Oneshot written with theJilyandLamesFanatic's "Marauders Era Challenge Prompts, ahoy!" thread open. I used the following promts:
2. First kiss
36. "If I had one sickle for every time you've _, I'd _."
50. "I can't breathe."
59. "I'm not even going to try to understand what you've just said."
I know it isn't really what she was looking for- clearly she's a bit of a Jily fanatic- but the story chooses the wizard, eh?
Smile for Me
"Come on, Severus," Irena whined for what seemed like the thousandth time since they'd entered the Slytherin Common Room, "I just want a photo of you for my scrapbook. You're my best friend; I have to have a picture of you!" She held up her camera (magical, of course, and only of the highest quality: not only was it a top-of-the-line Chekov model, it was signed by Chekov himself) and pouted.
"Irena," Severus began, more than a little frustrated at this point, "I have been smiling." In an attempt to prove this, he gave what he thought would pass for a smile- in reality, it was a grimace at best.
Irena set the Chekov on the side table gently and stood from her armchair, the green velvet of her seat returning to its prior, smooth, state. "Fine," she murmured as she stretched her arms over her head, then gave a great yawn. "You never smile anyways," she admitted. "It wouldn't even be appropriate to use a photograph of you smiling."
"I smile all the time!" Severus protested. "Like when you do that thing where you mimic Potter- that's hilarious! I smile at that!"
Irena simply gave a small, sad smile and shook her head. "If I had one sickle for every time you've legitimately smiled, I'd be broke." He opened his mouth to protest further, but she continued, not giving him the chance to speak.
He crossed his arms. "I smile perfectly often, you just don't see it that way because you're all- all-" he was flustered, a rare sight, and one that made her giggle. "You just don't see it that way because you're too smiley, and you expect those around you to be just as smiley, even when it isn't in my- their- nature to be so. Or do so. Whichever," he finished carelessly.
Irena raised her eyebrows at him, and he fidgeted slightly under her stare. "All right," she began slowly. "I'm not even going to try to understand what you've just said." He rolled his eyes. "I think I may have a way to get you to smile, though."
Now it was his turn to raise his brows. "Oh, really? Care to elaborate?"
"I'm not sure," she murmured now, leaning in, maintaining eye contact. "I don't know if you'd like it, you see."
He was struggling to maintain eye contact with her face so close to his- he'd never thought of her romantically before- oh Merlin- did she like him?- was this all just a ploy to get him to kiss her?- did he mind? Oh Merlin. Her lips were moistened by her tongue, red from being bitten in her uncertainty, and kissing her was the most appealing idea he'd ever had-
As Severus became more and more entranced by the closeness of his best friend, Irena's hand was creeping down her own robe to find her wand. She slowly drew it out, then sharply pointed it at Severus's head and cried, "Rictusempra!"
Severus was immediately reduced to a writhing mess of chuckles and snorts. A tickling charm, that bitch. "You- you are evil," he cried through his laughter. "I'll get you back!" he managed to get out between guffaws. "I can't breathe- fuck you!" he added when she pulled out her camera to snap several choice shots of his forced mirth.
Only after getting photographs from several different angles did she lift the tickling charm. He was still shaking slightly as she offered him a hand to help him stand up. Severus took it, but rather than standing with her assistance, he pulled her down onto the floor with him. They sat cross-legged, facing each other, and they drew close once again.
"Are you going to make me smile for real this time?" Severus asked quietly. "Because I-"
She cut him off with a kiss. It wasn't lengthy, or particularly passionate- first kisses rarely are- but it was full of feeling and optimism. After several seconds, they broke apart for breath, and she buried her face in his neck, where it felt just right.
"Wingardium Leviosa," Severus mouthed, and the Chekov floated off the table to take a picture of the two of them. For the first time, Severus gave in, and gave an actual smile for the camera.