The Heroic Villain

Have you ever liked a villain more than the hero? Who and why? I am not much of a movie watcher unless there is something to be learned from it. But I remember my daughter was 11 years old and caught up in the Harry Potter trend. I  remember seeing a character who seemed like the villain but showed self-sacrifice. Severus Snape was initially seen as a cruel villain but ultimately revealed himself as a loyal protector working to defeat Voldemort.