"We should do something." Severus announced suddenly.
He was lying down in the garden in the shade, looking up at the blue sky overhead. The sound of light footsteps hushed by the bed of grass told him of Petunia's approach.
"Such as?" she enquired, lowering herself to sit next to him.
He hummed in thoughts. He was not entirely what he was suggesting. The idea had just crossed his mind and he had felt like voicing it. Now that he thought about it, they had never really done anything together before which did not entail shopping or being at the house. They had gone out once for Christmas and gone in Diagon Alley together but that was all he could think of. It had never really bothered him before but now he wondered.
The more he thought about it the more it occupied his mind. He did not truly want to believe it, but chances were that they had little time left together. If that assumption was to prove true, would he not regret making the most of this summer? It was not like they were particularly trying to hide their relationship. Of course, circumstances forced them to exercise caution. He would not deny that Petunia's parents disliked him intensely and he would not be surprised if they strongly opposed their relationship were they to find out about it. Not only that, but there was the rising force of Voldermort's followers to take into account as well. Somehow, Regulus finding out had turned for the best but he was not so naïve as to believe it would happen this way with other purebloods.
He felt Petunia's finger brushing a strand of dark hair away from his eyes and his gaze was attracted to her face. He was struck suddenly by how beautiful she looked like this, her calm blue eyes fixed on him and a gentle smile on her lips as strands of pale blond hair fell around her face. Absent-mindedly he reached up, curling his long fingers in a strand of her hair. A sudden impulse made him push himself up and pull her closer to him in order to kiss her.
When they broke apart he leant his head against her shoulder with his arms loosely wrapped around her. She gave a breathy laugh and started stroking his head.
"What's gotten into you today?" she asked, a hint of amusement in her voice.
He did not answer immediately. Truthfully, he was not sure what to tell her. His friendship with Regulus allowed him to be privy to information which cast the future in grim light. He could hold her now but would it always be that way? He was starting to fear the future and at times he even resented the fact that they had been born into different worlds. But that, he would then think, was ludicrous because had it not been the case they may never have met. He would have been just another one of those Muggle children whom Lily would never have any reason to give a second glance too and without her sister paying attention to the scruffy boy Petunia would never have looked his way. It might have been different if Petunia had been a witch, but even then, their relationship would have been frowned upon.
He sighed into the girl's shoulder before straightening himself.
"We could go to London for the day." he suggested. "I don't think I've ever been there."
She peered at him under her lashes in a way that always made him wonder if she was trying to guess at his thoughts.
"We could. I know a few shops you might like." she told him entwining her fingers with his. "We can take the train there. It wouldn't take very long."
They fell silent after that, relishing in their proximity and enjoying the languidness that came with the warm summer days that never failed to bring them together.