I can't stand by the side
And watch this life pass me by
So unhappy
But safe as could be
So what if it hurts me?
So what if I break down?
So what if this world just throws me off the edge
My feet run out of ground
I gotta find my place
I wanna hear my sound
Don't care about all the pain in front of me
Cause I'm just trying to be happy…
- Happy - Leona Lewis
"Severus…"
Here was a familiar face he hadn't seen in years.
At first there was a smile on his face, tears in his eyes. An embrace came, a touch he hadn't felt in decades. She still was beautiful after all this time…
The happy reunion was over and the familiar scowl was on her face.
"You picked them."
He knew what this was about.
"I know…"
"You picked them."
"If you'd just let me explain…"
"You picked them over me, Severus. You went with the 'pure bloods', and thought I was nothing but a 'filthy mudblood'…!"
He closed his eyes, this round of tears less joyful. It was like that moment in their adolescents was happening all over again.
"Yes, it's true…! I picked them over you, Lily. If I had the chance to do it all over again, I would, but I just can't."
This was finally the time to tell her what he should have told her all those years ago.
"You made me happy, Lily… so happy. And I blew it. I hated being a half-blood, and the Slytherins made me feel like I was home, something I didn't had in a long time. But you also gave me that, Lily… and I missed it."
She looked even more angry. "If you really valued me and I made you happy, why did you leave me in the first place? Was being happy so terrible for you?"
"Yes… Yes it was. That anger was all that I had. What would I be without it? I'd be weak if I'd let it go. I loved my anger more than you…"
A sob was out of his frame.
"I shouldn't have lost sight to what I had in the first place… You."
She loved him for who he was after all this time, and what did he repay her with? She was loyal to the end, but he took the wrong side and called her that horrible name. How he wished they were children again and would play in the meadow…
Perhaps James did deserve her after all these years. He was always the bigger man than Severus, after all this time. James faced his darkness rather than succumb to it.
As he was about to drop, he felt her frame under his, holding him in an embrace.
"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…"
Turning, he saw other familiar face.
Remus… Sirius… James.
Instead of a scowl, more tears were in his eyes. James went over to hug both of them as Severus continued to sob. The rest of the Marauders placed a warm hand on his shoulder.
"Thank you for looking after our son…"
Inspired by a scene in Once Upon A Time around season three when Regina and Tinkerbell had a conversation about being happy. ^^