I don't own Harry Potter. Written for the "A Quest Into the Unknown Challenge" on the HPFC Forum.
Bright green eyes shifted in the dark of the night, scanning and processing everything seen, heard, smelled, and felt. The figure was barely a shadow, creeping through the dungeons, sliding along the icy cold walls and pausing whenever something flickered. Slippers padded on the cold concrete, making whispers that cooperated with the melody of shifting fabric, the dark nightgown and robe that clothed the female. Red hair caught in the dips of the stone, easily pulled free and ignored by the teenager while she moved swiftly in the darkness
After a while, she paused, pressing her ear to the small crook in the stonewall, trying desperately to hear something, anything, from behind the bricks. She knocked lightly, and after a moment, knocked again. "Please respond," she whispered, and the stones shifted, grinding loudly on the concrete, shattering the deathly silence surrounding her. She bounced on the heels of her feet in nervousness.
Gray eyes appeared, followed by dark brown hair that was falling over the older girl's shoulders. The green clad girl hissed, and pulled the shadow inside, the stone bricks sliding into place behind her. "What are you doing here, Lily?" the brunette growled, gray eyes flashing in the firelight, reminding the redhead eerily of the elder's cousin four floors above.
"I had to see you," she gulped, and the gray eyes softened, only slightly. The brunette tugged on Lily's wrist, and she followed the older girl willingly. They sat on the chair closest to the fire, quiet.
"What's wrong?" the elder pressed, when it became apparent the younger had no plans to speak.
"Everything negative – pressure, challenges – is all an opportunity for me to rise," she quoted in response. "I'm drowning here, Andy, and I can't do this anymore. I have to rise above this awful time in my life, and I can't do that with you." She stood, and made her way back over to the door, eyes stinging. "I'm sorry."
Andromeda stared at the redhead Gryffindor, then realized she was right. They couldn't do this. Couldn't continue the meeting and lies and secrets. Lily was growing up, and out of her high school crush. Andy realized this now, and wished suddenly that she had sooner. It would've saved them both a lot of trouble.
"One more kiss," she pleaded, walking over to the small stature girl, and taking her smaller hands.
Lily nodded, and stood, pressing their mouths together. There was nothing intimate about it, and the electricity that there once was, months ago, was gone. Where, Andromeda didn't know, and she supposed it didn't matter. She had cheated on Lily anyway, but the flower didn't need to know that. Lily had cheated, too, she knew, with one of the Gryffindor boys, so they were even now.
Lily pulled away, and took back her hands. She straightened her back and her gaze grew cold, the sheen of water rabidly disappearing from the emeralds that used to captivate Andy like nothing else could. She was now finding that comfort in the blue eyes of a pretty boy, and she knew she would marry and love him, rather than her. Lily nodded, "Goodbye, Andromeda Black," she said quietly, and slipped out of the stone door, vanishing once more into the shadow-filled corridor.
Andromeda watched until she turned a corner, then gave a nod, and replied, "Goodbye, Lily Evens."
I'm not big on femmslash, clearly.