Yeah, Lucky
by cinderalex
Author's Note: In this story Lily and James are married and pregnant, but the fateful prophecy has not yet been made. There are limited hints at past Lily/Severus.
Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me, nor does their world.
(Musical Inspiration: Sympathy by the Goo Goo Dolls)
Heaving off her traveling cloak, covered in floo powder and ash, and sitting heavily in her chair, Lily spat, "I still don't see why we couldn't have apparated."
"It's a necessary precaution, darling, you know that," James chastised, while he glanced around, clearly absorbing the rich ambience of the restaurant around him. The Abracadabra was consistently rated the best restaurant in London by Witch Weekly and the Daily Prophet, but Lily had always found it rather stuffy.
"It's a pointless rule based on old wives tales and enforced by controlling husbands who have nothing better to do than fret over the well-being of their families," argued Lily, not ready to let James write off his obsessive overprotection as 'necessary precaution.'
"You might accidentally splinch in such a way as to leave him behind and then–"
"I am quite accomplished at apparition! If I didn't know that you spent seven years falling on your ass in attempts to win me over, I'd think you just insulted me." she huffed, standing again before continuing. "And what makes you think he's going to be a boy anyway?"
"No matter how 'accomplished' a wizard is at apparition, mistakes happen, especially when they're emotionally or physically unstable. It simply isn't a risk worth taking," he paused, holding up a hand to keep Lily from interrupting him, "And as for the baby being a boy, I just happen to have a well-honed inner eye, which you, my dear, do not possess in any way."
"First, you failed out of divination after third year. Second," she walked around the table until she was nose to nose with her husband, who hadn't yet sat down, "what makes you think, even for a second, that I am emotionally unstable?" The lights in the already dimly lit room flickered, the candle on their table actually going out.
James was saved from sputtering an unescapably insufficient answer to his wife's question by a voice calling from across the room. "James Potter, how pleasant to see you! And Lily, you look especially beautiful tonight."
Lily composed herself and turned to greet Cornelius Fudge, still seething at James, who was now observing her with amusement, his hazel eye's sparkling with mischief. "Fudge, won't you sit down with us?" Lily invited politely moving to pull up a chair for the ministry worker.
"Oh, no. I've just finished with dinner. Must be running off to a meeting, but I saw you over here bickering. If you keep it up people will think you're an old married couple rather than the young newlyweds you truly are." Lily's insides unclenched, she hadn't particularly wanted to endure an entire dinner discussing politics, as fascinating as she found them.
"Well, actually, we aren't exactly newlyweds, not that we didn't fight like this on our honeymoon, but today is our third anniversary. Peter Pettigrew– do you know him?– well, anyway, he suggested I take Lily out to dinner here tonight. And, as she particularly appreciates being fed these days, I thought it a wonderful idea." He winked at his wife who bit back a laugh.
"That's an understatement."
Fudge regarded Lily for several seconds before comprehension dawned on his face. "Well, congratulations, then! Seems to be quite a popular ailment these days, female hunger, as I hear Alice Longbottom and Narcissa Malfoy are suffering from the same."
"Really?" James questioned, looking mildly interested. "Then my boy should have some decent quidditch competition at Hogwarts." Lily elbowed him, but she was laughing.
"As I said, I really must be off, but it was a pleasure seeing you."
"Yes, a pleasure," Lily agreed. "And, Fudge, is that a new hat? Because the color really suits you. Now you need a suit to match." The man blushed and tipped his lime green bowler cap to Lily before departing. The moment the he was out of hearing distance James burst into laughter.
"You're hilarious..'that color really suits you,'"he mimicked. " I bet he wears that hat for the rest of his life." Suddenly he grew more serious. "Fudge really admires you. Ever since the Slug introduced you two, he's been trying to get your attention. I'll bet he thought you were flirting."
"I wasn't."
"I know." And, once they were sitting again, James reached across the table to link hands with Lily.
"It means a lot to me that you're here tonight, James. I mean, I know you were supposed to be with Remus tonight. I still think you should go to him, once we've finished dinner."
"I wasn't going to miss our anniversary dinner, and I'm definitely not going to miss our anniversary shag, not even for Remus. Sirius can handle him. And Peter– "
They were interrupted when the waiter, a young boy, no older than eighteen, arrived to take their drink orders. "No wine, ma'am?" he questioned Lily when she asked only for gillywater.
"Can't have it, in a condition, you know," she said, patting her stomach and grinning at James.
"Congratulations, then," the waiter smiled politely, then teased, "so I suspect your husband will want to drink enough wine for the both of you."
James chuckled, nodding, "That's the spirit!"
Lily sent him a reproachful glare, and was about scold his double standards, when she was hit by a wave of nausea.
"Lily... are you... are you alright?" James asked, sounding slightly panicked at his wife's sudden change in pallor.
"I'm fine, or I will be in just a moment..." And she rushed off to the bathroom to be sick.
When she stepped out of the stall, she noticed an elderly woman standing at the mirror, reapplying lipstick. The woman smiled at her. "Are you expecting?" she asked.
"Yes," Lily replied. She rinsed her mouth out with water from the sink. The older woman nodded. "Definitely a reason to celebrate. I'm here because my husband and I have been married 67 years tonight."
"Wow." Lily hoped that she and James would someday celebrate their 67th anniversary.
"Congratulations, dear," and the woman exited the bathroom leaving Lily to contemplate her reflection. They said expectant mothers glow, but she thought she looked pale and sickly. She tied her now ruined hair back into a perfect ponytail with the flick of her wand, thinking the style made her look younger, in a good way.
Outside the bathroom she almost ran into a dark figure hovering about the door, as if waiting. Dark, mysterious figures were not uncommon in the wizarding world, not even in upscale restaurants, so she paid it no mind, until she heard his voice.
"Evans," he hissed, softly.
She turned quickly, stumbling, shaken by his sudden appearance. When she had regained her balance, she said, "It's Potter now. But, really, feel free to call me Lily." Her voice dripped with anger and hurt.
When he said nothing more, she turned to go. Before she had taken two steps, she felt his fingers, cold as ice, wrap around her wrist, and jerk her back towards him. "All right, Lily, then," he murmured silkily against her ear. She shuddered involuntarily, tugging at her wrist, but he held fast. Panic filled her lungs, making it hard to breathe.
"What the hell do you want?"she practically shouted. Maybe if she talked loudly enough, someone would hear, but before she had even finished the thought his wand was out and casting the Muffliato spell.
"No, Lily, I don't think I want us to be overheard," he said, as if reprimanding a naughty child.
"I'll ask you again, what the hell do you want with me?" she phrased the question as if she had control of the situation.
"Now, Lily, I've never known you to frighten easily. I simply want to know how you've been. We haven't talked in quite some time."
"I've been wonderful." Though she wanted to cry, to throw at tantrum at him, she told the truth. Her job was wonderful. James was wonderful. Her marriage was wonderful. Expecting a baby was wonderful.
"A baby?"
Immediately, she closed her mind. "Bastard."
"Me? Or your baby?"
She remained silent, refusing to play his games.
"An excellent Occlumens. I am not surprised. The offer still stands, you know. He still wants you, though your bloody husband has probably worn out his welcome."
"That's why you're here," she realized. "You still think I might join you and your 'Dark Lord!' Have I not made myself clear? I want nothing to do with Lord Voldemort or dark magic or– or you."
He ignored both her contempt and her use of the Dark Lord's name saying only, "Under his protection, you wouldn't have to worry about your baby. He'd keep you both safe."
Perhaps he thought the offer might tempt her, and certainly she wanted assurance that her baby would live through this war, but the protection of a dark wizard who cared only for his own immortality, who killed for pleasure, struck her as less than reliable.
She was suddenly struck with sad amazement at the thought that the man before her had thrown his lot in with evil. "Why, Severus? Why are you doing this?" She had meant to keep the pity from her voice, but wasn't certain she had done a good job.
For a moment, she could have sworn she saw her own regret reflected in his dark eyes, but no. He was the best Occlumens she'd ever met, maybe even in the world. He could keep even the most fervent of emotions hidden. She was just suffering from a hopeful imagination.
"The Dark Lord is very powerful. You would do well to obey him," he pulled her closer, and from the corner of her eye she saw him raise his wand.
"What– "
"I don't know why this establishment even seats dirty mudbloods like yourself," he taunted, in a louder voice. She could not hide the revulsion from her face. And then the sympathy flooded her again. He was so broken.
"Get your hands the hell off my wife, Snivelus." James stormed into their dark corridor, wand raised, fuming.
"Certainly, Potter," her captor said coldly, releasing Lily and turning to face James, his wand also raised.
Contempt hung thick in the air between the two wizards. Lily knew that James would lose if he fought Severus right now. He was a mediocre Occlumens at best and would not be able to hide his thoughts from Severus, especially as angry as he was. Severus knew it too. Lily could tell from his deceptively lax pose.
"James, I want to go home."
He nodded, but did not lower his wand.
"James, now."
He continued to regard Snape, showing no sign that he'd heard her.
"Please," she pleaded, allowing desperation to edge her voice.
"Alright."
Lily needed no more encouragement. She grabbed James' arm and apparated them back to the flat, but not before they heard Snape sneer, "Running away, Potter?"
The next morning Lily awoke alone and feeling sick. James had roared to her for an hour when they returned the evening before, calling Snape every bad word he knew. Afterward, neither had been in the mood for a shag so they had gone to sleep quietly, both exhausted. Not only had their snarky schoolmate ruined their appetites for food, but also their appetites for sex.
She wondered if James had gone to work already. He usually woke her when he left, as she started her own job just an hour later. She heard a clatter in the kitchen and knew he was still in the house.
"LILY!" James bellowed. "Lily come here!" He sounded shaken, scared even.
Without putting on her dressing gown or slippers, she rushed into the kitchen. "Are you alright? Did you hurt– " she stopped abruptly when she saw him. A very pale and trembling James stood at the kitchen counter, holding the newspaper in front of him, not even looking up from it when she walked into the room. His coffee cup was rolling on the floor in a pool of brown liquid, but he didn't care, or even notice.
"Who died?"It was the first question that popped into her head.
He thrust the newspaper into her hands. The headline, much larger than normal, read: "GREYBACK ATTACKS ABRACADABRA: 7 dead. 18 injured. ? bitten."
Lily closed her eyes, not ready to believe. "But we were there," she murmured. "We were there." She opened her eyes to continue reading the article, but found she couldn't. The words were blurring together, mixing up and her eyes stung. She realized she was crying.
"What happened James? I can't read it."
He seemed to understand. "About ten minutes after we left, Greyback and a couple of other werewolves came and ravaged the restaurant. Most of the people that died were older. Says in the paper that one of the couples was celebrating their 67th anniversary."
The kind old witch in the bathroom, Lily thought desperately. "Our waiter?"
"Bitten."
"And– "she croaked, "Snape?"
"Now there's a funny thing, doesn't mention he was even there."
She thought about the dark wizard with his unreadable eyes and cool demeanor. She'd been wrong about the reason for his presence at the restaurant last night. He must have known, must have been there to...
"We were damn lucky we got out of there when we did."
"Yeah, lucky," she agreed, not really listening to him.
Author's Note: Please review. And if you like Lily/Snape, you can read and review my other new one-shot Love and Death. (oh please, oh please)