Here, There and Everywhere

He'd arranged to meet her at one o'clock sharp, but it was not even noon when Severus escaped from his house and strode down Spinner's End. He slid down onto the bank and followed the river away from the city, his heart lightening with every step he took towards the secluded forest clearing where she would appear in an hour's time. He would not mind waiting there; it was his favourite place in the world, and the setting of his life's most magical moments.

But as he grew closer, he heard sounds up ahead. Scowling, he gripped his wand under his shirt and tiptoed nearer to see who had invaded their secret spot.

Peering around a tree, he saw her, sprawled on her side, humming to herself and idly tracing shapes in the dirt with a twig. Severus caught his breath; he could have stood there for hours just watching her, if only her long, red hair hadn't been obscuring part of her face. He couldn't help but grin from ear to ear as he stepped out from behind the tree and dropped onto the ground beside her.

"You're early, too!" said Lily, smiling back at him.

"Yeah," breathed Severus. "Why wait?"

"Exactly." She looked at him and giggled.

"What are you laughing at?" Severus asked, a little defensively.

"Sorry," she said, and poked him in the leg with the twig she was still holding. "It's just so strange to see you in jeans, after wearing robes all year at school."

"Well, I can say the same for you. Not that I'm complaining," he added, glancing at her bell-bottoms and turquoise t-shirt.

Lily blushed, but she wasn't too taken aback to deftly change the subject. "So, how was your first day back home?"

Severus shrugged. "It was... well, you know. The usual." He reddened a bit. "It's nice to have a break from schoolwork, anyway."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," said Lily. "Well, we've got to enjoy it while we can--I hear fifth year's the most difficult."

"Yes, I imagine they'll keep us quite busy next year, what with O.W.L.s and all," Severus agreed.

They sat side-by-side in comfortable silence. Severus watched as Lily began to draw in the dirt again--a star, a heart, her name in elegant cursive...

"Sev," she said without looking up, "what are you doing tonight?"

"Nothing," he replied, a little too quickly. He felt his pulse quicken.

Lily hesitated. "Well, Julie--she's a friend of mine from primary school--she rang me this morning, and asked me if I wanted to hang out tonight with her and Laura."

Severus frowned. Julie must be one of the Muggle girls who were always cutting into the little free time he and Lily had together. Every summer, Lily insisted on keeping in touch with them. Was it too much to ask for an evening alone with her?

"I told her I did," Lily continued, "but I would really love for you to join us."

"And what will you lot be doing?"

She looked around for eavesdroppers, then her voice dropped to a furtive, excited whisper. "Laura's got some weed, so we're going to smoke in the woods! And then we'll probably go over to Julie's, maybe listen to some records. Come on, it'll be fun."

Severus liked how her eyes were flashing mischievously; but on the other hand, the prospect of spending time in such an alien situation made him rather uncomfortable.

"I don't know," he said, fidgeting a bit. "I don't think I've got much in common with your friends."

Lily had her answer ready. "You've got me in common."

Severus smiled in spite of himself; he couldn't argue with that. Instead, he asked, "What weed are you talking about? Fluxweed?"

"Oh--no, not fluxweed. It's actually not a weed at all, that's just what it's called. It's a nickname for a certain herb that's really popular with Muggles--well, young Muggles, anyway."

Severus couldn't help feeling that it was rather indecent for Muggles to be experimenting with plants, when they couldn't possibly appreciate their magical properties or do justice to their potential usefulness in a potion. "What's so great about this... weed?"

"Well, it's a drug, you see. People use it to feel good, or sometimes to think more creatively. The thing is, it's illegal..." Lily paused for a moment, apparently thinking of a better explanation. "I suppose it's like a Dark potion that just makes you happy."

Severus stared at her, and she immediately noticed his discomfiture at the analogy.

She added hastily, "I mean... but weed is harmless, so it's really not much like a-- a Dark potion. Not at all..." Realising that they were both completely red in the face, she finally finished, "It's just fun to, you know, lower your inhibitions for a while."

More to break the unbearably awkward silence than anything else, Severus said, "All right. I'll come."

The tension drained from Lily's face; beaming, she leaned forwards and hugged him.

"Oh, I'm so glad," she said, and Severus relaxed when he heard the sincerity in her voice.

At eleven o'clock Severus stood under a great tree outside the Evanses' house, exactly where Lily had asked him to wait for her. He kept his eye on a second-story window; after a few minutes, a light appeared there and the window slid open.

"Hey, Sev," Lily whispered.

"Hi, Lily--be careful!" he said, as she climbed onto the roof.

"I'm fine. And keep your voice down, or Tuney will hear."

Severus watched as she shut the window silently behind her, crept along the roof and balanced herself on the gutter.

"I said be careful!" he hissed.

Lily laughed. "Relax, Sev, I've been doing this half my life. Here, catch this."

She tossed Severus the torch she'd been holding. Hands now free, she hopped from the eaves and landed with catlike poise on a thick branch that quivered a bit under her weight. She crawled along it and dropped down gracefully, from branch to branch, until she landed with a soft thud right in front of Severus's eyes.

"Piece of cake," she said, and without further ado she took the torch from him and set off towards the woods.

Severus ducked under a clothesline and hurried to catch up to her. She was grappling with the torch as she walked.

"Pain in the arse, that," he said, pointing to it. "Wish we could use magic."

"Yeah," agreed Lily distractedly. "What's wrong with this thing? I could've sworn I just put in new batteries--oh, there we are."

A beam of light fell on the path before them, and from it Severus gathered that they were nearly at the forest's edge. They walked for several minutes, side by side, and Severus felt wildly compelled to take her hand; but when he looked down, he saw that it was already occupied by the torch.

"Won't your parents notice you're gone?" Lily asked.

"I doubt it. And even if they did, my father wouldn't care, and mum wouldn't worry. She knows I can take care of myself."

They were winding between trees now, breathing in the mild night air. They passed their clearing, and Severus felt suddenly ecstatic that she hadn't offered the place up to her friends. He always liked to think of it as their private spot, somewhere special for just Lily and him.

"Just up here, I think... yes, I can hear voices!"

Severus followed her over a small hill and his eyes jumped to two spots of light that suggested other torches. Lily shined her own in their direction, and Severus saw two girls, both with long, straight brown hair, sitting on a fallen tree trunk.

"Lily!" they squealed in unison, and Severus hung back as Lily ran forwards to hug each of them in turn.

"Oh, it's so wonderful to see you again," she said. "You both look great--oh, let me introduce--Sev, where are you?"

Severus cringed as three torches turned towards him like a triple spotlight.

"Oh, come here," said Lily, and she pulled him by the arm to face her friends. "Sev, meet Julie and Laura. Jules, Laura, this is Severus."

"We've heard so much about you," said Laura. "It's great to meet you at last."

"Likewise," said Severus stiffly. He shook the girls' hands reluctantly. They might have taken his grim smile as a sign of friendliness, but in fact he was merely imagining the expression on Mulciber's face if he could see the company Severus was keeping this night. It was several minutes before he fully realised the implication of Laura's words--we've heard so much about you; so Lily thought he was worth sharing with her other friends! The thought improved his mood slightly.

Julie and Laura resumed their seats on the fallen tree, and Severus sat beside Lily on another log nearby. As the girls talked, Severus felt rather like he was at home--he spoke when spoken to, but otherwise remained silent. This didn't particularly bother him, as he usually was content to stand by and observe others; he thought that more often than not, loudness was a sign of unintelligence. There were great insights to be had by listening or by silent deliberation. Of course, he and Lily always had something to talk about; but then again, she was an exception in every way.

From their conversation Severus gleaned that Lily had been quite popular even before she came to Hogwarts. He wasn't surprised; how anyone could not like her was miles beyond his comprehension. Of course, this didn't help his chances of having her to himself. But still, the mere thought of her utterly overwhelmed him, and every moment spent with her was one of disbelief-- that he, of all people, was blessed with her affection....

"Sev?"

Severus jumped and blushed at being caught in a daydream; all three girls were looking at him. Julie and Laura giggled, but Lily continued as though she hadn't noticed his moment of distraction. She was holding out what looked like a thin, crooked cigarette.

"Here," she said, "did you want to try it?"

Severus hesitated. As a rule, he liked to keep his mind sharp. He despised those minutes after waking, when all was a groggy blur and words refused to obey him, and he thought he would prefer a bout of the Cruciatus Curse to the Imperius or the Confundus Charm. But then again, he reminded himself, if there were ever a time and place to unwind a bit, it was now that he was so far from homework and examinations, and especially from the constant threat of Black and Potter lurking around corners, waiting to hex him....

He looked at Lily. Her expression was kind, her brows raised as if to say, Only if you want to. But the mischievous gleam was back in her eye, and Severus wondered whether tonight would be the night, whether this forbidden plant might help him work up the courage....

"Thanks," he muttered, and took the cigarette from her.

Lily scooted closer to him, leaned across his body as she struck a match and held it up to the roll of paper protruding from between his lips. A shiver ran down his spine--her hands were so, so close to his face....

"Have at it," she said, straightening up and smiling at him.

Severus took a drag and passed the cigarette to Julie, who was waiting with her hand outstretched. As soon as he inhaled, however, he felt hot smoke searing the back of his throat. Imagining ash and glowing embers settling deep in his lungs, he began to cough uncontrollably. He glared through watering eyes at the two giggling Muggle girls; one of them said fervently, "Hold it in, hold it in!"

When he finally exhaled, a cloud of white smoke drifted across the beam of torchlight, momentarily obscuring Lily from view. When she reappeared, Severus swore she had moved a bit nearer to him-- or was it he who had moved closer to her?

"It smells a bit like fluxweed," he said to her in an undertone.

"Yeah, it does, doesn't it?" she replied. "And a bit like hackberry leaves too, I thought--remember those? We only used them the once, last year, in our Sympathy Solution--"

"You're spot on. I'd forgotten about that one."

Now Laura handed the cigarette to Lily. Severus watched, entranced, as Lily closed her eyes and drew deeply from it, white smoke rising in elegant curls in front of her. When she exhaled, the smoke took the form of an ethereal tiger, which stalked away from her mouth before dissipating in the night air. Julie and Laura were busy chatting to each other and seemed not to notice, but Severus raised an eyebrow; Lily grinned and winked at him.

She passed the cigarette to Severus, who took it as gingerly as if it were a lovely and delicate flower. It occurred to him that just moments earlier, it had rested between Lily's lips; he raised it to his own with a trembling hand.

The girls resumed their gossip as the cigarette continued on its circular path. Severus didn't think much of Lily's comparison between weed and Dark magic-- as if the Dark Arts could be reduced to a frivolous Muggle pastime. But as the night wore on, as Lily laughed more and more, he started to think that maybe the drug had its advantages, too.

Before he knew it they were rising from their natural benches, picking up the torches and heading back towards town. Until he tried to move, Severus hadn't realised that his senses were a bit distorted, his balance a bit impaired, and it was with a good deal of discomfort that he followed the swinging spots of light through the trees. Lily seemed to be having similar trouble; more than once she grabbed his arm to keep from stumbling over roots and stones.

And Severus noticed that the stars seemed much brighter now, and new constellations stood out from the yawning black sky; and the woods were at once more eerie and more magical than he remembered, and every sound was sharpened and magnified, especially Lily's laughter, and she was clinging to his arm all the time now....

This was a strange and wondrous feeling.

All of a sudden they emerged by the river, and they seemed to walk along its bank for hours before passing the old playground and turning down a narrow, curving street. Severus thought they must be close to where Lily lived, though in his present state he couldn't be sure. At last they stopped in front of an unfamiliar house; Julie stepped forwards and unlocked the door.

"Come on in," she said. "Straight through to the garage. Mum and dad won't care as long as we're not too loud."

Severus followed Lily through a series of tidy rooms and into a garage cluttered with garden tools. Instead of a car, it housed a collection of mismatched chairs and sofas. Laura rushed forwards and sprawled across one of them; Lily chose a nearby settee, and Severus sank into the cushions right next to her. Finally Julie entered, carrying an armful of what looked like large, flat squares of colourful stiff paper.

"Any music requests?" she asked the room at large.

"Have you got Revolver?" said Laura, sitting up.

"Of course I have," replied Julie, and she selected a black-and-white square from the stack she was holding. From it she withdrew a flat black disc, which she then arranged on a curious-looking machine sitting on a dusty table.

"A record player," Lily whispered in Severus's ear; he nodded.

"You do like the Beatles, don't you, Severus?" asked Laura. "I didn't mean to presume."

"Er-- I don't know them," he said. Seeing her shocked face, he added, "My father doesn't really approve."

"Well, you just wait. You'll love them-- everybody does. It's really too bad that they broke up. And Revolver is a real classic."

Severus shrugged and turned back to Lily, who nodded and smiled encouragingly at him; the next instant, the sound of guitars and drums and voices filled the room. He decided quite quickly that he liked it, even though it was Muggle music; he couldn't disagree with anything that made Lily so happy.

A few songs later, he recognised the tune that Lily had been humming earlier that day. He frowned in concentration, paying close attention to the lyrics:

I want her everywhere,

And if she's beside me I know I need never care

But to love her is to need her everywhere,

Knowing that love is to share

Each one believing that love never dies,

Watching her eyes, and hoping I'm always there...

Laura chose this moment to sigh loudly and say, "Don't you just love Paul?"

"Oh, absolutely, I've fancied him for ages," said Julie. "I'd marry him in an instant, if he weren't already."

"Really?" said Lily. "I've always fancied John the most."

"Well, I believe there's already a Mrs Lennon, too. Bad luck, Lily."

Lily laughed. "I suppose we'll all have to find husbands who aren't famous musicians."

Severus shifted nervously in his seat, but Lily didn't notice. The girls talked for a long time, pausing once in a while for Julie to flip the record over or to put on a new one. Severus was content to sit back and close his eyes, listening to the music with one ear and to their conversation with the other, keen not to be caught unawares for the second time that night. But their talk was only of old acquaintances and recollections, and soon Severus began to wish that he could be outside with Lily, instead of here, listening to Muggles sing about cars and trampolines and walruses and Merlin knows what else.

Finally Laura declared, "I've heard enough of the Beatles for tonight. Put on Houses of the Holy, won't you?"

Lily glanced at Severus, and she seemed to recognise the boredom in his expression. Severus thought she looked a little tired, herself.

"Mer--I mean, God, it's getting late. I think I'd better call it a night," she said. "Sev, will you walk me home?"

Lily hugged her friends again, and Severus echoed her goodbyes before following her from the room. They trekked back through the house and then outside, alone at long last. Severus was relieved to find that his senses and motor skills had been restored; and yet, the stars were still overbright, his heart was still racing, and he was more acutely aware of Lily's nearness than ever. Her fingers were dangling mere inches from his own, and they were like little magnets.

Take her hand, he told himself. Go on, just do it!

But too soon they were in the Evanses' backyard, and each step Severus took towards the house was a step towards yet another opportunity missed...

And then Lily abruptly stopped walking, and turned round to face him.

"Did you have fun tonight?" she asked him.

They were standing between two clotheslines; all around them, drying bedsheets swayed like lazy ghosts.

"Yes, I had fun," Severus replied. "Thanks for inviting me."

"Well, thanks for coming along. I was so glad you were there--I mean, I am glad, that you're here...." She stepped closer to him.

"I-- the music was interesting," Severus said, talking now to hide his nervousness. "There's rarely music of-- of any sort, in my house..."

"That's such a shame," said Lily. "I think it might do you some good. And your mum, as well."

"Yeah, maybe..."

"And what about Julie and Laura? Did you like them?"

"Yes, they were very-- very nice..."

Lily sighed. "It was really hard, explaining to them that I wouldn't be going to secondary school with them. That I wouldn't even be in the same world as them anymore." Severus stared and nodded as she took another step closer. Lily looked up at him and continued in a whisper, "I don't think I could have done it, if I hadn't had you."

He swallowed. "Well then... it was-- it was good that you got to talk to them tonight. If you-- if you missed them so much..."

"Don't you change the subject, Severus Snape! I'm talking about you, now," said Lily, and Severus bit his lip. She was silent for a moment before pressing on, "Yes, it was good to talk to them. But all the same... I couldn't help thinking that I prefer talking to you. Neither of them is nearly as bright as you are, you see-- or as interesting, or as kind..."

Yet another step closer. Such was his luck that as soon as Lily said she loved talking to him, he seemed to have been struck dumb. The fear of being too forward had paralysed him; and so he waited, his arms hanging as motionless as his mouth.

"Sev," she said, and her voice was quiet and serious. His heart pounding painfully, Severus watched her reach up, seemingly in slow motion, and brush a lock of his hair from his forehead.

Her touch unfroze him as if it were a secret signal he'd been waiting for; gently he placed his hands on her waist. Lily dropped the torch and its beam was lost in the grass; now the only light shone from the stars and the crescent moon overhead. And then she wound her arms around his neck, and their lips met.

Severus felt like one of the sheets that surrounded them-- as if he was floating feet above the ground, and so light that every breeze might move him. But he was sure, judging from the warmth flooding through him, that he could not be so pale as them....

He did not know how long they stood together, except that it was not long enough. When Lily pulled away, she was smiling; the sight of her made him smile, too.

"Goodnight," she said.

"Goodnight, Lily."

She regarded him happily for a long minute before sweeping him into a tight hug; she fitted his arms well. He savoured the feel of her hair under his fingers.

"Sorry, it's just so difficult for me to say goodbye," she whispered in his ear. "But I'll see you tomorrow."

Lily picked up the torch, and they walked together back to the great tree outside the house.

"Can I help you up?" Severus asked.

"No thanks, there's a crate just over there I can stand on--"

"Please," said Severus, "just let me help you up. That doesn't look very sturdy."

Lily smiled again. "All right."

"Okay, jump on the count of three. One, two, three--"

Lily jumped, and Severus caught her legs and hoisted her up until she grabbed hold of the lowest branch and clambered on. She sat there with a hand on the trunk for balance, swinging her legs and looking down at him.

"So I will see you tomorrow?" he asked.

"Didn't I just say you would?"

"I know... I just wanted to make sure I heard correctly," he told her. "You see, I-- I'm having some trouble believing my good fortune, right now. Forgive me..."

"That's nothing to apologise for," she said. "I feel exactly the same way."

Severus beamed. "Goodnight, then."

He watched until she was safely back inside, and then walked slowly away from the house. He paused briefly between the clotheslines, where two pairs of footprints, facing each other, were indented in the grass, which was starting to glisten with morning dew. He knew he would never forget the sight of them.

Severus guessed that it was close to four in the morning, but he doubted he would be able to sleep now, judging by the way his heart was still racing. In any case, his father would expect him to rise at dawn and go into town to get him a newspaper and cigarettes, and then to make him breakfast, as usual-- as if today were a normal day.

So instead of turning down Spinner's End, he ambled towards the woods. It was very dark, but he wasn't worried-- he was sure he could find his way to their spot blindfolded. He followed the river to the clearing, of which he had memorised every surrounding tree, hill, and boulder, but which he also recognised by the great peace and contentment that filled him when he neared it.

Severus sat down in the middle of the little glade and picked up the twig with which Lily had been doodling that morning. With it, he drew a large heart; and in its centre, he wrote, Lily. He overlaid his work with stones and small branches, so that his message would endure even if the wind shifted the dirt before she saw it.

When the sky began to lighten he retreated to the riverbank, where he sat to watch the day break. As much as he wished Lily was by his side to enjoy the sunrise with him, he knew he ought to be content with what had transpired between them that day-- it had, after all, already surpassed his wildest dreams.

Once dawn had brightened into morning he rose reluctantly and headed into town; a handful of Muggles were already out and about their daily business, seemingly unaware that a whole new world had sprung up overnight, a world chock-full of beauty and love, of peace and promise. Severus made his way to the newsagent, where the clerk had already laid out a newspaper and two packs of Tobias Snape's favourite brand of cigarettes.

"Morning, Severus," said the clerk.

"Good morning, Mr Branson."

"You're a bit early today."

"I had a rather interesting night," said Severus. "I haven't yet slept."

"Really? What happened?"

Severus hesitated, but somehow he felt that sharing the news would only broaden the joy it brought him. "I-- I finally kissed a girl I've fancied for years."

Mr Branson laughed and clapped his hands. "Brilliant! Congratulations! May I ask who's the lucky lady?"

"No, you may not," Severus told him.

Mr Branson laughed again and said, "Ah, such a gentleman. Well, you're a good lad and you deserve all the happiness in the world. Have a fine day, Severus."

"Thank you. Good day, Mr Branson."

Severus paid for the newspaper and cigarettes and left the shop. He headed reluctantly up Spinner's End, and only the knowledge that he would see Lily again soon gave him the strength to return home.

As he arranged the paper on the kitchen table, a headline caught his attention: LENNON TO RELEASE COMPILATION ALBUM IN OCTOBER. Severus made a mental note to buy it as a Christmas gift for Lily, if he could find the money.

Beside the article was a picture of a bearded man with small, dark glasses. Severus looked at it carefully. He decided that he looked at least a little bit like Lennon; he certainly had a similar nose. Smiling to himself, Severus folded the paper and set about making breakfast.

"What are you humming for?" said a harsh voice behind him, a few minutes later. Tobias Snape had entered the kitchen.

"Nothing," snapped Severus. He set a plate of eggs on the table and went upstairs without another word; not even his father could ruin his good humour.

With a sigh, he stretched out on his bed. He had been awake for nearly twenty-four hours; he knew that sleep would feel wonderful, but all the same he was eager to be woken by his mother, who would inform him that Lily had telephoned, or perhaps by Lily herself, who had thrown pebbles at his bedroom window in the past...

In the midst of these pleasant thoughts his eyes closed, and brought to an end at last what had been, without a doubt, the best day of his life.

And in his dreams, he saw her here, there, everywhere.