Summer 1975

The feel of Lily Evans' lips on his had his mind stirring and his body weak. She held his face in her hands with such tenderness as she rested against his body. With his heart pounding madly in his chest, he kissed her back, so passionately so as to express himself where words failed to. He gently took her hands and pulled her arms across his neck. His arms were wrapped securely around her waist as he pulled her closer to him, noting in his mind that her heart was beating just as fast as his.

He pressed his lips softly against her lower lip, then to her chin and down towards her neck. At any cost, he would keep kissing her, holding her – nothing could stop this moment. He had always longed for this and would do anything to stop time right then and there.

Slowly, she spread her fingers up his neck and into his hair as tremors of pleasure engulfed him and it rendered him powerless wanting more …

'Sev…' she said as her voice rang softly in his ears.

'Hmm?'

'What are the properties of sneezewort?'

A dread squeezed at his heart. 'W-what?' he stammered.

He knew it couldn't last long.

At once, Severus straightened himself up against the tree, his heart still thumping madly and looked around himself. Lily was sitting a few inches away from him, lying on her stomach as she poured over her Potions essay.

Overwhelmed with a burning urge to pull her towards him, he did not risk looking at her again, trying to recover from the disorientation he was still experiencing as a result of the dream.

'The uses of sneezewort?' she repeated.

He felt her eyes on him and quickly tilted his head slightly so as to avoid her gaze.

'Oh, didn't see you sleeping.' She said amused.

Lingering thoughts of the dream were still present in his mind - her hands running through his hair, her soft lips and the warm feel of her body against his … He felt himself grow hotter by the moment at these very thoughts.

Stop it! He told himself.

'S-sorry must've dosed off.' He started as he tried to regain his composure. 'My essay is right there, just have a look.' He muttered hurriedly as pointed a shaking finger towards his textbook in which he had stowed his essay.

It was increasingly difficult to discern between his dream and fantasies – they were becoming the same now. And to his mortification Lily Evans was sitting right next to him. What if she could sense what was on his mind? What he had dreamt about? Had he said something he shouldn't have in his slumber?

From the corner of his eyes, through his black hair that covered his face, he saw Lily open the textbook and take the essay. To his relief, she no longer watched him and returned to completing her essay.

He sat cross-legged, facing the ground and began to rub his eyes as flashes of his dream were slowly dissipating and his heartbeat returned to a steady rate.

Within moments, however, he was jerked back into his usual state of alertness at the sound of footsteps and twigs snapping nearby.

He lifted his face up and saw the head of a girl with blonde hair walking in the bushes that Severus straight away recognized as Petunia Evans. He stood up, irritated at the sight of her presence, and wondered as to what could possibly bring her here. Surely, she wasn't spying on the freaks as she did years ago. Her relationship with Lily had almost been literally severed when she had left for Hogwarts. They hardly spent time together and Petunia had cut off from any association with what was remotely a part of the wizarding world once she was rejected by it.

'What does she want!' Severus spat coldly but Lily was not listening. She quickly stood up and was observing her sister intently, a trace of concern and worry in her eyes.

Petunia's already pale eyes were blank and glistening with tears. Her mouth quivered as she teetered on the edge of speech.

'Was told to get you,' she started as she sniffed. Clearly, she was sent here against will, there was no mistaking the spite in her voice.

'What is it?' asked Lily in a low voice and Severus could sense a hint of dread and worry in her tone as if she intuitively felt something was amiss.

To his annoyance, however, Petunia managed to cast Severus a fleetingly disdainful look even in her distressed state. He had opened his mouth to speak, harsh words on his lips but she had turned to speak to Lily.

'Grandmum.' said Petunia in a low, feeble voice as she looked at Lily with a vacant expression.

The tears that began to run down Petunia's face betrayed her cold demeanor. And then, she turned on her heel and hurried away, sobbing.

Severus glanced at Lily. Her eyes were fixed wide upon the spot where Petunia stood, her lips parted, quivering slightly and the radiating glow that usually suffused her face had suddenly vanished as a single tear ran down her cheek.