One Last Chance

Hell had surely frozen over. Severus was currently watching Draco and Potter drag their belongings into their room. It had taken some persuading, but he had finally agreed to let them stay with him. He knew they didn't have anywhere else to go and he would have felt terrible if they had ended up resorting to that first ridiculous option that Remus had laid out.

Why the hell either of them had came up with that idea, he would never know. Even Severus didn't have the heart to watch the two boys suffer as they would have if they would have had to go through with it. They obviously needed each other. More than ever now that their secret had been revealed and nobody was speaking to them.

Another reason he wouldn't tear them apart like that was because the way they were being treated reminded him very much of his school days and he wouldn't wish for anyone to go through that alone. Except maybe the people who had caused it, but they were all dead.

They had ended up worse off than he had, though. Potter had been murdered by the Dark Lord. Black sent to Azkaban for a crime he didn't commit, forced into hiding for years, and murdered by his own cousin. Pettigrew living as a rat for years before being choked to death.

They had paid their dues. Except for one. One was still out there. One had never gotten paid back for his actions. No. He couldn't think like this. Remus was a completely different person nowdays. Remus had never tormented him much to begin with . That was mostly Black and Potter's doing. If he was going to dwell over the past, he should have done it before starting a relationship with someone from his past.
"We are NOT making the walls that color." "Oh come on please Dray." "Fine but I pick what the bed covers look like." "Fine!"

Severus sat there listening to the two bickering, wondering what the hell he had gotten himself in to by taking in two emotional, horny, trouble making seventeen year old's. They were now arguing over who got what side of the closet. He would have been better off giving them separate rooms, but he had agreed to let them share a room together.

After all, they were both seventeen. They could both decide what they wanted now and nobody could do anything about it according to the law. Before agreeing to let them share the room, he had drilled a few rules into their heads. The number one rule being that if they were going to have sex, to have enough sense to use a silencing charm or he would murder them alive.

He blanched at the thought and returned to grading paper's. Minerva had insisted that the three of them take the day off from classes. He didn't know why this rule applied to him, though. He wasn't currently suffering from any emotional trauma and last time he checked someone would rather hex themselves into the next century then make fun of him.
It was barely half past ten and he was already bored to death, having nearly finished grading. He wished that Remus could have taken the day off too. He hated to admit it even to himself, but he missed the other man already even though he had barely been gone for two hours. He was starting to think that he really was going soft.

He had just finished his grading as the bell rang, signaling lunch. He put his papers aside and walked down the short hallway to the boys room, knocking on the door. "Come in!" He heard Potter yell and he couldn't help but burst into laughter as he opened the door. Draco and Potter stared at him in shock at his laughter, but he couldn't control himself. He now understood what they had been arguing about so much.

The wall he was facing was silver with green stripes as was the wall behind him. The walls to his left and right were painted red with gold stripes on them. The wall to his left with the red and gold stripes had a huge poster of the Chudley Cannons Quiddich team and a poster of Chad Mangford, the Weird Sisters drummer.

The wall directly in front of him had a moving poster of the Bulgarian National Quiddich team and a picture of a Muggle actor he recognized from this ridiculous movie/book series his younger Slytherin girls loved. Something about a Muggle girl who falls in love with a Muggle vampire and makes friends with a Muggle wolf pack. The things these Muggles came up with were ridiculous.

Even funnier was the bed. One pillow was red with a huge gold lion on it, while the other was green with a black snake on it. The comforter was seriously half red and half green. He didn't even want to know what the two had done to the sheets. It seemed as if the only thing they had agreed on was the giant rug with a Snitch on it that they had placed in the middle of the room. The two boys couldn't be more different from each other.

He finally got his laughter under control and was glad to see that they had stopped staring at him in shock. "Really Draco?" He couldn't help but ask, pointing to the poster of the Muggle. "What about it?" Draco asked defensively. "Oh nothing." He smirked. "You probably secretly fancy him too." "Not in the slightest." He said truthfully. "I am rather fond of that one, though." He admitted, pointing to the Chad Mangford poster. "No way." Potter said as Draco wrinkled his nose. "Yes way." He told them.

He almost turned to go, but then he remembered his reason for coming in there in the first place. "In case you didn't hear the bell over your bickering, it's time for lunch." He began walking out of the room, intending to go to the Great Hall. "Wait!" He was suprised to hear Potter calling him back.

He turned around and stared at the two boys. "Would you please walk with us?" Potter asked, looking embarrassed. Was he actually looking to him for protection? Him of all people who had embarrassed him in front of his peers hundreds of times over the years? He was shocked, but didn't let it show as he nodded. The two followed him out rather timidly.

They got plenty of glares on the walk there, but no one dared to say anything with the scary greasy git of the dungeons walking with them. He watched every eye turn to them as they entered the Great Hall. No one said a word to the two boys, but he heard people whispering rather loudly as they passed. He walked with the two until they reached the end of the Gryffindor table where they sat as close to the staff table as they could.

He looked up at the staff table for the first time, happy to see Remus sitting there, a spot saved next to him. "How's it going with the boys?" Remus asked him as soon as he sat down. Severus opened his mouth to complain, as usual, but shut it again as he realized he had nothing to complain about. They actually weren't annoying him to death for once.

"Just wait until you see what they've done to their room." He finally said, earning a chuckle from Remus. "I can only imagine." Severus paused for a moment to spoon some potatoes and some chicken salad onto his plate. "Lets just say it's more horrifying then the thought of Minerva in her underwear." Something was definitely wrong with him due to the fact that he had just made a joke. He didn't joke about anything unless he was extremely drunk.

He glanced at Remus and that was all it took for them to both burst out in laughter. He was aware of the staff as well as a couple of students were staring at him in utter shock. Severus Snape was laughing. Not chuckling, like they had seen him do on very rare occasions. Actually laughing his ass off with Remus Lupin, his sworn enemy.
His laughter was intstantly quelled as he saw Weasley approaching where Potter and Draco were sitting.

They began arguing and all three of the boys stood up, drawing everyone's attention. He couldn't makeout all of what Weasley was saying, but he did manage to hear the word faggot. "Fuck off." Draco told Weasley who then shoved Draco in the chest, sending him flying backwards. He quickly cast a shield charm between the two boys and Weasley, but not before Potter punched Weasley square in the face. A few Gryffindors started to stand up, but Remus and himself were quicker.

They both hurried down to the scene, each grabbing one of the boys and sweeping them out of the Great Hall. "Twenty Points from Gryffindor." He muttered as they passed the Gryffindor table, pleased to see that Weasley had blood pouring from his nose. It was broken, no doubt. He began to climb the steps to the dungeons, looking down at who he had ahold of. It was Potter and he wasn't surprised to see him looking more angry than he'd ever seen him.

Severus knew that if he ever saw anyone touch Remus like that, they wouldn't live to tell the tale. "Nice hit Potter." He heard himself say. "Thanks sir." Potter replied, looking surprised that he wasn't about to get beaten to death for his actions. Severus couldn't begin to express how glad he was that Draco had found someone who truly seemed to care about him and would protect him. Even if it was Potter.

The four of them spent the rest of the day inside his quarters. Remus only leaving to teach his fifth year O.W.L. class and his second year class. He was glad when the man finally returned, having endured three hours of Draco and Potter playing loud games of Wizard's Chess and Exploding Snap. "Go do your homework!" He growled at them as they scurried off into the kitchen.

Remus sat down next to him, chuckling softly to himself. "Already driving you crazy?" He asked. "Yes." He replied, sounding more cold than he had intended to. Remus didn't seem to notice or care. "That's kids for you." He stated, chuckling to himself again. "Aren't you glad you never had any of your own?"

Severus didn't quite know how to reply to that question. The correct answer would have been yes, but it would have also been a lie. He had always wanted his own kids, but after Lily had died, he had never been with anybody for long enough to even consider having kids with them. It pained him deeply inside that he was thirty six years old, had been single until less than twenty four hours ago, and had no children.

As much as he hated to admit it, that was the kind of life he had wanted for himself if he would have gotten the chance. He was ashamed of the way his life had turned out and would give the world to do it over again. He could have said yes to Remus's question, but he didn't. "I actually wish I would have." He said, being completely honest for once.

He saw the other mans eyes widen in surprise. "Why didn't you?" Oh god. He had been hoping he didn't ask that question. "The life I led until a year ago wasn't...suitable for children." He swallowed hard, buried emotions coming up once again. "I also never found anybody worthy of having children with." Remus nodded in silent understanding and he knew that he could see the raw emotion in his eyes.

He was supurb at mastering that cold stare, but for once, he couldn't do it. "Are you ashamed?" Remus asked him. "Of the life you've led." Before answering him, Severus searched the other mans warm amber eyes with his cold black ones. He found nothing but absolute sympathy and understanding in them. "Yes." He finally admitted, closing his eyes as his emotions threatened to crash down on him.

He felt arms snaking around his waist and he didn't push them off. Any other time he probably would have. He may care for the other man deeply, but he didn't like to cuddle with anyone. An arm wrapped around his waist as he slept was about all he could handle. There was just something awkward about the whole situation. But just this one time, he didn't care.

It somehow wasn't awkward, nor was it bothering him. Taking a deep breath to try to calm down, he allowed himself to lean against the wolf, burying his face in his robes. He inhaled deeply, taking in the cinnamon and rose scent that always lingered on him. It calmed him almost immediately and he was no longer on the verge of tears.

Still, he didn't move. He didn't want to move. He sighed contently as Remus began rubbing circles on his back, his stomach getting that unfamiliar feeling at his touch. He couldn't even begin to describe how nice it felt to just be held for once. He was content on staying like this for as long as the other man would allow it.

He must have drifted into sleep because he awoke to giggles over the two of them. Cracking his eyes open an inch he saw that Remus had fallen asleep as well and seemed to be sleeping through the annoying giggles. He should gave gotten up immediately, knowing the two were probably giggling at them, but he still had his arms around him and he really didn't want to wake him up. Or lose the feeling he was getting at the other mans touch.

"Should we wake them?" He heard Potter ask Draco in a loud whisper. "Yeah. I'll do it." The other answered and he could feel him creeping forward. Cracking his eyes open again, he saw the boys finger coming at him. "Poke me and it will be the last thing you use that finger for." He said suddenly, making the two boys jump.

It seemed to have woken Remus as well who was looking around groggily. "Go back to sleep Rem." Rem? Where the fuck had that came from? He had never once used a nickname for anybody. "It's just these idiots making noise." He finished, hoping the werewolf wouldn't comment on the nickname he had just called him. He didn't, just stretched and smiled at him. "No don't go back to sleep. We made dinner." Draco informed them.

Severus's eyes grew wide and he immediately jumped up, striding to the kitchen to see what they had destroyed. He was surprised to find nothing out of the ordinary and a rather good looking meal sitting on the table. Potter must have done most of it. He knew for a fact that Draco had never so much as turned an oven on, let alone used one. The others had followed and were now looking down at him curiously. "Er. Let's eat." He said, taking a seat at the table. The others sat down and began dishing out food. He took a bite of his roasted chicken and was surprised to find that it was probably the best chicken he'd ever had.
"Where in the world did you learn how to cook like this?" He asked, looking at Potter.

The boy looked quite uncomfortable at his asking and he couldn't imagine why. What he had just said was a huge compliment coming from him. "Oh you know, helping my Aunt in the kitchen and such." He shrugged, becoming very interested in his pasta. There was something off about his behavior, but he didn't question it as they finished eating their meal and the boys went to their bedroom, leaving just Remus and himself sitting in the living room.

They sat in silence for awile, sipping on glasses of red wine. He didn't have a problem with just sitting in silence with the other man. There was nothing awkward about it. It was peaceful and what he needed after the stressful day he'd had. At half past ten, Remus stood up and began fastening his cloak. "I should be getting back to my quarters soon. I still have a few papers to grade before I go to bed." Severus nodded his head, secretly wishing that he didn't have to go.

He thought about asking him to stay, but he knew that it would be really obvious if Remus appeared from the dungeons for the second day in a row. He almost wished that they could be open about their relationship, but he knew people would be prejudiced against them because of his past as a Death Eater. He walked Remus to the door, regretting his departure. "Good night Remus." He said, laying his hand on his waist. He still wasn't quite sure how to go about touching the other man and he didn't want to make a fool out of himself.

He looked into Remus's amber eyes as he leaned forward. Did he want to kiss him? He couldn't tell at all. Why were relationships so confusing? He leaned forward until his lips were barely a cenimeter away from Remus's. A hand cupped his chin and he almost flinched at the sudden touch, but managed to control himself. Not breaking eye contact, Remus leaned down and kissed him. "Good night Severus." He said, letting his lips brush against him. He stared at him for a moment longer before pulling away and disappearing through the door.