Constellations
by
Snape's Heir

Disclaimer: This is pure imagination, nothing more.

Stargazing was her favourite thing to do. Gazing over the horizon, watching above the mountain tops and fixating on the furthest star she could find in the sky; Lily Evans felt truly at peace. On most clear nights she found herself twirling dials on her telescope and scratching down numbers of new stars that she found, all the while imagining herself up there with those twinkling gems.

Tonight was no different; tonight she found herself twirling those familiar dials, scrawling down new co-ordinates but this time, she also found her body warmed from the autumn chill in the astronomy tower by a pair of slender heated arms.

"It's Capricornus, not Cygnus," he said, removing one hand from around her waist to jab the parchment, "and Cygnus is visible between latitudes of 90 and -40 degrees, not -30 degrees."

"You're being obnoxious again," she told him, brushing his hand away.

His fingers linked hers and he chuckled lightly, a sound she loved to hear. "You said you wanted tutoring Evans, and it's tutoring you're getting."

"It's a headache I'm getting," she grumbled and folding the parchment away she turned in his arms to meet his gaze, "Anyway I've got to go."

"I wish you wouldn't go to that party tonight," he said, pulling her fiery hair away from her neck, "It's just another popularity contest."

"Don't be ridiculous," she replied, "It's an acknowledgement ceremony, to reward those who've exceeded the limits and-"

"-and will go places in life, aid the Wizarding world and become complete and whole as a person," he said, mimicking the words he had so often heard her lecture.

"And you're in with a good chance of getting an acknowledgement too, Severus," she scolded, poking him in the chest, "If you'd just make an effort and show your face, even for an hour."

"I don't need Professor Slughorn telling me what I already know," he said, brushing a hair from her face, leaning close and then adding quickly before she could interrupt, "and besides, if there's any acknowledging need be done it's that you've improved immensely at breaking the rules."

She stood on tip toe, her lips brushing against his and she smiled. "I'm not breaking the rules, I'm Head Girl," she said, "You're breaking the rules."

"Beneath the influence of the Head Girl," he replied, his lips meeting hers.

The risk of being caught sent a thrill of electricity up his spine and fighting against the overwhelming urge to shudder, he pulled her close to his body. Deep within his belly a flame of ecstasy took kindle and he felt a familiar stir in his pants; a heated motion and an intensifying need to catch her petite body and put it between himself and the nearest bed.

His tongue traced her mouth, and she looped a finger around his belt, pulling his hips close. A soft purr left her throat and she pushed away, licking her lips – they tasted of peppermint.

"God, Lily," he groaned, "You know I hate when you that."

"I know," she smirked, wiping a streak of lip gloss from his bottom lip, "I've got to go, it's almost nine."

"Can't you just stay?" he asked, following her across the room and onto the flight of stairs.

"Nope, sorry, "she said, twirling a strand of hair around her finger, "I've to go change the world."

"We should all be so privileged," he smirked, leaning against the door frame.

"See you in Charms," she said and kissing him quickly, she slipped gracefully down the stairs; her hips flourishing with each turn of the staircase.

He watched as far as he could, leaning over the staircase and watching her red hair whip around the final turn before disappearing behind a door. Their relationship although complex, would be easily described as none other than very loving and passionately heated.

There were times when Severus wished that like every other Hogwarts couple, he too could walk hand in hand with Lily, give her a kiss before class and sit with her at breakfast. There were times when Severus wished that like everyone else, he could pretend to be normal.

"It's better to keep this quiet, Lily. We don't want Potter finding out and flipping, do we? Things are hard enough."

"Who cares about that arrogant toe-rag? Everyone knows he's an attention seeker anyway, no one will pay attention."

"Lily, please, for me?"

Shaking her voice from his head, he went back to the windowsill, perched himself heavily against the frame and peered over the grounds of Hogwarts. Seven years had passed since he first walked through those grounds, Lily by his side. Closing his eyes he could remember her words, her fears;

"Does it make a difference, being Muggle-born?" she had asked.

"No, it doesn't." he had replied.

And it didn't make a difference – back then.

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