A/N: Please note that the rating has been revised to M... just to be safe. My apologies for younger teens. As for others, I do hope you enjoy :)
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Darkness still hung like a black veil over the placid lake. Cold wind swept through Severus' muggle neat black coat he had transfigured from a shabby-looking one left in the closet. Inside, he wore a white shirt with a black V neck woolen sweater and jeans, courtesy of his father's old large T-shirt and torn shorts. At least, I know how to look decent now, he thought, shuddering as he remembered the horrible hand-me-down rags he had worn in his younger years.
He sat down on their spot, a grassy clearing overlooking the lake. Leaning against their same old oak tree, Severus closed his eyes and thought of Lily.
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Lily hugged herself tightly. Dawn. Just brilliant, Lily! Why can't you make a specific timing for Merlin's sake! And now you need to freeze your butt in the dark, waiting for dawn! She cursed herself.
Wrapped tightly in a light brown leather coat; a beige knitted low scoop neck pullover that clung onto her body nicely; and a pair of tight jeans with knee-length light brown boots, Lily quickened her pace, partly to warm herself up, but more to see if he was there.
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The sound of soft footsteps approaching stirred Severus awake. For a moment, he wanted to spring up and gave her a tight squeeze. Wanting to know what she would do, he decided against it and remained still.
The footsteps came closer and closer until it stopped right in front of him. There was a long pause. Just when Severus started to wonder if she was even there, he felt it. Her hot breath. Her soft full lips mere millimetres away from his. Despite being a man with a paramount self control - so much that he could fool the most accomplished Legilimens ever existed, Severus couldn't help holding his breath in anticipation.
"You cunning Slytherin," came her voice, not her kiss.
He opened his eyes. The beautiful green orbs were right in front of him. She was so close he could smell her fragrant hair. "I was really asleep!" He gave her a sly grin and added, "until you came breathing on my lips."
"You're such a bad liar, Sev," cried Lily. I'm sure a few most powerful wizards would disagree, thought Severus. She sat down next to him, "how long have you been here?"
"I don't know. I couldn't sleep. Thanks for the dinner, by the way. I didn't know you've learned to cook so well," he turned to look at her.
Lily blushed and muttered, "The first confession of the day, I didn't. That was mom's cooking. I did, though, magically unfreeze them and charmed them so nicely for you."
Severus grinned, amused at her attempt. "I thought so. I remember you were quite disastrous in the kitchen. Your 'cookies'…," he chuckled. His thoughts drifted back to the time she had baked him something that had looked more like piles of dried up Blasted-ended Skrewt dungs than the thing she had dubbed 'Christmas cookies'.
"I was twelve. Give me a break!" grunted Lily. "Anyhow, Sev, I don't think we came all the way here to talk about my kitchen prowess. I have more important things to say to you," said Lily. Her voice became serious.
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She sat up straight, turning to face Severus. Her green sorrowful eyes met his deep dark gaze. "Sev. I'm sorry. I—"
Severus couldn't bare hearing another rejection. He cut her short, taking the butchering knife in his own hand. His sharp voice laden with bitterness. "It's okay, Lily. You don't need to be sorry for me. I understand. Nobody could ever forgive that. I couldn't even bare— " his feeble speech was interrupted by Lily's firm hand on his mouth.
"Seriously, just... shut up, would you?," said Lily impatiently. Severus blinked in confusion. She gave a long sigh and continued, "What I mean is, I've been thinking things through. And I... I am sorry I had made you a Death Eater."
If Severus had been stupefied, his expression would have been even less stunned than now. Lily continued, "I was proud and stubborn. I wasn't angry at you, more at ...myself and your...absence. I had hoped that you would come back after a few days apart. I wanted you feel how miserable your life would have been without me. To make you come crawling back and disown all your stupid friends... and tell me that... you love me. Little did I know… that I was pushing you away even further."
Tears welled up in Lily's eyes. She carried on gloomily, "Without me, you had no one to turn to, but those Death Eaters. It's inevitable. I had sealed your fate the minute I closed that door. I've made you…a Death Eater just because of my girlish pride…a childish game." Lily's voice broke.
Dazed beyond belief, Severus let out a low whisper. "But Lily…I thought…you hated…me. The Dark Arts..." He looked away from her, "But that didn't even matter, I…killed you," he croaked.
"No, you didn't. It's…strange. I mean, if I had really died and had really loved James and married him and all that— If I had experienced all that, I might have been furious and might have found it impossible to forgive you. But, you see, Sev. I'm still alive! And to see how you heart had died when mine had stopped beating… how could I possibly remain angry at you?" Lily took his hand and placed it over her left chest.
Severus felt her heart beating. Despite the situation, he couldn't help blushing at the feeling of her quivering breast under his palm.
She continued, "You see, Sev? We're both alive. And our hearts are beating. Whatever crime you had committed, you had paid for it with a lifetime of lies and loneliness. So, if it is my forgiveness you seek, please know this that you have it and had had it already a lifetime ago." Lily leaned closer to him. She reached out her hand and brushed Severus dark curtain of hair away so she could see him clearly. He shuddered when she cupped his cheek and lifted his face up to meet her eyes.
"But what matters to me... is your forgiveness. Please, Sev, please forgive me, for my foolish girlish game had cost you a lifetime of grief." Filled with shame, Lily could no longer hold her gaze on him. She looked down, and whispered, "if there's anyone to blame for us falling apart, it's also me. I had not been there for you. I had... failed you. I am...truly...sorry" Lily tried to swallow sets of sobs that had threatened to rise, but failed miserably. "Please, ...forgive me."
Severus could only stare at her. She's asking for MY forgiveness? "Lily..," he murmured. Overwhelmed with emotion, he could not bring himself to say anything else.
"But if you will give me a second chance. If you still want me, Sev, I promise you... I will never let you go. Never again." Seeing his blank expression, Lily face fell. Her voice quivered. "I know I'm not worth your sacrifice. You deserve bett-" Her words were drowned amidst sentence, for Severus mouth was on hers, hungrily.
He drank her in as if she was the last drop of water on earth. Cold bitterness that had frozen his heart melted away, fogging his eyes. One hand holding her head, entangled in her shiny red locks, the other wrapped around her delicate waist, pressing her tight onto his body. He whispered silkily, "Lily, don't ever let me hear you say that again. You are worth every pain I had endured... I just hope now it's time I cash in the 'pleasure' part."
Lily smiled. Relief crept back in her eyes. "That's gonna be a huge paycheque," she whispered.
Severus' next sentence sent her blushing profusely. Tingling chills raced up and down her spine as he hissed huskily into her ears, "so huge,you have no idea."
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Severus pulled her closer again, hoping to cash in his first 'pleasure' cheque, but before he could lose himself in her sweetness, she inserted a finger between their lips. "Wait," whispered Lily. "I need you to promise me, Sev. Promise me you will forgive yourself too. Otherwise, this new chance is going to be wasted. Your new heart would always remain as frost-bitten as before. Promise me you will let the world see what I see in…here." She placed her hand on his chest. Severus opened his mouth to protest. "No 'but', Sev. If you want a future with me, say you promise," said Lily sternly. She locked her gaze with his, unwavering.
Severus swallowed hard. How could he forgive himself for what he had done. His mistake had cost her life. "I promise I'll…try. With your help, I'll try," uttered Severus consciously.
Lily gave a smile. "That's a good start," she chuckled softly. "You're such a Slytherin. Ever so diplomatic. So non-committal."
"I am not a person who casually throws promises around just to get a girl," scoffed Severus, thinking, no doubt, of James' hexes that had landed him and several others in the Hospital Wings behind Lily's back. The grinning arrogant face glared in his mind. "Now your turn. Promise me… that as long as I shall live, you will not marry Potter… or for that matter, you will ward your house against his apparition so that he could not sneak up on you ever again!," said Severus defiantly.
Lily blinked, then bursted out laughing. She sat back on the grass. Her eyes twinkling with amusement. "You still remember that! Wow! Getting possessive already, are we?" she grinned playfully. Severus looked sour and annoyed. "It's not funny, Lily. I am dead serious," he said grumpily.
"Okay. Okay," said Lily, wiping laughing tears from her eyes. "I, Lily Evans, promise thee, Severus Snape, that as long as thee shall live, I shall never marry James Potter." Her voice serious, yet the twinkle in her eyes shone brightly with amusement.
"And that I will let thee, Severus Snape, ward my house against James Potter, banning him from apparating inside ever again. Say it, Lily," persisted Severus.
Lily grinned widely as she repeated after him, mocking his silky low voice, "and that I will let thee, Severus Snape, ward my house against James Potter, banning him from apparating inside ever again." She laughed and punched his arm playfully, "you happy now?"
"Yes, very," replied Severus before he snatched her waist and pulled her on top of him. Lily let out a shriek of laughter and giggled happily. "Merlin, Sev. You've made me a giggling girly Hufflepuff."
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Dark black eyes bore deeply into bright green ones. Their lips found one another's, sealing the promises in their own language. Lust burning bright in her eyes, Lily threw away all cautions and pushed herself against Severus, grinding her body slowly into his. Burying her face onto the nape of his neck, she traced the faint line of that deadly scar up his earlobe lightly with the tip of her tongue, following by tiny teasing bites.
Even with thick jeans on, the rhythm of her hips on his inevitable arousal sent Severus blazing with roaring desire. Blood rushed furiously though his veins. He felt his jeans had tightened up uncontrollably. Groaning at her light maddening caresses, he ripped her leather coat and stripped the pullover off her almost violently. One hand unhooking her bra in one swift motion, the other guiding her hips into the rhythm he desperately needed. Hearing her moaning softly as his hand seized her heaving breasts kneading them lustfully, Severus pulled Lily's head up and savagely kiss her. Lily's response was nothing but on par.
Lost in their fervent lustful rush, Severus and Lily paid no attention to the rising sun that had brushed away darkness and cold. Tops pulled, stripped, and discarded. Lips and hands found new places to roam feverishly. Gasping and moaning onto each other's skin, before long, they were rolling on the grass, locked in each other's heated embrace.
Pinned down on the ground, Lily gave a loud ecstatic cry as Severus' lips traced down her collar bone and found her bare breasts. He circled his tongue expertly around her hardened nipple while massaging the other with his long nimble fingers. Her body shuddered uncontrollably at this new-found pleasure. She arched her back and wrapped her legs tightly around his body. Her hands rushed to his belt, peeling, tugging, wanting to feel more of him. Severus' arousal had become unbearable. His growing and throbbing shaft demanded a release from the jeans furiously. His breathing grew more and more ragged. He knew he had to ask her now... before he would gladly ditch the will to do so.
Forcing himself up from her soft sweet swollen breasts, Severus levelled his face with her flustered one. His urgent whisper was hoarse with desire. "Lily... do you want me to stop? Otherwise, I can't anymore."
"I know... I don't...," Lily gasped for air. Her voice equally raspy. "I don't... but we...should." She pulled him closer for one more passionate kiss, then gathered all her willpower to push herself up. "Thank you, Sev," whispered Lily. "I mean, for… you know, stopping. …not that I want you to, but…I want it to be…special," she stammered, apparently out of breath.
Mentally smacking himself for this uncalled-for disastrous surge of chivalry, Severus muttered through gritted teeth, still breathing heavily, "it's... fine, Lily." Yea right… Merlin knows how long you've been waiting for this, Severus, he wailed inside, trying to calm his…excitement down.
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Lily gave a small laugh when she registered the state they were in. Severus' dark hair was messy and full of dead leaves. His discarded shirt missed all of the buttons thanks to her greedy tug and pull. His coat and sweater laid crumpled next to the tree. Lily knew she was probably not such a pretty sight, for she saw him chuckling at her.
"You might want to… freshen up before you go and see your seventeen-year-old son," said Severus mischievously. "Although, I would find it highly amusing to see his expression upon finding us… like this… again." Severus gave a sadistic laugh.
He stood up, magicked their clothes back on, and gave her his hand. Lily took it. Severus pulled her closer. His sable eyes locked tightly into her beautiful emerald ones, conveying the feeling burning inside his heart. Wrapping her arms around his neck, Lily beamed at him and muttered, "I know, Sev. I love you too." She smiled sweetly.
Casting cleaning spells on both of them, Lily fixed Severus' buttonless shirt and adjusted his sweater and coat lovingly. At twenty, Severus' figure had already matured from its awkward youth. His chest and shoulders broad yet lean, filling the already towering frame nicely. "By the way, you look sexy in black, Sev," she smiled playfully. "Perhaps, I should also ward your house against witches as well, hmm?"
Severus chuckled softly, "Go ahead. Move in first and ward every witch in the world away. I couldn't care less." He wrapped one arm around her waist, then asked, "shall we take a stroll, then?"
"I'd love that," replied Lily, resting her head on his shoulder. Snuggled close together, they walked slowly with new springs in their steps towards Spinner's End.
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"So, how old are you exactly?"
"Come on... you really need to know?"
"Why not!"
"Well, I was... thirty eight... a lifetime ago. So, I guess I'm about that, mentally."
"Ooh... an older man.. a snappy.. sexy... Potion Master..."
"WH—"
"Mmmm seduce me, Professor. I'm your Lolita!"
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A passerby, hidden in the shadow of an alley, stole a glance at the couple lost in their loving whispers, cuddling up to each other on a morning stroll. Pale eyes shone maliciously under the black hooded cloak. A dark vicious sneer crept onto his lips.
There you are…Severus. The man raised his wand.
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A/N (again): So sorry I left you hanging. Couldn't resist. *guilty face* Promise I will update within this week and get you off the cliffs.