment.
It sickened Severus.
"AVADA KEDAVRA!... Dinner, Nagini."
He could see it in his mind's eye as clearly as if it were yesterday; her body falling to the table with a loud 'thunk,' Nagini's low hiss as she slid over the polished wood to her prey. Severus had watched as the large snake devoured the body, making certain that Charity's body would never be found.
A low groan slipped from his lips as he watched the scene replay in his dreams. Only this time, before her head disappeared into the jaws of the snake, her eyes flew open one last time, her gaze locked onto Severus' own.
"Why did you let me die, Severus?"
Jolting awake with a startled gasp, Snape sat straight up in bed, pressing a hand to his chest. Just a dream, he thought, again. In the mirror across the room, he could see his reflection clearly in the moonlight; hair wild, eyes wide, and pale skin gleaming with sweat. His Dark Mark was stark against the whiteness of his arm, reminding of what he really was.
A coward, unworthy of friendship... or love.
He had failed Lily, and he had failed Charity. He wouldn't fail anyone else. Of that, he was avowed.