Round Robin: The Post-Grad Prince: Part 2
The ground under his hands was dry and soft, and he felt no wind, so it was easy to assume that he was in a room.
After his eyes had adjusted to the light in the room, he noticed the red wall he was looking at, golden stripes running diagonally up to one corner, and on another wall a roaring lion's head - right next to a snake drawn on a green part of the wall.
"That..." Severus said, a little surprised, as his eyes scanned the room, noting that it still looked... the same.
"...It was the first thing that came to mind with the subject we had a moment ago..." Lily admitted, her voice seeming to take on a shy tone.
As Severus looked at her, he also noticed a blush colouring her freckled cheeks.
Severus stood, his head aching from the sudden change. "I wasn't expecting you to even bring that up," he said.
"I wasn't expecting Potter to talk about taking my virginity," Lily replied.
... Potter. Not James. Severus's smirk turned into a wince. "There wouldn't happen to be any ice, would there?"
Lily waved her wand, and a bag of ice appeared. "You wouldn't believe how long it took me to learn this one," she said as she handed it to Severus.
Severus touched his nose to the icebag before conjuring a tea towel to wrap the bag in; the cold was too harsh for the numbing process. "I noticed you weren't wearing your engagement ring."
"And?"
"I have the sinking suspicion that you've decided not to marry Potter."
Lily snorted. "I'm glad you caught on so quickly."
Despite the pain it caused him, Severus couldn't help but grin at her reply.
"And I'm glad my suspicions were right." He said as he turned to face her. "Still..."
Severus was silent for a moment as his eyes met hers before travelling down her body and slowly up again until they rested on her eyes again.
"Still... What?" Lily asked him, and Severus wasn't sure if he was hallucinating or if there really was a smirk on her lips.
"It doesn't answer why you're dressed like that? I mean... have you looked at yourself, Lily?"
"Why? Do I look bad?" She asked in a seemingly innocent tone.
"No! You look gorgeous like - fuck Lily! You're beautiful, but this outfit... I don't have the words to describe it." Severus admitted and he was sure that the smirk on her lips got a little bigger.
Lily's face reddened even more than it had already. "I thought-- I mean, I wanted to impress your grandfather, and this was the best I could find."
"What was the second-best?"
"A few cardigans, a white blouse, matching skirts--"
"That's a rather plural second-best option."
Lily smiled as she laughed a bit more, although only for a moment before she stopped. Her face relaxed slightly, and her eyes dulled.
"What is it?" Severus asked.
"... I didn't know how much I missed this," Lily replied.
Once again it was as if some kind of instinct had awoken in Severus and decided to take control of him - as if it wanted to make sure that he couldn't ruin the moment with whatever decision his brain came up with.
And so, a moment later, he found himself with his arms wrapped around Lily's middle, his eyes locked with hers.
"I missed this more than I could ever put into words... You know, I regretted what happened every single day because I lost this... you... ."
Lily gently nudged Severus. "I hoped as much.... You fancy some tea?"
Severus tasted iron in the back of his throat. "I think that'd help."
The two made their way downstairs to the sitting room, something Severus ought not to have seen in a while if not for Mrs. Evans reaching out to him for support. Sitting at the kitchen table, Severus re-applied the ice to his nose, moving it slightly to his eye as well.
"So," Lily called back, "have you thought about your grandfather's offer?"
"My head's a bit out of sorts, given what just happened." Severus rested his elbow on the table. "What do you think?"
