Since they couldn't go back to the common room, as they were in different houses, the pair walked around the school talking about everything and nothing. What they didn't know was that they were being watched.
To anyone who saw them together, they looked like a cute, and happy couple, which was exactly what the onlooker thought of them.
'How dare they think that they can just get together without any problems at all. No, I shall separate them from each other... forever.'
As the watcher sunk into the shadows, the pair went back outside to wander the grounds. They walked all around the lake until they found a little, easy to miss, bridge that led to a little pavilion in the middle of the lake. On the pavilion was a little gazebo where there was a circle of stone benches surrounded by what now, are dead plants, but in the spring would become some sort of flower.
There they stayed for the rest of the day talking about everything, about the Quidditch tournament coming up, about how Lily and James will deffinately be engaged by the end of the year, and the soon to be romance between Sirius and Liv.
'So Remus, who is Angelina Crumpguard? She doesn't seem to be the nicest of bitches but I could be wrong.' Laughed Maria.
'Oh god, your seriously preaching to the choir here. We used to go out, but I really couldn't take her crap. She's beautiful and everything, but she isn't smart, and she cant even hold a serious conversation for more than about 5 seconds.' Said Remus. He didn't look as though she was his favorite person to talk about.
'What is with her telling me to back off?' asked Maria. 'No seriously, listen to what she said to me.' Maria put on a fake high pitched imitation, 'You're the one that decided to warm up to Remmy aren't you?'
Remus just laughed at her imitation. 'Yeah, well she like, thinks that I belong to her or something, it's really not right.'
'Yeah, I was just wondering, because it's not everyday that someone comes over to me and tells me to stay away from my friends, ya know?'
'Yeah, I get it. Hey, we should be heading back before someone starts to miss us.' They headed back in almost complete and comfortable silence. They had missed lunch, and were entering just in time for dinner. When they came in the Great Hall, Angelina Crumpguard came over to Remus and put her arm around his.
'Remmy, why do you hang around with American trash like her when you could be hanging out with me?' she used a out that probably got her everything she wanted with almost anyone, Remus, thankfully, wasn't anyone.
'Look Angelina, its really over. We just don't work together. You need someone who'll give you the attention you want, and I need someone who can carry on a decent conversation, so please, let it go.' Said Remus. He hated to be mean, but he would not let this slut talk about Maria like this. She just stuck her nose higher in the air and walked back over to her table. Maria smiled thanking Remus.
Remus went over to the Marauders and the rest of the Gryffindors, while Maria went to the other end where Severus and Liv were. After being asked where she was, Maria lied that she had been in the library looking for something to read.
After a wonderful dinner and deserts that were sure to make a stick person a whale, Dumbledore stood up for announcements.
'This year, as a school treat, we shall be holding a dance in honor of a new year. Why, you might ask? Lately, there has been an uprising of the most evil wizard to date, he is killing wizards and muggles alike. To lift the spirits and the morality, we will have this ball on the first Friday, after classes start. There will be a Hogsmead visit on the weekend before.' With that he dismissed everyone to their dorms. Maria and Liv were excitedly discussing the ball, while Severus would walk a little behind, adding in his own sarcastic remarks.
'Sev, I really don't understand why you have to be such a stick in the mud.' Remarked Liv.
'Well, these ball's and dances are so frivolous. Their one of the dumbest idea's that Dumbledore has had yet.' Said Severus.
'Well I think it's a very good idea.' Said Maria. 'It's a good way for everyone to kind of take their minds off the bad things going on. Also it's gonna be a great way for the Quidditch team to relax. I can only imagine what Wood is going to make us do for training.'
'Ya, well I still think it's a bad idea.' Said Severus.
Maria and Liv just sighed and continued on their way to the dorms.
'Hey, I forgot my book in the Great Hall, I'll see you guys later, okay?' said Severus.
'Sure thing.' Said Liv.
Severus turned and ran back to the Great Hall and as he was turning the corner, he collided with someone else who was running in the opposite direction.
'Hey, watch where you're going.' Said Severus from the ground.
'Sorry, I didn't see you.' Said a girl's voice. Severus looked up to see Lily Evans sitting up from where she had fell, rubbing her head. 'Oh, hey Severus. Are you okay?' Severus was slightly taken aback. Lily Evans, the queen of the Gryffindors, and the person who had stolen the heart of Slytherins archenemy, was kindly talking to him.
'Um, yeah, I'm fine, thanks Evans.' He got up and started to walk to the Great Hall when he heard Lily coming up and talking to him.
'Why do you always call me Evans?' asked Lily.
'I dunno. Maybe cause you're a Gryffindor.'
'What dose that have to do with anything? I mean Maria is friends with me and she's a Slytherin.' She wasn't arguing. She was just being as nice as she ever was.
'Why do you care what I call you? Haven't I called you so many horrible things? Haven't I been the meanest person to you?'
'Well, you have been mean to me and called me many things, but Lucius has been meaner. Also, I think that everyone has their own reasons for acting how they do, and that I should just try and believe in the best of people.'
'Yeah well, you the only one.'
'O what a fabulous attitude about people.' Said Lily sarcastically. 'You know Severus, you should be a bit more optimistic. Optimism is the key to getting what you want.' Lily smiled, and Severus couldn't help but crack a smile.
'So what do you want an apology?'
'Look, I'm not trying to get an apology out of you for what you've said to me, I'm just trying to get you to call me Lily.'
Severus sighed. 'Well Lily, I think I may be able to somehow get that into my head.' Lily smiled and said goodbye and ran off in the other direction.
Severus shook his head thinking to himself "I have never met anyone like her before." He got his book and returned to the dorm.
In The Gryffindor Common Room
Sirius looked up from doing nothing as Lily walked into the common room.
'Hey, where were you? I know you like to have like 6th helpings of everything, but for the amount of time you were gone, that's just unhealthy.' Joked Sirius.
'No I wasn't eating that whole time. I was liking new friends.'
Sirius gave her a look 'Who?'
'Severus.' Replied Lily without any sort of excitement. She didn't see how this was a big deal.
'And how do you think James is going to take this? It's hard enough for him to accept both Liv and Maria, and they're hot. How do you think he's gonna take you and Snape?'
'I could really care less. Severus is my friend now, and there's nothing James can do about that.'
'Okay, okay, I'm not even gonna try and argue with you. If he's your friend then there's nothing I can do about that.'
'Exactly and James is just gonna have to adopt the same philosophy.'
Next Day
It was a sight to behold at breakfast. Slytherin and Gryffindors were mixed together for the first time since forever. James wasn't too happy, and Severus felt slightly out of place, but other than that they all were getting along fabulously.
As the last day before the other students were getting back, there was a trip planned for Hogsmead. People could get outfits for the ball, or just shop.
They all bundled up and set out for Hogsmead after breakfast. The girls went in one direction and the guys went in another. Severus was going to go, but then he remembered he had to do an essay for the potions teacher. He was going to try and become a teacher's assistant for the summer. While he was hoping to become the DADA teacher, he wanted to start somewhere else so he had a better background on everything.
The girls first stopped at Honeyducks for some sweats, then headed for the dress robes store. They were there for roughly the entire day going through what was to make the best dress. Which color, then that type of fabric, that style of dress, and everything in between. Finally they all picked out their dresses.
Lily picked out a lovely hunter green silk dress. It was one sleeved and wrapped around her tight until her waits where it gracefully flowed to a little above the ground. Liv picked out a midnight blue dress with silver sparkles. It was tight and sleek all the way to the floor, and there was a very large slit going up to a few inches above her knee.
Alice, who had came along, hot a canary yellow dress that fit around her somewhat hubby form very nicely, with short gauzy sleeves, and silky material around her chest, then layers of stretchy gauzy material flowing to a bit past her knees. Maria took the longest time to decide what to wear. Eventually she chose a silk red dress that tied in the back, and low in the front. Then was tight until her waist then hung loosely.
They got out of the shop and had enough time to stop at the Three Broomsticks where Sirius and James were entertaining Madam Rosmerta. They stopped and had a butterbeer with them then headed to the castle.
After dinner all the girls went to the Slytherin dorm while the guys (except Severus) went to the Gryffindor dorms. They chilled for a while in the common room where even Severus stayed and socialized. Soon the girls went to the girls' dorm and conjured sleeping bags for them all to sleep in. Then they all began their twittering girly stuff.
'So Liv, I hear Sirius might ask you to the dance. What do you think about that?' asked Alice with a wink.
'I think I might beat him to the punch. How funny would it me if I asked him?' she laughed. 'I'm serious though, do you think I should take the initiative?'
'Go for it, seriously Sirius has this problem with getting nervous around girls he actually likes, he might be to afraid of rejection to even ask you.' Said Lily.
'That's is, Maria give me your broom I'll be right back.' Said Liv.
'Um okay, but be back soon.' Said Maria as Liv jumped out of the window. 'Wow that is one girl who knows what she wants. She's going and she doesn't even like to fly.'
'Yeah no kidding.' Said Lily.
'So I assume your going with James, and Alice your going with Frank?' said Maria. Alice blushed and gave a small nod and Lily just nodded confidently.
'Hmm, that just leaves you and a certain brain behind the best pranks in Hogwarts.' Said Lily suggestively.
'Ha ha. I don't think he likes me like that. And I'm not asking him.'
'Well, then I'll see what I can do.' Said Lily and before Maria could argue Liv came speeding back in with a very big grin on her face.
'And I take it from your face, that you have a date for the dance?' said Maria.
'Maybe.' Said Liv. She couldn't get the grin off her face all night even when she was sleeping.
They giggled all night until they all fell asleep.
Next Day
That day, they had Quidditch practice. Wood decided that they had to work double to make up for the vacation. He thanked Maria profoundly for the board, and then got a bit of everyone's hair.
He worked them doubly hard and tried almost every play known to wizard kind. When they were done, the players all flew their brooms in because they were so exhausted.
Maria collapsed onto a couch in the common room and was almost asleep when she heard her name being yelled across the room. She looked up to see Lucius running to her and giving her a huge hug. Apparently the book had been better then even he had imagined. She smiled glad that she had made everyone happy for Christmas.
The next day classes started again, and surprisingly, Maria found she had missed them. Transfiguration she could have done without, but all her other classes, she was happy with. The Virtassium potion was one of the hardest and most temperamental potions she had ever tried to create, but charms and DADA were all easy enough.
The week went by without many interesting happenings. Everyone was excited about the upcoming dance, and you couldn't seem to get away from all the giggling girls. By Wednesday many people had dates, and those who didn't were hoping to get one soon. So far about 6 guys had asked her to go with them, but she politely said no to them all. She would never admit it but she did want him to ask her. She hoped he would, but at the same time she hoped he didn't. She liked their friendship, and didn't want any of that to change.
At the same time Remus was getting a lot of crap from the James and Sirius. They were trying very hard for him to admit that he liked Maria and ask her to the dance. However Remus, as stubborn as ever, refused to admit to anything.
'Come on mate, just admit you like her and we can move on with our lives.' Said Sirius one day after potions. He had insisted that Remus had been staring at Maria the whole class.
'Of coarse I was staring at her. She's my partner for the project you moron.'
Sirius had nothing to say to this, and he just looked at him with mock anger. 'Fine, be in your little world of denial, but I know better!' he exclaimed. Remus just sighed and looked ahead. He saw Maria laughing with Liv and Lily and thought to himself, "Wow, she's beautiful.'
'HA!!' yelled Sirius, 'You were staring! And its not potions you have no excuse!' by this time people began to stare.
'I swear Sirius, one of these days your outside will match the insanity that's within.' Joked Remus. For the rest of the day he sat about thinking about what Sirius had said about him liking Maria. "He can't possibly be right. Since when had Sirius ever known something before me?"
He was still daydreaming and walking to his dorm when he was cornered by none other than Angelina.
'Reemy!' she wined 'Why haven't you asked me to the dance yet?' she pouted.
'Um... I never had any intention to Angelina. I'm sorry.' He tried to get past her but then Angelina took off the angelic face and said softly.
'Oh, I see. That damn yank has you all hypnotized dose she? Well mark my words Remus and mark them well, you and her, it'll never work. I'll see to that.' She said this and for a second Remus was too taken aback to speak, but he collected himself quickly.
'Look Angelina, its over and if you ever threaten Maria or speak of her negatively, then you will see how mean I can get.' With that he decided to stop being such a gentlemen and roughly pushed past her.
Dinner
Remus was quietly thinking about what Angelina had said. While thinking, be begun to worry. While she herself wasn't that much of a threat, she could do some damage. He remembered once that a guy had cheated on her, and she got him into the hospital wing for a week. He still didn't know how she had managed it, but he didn't want that to happen to Maria. Any thought of him asking her to the dance was out of the question, but it wouldn't stop him from asking her to dance.
A/N:
Finally! Done! I know I haven't updated in a really long time but I've been so monstrously busy!!! I hope to make the updates on ALL my stories more frequent.
So did you like it?? REVIEW!!
So about the dress of Maria's try and picture the red dress in Moulin Rouge.
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