The next day dawned bright and early. Lily Evans stood, begrudgingly admiring the field that they were set to have their wedding. Distinctive ribbons curled themselves almost God like around the chairs. Tables were adorned with golden cutlery, displayed in such a fashion as one would see in an expensive manor. An archway was positioned just to the right of some spectacular flowers, and freshly placed confetti glittered upon a silver carpet. Luckily, her mother's friend had quite a lot of money. Guilt dragged Lily down mixed with a stabbing sensation. She hadn't told everyone else about the fakeness of the whole affair.
Severus sliced a smile across his waxy cheekbones, supporting her with his arm. Lily had never noticed before how gentle he could be, how he always went out of his way to protect her. Frown sat, she glanced at the clock that was floating above one of the tables, its hands pointing to 12:58....... Any minute now, the guests would be filing in.
“I suppose I should go and put my dress on,” she cried, checking in her makeup mirror that her hair was still hexed with silver beads.
“Do not worry,” Severus assured her, not physically able to stop the love in his voice from flooding out, “Everything will proceed accordingly.”
“You don't mind-doing this-do you?”
Even though his heart had a thousand holes, even though he had to will every ounce, every inch of his body, Severus shook his head, the action painful. Then, with a quick peck on his cheek, Lily ran off to get dressed. He smiled. Despite the truth that this was a fake, he would remember this day forever. To him, there wasn't the need for her to wear a dress, she was gorgeous every day in every way. Unwashed hair, no makeup and dirt splattered, would make not a smudge of difference. Severus sighed, finding a daisy. “She loves me, she loves me not, she loves me, she loves me not, she lov........”
“What are you doing?”
Severus jumped. “That was an incredibly fast change. In fact”, he added, noticing Lily's shirt, “so fast that you have not changed at all.”
She ignored his last statement. It looked as though a grin had been superglued to her cheeks. “Go on, go on,” she egged, mischief flashing in her emerald eyes, “Who is it? Who's the lucky lady?”
Severus pretended to be blank. “Who is..........who?”
“You know what I'm talking about it,” Lily said, indicating to the strewn petals. “Who do you fancy?”
“Oh, oh nobody.”
“Come on, Severus,” Lily measured, pointing a third time to the daisy remains around his feet. “You're supposed to be my best friend!”
Severus sighed. There was no way out of this. He'd have to make something up, but what? “It is merely someone of my own imagination.”
Lily rolled her eyes. “Don't give me that! I know you, Severus Snape, and I know when you're hiding something!”
For a moment, the surly Slytherin imagined what really would happen if he told her that she was the only reason for his mirthless existence. Having been associated with Lily for some time, he suspected that the reaction to this news would only be one, relating to the popular phrase, 'That's not true, you're joking!' of which he would nod and say that she was right. For Severus had learnt that in life, you must always know when you're beaten. In the case of Lily Evans, he had been 'beaten' from the first day he met her. The common saying, 'She is out of your league' can be picked up on in this circumstance. Severus knew that Lily Evans was the most untouchable person, but as is so often the case, his love was nothing to do with this............no.
He loved her because she represented what everyone wants in someone, playfulness, loyalty, commitment, decency, bravery.......... It took a lot of stand to slap James Potter and his attraction for Evans probably also came from the fact that she so hated that boy as much as he did, if not, more. Oops. He had completely forgotten what she'd said, and judging by the look of disbelief on her face, he was not the only one. Lily giggled. He stared. “I was only sorting out an answer which to give in response to your probing question.”
She giggled some more. “Yeah........ right. I bet you can't even remember what question I asked you!”
Severus stared, appearing affronted. “I can. It was something to do with..........” He glanced quickly at the ground, spotting the decimated daisy. “....... to do with....... ,” and then it came back, “the song I was singing. You wished to know who I held great affection for, and the truth is..... it is,” he gulped, knowing this false move would return to haunt him, “Elizabeth Pickett.”
Lily's mouth made a circle. “Elizabeth Pickett? You- no way! She....... she's mad!”
Severus faked an offended air. “Miss Pickett is not 'mad', she has a sense of 'child like wonder' about her.”
“- but she thinks everyone lives in a giant Snitch!!!!” Lily protested, “She tells me so every time I see her. She says, and I quote, “What people don't realise is that the world is in fact a whole Golden Snitch and it flies around all over the Universe. I don't know whether I've told you that before.' Of course, I keep my mouth shut, it would be really rude to say what I think, which is, 'Yes you have told me before, a million times, and no, I don't believe we really live in a giant, Golden Snitch. I mean, the thought is laughable but say, (leaving aside insanity) you do go out with her, how would you cope with that attitude?” Lily peered deeply into his eyes. Severus prayed she'd stay there. “I would have thought you'd like someone with more roots in realism, who doesn't judge the world with their head in the clouds.”
Severus couldn't resist. “Who exactly fits that description?”
Lily shrugged loosely. “I don't know, but certainly not Pickett.”
Oh, she was a woman of many qualities. “Give me.....” he paused, careful not to reveal too much, “a name, a pupil who you would think I would be interested in.”
Lily frowned. “Are you sure? Sev, I was only jo....”
He grinned. “I am only curious. The question of matchmaking is something that usually I am not very partial to, but in this case, there can be an execption. Do you not think?”
“Um, ok. How about,” she closed her eyes, “Joanne Summers?”
“Too spotty.”
“Geraldine Jones?”
“Head like a hippo.”
Lily opened her mouth, ashamed. “Fine, ummmm, Francesca Gockles.”
“Dating a teacher's daughter,” Severus spat, sarcasm aflow once more, “Oh yes. That would be clever, apart from having my head chopped off, and used as a Bludger.”
Lily giggled again. Her giggle always reminded him of a bubbling stream.
“Anyone else come to mind, preferably not a daughter of one of the teachers?”
“Me.”
Severus stared. Had she just said what he.......?
“Well, don't look too enthusuastic.”
“Er......”
Laughing, Lily hit him on the head with her handbag. “It's a joke, silly! God, you could at least go along with it!”
“A joke, right.” Some joke, but how was she to know his secret? “Oh ha ha. That was..... a good one. Um, no. Sadly, as much as you are suited for some people, you are without a doubt, not suited to me. I- I don't mean, I- wish that you weren't, but, that's the way life is, not that I find you, appealing, in that, I mean,” Oh this was going well. Not. “I just mean, I like you as a friend, I, I'm afraid, not in the sexual sense.”
Lily shook her head. “You are so tactless!”
“W-what do you mean?”
“The way to a girl's heart isn't through insults, Severus,” she added. “So you must remember that before you ask Pickett out. Although, I know this sounds horrible but, I don't think she would even realise anything anyway. Not that I'm calling her unintelligent, of course........no. It's just, she can tend to look on the bright side of life, all the time.”
Severus sniffed. “Of course, I, understand that.”
“Right, where is everyone? We've talked for ages! I better go and owl Mum, make sure she knows where the wedding is, still!” Lily smirked. “Oh, and remember, if any of my realitives ask, we've been in love since the day we met, our first date was on a moonlit broom ride, we went on holiday to Spain, and, no we're not thinking of having children yet.”
Severus turned scarlet. He couldn't do this. This was too painful, but he must, for her, it was always for her. The ironic stant in that first sentence made him want to scream. 'Remember...... we've been in love since the first day we met.'
A moonlit broom ride, how heavenly, Spain, he was indifferent about, but children? Oh, what a picture. Him, hand in hand with Lily, walking down the beach, a mini them at their heels, picking up sand and watching the grains run through their fingers. Ah, bliss, perfection....... A perfect world. No Marauders, no prejudice, just him, her and their little one. Tears straggled at the edges of his grey eyes, and he was afraid she would see.
Luckily, Lily wasn't in the mind set for suspicions. “Go and see my Granny. They're over there, and good luck! Ahh! Oh no, they're looking this way! Kiss me! Quickly, go!”
Write a Review Shenanigans: Chapter Eight: The Big Day, Preparations= 'Girl Talk.'
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