Where Flowers Used To Be.
"Lily? Lily? Are you even listening to me?"
Approximately three seconds later, Lily Evans head jerked towards the source of the voice, so quickly she winced, a hand pressed to her neck as though she had cricked it.
"Wha- oh... yeah... Yeah, I was."
"Then what did I say?"
"You were talking about Quidditch."
James Potter lay back on his elbows, temporarily satisfied with his girlfriend's answer. They were lazing in the shade of the large beech tree which - in year's to come – their own son would sit under with his friends. Of course, they had no idea of knowing this.
The sun filtered in through the large, green leaves and strips of sunlight shone on James' face as he played with the snitch in his hand. Bright, hazel eyes were framed by glasses, and his black hair was perpetually messy but considerably better than it was in his fifth year; he had given up the habit of ruffling it every five seconds.
At that very moment, a group of fifth year girls walked past. They all giggled and one cooed particularly loudly "Ooh, she's so lucky to have him!"
However, Lily hadn't heard.
Thankfully, the girls passed quickly, and revealed the sight of Sirius Black walking across the grounds towards them. He wore a scowl on his face, which oddly rather suited than marred his striking features. James sprung to his feet.
Lily nodded distractedly as James explained he'd only be five minutes, kissing her on the cheek.
Her emerald eyes still remained on the prize.
The prize being Severus Snape.
It was accustomed that Snape spent his lunchtimes, break times and generally any free time in no other company but his own. After he and Lily, Snape's only friend, had fallen out, he had been left with no-one and if it was possible, was even more hated.
However, today was different.
The lanky, greasy-haired teen ('with pants that could do with a good wash' Lily added spitefully in her head, although felt slightly sick afterwards) was in perfect view from under the beech tree where Lily sat. Instead of the other students enjoying themselves by the lake, he sat quite a far distance from it, as not to ... well... provoke bullying.
This was nothing new; Lily had let her jade eyes wander to his hunched form many-a-time, before involving herself back into the conversation again with her whoever she was sitting with. The muggle-parented witch had found she was spending more time in the company of James' friends than in the company of her own. She wouldn't complain though; any time with James was good enough, and Remus' conversations were always far more interesting than how good looking members of the house Quidditch teams were.
Today though... today Severus Snape had company.
Lily had zoned out slightly from James' monologue on how Griffindor had thrashed Hufflepuff completely in the last Quidditch match (She wished he wouldn't; she had been there and seen the whole thing for herself, but let him ramble on enthusiastically anyway.) and her beautiful, almond shaped deep green eyes had somehow been pulled back to her ex-best friend.
And then suddenly, a figure in Hogwarts robes was approaching him.
Lily hesitated slightly – most were either afraid or bullies of Severus Snape, who in his first year knew more jinxes and hexes than those about to leave Hogwarts. Judging by the stranger's confident bee-line towards him, this person was one of the latter.
However, when the figure had finally reached their destination, they stopped and a few words were exchanged that Lily couldn't hear from how far away she was. She noted that whilst Snape's hand was holding his wand aloft, the other person's hands were both in sight, and both wand less. After a few moments, Snape's greasy haired head bobbed slightly, as though he had nodded.
Then the other figure sat down.
Next to him.
Lily didn't realise she was seething until she looked down and with a tiny 'Oh!' realised she'd dug her nails so deep into her palm the half moon crescents were stark red on her porcelain white skin. Her eyes fluttered up again to the pair sitting not too far, but not close enough from her.
'He's got company... from a girl.'
Lily had seen this long before the girl had even started a conversation with Snape. Although, once they'd started talking (Snape's back facing the direction of the beech tree) Lily had a clear view on the girl's face. With her long, dark curly hair kept out of her face with a simple but vivid green (in fact, it could've matched the exact same colour as Lily Evans eyes) ribbon, pale tan natural skin tone, and pouty lips that Lily was surprised she could make out from such a distance, this girl was undoubtedly pretty.
Lily watched out of the corner of her eye as James' and a blatantly agitated Sirius walked a bit further away, towards where Remus Lupin had entered the courtyard. She turned back to the couple, the girl attempting to lure Snape into a conversation.
So what's she doing sitting with everyone's favourite loser recluse?
Harsh as it was, the thought that crossed Lily Evans' mind was true, and it wasn't just Lily who thought so; two sixth years did a double take as they saw the pair talking, one commenting loudly (loud enough for Lily to faintly hear) whether or not the pretty girl was suffering from a vision impairing spell. As they laughed, Lily could see Snape hang his head dejectedly. Then, suddenly, the most extraordinary thing happened.
"I wish I was suffering from a vision impairing spell – at least I wouldn't have to suffer the sight of you two."
Her voice had carried far louder than the other wizard, and brought not just attention from her – two girls walked past, and one giggled enthusiastically. Both boys looked like they'd been slapped around the face and stalked off; leaving Severus Snape and his mysterious 'knight in Hogwarts armour' in what they thought was privacy.
"Lily?"
She turned immediately, biting her lip nervously at the look on James' face. Remus walked over and sat with his back ramrod straight on the bark of the tree, giving Lily a slight wave before burying himself in a book. Sirius joined, his handsome features slightly chirpier than a few moments before, and bit down into the red apple he was holding, lying down in the grass and flicking his dark hair casually out of his eyes, earning looks of longing from all the girls in the near vicinity (par Lily.)
James remained still, his hazel eyes breaking contact with Lily's, a slight crease in the middle of his eyebrows present.
He had seen her looking.
James Potter's eyes located the greasy haired head of Severus Snape, and his eyebrows rose slightly at the sight of company. Even at that, he still looked like he had half a mind to go over there and embarrass 'Snivellus' in front of his little friend.
"Don't, James." It was out before she'd realised.
James looked at her, hazel eyes behind his round shaped glasses filled with confusion.
"She just publically humiliated Carrow and Jugson with words. I don't doubt she'll use her wand the next time." Lily thanked her quick thinking.
Her future husband still looked puzzled, but nodded slightly and sat down next to Lily, enveloping her hand with his. She gave him a soft smile, and the subject was long forgotten as Peter Pettigrew approached with a grin on his rat-like features, ready to tell a story concerning a pretty boy Ravenclaw, and a vat full of undiluted bubotuber pus that even wiped the bored look off of Sirius' face.
As the bell sounded, signalling the end of lunch, Lily Evans let her eyes wander towards the spot where Severus Snape and the mystery girl had been seated. Although she had disappeared, Snape's oily haired head glistened in the sunlight, and as he walked past the beech tree to get to the castle, the red-haired girlfriend of seeker James' Potter could have sworn she'd seen the ghost of a smile on his sallow face.
She smiled sadly to herself, her green eyes on his retreating form.
Severus Snape had finally found a replacement...
Where flowers used to be.
-END-
EXAMS ARE OVER!
They went surprisingly well. So, as I promised myself, I updated. With something quite new actually;
My first Harry Potter fanfic!
I hope I did it well.
I adore the Harry Potter books. J.K. Rowling deserves every last penny of the millions she raked in bringing smiles to people's faces.
Anyway, PLEASE, PLEASE review and tell me what you thought. SERIOUSLY; I LOVE hearing people's opinions on this – and oh... was my OC too Mary Jane - or not Mary Jane enough? In fact, with my previous attempts, I thought I made her quite subtle. Would anyone like more of her (in fact; she's so minor Mary Jane, she doesn't even have a name! (: )
Have a nice day/evening/night/sunrise.