Ty gathered her things and rushed out of class above everyone else, jabbing Severus in the side as hey parted for their common rooms.
"You and me, Sev, Later?" She smiled hopefully.
"You and me, Ty," He nodded.
Ty peeked over her shoulder and saw that he made his path safely past James and the boys, who followed Lily toward her.
"What was that?" Lily asked softly.
"What was what?" She asked, steering through the common room and up the dormitory stairs.
Lily fluttered her eyes in mockery, her voice pitching unrealistically. "You and me, Sev!" She giggled. "Are you the one the Slytherins are teasing him about?"
"What?!"
"You're not the only one in good with a Slytherin contact. You know Jenisen Hanly?"
"Jeni?"
"Yup," Lily smiled slyly, the same smile that James had come to buckle under. "Jenisen told me that Severus is being teased more than usual, because there was a girl with him in the common room, and he won't spill as to who."
"How do they know that?" Ty set about putting her books under her bedside table and moving to her trunk, trying to look innocent.
"A loud mouth mirror," Lily's smile grew as she eyed Ty. "Said He had a pretty, witty Blonde girl in the common room after curfew, but not even the teachers could get a straight answer from it."
"Wow, how unfortunate."
"But a witty blonde? She couldn't be natural," Lily leaned over Ty's bed, biting her lip to stop from bursting with questions. "Tell me, Ty; What's Severus like after curfew is up?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about, Lily Evans," Ty could feel her face heating up. "How would I know what Sev is like after curfew?"
Lily's face broke into a grin and Ty giggled nervously.
"He's the sweetest guy I've ever known." She said bluntly. "I have no other words."
"How long has this been going on, Ty?" Lily let herself slide over her golden comforter. "How long have you been breaking curfew for Severus Snape?"
"Ssssssh!" Ty curled on the bed next to her. "I don't know what they'd do to us if they found out I'd been doing this since the exams last year."
"Last year?!" Lily lit up. "Did he owl you over the summer? Did you you see him?"
"See what I'm talking about?" Ty groaned, pressing her hands against her face.
"Ooooh, gal," Lily smiled soothingly, brushing her hair back. "It's okay. Gryffindors are generous and accepting, you know that."
"But, what about the Marauder boys?" She frowned. "They are my friends. And they just *hate* Severus."
"I don't think they hate him, really," Lily pulled herself into an identical position beside Ty and thought a moment. "I think it's more of a tense competition between them. You know; 'anything you can do, I can do better'."
Ty scowled inwardly. There was little comfort there. Lily gave her a small smile, sitting up.
"Come on, gal," She stretched and bent down, kissing her hair. "I promise you that you won't have trouble. I swear."
Ty let the holiday break sweep her away, meaning that Lily kept her busy for the few days before Christmas, let her help plan and wrap and pine away. She would pass the Slytherin table over breakfast and jab him in the back to let him know she was still around, but stayed all wrapped up in her own schemes.
The days bewitched themselves into months just for her imagination, and Ty found herself chomping at the bit for christmas day. When it finally rolled around, it seemed far too soon.
"Am I ready?" She asked the silence.
"Now or never, kiddo," Her mirror shuddered at the sight of her and she was off.
Severus set aside the last of his small pile of family christmas gifts and set about falling back into the dreams he was having. One of his Dorm mates poked his head in.
"Severus?"
"What?"
"You have a guest," He said dryly, exiting.
Severus kicked away his covers and dressed quickly, walking down to the eerily hushed common room. He found that many of the staying over Slytherins students had assembled at the edges of the room, looking scorched with disbelief, offended, or simply awestruck.
"Merry Christmas, Severus."
Ty stood in the middle of the common room, wearing her regulation Gryffindor pajamas but with a large green bow wrapped around her middle. Her luminous hair was streaked with emerald and she gave him a hopeful smile.
"Ty, what-"
"I told you that I was going to show off," She shrugged. "Are you going to come and accept your Christmas gift or not?"
An odd sensation ran through the course of the room and missed Severus completely as he walked down to Ty and gave her a quick kiss, simultaneously taking her away from the crowd and out the portrait hole.
"How did you even get in?" He looked over his shoulder at the closing portrait hole. Most of the Slytherin girls looked back at him, some in a romantic awe and others looking most murderous.
"I told the picture that I wished to present Severus Snape with his birthday present, and it was sent through frame to the inside that there was a trustworthy contact in waiting," She beamed, gripping his hands as they moved closer to the great hall. "After that I just sort of barged in. Why? Are you embarassed, Sev?" She leaned back and made him stop, her voice edging on disappointment.
"No," He said honestly. "You're the best present I've gotten. But I don't want them to come back to you, Ty, and they looked capable."
"Severus, I told you I wanted to show you off. That means that I want to be there to show you off."
"I-"
"Shut up and wish me a Merry Christmas, Severus."
Ty spoke in a cool voice, but smiled and squeezed his hands. He relented and felt the nervousness sink away from him, leaning to to give her a kiss under the wandering misletoe which had settled just above them.
Nothing went through the school faster than the confident rumors of Severus Snape and Ty Filine. The tale of her Christmas surprize grew wilder and taller, and soon she had been naked in the common room and wrapped in green ribbon, holding a black rose between her teeth and quoting love spells. She took this all in stride and added to them whenever she could, meaning whenever she ran across a group of whatever first years left for the holiday who didn't know who Ty really was.
"You know, you're only making this worse," Lily chided her in a playful way whenever she found her in such situations. "Soon you'll have covered yourself in Mint sauce and offered him the Christmas feast in his room."
"Oooooh!" Her eyes shone. "That's a good one, Lil."
"That's not what I meant."
"I know, I know. But it's just so much fun," She giggled. "Come on, lets go find him, eh? Tell him the latest in the gossip pool?"
"As long as he's got a sense of humor, gal."
A few hours later, Ty leaned against the doorway, kicking her bare legs out on the steps. She placed her hand on the top of a large-ish jar that blazed with blue fire. Lily sat on its opposite side, giving her a side look.
"It's okay, Ty," She smiled. "We'll find him."
"Yeah, with James, I'm sure."
"Don't sound so bitter," Lily scowled. "James does have *some* morals, and not all of them include tormenting Severus."
Ty moved to answer her, but found Severus making his way across the courtyard to them. He smiled apprehensively, his eyes flickering from the looks the other students gave him and Ty.
"Afternoon, Severus," Ty smiled brightly, adjusting herself to allow him access to the bright bottled fire. She sank against him as he sat beside her, sliding an arm around her, and offered his hand to Lily in a kind way.
"Afternoon, Ms. Evans?" He asked softly.
"Afternoon, Mr. Snape," She took his hand and smiled.
"Oy! Evans!"
Ty's smile withered, and Severus felt robbed. He looked over his shoulder as James approached them, accompanied by Sirius and Remus, and Peter lurking close behind them.
"What's all this, then?" James grinned down at Severus.
"It's a private conversation, James," Ty said coolly. "I think I could speak with you later, you know?"
"Oh, but who said I was here for you, Ty dear?" He said easily. "I would *love* to have a few words with you, but mostly I'm here to see Snape."
"Well, he's occupied."
James smiled at her gently. "It'll only take a minute."
"Knowing the two of you, it will take hours," Remus said firmly, seeing the side glances from both Lily and Ty. "Come on, James. We've got a Quidditch debate in about 20 minutes, and I'd love to try and get out over the field before hand, over all that snow-"
"Come on, Snivelly; tell me what's new in your life."
Ty stood up heatedly. "James, I'm telling you-"
"Telling me what? That Snivelly here has a friend?"
"Severus," Ty spoke loudly and clearly, "has a girlfriend. She'd prefer it if she didn't have to hurt you."
"Hurt me?" He looked on the verge of laughter.
"Yes, because if you remember correctly, I'm quite good with a wand," She said softly, burrowing her silver eyes into his hazel. "Please, James. Let him alone. For me."
"I'm sorry, Ms. Filine," James smirked, obviously feeling bigger than his robes. "I can't possibly let him alone. See, he's here," He said, pointing to him, "and he's sneering at me as if he wants to start trouble. Where would I be if I passed up his foul, greasy invitation?"
"Well, not lying in the hospital wing, for a start," Severus muttered angrily.
James stepped back and drew his wand. "Stand up and face me, Snivelly."
"James!" Lily stood as well, her pretty face gaunt with anger.
"Come along, James," Remus took his wand arm. "Come on, now." He forced him around and Sirius joined him, Peter scurrying along with them.
Severus looked back to them and glared.
"See you in a hospital wing, Potter."
James was at the ready, but Ty was prepared for his attack. She had stepped forward and blocked his spell, whatever it had been coming at them, watching a spark form in the frigid air.
"You won't always have your girlfriend to stand up for you, Snape!" James yelled seethingly across the courtyard as Remus and Sirius took into dragging him off.
Ty sunk back to the steps and looked into Severus' face, sliding the fire jar aside. He looked at her indifferently and rose before her.
"I'll see you later, Ty," he said blankly, walking away. Ty looked at his back and lay back against the door. She was dead silent for several minutes before she found her voice again.
"Do you think I did the right thing?" She asked expressionlessly.
"I would have done it," Lily said honestly. "But I told you before; It's all a contest with them, gal. He's just a little wounded now."
"I wounded him?"
"Oh, Ty!" Lily laughed in a sad way, pulling her into a hug. "It's going to be alright, I promise."
"Really?" Ty cuddled against her coat and shut her eyes. "I didn't wound him?"
"Maybe a little," Lily nodded. She brushed back Ty's hair sympathetically. "But it's a wounded that he needs to know. He'll be fine."
Ty sat up and smiled a little. Lily always seemed to know what she was taking about.
"You and me, Sev, Later?" She smiled hopefully.
"You and me, Ty," He nodded.
Ty peeked over her shoulder and saw that he made his path safely past James and the boys, who followed Lily toward her.
"What was that?" Lily asked softly.
"What was what?" She asked, steering through the common room and up the dormitory stairs.
Lily fluttered her eyes in mockery, her voice pitching unrealistically. "You and me, Sev!" She giggled. "Are you the one the Slytherins are teasing him about?"
"What?!"
"You're not the only one in good with a Slytherin contact. You know Jenisen Hanly?"
"Jeni?"
"Yup," Lily smiled slyly, the same smile that James had come to buckle under. "Jenisen told me that Severus is being teased more than usual, because there was a girl with him in the common room, and he won't spill as to who."
"How do they know that?" Ty set about putting her books under her bedside table and moving to her trunk, trying to look innocent.
"A loud mouth mirror," Lily's smile grew as she eyed Ty. "Said He had a pretty, witty Blonde girl in the common room after curfew, but not even the teachers could get a straight answer from it."
"Wow, how unfortunate."
"But a witty blonde? She couldn't be natural," Lily leaned over Ty's bed, biting her lip to stop from bursting with questions. "Tell me, Ty; What's Severus like after curfew is up?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about, Lily Evans," Ty could feel her face heating up. "How would I know what Sev is like after curfew?"
Lily's face broke into a grin and Ty giggled nervously.
"He's the sweetest guy I've ever known." She said bluntly. "I have no other words."
"How long has this been going on, Ty?" Lily let herself slide over her golden comforter. "How long have you been breaking curfew for Severus Snape?"
"Ssssssh!" Ty curled on the bed next to her. "I don't know what they'd do to us if they found out I'd been doing this since the exams last year."
"Last year?!" Lily lit up. "Did he owl you over the summer? Did you you see him?"
"See what I'm talking about?" Ty groaned, pressing her hands against her face.
"Ooooh, gal," Lily smiled soothingly, brushing her hair back. "It's okay. Gryffindors are generous and accepting, you know that."
"But, what about the Marauder boys?" She frowned. "They are my friends. And they just *hate* Severus."
"I don't think they hate him, really," Lily pulled herself into an identical position beside Ty and thought a moment. "I think it's more of a tense competition between them. You know; 'anything you can do, I can do better'."
Ty scowled inwardly. There was little comfort there. Lily gave her a small smile, sitting up.
"Come on, gal," She stretched and bent down, kissing her hair. "I promise you that you won't have trouble. I swear."
Ty let the holiday break sweep her away, meaning that Lily kept her busy for the few days before Christmas, let her help plan and wrap and pine away. She would pass the Slytherin table over breakfast and jab him in the back to let him know she was still around, but stayed all wrapped up in her own schemes.
The days bewitched themselves into months just for her imagination, and Ty found herself chomping at the bit for christmas day. When it finally rolled around, it seemed far too soon.
"Am I ready?" She asked the silence.
"Now or never, kiddo," Her mirror shuddered at the sight of her and she was off.
Severus set aside the last of his small pile of family christmas gifts and set about falling back into the dreams he was having. One of his Dorm mates poked his head in.
"Severus?"
"What?"
"You have a guest," He said dryly, exiting.
Severus kicked away his covers and dressed quickly, walking down to the eerily hushed common room. He found that many of the staying over Slytherins students had assembled at the edges of the room, looking scorched with disbelief, offended, or simply awestruck.
"Merry Christmas, Severus."
Ty stood in the middle of the common room, wearing her regulation Gryffindor pajamas but with a large green bow wrapped around her middle. Her luminous hair was streaked with emerald and she gave him a hopeful smile.
"Ty, what-"
"I told you that I was going to show off," She shrugged. "Are you going to come and accept your Christmas gift or not?"
An odd sensation ran through the course of the room and missed Severus completely as he walked down to Ty and gave her a quick kiss, simultaneously taking her away from the crowd and out the portrait hole.
"How did you even get in?" He looked over his shoulder at the closing portrait hole. Most of the Slytherin girls looked back at him, some in a romantic awe and others looking most murderous.
"I told the picture that I wished to present Severus Snape with his birthday present, and it was sent through frame to the inside that there was a trustworthy contact in waiting," She beamed, gripping his hands as they moved closer to the great hall. "After that I just sort of barged in. Why? Are you embarassed, Sev?" She leaned back and made him stop, her voice edging on disappointment.
"No," He said honestly. "You're the best present I've gotten. But I don't want them to come back to you, Ty, and they looked capable."
"Severus, I told you I wanted to show you off. That means that I want to be there to show you off."
"I-"
"Shut up and wish me a Merry Christmas, Severus."
Ty spoke in a cool voice, but smiled and squeezed his hands. He relented and felt the nervousness sink away from him, leaning to to give her a kiss under the wandering misletoe which had settled just above them.
Nothing went through the school faster than the confident rumors of Severus Snape and Ty Filine. The tale of her Christmas surprize grew wilder and taller, and soon she had been naked in the common room and wrapped in green ribbon, holding a black rose between her teeth and quoting love spells. She took this all in stride and added to them whenever she could, meaning whenever she ran across a group of whatever first years left for the holiday who didn't know who Ty really was.
"You know, you're only making this worse," Lily chided her in a playful way whenever she found her in such situations. "Soon you'll have covered yourself in Mint sauce and offered him the Christmas feast in his room."
"Oooooh!" Her eyes shone. "That's a good one, Lil."
"That's not what I meant."
"I know, I know. But it's just so much fun," She giggled. "Come on, lets go find him, eh? Tell him the latest in the gossip pool?"
"As long as he's got a sense of humor, gal."
A few hours later, Ty leaned against the doorway, kicking her bare legs out on the steps. She placed her hand on the top of a large-ish jar that blazed with blue fire. Lily sat on its opposite side, giving her a side look.
"It's okay, Ty," She smiled. "We'll find him."
"Yeah, with James, I'm sure."
"Don't sound so bitter," Lily scowled. "James does have *some* morals, and not all of them include tormenting Severus."
Ty moved to answer her, but found Severus making his way across the courtyard to them. He smiled apprehensively, his eyes flickering from the looks the other students gave him and Ty.
"Afternoon, Severus," Ty smiled brightly, adjusting herself to allow him access to the bright bottled fire. She sank against him as he sat beside her, sliding an arm around her, and offered his hand to Lily in a kind way.
"Afternoon, Ms. Evans?" He asked softly.
"Afternoon, Mr. Snape," She took his hand and smiled.
"Oy! Evans!"
Ty's smile withered, and Severus felt robbed. He looked over his shoulder as James approached them, accompanied by Sirius and Remus, and Peter lurking close behind them.
"What's all this, then?" James grinned down at Severus.
"It's a private conversation, James," Ty said coolly. "I think I could speak with you later, you know?"
"Oh, but who said I was here for you, Ty dear?" He said easily. "I would *love* to have a few words with you, but mostly I'm here to see Snape."
"Well, he's occupied."
James smiled at her gently. "It'll only take a minute."
"Knowing the two of you, it will take hours," Remus said firmly, seeing the side glances from both Lily and Ty. "Come on, James. We've got a Quidditch debate in about 20 minutes, and I'd love to try and get out over the field before hand, over all that snow-"
"Come on, Snivelly; tell me what's new in your life."
Ty stood up heatedly. "James, I'm telling you-"
"Telling me what? That Snivelly here has a friend?"
"Severus," Ty spoke loudly and clearly, "has a girlfriend. She'd prefer it if she didn't have to hurt you."
"Hurt me?" He looked on the verge of laughter.
"Yes, because if you remember correctly, I'm quite good with a wand," She said softly, burrowing her silver eyes into his hazel. "Please, James. Let him alone. For me."
"I'm sorry, Ms. Filine," James smirked, obviously feeling bigger than his robes. "I can't possibly let him alone. See, he's here," He said, pointing to him, "and he's sneering at me as if he wants to start trouble. Where would I be if I passed up his foul, greasy invitation?"
"Well, not lying in the hospital wing, for a start," Severus muttered angrily.
James stepped back and drew his wand. "Stand up and face me, Snivelly."
"James!" Lily stood as well, her pretty face gaunt with anger.
"Come along, James," Remus took his wand arm. "Come on, now." He forced him around and Sirius joined him, Peter scurrying along with them.
Severus looked back to them and glared.
"See you in a hospital wing, Potter."
James was at the ready, but Ty was prepared for his attack. She had stepped forward and blocked his spell, whatever it had been coming at them, watching a spark form in the frigid air.
"You won't always have your girlfriend to stand up for you, Snape!" James yelled seethingly across the courtyard as Remus and Sirius took into dragging him off.
Ty sunk back to the steps and looked into Severus' face, sliding the fire jar aside. He looked at her indifferently and rose before her.
"I'll see you later, Ty," he said blankly, walking away. Ty looked at his back and lay back against the door. She was dead silent for several minutes before she found her voice again.
"Do you think I did the right thing?" She asked expressionlessly.
"I would have done it," Lily said honestly. "But I told you before; It's all a contest with them, gal. He's just a little wounded now."
"I wounded him?"
"Oh, Ty!" Lily laughed in a sad way, pulling her into a hug. "It's going to be alright, I promise."
"Really?" Ty cuddled against her coat and shut her eyes. "I didn't wound him?"
"Maybe a little," Lily nodded. She brushed back Ty's hair sympathetically. "But it's a wounded that he needs to know. He'll be fine."
Ty sat up and smiled a little. Lily always seemed to know what she was taking about.
