Severus spat bubbles out of his mouth. "If you're trying to drown me, may i say now that you're doing a pretty damn good job at it!"
Sirius rolled his eyes. "Think of the positives, Severus! Tonight's the night!"
Severus sat in his bath, fuming, wiping his black hair out of his eyes. "Even Frederick likes you! And everyone knows how hard it is to impress the girl's father!" Sirius went on, balancing on his stool.
Remus threw another bucket of water over Severus' head, causing more of his hair to cover his eyes.
"I don't know," Severus said, pushing his hair out of his eyes again. "I don't think i can do this."
Severus looked across the room, seeing the glowing pink lily in it's glass, starting to wilt.
"See?" Sirius said, pointing to the flower. "You don't have time to be timid!"
Sirius puffed out his chest and put his fist on it. "You must be bold, daring."
"Bold, Daring." Severus repeated, shaking himself off of the water and stepping out of the bath.
"There will be music, romantic candle light" Sirius pressed on. "Provided by myself, of course."
"And when the moment is right?" Remus said.
"He confesses his love!" Sirius said with a wave of his arm.
"Yes," Severus said, drying his hair. "Wait, no-no-" he shook his head. "I can't do it..."
Sirius put his hands on his hips. "Well you care for the girl, don't you?"
"More than anything" Severus said quietly.
"Well there! Tell her that!" Sirius said, slapping him on the back. "Oh, sorry.."
"If you put my hair in a bow, i'll kill you." Severus said to Remus, who came over with a bow of ribbons.
"Fine," Remus said,, snapping the box shut. "But don't come complaining to me when Lily finds a black hair in her soup or something."
"That's silly, I'd blame it on Sirius." Severus said nonchalantly.
Sirius turned on his heel and look at them. "Hey!"
Severus and Remus laughed.
Severus waited for Lily at the top of the stairs leading to the castle's shining dance floor.
A door opened, and Lily walked out, smiling, her dark red hair falling down her back in waves, her beautiful dress a pale shade of green that complemented her own green eyes.
They both beamed at each other, leading one another to the dance floor, completely lost in their own little world, dancing to the music.
'Tale as old as time,
True as it can be,
Barely even friends,
Then some body bends,
Unexpectedly.'
'Just a little change,
Small to say the least,
Both a little scared,
Neither one prepared,
Beauty and the beast.'
'Ever just the same,
Ever a surprise,
Ever as before,
Ever just as sure,
As the sun will rise.'
'Tale as old as time,
Tune as old as song,
Bitter sweet and strange,
Finding you can change,
Learning you were wrong,
Severus placed his head in the crook of Lily's neck, taking in her warmth. Lily smiled into Severus' shoulder.
Certain as the sun,
Rising in the east.'
'Tale as old as time,
Song as old as rhyme,
Beauty and the Beast.'
The all of the castle's inhabitants were watching them, smiling at each other, Hope was back at last.
Frederick Evans stood next to Mrs. Weasley and Ginny, looking down at the scene, smiling.
Ginny yawned loudly.
"Off to bed with you, Love, it's way past your bed time." Mrs. Weasley said, stroking her daughter's hair.
"I'm not tired, honest." Ginny said, barely keeping her eyes open.
Severus lead Lily out onto the balcony, sitting next to her.
"Lily," He said, taking her hands into his own. "Are you happy here? With me?'
"Oh yes." Lily smiled at him, but then she looked towards the horizon, with a sad look in her green eyes.
"What's wrong?" Severus said, his brow furrowed.
"It's been long so long since i've seen my mother or sister, i just want to see them, make sure they're alright." Lily said, looking at the ground.
"There is a way, you know." Severus said to her.
Severus lead Lily back into the castle, up into the newly cleaned West Wing, and reached for a shining silver mirror.
"This mirror will show you anything, anything you wish to see." Severus said, handing the mirror to Lily.
Lily took the mirror. "I'd like to see my mother and sister, Please."Lily said uncertainly.
The mirror glowed green, and showed her mother, a deranged look on her pretty face, whispering "they'll be okay" over and over again. Petunia stood by the window, looking anxious, but still with a wild grin on her thin face.
"No, no-" Lily said, shaking her head. "That can't be happening…"
Severus gave Lily a concerned look. "What's wrong?"
Lily shook her head again. "Mum's losing it! She probably think we're dead and she can't handle it! And Petunia isn't helping at all. Oh god-"
Severus thought for moment to hug Lily, tell her it was okay, but he went against it.
"Go then." Severus said, he voice sickened with sadness, his black eyes on Lily's worried frame.
"What, but what about you? and everyone else here-" Lily said.
"Your father is fine, he can travel know." Severus said, forcing the words out. "Go to your family, they need you more than i,- we do. It's okay."
Lily went over to Severus and gave him a tight squeeze. "Thank you." She whispered to him, placing a kiss on his cheek.
She handled the mirror back, but Severus pushed it away. "Keep it," He said, looking into her green eyes. "Take it with you, so you can always have a way to back, and-" Severus ran a hand through Lily's dark red hair. "-remember me."
"Thank you, Sev." Lily said quietly to him. "Thank you for understanding how much they mean to me."
Despite his sadness, Severus gave a tiny smile to her.
Lily dashed out of the room, Remus stuck in head in.
"Well, well, well," Remus said with a grin. "Everything went swimmingly, I knew you had it in you!"
"I let her go." Severus whispered.
"Aha, yes splendid-" Remus' realized what he just said, his eyes bulged. "You WHAT? How could you do that?"
"I had to." Severus said, not looking at him in the eye.
"Yes, but, but, but-" Remus stuttered, lost for words. "Why?"
"Because," Severus said, his head bowed towards the glowing, wilting lily. "I love her."