From Beginning to End

Chapter 26: Flower

February flew by and soon enough March had fast approached.

Remus and James both had big birthdays to celebrate that year so of course, Sirius had plans to the moon. Perhaps moon wasn't the best metaphor but the claim still stood.

His best friends were turning thirteen and so it called for a huge celebration, the common room would be filled with Gryffindors, — and Lauren Nickel much to his distaste —, music, laughter, dancing, food and Butterbeer. It was going to be absolutely perfect.

Remus protested loudly that he did not in fact want a large celebration. Would James, Peter and Sirius listen? No.

      March tenth came and soon enough Remus was standing in the middle of a vibrating room rethinking everything choice he'd made to get to this point.

He was far from a party person. He appreciated that his friends had gone through the effort to do all of this for him, but wished they had listened to him and his wishes a little more closely.

    The entirety of Hogwarts was there, save for most of the Slytherins.

Lauren and her friends were talking amongst themselves, cups of butterbeer in hand as a few older Hufflepuff boys chatted them up.

There were only two slytherin allowed in; Stella Malfoy and Evan Rosier. Well technically Rosier hadn't been allowed, but Stella had insisted he was her date. That was obviously not the case as a few moments he was seen snogging Lauren with zero shame and Stella was cheering them on.

Those sneaky, coniving mother fuckers.

    Remus didn't remember most of the night. He had dissociated from it about an hour in and found himself outside with a smoking Marbolo a few hours later, his head dazed and relaxed. He wasn't even sure where he'd gotten the cig from but certainly wasn't complaining.

This was how his birthday should have been; quiet and dreamy.

    "I fancy you."

    Lily nearly dropped Ashwinder eggs into her potion too early, which would have caused an explosion that would give her excruciating, red and pulsating burns.

Really, a person could not just throw a sentence like that out there and not think about the consequences. Especially not a person who had been her best friend for upwards of five years.

    "Ex-Excuse me?"

    Severus didn't even have the decency to look nervous. He stared at her, emotions impassive, dark eyes of obsidian gazing into hers of emeralds, waiting.

"I fancy you, Lily. I have for a while. Since I met you. I don't want to watch you slip away from me like you did with Lupin."

    Lily really didn't think this was an appropriate conversation to be having with Regulus Black still present, but it was too late to factor in variables. This was happening now and they had an audience of one.

Potions and show. What a lucky young man.

    She had suspected Severus' feelings for a while. His comments last year when she'd befriended Remus and Peter clued her in pretty quickly. The jealousy later, regarding her short-lived relationship Remus – if you could even call the one date and kiss a relationship – might as well have been a huge hanging banner spelling it out.

    It'd be a lie to say that Lily had not considered it. They'd been friends for so long. They understood one another better than anyone else did. In a way, being romantically involved sort of made perfect sense.