I could carry on forever about the shameful delay between updates but that would just lengthen it more, wouldn't it? However, I still must give my apologies and give a big beautiful thank you to any of you who are still following and about to read this. You're wonderful. And of course, my beautiful beta iphooqui deserves a huge shout out and some credit for several ideas in this chapter and others.
I'm not JKR, just having a bit of fun with some of her characters.
Here we are. Installment 11. Hopefully it isn't too sickeningly sweet. :)
Moonflower
Alice and Lily patiently waited for Mary to pull herself together enough to explain what had happened between her and Sirius after the fight at the pub.
"I absolutely exploded on him," she started. "It's just, all this time I've been ignoring him and keeping it all bottled in…I just lost it."
"Well surely he expected something like that," Alice said gently.
"Yea, no. He was perfect. He stood there and let me call him names, push him, scream at him, throw things at him and who knows what other awful things. I mean, I desperately hope the memory I have of biting him is my mind blowing the whole thing ridiculously out of proportion."
"Oh, w-well yea… I'm sure you didn't—I'm sure he won't hold it against you," Alice provided.
"No, I know. It's not that. When I finally stopped haranguing him he just looked at me and asked if I loved him and it just pissed me off because he looked so fucking beautiful and honest when he asked."
It was quiet for a moment.
"And… you said…" Lily prodded hesitantly.
"I fucking said fuck no like some fucking fucktastic fuck faced fuck!" she shouted before dramatically collapsing on to her back.
"You said fuck no?" Alice asked dumbly.
Mary rolled onto her belly and shoved Alice with her feet so she could stretch out her long legs. "What the hell, Alice? Yes. Yes, that is exactly what I said and he told me he didn't believe me and I told him to take a hint. I said he was making a total fool of himself pining over me and moping around and I told him I've never cared about him that way. Said it was honestly just about sex. Lied straight through my teeth and I've no idea why."
"Because you're proud," Lily said unwrapping a chocolate frog. "What'd he say to that?"
"He called me a fucking liar and walked off!"
"Is that all?" Alice asked with a smile.
"What the—" Mary said irritably sitting herself upright and glaring at Alice.
"No, Mary wait… I agree. I think perhaps you have blown it out of proportion. Sirius knows you well. Surely he walked away because you were being completely irrational. I mean seriously, Mary. No one gets through to you when you get that worked up. I'd say it's a good thing he called you a liar. One, because it was true, and two, he walked off before you said more things you'd regret. Think about it, five minutes before you two had that conversation Sirius was beating up his best friend over you—"
"Not proud of that—"
"My point is that he really cares about you and I doubt biting him or telling dead obvious lies about your feelings for him changed any of that. If anything you probably just gave him the conformation he needed by making such a big deal of the whole thing."
"Well what should I do?"
"Just talk to him. Be honest." Lily supplied.
"What do you two think of it though? He and I have been through so much shit. I don't want to be that girl, you know? That dumb girl that keeps going back to some hopeless thing."
"I think…" Alice started before stopping to really think. "…I think maybe the problem with you two is that you never truly defined what you were to one another. Do you know what I mean? I actually think that's pretty awesome in a lot of ways, just doing what feels right without any kinds of labels, but then again, that's how you've both ended up hurting each other in the past so maybe it's time to take a new approach?"
"I agree. I mean we all crack on Sirius like he'll never grow up but he's been different lately. Even Severus noticed."
Mary perked up at Lily's comment. "Really?"
"Um, well yes, ha but his opinions worth sharing stop there."
Mary laughed, "naturally."
"Anyway… people are likely to talk shit regardless, that's a lesson I've been learning all semester, but you'll just have to filter it out."
"Funny how things work out. You sound like me now, Lils," Alice said with a laugh.
"Learned from the best— hey, there's an owl at the window," Lily said standing and walking over to the tiny window where a large barn owl was impatiently tapping its beak against the glass. She opened the window and the bird squeezed its way into their dormitory, dropping an emerald envelope at each of their feet. It then flew back to the window and squawked angrily at Lily, obviously wanting payment for his delivery. She gave the bird a couple of knuts and it was on its way.
"I'm pretty sure that was a school owl. You just got played by a bird, Lils," Mary said ripping open her envelope.
"What's it going to do with the money? That doesn't make any sen—"
"Oi! Slug Club kick off party!" Alice shouted examining her invitation. "It's this Friday coming up. Although, you know, I've never been very fond of the whole basis of the club."
"Oh here we go," Mary sighed, apparently having heard Alice's complaints one too many times before.
"What do you mean?" Lily asked.
"Well you know… it's so selective and unfair. Professor Slughorn picks people he thinks are most likely to make something of him or herself, whatever the reason. I really think Corian Thrasher is only in it because he'll find himself in Azkaban within the next two years and Slughorn just wants to be able to say he knew one of the youngest wizards to get a life sentence. And then there are so many really awesome, bright people that get left out."
"Pft. Whatever. I dig it. Plus, look what it says about us. Me, you, Lily, Sirius, James, Natalie, Sampson, Remus, Frank, Severus… we're going to be one successful and/or scandalous group of friends slash enemies," Mary said tossing her letter aside. "Hm. No wonder James's been so sour. We're all kind paired up, aren't we?"
"Is Remus seeing anyone?" Lily inquired.
"Oh. I don't know. I thought he was celibate," Mary shrugged.
"Poor Peter. He's the only one of us that isn't in the club," Alice said.
"I don't like him," Mary said, picking a fingernail.
"Why not?"
"Smells weird. Gives me the creeps. Guess I sort of feel bad for him too though, sort of. I think James and Sirius kind of use him. He's always hanging off James too. Hmph… maybe he is using him for more things than they'd ever admit to."
"You've been awfully suggestive about James's sexuality," Alice said half grinning and picking trash up off the floor.
"Really? I didn't mean to be suggestive. I meant to say I think he is gay, which is perfectly cool with me but I wish he'd drop this ridiculous shit he is pulling with Lily because he isn't fooling anyone— well, he isn't fooling me, and he's just starting shit for no reason. Or hell, maybe he does like you, Lils. You're ridiculously likeable and kinda gorgeous, so ya know, you could be his exception."
"I don't want to talk about James. Let's talk about how you are going to ask Sirius to be your date to the party."
"So you guys honestly think everything will be alright?" Mary asked with a bit of vulnerability in her voice.
"Yes," Lily and Alice replied simultaneously.
"You should try talking to him again tomorrow," Lily suggested.
"Alright. Anyway, so what'd you and Severus do after the fiasco?"
A blush spread over Lily's face and straight into her hairline.
Mary gasped dramatically and pointed at Lily. "You sex fiend! Did you go to Greta's! Gah, I should have had passionate make up sex with Sirius instead of cussing him out… hopefully I can still make that happen… anyway, let's hear—"
"So Alice! What'd you and Frank do today? Did you even go to Hogsmeade?" Lily said in attempt to deflect the conversation away from herself. Alice reddened even more than Lily had.
"What the fuck!" Mary shouted angrily. "I am such a disgrace!"
"No, Mary… no, it's nothing like that. Something… well, something embarrassing happened." Alice blushed.
"What?" Mary asked.
"Well… Frank and I were in the common room alone and we were just goofing around. He started tickling me and I was trying to tell him to stop because my stomach was hurting and um, well I… it just slipped out!"
Mary began to laugh hysterically while Lily looked confused.
"It didn't smell or anything, it was just so loud! I was completely mortified!"
Realization dawned on Lily and she began to chuckle. "It's okay, Alice. Hm… what's the customary thing to say at times like this?... Oh, yes, it's natural. We all do it!"
Mary's laughing reached the point of hysteria where no more sound was being emitted.
"Oh way to make me feel better guys!"
"What'd Frank say?"
"Ugh. He didn't say or do anything! It was just awkward and quiet!"
Mary gasped for oxygen before speaking. "No, it's alright. Same thing happened to me except Sirius laughed and farted back. We frequently have fart competitions now... er, well, we used to before all the recent drama."
"I'd've felt better if he laughed or something. I don't know. Maybe he didn't hear it. I kind of faked sneezed at the same time to cover it up—"
"You didn't!" Lily screamed shrilly before joining Mary in completely outrageous laughter.
"No, I didn't ha, I didn't. But… he did once."
Wheezing and choking overtook Lily's laughter. Mary slapped her on the back a few times. "Well geez Al, at least he had the decency to attempt to conceal his. You should be ashamed dear girl!" she said with a snort.
Alice rolled her eyes.
"I'm sorry," Lily said catching her breath. "Really, I don't know what I'll do when that day comes for me and Severus."
"When that day comes! Oh you two are mess. Look, what you need to do is just cut to the cheese and have the "fart talk." Keep it real!" Mary shouted.
The girls all laughed and talked for another hour before turning in for the night.
Severus woke up early Sunday morning, got dressed and went to wait for Lily down the hall from the Gryffindor portrait hole. He didn't have to wait long before she came bustling around the corner.
"Hey, love," he said with a small grin.
"Ah, you look so sexy when you mysteriously lean against the wall," she smiled and gave him a chaste kiss.
"You look perpetually sexy. How is Mary?"
"Oh, she was upset when I got in. She and Sirius had a row but I think it'll be okay."
"That's good."
"Yep."
"So…" Severus pulled the green envelope from Professor Slughorn out of his back pocket and held it up. "Be my date to the Slug Club party?"
Lily grinned. "Of course. I think it'll be really fun and I've got a dress I've been dying to show off for you."
"Do you?" he asked with a seductive tone to his voice, all the while staring at her lips. "I look forward to it."
She laughed. "You… you are turning me on. We don't have time for that."
"It's early," he said wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her closer.
"We, erm… I thi— the—" Lily stuttered as Severus's fingertips grazed a little strip of exposed skin at her lower back. She pulled her shirt down quickly and stepped away from him. "No. No, Severus," she laughed. "We need to get the study room in the library before someone else snatches it up."
Severus raised his eyebrows suggestively.
"We need to get the study room and start studying—"
"Studying what?" he asked mischievously, before shamelessly scanning her body.
"Well I mean we need to revise our project plan for potions. Professor Slughorn said we can actually start brewing once we get that in and you said yourself you want to get a head start before everyone starts wasting and contaminating ingredients."
"Talking about potions isn't helping your cause, Lily," he said kissing the palm of her hand.
"You are such a dork, Sev!" she teased. "Seriously though, it's going to take us forever and you and Natalie still have to do that Ancient Runes thing."
"I di—"
"No. I can't believe I'm having to talk you into doing school work! Come on," she said grabbing his hand and tugging him down the hall.
The two found their favorite study room empty.
"Perfect!" Lily said. "Now open up your notebooks and make it look like we've been here a while so we can go grab something to eat and come back."
Lily and Severus scattered their things about and quickly headed for the Great Hall. They ran into Natalie as they passed the Muggle Studies section of the library.
"Oh! Hey, Natalie! Great, we just set our stuff down in the study room. We'll be right back."
Natalie raised a hand n greeting, "K."
Severus and Lily continued on their way.
"Your hair is pretty today. The braid in the front, that's new."
"Was Sampson awake when you left?"
"Kind of. You smell really nice too."
"What is with you today, Sev?"
"Nothing," he sighed looking defeated.
Lily felt bad. "Oh…oh hey, Sev. Come here," she said smiling sweetly and pulling him into a deserted isle. "I'm sorry. I'm being a dick, aren't I?"
Severus grinned a little.
"Are you smiling because you agree or because I said dick?"
"Both," he admitted. "But it's okay Lily, I'm just really— I don't want to study today."
"I've corrupted you. I've never heard that combination of words come out of your mouth before."
"You didn't corrupt me. You just gave me an opportunity."
"Opportunity?"
"Well up until this year "sex with Lily," was not something that happened."
"Really?" she inquired mischievously.
He looked down at her with a crooked grin, "well… maybe in my head just a little but that is obviously not something I would have been saying out loud. For this reason, it appeared that nothing could top studying for me."
"Didn't you say you had a little thing with Olivia Higginbotham last year? Didn't something go down during a study session?"
Severus's faced flushed with color and he looked away from her. "Lily you're confusing your argument."
"No, I just remembered that so I'm conceding the victory to you. Whatever happened with you two anyway? You never elaborated beyond late-night-study-session-with-nice-girl-gone-dirty."
Severus's face reddened even more and he refused to meet Lily's eyes.
"You're so cute. You don't have to tell me. You can keep the details of your past sexual relations a mystery if you'd like."
"Ahg, Lily. You sound like my mother."
"What! How so?"
"Sexual relations?"
"Well what am I supposed to say? All I know is you did more than kiss and less than intercourse."
Severus wanted to cover his ears. "How can you even talk about that? I don't like thinking about the fact that someone else got to touch you and kiss you before I did."
"Oh I promise it's a stressful mix of wanting to know and not wanting to. I guess, it's just weird because— and I honestly feel a bit bad about it— but I guess I pegged you for such a brain. I never really considered the fact that you might have been messing with other girls."
"Well. I am a brain but I'm also a teenage male…"
"And that's so sexy, that you think about sex," she said standing on tiptoe and kissing him deeply. "I wonder what would have happened if I realized that earlier."
"Oh well thanks for thinking of me as some kind of prude."
"No, it wasn't like that, Sev. You were like my brother, you know?"
"Well, I'm happy you no longer think of me that way."
" Definitely not. We don't have to study all day," she said quietly. "But let's go. I don't want to leave Natalie manning the study room by herself for too long."
Lily and Severus met up with Mary in the Great Hall. They all made their way to the library together after a quick breakfast.
Mary opened the door to the study room with a smile plastered on her face but it quickly changed to a grimace. "It smells like ass in here!"
"Um, hi James," Lily said picking up her potions notebook.
James was sitting at the large table copying Severus's charms homework.
"The fuck?" Severus said quietly to himself as he realized what James was doing. "Is that mine?" he asked, quickly approaching the bespectacled boy.
"Did he just swear?" Mary asked Lily under her breath.
James whipped his head in Severus's direction and mocked, "Is that mine?"
Severus looked stunned for a moment before backing away with a disgusted look on his face. "Don't have time for this," he mumbled before grabbing a textbook and sitting with Natalie at the far end of the room.
Mary was flaring her nostrils and desperately looking around.
"James, stop copying Severus's work," Lily said, exasperated. "You're acting awfully childish."
James didn't say anything but he pushed Severus's paper off to the side. Lily walked over to claim it.
"Anything for you," he said and blew a kiss as she picked up the paper.
"Oh!" Lily shouted, shocked. "Oh, James. W-would you like a mint?"
Mary's head snapped up from the area near the garbage can. "Oh don't tell me that ass smell is coming from his mouth. Hmph. You know what… I should have guessed…"
"Mary, why are you always talking shit?"
"Wow, James. Wow. Are you sure you want to go there? You are the epitome of talking shit right now."
"What'd I ever do to you? When did you—"
"My word! Shut your mouth!" Mary shouted before drawing her wand and casting a shield charm between her and James to block the sour smell.
"You're a bitch, Mary!"
"I still smell your stinking mouth, James," she said jinxing him and causing soapy bubbles to erupt from his mouth.
He quickly undid the jinx. "You ruin everything!" he shouted.
"No. You're just fucking jealous that Lily doesn't want you and Sirius doesn't want you and you're finally feeling, and apparently tasting, the shit you've fed everyone around you for years. Some of us have woken up but you are still prancing around here like you're something special, like you're entitled to something. Fuck that Potter."
"No. You know, this didn't even start with you, Mary. Everything was fine until Lily started dating Snape."
"So who exactly are you placing the blame on, James? Me or Severus?" Lily asked with a fiery glare.
"Oh him! Always him. He's a damn slimy git and destroyed everything."
Severus sighed, put his hands behind his head and sunk into his chair.
"He has all of you ganging up on me," he shouted, pointing a finger at Severus.
"He hasn't got anyone doing anything. We gang up on you because all of us think you're acting like a bitchy little punk," Mary casually chimed in.
"You're one to talk about ganging up on someone, James," Lily started. "It's not too pleasant when the tables are turned, is it?"
"Oh ho, that's what you don't get, sweet girl. I have every reason to treat Snape like scum. He's an aspiring death ea—"
"Hot Merlin in a tutu! This. Is. Getting. Old!" Sampson hollered.
"Oh, hey Samps, when'd you get here?" Mary asked kindly.
"Five minutes ago," Severus mumbled.
"Long enough to get Natalie to agree to go to the Slug Cub party with me and to get bored with this bickering! Lawd!" Sampson crossed his legs angrily and turned away from the others, making Natalie laugh.
"James," Lily started frankly, "You, you've just got to grow up. All this drama and teasing nonsense was never attractive and isn't ever going to be."
James was quiet for a moment before mumbling, "well, I'm sorry," grabbing his things and rushing out of the room.
Lily nibbled her thumbnail and stared after him.
Severus could tell she felt bad for James and he felt bad for being annoyed by it. He wondered for only a fleeting moment if she used to look that way after him when Potter would irk him enough to make him leave a room. He knew she did. He didn't doubt her feelings for him. Lily was just a sensitive person that didn't like to see anyone feel bad and that was something to admire, not feel irritated by, so Severus got up to comfort her.
"Ah, it's okay, Sev. I'm sorry. Lets study."
Everyone got comfortable and started out working on individual assignments. Lily slipped off her shoes and propped her feet up on Severus's lap as she read a book. He looked from her feet to her face and back again before laughing to himself and just taking a little happiness from the thoughtless gesture. He was officially distracted as he looked around the room. Mary was lying across the end of the table practicing some complex wand movement; Sampson was apparently practicing non-verbal spells and Natalie was doing research on muggle weaponry.
Severus took out a piece of scratch parchment wrote to Lily:
"You have pretty toes."
She smiled, wiggled her toes and wrote back.
"My toes say thanks for the compliment. :o) I like your butt."
"Really? Hm. I mean, I always thought I had some back but you're the first to openly
acknowledge it."
"Ha. I need to get on your level."
"I do a lot of squats. You know, I run and stuff. Gotta keep it tight and firm."
"Yea, I like it nice and hard. Are your runs fast and long or do you like a more slow and
steady pace? I bet you just keep going and going until you… come… to a stopping
point."
"I actually prefer to keep going until you come...to visit. Until you make it over that
hill... up the street from my house. It's exhausting in that good kind of way. It's so
warm and tight… my chest I mean, from breathing so hard. And you get so wet… I
mean, because it's hot and sweaty."
"I'm so turned on right now. You should have been named Sexyrus."
"You're so corny."
"Corny rhymes with… ;)"
Severus caught Mary staring at him as he took the paper from Lily.
"Freaks. I can see it all over your faces," she said shaking her head with a tiny grin and returning to her studies.
Severus read the note and put it in his pocket. Lily pouted at him before hiding behind her book.
The group got everything they needed to get done and more by working straight through lunch and into the late afternoon. Sampson and Natalie left first. Mary followed not long after with plans to locate Sirius and work things out.
Lily got up and sat on Severus's lap.
"We're all alone now," she giggled.
He gripped her hips and kissed her. She responded enthusiastically, grinding herself against his lap.
"God I love that," she said looking at the ceiling and allowing Severus to explore her neck with his mouth.
"What?" He mumbled against her skin.
"I love feeling you get hard."
Severus didn't say anything. He let his hands make their way under her skirt and put his hands on her ass as he forced some friction between them. After a moment of that he reached in between her legs and pulled her underwear aside searching for the slick feeling of her arousal, which he promptly came in contact with.
"I love that," he said before removing his fingers and putting them in his mouth.
"Y—" Lily started before being interrupted by someone busting in the room. Lily jumped off of Severus's lap faster than she thought possible.
"You whores!" Mary laughed wickedly. "Sad I disturbed you but glad to have witnessed. I wasn't even trying. Honest. I left my book in here," she said picking it up and freely staring at Severus's crotch. He pulled Lily's cloak over his lap and reddened.
"The library is a tough spot to get, please continue upon my departure or… I could stay," she said slowing down.
"No," Lily laughed, "no we are leaving. We should get something to eat."
Severus looked disappointed.
"I think your guy had other plans for dinner," Mary smiled. "See ya later!"
Severus and Lily ended up staying in the study room a little longer but their rumbling stomachs became impossible to ignore after a while.
"I've got patrol duty soon anyway," Lily said as they packed up their things.
Severus smiled strangely. "Okay."
The rest of the day went by quickly. Lily and Alice stayed up late waiting for Mary to get back from wherever she was with news about her and Sirius.
"Okay," Lily said sleepily, "It's 12:30AM and she isn't back. That's either a really good sign or a really bad sign."
"Hmm. Shizzy should be in here to tidy up soon. We can ask if she's seen her."
Shizzy was the house elf assigned to clean the Gryffindor girl dormitories. She usually did her cleaning sometime after breakfast but she had a habit of checking in on the girls at night. Only a few minutes after Alice mentioned her, Shizzy appeared.
"G'evenin' misses. Shizzy is surprised to find you both awake. But it is good because Miss MacDonald has sent Shizzy with a message to deliver," the tiny elf said extending a note on a scrap piece of parchment to Alice.
She read it aloud, "'Happily fornicating with Sirius in a very secret, very sexy spot. Love! xxxMary.' Guess that means she is alright!"
"Thanks, Shizzy," Lily said throwing the blanket over her head and rolling over.
"Shizzy hopes you two will tell Miss MacDonald not to stay out after curfew no more! Shizzy will hate to see Miss MacDonald get in trouble! Same for Sirius Black! Shizzy sees Mr. Black get in trouble far too much," she said shaking her floppy ears and disapparating with a "pop!"
"Will do, Shizzy. Honest, I have to," Lily mumbled to the absent elf.
"That's right. Miss Prefect is slipping on her duties," Alice sniggered. "Good night."
"Night."
The middle of the week was slow to arrive. It was Wednesday and Severus and Lily had gotten approval from Professor Slughorn to begin work on their potions project. Lily was staring at Severus as he crushed some doxy eggshells.
"What are you looking at?" he asked casually.
"You."
"I realize that. Why?"
"You're good-looking."
"Well, thanks but I'm afraid you'll change your mind if you look too long. That, and we wont get the potion prepped by the end of the period."
"I'm sorry Severus, something about you mixing potions just," Lily looked around suspiciously before continuing, "turns me on. I'm so distracted!"
Severus didn't respond. He just kept mashing the eggshells.
Lily felt angry and experienced a bit of déjà vu as she acted on the uncontrollable urge to grope Severus's crotch beneath the table.
"Lily," Severus said crossly.
"What? What are you going to do about it? I rather enjoyed your punishment last time," she said boldly groping him again.
Without a thought, Severus waved his wand and Lily gasped as she felt a sudden breeze beneath her skirt. The look on her face was priceless as she slapped her hand over her mouth before running her hands over backside.
"Severus!" she whisper-shouted.
"Yes?"
"Give them back!"
"Give what back?"
"Severus!"
Severus put his fist over his mouth and began to chuckle.
"Severus Snape!" Lily stomped her foot and looked around, suddenly worried about attracting attention to herself. "Give me back my underwear," she growled through gritted teeth.
"Oh. You want these?" he asked, levitating her light blue panties between himself and the table.
Lily screamed.
Severus was so taken aback he barely noticed her grab the underwear out of the air and stuff them in her robes.
"Sorry! Burned myself on the cauldron," Lily lied to Professor Slughorn and the students that she'd attracted the attention of.
"What was that?" Severus asked after everyone else went back to what they were doing.
Lily shrugged. "That's what you did. Last time. The first time I felt you up in class."
"Wh— I didn't scream."
"You practically did," she laughed. "You've gotten bold though, love. That was an impressive stunt. I like it," she said grinning and dumping the crushed doxy eggshells in the cauldron. "I'll be good now. Let's call a truce and do our work."
Severus didn't respond. He just gave Lily the side eye as he stirred the potion four times counterclockwise. She laughed.
A couple of hours after class on Friday, Severus followed Sampson back to the Slytherin dormitories. Sampson was absolutely beside himself with joy about getting to play a little dress up. "I've got the outfit of the year planned my friend! Wait til you see! Wait til you SEE! Now, I saw what you had laid out, Severus. It's actually pretty chic. Understated. Definitely suits you. Where'd you get it?"
"Um, my mom picked it up from Scorby's Dress Robes, I think."
"Ah yes. They're not bad. Known for timeless styles but we'll have to double-check the fit. I'm great at tailoring spells if you need an adjustment. Can't look anything but sharp next Lily, dear friend. You should also let me give your hair a small trim. As for the style, I think you should wear it the way you always do."
"Right, okay," Severus was prepared to take advice and tips from Sampson. He really did want to look nice for Lily.
Severus was done showering a good while before Sampson came bustling into the room in his satin Slytherin dressing robe. He let Sampson trim his hair and then they got dressed. Naturally, Severus was dressed first. He stood around for a few seconds waiting for his friend's critique before he remembered the picture Lily showed him the other day. After thinking for a moment he walked over to his trunk and dug around a bit before pulling out a small weathered bag with a faded muggle cartoon character on the front. Dumping the contents on his bed sent a wave of nostalgia over him but his purpose was not to reminisce. Severus snatched up the two friendship bracelets and put the green one on his wrist along with his watch. He stuffed the gold colored one in his pocket.
"Bam!" Sampson shouted, admiring his own final look in the mirror. His robes were a deep crimson red with pearl colored accents. Severus was pretty sure his boots were studded with actual pearls but while the look was certainly bold and outrageous, Sampson made it work.
"But wait!" Sampson said dramatically twirling his wand, causing a hat with an extravagant feather to appear atop his head. "Natalie is wearing a creamy, pearl colored dress. My hope is that we appear as deliciously delectable as some desert item, say red velvet cake with cream cheese icing? Magnificent! I do hope they are serving some of that though. It's one of my favorites— Now! You my friend clean up well! You've got a lovely set of eyebrows there, never noticed. I've got one recommendation! Now if I could only find it…" Sampson said rummaging in his closet. "Aha! I say ditch the bow tie. You'd look straight debonair with a long tie. Now the best part is it's one of those skinny ties, I've really only seen them in muggle magazines but I just had to get one! Staying ahead of the game, you know. Anyway, I'm a bit round for it, if you know what I mean, and I've felt terrible about keeping it locked away."
"Okay," Severus agreed, happily accepting the tie, he didn't like the bowtie anyway. Sampson watched Severus put it on. "Fascinating!"
"What?"
"I've never watched anyone tie a tie the muggle way."
"Oh. Heh, well, this is a muggle tie. It's a little different from the ones that come with our school robes. Um, it's hard to get the knot right with a wand," Severus said feeling awkward with Sampson watching so carefully.
"I've never seen you adjust your school tie magically, let alone by hand. You just throw the thing over your head like a necklace or something," Sampson said with an attitude, obviously disappointed by his friend's sloppy habit. Severus laughed.
"Are you ready to go then? Severus asked.
"After you," Sampson replied.
The two headed in the general direction of the Ravenclaw dormitories since it was the closest. They walked in silence for a while before they heard a little commotion from around the corner ahead.
"Fuck me! You are a damn knock out woman!" someone shouted.
"I think I hear Mary," Sampson said.
Severus laughed, "right."
They turned the corner to find Mary admiring Natalie. She really did draw attention, even despite her awkward way of holding herself. Her legs looked a mile long in her short, cream-colored, unadorned sheath dress. Her straight blonde hair fell just above her shoulders and a little bit of mascara and eyeliner highlighted her big dark brown eyes. She set the whole look off with suede peep toe heels the color of red wine.
"She doesn't even know how lovely she is," Sampson said quietly before leaving Severus's side to compliment his date.
Mary left the two alone and walked over to Severus. He smiled as she approached. "You look nice."
"Why thank you, Mr. Snape, likewise," she said putting on a proper accent and taking a small bow. "Wait til ya see your girl though."
"Where is she?"
"Oh everyone else got held up getting ready. Lily is waiting for Alice. James is waiting for Sirius, meticulously styling his curls, no doubt. Anyway, I left to meet Natalie so she wouldn't be like 'what the fuck?' yanno?"
"Because that's what she would have said…"
Mary smirked, "absolutely."
Just then Alice and Frank rounded the corner followed by everyone else.
"Let's get this party started!" Sirius shouted waving a dark flask in his hand and laughing. He spotted Mary looking coyly at him and smiled "There's my gorgeous one. Get over here." She rushed to him and kissed him full on the mouth.
Severus spotted Lily laughing with Remus and his date. Her hair was styled in shiny, retro glam waves with a straight side part and she wore a simple plum-colored strapless dress. Severus smiled as he approached her. "Ah, you're so handsome!" She said breaking away from her friend to greet and hug him. Severus couldn't decide on an appropriate adjective to describe her. All that came out was, "whoa you…"
Lily just smiled, kissed him and took his hand.
"Let's go guys! You know Slughorn gets all pissy if we miss his whole introductory spiel," Potter shouted, holding the hand of some unknown girl.
The whole crew headed down to the party. Severus felt ridiculously happy as he watched everyone socialize and laugh. He would have paid money to see the look on his own face if he could have caught a glimpse of this moment a year ago. As good as he felt, moments like this always caused a small twinge in the pit of his belly, as if someone were playing an awful, awful joke on him and he'd soon be sent spiraling back down to a bleak, unfortunate reality. It didn't help that Mulciber and Avery were staring him down as everyone except Potter and his date squeezed around a large circular table. Severus looked at Lily again and tried to shrug the feeling away deciding it best to enjoy the dream while it lasts. The "starry night" theme to the party made doing this even easier.
"Quiet! Quiet! There we are! Settle down everyone," Professor Slughorn shouted. "Welcome! What a handsome bunch we've got here. First things first, I'd like to give a quick recognition to our newest Slug Club members. Don't be shy, stand up," he encouraged the newest members, which mostly consisted of first years. Everyone applauded. "Our veteran members will tell you, this about the most prestigious society on campus. Not to toot my own horn, but well, I honestly have a talent for recognizing talent of all varieties. I've displayed the proof at the alumni table behind you," he gestured to the back of the room with prideful glint in his eye. "I have the greatest confidence that, one day, each of your lovely faces will earn a place in the Slug Club hall of fame, some of you may make it there sooner than later," he said mystically and making obvious eye contact with select students, including Severus. "Alas! The purpose of this event tonight is not for me to gloat on each of your successes and talents; we will have time for that at our smaller grade-level group meetings. Tonight, I wanted to bring you all together and allow you the opportunity to network with the brightest of the bright, the fittest of the athletes, and the supremely charismatic."
Severus scoffed quietly and Lily glared at him. "What?" he mouthed at her with a small smirk.
"So enjoy your evening students! Dance, eat, mingle! We may even be having a few surprise guests— I do know people," he winked and chatter erupted across the room. A minute later, the buffet table filled, music started pumping and people started moving.
"You'd think he's trying to create big headed fools of us," Alice said, crossing her arms.
"I agree," Severus started, "I know he knows a lot of people and he has been able to set up internships and job interviews for many students in the past, which in and of itself makes it worth it, but he seems to want to force some kind of unrealistic companionship. I talk to a lot more people this year than I have any year before but it certainly doesn't have anything to do with how rich or famous anyone is going to be."
"Speak for yourself Severus, I really only talk to you because I hope to leech some brain power away," Mary said teasingly.
"I'm afraid the club ostracizes some of us," Natalie said before bowing her head and blushing. Sampson grabbed her hand under the table. "Well, you know… the very bright, but perhaps not so charismatic. There is a rather unfortunate stigma lacing the opportunity to be a part of this club. We all can guess the reasons Professor Slughorn chose each of us and if not, well, you'll know after a 30 second talk with him but I'm afraid it is not so clear to other students and people tend to deride the things they don't understand," she blushed.
As per usual after a long speaking outburst from Natalie, everyone was quiet for a moment.
"You're right, might as well be honest. I was in the damn club last year and wondered what the hell all of you guys were doing here," Sirius said obviously speaking to Severus, Natalie and Sampson, "I mean, I knew you were a freakin brain and figured she was smart or a model or something and you… uh, what? Your family is rich? You're going to be a famous clothing designer? Whatever. Point is, thought I was better than all of you, straight up. People are a bunch of haters though. Fact: almost everyone not here is gonna talk shit about almost everyone who is, the quieter ones are the easier targets s'all. I mean they can talk though, 'cause as big of a gloat Slughorn is, Severus is right. He knows important people and he called it before they were important."
Mary nearly knocked Sirius out of his chair as she hugged and kissed him while everyone else laughed. Lily noticed James watching from the next table over and gave a friendly smile.
"C'mon," Mary said pulling Sirius out on the dance floor.
Remus and his date followed.
"OOOO! Now the party's starting!" Sampson shouted before hopping out of his seat and busting a move. "Natalie my dear," he said, offering her a hand, which she happily accepted.
Alice was desperately trying to get Frank to dance with her.
Severus gave Lily a nudge, "spare him," he whispered.
She smiled and kissed his cheek. "Ha, c'mon Alice, I'll dance with you."
"This ain't ova!" Alice shouted, pointing a finger at her man but following Lily.
Severus watched her dance with Alice for a couple of songs before he was surprised by Professor Slughorn's hand on his shoulder.
"Severus m'boy," he said giving him a pat on the back.
"Oh, hello Professor. How are you?"
"Very well! Very well! Just checking in on one of my most promising students. Hope you're enjoying yourself."
"I am, thank you."
"Miss Evans looks quite lovely this evening."
"Yes, she always does," he said distractedly rising as the song transitioned to a slower tune.
"Oh well I am sure you two are destined for great things."
Professor Slughorn shooed Severus off to the dance floor where Lily was standing and looking at him, arms behind her back. He approached her and extended his hand with a dimply grin. She took his hand and did a slow little twirl, allowing him a moment to admire the low back on her dress.
Severus led like a professional, smooth and relaxed as they danced.
"Wow," Lily said with a sexy grin, "so you learned this from your mother?"
"Yes. She really likes to dance. You know I don't really know her side of my family but apparently dancing was her and my grandfather's thing. Actually, that's how she met my dad."
"What? Dancing? Really?" Lily asked, pulling back a bit to look at his face.
Severus nodded.
"Well? Go on. You've never told me how your parents met. You've never talked about them much at all."
"I've talked about them enough for you to know why I don't talk about them much," he grinned. "No, but my grandmother is pretty much a complete wizard supremacist and I guess, being a rebel teenager, my mom snuck out to some muggle pub in her 7th year. She danced with my dad all night. She liked him because he was so casual and easy-going. The dancing she did at home was just formal stuff, you know? They complimented each other and taught each other and she just kept going back to that pub."
Lily wanted to ask when and why things changed for the worse but she thought better of it. She cared more about keeping things happy tonight. "That's sweet."
"Yea. I'll show you pictures of them back then when we go home for Christmas."
"Yea I'd love that, Sev. I'm gonna hold you to it," Lily replied, feeling pleased that he actually wanted to share more about that part of his life with her. He was usually so private about family stuff and would always find a reason to change the subject whenever she tried to take it that direction.
The song switched over and there was a commotion at the center of the dance floor.
"Ohh! This is my SONG!" Sampson shouted. A crowd began to gather around him as he began to dance.
"Wow, Sampson can really—," Lily was cut off by loud cheers as Sampson dropped to floor break dancing. This was enough to cause even Severus to cheer loudly.
Halfway through the song, James broke free from the crowd and entered the small bit of dance floor.
Someone shouted "Dance off!" and everyone cheered.
Sampson bowed politely to his opponent.
James began to dance. He rolled his neck from side to side and snapped his fingers as he got into the beat. Suddenly, his face looked intensely angry and his movements became twitchy and spidery. His leg kicked out to side and his shoulders moved erratically. His foot wiggled and his hips moved out of sync with the rest of his body as he randomly clapped his hands.
"Oh no!" Lily said looking around frantically, "someone's jinxed him."
Severus looked around and then back at James, "No, see, that is why I don't dance."
Potter's convulsive behavior continued.
"What? Oh, you mean— Oh."
Natalie appeared behind them. "It's not so bad if you watch long enough. Kind of… nerd chic, as Sampson would say."
Severus watched. "I guess. Yea I guess maybe I see what you mean," he laughed.
Lily didn't have her own opinion of Potter's dancing. Not that she thought he was deserving but, she was surprised and rather happy that Severus had given James a compliment, albeit in an extremely round about way.
After a while the whole room was cheering for both of the dancers and everyone joined in. Even Severus busted a couple of step-side-to-side-to-the-beat moves.
"You want to get out of here?" Severus whispered in Lily's ear after a good solid hour of dancing.
She smiled and led the way out the room. There were several students scattered right outside of the door. One couple was fighting and the other people just seemed to be escaping the noise.
Lily continued to silently lead the way all the way to the astronomy tower.
"Sixth time's a charm?" Severus asked in reference to their attempt to have this location to themselves.
"I hope so."
They went all the way to the top of the tower and looked out the large window. There was a definite chill in the air but no wind. The stars stood out in the crystal clear sky and the grounds were brilliantly illuminated by the half moon. Severus stood a few feet away and watched Lily take in the night. After a minute or so, she turned toward him.
"You look so…" again, Severus couldn't find the right word.
"You too," she responded quietly.
There was a comfortable silence as they stood admiring one another. Lily took off her shoes and calmly looked into Severus's eyes as she unzipped her dress and let it fall to the ground. Her undergarments and the decorative pin from her hair soon followed. Her pale freckled skin glowed in the moonlight.
"It's cold."
Two swift steps and Severus's lips were was on hers. His hands gripped her ample ass before lifting her up and letting her wrap her legs around his waist. The feel of his hardness pressing against her had her wet and near quivering with anticipation. She was so focused on his mouth, she couldn't pinpoint when he dropped his pants but the feeling of him entering her was so ridiculously wonderful, she could have punched someone face, twice. She was surprised by how vocal she was being. It was unusual, but Severus certainly didn't mind. There was a naughty kind of rush to doing it at the top of the astronomy tower. There was no way for them to hide or play off what they were doing if someone were to come up; however, there was something really romantic about it too. Maybe it was the open night sky, maybe it was the perfectness of the night in general, or maybe it was just being at Hogwarts, but everything in those moments together felt absolutely magical.
While they were getting getting their clothes back on, Severus remembered the friendship bracelet.
"Here," he said taking her wrist and sliding the gold one on.
Lily looked incredibly touched as she finally noticed the one on his wrist. "You still have them."
"Always," he said with a shrug and led the way out.
They were in no rush.
It was nearly 2am by the time Severus made his way back to the dungeons. His clothes were sloppily thrown on and he walked down the hall grinning to himself.
"Good time, Snape?" Mulciber inquired, pulling away from a blonde headed girl as Severus approached the portrait hole.
Severus looked up, a bit startled. "Uh, yea. Thanks," he responded and continued to walk.
"What's the hurry?" the boy asked with a sleazy grin. "We haven't chatted in a while. At least not about anything interesting."
"Oh. Well, I'm kind of tired actually so—"
"Mudblood wear you out?"
Severus could feel his blood boiling.
"Oh sorry, sorry. Calm down Snapey. Touchy. What's her name? Lila?"
"Lily," the blond headed girl whispered.
"Fuck off," Mulciber mumbled to her, giving her a shove. She looked angry but didn't go away.
"Lily. I mean she's a looker, I guess. Whatever you're into. Just hope you remember where your loyalties lie."
"Yea. I remember," Severus answered.
"Best you do. You're likely to get called on soon and when you do, you can't be taking any filthy baggage with you. Mirkava will keep your bed warm if you need it, stag," he drawled, pushing the girl next to him toward Severus.
She grinned, exposing nasty yellow teeth.
Severus turned and walked away. Mulciber did not try to stop him. He only shouted behind him, "We'll talk soon, Snape!"
Severus felt relieved upon entering the common room but the feeling was short-lived.
"Hi Severus," Olivia Higginbotham greeted from the table in the center of the room.
He avoided direct eye-contact but waved in her general direction. "Hi."
Olivia was a night owl; Severus knew this and that is how he had avoided one-on-one encounters with her up until that moment. It also helped that she was a year younger than him so they didn't share any classes.
"Severus?" Olivia called when she realized he didn't seem to intend to stay and chat.
"Yes?" he responded as kindly as possible and turned to face her.
"Oh well… I just wanted to say… well, I think your girlfriend is really nice and she's so pretty," she said with insecurity written all over her tan skin. "Um, and I've just been wanting to talk to you. I don't mean any harm. I just thought we could be, I don't know, friends? You can forget all about last year," she rushed out looking near tears.
Severus felt uncomfortable but concerned. "Are you—"
"I'm sorry. I don't mean to just pour all this on you but after getting to know you last year and just seeing how you've been this year— I think we are the same. I mean I feel like I don't belong here. In this house."
Severus thought back to the long nights he and Olivia spent up studying and talking. He did recall them both being on the same page about the politics of Slytherin house. He suddenly felt bad for avoiding her. The feeling of exclusion was never good, even if you had no desire to be part of the dominating group.
"I'm sorry," he said plopping down in a chair near her. "You must think I'm a jerk."
Olivia shook her head and pushed her dark rimmed glasses up on her face. "No," she started sweetly, "I'm happy for you, Severus. You deserve to be happy."
He felt a bit odd thinking about what had happened between them last year. Looking at her now, she seemed so fragile and innocent, like someone needing protection, like a little sister.
"Thanks, Olivia," he replied before starting a bit of small talk about what she had been up to the past several weeks.
"…Ha, yea. Well, I don't want to hold you up. You look tired. Get some rest," she said with a smile.
"Alright. Talk to you soon."
Severus hesitated a little before entering his dormitory, wondering if he should wait for Mulciber to go to his room before leaving Olivia alone but when he glanced back, she was packing up her things.
"Night," he called to her.
"Night!"
As soon as he entered his dormitory, Severus was practically trampled by Sampson.
"Where have you been?" Sampson shouted and scanned Severus over before continuing. "Don't answer that. But listen! I'm not one for petty gossip and I'm certainly not one to judge anyone but I stepped outside to give my feet some air after like two hours straight of dancing and well, I spotted Potter and an unknown person in a rather compromising position."
Severus raised his eyebrows.
"By that I mean, perhaps Mary's suspicions are correct."
Severus shrugged, "Tell me something I don't know Sampson."
"Okay, well I guess it is at least conformation that he is going through some personal things right now."
"Which explains his complete punkish behavior for the past six years? I don't know Sampson. I don't like him. I don't think I ever will—"
"Okay, okay, well we can talk about that later. I have another piece of gossip."
Severus took off his shirt and sat on his bed.
"Natalie kissed me," he beamed.
There you have it. Thank you for reading!