A Suggestion of Seduction

A Suggestion of Seduction

Chapter One

Severus Snape slunk, seething, into the Slytherin common room. Well, that was fine. He was used to seething, as he had done it much of his life. It was a talent that ran in the family.

But he did not enjoy slinking.

That, too, seemed to be a fairly common activity lately. He slunk from the Great Hall at mealtimes. He slunk from classrooms as soon as the pupils were dismissed. He slunk in from the outside when all he wanted was to read--

Severus clenched his teeth painfully.

Yes, he was becoming an expert slinker, that was for certain. And it was mostly--not all, no, but mostly--due to none other than James Potter and his friends, his henchmen.

Ah, glorious Potter. Was there anything wrong in his life? Well, let's see: he was handsome, he was popular, he was a fantastic Quidditch player...

Count your blessings, Potter, Severus though angrily and a little enviously, if you can count that high.

Was there anything James couldn't do?

Yes. There was something. It was barely noticeable to some, but Severus knew that James noticed it painfully. He'd seen it in his face earlier.

James could not capture Lily Evans.

Oh, and how badly he wanted her, too. Severus could tell from the way James sometimes stared at her during classes, from the way he showed off even more than usual when she stepped into view. It was of some consolation to know that she was utterly uninterested.

That made her special, Lily--as much as a Gryffindor mudblood could be special, in any case. She was gorgeous--

Severus scowled.

--and she had a perfect opportunity to date a handsome star Quidditch player, but she didn't care. She simply didn't like Potter, and all temptation was wiped out by that fact. She certainly wasn't like other girls...for a number of reasons.

You shouldn't have called her a mudblood right to her face like that, even if that's what she is, a voice in Severus's mind spoke up. It wasn't his conscience--he'd long ago obliterated that--and so he could respect it somewhat, but it was still annoying.

She shouldn't have humiliated me.

You mean she shouldn't have taken up for you.

That's precisely what I said, now, isn't it? She shouldn't have humiliated me.

I do believe Potter and his band of miscreants were the ones humiliating you. She was trying to put a stop to it.

She only made it worse.

But she didn't know that.

Well, of course she didn't. She's a filthy little mudblood.

See now? Why couldn't you have said it in your mind like that, instead of saying it aloud?

Saying it aloud is so much more fun.

The voice in his mind, as if it was sighing and throwing up its arms in exasperation, fell silent. It usually did after a while, in cases like this. Severus could argue with himself for hours--he'd done it before--but he always won in the end.

He slunk up to his dormitory and closed the door behind him. At first, he thought he was alone, and he sank onto his bed dejectedly. Then, a voice spoke up.

"Bloody killers, those OWLs were. Don't you agree, Snape?"

Snape rolled his eyes and then pushed his greasy black hair out of them.

"They might have been, Zabini, had I not studied. Did you expect them to be easy?"

"Easy, no," replied Zabini, sliding his bedcurtains open and facing Severus. "Brutal, also no."

"I did quite well," Severus stated.

"Are you so sure?"

"Of course I am, Zabini. I'm practically a genius, you know."

"Well, I don't doubt that. If anything, you need to get your nose out of the books."

Zabini paused for a minute, glancing down at the floor. He began again without looking at Severus.

"I heard about your little incident with Black and Potter."

"Ah," Severus replied cleverly. A twist worked its way into his features as he waited for Zabini to continue.

"Bloody bastards, the lot of them, Snape," Zabini went on. "And that little mudblood--what's her name? Lila?"

"Lily," Severus corrected a bit too quickly. He put an extra portion of disdain in his voice for good measure. "Her name is Lily."

"Lily, then. She needs to be taught a lesson as well."

Severus didn't answer.

Zabini reclined back on his bed and grinned wickedly up at Severus.

"Just between you and me, Snape," he said, "I'd like to teach her a lesson or two."

Severus laughed a little. He was quite positive he knew what Zabini was referring to, and he rarely knew what to say during conversations like this one.

"Wouldn't you?" Zabini asked, still grinning.

"I suppose..." Severus replied reluctantly. He couldn't help wondering what his father would say--or do--if he could hear his son openly lusting after a mudblood.

"You suppose?" Zabini cried, and he cackled. "You suppose! Don't tell me you've never noticed her body!"

"I didn't say that."

"Well?"

"It's...it's..." He wanted to say exquisite, but he somehow thought that might be overdoing it. "It's a good body," he finally settled for lamely.

"It's exquisite!" Zabini exclaimed, causing Severus to feel quite stupid.

"She has very nice hair," Severus added awkwardly, feeling that he may as well contribute since Zabini was obviously holding back nothing.

"Ah," Zabini made a noise of rapturous agreement. "Wouldn't you just like to rip off those robes and see if it's the same color all over?"

Severus hoped Zabini couldn't see the blush creeping into his normally sallow face.

"Potter would like to," Severus said suddenly and then wondered what had caused him to say it.

"What's that?"

"Never mind." Severus looked up and saw that Zabini was still waiting for an answer. "I said Potter wants her. Lily, I mean."

"Does he now?" Zabini said.

"Yes, he certainly does. She won't so much as go out with him. It's a bit funny, really." Severus laughed spitefully.

"Now, wouldn't that be the perfect revenge..." Zabini murmured thoughtfully.

"Not another evil scheme, Zabini," Severus said wearily. Zabini wasn't very book-smart, but he invented a new plan for some form of vengeance every three days or so.

"Oh, you'll like this one, Snape," Zabini told him mischievously. "If you do this, what I'm about to suggest, you can get back at both Potter and Lily--kill two Gryffindors with one stone, you might say."

"I'll listen, Zabini, as long as it doesn't involve actually picking up a rock and smashing their heads open."

"No, Snape. No rocks involved--well, except for the ones it takes. And you have got the rocks to do it, Snape, even though most people don't know that, least of all Potter."

"Why thank you, Zabini," Severus said sarcastically. "It's always a pleasure to hear that most people are unaware I have testicles."

"I meant it as a compliment, Snape," Zabini said, rolling his eyes.

"Continue."

"Take her," Zabini said simply. "Take Lily."

"Take her?" Severus spat back at him in disbelief. "If you're recommending what I think you are, Zabini, you sound like some bloody awful romance novel!"

"There's nothing romantic about it, Snape," Zabini responded, shrugging.

"Are you suggesting I rape Lily Evans?" Snape nearly shouted.

"No!" Zabini exclaimed. "Brilliant idea, but that could get you into trouble, mate. No, what I'm suggesting is seduction."

"Oh, I see," Severus said. "You want me to seduce Lily Evans, the gorgeous mudblood. Why, silly, silly me, here I was thinking it was going to be complicated."

"You can do it, Snape--" Zabini began.

"No, I can't do it!" Severus snapped and was a little embarassed by the frantic quality in his tone. He hated to be taunted and laughed at, but weren't the taunts right, after all? He was only a thin, greasy, lank-haired nobody. Even his father had said so--his father had said quite a lot more than that, too.

"Snape, it's like I said," Zabini told him, spreading his hands. "You've got the rocks. And just imagine James's face after finding out you slept with Lily. Imagine her face when you leave her afterwards."

Severus felt like a bloody fool, but he was actually imagining it.

"In any case, Snape," Zabini went on, the wicked grin back on his face, "you could tell me if her hair color is...ah...consistent."

Severus felt himself edging toward agreement and quickly pulled himself back from the chasm.

"It would never work, Zabini. She's a typical virtuous Gryffindor--and she's only fifteen."

"Age counts for nothing. Why, look at me," Zabini joked. "I'm fifteen, and I feel sixteen."

"You may feel sixteen, Zabini, but you act thirteen." He fell silent for a moment. Then, jokes aside, he said, "She wouldn't fall for it."

"She likes you, Snape," Zabini argued. "Oh, maybe not like that--not yet--but she likes you, and that's a start. Otherwise, she wouldn't have taken up for you today."

Severus clenched his teeth once more at the memory.

"I'll bet that was humiliating, wasn't it, Snape?" Zabini said slyly, seeing that Severus was considering the matter. "It must have have been so degrading. Come on, Snape, admit it--you'd like a bit of revenge, wouldn't you?"

"Of course I would, Zabini," Severus answered. "But this..."

"Well, you know what they say," Zabini said with a sigh. "Revenge is a dish best served flaming hot and on a mattress."

Severus smiled with amusement. "I have never heard anyone say that before, Zabini. I must say, I've no idea where you get your quotes."

"Never mind," Zabini dismissed it. "Just do it, Snape. Be bold for once in your life."

Be bold. Oh but he was tired of slinking. How nice it would feel to be bold...

"I'll do it," he said.

And, bloody hell, even if it cost him everything, he would.

A Suggestion of Seduction

Chapter 2

"She likes you, Snape."

Isn't that what Zabini had said? "Oh, maybe not like that--not yet--but she likes you," he had added.

Severus wasn't so certain. He doubted she liked him in any sort of way at the present moment. After yesterday, any fragments of fondness--or whatever--she held for him had probably fled. And all because he had called her a mudblood.

I'm beginning to think I really shouldn't have done that, Severus thought to himself.

See? that annoying little voice came back. Feeling bad, aren't we?

Not at all. But it would have made seducing Lily and subsequently ruining her much simpler.

Ah.

Now he would have to grovel. Perhaps that was the wrong word--ask for forgiveness might be a better way to put it. Severus couldn't really see the difference, but he sensed he'd feel a bit better about it if he called it by the latter name. Anyway, that would be the first step.

He suddenly wondered how long it had been since he'd grovelled--er, asked for forgiveness. Actually halting in his steps through the hallway, he pondered it for a moment. Students bustled around him, jostling his shoulders every now and then. A few of them made snide remarks, but he took no notice of them. He was honestly curious.

Oh, damn, this is going to be awkward, he realized after coming to the conclusion that he had no memory of ever asking for forgiveness. Is it really worth it? I've already lost enough dignity as it is...

At that precise moment, someone went beyond snide remarks. Someone (he though he knew who) shoved him so roughly in the back that his bag flew from his hands. He could tell it was intentional from the laughter that followed.

He whirled, a hideous cross between a scowl and a snarl warping his already unnattractive face. His dark eyebrows drew so close together they threatened to merge. It was as he'd suspected.

Potter was there, laughing as if he'd been hit by a bad cheering charm. Black was there also, along with Lupin and Pettigrew, but Severus's attention was focused on James. Severus bent swiftly and opened his bag, digging for his wand. His hand dipped into something wet, and he drew it out--it was covered with ink. Fantastic. Just bloody fantastic.

Of course, this gave new life to Potter's amusement.

"That's going to take some time to clean up, that is," Potter said through his laughter. "No magic in the corridors, you know, Snivellus."

With that, they all brushed past him and disappeared into the crowd.

Now is it worth it? he asked himself. The answer did not need to be spoken even in the security of his mind. It was yes. He may have to lose a little more dignity, but, when it was over, he would have Potter's dignity to make up for it.

And hers, he though, a smirk crossing his face, for he'd just spotted Lily walking briskly down the corridor. She was obviously running somewhat late; most other people had vanished into the sanctuary of various classrooms--he himself was bound for Charms.

She might have walked right past him without a word, but Severus knew this was the best opportunity for an apology he would have. When else would he catch her alone--or at least out from under Potter's ever-watching and slightly lecherous eyes?

He yanked some of his books from his bag, flinging them down beside him on the floor where he now kneeled. Then he shifted his bag so that the rest of the ink flowed out and formed a small but treacherous puddle on the floor. Would she spot it?

No. She was concentrating so intensely on making it to class on time she seemed completely uaware of the little pool of black danger in her path. She was almost running now. Severus bent over his bag, as if collecting the books he'd thrown out, but he watched from the corner of his eye with anticipation.

He saw her foot splash into the puddle, sending a minute speck of ink flying into his cheekbone. He saw her begin to tilt, saw her wave one arm frantically, the other gripping her own bag, as her foot began to slide from beneath her. He heard, rather than saw, her connect with the floor.

"Now you've made an even bigger mess!" Severus spat. "Can't you watch where you're--"

He stopped as he turned around, as though he had just noticed who it was that had stepped in the ink. He hoped his eyes were becoming softer--that was his intention, after all, but he was concerned he looked a bit like he was about to take a fit of narcolepsy while he attempted it.

"Ah," he said, his voice simultaneously warmer and colder. "Evans."

"Severus," she said in an tone of voice equally his own...except hers was much nicer to hear...

"Severus now, is it?" he said, turning pettily back to his books. "I seem to recall you referring to me as Snivellus."

"Evans, is it?" Lily shot back quick as a whip as she climbed to her feet. "I seem to recall you referring to me as a mudblood."

He turned back to his books for a second. He was still acting--and doing a damn good job of it, in his own opinion--but he was sincerely thrown off guard for a second or two, during which time she wiped her foot furiously on the floor and began to stride away.

"Evans," he called out dully. "Wait."

She whirled, her red hair sweeping around her shoulder. Her eyes flashed, and her eyebrows raised as if to say, "Well?"

He looked down as her eyes met his and clenched his teeth. He opened the cover of one of his books and thumbled through the pages absently, seeing nothing. He spoke quietly but, under the circumstances, with remarkable clarity.

"I should not have called you a mudblood. I was...angry..." Oh, but wasn't that an understatement... "...with Potter, and so I...turned on you."

He stopped turning pages and lifted his eyes to her face. He felt his own face coloring as she stared back at him. She appeared to be gauging how serious he was.

"Was that an apology, Severus?" she asked finally.

"In some form, I suppose," he replied.

She was silent for a moment, studying him again. Then:

"You look very different when you're being human, you know. You look more alive."

"That's the blood flooding my cheeks and taking away my deathly pallor," he answered with perfect deadpan quality.

It took Lily a moment to realize it was a joke--took Severus a moment, actually, to realize he'd just told one. He was not accustomed to being so open with mudblood Gryffindors...or anyone, for that matter.

Then, miraculously, Lily began to laugh. It was a small laugh, but it nonetheless filled Severus with something like triumph. He joined her laughter with a smile of his own.

"Severus," she said, laughter subsiding. "I'm sorry also. I felt horrible afterward for calling you that name, merely for the fact that it was the invention of James Potter and his awful friends. And what I said--"

"Never mind, Evans. We were both angry."

"I wish I could apologize for Potter as well, Severus--you do deserve an apology on his part--but I dislike him too much."

Severus was quite pleased to hear this.

"What I'm trying to say," she continued, "is that you shouldn't pay attention to anything he says to you...or does to you--"

Severus frowned, remembering the humiliation of the previous day.

"--because he's too wrapped up in himself to judge others accurately. If we all accepted James Potter's assessment of our own worth, we'd be in awful trouble. He believes everyone is beneath him, except Black, perhaps."

"He doesn't seem to think you're beneath him," Severus dared, adding dirtily in his own mind, although that's precisely where he'd like to have you.

"I assure you, Severus, he does. That's why he expects me to faint from exaltation when he asks me for a date. But that's fine; I don't care what Potter thinks of me."

"No, I could tell you didn't," Severus said. "Quite refreshing, actually, seeing someone from his own house stand up to him for a change--and on another's account as well."

She nodded. He was grateful that it was not necessary to thank her aloud; she seemed to know intuitively what he was doing. They remained in silence for a couple of minutes, until Severus began to thumb through the book again. That seemed to snap Lily back to reality.

"Oh, bloody hell!" she gasped. "I can't imagine how late I must be! So long, Severus, I'm glad we spoke."

"You're tracking ink all over the corridor!" he called as she began to walk off.

"What?" she asked, confused. Then, remembering, she raised her foot and examined the bottom with a grimace. She reached into her bag and withdrew her wand.

"No magic in the corridors, Evans," Severus relayed dryly, raising his eyebrows.

She grinned mischievously.

"I won't tell," she stated, vanished first the ink on her foot and then, to Severus's surprise, the ink that had spilled in and around his bag, "if you won't." And she left.

As she hurried away, Severus smiled to himself, because he had a secret--a childish, trivial one, yes--with Lily Evans.

This was going to go much smoother than he'd thought.