Severus' New Girl

***10 October, 1976***

The corridors of Hogwarts were relatively empty as most of the students were already filling the stands of the Quidditch pitch. With the exception of a few upper-year Ravens and Puffs that might have opted to go to the village rather than watch the match between Slytherin and Gryffindor, nearly the entire school would be attending the match.

There was no one there to see Lucy lace her fingers through Severus' as they walked arm-in-arm. Severus was surprised by her strength. If she didn't have white knuckles by lack of circulation, he certainly did.

He knew what she what she had to be going through. After all, it was their first date. He was nervous too. In fact, Severus was grateful that he had skipped breakfast otherwise it would have ended up all over the pavement. This was the first time Severus had ever been on a date with a real girl. Well—that wasn't exactly true. Frankly, it was because until recently, Severus hadn't thought of Lily as a real girl. He had always thought of her as more of an Earth-bound Aphrodite.

The summer before fifth-year, Lily had managed to drag Severus to a festival in the local park to enter some ridiculous dance contest. She had forced Severus to practice for weeks. One would have thought it would have been the best time in Severus' life, but if truth be told, he felt rather awkward and out of place. He just didn't know how to think or act with Lily in such a public situation. He was relieved when it was finally over.

Severus didn't know why he was so nervous on this date with Lucy. He didn't have to pretend to be something he wasn't with her. He also couldn't understand why Lucy seemed ready to jump out of her skin. All she had to do was be herself too, so Severus could not see why they wouldn't have a good time.

They were walking past the suits of armour when one of the helmets began to open up on its own. It had all happened to quickly and Severus barely had a second to push Lucy out of the line of fire when he was he was hit in the face with the viscous, green ooze in her stead.

Severus scooped the gunk off the left side of his face. He irritably threw it to the floor before gingerly opening his eyes. Lucy's stunned expression at being unceremoniously shoved to the ground had changed to outrage. Severus thought it was directed at him at first and cowered when she drew her wand.

"Peeves! You ectoplasmic piece of vomit!" she screamed.

Severus ducked to the right just in time as she threw a hex down the empty corridor. An innocent suit of armour collapsed to the ground as others voiced their protests. Only the castle's powerful magic kept it from being blasted into a million pieces. Amidst the clatter of metal on stone, Peeve's maniacal cackle could be heard echoing down the corridor.

As Severus offered is hand to Lucy and pulled her off of the floor, she muttered, "There's never a teacher around when you need one."

Lucy began to brush the dirt off of herself, but Severus took out his wand and spelled the dirt, grime, and goo off of the both of them.

"The castle is practically empty," Severus explained. "Almost everyone is either at the Quidditch pitch or in the village."

"Thanks," Lucy said as her clothes became magically clean again. "I guess we were the easiest target."

"Quite likely the only target," Severus remarked as he straightened his jumper. He hated that the poltergeist had caught him off his guard, but Peeves had been relatively quiet this year so Severus hadn't been as vigilant as he had been in the past. Sometimes, Severus wondered if the phantasm fed of the chaos the Marauders created. Severus really didn't know, but the fact that the Marauders had been relatively quiet this term seemed to coincide with Peeves' inactivity. The poltergeist must be bored.

"Lucy—Are you certain you're alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said shakily as she offered her hand to Severus. "Shall we?"

Severus bent over and picked up Lucy's hat. He placed it on her head and adjusted it before taking her hand. "Now we're ready," he quipped.

By the time they approached the stands, Severus could feel Lucy's hand begin to tremble. He wasn't sure what to do. Lucy insisted on attending the match, but she looked as though she might sick-up.

"The Slytherin stands are this way," Severus said, indicating the emerald and silver checked towers.

With Lucy's hand still firmly clutched in his, Severus began to walk towards the stands, when he was abruptly jerked back. He looked behind him to find that Lucy hadn't moved. As she gazed up at the Quidditch stands, she began shaking and Severus noticed sweat forming on her forehead.

He pulled Lucy aside behind a nearby tree.

"Lucy, what's wrong—and don't tell me you're fine, because you are not." Severus took a clean handkerchief from his pocket and began to gently pat the sweat from Lucy's brow.

"I'm sorry, Severus," she said miserably. "I've ruined our date before it even started."

"Of course you haven't," Severus tried to assure her. True, it looked like their date would be postponed, but he could hardly see how it was Lucy's fault. She was obviously ill. "If you're sick, Lucy, we can do this another time."

Lucy took the handkerchief from Severus' hand and said wretchedly, "I'm not sick, Severus—I'm scared."

"Scared?" Severus looked over his shoulder at the towering stands. "Are you scared of heights?"

Lucy shook her head. "I'm not acrophobic. I'm not afraid of stairs or looking out windows. Well, admittedly, tackling stairs took over a year of therapy," she confessed. "But it's closer to a form of Barophobia. I'm scared of falling from heights. It's why my folks would always let me take a Sleeping Draught whenever we flew on Muggle planes. But when it comes to unprotected heights like brooms or open stands…"

"You panic," Severus finished. So much for watching Quidditch this year. Any potion she could take to lesson her anxiety would also compromise her balance, thereby exacerbating the problem.

"Why didn't you tell me this," Severus asked, hoping he didn't sound as irritated as he felt. He really had been looking forward to watching the match. If he had known this he could have planned something else so he at least would not have been looking forward to it. "You should have told me."

"I know…you're right… I should have told you," she admitted. "But you seemed to really be looking forward to the match and I wanted to spend the day with you. I thought I could talk myself out of my fears."

"Has it ever worked before," Severus teased. Any irritation he had felt had melted away. The fact that Lucy tried to overcome her greatest fear just to spend some time with him did not go unnoticed by Severus and definitely wasn't unappreciated.

Lucy scoffed, "No."

A great roar erupted from the stands behind them heralding the beginning of the match. Severus didn't bother to look back. As much as he wanted to see the game, he wanted this happy day with Lucy even more. If that meant sacrificing Quidditch—so be it.

"Well, no one's putting a wand against our heads. We don't have to go to the game." Severus said. "Why don't we head to the village early? We can visit your grandfather."

The suggestion had returned the smile to Lucy's face and Severus felt like a bit of a hero.

As the began to walk hand-in-hand down the path that led to the village, Severus said, "Please don't tell me you want to go to Madam Puddifoot's. I'm allergic to pink."

Lucy laughed openly and leaned into Severus' arm. "Don't worry. I know you are, Severus," she teased. "If truth be told, so am I."

It never really occurred to Severus, but other than eating, there really weren't many dating activities to be had in Hogsmeade. There was no theatre or cinema to attend. No parks or any other recreational activities. Pretty much, unless a couple wanted to endure the hyperglycaemic nightmare that was Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop, or have a Butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks, there weren't many options. Even Lucy's grandfather wasn't very accommodating to Hogwarts students. Essentially, that just left shopping.

Severus had even received his first pay for his assistantship. It wasn't much, but it was enough to buy a book or two and pay for lunch for him and Lucy. Had this not been a date, and he and Lucy had come as simply friends, Lucy would have paid her own way, but Severus had asked her out and he didn't want to appear mean.

There weren't very many students about yet. Most of them were third and fourth year Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs to whom the experience of Hogsmeade was still a novelty. Severus was certain that he and Lucy were the only Slytherins about and would continue to be until the match was over.

Now that they weren't going to the Quidditch match, Lucy was back to her old self. That, in itself made Severus happy. In fact, thus far it had been a rather pleasant day. It hadn't begun to snow yet, but the air was crisp and chill.

If truth be told, Severus really didn't know how to go about this dating business. He and Lucy really hadn't done anything different than they would have if the just came to the village as friends. But still, it did seem different. They held hands a lot, and Severus liked it more that he thought he would. There was something about Lucy's small hand enwrapped by his that made him feel…well…manly. What astonished him the most was how Lucy seemed to gravitate towards him, and he to her. Severus told himself it was because they were cold and simply seeking warmth from each other, but a part of him pretended that perhaps Lucy really was physically attracted to him.

They spent over an hour in Tomes and Scrolls browsing through books. Lucy wanted a diversion from her studies so she purchased for herself a copy of Sites of Historical Sorcery. It wouldn't have been Severus' first choice, but he had to admit, it did sound intriguing.

She never even questioned Severus' intentions as they entered the Dark Arts section. As tempting as it was, Severus bypassed the tomes on curse and hex development and went straight to the defence books. The latest talk in the dorm was making Severus ill at ease. Apparently, according to his dorm mates, the Dark Lord intended teach his new acolytes Legillimancy. Severus wasn't keen on anyone rooting in his head and the fact that it could be the likes of Avery or Mulciber could make the game a dangerous one.

Lucy began to peruse a book about ancient curses that had caught her eye as Severus searched for a book on Occlumency. He came across one appropriately titled, Defending Your Mind: Finding Your Inner Occlumens.

Severus spotted a settee in quiet corner and thought he'd read through a chapter or two before deciding if it was worth the three Galleons price on the label . He was only halfway into the second page when he was nearly startled out of his seat. Someone had joined him on the small settee.

"Occlumency?" Lucy inquired. She practically had to lean on Severus' arm to read the pages. "That's a very useful skill. Perhaps you ought to talk to Uncle Albus if you decide to take it seriously."

For some reason, Severus suddenly had trouble swallowing. The settee was small, so Lucy's thigh couldn't help but be pressed against his. She was so close he could smell the lemongrass and green tea from her shampoo and wondered when they had become his favourite scents. Severus really liked the sensation of Lucy being so close, but why was he beginning to sweat?

"I didn't know the Headmaster was an Occlumens?" Severus cringed with embarrassment when his voice cracked.

Thankfully, Lucy didn't seem to notice. She simply nodded. "Mm hm. He's a master, of course," she added with a roll of her eyes. "He said he'd teach me if I wanted to learn, but I don't know where I'd find the time. I'm sure he'd teach you, if you asked."

Severus turned to Lucy to say something, but his words escaped him like smoke on the wind. He had looked into Lucy's eyes before and knew their colour—a beautiful turquoise—but he had never felt himself drawn into them like this. She had a small mouth with pink lips. He envisioned himself kissing those pink lips when another scenario played out—explaining himself to Dr and Mrs O'Conner. If Lucy's parents could see the rather impure thoughts he was having at that very moment about their youngest daughter, Severus was certain he would end up losing more than his apprenticeship.

Severus snapped the book shut and snapped himself out of his daydreams. Even Lucy jumped.

"Why don't we get some lunch," he offered as he practically darted out of the chair.

For a split second, Lucy looked startled, but she quickly composed herself.

"Um…yeah…I could eat a bite," Lucy said as she took Severus' offered hand.

Severus and Lucy found a small corner at The Three Broomsticks. No sooner had the ordered their chicken pot pies, than an older group of surly Gryffindors entered the pub. Apparently the Quidditch match had already ended and it was equally apparent that Gryffindor had lost.

"It's not right, I tell you. There was no time to train proper replacements," complained a blonde boy Severus had recognised as a Fourth year.

Severus and Lucy looked at each other quizzically. They had obviously missed something by not attending the game.

Another boy commented, "Johnson told me last night that they were both suspended for the term and they have detentions with McGonagall until she decides they've had enough. You should have seen her in Transfiguration yesterday. I've never seen her so angry. She's absolutely spitting tacks!"

Severus was just about to comment to Lucy that he wondered who had been kicked off the Gryffindor team, when the first boy answered the question for him.

"Their pranks are always good for a laugh. But I wonder if they went too far with one of their practical jokes. Maybe they put Wartcap powder in Professor Myers' pants drawer?"

"Or the Headmaster's," a third boy suggested.

Severus turned to Lucy as she sipped her tea. Lucy's American tastes had yet to become accustomed to Butterbeer or Pumpkin juice. "I think Potter and Black may have been sacked from the team."

"I wonder what they could have done after all this time to warrant something so drastic," she mused. "From what I've been told, they've gotten away with some pretty serious stunts over the years. Maybe somebody was hurt this time."

"That's a load of tosh!"

Severus and Lucy looked up to find Madam Rosmerta delivering their lunch. Severus found the barmaid turned landlady irritating. She had an annoying fondness of all things Gryffindor—especially where James Potter and Sirius Black were concerned. "James and Sirius might be high-spirited lads, but they wouldn't hurt a fly."

Lucy mumbled under her breath, "They might not hurt flies—as long as those flies aren't Gryffindors."

Madam Rosmerta pretended as if she hadn't heard Lucy's accusations. But she looked at Lucy then turned her scrutiny towards Severus for the first time. "Do I know you? Have you changed your hair?"

Severus shrugged. During his Third and Fourth years he had customed The Three Broomsticks with Lily, but Severus had never been one for idle conversation with the barmaid. While Rosmerta was always congenial and conversational with Lily, she often looked down at Severus as if he were something disgusting stuck on the bottom of her shoe.

She then turned back to Lucy and said saccharinely, "Lucy dear, can we have a word alone?"

Lucy had raised her fork to take a bit of her pot pie, but her expression soured as if she lost her appetite and she laid the fork on the side of the charger. "Miss Rose, I would rather not, if it's all the same to you," Lucy then looked to Severus and smiled brightly. "Severus and I are on a date."

Though Severus was warmed by Lucy's acknowledgment, he was curious as to how she knew Madam Rosmerta so well. Then he remembered that Lucy was no stranger to Hogsmeade.

Madame Rosmerta gave Severus that same, disgusted look and then turned to Lucy as if she were about to say something, but pursed her lips tight when Lucy shot her a look that clearly said Rosmerta's opinion was neither needed nor wanted.

When the landlady left in a huff to tend to the needs of the grieving Gryffindors, Severus finally leaned over the table a spoke softly, "We can leave, if you like."

Lucy took a large bite of her pie and swallowed. "I'm not going to give her the satisfaction," she said with bravado. "And if she keeps harping on the evils of Slytherin House to Mama, she's going to find herself replaced for Tuesday night's Whist table. Even Uncle Albus and Miss Min…Professor McGonagall have told her to lay off. She's been beside herself ever since Mama told her I was sorted into Slytherin."

Severus tucked into his own lunch. It would have tasted much better if the landlady hadn't nearly ruined his appetite. "Why does she care what House you're in?"

Lucy shrugged. "I think she just hates that she was wrong. She swore up and down that I'd be in Gryffindor like a proper Dumbledore. She just assumes that since Uncle Albus is Hogwarts' most famous Gryffindor that the rest of us would be lions too. It never occurred to her that Pawpaw was a Hufflepuff and their Mama was one of Slytherin's rare Muggleborns. Family association doesn't really matter, I think."

"I understand the assumption, though," Severus admitted. "There are some families that seem to have House traditions. I heard the stories at my mother's knee. Potters and Weasleys have been in Gryffindor for centuries just as the Malfoys and Princes have been in Slytherin and the Boneses in Hufflepuff. It is just expected in some families, I suppose."

"I guess she would feel better if I told her the Sorting hat almost put me in Ravenclaw, but I don't like the stink-eye she was giving you, so I'm not going to give her the satisfaction," Lucy said cheekily.

There was something in Lucy's statement that made Severus heart warm, and not just the fact that they had something else in common.

"You were a Hatstall, too?" He wanted to slap himself before he even finished his excited question. Of course she was a Hatstall. "I was almost placed in Ravenclaw, myself," he amended. Severus had never told anyone of his secret, not even Lily. Lily would have been disappointed if she knew that Severus chose to be in Slytherin once she had an earful of Gryffindor bias.

Lucy smiled. "Really, why did you choose Slytherin?" There was nothing accusatory in her question—just a simple curiosity.

Severus scoffed, "It really wasn't much of a choice, if truth be known. Slytherin was my mother's house and I wanted to make her proud. Why did you choose, Slytherin over Ravenclaw?"

Lucy looked up from her lunch and gave him a half-grin. "I simply asked the hat to put me where I would be happiest."

The rest of their lunch was spent in good company and friendly conversation. They had managed to avoid the scrutiny of the other patrons, most notably the moody Gryffindors. Severus paid the bill to the barman who had come to clean their table. He arose and offered his hand to Lucy, not quite certain what they would do next. Lucy had no sooner put her hand in his when Severus heard several raised voices from behind him, many of which he recognised. The loudest belonged to Avery.

"It wasn't our fault your star Chaser and his girlfriend got themselves thrown off the team."

"Everyone knows Slytherins can't win at anything without cheating! No doubt one of you Snakes had something to do with it! Somebody set them up!"

"If they stayed in their Common Room where the belonged, perhaps the Headmaster wouldn't have caught them out after hours!" This time it was Regulus who had stepped into the fray. In their enthusiasm to celebrate their win, nobody on the team had bothered to change out of their flying robes. The Gryffindors had obviously taken the gesture as swaggering on the part of the Slytherins and it did nothing to improve the mood of the Lions.

Severus noticed that Lucy's pallor whitened about three shades. Maybe she was afraid of the row degenerating into fisticuffs. Severus quietly led her towards the door where hopefully they could leave without being noticed. Lucy seemed anxious to leave.

"Well no one from Gryffindor would have mentioned James' invisibility cloak!"

"You dimwit! Nobody from Slytherin knew about any invisibility cloak until now! It had to have been another Gryffindor!"

A part of Severus wanted to stop and hear about this invisibility cloak of Potter's. It would certainly explain how the Marauders just seemed to pop out of the walls in years past, but Madam Rosmerta and her barhand were breaking up the fight that had resulted from the comment that any Gryffindor was capable of treachery, plus Lucy was already out the door. Severus nearly had to run to catch up with her.

When he managed to catch up and fall back into step with her he said, "I'm sorry you had to see that. People turn into hooligans when it comes to Quidditch around here."

Lucy still looked upset and she looked around to make sure no one was nearby before she practically whispered, "It's not that, Severus." She looked over his shoulder and behind herself again. "I was the one who told Uncle Albus that Potter and Black were sneaking out. But I didn't know anything about an invisibility cloak,"

For a moment, Severus looked at her in shock, and then realization dawned on him. "The letter from Lupin."

Lucy guiltily nodded. "It was a full moon the other night. I mean, if you were in danger of getting hurt from following Potter and Black, doesn't it stand to reason that Potter and Black were in danger from following Remus? If something were to happen to them, chances are Remus would be executed and Uncle Albus would end up in Azkaban."

Frankly, Severus thought Potter and Black would have had their comeuppance if they would have been bitten, but a growing, nagging sense of empathy for Lupin had recently been rearing its ugly head and Severus had to admit that he didn't want to see Lupin punished for something he couldn't help.

Severus found it odd that he never noticed Pettigrew on these forays, but perhaps Potter and Black realised that their tag-a-long was too much of a buffoon and would likely muck up their adventures by getting himself bitten.

Actually, if Severus knew that it would have gotten them sacked from the Quidditch team, he would have ratted out the Marauders ages ago. However, Potter and Black both had parents on the Board of Governors, so Severus didn't think it would get him anywhere but somehow blamed himself. But the Blacks had recently disowned their eldest son and the Potters had an over-exaggerated sense of morality. Lucy's timing had been impeccable.

From behind him, Severus could hear that the Slytherins had been ousted from the tree Broomsticks. Typical! The Gryffindors start the fight, but the Slytherins get blamed for it!

Severus wrapped his arm around Lucy's and drew her closer to him as he began to walk. He leaned towards her ear and said quietly, "Don't say anything. Obviously Lupin's managed to keep his mouth shut or otherwise your name would have already been dragged into this."

"Snape! O'Conner!"

Severus and Lucy stopped and turned to see Regulus and the rest of the Quidditch team make their way over along with a few other Slytherins, Avery and Mulciber amongst them.

Regulus still looked windswept when he grabbed one of Lucy's hands and slipped her something metallic. Lucy's other hand held firm to Severus'.

Lucy opened her hand and looked at Regulus' offering. She blinked and looked a little confused. "What's this?" A little golden orb floated from the palm of her hand and sprouted gossamer wings.

Regulus looked even more confused than Lucy. "What do you mean, 'what is it'? It's a Snitch. Don't they have Quidditch in the Colonies?"

Severus could tell by the fire that just flashed behind Lucy's blue-green eyes, that she didn't much care for Regulus' colony comment. "I know it's a Snitch. I have three brothers," she said shortly. "But why are you giving it to me?"

Severus smirked because Regulus looked as if Lucy had just slapped him in the face. "Why…that…that's the game Snitch," Regulus stammered. "I caught it and won the match! It's an honour to be presented the game Snitch!""

"Oh…I'm sorry." Lucy lowered her hand and the Snitch flew back over to Regulus, seemingly realising that Lucy did not appreciate its significance. "We didn't see the game. I don't deserve it," she explained sweetly, but with an unmistakeable patronising air.

Regulus absently plucked the orb from its flight. "You didn't see…? Why…it was Gryffindor's greatest defeat in years. Snape! I thought you were bringing O'Conner to the game?"

It was all Severus could do to keep from laughing as nearly every member of the team was practically laughing behind Regulus' back. No doubt he planned to snatch Lucy from Severus in front of the entire village and his plan had blown up in his face.

Severus shook his head. "Lucy doesn't like Quidditch. I wasn't going to let her suffer through something she doesn't enjoy. It wouldn't make for a fun date," he said, emphasising the last word so Regulus would have no question as to why Lucy was with Severus.

Severus led Lucy away. Lucy turned back long enough to offer Regulus another apology. The other Slytherins roared with laughter and Severus could hear Mulciber say. "I told you, Black. It's bad form to offer a Snitch to another bloke's girl."

Severus and Lucy did go to her grandfather's pub after all. They took advantage of the fact that Lucy's mother had stayed in the village to help her grandfather with his small dinner rush and they were able to stay late. Mrs O'Conner had offered to Floo them back to the castle.

Lucy offered to help her mother with dishes as Severus sat at a sparse kitchen table and waited. Neither Lucy, Mrs O'Conner, nor Mr Dumbledore would accept Severus' offers to help, and Mrs O'Conner shooed Lucy away as well. "Lucy, this is supposed to be your special weekend. You don't need to take on dishes while you have a beaux waiting for you."

Lucy blushed and nearly jumped as she pecked her mother on the cheek. "May I take him to see the owlets? They've lost their down since he saw them last."

Mrs O'Conner eyed Severus speculatively and Severus tried to look innocent without looking like he was trying too hard. Mrs O'Conner scoffed, as if laughing at his efforts. "Go ask Pawpaw if it's okay," she said, jutting her head in the direction of the pub where he grandfather was working. "I don't know how long I'll be, so we can leave at any time."

Severus took that as a warning for 'no snogging' because Mrs O'Conner might catch them at any time. Lucy smiled as he watched her flounce into the other room.

"She's very happy."

Severus was startled at the sound of Mrs O'Conner's voice. She was standing over the sink, washing dishes the Muggle way. Mrs O'Conner had earlier explained that she prefers to keep her hands busy.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am?" He asked almost too quickly. Mrs O'Conner had caught him off guard.

"Lucy. She's very happy," Mrs O'Conner repeated as she smiled during her task. "I haven't seen her this happy in quite a while."

Severus didn't know what to say at that. He didn't even know what to think. Hadn't Lucy always been happy?

"Do both of yourselves a favour?"

Severus' heart nearly sank. Was this the point where Mrs O'Conner told Severus to stay away from her daughter? But the only thing he could manage to ask was, "Yes, Ma'am?"

Mrs O'Conner stopped washing her dishes and turned towards Severus. She grasped the flannel in her hand and leaned against the counter and said seriously, "Whatever happens between you and Lucy, always remember that you are friends first. I can tell that you're a good boy, Severus. If you promise to remember that, I know I can trust you never to do anything to hurt her."

Severus was taken aback. She wasn't chasing Severus away from Lucy. In fact, Severus wondered if she was encouraging him. He had no idea where his relationship with Lucy would go, nor how far, but he did know that he would never do anything to hurt her, so for him, it was an easy promise to make.

"I promise, Mrs O'Conner," Severus answered honestly. What else could he say?

Mrs O'Conner smiled and went back to her dishes. Severus found a strange comfort in seeing her smile was very much like Lucy's. He couldn't help but to smile back.

From the other room, Severus could hear Mr Dumbledore's gruff brogue. "I guess they're old enough. If yer mother says it's alright, it's fine by me. Just be down before it gets to dark. Yer mother doesn't need to be mendin' yer broken necks."

"Thank you, Pawpaw."

Lucy flew back into the kitchen; all smiles and giggles, and practically yanked Severus up from the table. "Come on, Severus. Let's go see the owls."

Although a couple of young owls, now without their downy coats had settled themselves next to Severus and Lucy, Severus suspected they weren't in the loft to go bird watching. With her wand, Lucy opened a high loft door that faced the west, and the two sat together, sitting just far enough back to be safe. Lucy refused to stand or get too close to the edge. They both leaned back on their hands with their fingers practically touching.

"Didn't I tell you this was the best view in Hogsmeade?"

Severus had to agree, the view of the mountains and the Black lake from the barn was glorious. In the distance, a smoky curtain of bats rose from the Dark forest to begin their nocturnal foraging. The sun was getting lower in the sky, threatening to hide behind the mountains. The air was getting colder too. Severus wondered if they'd see snow within the week.

"You're sure your grandfather won't mind the door open like this," Severus asked as he drew his jacket in tighter around himself.

"As long as we close it before we leave, it's fine. Pawpaw spelled the window so I wouldn't have to worry about falling, so I feel safe here," Lucy assured. "I watched the sunset from here all summer. I was usually by myself."

"Usually?" Severus joked. "Do you bring boys up here often?"

Lucy blushed. "No," she half laughed. "Allen would come up here sometimes so he could jump down on the haycocks below. It would tear up the hay, but Pawpaw just spelled them back to normal. It was annoying though. I don't like jumping. It's too much like falling. Allen's intent always overrode Pawpaw's charm. Allen—he just can't stand to sit still and be quiet."

Severus sat up and positioned himself with his back against jam of the window. "I take it you like the quiet then?" he asked.

Lucy nodded. "I like the stillness. I like to sit and be quiet and think. I can't do that when crowds of people buzz around like angry bees. Most people don't take the time to notice the real world around them, or think about their place in it."

Severus crossed his arms across his propped up knees and laid down his chin. Lucy had never spoken of her thoughts like this, and Severus found them intriguing. "What about you, Lucy. What's your place in the world?"

Lucy smiled dolefully, "Ironically, I haven't figured that part out yet. It bothers me sometimes that I don't know what I want to do with my life. I do know that I want to learn everything. If I had my choice I think I'd just go on learning for the rest of my life. But I can't do that, can I?"

"Why not," Severus answered. "You could teach, you know. I remember Professor Dumbledore saying that the wisest are always learning new things."

"Sounds like something Uncle Albus would say," Lucy scoffed. "He probably found it in a fortune cookie somewhere."

"You're probably right," Severus agreed. "It might be cliché, but it doesn't make it any less true. Besides, I think you'd make a brilliant teacher."

"You do?"

Severus nodded, "I wouldn't have said it if I didn't believe it. But I don't know why you're worried about it now. You're only fifteen. There's plenty of time to worry about such things later."

They were ironic words coming from Severus, considering he wasn't much older than Lucy. But Lucy was from a stable household. She didn't have to worry about her father drinking away the grocery money or wonder if her mother remembered to feed herself. Severus had to become an adult too soon for his liking. Lucy had the option to remain young for a little while longer.

He watched Lucy's profile as she gazed out into the distance. Lucy looked a little sad, almost as if she didn't know if she should believe Severus or not. She seemed to know that he was holding something back, but chose to give Severus the time he needed before he revealed his most guarded secrets. He kept quiet because he appreciated Lucy's patience more than he could say.

Suddenly Lucy gasped and quickly scooted herself close against Severus, seemingly forgetting her fear of the edge. "Look, Severus!" she said excitingly as she pointed towards the mountains.

Severus didn't want to look to the mountains. Lucy was pressed against his side and he realised how warm she was. But look out he did, only to behold a fiery wonder as the sun slowly sank below the mountains and lit the high clouds in a blaze.

"Isn't it beautiful?"

"It is," Severus agreed, but he wasn't gazing at the sunset anymore. He was looking at Lucy.

Lucy noticed this and looked at Severus quizzically. "What is it, Severus?"

"I was just wondering something," he said nervously.

"What were you wondering?"

"Have…have you ever…have you ever had a boyfriend?"

Lucy took a sharp breath, as if all of the air had just left her lungs at once. Her face flushed pink. "Why are you asking me such a question?"

Severus turned Lucy's face up to his and felt himself drawn into her turquoise eyes. He was drowning in a green-blue pool and never wanted to come up for air. He didn't know why he had so suddenly asked Lucy such an impertinent question, but he felt he needed to ask. Before he realised what he was doing, Severus leaned over and gently kissed Lucy's lips.

To his astonishment, Lucy returned his kiss. Her lips were soft, and her breath was warm and sweet. Severus had often wondered what his first kiss would be like. More often than not, he imagined it to be fiery and passionate, with a girl with equally fiery hair. But for that instant, Severus forgot that girl's name and Lucy's tender kiss had ignited a feeling in Severus' heart he never thought he was capable of.

Reluctantly Severus pulled away. It would be too easy to go farther. Severus doubted that the kiss lasted more than a second or two, but at the same time, he felt it would last a lifetime. It was almost like magic. Though his eyes were closed, he felt as if he were surrounded by a warm light.

Severus opened his eyes and looked at Lucy. He wondered if he had the same goofy glow on his face that she did. He certainly felt as if he did. He never wanted to let the feeling go.

"No."

For a moment Severus was in shock. Did Lucy just tell him no? Did she not want to kiss him? She was sure acting funny if she didn't.

"Wha…what? Severus stuttered.

"You asked me if I ever had a boyfriend," Lucy explained. "No—I haven't."

It took a second before Lucy's answer waded through Severus' muddled brain. "Oh," he said dumbly. "Erm…would you like one?"

Lucy grinned impishly, "Just promise me you won't set me up with Regulus Black. I really can't stand Quidditch."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~To Be Continued~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hey! I'm Back! Told you I didn't abandon anything. In fact, I'm working hard on ACaF now! *Whoo Hoo!*

As always, a great, big, fat thank you to my beta, tambrathegreat. Any mistakes are ones I made after she sent me this chapter back—in record time I might add. Let me know what you think. Reviews are a fan fiction writer's only form of payment.

I hope everyone out there is doing well (I'm recovering from the flu, myself*bleh*) and please, please, please, have a safe and Happy New Year. Happy 2013!

~Missyann