Chapter Seven
Gwen knows that she should feel elated at winning the match. She knows that it is a step closer to winning the tournament and how good it will look on her resume to have won it three years on a trot. Only Gwen doesn't feel elated, the praise of others seems less important somehow because Snape doesn't meet her eye in the courtyard.
"Oh look Prangs the only thing that can make this day any better," Black smiles looking at Severous, "A spot of Sneverous bashing."
James smiles at him, "It is generally my favourite time of the day." He says taking out his wand from his back pocket.
Severous sees them and draws his own wand ready to duel, what happened that day by the lake will not happen again. He will not allow Potter to embarrass him anymore. "Expelliamus!" He yells at the same time as Potter leading their beams to meet in the middle.
"Specta..."
"Expelliamus!" Gwen snaps flicking the wand out of James' hand. She couldn't let him hurt Snape. Only now the Marauders have a new enemy as they all face her.
Snape looks at her confused, wondering why she helped him trying to guess her motives. He takes her hand overcoming his coyness because he knows she has made a terrible error, she got involved. "Run," he tells her ignoring the glowing sensation caused by her hand in his.
She nods acting entirely on instinct. She and Snape enter the castle running up the stairs of the clock tower still hand in hand being chased by the Marauders. They run until they can't run anymore and they collapse with stitches and a severe case of the giggles.
Gwen has never heard Severous laugh before and wouldn't have believed him to process a sense of humour if he wasn't rolling in laughter in the secret passageway. It's a beautiful sound and it lights up his face. She leans her forehead against his and kisses his soft lips. His eyes go wide with surprise but neither pull away from the kiss, his hand snakes up around the back of her head stroking her hair.