Chapter Eight

Sirius was still in shock when he finally made his way to Gryffindor Tower and collapsed on one of the couches.

"Sirius, what's gotten into you?" James asked worried.

"I went to find Evelyn," Sirius started. "And I went to the most obvious place."

"Then why do you look like you've just seen a boggart?" Remus asked, reaching into his pocket for his supposed "cure-all" chocolate.

"Well, in a way I did. I saw Evelyn kissing Snivellus."

James's eyes almost popped out of his head as he screamed, "WHAT?"

"I entered the library and started looking around for her, and then I saw her kiss him. And even worse, he met my gaze, and I swear I could see an evil grin before he kissed her back."

"No."

Though they tried to stop him, prevent him from killing Severus, he ripped passed all of their grips.

Evelyn and Severus pulled apart and she couldn't help the grin that broke out across her face.

"Evie-"

"Sev, please let me talk first. While I have this courage. I've liked you since the third year. And I have seen how you look at Lily. I know you feel that way about her. I just want a chance. She clearly doesn't care for you the way I do. And I think if you just gave me a chance you could be happy. I don't expect an answer right now. Just think about it, okay."

She didn't give him a chance to turn her down right then. She took off for where she knew Lily's rounds would lead her.

James arrived in the library only moments later, bumping straight into Severus as he was on his way out.

James grabbed Severus by the collar and got as close to him as he dared. "I told you once to stay away from her. Evelyn is my sister, and so help me, if you don't tell her the truth that you don't like her the way she likes you, I will make you wish for death."

Severus however had finally found his confidence and shoved James away. "I can assure you, James. You can threaten me all you like, but if you hurt me, you will lose your sister forever, and we both know it. So you can threaten me all you want, but you cannot stop me from doing what I want."

Severus walked out the library with a triumphant smirk on his lips. If the idea of him being with Evie threaten James so much, Severus was certain that he could pull it off. Lily would never be his anyway.

Evie,

I was wondering if you might wish to accompany me this Saturday at Hogsmeade.

Severus

Her heart leapt with excitement at the prospect. And while she wanted to run to the Slytherin table and respond to him in person, she decided that she couldn't get her hopes up. Instead she quickly scribbled out her response and charmed it to fly back to Severus. He grabbed it, but did not read it.

Sirius had seen the note flit between the two of them, the glimmer of absolute joy in Evelyn's eyes. She would never hold that glimmer in her eyes for him, a guy that actually cared about her, but for Snivellus, the one who would use her, they showed her heart and soul. He would kill to make her feel that way about him.

Saturday was the mark of the last weekend before classes started up again and all Evelyn could think about was how she was awful at applying makeup. He eyeshadow looked uneven in its shading and her eyeliner went out farther on the left than it did the right.

She knew that she could have asked any of the other girls for help, they had that nifty little makeup spell. But she wanted to do the work, put in the effort on her own. But after her lipstick smudged a little too much, she caved. She needed Mary's help as much as she hated to admit it.

She found the girl about to leave the common room herself. "Mary! Hold on a sec!"

The girl turned to face Evelyn and the shock of seeing the girl in makeup showed clearly.

"Can you help me?" Evelyn asked. "I have a date, I think. But I can't get anything right."

"Oh you poor dear."

While Mary found Evelyn's taste in men highly questionable, she happily helped her. She cast a quick charm that corrected her makeup and evened it out. She helped her pick out a simple grey sweater dress and pulled her hair back partially. When Evelyn glanced at herself in the mirror, she felt pretty.

So she waited impatiently outside of Madame Puddifoot's, their agreed upon meeting spot for the day, bouncing on her feet. She shifted anxiously, looking through the crowds for his face. He wouldn't just leave her there to wonder, would he?

His black hair finally peeked through the crowd as she spotted him. The grin on her face was a force that could not be controlled, and it took all of her willpower not to hug him.

"Hey, Sev," her voice called with uncontainable excitement.

"Hi, Evie."

Though she never expected to see Severus enter the tea house, he offered his arm to her, causing her heart to leap, and they walked inside.

Madame Puddifoot's could have perhaps been called cozy in its small size and warm atmosphere with decadent smells enchanting one's nostrils, if it were not for the fact that the owner had decided to cram every possible square foot with tables and chairs. Evelyn found herself thankful for the fact that the holidays were over and Valentine's was over a month away. Those were the times she observed Madame Puddifoot's shop to be the most crowded by couples and such. As it stood, she and Severus were almost the only patrons visiting at the moment.

She followed as he led them to a corner in the back, out of the way of everything and everyone. She wondered if he ever realized just how alike they were in their tendencies to find the places that were out of sight and out of mind.

"I'll be right back," he told her as she removed her cloak.

Evelyn nodded and took a seat, watching as he went to the counter to place an order. Her stomach was turning as she anxiously awaited his response. She had hopes because he'd chosen the one place designated as a couples' hangout by nearly the entire school, and the way he'd offered up his arm to lead her. But he had barely said anything, and he wasn't overly happy like she was.

Severus was still considering his options as he walked up to the counter. He knew what the right thing to do would be. He should tell her he doesn't feel anything for her, that his heart belonged to Lily. But the idea of the fact that him being with her could drive James and Sirius up a wall, while protecting him from their torment in a way that he never would have expected. He couldn't just turn away the most perfect revenge when it had fallen straight into his lap. But if Evelyn ever found out, he'd lose the only real remaining friend he had.

Yet she was naïve. She always had been. She always assumed the best in people and couldn't imagine them doing something wrong. Even if James tried to tell her what Sirius saw, she likely wouldn't believe them at all.

As he made his way back to her after ordering a pot of tea and scones, he decided that her naivety and his desire to get revenge on Potter and his gang outweighed his fear of her ever finding out. He wouldn't try too hard. He didn't want her to become too attached. And he'd end it before it went anywhere, but he was going to give her exactly what she wanted. Plus, there was the slightest possibility that he could spend time with Lily again, though he knew he'd keep his promise to leave her alone.

Severus watched she perked up as he neared the table again, sitting down so they could wait.

"How has your week been?" he asked her casually, even though he had seen her for most of it.

"Fine. A little slow in its passing and a little nerve wracking, but otherwise enjoyable." She cursed herself for admitting she'd been worried. She didn't want him to know just how much of her hopes were riding on this. "How was yours?"

"It was the same as always."

He was stiff, she noticed. Watching him and wondering if that meant he was trying to be nice about letting her down easy. She wasn't sure if she could handle waiting. But she didn't want to push anything from him. It could backfire.

They sat in silence until the pudgy woman that was Madame Puddifoot squeazed her way through the tables and set two cups, saucers, a pot, and a plate with scones on their small table.

"Thank you," Evelyn said to the lady with a smile.

"You two enjoy," the woman replied with a wink. Evelyn blushed and Severus cringed, which only made Evelyn's heart sink.

Severus poured the tea into the cups and added two sugars to one before placing a scone on each saucer and handing her the sweetened tea. She felt pleasantly surprised that he knew how she liked her tea. For all the time they spent studying, his gaze never left the books or Lily when tea was being served.

Her heart panged a little at the thought of Lily. She knew that he cared for her, and it was unlikely that he could choose her over Lily.

"I've given things a lot of thought," he started after they'd had a moment to sip their tea and try the scones. "I think you understand my feelings towards Lily."

"I noticed in third year. Same as when James started to think of her like that."

Severus rolled his eyes at the thought, and Evelyn regretted actually commenting instead of just nodding her head. "It would not be fair to promise that I feel that way about you or that I will."

This time, Evelyn nodded her head, averting her gaze to the scone before her.

"I want you to understand that before I continue."

"Severus, I have understood the likelihood of you ever feeling the same for me as I do you, or you do for Lily, is very slim. I have spent the last three years avoiding thoughts about this becoming a possibility because I knew it was unlikely. And when I kissed you, I left, because I knew that you'd likely turn me away and I needed to make sure I could handle it when you did. I understand perfectly."

Severus was shocked. He'd never seen her so fierce except when she was defending him. "I just want that clear. Because I also understand that the likelihood of me ever having a chance with Lily completely disappeared last year when I accidentally called her what I did. And I have agreed to leave her alone. So I cannot remotely try."

He took a sip of tea to calm his nerves. Why was he so bloody nervous? It wasn't like this meant anything to him. Even though it was not a nice thing that he was doing. She was his friend, and he was about to use her.

"I have decided however that it would be better to try being with someone who does actually care, than spending my time alone pining over someone I can never have. So, as long as it is with the understanding that I might not be able to feel the way you do, I think that perhaps we should date."

Evelyn's heart leapt. She had not expected or hoped for this sort of outcome. And while he had told her he might not ever feel the way she did, he was willing to try. She was certain that with time, and a proper chance, she could win his heart.

"Really?" she asked, her voice soft with fear.

"Only if you think you could handle the fact that I do not feel that way about you."

"You're still willing to give me a chance. And that is all I ever wanted. Well, not all, but it's all I ever could have hoped for."

So they drank their tea and ate scones. When they left, walking around Hogsmeade, she was shocked that he didn't turn away her hand when she reached for his. Even James could not ruin this moment, and when they ran into him at Honeyduke's, he certainly tried. His eyes bugged, and Evelyn laughed, squeezing Severus's hand for a second, seeing a glimmer of laughter in his eyes too.

Yes, if he just gave her a chance. She could make him very happy indeed.

A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this update. And i'm excited to see what happens. I honestly only have some of the plot figured out, and it's all at the end, so I have no idea what's going to happen to get there.

Also, I have started a collection that goes with this, (in case any of you missed it). It will likely contain spoilers, or allude to them. So be careful if you read it. I actually will be adding a story to it very soon.

Thank you all for reading and don't forget to review, as your thoughts are always appreciated