Two things inspired me to write this fic; the four inches of snow outside, and this beautiful song, The Snow by Elgar. If you've never heard it before, YouTube it - it really is gorgeous.
Disclaimer: I own neither the characters or the song, and as no money is being made, no infringement is intended.
Enjoy!
O Snow, which sinks so light,
Brown earth is hid from sight,
O soul, be thou as white, as white,
Be thou as white, as white as snow, as snow
Lily Evans sighed, closing her book and gazing outside the window. Snow was falling thick and fast, like it did every year, covering the ground with a thick layer of ice. She smiled sadly to herself. Somehow, the snow was so much more beautiful than in previous years, but it saddened her to think that she would never see it again – the towers and turrets capped in snow, the Black Lake frozen over, the occasional tentacle trying to break through the ice.
O snow which falls so slow,
Dear earth quite warm below;
O heart, O heart, so keep thy glow
Beneath the snow, the snow
She marvelled at how the snow, for something to cold and lethal, could gleam in the weak sunlight. There was a patch of bare ground round Hagrid's hut, where the heat had melted it away. In a weird, warped way, it reminded her of the current situation, of the war. No matter how cold things get, no matter how much evil is in the world, good and love will always make it melt away.
Love. Such a powerful thing. She supposed that the most powerful thing would be the love between a mother and her child; and child that symbolised the union between two people who were in love. Would she ever have a child? Would she ever find someone she loved? Well, she knew who she loved – although she loved him against her better judgment.
"Evans?"
She spun round, dragged out of her thoughts.
"Potter."
She went back to looking out the window. She really did not need to talk to him right now.
O snow, in thy soft grave,
Sad flow'rs, sad flow'rs the winter brave;
O heart, so soothe and save as does the snow
Yet the snow preserved some things, that was for sure. Old skeletons and bones had been found frozen, hadn't they? But then the snow had melted…
"Evans? Are you alright?"
She sighed to herself. No use trying to have a philosophical thought with Potter around. He was just so… distracting.
"I was until you came, Potter." But, try as she might, she couldn't bring into her voice the disgust and contempt that had been present for the last six years when talking to him.
He sat down next to her on the window seat, and wrapped an arm around her. It was only now that she stopped that she realised she had been shivering, despite the fire. She turned away, trying not to show the blush that was creeping steadily into her pale cheeks.
The snow must melt,
Must melt, must go,
Fast, fast, fast, fast as water flow.
Not thus, my soul, O sow
Thy gifts to fade like snow.
"It'll be gone by morning," James said, looking out at the white landscape.
"Hmm," Lily replied. That was why it was sad, she reasoned. It was so beautiful, but would be gone soon. Like everything else that was good in this world.
As if hearing her thoughts, James said, "Not everything good has to come to an end."
O snow, thou'rt white no more,
Thy sparkling too, is o'er
O soul, be as before,
Was bright the snow.
"Like what?" she asked, disbelief entering her voice. Everything good she had known was coming to an end; Tuney refusing to talk to her, her mother dying, her time in the safe haven that was Hogwarts was drawing to a close…
"Like my love for you."
Lily looked up, shocked. Had this really just happened? Yes, James had proclaimed his love to her before, but never this seriously… and sure enough, he was looking away, embarrassed, his arm withdrawn from around her shoulder. She felt a blush once again rush to her cheeks; yes, she'd known for years that he'd had a crush on her, but this?
Then as the snow all pure,
O heart be,
But endure;
Through all the years full sure,
Not as the snow,
Not as the snow.
Slowly, she reached for his chin, and turned his head round.
"My love for you will never melt," she said, smiling slightly embarrassedly, as a stupid grin spread across his face.
"Really?" he asked hopefully, hoping that this wasn't just some sick joke.
"Really," she replied, before leaning in and kissing him gently on the cheek.
Not as the snow.
I know the end is hopelessly cheesy, but it was the only way I could make it work. Hope you enjoyed it! Please review - your comments are always appreciated, and I never delete a single review! Ultimate Gryffindork PS - Snowball fight anyone?