I have been a terrible, evil person. I should have gotten this out ages ago. I do have some excuses; I've been really busy with school, I've had writer's block, I've been on vacation, and my grandmother has died. I miss her. But nevertheless, I feel horribly guilty. One particular review, from Amber, made me feel awful. I'm sorry that this has taken so long. But enough of that. Read!
Escaping her Destiny: Chapter 6
Peter pressed his ear closer to the cold wood. He could hear muffled noises coming from within the room, and then footsteps that seemed to be approaching him. He quickly scuffled away from the door and stood in what he hoped was a casual, nonchalant pose. But before the door could be opened, the footsteps stopped, paused, and retreated. Without losing any time, Peter was back at the door again. This time, he cupped his hands against his ears to assist his hearing, and his expression lightened considerably. "Perfect," he muttered. He could hear everything that was going on inside the room clearly. His face took on a childish smile as his mind processed the conversation, and the grin widened as the conversation continued. In fact, by the time that the door opened, his mouth was stretched almost from ear to ear, making him look entirely crazy. But as the doorknob turned, Peter stepped back into the shadows, and remained unnoticed as James strode past him.
The boy peered around the corner. Good; the coast was clear. James had apparently left. Peter's beady eyes surveyed the room before he scurried out of his hiding place and through the portrait hole.
In less than five minutes, he was in the Great Hall again. His eyes wandered towards the Slytherin table, and finally came to rest on Severus Snape. Trying to make himself as inconspicuous as possible, Peter glided over to Severus. The Slytherin's head was bent over his plate, but as soon as Peter stopped at his side, his head snapped up, spattering drops of grease onto Peter's skin. Blinking away the specks of oil in his eyes, Peter lowered himself into the nearest vacant chair.
"Listen," he said in a low voice, "I thought you might want to know, James is head over heels for that little redheaded mudblood."
Severus raised an eyebrow. "You came all the way over to the Slytherin table, risking your reputation and mine, just to tell me that worthless piece of old news?"
"N-no! I mean, there's something else." Peter paused.
"Well? Spit it out!"
"He asked her out!"
Severus leaned forward. "Did she accept?"
"No. She made up some phony story about being a Divinator, and not wanting to kill him." Once again he hesitated. "That's all," he finished lamely.
Severus's black eyes glittered. "That's all? That's wonderful! I've got him exactly where I want him." He rubbed his hands together gleefully.
"Is there any way that I can help?"
"Actually, yes. Tell me everything that you know about this mudblood girl."
"Um, well, I don't know that much . . ."
"Either tell me something useful or--"
"--I will! I will! Right, er, she seems smart so far. She was the only person who could do "Wingardium Leviosa" in Charms. She seems studious . . ." Peter trailed off.
"Is there anything else?"
"I can find out more if you want me to!"
"No, that won't be necessary. Do you know where she is now?"
"She was up in her room when I left."
"That's not good . . . you did say that she is studious?"
"Yes . . . at least, I think so."
"Then she should be up in the library after classes."
"But I don't understand . . . what are you going to do?"
Severus smiled grimly. "Don't worry, Peter, you'll find out. Just not now. But we'll keep in touch."
"Okay!"
"Now go. Goodbye."
Lily was curled up in a dark corner engulfed by a huge pile of books. The tall shelves hid her from the hawklike eyes of the librarian. Strictly speaking, she wasn't allowed to have more then five books out at once, but she had an essay due the next day for History of Magic, and she wasn't going to let the rules stop her from completing it.
The soft rustling of robes caught her attention. There was someone nearing her; they were separated only by one shelf. Footsteps echoed on the hard wood. Quickly, Lily gathered an armful of books and started stacking them on the closest shelf. "Hurry!" she told herself. She could be suspended from the library for more than a week if she was found breaking the rules.
But before she could finish, a head poked around the corner. A black, greasy head. It was Severus Snape. But what really surprised Lily was that for once, his face wasn't contorted into a sneer. In fact, he actually looked as if he was trying to smile nicely. He wasn't exactly succeeding, but at least he was making an effort. And that is really half of the battle, as her dad had always said. Lily's giggle caught in her throat and turned into a little sob.
Severus was staring straight at her. She looked at him strangely. 'What is he doing here?' she asked herself. She looked around; her books blocked the entire aisle. "Oh, sorry, am I in your way?"
"Oh, no! Not at all!" he replied, with another valiant attempt at a smile. His features set in a determined expression, and he sat down next to her. "What are you doing here? I would have thought that a--er--pretty girl like you would have something else to do tonight than study."
Lily blushed. "Thanks, but no, I have an essay do tomorrow, and I really needed to get some research done."
"Can I help? I've already done mine, and you could get it done a lot faster."
"That's so sweet of you!" At this, Severus looked as if he was about to throw up. However, Lily had gone back to her books and didn't notice. "Sure, I'd love it if you would help me!"
"May I see what you have done so far?"
"Here it is."
Severus skimmed over the paper briefly. "Wait--you say that Hogwarts was founded in the year 201, but I thought that it was 301 when it was established."
"Really? I'm sure that it said in "Hogwarts: A History" that it was 201."
"Let me look it up."
Two hours later, the essay was complete. For a few minutes, the exhausted first years sat in place, resting. But after a moment, Lily jumped up. "Thank you so much for your help, Severus. I could never have done it without you."
"I'm sure that you could have," Severus said gallantly.
Lily shook her head. "No, it would have taken forever. Here, let me take the books and put them back."
Severus sprang to his feet. "I can do it. Here, give them to me." Surprised, Lily handed over the books. Severus staggered under their weight, but managed to replace them in their original places. He returned to Lily. The silence hung in the air between the awkwardly.
"Well . . ." Lily started uncertainly, "Thanks again. I better be going now." She turned to leave, but Severus caught her hand.
"Um, Lily, I have something to say to you." He shifted his weight nervously from one foot to the other.
"Yes, Severus?" Lily waited expectantly, but with a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. She was starting to feel alarmed; that was what James had said when he had asked her out. She liked Severus, but not in that way. But if he asked her out, she didn't know if she would have the heart to refuse.
"Well, I really liked getting to know you today and all . . ."
"Me too."
" . . . and you seem like a really nice person. I like you a lot. And I was wondering if maybe you would like to go out with me."
Lily's head swam. She and Severus a couple? It made no sense. She searched desperately for an appropriate excuse. "But . . . where could we go? We can't even go to Hogsmeade yet."
Severus looked taken aback. "Well, anywhere you want to. We could sit by the lake if you wanted. We can go anywhere that's on the school grounds. But I meant, do you want to be my girlfriend?"
"Maybe we should get to know each other more first," Lily protested weakly.
"I understand how you feel. After all, we only met a few days ago. But Lily, even though I have only known you for less than a week, it feels like I have known you my whole life."
Lily sighed. There was no way out. "Okay, Severus. I would like to be your girlfriend. Thank you for asking."
"Great!" Snape exclaimed jubilantly. "Here, let me walk you back to your common room."
"Oh, you don't have to do that!"
"But I want to!"
Lily mentally rolled her eyes. Was she never going to have a moment by herself with Severus as her boyfriend? "Okay, fine. Let's go." She started to walk quickly, eager to reach the common room as soon as possible.
Finally, they reached the portrait hole to the Gryffindor common room. Severus paused, but before he could say anything, Lily swept up to the portrait. The Fat Lady was sleeping, but woke up when Lily almost screamed in her ear. She whispered the password quietly, so that Severus couldn't hear it, and the painting swung open. With only a quick goodbye directed at Severus, she climbed through and was gone.
For a minute, Severus stood outside of the common room. The Fat Lady was snoring again. His face ached from smiling so much. He had just done the one thing that he had thought he would never do in his life--he had just asked out a Mudblood. But it was worth it. When he saw the look on Potter's face, it would be worth it.
Thanks so much to everyone who has reviewed so far! I have decided to put up a section to thank you all. It should be right after this chapter. I'll update it with every chapter that I write.
I almost feel to guilty at having taken so long to beg for reviews. Almost, but not quite.
Please Review!
Escaping her Destiny: Chapter 6
Peter pressed his ear closer to the cold wood. He could hear muffled noises coming from within the room, and then footsteps that seemed to be approaching him. He quickly scuffled away from the door and stood in what he hoped was a casual, nonchalant pose. But before the door could be opened, the footsteps stopped, paused, and retreated. Without losing any time, Peter was back at the door again. This time, he cupped his hands against his ears to assist his hearing, and his expression lightened considerably. "Perfect," he muttered. He could hear everything that was going on inside the room clearly. His face took on a childish smile as his mind processed the conversation, and the grin widened as the conversation continued. In fact, by the time that the door opened, his mouth was stretched almost from ear to ear, making him look entirely crazy. But as the doorknob turned, Peter stepped back into the shadows, and remained unnoticed as James strode past him.
The boy peered around the corner. Good; the coast was clear. James had apparently left. Peter's beady eyes surveyed the room before he scurried out of his hiding place and through the portrait hole.
In less than five minutes, he was in the Great Hall again. His eyes wandered towards the Slytherin table, and finally came to rest on Severus Snape. Trying to make himself as inconspicuous as possible, Peter glided over to Severus. The Slytherin's head was bent over his plate, but as soon as Peter stopped at his side, his head snapped up, spattering drops of grease onto Peter's skin. Blinking away the specks of oil in his eyes, Peter lowered himself into the nearest vacant chair.
"Listen," he said in a low voice, "I thought you might want to know, James is head over heels for that little redheaded mudblood."
Severus raised an eyebrow. "You came all the way over to the Slytherin table, risking your reputation and mine, just to tell me that worthless piece of old news?"
"N-no! I mean, there's something else." Peter paused.
"Well? Spit it out!"
"He asked her out!"
Severus leaned forward. "Did she accept?"
"No. She made up some phony story about being a Divinator, and not wanting to kill him." Once again he hesitated. "That's all," he finished lamely.
Severus's black eyes glittered. "That's all? That's wonderful! I've got him exactly where I want him." He rubbed his hands together gleefully.
"Is there any way that I can help?"
"Actually, yes. Tell me everything that you know about this mudblood girl."
"Um, well, I don't know that much . . ."
"Either tell me something useful or--"
"--I will! I will! Right, er, she seems smart so far. She was the only person who could do "Wingardium Leviosa" in Charms. She seems studious . . ." Peter trailed off.
"Is there anything else?"
"I can find out more if you want me to!"
"No, that won't be necessary. Do you know where she is now?"
"She was up in her room when I left."
"That's not good . . . you did say that she is studious?"
"Yes . . . at least, I think so."
"Then she should be up in the library after classes."
"But I don't understand . . . what are you going to do?"
Severus smiled grimly. "Don't worry, Peter, you'll find out. Just not now. But we'll keep in touch."
"Okay!"
"Now go. Goodbye."
Lily was curled up in a dark corner engulfed by a huge pile of books. The tall shelves hid her from the hawklike eyes of the librarian. Strictly speaking, she wasn't allowed to have more then five books out at once, but she had an essay due the next day for History of Magic, and she wasn't going to let the rules stop her from completing it.
The soft rustling of robes caught her attention. There was someone nearing her; they were separated only by one shelf. Footsteps echoed on the hard wood. Quickly, Lily gathered an armful of books and started stacking them on the closest shelf. "Hurry!" she told herself. She could be suspended from the library for more than a week if she was found breaking the rules.
But before she could finish, a head poked around the corner. A black, greasy head. It was Severus Snape. But what really surprised Lily was that for once, his face wasn't contorted into a sneer. In fact, he actually looked as if he was trying to smile nicely. He wasn't exactly succeeding, but at least he was making an effort. And that is really half of the battle, as her dad had always said. Lily's giggle caught in her throat and turned into a little sob.
Severus was staring straight at her. She looked at him strangely. 'What is he doing here?' she asked herself. She looked around; her books blocked the entire aisle. "Oh, sorry, am I in your way?"
"Oh, no! Not at all!" he replied, with another valiant attempt at a smile. His features set in a determined expression, and he sat down next to her. "What are you doing here? I would have thought that a--er--pretty girl like you would have something else to do tonight than study."
Lily blushed. "Thanks, but no, I have an essay do tomorrow, and I really needed to get some research done."
"Can I help? I've already done mine, and you could get it done a lot faster."
"That's so sweet of you!" At this, Severus looked as if he was about to throw up. However, Lily had gone back to her books and didn't notice. "Sure, I'd love it if you would help me!"
"May I see what you have done so far?"
"Here it is."
Severus skimmed over the paper briefly. "Wait--you say that Hogwarts was founded in the year 201, but I thought that it was 301 when it was established."
"Really? I'm sure that it said in "Hogwarts: A History" that it was 201."
"Let me look it up."
Two hours later, the essay was complete. For a few minutes, the exhausted first years sat in place, resting. But after a moment, Lily jumped up. "Thank you so much for your help, Severus. I could never have done it without you."
"I'm sure that you could have," Severus said gallantly.
Lily shook her head. "No, it would have taken forever. Here, let me take the books and put them back."
Severus sprang to his feet. "I can do it. Here, give them to me." Surprised, Lily handed over the books. Severus staggered under their weight, but managed to replace them in their original places. He returned to Lily. The silence hung in the air between the awkwardly.
"Well . . ." Lily started uncertainly, "Thanks again. I better be going now." She turned to leave, but Severus caught her hand.
"Um, Lily, I have something to say to you." He shifted his weight nervously from one foot to the other.
"Yes, Severus?" Lily waited expectantly, but with a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. She was starting to feel alarmed; that was what James had said when he had asked her out. She liked Severus, but not in that way. But if he asked her out, she didn't know if she would have the heart to refuse.
"Well, I really liked getting to know you today and all . . ."
"Me too."
" . . . and you seem like a really nice person. I like you a lot. And I was wondering if maybe you would like to go out with me."
Lily's head swam. She and Severus a couple? It made no sense. She searched desperately for an appropriate excuse. "But . . . where could we go? We can't even go to Hogsmeade yet."
Severus looked taken aback. "Well, anywhere you want to. We could sit by the lake if you wanted. We can go anywhere that's on the school grounds. But I meant, do you want to be my girlfriend?"
"Maybe we should get to know each other more first," Lily protested weakly.
"I understand how you feel. After all, we only met a few days ago. But Lily, even though I have only known you for less than a week, it feels like I have known you my whole life."
Lily sighed. There was no way out. "Okay, Severus. I would like to be your girlfriend. Thank you for asking."
"Great!" Snape exclaimed jubilantly. "Here, let me walk you back to your common room."
"Oh, you don't have to do that!"
"But I want to!"
Lily mentally rolled her eyes. Was she never going to have a moment by herself with Severus as her boyfriend? "Okay, fine. Let's go." She started to walk quickly, eager to reach the common room as soon as possible.
Finally, they reached the portrait hole to the Gryffindor common room. Severus paused, but before he could say anything, Lily swept up to the portrait. The Fat Lady was sleeping, but woke up when Lily almost screamed in her ear. She whispered the password quietly, so that Severus couldn't hear it, and the painting swung open. With only a quick goodbye directed at Severus, she climbed through and was gone.
For a minute, Severus stood outside of the common room. The Fat Lady was snoring again. His face ached from smiling so much. He had just done the one thing that he had thought he would never do in his life--he had just asked out a Mudblood. But it was worth it. When he saw the look on Potter's face, it would be worth it.
Thanks so much to everyone who has reviewed so far! I have decided to put up a section to thank you all. It should be right after this chapter. I'll update it with every chapter that I write.
I almost feel to guilty at having taken so long to beg for reviews. Almost, but not quite.
Please Review!