Beginning of an Endless Night (Sev)

[lily]

"I wish I could go. I hear it's going to be an amazing party. With duels and everything." One girl had giggled as she ran fingers through red hair pulling it back as she helped with barrettes.

"I just want to see the boys there...all fighting. I would love to see Potter..." Another girl replied from the bed as she flipped through a magazine.

"I'm still wondering why Lily, you would invite Snape of all people to the party. He's got an invite and it might not look good. And you had other boys asking to escort you." There was a small tug as the redheaded Gryffindor pulled her head away from the girl doing her hair looking somewhat serious as her smile faded.

"It was my invite to give."

For the third time that day her mates from the House had questioned her on her invitation to the Slytherin, and for the third and final time she gave her reason and asked if she could finish getting ready alone. The girls were upset now, but in the morning they'd be climbing over each other to find out what had happened at the party. She still couldn't figure out what reason they had to be so upset by her going with Sev. In the years she'd gone to school people knew they were friends and if they didn't like it they at least tolerated it enough to not bother her about it. She sighed as she stopped on the steps coming down from the Gryffindor rooms, watching the stones shift and move around to join another landing before she continued to the hall for the dance.

First she'd have to meet up with Sev outside of the hall as one hand clutched at the soft blue fabric of her dress to keep it out of her way as she climbed down. The party had already begun, but really with the love the ghosts had of talking and the stairs' habits of moving about five minutes late was hardly to be blamed on anyone being slow. Though she had to admit she slowed a little in her steps as the fluttering feeling in her stomach returned. She's hardly eaten anything that afternoon, and she swore it was from the thought of dueling even after the grueling hours she'd made Sev spend with her training. However as she got closer to their meeting spot her stomach began to feel a little more fluttery.

Her first party going with someone, an escort, and even though it was just as friends it was still enough to make her feel a little nervous. Once more checking for her wand she smiled before tucking a fiery strand back behind her ear as it fell from the loose bun her hair was piled up in. She wished she'd thought to bring a compact, but a lack of pockets made it so she only had her wand with her tucked into the sash of her dress. Smoothing her hands down the bodice and skirt once more she gave a frustrated sigh hoping she looked alright having finished up getting ready on her own not use to fancy dresses on a regular basis. With luck this night would be a good one, sharing it with a friend, enjoying good sport...and maybe impressing a few people. There was bound to be something interesting.

Outfit

[SEVERUS SNAPE]

Severus had been very careful to avoid much contact with other members of his house as the night of the dance swiftly approached like calm before a storm. Rabastan and Evan had been dogging him, but those two had always been simple enough to avoid. They generally left him alone unless he was needed for something specific. There had been rumors however, passed around the Slytherin house that he was Severus was indeed attending the dance, after having said he wasn't planning to go. The dark haired boy knew that they would like nothing more but to interrogate him and gloat if they found out he was going alone.

On that point, however, they would be mistaken. He wasn't going alone. He had asked Lily to the party and even though he couldn't believe it, she had agreed. And it wasn't just out of pity, or that he had somehow roped her into it. No...it had honestly seemed like she wanted to go with him. It didn't matter that they were only going as friends, only months ago she hadn't been talking to him and he had been afraid that he was going to lose her forever. Lately Severus had been prone to bouts of blissfully good moods that was not anything like him at all. He wondered if anyone had noticed, he'd seen the odd looks he had gotten in the common room when he hadn't snapped at that idiot second year who had spilled pumpkin juice on his sheaf of parchment.

The night of the dance he had taken a shower and changed into dress robes borrowed from one of his housemates who hadn't been invited. They were nice enough, rather stately even, although simple in design. Severus was massively grateful they weren't gaudy and pompous like some of the things he had seen in Malfoys wardrobe. They were black, of course, the proper color for men at these kind of events, but it wasn't the dreary, shabby kind of black he usually wore. There was a certain air of elegance in fine clothing.

Severus felt odd after he had dressed and looked at himself in the mirror. In someone else's clothes, charmed to a tailor fit he felt ridiculous, and anxiety and frustration gnawed at the pit of his stomach. Finally after his hair was sorted out and tied back he turned sharply from his reflection and out of the Slytherin house. The winding path up to the ground floor had never felt longer and more foreboding. Gritting his teeth, eyes slightly narrowed, Severus arrived on the landing and took a look around as the students milling about toward the Great Hall. He felt slightly more at ease when he saw that people were indeed as dressed up as himself, but the anxiety that had come from his appearance was replaced by the anxiety of seeing a familiar red head amongst the rest of the crowd.

It took him a while to register that the person he was looking at was indeed the person he was supposed to be meeting. His brain had gone slightly sluggish the moment he had laid eyes on her. Lily had always been beautiful, but tonight she looked especially radiant and he had trouble remembering why he was standing there, why he was dressed in these ridiculous fancy things and why she was standing out in the foyer and not inside.

And then he remembered. She was waiting for him.

Catching her eye he was finally shaken out of his momentary lapse and moved toward her, gracefully sidestepping a gaggle of girls in frilly dresses and coming to stand in front of her.

"You look lovely..." He said, because he had to say something and that was the only thing on his mind at that particular moment.

[lily]

Lily waited chatting with a few others, giving greetings as some of the students invited went in. Some students she made notes to stay away from, some Slytherin, Potter and his friends that were invited. Meanwhile she nervously began to pace slowly back and forth, heels clicking on the floor as she began to wonder if Sev would come.

Of course he would right? He would have told her if she'd changed his mind or found someone else to go with. Things like that happened, but he wouldn't do that to her, or he'd at least tell her so she didn't end up standing out here all night as she could barely concentrate on a group of girls as they chattered away about their dresses. Really she didn't care too much for it. There was of course the issue of waiting for her date...as well as the duel. Besides it wasn't like she could chime in talking about how her mother had helped her to make the dress last winter holiday when Lily had begged for the pretty blue silk during one of their errands. She really had not cared what it became, but was happy with the result this had sat at the bottom of her trunk for most of the past six months waiting to be shown off. Though there was no name, no tailor, or frills to really giggle about as she smiled and nodded to the conversation before slowly leaving the girls to their talk as she took up waiting quietly once more.

The thought of Sev not coming made her chest go a little tight as finger clutched her skirt fiddling with it like a string had come loose, anything to get her mind off of this. He would, he cared about her like she did for him he'd show, smiling to herself as she heard a small whisper close by.

"Well will you look at that?" The girl murmured to her friends, "Looks like someone got Snape all dressed up like a normal person."

Green eyes stared daggers for a short moment as she looked up over the heads of the others to see the dark clad form coming toward her. She'd always seen him in things a little too bit, or too short, never a perfect fit, but tonight he looked rather handsome with his hair pulled back and the formal robes fitting so well. Painted lips curved into a brighter smile as she stepped forward just as he reached her, suddenly finding herself too close, nearly running right into him awkwardly as she stepped back once more fidgeting.

"Sev..." His compliment made her blush as she looked down for a moment scuffing her shoe finding it hard to do in heels, meeting his gaze she reached out towards him, "You look quite sharp yourself. I think you're going to have a lot of heads turning." Fingers grazed the lapels of his robes as she began to fix them, smoothing them flat as already she knew they were getting stares from others waiting outside as well.

"Are you nervous about this?" Lily asked dropping her voice as she stepped in a little bit but not as awkward as she had before, "This whole party has had butterflies waging war in my belly." She joked softly looking over at the doors, "Should we go in?"

[SEVERUS SNAPE]

An eyebrow arched and he gave her a rather patient look, completely disregarding the absurdity of this statement. If heads were indeed turning it would be because he was for once wearing something that didn't look as though it were five years old. Choosing not to comment , he stole another glance at her and couldn't help but wonder how Potter would react to him having gotten Lily Evans to accept an invitation to the dance when he couldn't even get her to say yes to a Hogsmeade visit. A satisfied sort of smirk played on his lips for a moment before turning his attention back to her.

There was a strange flush to her cheeks that Severus had never seen used in this context before. He was generally able to read her quite well, but this grown up, new Lily seemed to have a side that he didn't quite understand.

Obsidian eyes snapped toward the movement of her hands, watching as she fussed with the robes, creamy skin a stark contrast against the dark material of his borrowed outfit. It was a comforting gesture, but despite this Severus forced his gaze back into her face.

He was suddenly acutely aware of their surroundings at her next words. He leaned in a bit to hear her better, stooping slightly, "I've never done this before." Was his answer, followed by, "Are you nervous?"

To an observer it looked as though the two were bent together, heads close, whispering some sort of secret between them. Those who were ignorant to the nature of their friendship would have been surprised or even suspicious, but this closeness was of a more comfortable sort for Severus.

How many times had they sat talking the hours away in hushed voices, heads bent together, drawing up schemes and conspiring? It set him at ease to hear her relaying her anxiety to him, trusting him. It did him a world of good.

"If you are ready Lily." He said quietly, blinking and giving her a sort of half smirk that was somehow not as cynical as his usual. "No one will even notice that I'm here once you walk in there."

[lily]

Fingers ran along the lapel before just resting her hand flat down against his chest after she'd fixed the small wrinkles that no doubt would show up again the minute he began to move. Such things like this were prone to wrinkles if not worn frequent enough, it was a support in a way to touch him, to be connecting for that moment even as a few others stared. She really didn't mind, it wasn't like gawking was a new thing, since she'd slowly become more popular withing Gryffindor it wasn't uncommon to have someone bring up her friendship with Severus as unusual.

There was nothing unusual about it though, not to her at least. They grown up together, and despite their previous fight she found him comforting to be around because it wasn't all about what she wore or who she was seen with. "Well, I guess we'll be enjoying this new experience together then. I think I was more comfortable last weekend with practice dueling when you had be thrown all over the tower." She laughed, pulling back slowly.

Lily realized then that the heels she wore did help even the playing field as he did not have to bend far for them to carry on their hushed conversation. As he offered to go in with her she moved slowly to get to his side grabbing his arm for a moment, "We should, the party is in there after all." His compliment did not fall on deaf ears as she felt cheeks heat up as she laced her arm around his, "If you're keeping and invisibility cloak from me I will be very upset." She joked half-heartedly before glancing over at him.

"I don't think you're invisible...and really I don't want you to be." She murmured as she started towards the entrance, "I'm want to enjoy the night with you Sev. Not alone, or with anyone else." With the hand not wrapped around his arm she patted his shoulder, "This'll be fun...I hope."

[SEVERUS SNAPE]

Her words rang true to even his own ears, he had been much more comfortable practicing dueling with her than standing here, dressed up like a swot and deflecting curious glances from students. Their nosiness irritated him, he wanted to snap at them to mind their own business, but was restraining himself, "Well that was certainly more natural for me..." He said looking up.

He shot a look at the entrance to the dance, the shadows of people milling about, the wafting melody of music and frowned. This type of event had never appealed to him, especially amongst the people here at the school, the entire Slytherin house would know that his clothes were borrowed and he was sure he'd hear a good bit about it tomorrow, as Slytherins were far too tactful to waste a chance to make him feel inferior to them. Not that he would let them get to him, he was quite adept at brushing them off by now.

A soft weight touched at this arm and he looked down at Lily's hand sitting there, almost missing what she said. He smiled slightly, the sentiment making him feel lighter as ridiculous as that was. Lily always knew just what to say in situations like these, he drew closer to her, "When do you think the duel will take place?" Severus asked, peering into the room as they moved forward, pointedly not noticing the fleeting stares they were receiving.

Gryffindor and Slytherin were rival houses and it was practically unheard of for them to act civilly in each others company much less attend formal events together. Severus didn't think he had ever heard of the two houses compromising on anything. There were the Redwood twins of course, but that was a bit different, and look at the Black boys. They hated one another, not that Severus blamed Regulus for hating his brother. And then there was he and Lily, best friends since childhood, but Severus knew that had they never met before the sorting they probably would never have spared each other a passing glance.

Presenting their respective invitations, they stepped into the Great Hall and even Severus, whose face was a perfect representation of what one would call a 'poker face' was impressed. It was truly a breathtaking sight and a reminder of how beautiful magic could be.

and ten days later...>< *hides in a hole* sorry....but i'm back now D: for good

[lily]

[size-1]

One step...

Two...

As they drew closer towards the grand hall for the dance Lily felt every just go a flutter, like a thousand little pixies beating her from the inside out. At any moment ready to explode. She couldn't figure out what it was that was making her so nervous. It was no doubt the duel...it had to be the duel. There was no other reason for this feeling like she would be sick, or burst into a fit of giggles. Whichever came first.

The duel...he was talking about it as they got closer to the door and she lost count of the steps she'd been talking. Was it five or was it seven? Looking up she gave a small shrug, not moving her hand from his arm as she did so, the gesture seeming half hearted. "Well with luck they'll have it before too long. Wear everyone out with dancing and drink and they'll get lazy and sluggish. Then again I might have a chance with that. Won't I Sev?" She joked laughing lightly as they came to the threshold and she stopped.

Standing there for a moment she held onto Sev, a second, then two before they were stepping over into the room and Lily's lips parted in silent surprise at how beautiful it was. Music filled the air, chatter, lovely dresses and dapper robes. It was like something out of a book, too good to be real...all this magic...

"It's so beautiful." She murmured as she squeezed his arm tighter, her eyes up towards the floating lights and not towards the others that looked at her with her date. Right now she didn't care, there was no reason to care. "Can you believe this? It's bloody--" She caught herself, language failing to remain proper as she covered her mouth for a moment to look at Severus with a sheepish smile.

"It's fantastic isn't it?" Her smile grew now as she tugged on his arm like an excited child. Magic never got old, never seemed boring to her...she wanted to see everything from the refilling platters to the ghosts watching from the vaulted ceilings, see the other students dancing...

That was right. People were dancing, a few already stepping around the dance floor in swirls of cloth. Smiling for now as those invited would sooner or later have to battle. "I don't suppose you know how to dance do you?" She asked she loosened her grip on him a bit in case he grew fed up with her leading him around.

[/size]

[SEVERUS SNAPE]

Lily's reaction to the great hall was amusing, he watched her as fascination skittered across her features, green eyes large and amazed as she looked up into the vaulted ceiling. Snow was falling, disappearing midway to the floor in tiny shimmers of silver light. The ceiling was enchanted to reflect the outside sky, so Severus assumed it to be snowing outside as well.

It never seemed to stay warm long enough at the school did it. Hogwarts students generally held on to the warm days as tightly as they could, because the majority of the year was cold and damp, the kind that soaked you straight to the bone.

There were glasses being passed around the room, no doubt their contents something alcoholic and food filling up on the small, circular, tables that had replaced the long house tables. He scrutinized the space, wondering where they would hold the duel, "You're right, I'm not sure they would be wise to trust in the judgments of the students. If they wait too long, there will be enough people that completely forget about it all together." He frowned , obsidian gaze shifting to where he felt a pair of eyes on them.

People were sure to speculate of course, that being the very essence of what made them human. People were sure to talk, as though they weren't there and able to hear everything they said. Severus locked eyes with a tall, broody looking Slytherin who was staring at him openly a twisted kind of smile on thin,pale lips. Severus knew exactly what he was thinking and it deeply angered him. So you brought that mudblood. He could almost hear the boys deep, slow voice now.

With a ice cold look at the boy he took Lily by the shoulder and steered her away without a single word, she was still taking in the beauty of the great hall, while he was glowering about the intrusive crowd. They could do very well to mind their own damn business.

She tugged on his arm and his focus slid back toward her and the intense shade of red her hair was under the lights. "It's beautiful." He murmured and then remembered she was talking about the decorations and looked up at the ceiling, "I suppose we can expect a white day tomorrow."

They were similar in that magic meant something very special to them. Magic never failed to excite or fascinate Severus. His mother was a witch, but their house had not been filled with magic, the scant few times Severus had seen Eileen perform any sort of spell of charm had been out of pure necessity and done with very little fanfare. He had pored over her old schoolbooks (the ones she thought had been well hidden), intent on learning as much as he could, the biggest spells, the most powerful ones. It wasn't until he had met Lily that he learned magic could be beautiful too.

Magic had brought them together and that in itself had never failed to amaze him.

At her question, Severus felt something heavy implode in his stomach. Expression remaining very neutral save for the slight narrowing of his eyes he gave her a long look, "Dance?" He felt stupid the thought hadn't crossed his mind before. He didn't want to dance, dancing was completely ridiculous, those people out there looked completely ridiculous. But....he should have known that Lily would want to. After-all that's exactly what normal people did at events like this.

He frowned slightly, "I don't." That was a half-truth though, seeing as how he was an extremely fast learner and he could probably pick it up fast enough, but still....didn't she realize the position they were in? Not too mention that the idea of dancing with her was making him feel a little light-headed and there was no room for that. He always reacted in such absurd ways around her that it was very frustrating.

But Lily was Lily and Severus knew that if she really wanted something she would move hell and high water to get it and if she didn't press the issue (because he wouldn't be able to say no for too long) he would most likely be left on the side watching her dance with someone else.

"I imagine you do though...don't you." He asked, his voice almost hesistant. But his nerves were rather raw now, what with everything happening so suddenly and the constant reminder of what he would be facing back in the common room after this. Not to mention what Lily might get for it, and his raw nerves were translating into petulance.

[lily]

She knew some of the girls there, some as dates, others as duelists, some boys as well. She spied some of Potter's friends, but really didn't care to linger too long on them as she let her gaze peer up in amazement. Professor Slughorn was off int he corner drinking something that was making his face awfully read and him horribly chatty with one of the charms teachers. A few other teachers just lingering at the edges watching the students.

The light snow that fell from the ceiling floated and fluttered down until it was nearly to them before vanishing like it had never been there before. She'd thought that the halls had seemed a little chilled, but the roaring fireplaces and torches kept the room cozy as she leaned against her escort a little more hearing him confer with her on the beauty of the whole thing.

Still it was surprising to suddenly be pushed a little, the firm arm clapped around her shoulders as she was moved from where they lingered at the entrance going further into the fray that was the party. Not seeing in his hurry to pull her away from where they were the gazes that came from the Slytherin students. Really it had only briefly crossed her mind how the other students would react, but she didn't care, not really...if this lost her friends then apparently that was never meant to be. She squeezed his arm tighter, holding close to him. "Yes, a good thick blanket of snow. However thank goodness there are no classes, we can relax and stay warm. No trudging to classes tomorrow or waking up early after this. Too bad you can't come over to our dorm, we could do like we use to." She could remember spending so many late autumn and winter afternoons wrapped in blankets drinking hot cocoa her mum would make, the radio playing soft tunes talking about what Hogwarts would be like.

She wondered if they'd ever thought it would be something like this? That they'd be standing here together asking each other if the other could dance. Lily couldn't help but laugh a small bit. After all that practicing with dueling they now stood there with the next biggest challenge of the night.

...dancing...

Lily felt her cheeks go a little warmer as she face Sev and gave a shrug, "I kind of...sorta..." She murmured. What she knew of dancing often involved being alone in her room blasting the LPs her mother would send her from home when no one else was around in the room to catch her dancing and singing around. "I mean mostly by myself, but how hard could it be?" Looking around the room at the others that were dancing it didn't seem to be much different from what she knew of the socials her sister went to.

"Come on Sev. We're two very smart students. I'm sure if we can figure out a way I can stand up in a duel on my own we can dance." She looked over at him, smiling gently as she clasped her hands in front of her shifting from foot to foot for a moment, "I mean that is..."

Trailing off she looked back out at the people. Why did this make her so frustrated? Like the words would not come out right as she tried to force them out, when so often it was easy for her to talk to him, "That is if you want to dance Sev. I guess..." She brushed a small strand of hair back, not looking up at him as she kept her gaze out towards the rest of the party. "Would you like to? If we fail at that we can at least say we tried right?" She laughed gently.

[SEVERUS SNAPE]

He set his face in grim determination and nodded. "Alright." It would have been amusing to an onlooker, the dark haired boy almost looked as though he were going into battle at the moment instead of on the dance-floor with a pretty girl. It was how his nerves were arranging themselves though, to manifest themselves through stiff body language and a certain hardness in his expression.

Not that he realized this of course, the last thing on his mind at the moment was himself , besides the quintessential panic at looking like he knew what he was doing. The gears in his head were whirring at a magnificent pace as many different scenarios, and very few of them good, passed through his mind. It would be just like him to bollocks this up, wouldn't it.

But Severus wasn't giving himself quite enough credit. Despite his lanky appearance he was really quite graceful. He had a long, nimble sort of sensibility about him that translated into elegance when dressed up in the ridiculous fashion he was at the moment. There was a constant sort of energy about his person, crackling just beneath the surface that alluded to how intense a person he was. Noticeable only in his eyes, eyes that were the kind of black that shouldn't express anything but on the rare occasion seemed to completely burn in their ferocity. More often that not when he was truly, deeply angry, but also sometimes when he was thoroughly immersed in some sort of academic pursuit and presented with a challenge.

Or at other times, such as now when he wasn't being very guarded with his emotions and for the first time that evening was completely focused on Lily.

The music was there, somewhere in the background, he knew it had to be because the couples around them were drifting almost lazily across the floor, spinning like pinwheels in the periphery of his vision. "If I step on your toe, don't react too loudly or everyone will want to why you came with a clumsy oaf." He didn't smile, or even smirk, far too concentrated. But even the words were only to fill the silence that had seemed to settle. He was far from clumsy, he had quick hands and focused mannerisms. And he was far too aware of her and her proximity to ever make such a blunder.

[lily]

Fingers brushed over the skirt of her dress, re-fixing the blue silk that really didn't need to be fixed at all. Mostly just nerves playing against her, but it was so strange to just know as she looked over that this was the same boy she'd spent hours with in the summer time and during winter holidays just playing and laughing, enjoying each other's company, but suddenly when threatened with a dance it seemed they both had the idea to freeze up. Just a dance, just a dance with Sev, someone she knew. This wasn't like some sort of date, just two friends...

"Alright then." She replied giving a short nod as she turned to him. The music was soft and slow, a lilting pace that didn't require too much work it seemed from the lazy steps other took. Moving closer she reached up with one hand and let it grasp his shoulder as her other moved out, offering and open palm for him to take before they could move out into the groups dancing.

"I'm glad, you know..." She started softly, glancing up at him, glad the heels gave her enough lift so she wasn't talking to his chest the whole time, "That you invited me that is...I know we both had invites, but it's sort of nice going with someone, especially someone you know." Lily squeezed his shoulder gently, smiling as they began to dance, the slow pace allowing room for a few awkward steps before the rhythm was found.

"If you're so worried about toes being stepped on maybe you should watch out for me then in these shoes." She laughed, swaying a little, "I don't care what anyone else thinks, so don't worry about them Sev. They can go jump in the lake for all I care right now."

[SEVERUS SNAPE]

He took her hand, because she was offering it, not really because he actually knew what he was doing. A quick, furtive glance around the room, a cursory analysis of others and he moved into some semblance of the same. Severus felt extremely aware of their surroundings, of the people and even though he and Lily were far from the most interesting things at the dance he felt as though each move was being scrutinized.

Was it just his twisted sense of self-esteem? His paranoia over the reactions of his (and her if he was being honest) housemates? She wasn't the type of girl to blend into a background, especially tonight, dressed the way she was. It was strange to see her this way and it unsettled him slightly. Lily was always beautiful, it was an aspect of their friendship he had learned to coexist with even if he was not altogether comfortable with it. Severus knew that it was the same Lily here with him tonight as the one he had grown up with, walked barefoot through mud puddles with and explored the dingy little wood and river between their neighborhoods until they were both thoroughly rumpled and windswept. But it was hard to reconcile the image of the wild, carefree girl he knew with this elegant woman she had become.

"I'm just surprised you hadn't lined up someone to go with before I asked you." He said, keeping his voice low, words mean't for her to hear alone. It would seem as though it would be much easier having come to the dance with ones best friend, but that really only applied if such conflicting feelings weren't involved. At least on his part. It used to be that Lily was as simple as an open book for him to read, but ever since the incident last year she had become more complicated for him to understand.

"You say that, but it seems as though you know what you are doing." He said quirking an eyebrow, as they moved on the dance floor. Despite having little practice at this, Severus had found it rather simple once the preliminary steps were followed. It was nothing intricate after-all, just a simple waltz step.

There was a strange sort of energy building up now, just underneath his skin. Severus was somewhat of a loner and he stayed on the sidelines, content to watch and calculate from the shadows. The dark haired boy was definitely not in his element here, but his mannerisms were set in hard determination. He had grown out of the twitchy, jumpy boy he had once been, and even if he felt as though he was floundering he had the extremely Slytherin sensibility of being able to mask that quite well.

[lily]

Feeling his arm around her waist and his hand in her's Lily moved with him to make the first tentative steps out onto the dance floor. A few teachers were dancing as well, looking more elegant with the years of experience, though for some the drink maybe made them a little too clumsy. She'd hardly thought about eating or drinking a thing at the party herself really she'd become so excited by the dance she pushed Severus to join her. What girl could say she got to go to something that was close to being consider a ball? She chuckled a little bit. Oh, Petunia would be stewed when she would come home to talk about it. School dances and socials were nothing like this.

She was thrilled now to be out on the floor, the nervousness of the duel replaced by more of a performance jitters here, now. It felt like the bodice of her dress was two sizes too tight as they moved along the floor in smooth steps, her shorter legs managing to keep up with his longer ones. "I see no reason why you complain about clumsiness. You're doing fine as far as I can tell. Seems we both have yet to trip." She looked up at him, meeting his gaze with a small smile. He seemed all focus and it made her a little happy to see him trying to make this work even though they both had come out with little to no experience with this.

When he spoke up about her arranging other dates her smile faded a bit as she sighed, "Really now Sev? I know people think I can just snap my finger and have someone, but you should know that when offered the choice quality is always better then quantity." Moving her hand from his shoulder she brushed back a dark strand before returning it to its spot, "Why would I want to go to a dance with someone who I barely know just because they want to go with me? Why not someone I already like? Hmmmm?"

Surprisingly she could talk and dance at the same time, not worried about looking down at her feet, following her friend. Even if they tripped and fell every step she was glad she'd come, though the duel still loomed before them she was happy to be there with Sev, dancing and teasing.

"Thank you...for inviting me that is, Sev. I like this. I guess I can only hope the rest of the night goes so well as this." She said her voice soft as she leaned up a bit closer to him, "I really would hate to disappoint after all the time you spent working with me."

[SEVERUS SNAPE]

"Well now, I wouldn't go that far." There was a kind of slow, comfortable quality to his voice, now that he was slightly more at ease. Picking up with their normal sort of banter was familiar, despite the novelty of the situation. "Wouldn't want your head to get that big." Amusement sparked in his eyes but his lips remained in a serious sort of line, expression giving nothing more.

Despite this familiarity settling between them, Severus was still tightly wound, practically crackling with energy. He saw Avery giving watching them from a corner of the hall where some of the Slytherins seemed to have congregated. it was tradition it seemed. Different houses tended not to mix too often and Slytherin and Gryffindor were notorious for being the most inclusive of the four.

He was reminded again of his precarious position in Slytherin house, the interest he had displayed for the more shall we say..."politically active" circles. It had been sometime since he had initiated contact between his "friends". However it was not very long ago that he had been spending quite some time with them. To be truthful Severus had been very bitter towards Lily before, and there was still some lingering frustration with her black and white view of the world.

He could admit to being jealous of others spending time with her. Severus was possessive by nature, as a child he had been given so little, had been so thirsty for someone to notice him, to actually look at him, talk directly toward him as though he weren't some sort of inconvenience on their behalf. The boy he had been when they had met had been starved in a sense. His mother had always been aloof and reserved, merely a shell of a woman when he had grown cognizant of her, and his father was as affectionate as a bitter, abusive alcoholic could be.

Naturally he had jealousy guarded every smile, every hug, every kind word she had given him. Having to share her when they had come to Hogwarts had been unpleasant, but even as irrational as he could be at times when it came to their friendship he had always known he could not have her completely to himself.

However when he had started to make friends she had disapproved, had chastised him and argued with him over who he was spending time with. How could she know how pathetic to feel as though you were constantly waiting on the single person you really cared about, knowing that they weren't going to be doing the same? He had welcomed the company of his new friends, feeling slightly better about himself even though he had to make allowances for some of their views.

Not that the majority of her friends in Gryffindor had ever held high opinions of Slytherin students, him and a fair few more included. It had felt extremely unfair that he should have to give up the people who had noticed him, albeit mainly due to his talents and vast knowledge of spells in all different forms, when she had a constant group of friends to rely on when she didn't need him.

Had she expected him to quietly burn in his jealousy, treating him as nothing more than an extension of herself to be turned to when it was convenient for her?

He didn't know why these bitter tasting feelings were emerging now, when he finally had her to himself. They were only a small part of the emotions attached to this girl and perhaps the tension and the looks he was getting from other people were pulling forward things he didn't want to think about, especially not tonight.

And then she leaned up and was closer to him and he could catch the soft scent of her hair and see the soft, amber light of the Great Hall reflected in verdant irises. Those things seemed distant and non-important now, and had he not been so close he would not have caught the words that seemed to entwine around his heart with cruel hope.

"...I didn't think it was that easy to impress you.." He said, taking a moment to respond, "It would have made this whole thing much easier, had I been enlightened." His lips quirked into the ghost of a grin, "I'm glad you agreed...not that we wouldn't have seen each other here...but at least I haven't been subjected to a horrible dance partner. And there is still the duel...." But he didn't care about the duel, or the party or the looks they were getting. His world had significantly narrowed.

[lily]

Lily couldn’t help the smirk that started on her lips as his little amusing comment as she sighed, “Oh yes, because then I would just be another Potter wouldn’t I. If I let my head get big...” She chuckled swinging out a bit as the music changed, the fabric of her dress swishing around her legs as her hand still held tightly to his, so warm despite how pale and cool his skin looked. She could remember the night when they were younger, him sneaking into her room so long ago after what seemed to have been a night that he could no longer handle at his own home. Half-awake she had curled up against him and found herself surprised then too by how the scrawny body was warm, still it had felt so safe and nice, just like now to be dancing. Now awake it was pleasant to watch him be so focused, almost determined really as she studied him.

If someone had told her last summer that she would be dancing with the boy she thought she’d never talk to again she would have probably gotten angry, but now the thought made her happy to be here...with a friend and not just some random date to satisfy the girls around her. Still she’d wondered why he was not with a Slytherin girl, or one of his own friends from that house, however silently she couldn’t help but be happy that no such thing had happened. Maybe it had been selfish of her to tell him that he shouldn’t hang about others in his House? A part of her hated to see him at the Great Hall with the other boys who were quick to make comments on her bloodline, or in the corridors talking so closely with girls who always looked down their nose at her. She knew her own friends were harsh to Sev, but she always chalked it up to none of them knowing him, but seeing him with them she wondered if maybe he was upset at her, if somehow she’d pushed him to these people? She felt the jealousy, known the worry of losing a friend, however tonight seemed a much better night for them. No more worries or fretting...

What had happened last year was in the past, a shadow of less mature days between them, of the cruelty and lonely summer. It had been months now, and tonight was a far cry from that day no matter what looks they got. Somewhere in the crowd Sirius was with Remus and no doubt they had something to say...and if the whispers in her room were right then Potter would be there as well..none of them mattered though as her fingers untangled from Sev’s before she let her hand join her other around his shoulders. Everything bad was washed away, a clean slate now for them.The beat of the music was soft, a sweet melody in the minor key that seemed to compliment the falling snow from the magic ceiling.

“I’m not easily impressed...if I was I would be no better then some of the girls who go into a tizzy about boys and things.” She argued trying to look serious though a grin pulled to her lightly painted lips, “Am I a difficult date for you Sev?” She teased lightly, leaning back just a bit to study his whole face as he seemed more relax, one of her hands slipping a little further up to touch a dark strand of hair and push it behind his ear.

“Well you’re welcome. I don’t save people every day, and to save you even from a bad partner is an honor. And to see you like this...you’re not the Severus Snape I met at the playground on Spinner’s End, that’s for sure. You are...but...a different Sev.” A small giggle rose from her, “Yes the duel, well all good things must end I guess sadly. Promise me though if I get knocked down...make sure my skirt doesn’t go flying up...I don’t need my night to end that way.” She flashed another sharp grin, another laugh before it turned into a gentle sigh, “However lets enjoy this for as long as we can tonight. Dances don’t come around every weekend.” Her smile softened from it’s grin for a moment.