Author's Note: Thank you to my reviewers! Glad to see there are two new ones. I hope you keep reading. Thank you for all the support! Enjoy!

Chapter Eight

Raindrops and Rainbows

Severus was gripping his book tighter than he normally should be. The wrinkled pages and the nearly-torn spine showed the intensity of his rage. He had acted with undue audacity with Lily, and now she was furious with him. Or if she was not furious, she was at least thoroughly offended. And now Severus was quite certain that his friendship with Lily was not worth scarring over a second of a kiss between them.

He had acted purely on selfish impulse and, as with many moments like that, the reason for his action was a blur. He assumed that he had not been thinking, that he simply wanted to and he had done it before he could restrain himself. Lily had not refused his apology, but she has refused to see him since. For Severus, it was a punishment that seemed worse than a sentence served in Azkaban.

Looking at her now, he could tell she was deeply troubled. But her worry seemed to have sunk deeper since that day they had spent in the library. There was something more, and he wondered what it was, thinking that if he could alleviate it, her disappointment with him would lighten. All he has noticed the past weeks, however, was that Lily was devoting much of her time and attention on looking at James and, now and again, Narcissa.

He pocketed his book. A light drizzle was starting to fall. Lily and her friends had risen just as James gathered his team, probably to tell them practice has ended. Bailey called out to James that the three of them would go ahead. As Captain, he had to be the one to gather the Quidditch balls and store them. James saluted in reply and, after dismissing his team, flew off on his broom to catch the elusive snitch.

Severus turned discreetly to his other side, where Sirius and Narcissa were. Sirius was getting up, but Narcissa was not. Sirius fondly ruffled her hair, and she pushed him off lightly. When he left, she started watching James intently. Severus turned to look as well. And anyone with half a mind could see that James was looking at her, too, between frustrated glances at took him hardly a second to realize why, and he was desperate to prove his assumption. He stood up and left.

As soon as he was out of sight, Narcissa leaned over the bottom seat of the stands and James flew towards her. "I thought that git would never leave!" he exclaimed with laughter. "Come on." He offered her his hand and cocked his head to one side, wordlessly asking her to take a flight with him.

She took it without hesitation and climbed onto the broomstick just in front of him. "I know mine isn't half as good as yours," he said awkwardly, as she scrutinized his broomstick. It was not in his nature to admit any shortcoming. But all she did was turn to him and smile.

"I might have the better broomstick, but you are more brilliant on one," she said.

She clasped the smooth, polished wood and he placed his hands on top of hers. "Let me show you a few of my tricks then," he whispered.

"No, no," she said. "We need to find that snitch before it gets too dark."

"You're being boring."

"Yeah? Well, I bet I can find it before you can."

"Game on."

The drizzling grew a little stronger and the droplets of water were cold on their skin as the air rushed blew them. They stayed suspended in the air, James focused on finding the little golden ball and Narcissa preoccupied by something else. She had yet to tell James that she was engaged to Lucius. She had procrastinated too long and every passing day made telling him more difficult. When he finds out, they could no longer be together. But how could she let go, when she wanted him so badly…?

And she thought about Lily. Sirius told her that Lily had been asking about James. She had been wondering why he was always so preoccupied. And Harriet spoke to him about it as well. She said that Lily thought James had always liked her. And now it looked like James was only interested in Narcissa. Sirius himself had expressed his concern.

"Found it!" James voice rang in her ears as he turned to the left. The air whipped around them as he maneuvered cleverly to keep up with the snitch.

"I should get a prize," he said, the smugness echoing in his voice.

The snitch was directly in front of them. He gently released her hands and she stretched out to grasp it. As her fingertips closed over it, she felt almost triumphant.

"Amazing, right?" he said, sensing how she felt.

And it was. She was a Chaser for the Slytherin team, not a Seeker, and she had never held the snitch before. There was something amazing about catching that snitch, even if it wasn't during a game, even if there was no one watching and nothing at stake.

"Narcissa, look," he was pointing roughly west. The setting sun had made an appearance through a gap in the gray clouds. Its light was riddled through the droplets scattered in the sky creating a slightly hazy rainbow that formed a continuous arch.

"It's lovely," she said, almost wanting to touch it. But it was there only for a moment. It soon faded and the sky lost color once more. And when the sun returned to its hiding place behind the clouds, the rain suddenly became stronger, making the cold worse as well.

James headed downwards and landed softly on the springy grass. James grabbed the chest storing the balls and they ran towards the nearest available shade; the covered stairway heading up to the spectator's benches. Narcissa handed the snitch to James and pulled off her scarf as soon as they were out of the rain. Then she wrung as much water out of her robes as she could.

"I wish I paid attention in Charms," she mumbled. "It would be so great if we could have a flame right now. All I was ever good at is Transfiguration."

James sniggered as he closed up the chest and shook rainwater off his broom. "I was never good in Charms either. It was Lily who always got me through that class."

Narcissa bit her lip at the mention of Lily.

"Is something wrong, Narcissa…?"

She looked up at James and knew she had to let him know. She could not have him throwing away his chances with Lily for her, when it was certain their relationship could not last.

"I have been keeping something from you…" she said softly, the guilt she felt seeping into the tone of her voice. "And I hope that you will not be angry with me…"

"Alright," James said without hesitation. After all, what could her secret be…?

"I'm engaged…"

James mouth fell slightly open. "Narcissa, you're fifteen. How can you be engaged…?"

"Summer, Lucius proposed, I said yes," she said in a hurry, turning her back on James. But she could still feel his stare boring into her.