A/N: Hello everyone! I am back after a little mini break lol. So for anyone doubting my word, here is proof I haven't stopped writing the story! I ended up writing more scenes for future chapters just because they were the ones I was inspired to write. Now I'm making an effort to tidy the mess up again. Hope you enjoy some fun with our secondary characters :)
PART 2: Hogwarts
Chapter 29
Capricious Advances
It was hell being back at Hogwarts the night after Sirius's greatest triumph, especially because of the hangover making him occasionally see a double of McGonagall right now.
His chin slumped in his hand, eyes drooping. He caught himself just before his head thunked into his desk and shook his shaggy mane like the wet dog he occasionally was, eyes rolling back into focus.
"Mister Black!" McGonagall barked. His Transfig professor had little patience for the Gala affair. This was no secret to Hogwarts Purebloods. It also wasn't a secret that she had even less patience for Sirius and two of his best mates.
Course Moony gets away with anything. I bet he could shit on her favorite robes and she'd give him an O!
He started grinning at the thought of pranks and the like, turning his mind back to the night before again. In the background he could have sworn he heard voices and a growing turbulence, but it was drowned out by the hangover from hell. Not even Hermione's pick-me-up potion worked.
Wish the Aurors hadn't ended the fun…Mione looked like a goddess last night… He tilted his chin to look at her, seated with two Ravenclaws on the opposite end of the room. She was mouthing something at him, her chocolate eyes wide with fear, but he only grinned wider.
"Bloody gorgeous…" he murmured and jumped when his textbook jumped out of his hand and began to snap away at him. "Ah!" The class erupted in laughter which only made his head hurt more.
Where did I go after the after-party? Oh right…another party…
He grinned at the brunette Ravenclaw to Hermione's left.
Bunny…was that her name? I'll have to remember that one…
"MISTER BLACK!" McGonagall's wand was pointed at him and the soundproof bubble around his head popped and noise burst on through. He realized too late that his Professor's wand was pointed at him, not to stop the bloody book from ruining his hair, but because she was trying to wake him up.
Her demonstration ended when she brought the book to a loud thwack in front of him.
James held his face in his hands and was shaking, no doubt from repressed laughter. Pete on the other side of their leader didn't try to hide his stitches.
Evans's voice clearly remarked just as most of the class was settling down, "Whose bed did he roll out of this morning?" He shot an indignant glare at her for that, but found the effort hurt his eyes like the blazes.
McGonagall had been lecturing to him for a full fifteen minutes before he caught on, "and furthermore, perhaps you should not bother coming at all in such a delicate condition, Mr. Black! I would have expected better decorum from such a brilliant student. What a shame your talents are wasted thus!"
He blinked stupidly up at her and caught a flashback of Hermione's dress, how it had looked from her pose at the top of the stairs. "Bloody gorgeous…" was the comment he groaned into his hand.
"Mister Pettigrew, perhaps you should join your friend in detention this evening as well, as you seem to enjoy his good humor!"
This ceased Pete's laughter. Sirius heard more words about detention and decorum but tuned them out. He had bigger fish to fry. Detention with McGonagall might give him and Pete time to brainstorm for their parting holiday gift to the snakes. The end of term had come entirely too soon, thanks to that damned Gala.
Hopefully he'd have enough time to con Hermione into giving him what he needed!
Once his hangover finally went away, Sirius Black was on Cloud 9. It so happened that he rejoined the land of the living while upsetting Hermione. He couldn't help the fact he enjoyed pulling her hair. Those curls were just too irresistible. James had warned him to stay away from "the hair". Usually this was something Sirius understood, but it was entirely different matter while on the offensive end, watching her eyes burn with amber fire.
"Sirius Black! I swear if you don't stop this second…" She batted his hand away for the umpteenth time. Peter snickered down into his detention assignment beside her, trying not to give in.
Sirius stuck out his lower lip and tossed his head so his hair fell perfectly to the side. "Come along, let me charm it black, just this once love…" Sticking his tongue out the corner of his mouth in a show of concentration, he slid his wand easily into his hand and aimed.
Hermione promptly slammed McGonagall's abnormally large records book shut, dust scattering a light cloud over them before snatching his wand with her hand.
Right where I wanted you…he thought triumphantly. Because he was prepared, Sirius didn't let her take his wand this time, instead covered her hand with his and smirked. And then recognition settled in her eyes, followed by vague discomfort, though he did not know of, she struggled to shake.
"You git," was her weak retort when he leaned in.
"You should loosen up a bit. Hols are starting up in less than twenty-four hours and we're stuck here serving detention with you!"
Hermione scoffed and he released his grip. "You're laughing now but I'm the one stuck with you two when I could be with James. Don't think he's going to let you forget this."
"Prongs is used to us ruining his life by now." Sirius sank into his chair and propped his feet on the table's edge. Pete had done most of correcting the last of McGonagalls' papers. He grinned when Hermione's eyes narrowed in on his feet.
"And I do not think Professor McGonagall will appreciate your feet on her desk!" She tapped his foot with her quill and he instantly felt an odd tingle shoot up his leg, followed by an incurable itch.
As he set to scratching it aside he felt a new determination rise in him. The day had passed him in a blur, with hardly any chance to shake Slytherin by their knickers. He had plans for them, and from the clues Pete had given him before meeting for this last detention, they might still have the chance to succeed.
Now if only I can convince Mione.
"Merlin's beard! If this is what being an apprentice gets you, I'm glad I do poorly on purpose! Aren't you bored with being teacher's pet, Mione?"
"I told you not to call me that," she grumbled and focused on her papers. "And I am not her apprentice, I just owed her a favor is all."
Why is she the one grinning when she's obviously so bloody miserable?
"Favor?" He looked over her doubtfully. Sirius was convinced Hermione was anything but happy. Sure James had made a dent in her moods ever since they went public to the Marauders. The rest of the school was in the dark to just how far their school romance was buried. He grinned to himself. Deeply buried indeed.
There are some advantages to a two-way mirror…
Not that he had watched or anything. Voyeurism was too second rate for any Black, even a rogue! Sirius had vowed long ago to himself to always only ever take a piece of the action or die trying.
"It's the last day of term, Mione and what are you doing? Giving out detentions because Minnie's as ready for holiday as the rest of us and won't be bothered by them!" He leaned forward across the desk. Her brow furrowed, eyes glancing furtively to him. He scratched his leg.
Why the hell won't it stop itching?
"Seriously, what did you do today, besides snog with Prongsie during your break period?" The edge in his voice was offset by a sneaking grin and she scoffed at it, shoving a fresh stack at Peter to organize. Glancing at his progress, she paused.
"No, no Peter you're doing it wrong again! You aren't organizing them by House but year! Reference the list I gave you."
"Sorry, Hermione."
She sighed, lips curving into a soft smile that Sirius wished was for him, damn it.
"Of course, just hurry it along. I would like to make my appointment tonight."
"Well?" Sirius barked impatiently.
Hermione fastened her frustration on him, hair frizzing with her frazzled emotions. "What?"
"Well, what have you done that's even remotely exciting?" He waited while her indignation turned to uncertainty before pouncing. "See! My point exactly. People would be less inclined to imagine a stick up your arse if you'd just learn to loosen up and join in some innocent pranking once and a while!" He waved his hands and then met Pete's open grin. "Am I right mate?" The moment Hermione's gaze followed his direction Wormtail let his grin fall sheepish. Sirius shook his head.
Little shit! Course he'd take her side.
"Does it ever occur to you that some of us have an image to maintain around here?" She straightened the mess and finished Peter's job for him while trying to let him help. Pushing her curls behind her narrow ears, she huffed and arranged the rest of the chaos into order. "Some of us have to make certain that we don't cause the ones we love to suffer from our stupidity."
Sirius didn't have a clue what she was talking about, but he was desperate to find out. The three of them were dying to know, honestly. Why the secrecy?
"Why do you think we Marauders are the darlings of Hogwarts? We know how to please, Mione, that's why! So who cares what the gossips say to themselves? In public we'll always be the best. In my experience tarnishing my image has only made me more popular."
"There's a vast difference between popularity and infamy…" But worry creased her brow, the same worry he saw slip into James's eyes when he thought the others were too distracted to notice.
"That's it." He stood so abruptly, the chair rocked on its heels and Peter nearly upturned the last stack of papers in his hands. Hermione somehow managed to freeze the marked tests in midair.
Must have had her wand ready to hex me in the other hand.
The thought made him grin cheekily. He loved it whenever he found the chance to put a Witch on edge and Hermione made it so easy sometimes. She sighed and the papers reassembled themselves in a blur. Peter backed away from the table palms up to ward away any other disaster, his brief scowl directed at Sirius.
"Oi! Steady on, Padfoot…"
"Sirius Black, do you ever think about the consequences of your actions?"
Sirius threw up his hands. "Well if everyone bloody thought through everything they did, certain little princesses wouldn't have any fun either, yeah?" Hermione protested when he eased around the table and began to pull her away by the arm. The itch in his skin eased the moment their hands touched.
Sputtering while reaching for her satchel, "S-Sirius Black! Let me go you prat! We are not finished!"
"Oh yes we are, you self-righteous Slytherin clone!" he barked back, dragging her out of the classroom and winking three times with his right eye at Wormtail to be sure he got the right signal.
Bugger better get it right this time!
While Wormtail checked the map for signs of Filch and any other unwanted parties, Sirius tried to smooth the Witch in his hands over.
"—and furthermore," she said, "I am, as you might recall, the object study of a mysterious dark curse, one that your relatives might have gladly inflicted upon me, for reasons I am still unawares!"
"Are you done going spare?" He laughed when she pulled her hand back to jab his chest.
Calming, not provoking pup…
He took her hand in his before she could strike him again. "Look, okay, maybe I go out of line occasionally." Hermione crossed her arms over her chest and set a dangerous stare on him. "Fine," he exclaimed, "I'm a dirty wanker, you happy?"
"Not quite." Her lips twitched into a gut wrenching smile.
He repressed his own, to maintain a more wilting posture. "Well, at least see this from my point of view. We're Marauders, love. Mooney gets off on high marks and librarian Witches, James has his Quidditch and you, but me and Wormtail, this is all we have to live for. And if we are deprived of one last huzzah before the end of term, think of all the poor souls we'd be letting down?" He knew he had won when she smiled.
"All right. But don't think I'm condoning your little secret enterprise. I cannot believe James hasn't turned you both in."
"Prongsie? Good Godric no! That'd be like Slughorn actually confessing he wears those polka-dotted thongs at the beach…"
Hermione shuddered. "Thank you so much for that image."
While her eyes were screwed shut he murmured and grinned at Wormtail's approach. "Yeah, James swore he'd never visit that beach again! But you didn't hear it from me…Alright to go mate?"
Wormtail's eyes narrowed, deviousness replacing bumbling ignorance instantly. "Yeah, we're in the clear if we hurry."
"Where are we going? Sirius you don't have to escort me to the dungeons you know. You're breaking curfew as it is," Hermione asked, confused when he merely draped James's cloak over the three of them and led their descent. "Sirius, your tower's back that way and I'm late for my appointment."
Pete looked between them nervously but Sirius only laughed, "And leave you in the hands of those Snakes? Sorry, you can go to the next junior death eater meeting after Hols. Got those sticking charms ready Wormtail?" Pete's grin faded on Hermione's glare.
"Sticking charm? Black, I am not letting you…"
"Just for later, yeah? First we're tucking you safe and sound in your dungeon."
They nearly tripped on the way down three times, twice because of Peter's unsteady feet. Sneaky as he may be in rat form, it was well known around the school that he was not half as graceful as his pureblooded ancestors had been. Growing up, Sirius had often heard the Pettigrews described as the greatest disappointment to their society, just a hair above the Weasleys in fact. Of course, this made Sirius only more determined to include the awkward fun-loving fool in he and James's inner circle. Peter lived suffered the disgrace of his family name with a determination to prove them all wrong.
Sirius knew that was the reason he enjoyed Hermione's attentions so much. She was the most eligible, bloody gorgeous Witch in Slytherin and it was a plus she just happened to be brilliant. And she spent time with Pete, hours in fact, trying to explain problems that came naturally for her. The fact that she had done loads to help boost his confidence hadn't gone past him.
Yet another reason Prongs is a lucky bastard, he thought as she walked tucked beneath his arm, her curves pressing into his side, Pete squashed on her other. They were all lucky to have her, for all her House's efforts to dissuade her from their company. He was glad she had found a balance but could not wait to spend the Hols with her. His grin curved up as his fantasies spun nearly out of control.
Won't have to share her with Wormtail or Moony this time.
Pete whispered once the creeping walls of the dungeon marked their path with its eerie lights and darker shadows. "We're almost to it, mate."
"Why are you whispering?" Hermione found herself whispering back.
Sirius sniggered and reached into his robe pockets. "Get ready for this love because it's going to be a bumpy ride."
"What do you mean?"
Yet before she could find out he had already opened the shrunken object in his hand and thrown its contents onto the ceiling just above them. Pete made good, was ready with his charms and the enchanted objects took quick root above them. Within seconds they began to sprout and take root.
Thanks to a little bribing with Longbottom…
Pete laughed, "Its working mate! They'll never know what hit them tomorrow morning!"
Sirius looked over to him, his eyes maniacal. "Time they learned what it means to be left hanging!"
Hermione tried to brush them both off but he only held on tighter. "What did you two just do? What was that spell you whispered Sirius Black?"
He shrugged, laughing between his words. "Oh nothing, just something to speed their growth along is all. They're very sensitive to light you see."
Hermione's eyes narrowed in on the ceiling, wand at the ready and watched the strange buds already sprouting afresh. "What did you do?" she hissed insistently. "Sweet Salazar, is that devil's snare?"
Sirius and Pete fell into a fit of laughter. "Course not! You think we'd plant something so dangerous on school grounds?" The false innocence in his voice only made the situation more humorous.
Now if only we can just convince her…
Hermione stood across from them, hands on her hips. "I am not going to let you plant something that is going to hurt people!"
He glanced at Wormtail, knowing it all hedged on his reply and her reaction. "Well, I guess you are right. What do ya say Wormy? Think we can skip to Plan B?"
Pete nodded emphatically. "Sure thing Pads."
"Whatever, you two hurry back to the tower and let me fix this before you get us all in trouble!" She was concentrating on the plants, breathing the very spell Sirius had been hoping for all along.
"Incendio."
And that is how you make the worst smell known to mankind.
It took everything he and Pete had to blow her kisses and drape the cloak over themselves once more. Hermione shook her head after them and he might have imagined hearing her laughter trail behind them as she spoke the password to her common room.
Pete was tugging on his sleeve. "She did it mate! She actually fell for it! What's she going to say tomorrow morning though when the smell latches on to everyone who walks through that hall?" Worry crossed the skin of his brow.
Sirius grinned. "Not to worry Wormtail. I made sure to put the protection charm over her before we left McGonagall's."
Pete was instantly jovial and matched Sirius's pleased strut. "Bloody brilliant! Now Prongs won't hex us to hell and back."
"Exactly. You still got the stolen goods ready for the Great Hall?"
Pete tapped his satchel and shared a wicked grin with him. "Yeah, I better check the map again. Filch was cleaning up a mess Peeves made near the Astronomy Tower, but he might already be finished with it."
"And Prongs said he'd wait for us?"
Pete nodded, grumbling over the map in his hands.
Sirius crossed his fingers and hoped for the best. If everything went according to plan then they would all come off scot clean and not even Dumbledore himself could crack this plot! It had taken a lot of convincing to get James on their side but it was his plan originally, part one of an even greater prank planned for the end of next term.
Hermione had been the only one of them who could cast a powerful enough spell to trigger the devil's snare to its even deadlier clinging after-odor. Sirius had watched her in Defense enough to know as much, no matter how much she tried to downplay her skills. Moony had wiped his hands clean for that part of their prank. He declared one of them needed to keep a squeaky clean effort in order for the four of them to pass off his copied answers. And he still wasn't up to par, with the full moon being only a few days waned.
James gave in once Sirius showed up half drunk and woke him up, after a long night spent comforting Hermione, apparently.
If she ever finds out he was the one who let slip her little secret…
Sirius knew the Slytherin Princess was powerful. Partly the effect of her curse, she had shown too much aptitude in all their shared classes for him to play completely dumb. But James had gushed to him that night, half crazed himself with some secret troubles.
"She's so bloody brilliant, Padfoot. No one has any clue, 'cept Uncle Albus maybe. Her magic's unlike anything I've ever seen and I've never met a Witch her age that uses wordless spells so easily."
"Shit." Pete whispered before stuffing the map back into his pocket. Sirius's hair stood on end as they caught the approach of shadows curving around the next turn.
He seethed, "Why didn't you warn me we had visitors?"
"Was too busy watching Filch."
"Get against the wall in the cloak and shut up. They can't know we're here."
Freezing into the nearest alcove, the two Marauders held their breath and waited.
"Oblitesco," Peter whispered, casting the concealment charm over them just in case.
Sirius' fingers clenched around the worn wood of his wand, third finger twitching out of habit. His canine Animagus senses gave him a heightened awareness, that warned him of the potential trouble approaching. The voices were dis-comfortingly familiar.
Three dark cloaks finally arrived around the bend and paused just a meter before their hiding place. Even with their voices hushed, it was easy to tell the identity of blokes you had been raised to befriend or in his case, hate.
Rosier grumbled to the taller of his two companions, "I don't like this, Severus. He's been overly eager to turn her ever since Hogsmeade. I don't know if it's wise to try anything over the Holidays."
"Let Malfoy deal with his temper for now, Rosier," Snivellus began. Sirius made an effort not to expose them right there and then. He was more than ready to hex the bastards' balls off. This deep welled hatred between them went far beyond the Snake's efforts to steal Prongs's Lily last term. Now it was personal.
The thus far silent Snake laughed, "Least we'll finally get to put Potter in his place! He should know better than to touch our Witches!"
To hell with it!
Sirius shocked Wormtail then by jumping from beneath the cape, out of the shadows and charm and roared aloud, causing the three Slytherins to jump, "Let me wash that shit out of your tongue Travers!"
"Black!" Snivellus sneered. "Shut up before you discover how in over your head you truly are."
"Want to bet on that?" Sirius barked a laugh, eyes wild. At that moment, he could have cared less he was outnumbered three to one. His self-control had snapped the moment they brought her into their plans.
"Are you truly mad as they say, Black? At least your brother knows how to keep his trap shut!" Rosier laughed at his two companions.
Sirius only grinned. "No worse than you inbred bitches." When Rosier's face began to turn purple his adrenaline spiked up another notch. Sirius wanted them to try and hex him, he wanted them to lose it, just to give him the chance to show what he'd been holding back all term.
Severus, however, stood between them and held up his wand parallel with Sirius's neck, black eyes cold as he'd ever seen them. "Enough Rosier, before you do something I shall regret. It is plain to see Black wants you to curse him. Let us not oblige him this time."
"What? Afraid I'll humiliate you again Snivellus?" Sirius' finger twitched against his wand as his lips twitched into a smug grin. Severus paled at the mention of that night. James felt remorse over what they did to Snivellus. Remus nearly lost it when he came to the morning after the full moon, and the morning after the night he nearly killed Severus. Sirius pretended he felt guilty right along with Prongs, only to appease him. They may have been careless in their planning, but he had every intention of Snape getting his that day.
And I'd do it again if I could, was the message he silently conveyed to the sallow faced Halfblood.
Lips pinching together, creased in momentary fear and disgust, Snape growled low, "Get back to the common room…"
"But Severus…"
"Now," was his soft command.
Sirius's smirk dug deeper into his perfectly sculpted cheeks. Even better.
The other two glanced back, ready for the combustion of magical energy pulsing between the two Wizards.
Sirius taunted, "Come on, do it. You and I both knew it would come down to this. Don't think I don't know."
Severus paled further though his grip never faltered. "Do not presume you know anything of my affairs, Black."
Sirius laughed and shook off his disgust. "I know what you did to my brother when he joined the Dark Bastard's Little Bitches club. I saw how scared he was during Hols that year when we went home. Don't think I forgot you were the one who recruited him in the first place." Throughout his tirade, Snape kept a mask of calm indifference that was just itching to be hexed away.
"Do any of us have any real choice, Black?"
Sirius laughed, "Bullshit!" The words were on his lips, his wand swishing in the perfect dance. Snape's eyes widened and Sirius wondered why he wasn't preparing to fight back, wondered why the hatred was barely present in his enemy's eyes, until a high pitched screech assailed them.
"BLACK! PUT YOUR WAND AWAY THIS INSTANT!" Evans came flying in between them, her red mane a wall of fire in her wake. It settled around her face a liquid curtain.
To his confusion. she put her back to Snivellus, her want point so near his the ends nearly brushed. Her emerald eyes were wide, chest puffing in and out dramatically as she clearly sought to control herself. "Don't think I won't take away points from both your houses for this! Do it now!"
He scowled at her, hesitating before complying. "For once, this has nothing to do with you Evans!"
"I don't care!" She advanced after a sharp glare over her shoulder. "That goes for you too, Snape! Now, I would much rather not take away points from my own House. So I suggest you go back to the tower. With how many points you Marauders have earned yourselves of late and Potter's recent poor performance in the pitch, I'd be more worried if I was you."
Sirius shoved his wand in his back pocket and gruffly turned away, but not before calling back, "What the hell Evans! You know if I didn't know any better I'd say you were protecting Snivellus instead of me!" At her suddenly drawn expression he barked a laugh, his suspicions long last confirmed. "Ah, I see… you know, I'd get to know that boyfriend of yours a bit better before you hand over the last of your self-respect."
She bowed her head and Sirius didn't bother to finish the conversation. He didn't turn around to see what she told the Death Eater behind her and at this point didn't care. It was everything he could manage to put the moment out of his mind and focus on the prank ahead.
Hopefully Pete managed to carry on…good thing Moony wasn't around for that…or Prongs…especially Prongs.
He shuddered at the thought of how James would have taken all of this in, before Hermione came to them. He smiled. The dark cloud that had obscured his vision was replaced by a soft light. At least he knew enough now to warn her about the Snakes, or at least, keep his own eye out for what they may have planned. Then the disturbing thought crossed his mind.
Why would Voldemort be interested in Hermione?
Lily practically dragged Severus into their special place as soon as Black's steps faded. Her hands trembled as she set the necessary protective charms over the door and lit the everlasting candles they had found, in one of the crates their abandoned classroom supplied. Over the past few weeks, they had turned the place into their own little sanctuary, until it looked quite the opposite from its sad state before.
The desks were transfigured into study tables, soft chairs, and a rather long comfy couch instead. Professor Flitwick had often hinted that she was the most gifted Witch with Charms he had seen the whole of his career thus far. This abandoned room was proof of her unsung brilliance.
Not that she agreed with his praise. She had always needed to know more, to be better, to reach her goals. Someday, she hoped to teach at Hogwarts, in Flitwick's place, if not as his assistant.
During the long study hours she and Severus had spent in secret together here, she learned for the first time, it was a dream they shared. Only here did Lily feel they could completely be themselves, for her because of her endless Head Girl duties, for him because of what might happen to both of them if they were discovered. Both savored the only home they felt secure and safe in the Wizarding World. Neither of their Muggle homes were exactly open to what they had become. For so long it had been the two of them, together, against a brave new world.
"No one must know, Lily," she could still hear his voice whispering, "not until after graduation. I could never live with myself if they hurt you, because of me."
Severus stood in the now silenced and locked entryway, his feet hesitant to step on the red shag carpet she had transfigured for their comfort.
"Does it have to be red, Lily?" he had protested.
His cloak was still damp from the cold rain he had just come in from. She didn't want to know why he had been on the school grounds at this time of night. Before Sirius showed up out of nowhere, she had seen him come in through a secret passage with Travers and Rosier. He had once told her she didn't want to know where they went on nights like these.
He always looked weary after the meetings. Tonight, his shoulders slumped and his head was hung so the slick black strands shielded his expression. He was so tall and thin, just the way that Lily had always loved. To see him like this broke her. She hadn't seen him this defeated since they were children, since they would come to the tree where they first met and he tried to hide his bruises from her eyes.
Her anger over hearing Sirius's harsh words abated the closer she approached her best friend. She knew if she rushed him he would stiffen and shut her out completely, so she tread softly, slipped her feet out of her trainers and set her cloak to the side with her wand. When she stepped into his space, his eyes flickered briefly over her, drank in the sight of her even as it pained him to be close to her now.
"If you knew the things I had done, Lily, the things I'm still going to do…"
He had tried to warn her, of the life she was agreeing to by loving him.
Lily slid her long fingers up his cloak and parted it at the clasp, brushing it off of his shoulders until it pooled at his feet. Eyes briefly meeting his, in their silence, years of nurtured understanding allowed words to be spoken without the movement of lips.
He trembled, grimaced when she let his cravat fall, exposing his long pale neck, when she began to undo each button of his black and white robes. The moment his hard lean chest was exposed, she covered it with her lips and savored in his sharp hiss of breath, his repressed groan.
"Lily…I…"
"Shhh…" she breathed over his stomach and pushed the rest of his shirt away to join the rest of the collecting pile. Her eyes flickered up to meet his, her hands followed the familiar trail up his chest to wrap around his neck.
Lily was tall for a Witch. Her eyes had always been nearly level with James's. They were now level to Severus's clenched jaw and she loved how he made her feel small.
He made no protest when she dragged his head down with a firm yet gentle grip. When she eased his strained lips with her own, she relished how they gave in and molded quite fiercely to hers. They claimed each other with each breath and every lingering touch.
Lily was a far cry from the outspoken, yet amiable Witch she had been four months ago. Severus had tamed her naivety with the desperation of his own situation. For a long tentative month, she had not been able to live with the truth, once she discovered exactly who he followed. The mark on his arm was impossible to ignore and she thought it impossible to betray the conviction of her beliefs with the inclination of her heart.
She was constantly at odds with herself.
Alice knew the reasons for her extended absences, why she had refrained from participating in Gryffindor after-Quidditch parties. Alice was from old, neutral Purebloods, who were neither for, nor against the rising Dark Wizard's agenda, but she and Frank detested the ones who openly followed him.
Lily was unused to choosing between her friends, but she could not ignore the way Severus began to waste away before her eyes. Their separation only led to fierce reconciliation, moments before that cursed Pureblood Gala in the Great Hall. It also led to all their clothes strewn about the floor and the moment Lily and Severus both discovered that sex sometimes did make everything better.
They used it now, because more often than not of late, it was the only language they could manage. It was the only reality they found bearable while they were forced to lead false lives outside of this room.
His lips were on her breasts, her legs dragging his roughly against her, closer and tighter. This was their new home.
Lily understood now that he had always loved her, just as she would always love him. How she had lived the last six years without realizing was a mystery she silently named, James Potter. She could admit to herself now that she had been attracted to James from the day they first met, had even taken Severus for granted the months before their letters came. Over time, she let herself be fooled by Potter's charms, even as she pretended to hate him. And she forced Severus to watch, to listen to her rant and rave over Potter's stupidity. She understood now how the blank mask he wore was to mask the pain he felt every time he caught her eyes drift to the charismatic Quidditch star, the boy who was everything Severus couldn't be.
It was the best day of her life when Hermione Dumbledore walked into it, though neither she nor Severus realized it. It was because of Hermione that James learned to finally throw himself at someone else and that Lily learned to see what was in front of her. It gave Severus the chance to know she loved him just as deeply in return.
She knew much more now about Voldemort than she could have ever dreamed of wanting to before and agreed heartily when Sev insisted she learn Occlumency with him.
"There may come a time when it is your only protection, my love."
She knew that Voldemort had come to Hogsmeade that day in October and that Hermione and James had confronted him together. She might never have forgiven Severus for keeping her tucked away in their special place that afternoon, if Hermione and James hadn't been there to save the others. But both of them worried what might happen if Voldemort did get his hands on the duo, especially Dumbledore's niece.
Severus told Lily of the power the Death Eaters had sensed from Hermione. She had dark magic around her even though she seemed unaware of it.
Things were stirring outside the castle wards even now, events were unfolding that all of them were powerless to stop. Lily urged Severus to watch over Hermione as best he could.
"I think I know who I can convince to help us in this, Lily. But you aren't going to like it."
Regulus may be a prat, he agreed, but Severus trusted the younger Black, who had as much reason to hate the Dark Lord as he did.
"And he feels something for her, enough to secure it I think…"
James would hate them all for what they had been planning, but Hermione would see their way. It was the only way, Lily secretly feared and prayed Potter would be strong enough when the time came, to do what was necessary for the greater good.
Hermione will have to be strong enough…she thought as Severus slept in her arms, after they were both spent much later. Though she wasn't sure of her reasoning, Lily Evans knew only one Witch was strong enough to stop the Dark Lord.
Regulus Black had been waiting for Hermione's detention with those two fools to end for two, equally dull hours. The Common Room was vacant already, as some of their classmates had gone on ahead to vacation at family villas for the Holidays. Some had left the grounds under false pretenses to carry on the legacy their fathers had unfortunately left to them.
Least Mother hasn't been any more encouraging in that aspect.
He smirked, one corner of his mouth pulling slightly higher than the other. His mother had once said it made him look like he was ever laughing.
Maybe that's why Sirius got away with murder and I got stuck with the most whippings.
He glared at the fireplace, let the Black Lake's green reflection wash over him from his shadowed vigil. He tapped his fingers on the arm of his chair and shook his dark hair out of his eyes. He tried not to think over the extended invitation his mother had hinted at in her latest letter. He knew Hermione would rather spend her Holiday at Potter Manor rather than their dreary villa in France.
Salazar knows I'd rather spend it with her than Mum and Father.
Her features had haunted him again of late, much as he tried to block her from his mind. Ever since he first suspected she felt something for James Potter, he had been determined to steal her from him. It would be the best revenge against the Wizard who stole his brother away, after all. But when the time came, he couldn't follow through.
He was tainted by the things he had already done, unspeakable things as Severus called them and Regulus was starting to agree with his only true friend. It was because of Severus he was waiting here now, not his mother and not Hermione.
Just keep telling yourself that Black.
He pushed his hair out of his eyes again with a flustered sigh. He wasn't distractedly handsome like Sirius or appealing as Potter, so he had a hard time believing he could convince Hermione to choose him.
Seeing her the night before at the Lestrange's, dressed in that tight silver number, had been the most contact he kept with her in months. Certainly he pestered her to help him with homework he didn't need help to begin with, but only because he wanted to keep the rest of his Housemates' dirty fingers off of her. A glare from his eye was usually enough to keep the snakes from biting, even if he couldn't help that she had fallen for Potter's cheap charm.
He always wins, don't forget that.
Regulus didn't intend to scare the few Third and First years who had lingered after curfew. Slytherin was a bit less strict with their own, at least within their own walls. But Regulus had developed a cold, deadly reputation beneath his winning grin and enigmatic sapphire eyes.
You're just lucky Hermione hasn't heard the rumors yet, thanks to Lefay.
She surprised him when she approached him with a sudden apparition like appearance. Firelight bathed her in a glow that gave Regulus pause and made him forget his words so he could for the moment, only stare.
What the hell is it about this Witch that makes us fall all over ourselves?
What began as a game for him had turned into something else entirely, all because of her, of knowing her.
She looked frustrated at the moment, her mind obviously crossed between something either very funny or very troubling. She sat down across from him, a flurry of indigo robes. He noticed she wasn't wearing a cloak and wondered if he should offer his. Their dungeon was often the draftiest part of the castle.
No…absolutely not you pansy twat, grow a pair!
"Well? I'm here." She broke the silence with a delicate arch of her brows.
His grin was automatic, repulsion abandoned. "Yes, I suppose your Gryffindor friends gave you enough grief for the night."
Rolling her eyes, she sank into the cushioned chair in an unladylike slouch.
He hid his smile.
"You have no idea! Because of them I didn't have time to see...anyone else...before our little meeting." She hesitated and he might have imagined the vague concern in her brief glance.
Casting a silencing charm over them, his eyes swept the room as he replied, "Could not wait to come to me after all."
"For two people who hate one another so much, you certainly sound a lot like your brother right now."
Eyeing her sharply at the unwanted comparison he leaned forward, elbows on his knees, "There is a lot you don't know about me yet, Hermione. You may be right about our similarities, but you can't begin to imagine our differences."
She shook her head, eyes softening a fraction. "I don't know what you expect from me. It's going to be almost impossible to leave the manor without anyone knowing."
He already had the answer to this planned out. "My cousin will gladly aid you, once you tell her why."
Fear flickered across the whites of her eyes. "Don't you understand why I can't? But…Dorea may be willing to help a fellow Slytherin." Narrowing her gaze on him, she challenged, "Are you planning on telling me what you have planned exactly?"
He reached and took her hand between both of his, slipping a small object beneath her fingertips and smiled. "Use this whenever you need me. Holding it with the right intent should do the trick." She sighed and he held his breath, fearful she would back out now without hearing him out. And he'd be damned if he let himself examine why this troubled him besides the obvious reasons.
"I just don't know about this Regulus, I don't know if…what?" She tried to pull her hand away and he allowed her to clasp the crest to her lap.
Shaking his head, he replied, "Nothing. I like the sound of my name on your lips is all."
She watched him curiously, as though he were a puzzle she had yet to decipher.
Feeling's mutual.
He walked her to her dorm afterwards and distracted her when he brushed her knuckles with a kiss. He felt hope when his touch troubled her. She did not trust him yet and if he had his way, she never fully would. He was not someone anyone should trust these days. But he knew the Evans girl was right about his Pure Princess.
Voldemort wanted Hermione. If they weren't careful, the Dark Lord's desire could quickly turn into an obsession. Regulus's mission was to see her claimed before he could get his hands on her, apart from James's influence. Though frankly, he could care less about the spoiled brat, he knew how important Potter's innocence in this remained.
Someone had to lead from the right side of the blurred line, someone with enough incentive to make things happen. And if Regulus benefited from the arrangement, he would not be complaining either.
Review: Stab a guess at what you think "the plan" might be?
