House: Gryffindor
Position: Potions
Drabble
Prompt: 5. (first line) This might not be the first time this occurred but it would sure be the last.
Word Count: 879
C/W: Underage drinking
This might not be the first time this occurred but it would sure be the last. Two unlikely figures sat on the stands that surrounded the netball court. Petunia passed the beer bottle to Severus, who gave it one disgusted look before taking one long drag. The stands were empty, and her green netball top had dried up with sweat. She knew she needed a shower, but Petunia was too angry to go home.
While Petunia and Severus hated each other's guts, they seemed to do this once a year. One night a year, after the last match of the netball festival, Petunia would hunt Severus down to talk. She needed someone to listen, someone who knew everything about her life, and Lily was too perfect to be that person. This was a business exchange. Severus would listen to her rant once a year, like clockwork, and Petunia, in exchange, would deliver his letters to and from Spinners End. Tobias did not allow owls near his property and would not help Severus pay for postage fees. Severus knew better than to cross the bitter man.
Severus passed the green beer bottle back to her. He hadn't said anything. He just sat there, letting Petunia stew in her anger and misery.
"I was this close," Petunia started. She poked Severus. "Pay attention. I need to rant. Lily isn't going to come back to you. Not after what you said to her. I won't let her."
Severus did not go out of his way to hurt people, but he was not above hurting Petunia Evans. It didn't matter to her that he didn't belong anywhere. Petunia, begrudgingly, saw him as an equal of some sort. This was more out of need than anything else.
Petunia was like him. She was too mean to be seen as nice and she kept to herself. There were rumours about her in the village too. While Severus was only here for the summer, he heard the news.
"Never mind me. You said I could see Lily if I let you rant and we've been sitting on this cold stand for the last hour. So rant," Severus said. "Unlike you, my da actually keeps track of curfew and ma expects my potions homework to be done."
"Dursley called me Lily the last time we made out, and now Lily is dating him," Petunia said, her voice choking as she said the next words. "Why can't she keep her roaming green eyes to herself?"
Severus really didn't know what Petunia wanted him to say. He didn't understand guys just because he was one. This was about Lily, and realistically, it did make sense for someone to dump Petunia for Lily. Lily was magical; even in a place full of magic like Hogwarts, Lily stood out.
"I'm guessing he didn't tell you he was dating Lily?"
Petunia drained the bottle and opened another one. It seemed like half the bottle sloshed out as she aggressively pushed it towards Severus. Severus grimaced; cheap beer was worse than cheap firewhiskey.
"Of course he didn't tell me. She didn't even tell me. Ma found out when Dursley's mum told her at church. Can you believe that demon still has the audacity to come to my games? He and Lily just kiss, and here I am, trying to get out of this shithole village in the middle of nowhere."
Severus nodded. He understood the sentiment and should have kept his mouth shut, but he was tempted to ask. "You thought Vernon Dursley would be the man to sweep you off your feet and to take you out of this hell hole?"
Petunia grabbed the beer and took another sip before giving it back to Severus.
"No." She sighed. Then she scratched her head. "I thought that he wouldn't see her if he saw me. I thought he actually wanted to be with me, if I am being honest. I thought he wanted normal, but I guess in the end, all he wanted was her."
"There, there." Severus patted her shoulder in a patronising manner. "We both know this isn't going to last. She's too good for him."
Petunia rolled her eyes at that. "She has a type, you know. Wealthy, physically fit, a complete tosser who looks at her like she placed the stars in the sky."
Severus actually had the audacity to laugh. "You are pathetic. You know that. You're just as angry at her as I am."
"I never claimed to be anything other than angry at her. I am not her substitute, and I won't be made into one," Petunia hissed, letting the anger she felt seep through into her words.
"Too bad you're an Evans. No one ever just sees you in this place. They see everything and everyone that has made you who you are."
Petunia groaned and got up. She stretched her limbs and jumped off the stands. "Thanks for listening. We will never talk about this again. I can walk myself home. I've broken curfew enough for it not to matter anymore."
Severus nodded.
"Let's never do this again," Petunia added. "We are not friends."
Petunia and Severus never would be friends. But small moments of camaraderie usually came in places where it was least expected.