Rating:
G
House:
The Dark Arts
Characters:
Lily Evans Severus Snape
Genres:
General
Era:
1970-1981 (Including Marauders at Hogwarts)
Stats:
Published: 11/16/2010
Updated: 11/16/2010
Words: 795
Chapters: 1
Hits: 151

Just Before Dark

Ravenpuff

Story Summary:
On the eve of their fateful fifth year, Severus and Lily spend a quiet interlude. One-shot.

Chapter 01

Posted:
11/16/2010
Hits:
141


Just Before Dark

Daylight drained slowly from the sky. In twos and threes, the brats drifted out of the park - going home, presumably, though Severus didn't care as long as they went. They'd had their time and this was his, his and Lily's.

They sat side by side on the bench swing they favored, the one visible to the fewest people. As always, Lily tilted her head up to search for the first evening star. As always, Severus's eyes traced the delicate lines of her profile, committing them to memory. Then he willed her to turn her emerald eyes on him, before dusk could steal their color away. "Look at me," he wanted to say. "Look at me."

His fingers itched to reach out, to follow the curve of her soft cheek - he was sure it would be soft. If Lily noticed how rigidly he held himself, she didn't say.

After a few moments she stretched her whole body, relaxed as a house cat, then stuck out her legs to scuff at the dusty ground in time to the rhythm of the swing. Her sandaled feet gleamed in the fading light. Her toenails were impossibly pink: 'polish', she called it. His eyes lingered on her bare, tanned legs before he could tear his gaze away. The sight of her in summer shorts and tee, unrobed, alwaysl struck him like a spell.

"Sev?" Lily's voice broke into thoughts he should not be having.

"Yeah?" His own booted feet felt safe to look at, especially when his hair fell across his face, drawing a curtain between him and Lily. He entwined his fingers so they would not betray him. Lily's own right hand was just there, on the bench in the little space between the two of them.

"Do you think we'll do all right this year?"

She meant O.W.L.s, of course. Neither of them liked saying the word out loud.

"You will, anyway." The question and the answer were always the same. It was one of their rituals.

Most days, while Lily was doing who knew what, he lay holed up in his room, book open in front of him, trying to cram as many words as he could into his brain. A part of him knew the words belonged to him as soon as he read them; the other part was sure they would fly off like Snidgets just when he needed them.

"Don't be silly, Sev. You know you're brilliant. Lots smarter than me."

She didn't say, "Even though I hate some of your spells. She didn't have to.

The Light was Lily's natural habitat. He'd tried to tell her why he couldn't live there. Why couldn't she see that he'd been chosen for Slytherin because the Dark was where he belonged, had belonged from the day he was born?

She hadn't moved her hand; his fingers twitched. It was nearly dark now, and soon she'd be talking about leaving, when he wanted to stay out all night, just sitting here, talking or not, it didn't matter.

"Whatever happens, we have each other," he threw out, holding his breath.

She looked at him now, her eyes shadowed. "Of course we do. Best friends forever, right?" The words sent a shiver through his soul.

Lily looked away then, and Severus knew what she wanted to say. She couldn't stand the darkness in him and would try again to drag him into her world. If she spoke the words, he would swat them away like lacewings.

The moon rose, its crescent echoing the line of Lily's cheek. They sat there, swinging, listening to the crickets. Severus' breathing fell into the rhythm of hers. He was sitting as close as he dared, so close their thighs nearly touched.

He could have kissed her then, as the sky turned to indigo and the stars winked into sight. This wasn't the first time he'd thought of it, wondered what she would taste of, what she would do.

An owl hooted nearby.

"Maybe it's a letter for me," Lily giggled, breaking the mood. "Or for you, Sev," she added, being kind.

Severus stiffened his legs to stop the swing. "I should go - finish packing," he said, hoping she would argue.

"I should go, too," she said, "or Tuney will be after me."

Severus was already on his feet. striding ahead of her until she caught up. They walked in silence to the edge of the park, the place they went where no one tried to talk them apart. tomorrow it would all begin again, with her friends and his coming between them.

"See you at the station, then,

" Lily said as they turned toward their separate destinations.

"Yes," Severus said, already steeling himself. "See you there."