Unrelenting Fate: A Marauders Era AU

Chapter 39

"Sev!" Lily called as she waltzed towards the small fourth-floor alcove.

"Here, love." Came the young Slytherin's reply.

Severus was sitting in the alcove's windowsill, a book lay open in his lap, now forgotten with the redhead's appearance.

"Ah! There you are! Everything alright?" Lily asked, flicking her wrist in a motion for him to make room for her to sit.

Sliding in so that she could rest against him, the young Witch hummed with happiness as he wrapped an arm around her.

"Perfectly, especially now that you are here," Severus murmured in her hair as he hugged her to him.

Lily beamed up at him, relief and adoration swimming in her eyes.

Lately, a few Slytherins had been causing trouble for the poor boy, and she knew it was because they were dating.

"Bloody idiots!" She thought to herself.

"Lily, my love, please don't worry about me," Severus sighed, brushing her cheek with the back of his hand in a sweet gesture.

Leaning into him, the Gryffindor girl melted at his touch. She could feel herself falling deeper in love with him every day they were together.

How was it that the love of her life was right next to her the entire time? Why had she never seen it until now?

Oh well, she would forever be grateful for him.

Severus leaned back just far enough so that he could see her beautiful face. "What are you thinking, love?"

"Hmm?" Lily murmured, looking up at him in a daze. "Oh, nothing much. I was only thinking about how glad I am to have you in my life."

A pleasant silence surrounded them as smiles filled with love and hope were exchanged.

*******

Della trudged up the hill from the Quidditch pitch.

She had just finished a long practice that Royan had forced upon them at breakfast, and now she was utterly exhausted.

The ground was covered in snow, and yet the Ravenclaw team was out flying.

The next match wasn't for another couple of weeks, and it was Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff, so she didn't really care what happened.

If anything, she would rather have been sitting with a hot drink curled up by the fireplace in the great hall.

"Della!" Someone called her.

She turned to see a boy with a head of mousy-brown hair running towards her, puffs of hot breath coming rapidly from his mouth.

A bright smile found its way quickly to her lips. "Peter!" She giggled and waved to him as he drew closer.

"Hello, Della dearest!" Peter beamed at her, placing a loving kiss on her cheek.

She didn't know how he managed to make her swoon every time he did anything remotely cute, but he succeeded each time.

"Hi, love! What are you doing here? I thought we were meeting up at lunch?" She asked, tilting her head in a way that he thought was absolutely adorable.

"I knew you would be cold and tired, so I brought you a thermos of hot chocolate!" He announced, holding up a steaming container of thick brown liquid.

"You are the best! Thank you, baby!" Della gushed, hugging him tightly and pressing a gentle kiss to his lips.

That shocked both of them.

It was the first time that they had truly shared a kiss like that, and as they stared at each other in awe of what had happened, a whole new world bloomed before them.

"I -I'm, uh, I'm sorry?" Peter sounded very unsure of what he was saying.

"Why are you apologizing? I kissed you?" Della said, frowning in confusion.

"I - I just thought ... No! You know what? No, I'm not sorry!" Peter exclaimed, standing straight and sucking in a deep breath in hopes of gaining a bit of courage.

Before Della could ask him what he meant, he pushed their lips together again.

And there he went again, making her swoon and melt into a puddle.

******

Adelaide was so confused that she needed to ask someone for advice.

James had been avoiding her like the plague, even when she was obviously trying to talk to him, and she had no idea why.

And since she couldn't find anyone else to talk to, Jaxson would have to suffice.

"So, you are telling me that the idiot has been throwing away opportunities to get close to you when all along that's what he's been after?" The brunette Ravenclaw asked incredulously.

They sat across from each other at the House table at lunch, discussing the "James Problem" as Jaxson and Royan, who sat next to the former, were referring to the situation as.

"Apparently," Adelaide sighed, laying her head in her folded arms on the table.

The boys shared a bemused glance.

"I don't know what to tell you, Addie, but maybe he is just nervous to talk to you?" Jaxson said with a shrug.

"That seems like a reasonable idea," Royan agreed, stuffing a roll into his mouth.

"But that doesn't make any sense!" Adelaide growled in frustration, glaring up at them. "James has never had trouble talking to me before!"

"Birdie, guys don't make sense. That's a myth created to attract the opposite sex," Royan said with a sigh.

Jaxson nodded in agreement this time. "It's true."

Adelaide pouted. "Why do boys have to be so confusing when we have crushes on?"

Both Ravenclaws shared an exasperated look before Jaxson finally shook his head and grabbed her hand.

"Listen to me, Addie, you will never get anywhere with Potter if you don't take charge and let him know what for," He said, giving her a wide smirk.

"What do you mean by that?" Adelaide questioned with a brow arched in confusion.

"I mean that you need to literally go up to that dunderhead and tell him that he is the love of your life!" Jaxson chuckled, his eyes flashing with amusement.

"You expect me to walk up to him and proclaim my undying love?"

"Precisely!" Both boys exclaimed.

"Gods no! Why would I risk total humiliation and an undeniably awkward future when I can simply go about life in denial?" Adelaide said, sitting up and crossing her arms.

"It's all in the name of love!" Jaxson answered with a smile.

"Plus," Royan cut in, "We have a running bet with the Prewetts."

"Of course you do." The boys laughed as Adelaide looked on with an unimpressed glare.

********

"Hey, Potter, you really need to stop staring."

"Piss off, Longbottom," James growled as he sat hunched over at the Gryffindor table, trying in vain to avoid letting his eyes trail off to the strawberry-blonde across the room.

"Just saying!" Frank Longbottom shrugged, holding his hands up in defense.

"Be nice, James! And Frank, leave him alone. He's pining," Alice Fortescue reprimanded them sternly.

Frank sighed dreamily and did as she said. The poor boy was obviously smitten.

"I'm not staring!" James hissed.

"You are. Don't try and fool yourself," Alice said, rolling her eyes.

"Fortescue, you sound remarkably similar to Marcello. You both terrify me."

"Why, thank you, Potter."