A/N: I didn't want to write another James/Regulus scene (because it's really hard for me to write Cub, and because I wrote the last scene) so I decided to delay it and let Reggie write it. Hope no one minds too much that the date is delayed a chapter.
Title: Embarrassing Beginnings
Lily smiled when she heard the familiar voices. She had just finished her last class, potions, and was half-way up the stairs to Gryffindor tower, when she realized that she had forgotten her potions book. She was just turning the corner to the dungeons when she heard the voices.
"You really don't have to wait with me," Regulus said, sounding exasperated.
"I know I don't, but I'm not letting Potter go without talking to him," Snape sighed, as though he had explained all this before.
Lily turned the corner and saw that the two boys were walking away from her, deeper into the dungeons.
"It's just a date, Severus. We're not going out to shag or anything."
"You know," Lily smiled widely as the two spun around, wands drawn. "I thought this was supposed to be a secret, and here I find you two discussing it where anybody can hear."
"We were not discussing it where anybody could hear, Evens," Snape glared slightly, and Lily noted that the glare held a lot less coldness than it usually did. "No one is usually down here at this time." The sentence held a silent question as to why she was roaming around the dungeons just before dinner.
"I forgot my potions book," Lily offered, smiling. Then, getting back to the point, added, "And I could have been anyone."
"Good thing it's just you, then, isn't it?" Regulus said indifferently, but Lily could see that the Slytherin was slightly paler than normal.
"Good thing," Lily agreed. "So, you have a date with James tonight?"
"So much for not discussing this where 'anyone could hear,'" Snape drawled, raising an eyebrow at Lily, who blushed.
"Yes, actually," Regulus said, looking pointedly at Snape.
Lily wondered what the look was supposed to convey, because she couldn't read it at all. It appeared, however, that Snape could, because he shook his head and sighed.
"They are actually supposed to be meeting in a few minutes." Snape gave Lily a calculating look, before raising an eyebrow, "Want to come along? There are a few rules that I wish to remind Potter of, before I allow them to run off alone together."
Lily smiled as Regulus immediately began to argue with Snape about rules not being necessary. "Sounds like fun."
Regulus turned and glared at Lily, "We don't need chaperones."
"Allow me to talk to Potter prior to the date, or I will just have to accompany you through the whole evening," Snape crossed his arms and waited for Regulus's response.
Regulus glared, but Lily could tell that he knew Snape wasn't making an empty threat. Lily wondered when she had made it far enough onto their trusted list to be allowed to see these kind of brotherly moments. Whatever she had done to deserve this, she was thankful. Those two really did make cute brothers.
"Just don't embarrass me," Regulus sighed, heading back down the hall.
Lily caught Snape's eyes and winked, "Oh, I don't think he plans on embarrassing you."
"Brilliant," Regulus muttered.
Lily followed the two boys down the hall, making a mental note to go and fetch her potions book after the fun. She really couldn't pass up the opportunity to see this!
The odd group walked for a while, finally stopping in a hallway that looked just like any other they had gone through. Lily looked around for something, a portrait, a lamp, anything that was different. There was nothing.
"Erm…are we lost?" Lily bit her lip when she saw the amused expression on Regulus's face.
"This is where James told me to meet him," Regulus said carefully, and Lily wondered what it was about the corridor that Regulus was hiding.
"Hi!"
Everyone turned, noticing James running up to the group. He stopped in front of them and put his hands on his knees, half bent over and trying to catch his breath. After a minute, James looked up and gave them all an odd look.
"Is this a double date?" James asked Regulus, trying and failing to hide his disappointment.
"No!" Regulus and Snape said together, both blushing lightly at the uncharacteristic outburst. Lily bit her cheek, both blushing at James's question and trying not to laugh at the looks on the Slytherin's faces.
Lily turned her attention back to James, trying to find anything to change the subject. Luckily, James gave her a pretty good distraction. "Is your hair blue!"
James ran his hand through it, sighing, "Yeah."
"What happened?" Regulus snickered.
"I was…" James blushed, "trying to fix it. Make it less messy. Didn't work."
"So we see," Snape's eyebrow was raised, and Lily could almost hear the glee in his voice at James's embarrassment.
"Remus tried to fix it…but it just made it a more noticeable blue. Didn't have time to see Pomfrey." James glanced up, through his blue bangs, at Regulus. "If you don't want to go tonight…"
"I do," Regulus laughed. "A bit of blue hair doesn't bother me, so long as it's not permanent."
"I hope not," James laughed. "Shall we, then?" He eyed Snape and Lily, then gave Snape a wink. "We wouldn't want to keep them from their alone time for too long."
Lily blushed again, and looked at her hands. Stupid James. Just when she was starting to feel comfortable around the Slytherins, and they were starting to feel comfortable around her, he comes along and embarrasses all of them. She could almost see why Snape detested the guy. Almost.
"Actually, I wanted to…" Snape started, but James cut him off.
"I know, I know," James smiled. "No sleeping with him for a month, no lying to him, no breaking up with him, keep it secret, and support whatever he wants. Anything you were wanting to add to the list?"
Regulus was a deep scarlet now. "You told him not to…Severus!"
"It's a fair rule."
Regulus just shook his head and dragged James off down the hall. Lily glanced at Snape, snickering lightly.
"At least you know he listened."
"I just hope he follows."
Lily smiled. You really couldn't tell what was going on the mind of a Slytherin. Or in the heart of one.