House: Gryffindor
Position: Potions
Standard
Genre: Friendship
Prompts: [word] Happiness; [Dialogue (multiline)] "Trust in your gut." / "What's your gut telling you?"
WC: 1065
Beta: Ash Juillet, bea writes, TheMajesticDolphin
Dedicated to: My THC Gryffindor team. We might not win this competition, but writing with you all is so much fun. Thank you for the never-ending laughs and joy you've brought into my life with all your amazing personalities.
"You need to try out for the Quidditch team, " Lily said.
Severus tried to not sigh in frustration, and Lily gave him a pointed look.
"Don't start, Lils. We've been through this before. I'm not going to fly. I can't afford a broom and neither can you," Severus said. They had had this argument almost daily at this stage.
"But I don't want to be a Quidditch player. I've seen you fly. You're better than most people." Lily was sure of it. She kept up with the ongoing Quidditch around Hogwarts, and it was simply an objective fact. Severus was a good flier, a great Keeper, and the Slytherin team had a spot open for just the position.
"But that tosser Potter–"
"That toerag does a lot of things. Besides, he doesn't have a monopoly over Quidditch. Don't be stupid," Lily said, a frown present on her face. She furrowed her eyebrows. "Just tell me you're going to get ready for the trials, and I'll sort out the broomstick."
Lily saw Severus chew his lower lip. It was a sign that he was moments away from caving.
"Have I ever gotten you in trouble?" Lily asked, and with that question, Severus' resolve crumbled.
"Fine," the dark-haired boy said. He twiddled his thumbs nervously, Lily noted. But it was true. Lily would never lead Severus astray. She cared too much for his success, to sabotage him.
They were each other's first, true friend. And she was sure that if she did this, he would be happy. That she would help make some of his wildest dreams a reality.
"Lils, I'm only giving you this weekend though," Severus said, reaching out to hold her hand.
Lily's grin was wicked and controlled. "I've got this, Sev. Don't worry about it."
On Sunday night, Lily threw a perfectly wrapped broomstick onto the Slytherin table. She gave Narcissa Black a strong stare that communicated her hatred for the girl, before taking a seat next to Severus at the table.
"Open it," Lily urged, not touching any of the food on the table, but instead picking a roll off of Severus' plate. "This isn't poisoned, right?"
Severus nodded absentmindedly, his hands still running across the newspaper Lily had used to wrap the gift. She dug her elbow into his side and only then did Severus open the present. Underneath the section of classifieds was a perfectly acceptable Cleensweep. The model was two years off, way too new for Lily to afford unless she threw her entire savings into the present.
"Why?" Severus asked, and the Slytherin table seemed to come closer as if to eavesdrop on their conversation.
"Because your happiness is important to me, Sev, and playing Quidditch makes you happy," Lily said. Yes, she was a Gryffindor through and through, but Severus' happiness meant more to her than some silly game.
Lily sat on the Slytherin side of the stands. She swore it was at least three degrees colder this side of the Quidditch pitch, but none of that mattered. It was Severus' first game, and she was going to be supportive. Even if it meant sitting in the enemies' stand with a green scarf wrapped around her neck.
"Are you sure you want to sit here?" Narcissa's cold voice asked.
Lily wasn't quite sure how someone could sound so beautiful, yet so condescending at the same time. Narcissa reminded Lily of Petunia. Although, both of them would baulk at the suggestion that they were remotely the same. However, Lily had always tried to kill her enemies with flawless kindness, and so, her hate for Narcissa was dealt with that way too.
"I have hot chocolate and my best friend is playing Quidditch for his dream team!" Lily said, her voice almost shrill with excitement. "Of course, I'm going to support him. Hot chocolate?"
Lily shoved her thermos close to Narcissa's mouth and barely covered up the cackle that escaped her lips at the Slytherin girl's offended facial expression.
"This is so stupid," Severus said. It was five in the morning and Lily had dragged him outside.
"I can't have an existential crisis in the Gryffindor Common Room, and the last time I snuck into the Slytherin one, Lucius dragged me out by my ear. It was embarrassing," Lily whined, aware that she was being ridiculous. "Did you bring your broom?"
Severus shook his head. He rubbed his hands together hard, trying to make sure that they were still there. "Lily, it's so cold. Can you start talking so we can go inside?" he pleaded.
"Here," Lily said, taking off her black gloves. "You can return them to Narcissa for me."
Severus blinked twice in quick succession, took the gloves, and looked into them to confirm their ownership; there was a neat monogram that could only belong to Narcissa Black. "No," he whispered. "Lily!"
Lily avoided Severus' gaze for a moment, but when she looked up, she was positively beaming with happiness. "But, she's so pretty, Sev, and we drink hot chocolate during your games. I think I have a teensy crush on her."
"I cannot condone this."
Lily rolled her eyes. "Trust in your gut."
Severus couldn't help himself and reflexively replied. "What's your gut telling you?"
"That this is going to end in complete heartbreak," Lily said quietly. Her hands stood still for a second.
"And is your happiness worth this heartbreak?"
"She broke my heart, Sev," Lily sobbed, holding Severus slightly.
"I know." He patted her gently on the head. "But she seems happy, doesn't she?"
Lily pushed Severus away. "I thought that I was enough. That one other person, apart from you, would take that plunge. I wanted her happiness to be mine so badly, but I can't be happy for her anymore. Not when it includes Malfoy."
Severus opened his arms again. Lily knew he usually didn't offer hugs, but this was a special occasion. Lily was getting her heart broken and she was counting on him to be a good friend about it. Besides, Slytherin was playing in the final Quidditch game for the season, and Regulus would not be happy if Lily wasn't in the stands cheering for the Slytherin team. Sportsmen were superstitious like that.
"There, there. One day, a wizard or witch on a broom will come and steal your heart."
"But you will still be there, right?" Lily asked.
"Always."
A/N: Usually I don't do this but I'm going to clarify some things just in case I get comments on them.
The fact that Snape refs a match in PS, tells us that he is a proficient flyer therefore it isn't a stretch to imagine that he played Quidditch for Slytherin as a student
Broom's don't seem to be that expensive unless they are the latest model at the highest price point i.e. The Firebolt, as Mrs Weasley buys Ron a brand new broom in OotP. This would explain why the Weasley's have so many spare brooms
If you are a stickler for canon, just imagine this story taking place during Lily's fourth year.