Feather light
In response to L.E.S.S. challenge: Lily teaching Severus how to fly
Disclaimer: Harry potter characters belong to J.…
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"How do you do that?" asked Severus trying to tail the frustration off of his voice.
"Do what ?" Replied Lily without looking at him. she rushed back to the swing. She had been doing that for the late twenty minutes and Severus had carefully watched but all his tries had been unsuccessful so far.
"You know...Stay so long in the air…fly actually"
"Well you're a wizard Severus" she said casually and jumped once more off the swing and soared into the air.
"Lily, please just tell me" he pleaded as she landed lightly on the ground.
"Well I don't know…I just do it" she answered with a mischievous smile. He frowned deeply and pursed his lips.
"Oh Sev...wait...I'll tell you" she tilted her head against her shoulder and beamed at him. His scowl eased and his cheeks redden a little.
"I just imagine I'm as light as a feather"
"Really?" he sounded disbelief
"Yes! Have another try" she sat back on the swing beside him and waited looking at him.
He thrust forwards with a powerful kick and he swung higher and higher until he could feel the strange sensation in his stomach. At the very height of the swings' arc he jumped and hurtled two meters away from it. It was a nice jump indeed but just a jump as any muggle could have performed.
"No Sev. That's not it at all." She disapproved "You don't need to swing so high besides you could wrench your ankle. Just imagine you fly and then you will".
It seemed so easy and obvious for her. He felt really disappointed and bitter.
"You've got loads of magic Lily. Maybe I just can't." he shrug.
"Try again" she offered
He sighted and stared at his feet. Was this was worth he ventured another attempt or should he stop here before he made a complete fool of himself?
"Your sister won't come today?" he asked hopefully. He was digging in the dust with the top of his shoe. Sure they were playing for an hour now and she hadn't poked her nose yet. He was lucky today.
"No" she said brushing the wrinkles out of her dress. "She's at Mary's home for the whole afternoon. She's having her birthday party."
He said nothing but he had a satisfied little sneer.
"So do you try again?" she insisted
"Yes but can't you explain me more? "He was frowning again.
"Well I just imagine I'm as light as a feather and that I can fly. You really have to believe it you know. And…yes I feel joyful. Maybe feelings are a part of it too."
He sat back on the swing, dangled forward and backward three or four times but not so high as the last time and jumped. This time he landed heavily, crumpled on the ground, caught his foot on a stone and fell forward. Damn! He had better stopped. He got quickly to his feet, rubbed his hands and brushed the dust away from his clothes. His upper lip was bleeding.
"Are you all right?" Lily leapt up of the swing and rushed to him. She held her handkerchief out and swabbed the blood away carefully. "Here… does it hurt?"
"No" he shook his head and his cheeks blushed. He crossed his arms over his chest and bent his head. His hair hanged over his face. Lily had a little smile at this sight.
"Well I just think I can't" he muttered
"It doesn't matter Sev! You're a great wizard anyway" her voice was sweet and gentle. His shame and anger subsided. At least she didn't mock him.
"Maybe later then. I mean when we got wands" he said lightening a little and regaining his confidence "will you teach me then? Do you promise me?" his eyes met hers.
"Yes Sev I promise you I will" she assured glowing her green eyes at him.
His mouth twisted in a little smile and he looked away.
"Let's go to the river then"
xxx
"So Lily, will you teach me or not? You promised me remember?" he was pacing back and forth in front of her, hands buried in his pockets, looking at his feet, he just cast a glance at her out of the corner of his eye from time to time.
They had found a peaceful and lonely place somewhere near the forbidden forest. It hadn't been so hard finding indeed for fast everyone was attending the Quiddich match.
"Yes I will. But I want you to promise me something before I do" She stood very upright, arms folded and her tone let him no choice.
He stopped abruptly and raised his head. "What?" he replied curtly
"Promise me you will use it only for good" she stated gravely. "And never it share with that bunch of creepy friends of yours". Her green eyes flashed a glint.
It stung bitterly that she could think of him so badly. But he didn't let her know and replied with his utmost conviction.
"I will. I promise you Lily"
She stared at him a few second as if probing his eyes for his sincerity. What she saw there must have satisfied her for she nodded and unfolded her arms.
"Okay."
He just waited for her to explain.
"You can keep your wand in your pocket and simply hold it. But to start you can hold it out if you wish."
He did, keeping his eyes on her.
"You imagine you're a feather - a joyful feather- eager to levitate in the wind. Then you picture yourself flying and you will." She motioned her hands palms up a bit like a conductor leading a band as she spoke.
"It's just that?" he replied with a smirk sounding a little angry and disappointed "there nothing more that you've not already told me". One could tell he thought she was teasing him.
"Yes just that" she said quietly. She propped her back against a tree trunk and folded her arms again.
He closed his eyes and tried hard to concentrate on the feather feeling. But with Lily's glare on him it was not an easy thing. His feet remained firmly stuck on the ground.
She giggled.
He snapped his eyes opened.
"What?!"
"Sev" she said sobering a little "you're far too tense. Relax. You have to feel light."
She thrust off the trunk, strode toward and slide behind him. Reaching out she took each of his hands in hers and moved her arms up and down like bird wings. His muscles were so taut that the first move was stiff and angular but then he breathed deeply and she felt him relax. He was warmer too. The moves went more fluid. His hair fluttered in her face.
"See?"
She let got off his hands and he turned to face her. He looked abashed and flushed
"I'm not sure" he whispered. His hands hanged at his side, suddenly bereft.
"Well just try again" she smiled at him.
Lily sat back on a stump and kept watching him. After several minutes of unsuccessful tries Severus was slowly getting more and more infuriated and frustrated. He mumbled under his teeth and she could see his brow furrow and furrow…
"Well…Lily...obviously...I just can't" he spat.
"I' sure you can!" she countered
"Well I just can't feel light then" he insisted
She giggled "but you're so thin…" she got to her feet and came closer to him. He caught a glimpse of something behind her eyes and she smiled mischievously. "This head of yours is too heavy." She stated "I think I've figured out what could help you"
"Hm?" confusion and curiosity mollified a little his anger. He had no inkling what she had in mind. She was standing so close to him. It made his heart beat faster. He could count her freckles.
"Close your eyes and try again!"
"But Lily..."
"Just do it!" she ordered
He yielded with a sigh and a frown. Silence fell between them. Leaves above their heads quivered under a gentle breeze. He took a deep breath.
"Okay" she said softly
And suddenly he felt her lips on his. He opened his eyes in shock. Lily was smiling broadly at him. "You're flying Sev!! Look!!"
They were actually floating two meters above the ground.
"See?!! I told you you could!"
He smiled back more from the kiss or from flying the he could not tell. They flew together under the shade of the trees and landed gracefully a good twenty meters away from their takeoff spot.
"I-I enjoyed it very much" he said in a very low voice stained with shyness and yearning. he stared at her. "Let's try again" he prodded even lower.
She blushed under his gaze. "Well I'm sure you don't need my help anymore" she claimed her voice a little higher as usual. But her eyes told him she had enjoyed that little help she had provided him to alleviate his mind.