Valentine's Day was here, and the halls of Hogwarts were lousy with students attempting to trick one another into drinking love potions from Zonkos. I saw at least one instance of a bewitched garden gnome, dug up from out in Hagrid's pumpkin patch, floating about dressed up like a Cupid as we dodged through the lovesick mess to the Gryffindor table early, quite annoyed with the hubbub. James unraveled his book bag from 'round his shoulders and chucked it down. "Oi, a right obstacle course that was!"
"Tell me about it," grumbled Peter, who had run down the stairs ahead of us, because the Cupid gnome had chased after him, shooting little arrows at his bottom.
I looked over the table, decided on some eggs and ham, and sank into my seat beside Sirius. "Bilius looks as though he's having a jolly good time," he muttered, nodding at the Prefect down the row, who was sitting with his girlfriend.
"I didn't know he was snogging Amelia Bones," I said, eyebrows raised.
"He's been dating her for awhile now," Peter said, without even glancing over.
Sirius looked at Peter, "Why is it you seem to know who fancies who before any of us do?" he demanded, "Little gossip, you are."
Remus was staring down the table at Bilius and Amelia too, now. "Blimey," he said, "Messy, snogging, isn't it?"
"And in the Great Hall, too!" said James, impressed yet disgusted.
"At least somebody is enjoying this stupid holiday," Peter said, who was still sour about the gnome's arrows.
I nodded in agreement, "Valentines' isn't even a real holiday, what have we got to celebrate it for?" I hated romance, it was disgusting!
"I s'pose we'll understand when we're older," answered Remus. "Looks like the fourth years get it alright." he pointed to a pack of fourth years who were paired off like Bilius and Amelia were.
I snickered. "Like rabbits, they are. I expect a boom in the population soon."
James answered, "I'll be too busy with Quidditch come my fourth year. That's an important one, you know. Most captains are picked in their fifth if they're going to be, and I plan on being captain, so it's right important my fourth year be a good one."
"You don't even know if you'll be on the team yet and you're already naming yourself captain!" exclaimed Sirius, "That ego, mate!"
James grinned.
After breakfast, we went out onto the grounds to get away from all the Valentines-obsessed students filling the castle halls. It was wet and cold, though not as horrible as it might've been for that time of year. So we made our way down to the edge of the lake and threw rocks into the thin ice along the edge, trying to make patterns in the broken sheet. When we were finally cold and the sun was setting, we started up the castle, laughing and joking all the way.
We were coming up the pathway to the stairs when, as we were goofing off, the front doors of the castle burst open and out onto the steps came Severus Snape. Quickly, Sirius motioned for us four to follow as he dove behind one of the bushes lining the path, just before Snape spotted us. We ducked low to the ground and I clapped my hand over Peter's mouth as he tried to ask exactly why we were hiding.
Lily was rushing behind Severus onto the steps of the school, which, by the time she'd come out, he was already halfway down, his fists balled and shoved deep into his robes. "Severus," Lily scolded, "Stop. You're being ridiculous...nobody gives a damn if we talk to each other."
"I'm not," Severus replied. He stopped on the stairs, though, and waited until Lily had caught him up. "They do care, Lily. You don't understand the Slytherins, alright? They do care. They care very much, and it's much easier to just...come out here to talk, alright?" He looked at her with a sour expression on his face. I numbly wondered what she's ever seen in him.
Lily's face was just as sour in return. "It's just so stupid. What do they care who you're friends with?"
"They do, though."
"Well, Slytherin house sounds like a load of bullies to me, then," she said huffily.
Severus took a deep, sharp-sounding breath, as though he could scarcely stand to have the patience to put up with Lily and her naivety.
"So what is it that you wanted to talk to me about that you couldn't just say in front of my friends?" Lily demanded. She had her arms crossed over her chest.
Severus hesitated.
"You dragged me out here," she reminded him, "It had better be for a good reason."
Severus reached into his book bag and pulled out a small box of chocolate cauldrons and, staring at the box sheepishly, he looked up at her and held them out. "These are for you," he said, his face rather red.
Lily stared at the package a moment. "Chocolate cauldrons?"
"They're raspberry filled," Severus offered.
"I love raspberry," Lily said. She took the box gently.
"I know you do," Severus replied, "That's why I got the raspberry ones. I would have gotten you a box of those raspberry doughnuts you like, from that bakery back home, but...I mean, they're Muggles there, at the bakery so...an owl going 'round to pick up a delivery of doughnuts would've been...quite hard to explain without breaking a couple laws."
Lily stared at the box, a smile on her face. Then she looked up and it faded a bit. "Thanks, Sev."
He nodded, "Yeah. It's alright."
"I really appreciate it," Lily said, smiling.
"You're welcome," Severus answered. He smiled back at her, his smile much more eager than hers, "It is Valentine's and all…" he added.
Lily smiled again, rather awkwardly this time, and, as Severus stared at her, she faltered. "Sev…" she stared. He looked up at her. "I, um…" she seemed like she didn't know how to say what she felt. "Never mind," she finished lamely. "Do you want to take a walk?" she suggested.
"Sure," Severus answered.
"Alright, then." Lily said as she led the way down the rest of the stairway.
Severus grinned and hurried to keep up with her.
They walked right past the bush where the boys and I were crouching without ever having noticed that we were there. "Here, have one of the cauldrons," she suggested, pulling open the box.
"Thanks," Severus replied, taking the chocolate she offered him.
We stayed hiding and quiet until Lily and Severus were out of sight, further down the pathway.
"Blimey, that was a close one," muttered James as the five of us crawled out from the bush.
I glanced back at the two, more than halfway along the path, headed toward the lake. "Well, there you have it, Pete," I said nudging the short boy. "Fodder for your gossip column."
Sirius lunged ahead, leading the way up the stairs of the castle. James and I continued to stare off after Lily and Severus. Sirius stopped at the top step, realising that we weren't following along. "Oi, you two, coming or what?"
I tore myself away from staring after them. "What? Sorry."
Remus laughed, "You two alright?"
I nudged James, and he jumped out of his trance. "Yeah, fine," he replied, and we quickly jogged up the steps behind the other three. Sirius watched us with raised eyebrows. "What?" James demanded.
Sirius grinned at him knowingly.
"What?" James asked again. "I don't fancy Lily if that's what you're thinking!"
"Uh huh," said Sirius, smirking.
I shoved Sirius. "You realise that would mean I fancied that greasy-haired Snivelly, right? Merlin's Beard, I'd rather jump off the Astronomy Tower!"
The five of us laughed, and turned to bugging James over fancying Lily. I don't exactly know why seeing Lily and Severus together like that frustrated me so, but I had a feeling that I wouldn't like the answer.
