Author's note: Here you go guys. This is quite an intersting chapter if I do say so myself. And there's another surprise in this one. Read and find out. Please enjoy and review.
The next day, Bellatrix and Snape were walking hand in hand to Hogsmede. It had been quite a while since they went there together. The pair stopped outside a store, while Snape had a smoke.
" I'm going crazy. I can't smoke anymore. You're lucky you still can. " Bellatrix said, the jealousy radiating form her.
When the smell of the cigarette smoke reached her nose, her eyes twitched and she tried not to breathe it in. If she breathed it in, she knew she'd need one.
" If I saw you smoking, I'd kick your ass. " Snape warned.
She laughed slightly.
" I know you would. Now put that out, you're annoying me. " she ordered.
He gave her a look that said ' you have to be kidding. '
Then as if she could read his mind she said " No, I'm not kidding. Put it out. "
He ignored her and took another drag. He was teasing her on purpose.
" Make me. " Snape suggested.
Bellatrix pouted, but then she took a few steps so her face was just inches away from his. She grabbed his chin and kissed him fiercely, while her hand inched its way toward his. She quickly grabbed his cigarette, then flicked it into the snow.
" Sneaky bitch. " he scoffed, smiling at her.
She laughed in response. Name calling was just something they did. It was all in good fun.
The two of them walked into the store they'd been stading near. It was quite a creepy little place. And they didn't see a single student in there who wasn't a Slytherin. Bellatrix darted to the back of the room to admire the shrunken heads and the little bats that were sleeping in their cages.
Snape caught sight of the jewelry that was behind the glass to the side of the counter. His gaze quickly went to a ring. But not just any ring. It was silver. Real silver. He could tell. It had a large emerald in the middle. Two serpents were wrapped around the emerald, facing in opposite directions. They were encrusted with diamonds. And they had small emeralds for eyes. He immediately thought of Bellatrix. When he saw it, he knew it was for her.
" Could I see that ring, please? " Snape asked the man behind the counter.
" Certainly. " he said, smiling to reveal a mouthful of not-so-appealing teeth.
He unlocked the glass, and opened it up. Then he carefully placed the ring in Snape's hand. He scanned his eyes over it with a smile. Bella would love it for sure.
" Who's the lucky lady? " asked the weird little man, looking around the room to see if he could pick her out.
" Huh? " replied Snape.
" You're thinking about proposing with that ring. Now tell me who the lucky lady is. " he insisted.
Snape supposed he was right. It hadn't really crossed his mind that he was attracted to the ring for that reason. But, he figured he must have decided that subconsciously.
" Look in the back of the room. She's the prettiest girl here. Or anywhere for that matter. She's checking out the shrunken heads. " he said, pointing to his lovely Bella.
The man caught sight of Bellatrix and whistled.
" Ain't she a sight for sore eyes. " he assessed.
" Yep. She's mine. Her name is Bellatrix. " stated Snape, proudly.
" I sincerely wish you luck, lover boy. Won't find another girl like her for a thousand years. " he said.
" Right you are. " Snape said, dreamily.
" Now you be wanting to buy this? " the man asked.
" How much is it? " Snape questioned, mentally preparing himself to hear a large sum of money.
" That there is five hundred galleons. " he told him.
Snape's jaw nearly dropped. Five hundred galleons was way out his budget.
" That much? " he asked.
The man nodded his head. Snape averted his gaze to Bellatrix. He quickly decided that she was worth all the money in the world and then some. He'd figure out a way to get five hundred galleons. He could do it for her.
" Do you think you could hold this for me? I don't have money right now. " Snape admitted, slightly ashamed to admit he was poor.
" Sure thing. Cross my heart, hope to die. You can come back in twenty years and I'll have it for you. That's a promise. " he insisted.
" Thank you. I appreciate it. " Snape replied.
" Do me a favor, too. You treat that pretty gal right, ya hear? " he said, sounding serious.
" Yes, sir. " Snape agreed.
" Did you know that ring has history? Rumor has it that Salazar Slytherin himself gave it to his mistress. But don't ask me how it wound up here. I wasn't even the original owner of this place. It's been here since I bought this store years ago. " the man explained.
" Interesting. Very interesting. " murmured Snape.
And just as he handed the ring back, he saw Bellatrix walking toward him. She set a father fancy looking gold dagger on the counter.
" I want this. " she told the man.
" Of course, miss. That's thirty galleons. " he said.
Bellatrix pulled the money out of her purse as if it were nothing. Sometimes Snape forgot just how much money the Blacks really had. It was quite overwhelming to him to see someone spend so much on things that they really didn't need.
" Have a nice day. " he said, taking the money with a creepy smile.
" You ready to go? " she asked Snape.
He nodded his head, and took her arm in his as they walked out together. He couldn't help wondering how he'd ever get the money to buy Bella's ring. And how he'd ever grow a pair of nuts and propose to her. He hadn't even told her he loved her yet. The closest he'd come to that was telling her he thought he was in love with her. That was the day he asked her to be his girlfriend.
" What are you up to? " Bellatrix asked him, with her trademark sexy little smirk.
Snape panicked as he thought of what to say.
" It's a surprise. " he blurted out. That wasn't really a lie. He was sure she would be surprised. He'd just leave it at that. She giggled.
" Well, all right then. " she responded.
He was about to say something, but she silenced him with a long kiss.
Later that day, Snape went to the library. He was alone because Bellatrix had gone to lie down. When he got there, he saw nobody but Lily. She was sitting at a nearby table, completely focused on the book in her hands. Snape went right over and sat next to her.
" Hi, Sev. " Lily said when she realized he was there.
" Hi. " he said back, propping his feet up on the table.
She studied him for a few moments. She was still a little angry with him, but glad to see him nonetheless. He looked well.
" I'm glad to see you happy again. Finally over her, huh? " she asked with a smile.
Snape paused for a moment. She sure had the wrong idea.
" Not exactly. " he mumbled.
" What are you talking about? " she asked, hoping it wasn't what she thought he meant.
" We're back together. I explained to her that me and you didn't have anything going on. She is pregnant, and we're going to have a family together. So we're really trying to make things work. I love her, Lil. " Snape explained.
Lily smiled and said " That's great. "
She was crying inside. She thought her and Severus did have something going on, and that the kiss meant he really liked her. Now it got her thinking she would have just been the rebound girl.
But she was wrong. Snape still felt something for her, but he was now trying to get over her because he wanted to keep Bellatrix. Hell, he was thinking about marrying her. He was hopelessly in love. So he knew he had to let Lily go. What he didn't see was that Lily wasn't really happy they got back together. She was only pretending.
" Thanks for understanding. " Snape said, putting a hand on her shoulder.
Part of Lily wanted to spill her feelings out, but the more rational part told her to give up and move on.
" You're welcome. What are friends for, right? " she said, masking her sadness.
" Yeah. " he agreed.
" Hey, listen. I'm gonna go check on Bellatrix. She's not feeling so good. I'll see you later. " Snape said, getting up and pushing in his chair.
" Okay, yeah. Hope she feels better. Good talking to you. " Lily said, waving goodbye and nearly choking on her words.
When she was sure he was gone, she lowered her head and began to cry. Her tears left tiny puddles on the dry pages of the old book she was reading. Along with sorrow, she felt a very unhealthy thing. Hatred. Hatred for her. The one who stole Snape's heart and locked it away for herself. Lily never really hated anyone until now. But she just couldn't help it.
It had been two days since Snape had talked to Lily about him and Bellatrix. He'd hardly even made eye contact with Lily in the time that followed. In two whole days he hadn't said a word to her. All he did was give awkward glances, smiled slightly, or waved when Bellatrix wasn't around. Lily hoped it wasn't going to be like this for much longer. She didn't want to grow apart from Snape. He was her best friend. Her true best friend. He wasn't at all like the many fickle, gossipy girls who claimed to be her friends. He was different. Special. And now Lily could hardly get him to look in her direction. She assumed it was Bellatrix's doing. Afterall, she had Snape wrapped around her finger. He'd do anything she said. And Lily knew it.
She sat on a chair in the Gryffindor common room, which she currently had all to herself. Until a certain pair of trouble making boys walked in.
" Hi, Lily. I've been looking everywhere for you. " said James, seeming genuinely happy to see her.
" Yeah, where've you been, Lily? " asked Sirius.
They took it upon themselves to sit on a couch across from her. Lily sighed. She really didn't want to talk to them right now.
" I don't want to talk to you, James. Please leave. " she said, as though she owned the place.
" Okay , hold up! Look, I kissed you because I thought you liked me. You sure were acting like it. You shouldn't lead people on. " James said, bitterly.
" I believe you're the one who misinterperated. I only wanted to be friends, and I never said anything otherwise. I didn't lead you on, so you have some nerve accusing me of anything. Right now I don't even want to be your friend. " Lily argued.
" You made me think that you really liked me. I have feelings too, you know. Then, you ditch me to go snog Snivellus. " he stated.
Sirius was silent. For once, he didn't have anything to say. He really didn't feel like getting into this. It was none of his business and he was sick of all the drama in Hogwarts lately. Sirius didn't like drama.
" No, it's not like that! Who told you that anyway, Snape? Since when do you talk to him? " Lily spat, the anger now clearly etched on her face.
" Wasn't Snape. Goes to show not only do you lead people on, you don't trust your friends worth a shit. And really they should be the ones not trusting you. You sure are good at the innocent and nice act. But it's not going to work on me anymore. " James pointed out.
Lily was shocked at the things that were coming out of his mouth. It was like he was a different person.
" I do trust my friends! I just don't see who would have told you that! " Lily yelled.
" Bellatrix Black. " James stated flatly.
" Bellatrix Black? Are you kidding me right now? You're going to believe a two timing, lying, hateful, black-hearted bitch who can't keep her legs closed? " she screamed, pulling on her hair in frustration.
Sirius couldn't help snickering.
" She was telling the truth! She caught you two red-handed! Are you going to sit there and lie to my face? " James fired back, pointing at her.
" I'm not lying! I'm just saying it wasn't how you so crudely put it! " Lily said in her defense.
" Oh, really? What happened then? " he asked, folding his hands on his lap and looking ready to hear a long story.
Lily was silent.
" I'm waiting. " James said.
Lily bolted from her seat.
" Well you're going to have to wait a long time. We're not on speaking terms anymore. " she said, coldly.
Then she walked out of the common room.
James groaned in frustration.
" Girls are crazy! " he shouted.
" I know. That's why I just screw 'em and leave 'em. " Sirius said, as though it was nothing.
" Don't rub it in. That's what I did do until I thought a had a chance with Lily. " James said, burying his face in his hands.
Sirius patted his back.
" Eh, tough luck. " he said.
" Not helping. " James informed him.