Chapter 2: Fighters make bad lovers

One person in that 6th year class had not stopped at the instructor's words, but had continued right out the door, knowing that class was over and the room held nothing else for her. She was off, heading to the back table of the library, and nothing anyone said was going to stop her. When she came in sight of the table, her view of her unlikely Slytherin boyfriend was blocked by a tall back leading up to a messy head of jet black hair. "Be in the trophy room at midnight then Snivellus, and make sure to bring a second, you'll need it." With that James Potter, the most arrogant asshole Lily had ever met, turned and strode quickly past her. She thought of sticking her foot out to trip him, but settled instead on yelling at his back. "One day you'll get what's coming to you Potter, I only hope that I am there to see that arrogant smile get wiped off of your face."

With that she sat down, leaning across the table to briefly kiss her dark boyfriend, tilting her head sideways so as to avoid his abnormally large nose. She pulled away, looking into his eyes and seeing a slight fear growing there that he would never show in front James or his almost equally best friend. "Sevvy baby, what may I ask was that about?" She tried to keep her voice concerned, or even apprehensive, but it was to no avail. She ended up sounding greatly amused at the thought of James lying on his back groaning and possibly bleeding a little bit. She had been completely honest in what she had said to the big headed Prefect before. It would be the highlight of the term if she could see someone completely humiliate Potter in a duel. It would be made even sweeter if it was Severus who did it, and if she could somehow help him escape any punishment that might normally result from whatever he did to Potter.

Severus had leaned into the kiss slightly, and then just as quickly leaned back as Lily moved away. His mind was far from this library, and anything that was going on here. In his thoughts, he was already in the dark, empty trophy room, waiting for Potter and Black to arrive, a little late, like they arrived for everything. He had Lily over to the side, safely out of reach, as his own personal taunt to James. Everyone knew that he wanted Lily Evans more than anything, and that it practically killed him every time he saw her at the side of Severus, his only true enemy in this school, the only one whom he regarded as being worthy of his full attention as an adversary. Oh how sweet it was to be Severus Snape right now.

He had heard Lily's question, but he pretended not to for a while, calming his nerves and picturing victory finally instead of some nasty defeat. He then looked up, locking his determined black eyes on the admiring bright green ones across from him. "I am going to do just as you said and give Potter what's coming to him," he said working hard to keep the sneer he would have normally used there out of his voice. "Would you like to be there to see it happen?" Suddenly he was seized by a reckless idea that would embarrass Potter before they even began dueling. "Lily, dear, I've got something even better. How would you like to be my second in the duel tonight?" Severus smirked evilly, knowing what such a confident display would do to James Potter. He might not even be able to duel at all after seeing that.

This thought process was cut off quickly by the look on Lily's face immediately after he voice his idea. "I will watch at a safe distance, but I will by no means be your second tonight," she said sternly. "Even if your intention is merely to humiliate Potter, that is no excuse any real man would give for risking the life of his girlfriend in a duel with someone as curse happy as Potter. If that is your goal, you are also underestimating Potter greatly. You may well both need a second to help you finish this duel, and Potter would not hesitate to hex you into oblivion just because you showed up under prepared tonight." With that she fell into an angry silence, glaring at Severus until he could come up with an explanation to talk his way out of this.

Severus had been left sputtering through most of Lily's brief rant which had been directed at him. Finally, when she was almost done, he gained control of his mind, racing to quickly come up with a solution before he damaged their relationship. He knew that Lily was far too good for him, had no clue what she saw in him, and lived his life in constant fear that he would screw up and lose her at any moment. The only feeling stronger than his affections for Lily was his absolute hatred of Black and Potter. That was not the point now though, as he could do nothing to those two until late tonight, and he was causing himself serious problems with Lily right now. Severus needed to deal with one problem at a time.

"I was by no means trying to put you in danger Lily," Severus said with cool concern filling his voice. "I merely do not think that Potter would be able to fight at all if he saw you with your wand drawn behind me. You know how much he…" Severus trailed off. He had been about to remind Lily how bad Potter wanted to be in his position in regards to Lily, but it was too painful for him to say. In truth, he himself felt that it was only his ego keeping Potter from immediately taking Lily from the Slytherin male. He also realized that he had not been weighing Potter's ego when he had thought of him not fighting if Severus brought a female second. Thinking on it now, he needed someone who could fire curses as fast as they could, no matter what the circumstances of the duel. Whether either of the two primary duelers was incapacitated or not, seconds would probably be needed. Black would surely be Potter's second, and he would never miss a chance to launch a curse at Severus. The hate there was even stronger between that of Severus and Potter.

Lily heard what her boyfriend was saying and could not even believe it. He had intended to use her as a tool to hesitate his enemy, probably so that he could get in a good curse while Potter did not have his defenses up. That was despicable, even for a Slytherin, and Lily simply would not have any part of it. She stood up immediately fuming again, and so mad that she could barely speak. "I hope you are thinking more clearly when the time comes for your duel," she said in a level tone that held a certain hint of poison in it. "I will see you later, maybe at the duel tonight if I feel better about being around you by then." With that she spun on her heel and marched quickly out of the library and up to the Gryffindor Common Room where her boyfriend had no hope of following her or knowing what she was doing.

Severus was left for the second time in minutes sputtering and shocked, merely watching his girlfriend leave. He had truly messed up this time; the only question was how bad it was. The only way that he was sure he could win her back quickly was to win the duel with Potter, and make it one no one at Hogwarts would ever forget. Then he could prove how serious he was about her, and about everything else. If that was to happen, the first thing he needed to do was find a second capable of watching his back when things got crazy. Thus, soon after Lily, Severus also quickly strode out of the library, heading in the opposite direction she had, towards the Slytherin Common Room, to look for someone who would be able to help him tonight.