A/N: Okay, so I'm giving in. 'Decisions' part one and two will now be part of a big, seperate fic that will start before and end after. Call what's up now a teaser... So, I'm working on that, and my own original novels (all three of them), plus school will be back in a little under three weeks. So I'm very sorry in advance if this isn't updated as often. I'm so glad people actually like it though... anything in particular you'd like to see?
Anywho, read on!
"Alright, that should be all for today… remember, I want your essays on my desk by Tuesday!" Slughorn called, raising his voice over the sounds of chairs scraping on the stone floors. I began packing my books back into my bag, but I paused when I felt eyes on me.
"I'm not that interesting, Sev," I said, laughing lightly. Sev shook his head and blinked, smiling weakly.
"Yes you are," he said, and I could feel my cheeks turning pink as I turned back to my bag. "Wait, Lily? D'you want to go to Hogsmeade with me tomorrow?" Sev said quickly, and when I looked back at him I could see he was clearly surprised at his daring.
"Aren't we already going together?" I asked curiously.
Sev swallowed hard and I could almost see him bracing himself. "I know, but I meant…"
"Go with you," I offered, my voice flat. Sev nodded and I could see him beginning to blush. I wasn't sure which alarmed me more – the idea of Sev blushing or his question.
"You don't have to, I – I was being stupid, never mind…" he said after a moment, turning away and shoving books into his bag as fast as he could.
"I'd be happy to," I said suddenly, and he paused.
"Really?"
My heart was pounding. "Part of me has wanted you to ask me since fourth year," I muttered. Sev smiled, clearly relieved but still nervous.
"I don't mean to intrude, but I'm afraid you two lovebirds will have to continue your conversation elsewhere," Slughorn said suddenly, and both of us whirled around.
"We're not…"
"We're just…"
Slughorn only laughed, a knowing sort of twinkle in his eyes. "Right. Of course. Just friends. Either way, move along!"
I felt my face flare crimson and quickly left the room, Sev hot on my heels. It wasn't until we were nearly out of the dungeons that we spoke again. "So, Great Hall around ten?" Sev asked, his voice sounding oddly constricted. I looked at him for a moment before nodding. He smiled at me before turning to go.
"Wait, Sev," I said suddenly, and before I could rethink it I rose up on my toes and kissed his cheek. He looked taken aback, but he beamed at me before heading to his dormitory. I stood there a moment longer before grinning to myself and starting upstairs.
I didn't get to sleep until late, and I woke up early. I couldn't help it – I was terribly nervous about the Hogsmeade trip. Even though I had gone with Sev what felt like a million times, this time was different. This time it was a date… my first date at sixteen, with my best friend. What if you screw it up, Lily? Then what? You wouldn't have ruined a date, you'd have ruined an entire friendship…
I forced the thought out of my head and changed, dressing slightly flirtier than I normally did in skinny jeans, strappy sandals and a thin-strapped tank top. I pulled a brush through my dark red hair and glared at my reflection in my little hand mirror.
"Stressed much?" Mary asked with a smirk. She had been watching me anxiously get ready for the past half-hour from her own bed, where she sat cross-legged. I gave her a look and went back to trying to get my hair to part the right way. Mary laughed and got up, taking the brush from my hand and fixing it for me.
"Thanks."
"You don't need to go to all this trouble, you know. James is already head-over-heels in love with you…"
"James?" I said sharply, looking up at her.
"That's who you're going with, isn't it?" Mary asked, looking puzzled.
"No, I'm going with Sev!"
"You're going on a date with Severus Snape?" Mary demanded, sounding almost scandalized. At the same time, Alice walked into the room fresh from the showers with a towel around her, beaming.
"You're going on a date with Sev?" she squealed.
"Yeah, I am," I said, unable to help the thrill of fear that coursed through me. You're going on a date with Sev. A date with Sev. "What's it to you, Mary?"
"He's a Slytherin!" she exploded. "And a Death Eater to boot!"
"Oh, do us all a favour and piss off, MacDonald," I said fiercely. "You of all people should be happy for me, I rather expected you to jump on any chance you could get to knock me out of the picture so you can have Potter all to yourself." Mary's mouth worked furiously but no sound came out. "I'll be at breakfast." I snatched my bag off my bed, threw down my mirror and stormed out of the room.
"Lily! Lily, wait!" Alice called after me, but I ignored her. I ignored everyone all the way down to the Great Hall, by which time I had calmed down considerably. Sev was standing by the doors where other students were trickling out, looking nervous. When he looked up I could see his eyes widen ever so slightly as he took in my appearance. Suddenly I wasn't so sure my outfit was the best choice.
"What d'you think?" I asked self-consciously as I walked up to him. I watched his black eyes comb over me once more before he grinned.
"You look more beautiful than ever," he said, and instantly I felt myself blushing. Sev laughed and took my hand, and I blushed even deeper.
"I'm sorry, this is just… different," I said as we started down the path towards Hogsmeade. "In a good way though," I added quickly, seeing Sev's face and feeling his grip on my hand loosen. "Different in a very good way."
Being on a date with Sev was almost exactly like going to Hogsmeade normally with him. We had a Butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks, I let him drag me into Scrivenshafts once I had dragged him into Honeydukes, and we talked and laughed just like normal. The only difference was that we held hands a lot more, and now there was something in Sev's eyes that he had hidden before – something I couldn't quite place, but something that thrilled me.
"Let's go up to the Shrieking Shack," Sev suggested after a while. I happily agreed – we had already gotten a few funny looks from other students.
Evans and Snape? I thought… didn't he call her a…? She forgave him, for some reason. But I always thought, Evans and James… But he's a Slytherin, and she's a Gryffindor!
We came to the little glade that overlooked the run-down house. Thankfully, it was deserted. I let my hand slip from Sev's and walked right up to the fence, taking in the shack with a half-smile. I had always liked it here more than anywhere else in the village.
"Have you really wanted me to ask you out since fourth year?" Sev asked suddenly from behind me. I didn't even turn, not wanting him to see me blushing once again.
"Yes," I admitted with a little laugh. "Yes, suddenly you were a boy and I was a girl, and everyone who was everyone was pairing up with someone else and there we were trying to stay friends. I expected you to ask me out long before this…"
"Oh really?"
"Yes really, everyone knows you fancy me, I just wasn't sure what to do about it."
"I don't fancy you, Lily," he said, and something in his voice made me turn. He stood just a little behind me, and he looked extremely nervous. "I love you."
I swallowed, and the simple action took a remarkable amount of effort. "As a friend?" I said quietly, silently begging that wouldn't be the answer.
"As soul mates."
He stepped forwards and cradled the side of my head in one of his hands, twining his long fingers into my hair. My heart was beating frantically as he tilted my face up and kissed me.
For a moment I just stood there rigidly, looking over his shoulder at the trees behind us… but then my eyes closed and I relaxed into his embrace, wrapping my own arms around him and pulling him closer. A shiver ran up my spine and Sev chuckled against my lips.
After several long moments – or it might have been half an hour – or possibly several sunlight days – we broke apart, both of us breathing heavily. "Lily, I've loved you since the day we met," Sev said huskily. "I've wanted to tell you for ages."
I only kissed him again. It was finally dawning on me that I fancied Sev at the very least, but I was dangerously close to being completely in love. Sev's mum wouldn't be happy. Neither would our houses. Tuney and James would both be furious. My mum probably saw this coming ages ago… but I was happy, and Sev was clearly ecstatic, and that's all I really cared about.
"Imagine what they're going to say back at the castle when they find out I'm your girlfriend," I said after a while.
"Is that what you are?" Sev asked hopefully.
"Is it?"
"Merlin, I hope so."
"Then I am," I said simply, tucking a lock of my hair behind my ear and smiling. "Lily and Sev, Hogwarts's newest – and most unlikely - couple."
"I like the sound of that," Sev said with a grin, and pulled my lips to his again.
Oh, and YouWithTheFace, I bestow upon you the rank of Totally Awesome for getting the Monty Python thing in the last chapter. Ni!