Chapter Eight; The First Date
Boy thanks guys for all of your input! First of all to answer a couple of questions, the reason that Lily accepted Dumbledore's decision with her and Harry staying at the Dursley's at first is because she respected him and she knew that that would be the last place Voldemort would ever look for her and her son because of it being in the muggle world and the rocky relationship that she had with them. Especially since she hated the way that they treated her son.
I hope that explains it a little bit more. And yes I am very well aware of the fact that Harry (who is basically about five years old) acts much older than he really is but that's the point. I wanted him to be wise beyond his years so he would be able to get involved and help his mother's relationship with Snape move along well at the same time of being innocent. He also needed to understand Snape so that Snape would eventually grow to love him and trust him.
I hope that all makes sense and clears everything up, if you have any more questions please feel free to ask me. Anyway, I am so glad this story is doing as well as it is, and I'm glad that you're all enjoying it! Enjoy the next chapter and just so you know there will be sequels that follow it, and at some point I'm going to post a Very Scary Harry Halloween, but since I don't want to set spoilers for this story I'm thinking that I'll do it afterwards.
Snape knocked on Lily's bedroom door. A few seconds later she opened it and Snape suddenly felt as though that she was stealing his very breath away from him. For she had on a beautiful red sparkling vest, with a black and white stripped T-shirt, blue denim skirt, and red pointed ruby slippers on her feet. She also had her hair tied back in a ponytail with a red holder, (and a few strands of hair loose) with light blue eyeshadow and powder on her cheeks, and bright red lipstick on her lips.
"How do I look?" she asked him nervously as Snape found his lips turn up in a grin.
"Magical." He answered proudly. "How's Harry?" he asked her.
"Thanks," she began. "and he's fine. I just put him to bed, but he's already sound asleep." She finished.
"Well in that case, Mrs. Potter, it would be my privilege to escort you to dinner." He told her while he continued to grin at her as she placed her purse strap (that matched her vest and slippers) around her arm before she took his offered one and allowed him to escort her out into the corridor. Meanwhile Professor McGonagall quickly rushed over to the window and smiled as she saw Lily and Severus leaving the castle and stepping into the courtyard together.
"At last." She whispered softly to herself.
….
Snape escorted Lily to a table after they entered The Three Broomsticks. He continued to stare at her as they sat down a crossed from each other. He still couldn't get over how beautiful she looked, however he happened to notice that she avoided eye contact with him and fidgeted quite a bit by hitting the palms of her hands together a few times and making strange noises with her lips.
"Are you alright?" he asked her out of concern.
"Yeah I'm fine, I'm sorry." She began. "It's just that this is my first time being out on date since James and I first met." She explained.
"You're joking." Snape began. "He never took you out after that?" he asked her with astonishment and disbelief.
"No." she began as she took a deep breath and sighed heavily. "I know that it probably sounds bad, but we didn't have a whole lot of money back then. And after we got married we had to spend whatever we did have on Harry. Luckily James' parents stored away quite a bit for us in the Gringotts bank." She told him.
"Harry is very lucky to have you for a mother." He blurted out when suddenly the waitress walked over to the table.
"Well thank you Severus, but on the contrary I'm the lucky one. After all Harry is an extraordinary child." She told him while he continued gazing at her as she glanced up at the waitress.
"What can I be getting the happy couple today?" the waitress asked her.
"Thanks, but we're not a couple." Lily began with a shake of her head. "We're just friends. And anyway I'll just be getting some fish and chips and some butterbeer." She told the waitress and waited for her to scribble it down before she looked over at Snape.
"I'll have the same except make mine firewhisky." He told her before she thanked them and Snape nodded before they watched her walk away.
"You've got to be kidding me. Firewhisky? You actually drink that stuff?" she questioned him with uncertainty and bewilderment.
"Yes." He began with a nod. "Why? Is there something wrong with it?" he asked her.
"Not really, I mean I guess not but I only tried it one time and I thought my tongue was going to burn into a crisp." She responded as Snape grinned at her.
"Listen Lily, I was just wondering if you've been seeing anybody since your husband died." He told her.
"No," she began. "if I was I wouldn't be trying so hard to find a proper father for Harry."
"Look Lily, I care about what's best for the boy just as much as you do. But don't you think that just for a moment you could stop being a mother and think about what's best for you? After all, don't you deserve to have your happiness?" he questioned her.
"Uh, well,.." she began when suddenly the waitress came back to the table with their drinks in her hand. "I have to go!" Lily exclaimed before she leapt up from the table as the waitress set her drink down in front of her.
"Lily wait!" Snape cried as he frantically jumped up from the table and ran after her. He caught her in his arms just outside the door.
"Severus?" she questioned him. "What are you doing?"
"I made the mistake about not coming after you before, and now I see that was the stupidest thing I ever did." He told her. "Please give me another chance to do the right thing this time." He pleaded.
"Severus listen, I like you it's just that I'm not sure if I'm ready for this yet." She explained.
"I understand, and I will wait for you as long as I possibly have to if you promise you'll give me the chance to." He said as he waited for a few moments before she nodded.
"Alright, I will." She told him.
"Good." He began with a grin. "And here's a sneak preview." He told her as he closed his eyes and rested his hand on her cheek before gently pulling her face towards him and sealing it with a quick and tender kiss on the lips. Then he took ahold of her hand and softly kissed the back of it before they walked back to their table and enjoyed their meal together.
…
Later on that night Snape walked Lily back to her bedroom. "Thank you Severus that was a wonderful dinner. In fact that was probably the best meal that I've had in a very long time." She admitted while she smiled brightly at him.
"It was my pleasure Mrs. Potter." He told her with a grin before he took her hand and gave it one last kiss. "Enjoy the rest of your evening, and tell Harry that I said goodnight." He told her.
"Alright, I'll tell him." She agreed before she turned and watched him leave when all of a sudden the door opened and Professor McGonagall stuck her head out of it while Lily sighed dreamily beaming from ear to ear.
"I haven't seen you look like that since James proposed to you." She told her.
"What?" she questioned as she quickly turned her head and looked back over at her. "Oh sorry Minerva, it's just that I think I have a problem." She said. "I think I'm in love again." She told her.
"Oh I see and why is that a problem?" McGonagall asked her. "I should think that you would be awfully happy about it." She said.
"I know, and I am. It's just that I'm not sure how Harry's going to feel about it." Lily explained.
"My dear, it was Harry's idea that you go out with Severus in the first place. Which I have to admit is very remarkable since the child isn't even in charm school yet." McGonagall began. "I think the real problem is that you're afraid that if you get into another serious relationship that you'll be betraying your husband. Especially since James hated him so much."
"Yeah, I guess you're right." Lily admitted with a nod.
"Listen Lily, James might have had a few flaws about him but I know for a fact that above anything else he would want you to be happy." She told her. "Now, with that being said I must be out of here. I'll leave you some time to think about what I said. Goodnight Mrs. Potter." She told her before she stepped outside and quietly closed the door behind her.
"Goodnight Minerva and thanks again for watching Harry for me." Lily told her.
"Anytime Lily, it's clear to me that if Harry is anything like his father he's going to be a great wizard someday and make some very lucky girl very happy." She told her with a grin and a nod. "Goodnight." She said again before she walked away.