Looking at her watch Lily noticed it was nearly time to leave. She had agreed to meet him in the usual place at nine 'o clock. At first she had protested as she had noticed that Potter and his gang had been tailing her every move lately, but he wore he down with one of his pleading smiles.
Gathering her things, she stood and smoothed the crumples out of her robes. Climbing the stairs to her dormitory she remembered that she had to take her ring with her. She knew that he liked it (and not just because of the colours), but she was unsure as to why he needed her to bring it.
The ring was left to her in her grandmother's will. She had died the year before Lily had started to attend Hogwarts, and had always said how much the ring reminded her of Lily and her eyes. It was common knowledge in her family that her grandmother often said that the sparkle in Lily's eyes outshone any emerald in the world, including the ones in the ring.
The ring itself had three large emeralds on a band of silver, with the inscription 'I love thee' inside. Lily only wore it on special occasions, and when she did the majority of people told her that it complemented her eyes. He, however, probably only liked it because they were the colours of his house.
Her thoughts turned once again to the boy who had captured her heart. Lily never thought that he would be the one that she would fall in love with; he did after all represent everything that she hated in the wizarding world.
He was a member of one of the oldest pureblood families in Britain, and his parents had instilled in him from an early age that people like her were scum. He had believed those ideas until his brother had been sorted in Gryffindor and started to question whether his parents were right.
Over the next few years he realised they were not right, that his brother was right all along. He did not have much contact with him in the holidays, and being in different houses at Hogwarts made it impossible to talk to him. He had kept the pretence that he was interested in joining the Dark Lord up so his parents would not suspect that he was a traitor. He had seen the things that his parents put his brother through, and he was not brave enough to endure the same scorn.
Lily walked through the corridors in silence. The only thing making noise was the sound of her shoes on the hard stone. It did not matter whether she was caught or not as she had made Head Girl and that gave her certain privileges. Turning into the familiar room, she noticed her love was staring out of the window into the night.
"Regulus?"
Turning around to face her, Regulus smiled. "You managed to get out without them seeing you then?" he asked.
"They weren't in the common room so it was easy. I did make sure no one was looking before I made my way out though, it wouldn't be good if someone else spotted me."
Lily moved over to where Regulus was, and stood on her tip toes to place a kiss on his lips. She was just about to withdraw when Regulus pulled her closer to him deepening it. Instinctively Lily put her hands around his neck, and started playing with his hair.
Pulling away slightly they rested their foreheads together, just comfortable with the closeness they had.
"I've missed this." He murmured.
"I have too." Lily sighed. "I wish we didn't have to hide it." She said titling her head back so she could look into his eyes.
"I know, but no longer. Tomorrow we will walk into the Great Hall together, and show everyone that a Slytherin and Gryffindor can be more than friends."
"Really? What about your parents, and the other Slytherin's?" Lily asked.
"They don't matter to me, you do. I have always pretended that I was a stuck up pureblood who wanted to join the Dark Lord when I left Hogwarts. I have never been that person. I have always looked up to Sirius but never had the strength that he did, nor did I have any reason to until I had you." Regulus replied passionately. "I think it is time for them to see the real me, and if they do not like it then that is there problem. May be I will even get my brother back."
They shared a moments silence before Lily decided to voice her thoughts.
"I am glad that you want to do this, I think that Sirius would be proud of you." Lily said.
"Did you bring the ring?" Regulus asked.
"Yes I have, it's in my pocket."
"Give it to me." Regulus said, stretching out his hand.
Lily took the ring out of her pocket, and placed it carefully on Regulus's palm.
"I know that this is your ring, but I will give you a proper one once we are out of Hogwarts."
Realisation flashed across Lily's face. Not once did the thought of what he was about to do go through her mind when he said he wanted her to bring the ring.
Regulus knelt down on one knee in front of her, and took her left hand in his.
"Lily, you are my reason for living. Without you I would not have the courage to turn my back on everything I know. I want to be with you forever, I love you. Will you promise me that you will be my wife?"
"Yes, yes! I will!" she said flinging herself into his arms, and smothering him with kisses.
"Let me put it on."
Lily held out her hand, and Regulus gripped it lightly as he pushed the ring onto her finger. He looked up into her eyes and noticed that tears were starting to fall.
"Why are you crying?"
"I'm just so happy." She said as she leant in for another kiss.
This kiss was different to all the others they had shared that evening. It was lingering, and showed the desire they had for each other. They knew that they should not follow through on the desire they held, but came very close to it.
A little while later, they lay on a conjured quilt in the deserted classroom, just holding each other. They took in these peaceful moments knowing that the next day would bring chaos for the both of them.
Whilst the consequences for Regulus were already apparent, the ones for Lily were not. It was known around the school that James Potter still liked her even though she had told him that she was not interested in him. She did not know how it would affect the relationship with her friends either. They had been there when Snape had ruined their friendship, and now she was dating his fellow housemate.
The one thing that they were not aware of was the four boys in Gryffindor tower with a magical map of Hogwarts, and that the consequences would start long before morning.
Waking up feeling tired from her late night with Regulus, Lily got up and stumbled to the shower. A short while later, dressed and ready for the school day Lily stepped out of the bathroom to find her dorm friends sitting with angry faces. Not knowing what was bothering them she innocently asked what was wrong.
"What's wrong? You're really asking us what is wrong!" Mary shouted losing all composure.
Lily flinched at the angry tone. "There's no need to be like that, whatever has happened can be sorted out."
"Sorted out? You think that sneaking out at night, and coming back to the dorm early in the morning just so you can sleep with a Slytherin is okay?" her other friend asked.
Lily looked horrified. She and Regulus had never taken their relationship that far, and even though they were engaged, they had agreed to wait until the both of them were out of Hogwarts. They obviously not noticed the ring on her finger yet, but the more pressing issue was who had told them?
"I'm not sleeping with him. I –"
"Yeah right Lily. Potter and Black saw you last night cuddling up to your lover boy." Mary said cutting her off.
"It's not what it looked like. Yes we were cuddling on a quilt in an empty classroom, but if they had seen us earlier then they would understand. Please hear me out over this." Lily said desperately, looking around at them. Tired of standing she sat down on the edge of her bed.
"We're listening."
"It started at the end of last year. He always came to me in the back of the library and asked me for help on his Charms work. During those times we got to know each other, and we really liked each other despite the house differences, and his reputation. Over the summer he owled me asking me to meet up with him, and I did. At the end of the summer he asked me out and I said yes, and we have been seeing each other since then. He asked me to marry him last night, and we agreed to tell everyone today, at breakfast." Lily finished feeling a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She really hoped her friends would understand that she knew him, and that she loved him.
"Are you out of your mind?
"Who is he?" another one f her friends asked.
Lily looked up realising that Potter and Black had never told them it was Regulus.
"Regulus Black, Sirius's brother. I thought they told you it was him." Lily replied.
They just stared at her for a minute when Mary said, "I am here for you Lily. He must really love you if he has gone against the rest of his family to be with you, and I can tell you really love him too."
"Us too, we will be there for you. Damn Potter and Black, they lied to us again."
"It's not their fault this time. We probably looked as if that had happened." Lily said blushing slightly.
"Let's get you down to the Great Hall so we can get you to your man." Mary said winking.
"That's if Potter hasn't told the rest of Gryffindor. He wasn't exactly quiet when he told us."
Walking down into the common room you could feel the tension among the students. I t was obvious that they knew they story that James and Sirius were saying, and believed it.
Lily caught many people glaring at her as she made her way to the portrait door. Looking back she felt everyone stare as if she was a stranger to them.
Once the girls got to the Entrance Hall they saw a large amount of students gathering around a fight that had broken out. All they could hear were parts of what the boys were saying, and a frequent thing was the name 'Lily'.
Deciding that she had enough staying on the sidelines, Lily pushed through the throng of students to where the boys were and screamed "STOP IT!", but neither of them heard her, so she decided further action was needed. Lily tried to stop them fighting by trying to physically make them stop, but it didn't work. Instead she got flung backwards into the wall, and her vision went black.
The fight immediately stopped, and Regulus rushed to her side.
"Lily? Lily, can you hear me?" he said shaking her slightly. "Can someone get madam Pomfrey? She's not waking up."
Everybody watched as Regulus Black murmured things at Lily whilst she was unconscious. They were unsure about how to react to the news that they two were dating. He had always been known as the quiet Slytherin who did as his parents, and the pureblood society expected. Many of the student body expected him to become a Death Eater under You-Know-Who because of his family, and did not see any hint of underlying hatred for the regime.
The Slytherin's, however, wanted nothing more to do with him. Not only had he been seeing a mudblood, but also a Gryffindor. They would be informing his parents along with all theirs as well, and the name Black will forever shamed by the two brothers.
A few minutes later Madam Pomfrey came through the crowd followed by Professor McGonagall.
"Potter, what happened here?"
"Black and I were fighting Professor, and Lily got in the way trying to stop it. She ended up going backwards and hitting her head on the wall."
"50 points from Gryffindor and Slytherin, and a month's worth detention. Potter, as Head Boy you should have known better that to start a fight. I want you both to follow me to the Headmaster's office." McGonagall said sternly.
A little while later Lily woke up in the hospital wing not quite sure what was going. Her head felt like it had been hit with a bludger, and then she remembered trying to break up the fight.
Groaning she tried to move, but she felt one side pinned down. Opening her eyes again, she saw Regulus's head on the side of her bed. Noticing his even breath she knew he was asleep, a peaceful sleep at that. She knew that it would be one of the last ones he would be having for a while after today.
Looking for any sign about what the time was, she noticed that the sun was starting to set. She had been in the hospital wing for the majority of the day, and missed all of her lessons. She wondered what had happened to them, and what the rest of the school thought of their relationship.
"You're awake." Regulus said groggily.
"So are you. What happened?" Lily asked.
"You got pushed really hard and hit your head on the wall. Someone got Madam Pomfrey, and Professor McGonagall followed. Madam Pomfrey took you to the hospital wing whilst Professor McGonagall took Potter and I to the Headmaster's office. She took 50 points from each house and gave us a months worth of detentions. Potter nearly lost his badge, but managed to keep hold of it. Dumbledore said that he would need to inform our parents." He said wincing at the last bit.
"I guess the others didn't take it very well?" she asked.
"No, they didn't. They kept going on about how I was disappointing my family, and how I am nothing but a disgrace to purebloods. I just told them that I wasn't disappointing all of my family, and they looked murderous."
A silence enveloped them as they both thought about what had happened that day. Neither realised just how much problems them being together would cause. The Slytherin's reactions were expected, but not Potters. Not the rest of Gryffindor's either.
Their silence was broken by loud screams.
"I want to see my son!" a woman roared. "Is he in there? With that mudblood?"
Regulus groaned. He didn't want this to happen, not now, not today.
"Who is that?" Lily asked curiously.
"That is my mother. She has probably heard already and wants to check things herself."
They heard a shriek, and Dumbledore telling her to calm down.
"Calm down? You expect me to calm down when my son has been cavorting around with a mudblood?"
"Mrs Black we do not allow that language to be used in this school. If you cannot calm down and be civil, then you will be escorted off the grounds." Dumbledore said in a frightening voice. "Minerva please could you ask Mr Black to come out of the hospital wing and see his mother."
Professor McGonagall nodded and entered the wing. She came to the end of Lily's bed and said, "Your mother wishes to see you Mr Black."
Getting up from his seat he walked towards the door. With one last look at Lily, he knew it was time to face the hardest moment in his life.
To say that things did not end well between Regulus and his mother would be an understatement. After he told her how he really felt about muggleborns, the Dark Lord, and Sirius she had disowned him. She had claimed that he was more of a disappointment to her than Sirius had been, because he had always been the perfect son.
Regulus had walked straight back into the hospital wing and into Lily's arms. She had never seen him cry before, but he let all the tears fall without a second thought.
A while later they were discussing where they were going to go from there when the castle clock chimed nine. Neither of them had noticed the figure which had slipped into the hospital with them.
"Do you want me to talk to Sirius for you?" Lily asked, hoping there was some way she could help the brothers.
"No, I think I have ruined it now." Regulus replied.
"No you haven't."
Turning around they saw Sirius step out of the shadows.