That night, Ellen and Lily passed their time playing chess. Lily was growing impatient as it got later…nine forty-five… ten o'clock… ten thirty… eleven o'clock…
"Lily, are you all right?" asked Ellen as they sat in the empty common room.
Lily tucked some hair behind her ear, her arm shaking slightly. "Yeah, I'm fine."
"Well, you look a little pale. Do you want to go lie down?"
"No, I'm okay. Just a bit anxious about midnight… that's all."
"Oh, yeah! I forgot about that," Ellen looked at her watch. "It's eleven fifty. Should I leave?"
Lily nodded. "Thanks."
"No problem," she said, getting up. "But I want to know what happens as soon as you come back!"
"Sure," said Lily smiling feebly. "As soon as I get back."
Ellen grinned as she descended up the staircase to the girl's dorms.
Lily looked down at her hand. Ellen had been right, she was pale…
She sat, looking into the fire, which was beginning to die down. I hope it really is Remus…
"Lily?"
She jerked her head around. Remus was standing there, hands in his pockets smiling mischievously.
Lily grinned, even though she wasn't sure why.
"Remus," she said, getting up.
"You got my note, then?"
Lily nodded.
"Well, I suppose you know why you're here."
"Er, no, actually. I don't."
"Isn't it obvious?" he asked more quietly, stepping closer, so they were two feet apart.
"Er," she said.
"We're alone now…" he said softly.
"So?"
"So, we can…" he stepped even closer, so she could see every detail of his face…
"Yes?" she asked softly, moving so close it was hard to look at him without losing focus.
"We can…" he said, and reached his hand out, and touched her cheek, gently moving her head nearer to his….
----
Lily returned to the dormitory at twelve forty-five, feeling happy, light as air, and not the least bit sleepy.
"So, who was it? What happened?" asked Ellen, getting out of her bed.
"It…it was Remus."
Ellen frowned. "Aw, I hoped it would be someone like… like Sirius… what did he want?"
"Erm… he, erm… wanted help with his essay."
"At this time of the night?"
"Yeah, well…"
Ellen stared, and blinked. Lily could tell she didn't believe her. "Did you kiss?" Ellen asked, business-like.
Lily nodded, rubbing her neck.
Ellen sighed. "You do like him, don't you?"
Lily frowned. "If I didn't like him, then why would I have let him kiss me?"
Ellen shrugged. "Let's just go to sleep. I'm tired."
----
The October air filled her lungs as Lily walked once more out onto the Qudditch pitch. Hopefully I can get some practice in this time, without Remus interrupting… she thought, smiling to herself.
She mounted her broom, jinxed the football, and began to block the goals.
She zoomed in front of the goal hoops, blocking goal after another, imagining what it would be like playing with the Gryffindor team… first game of the year…
She pictured what the stands would look like full of students, cheering her on… she blocked two more…
Oof… she let that one through…
Another one saved…
And another…
"You're not bad, for a mudblood."
Lily jerked her head around, and soon spotted Severus Snape, sitting in the stands, book in hand.
Lily threw him a dirty look. "What are you doing here, Snivellus?"
Snape frowned. "I was trying to find a quiet place to study, but it seems I haven't been able to find anywhere in this place to read since Dumbledore became headmaster. He can't keep anything under control, the stupid old—"
"Shut your mouth," she snarled, landing her broom on the stands, the better for him to hear her insults. "Dumbledore's the best thing that ever happened to this school, and you know it."
Snape threw her another dirty look, and gathered up his things. "I have better things to do than hang around with people like you." He began to walk toward the stairs, to get back to the ground.
"Go on, then," she called after him. "Get your greasy little self out of my sight."
Snape turned, and added before leaving, "Shame. Bloody shame. Such good looks wasted on such rotten blood."
Lily opened her mouth in disgust. "I swear, Snape, if you ever say anything like that again, I'll make wish you were dead."
"Thank you," he replied bitterly, not knowing what else to say, and started down the stairs.
Lily spat after him, and then mounted her broom, and soared away, toward the goal posts.