Neeewwy: I felt this story needed a bit of fluff, to be honest and if you read what Remus says in the earlier lines, he comments on it being a "phase". Since there was no Snape to keep them at odds with each other, I think their relationship would've started out all cutesy and adorable like a lot of couples, but they still have to get used to being together before they return to normal, or as normal as we know them to be. But thanks for saying you liked it and I decided the whole Snape stalking Lily thing would be a good angle for a chapter.
Mint-Chocolate-Leaves: I couldn't resist adding a bit of fluff, especially since this story is kind of dark at times. But the cuteness…well let's just say it won't last forever. :S
Queenie Greengrass: Indeed she has. She seems to rise to the challenge, though, huh?
Theuniqueartistictype: I know. It is quite a leap. I'm kind of impulsive, so when the mood to write strikes, I just go with it. I should've considered the time leap. I'll see if I can fix that, but for now, I hope this isn't too distant from what we saw before! Thanks so much for telling me, I'd rather have your honest opinion than something nice and flowery skirting around it. ;)
Disclaimer
Alright. You guys caught me. I'll come quietly, let me just…FREEZE RAY!
*Is defeated by someone with a tiny fire ray.*
Sigh. Yeah, not JK Rowling guys.
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Severus Snape had known Lily Evans since they were children. Well perhaps "known" was too strong a word. Observed, would possibly be more appropriate. Severus was good at observing people. He was naturally quiet and unobtrusive, results of a less than perfect home life. In his experience, invisible was good.
Lily Evans was anything but invisible. When she transferred to his school, aged nine, she stood at the top of the classroom, hands in pockets, hair in neat copper braids and eyes that glittered with mischief, he stared. This girl, this vibrant girl who almost seemed to give off a heavenly glow caught his attention, until there was nothing else, nobody else in the room. She sat down beside him, where nobody else would sit because the Snape boy dressed weird and was too quiet and shot him a gorgeous gap toothed grin and whispered just a solitary word;
"Hi." Severus felt his heart sink into his shoes and he turned his gaze instead to his hands, his normal unhealthy pallor being replaced by a bright red.
She didn't move, even when she was informed of the playground gossip, he was the outsider, he should be avoided. She should go sit with pretty Marissa Jane or beside Bradley Walker who could spin a basketball on one finger. But she didn't.
It was another five years before they spoke again and Severus wasn't even sure how it happened. One minute he was dissecting his cucumber and cheese sandwich (as was his custom) and then the next, poof! She flopped down beside him, blowing her fringe out of her eyes and shooting him an apologetic smile.
"You don't mind, do you? They're such assholes." She jerked her thumb behind her at the alpha males, who were chucking assorted pieces of fruit at each other. The second they noticed her glare they made a point of taking chunks of meat and scarfing them down, laughing as they did so. When one started choking, she rolled her eyes and returned to her sensible mixed salad and wholegrain feta cheese and gherkin sandwich. He blinked. It was basically an upscale version of his own lunch.
Severus had been trying to puzzle out why Lily Evans was so attractive to him. There were certainly girls who were much better looking, girls with straight teeth and flawless skin, who walked as if the world was theirs for the taking. Lily had crooked teeth, freckles by the dozen and a smattering of spots, nothing obvious but evident. She walked with slightly hunched shoulders and her head ducked, making the hair constantly fall into her eyes. She was known for her temper, when unleashed, it was vicious. She was a poor loser. She let little things, like people she never knew dying, get to her. She was always pushing and interfering. But she smiled at him like she saw something others didn't. She smiled at everyone like that, he reminded himself, but when she smiled specifically at him, he felt a pull far too strong and deep for a fourteen year old heart to deal with.
So here he was, ten years later, watching her tuck her hair under a cap to shield it from the downpour of rain that he was sheltering from in the small café she frequented. Indeed, he had been a witness to her first encounter with the police officer, just over three months ago. He'd observed the young man who'd smiled bashfully when she nodded at him for the first month or so. She hadn't noticed Severus, but that had been the point.
He watched her now, she shook off the droplets of rain that clung to her leather jacket and sprinkled the floor near the door liberally. Her eyes scanned the room and her expression fell. She was waiting for him, he knew. The tall, darkly handsome man in uniform who quite plainly adored her, despite the fact their relationship had plainly sailed past the "honeymoon phase" and they regularly exchanged battles of wit and words, sarcasm and gentle teasing replacing their previously sickeningly sweet, lovey dovey, vomit inducing prattle. He winced. That sounded bitter, even in his head.
Still, something worried her. There were faint bags under her eyes and worry lines between her eyebrows. She glanced at her watch, sighed and sat down, in the booth behind his, so that she was facing him. He froze. History it seemed, was repeating itself. Of course he had taken care to disguise himself inconspicuous as ever. She shot him a weary smile, a ghost of her normal radiant one and let her head drop onto the table, grimy and all as it was.
It was precisely that second that the door opened and Officer Potter, utterly drenched staggered in. The fatigue seemed to drain from Lily's face and she grinned at her… boyfriend. Severus sighed inwardly at the admission to himself. He'd never truly had a chance with Lily Evans, but seeing her with James Potter made it all the more obvious.
"Wotcher." She looked up at him and the cheerfulness disappeared just as quickly as it had come.
"What happened?" Severus couldn't see Potter's face but he assumed his expression was worrying enough as Lily had already made for her coat.
"We need to talk. Privately." The rich baritone was sombre and hushed, he reached automatically for Lily's hand, stroking, soothing. Severus heard Lily's murmured reverent whisper, petitioning their maker. Then they were gone. He didn't go after them. After all, he thought, massaging his aching heart. Some things were better off as secrets. Like his undying love for a girl who barely knew he existed. And his task to murder her.