An Overdose on Optimism

by reminiscent-afterthought

[AU] Severus hadn't expected either himself or Lily to wind up in Gryffindor, the so-called noble den of lions. But he was going to have to deal with it, because he was stuck with their generally infuriating naive optimism and lack of foresight for the next seven years. /for the One World AU Boot Camp/

1. Laugh

A/N: Written for the One World AU Boot Camp Challenge, for prompt#047: laugh.

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An Overdose on Optimism
Drabble 1: Laugh

Severus followed Lily out, leaving the two boys laughing about something or other and talking about Gryffindor. He had heard of both their families: Potter and Black, and while the first's foolish passion for the House of Lions was to be expected, the latter's was not.

Not that it particularly interested him; he was half-blood, not pure-blood, and family politics were of no importance to him. His mother was a witch, yes, but a Muggle-born one, and his father – tch, he was the very scum of Muggles without an ounce of magic, heart or brain in him. Why his mother had married the toad of a man, he would never know.

Sadly, one could not chose their parents and he did love his mother. He didn't like that she insisted on trying to make things work between their thread-bare family. It was hopeless though; all it really led to was more arguing between the pair and Severus sneaking out to play by himself…and, after he had his Hogwarts letter, Lily.

'This one looks empty.' The red-haired girl had stopped in front of a carriage near the end of the train and peeked in. 'Oh, no – there looks like there's someone there. Just one though.'

She turned around when she received no answer from Severus. 'Is something the matter?' she asked, before adding: 'I'm sure no-one will bother us if we just hang around the corridors.'

'It's nothing,' Severus said automatically.

Lily gave him a disapproving look.

'I was just thinking…' he continued, missing the gaze. '…that I'm lucky to have met you.'

The green eyes widened ever so slightly, and then a small smile spread across the girl's lips. 'Thank you,' she said softly. 'That was very nice of you to say.'

She noted the slight red blush on the other's cheeks, but said nothing of it. His voice was heavily guarded, but she knew it had taken a little something extra for him to pay her that compliment, and instead of calling him out on it, she chose to treasure it.

'Let's go in. Whoever's in there can't be worse than those two.'

'No.' Lily laughed out loud at that. She had never seen two more arrogant people in her eleven years of life. 'That's very true.'