Author's Note: Hello, Harry-Potter-Fandom! I'll say first, if you haven't read the 7th Harry Potter book and don't want a very minor spoiler, STOP NOW. Aight...now that that's cleared up, this drabble-fic-thing was inspired by watching StarKidPotter's A Very Potter Sequel(check it and A Very Potter Musical out on Youtube if you haven't seen them...they're rather hilarious and very well done). Anyways, it was inspired by a scene in the sequel focusing on Snape's love of Lily Evans... which is rather tragic, and I felt really bad for the guy. :(
So, I figured I'd write a little drabble about their childhood, since they were friends... Enjoy. Please review, but be nice.
-Mintermist
"Psssst! Lily! Lily!" Crouched between hydrangea bushes and green shrubs, I gazed up towards the open window with a kind of religious fervour. Thick curtains of somewhat greasy midnight-coloured hair fell on either side of my face, almost as dark as the summer night around me. The stars, twinkling in the Heavens above, mirrored the light that had sparked in my own eyes.
I know you're in there, Evans! Reaching down among the flowerbeds, my hand searched for a small pebble, closing around a clump of Earth that contained the required smooth stone. Throwing a cautious glance about me, I quickly dismissed the thought of Muggles being around. The lights of these little townhouses had were darkened, and all the Muggles on this sleepy street had long gone to bed.
"Lily!" I hissed again, hurling a pebble up towards her window. "C'mon, Lil—"
"Sev?" A thin, pale face appeared at the windowsill, big green eyes glowing in the darkness. Her auburn hair framed her face like fire, and I felt the familiar glow of the Candle — of adoration— being lit within me. Twelve years old now, I had noticed the intensity of the "Candle" during our first year at Hogwart's together. A slowly smouldering, ever patient, ever longing flame had been lit during our ride on the Hogwart's Express. Unquenchable.
"Severus, what are you doing here? It's the middle of the night," she hissed, leaning over the white-washed windowsill. Suddenly, a cloud descended on that pretty...no...that beautiful face of hers. "...is...is it that bad at home?" She asked, biting her lip. I could see the gleam of worry in her eyes.
I shrugged in response, and stepped out clumsily from among the flowerbeds.
"No worse than usual, I guess." My smile was bitter for a moment, filled with the brokenness. 'Home' was not a happy word for me. 'Home' was a backwards, angry, shouting place filled with sorrow and anger. 'Home' was an abysmal excuse of a so-called family in fragmented pieces.
How I hated it.
But...everything with Lily, in her picture-perfect house, with her picture-perfect happy family...she changed everything. She made the world beautiful, meaningful... wonderful again. I sighed, shaking my head, before looking back to her and brightening my gaze.
"So, what's up, Severus?" She leaned comfortably against the sill, her head resting upon her hand. The starlight that was her smile shone upon me, and time seemed to stand still for an instant. "Sev?"
I blinked.
"Oh...yeah...right. Well, Miss Evans, I was simply wondering if you would accompany me in a stargazing exploit tonight?" I bowed theatrically, sweeping low as laughter bubbled from Lily's lips. Only for her, I thought with a smile. If anyone at school saw this, they'd be in horror. But...what horror was there in an angel?
"Sev...it's almost midnight!"
"That's the best time for stargazingh, Evans. C'mon...we've barely hung out all summer...we'll be back at Hogwarts soon enough –which I can't wait for and all— but, well...you're a Gryffindor, I'm a Slytherin. We barely get to hang out..."
Lily glanced behind her, and then turned back with an adventurous gleam in her eyes.
"Alright, Severus...'Tuny's asleep, so I can get out. Just give me a minute."
I nodded, triumph exploding within me, and I sat down cross-legged on the perfectly manicured lawn in wait, hugging my Hogwart's robes around my baggy t-shirt and too-big trousers.
The five minutes barely felt like a second.
"Any trouble?" I whispered, as Lily crept stealthily out the front door. She shook her head.
"Where are we going, Severus?" she asked, as a gentle breeze nipped at us. I shrugged, as we slipped out the front gate.
"Playground?" I suggested. "There's a good clearing, so we can see the sky clearly." She nodded, glancing once more behind her before we took off at a light run towards the playground at the end of the street. White picket fences lined our path, and dim street lamps glowed hazily in the evening air.
"There's supposed to be a meteor shower tonight," I said, earning an excited grin from Lily as we came to the gate of the battered playground. Lonely swingsets and teeter-totters sat, waiting until morning to be used, and Lily pointed out a spot right next to the swings.
"Let's sit there, then...we want a good view!" She grabbed my hand, tugging me over, and we sat down leaning our backs against the supports of the swings.
"You're not cold or anything...?" I asked, my eyes dancing over her thin pyjamas. As if on cue, the breeze picked up, blowing swirls of cool air over her.
"Mmm...maybe a little," she confessed, brushing a strand of auburn hair from her face.
I had taken off my robe and handed it to her before she had finished speaking, and before I had had time to rationalize the thought.
"Here...y-you can borrow this while we're out here," I stammered, nerves suddenly gripping me with an icy grasp. But the sunlight streaming from her expression melted the ice in a second, as she slipped into my robe.
"Thanks, Sev," she grinned, hugging the black fabric about herself and turning her eyes skyward, mesmerized.
"Oh, Severus! Look! A shooting star! Oooh... it's so beautiful!" Eyes fixed on her face, I nodded.
"Yeah...you are..." You're perfect, Lily Evans.