Disclaimer: See Chapter 1 for all disclaimers
Chapter 3
Lily stared at him in unflattering disbelief. "Will I, who and, what now?"
Severus coloured slightly and sighed resignedly. "Will You Come To The Ball With … Me?"
"Yes, I thought that's what you said." Lily was in shock. Of course, what shocked her most was that she was considering accepting. Well, argued the logical – well she hoped it was the logical – part of her brain, she just didn't want Potter – James, must remember to call him James – to think she couldn't get a date. But this was Snivell … uhh … Snape … uhh …Severus. That was it. But a tiny voice in the back of her head, the annoying one she mostly cut out because it tended to sound a bit like Sirius Black, which was very scary in itself, said You want to try and make him jealous, cause you like him. Really you like him.
Stricken that she was not only having a conversation with the voices in her head, but they were telling her she fancied James absolutely gorgeous – no annoying – Potter (which she didn't!), Lily knew her answer.
Severus was getting rather worried. Surely it didn't take this long to decide. It was a simple decision. Yes or No – please don't say no, I don't think my pride could take it.
Lily talked, though she felt like she was in a dream. Like she was watching herself smile and say, in a sweet-as-sugar voice, "Yeah, Severus. I'd love to go to the ball with you. Meet you in the entrance hall at, say, 7?"
While Sev (as he'd asked her to call him, Severus was so stuffy) and her organised the details, she missed Janet Renald and Gertie Higgs – the school's biggest gossips – walking past and hearing every word. Identical grins stole over their faces. The story would be common knowledge by curfew.
But neither Lily nor Severus saw the girls. They wouldn't know what hit them.