A Plea
Challenge Thirteen: Marauder's Map
Title: A Plea
Author: sneaky_rhae
Wizard/Witch: Severus Snape/Lily Evans
Rating/Warnings: G/PG
Genre: Romance/Drama
Word count: 500
Prompt: experimental potion
Summary: Lily Evans needs a favor. Can Severus Snape bring himself to help her?
She hated to ask but he was the only one she could turn to with this problem. She couldn’t have asked Remus because he wasn’t as proficient in Potions. If James found out about it, then there would be questions she didn’t want to have to answer. Still, the thought of asking Severus had made her queasy. Lily felt guilty taking advantage of his feelings and she wondered if she was only using him for his brilliant mind.
He arrived at the Restricted Section that evening - he would earn at least a detention if caught - and found her, nose pressed inside a dark potions textbook.
“What’s this all about, Lily?”
She jumped. “Severus! You startled me! Hurry up, we need to find this and get out before we’re caught.” She pulled him over and thrust a book into his hands.
“Lily, what is this? I need to know what I am looking for so I’ll know when I’ve found it.”
“Stop playing about. I need some help developing an experimental potion.” She looked at him and was rewarded with one of his rare smiles.
“A potion that does what, exactly?”
Lily though it best to be direct. “A love potion, Severus,” she said as she continued scouring the pages. Severus made a strangled sound. When she turned to look, she found that his complexion had grown even more pale - something she hadn’t thought possible. When he was again capable of speech, she wasn’t quite prepared for what he said.
“Lily, you know as well as I do that love potions are against the rules. They often backfire spectacularly; or worse, fall into the wrong hands. You don’t need a potion like that - I already love you.” The last was spoken so softly that she almost didn’t hear it.
Lily had suspected as much. Though Severus was careful not to give any outward sign of his feelings in public, he was an entirely different boy in private - loving and playful. Still, she knew this was difficult for him to admit. Though her heart already belonged to James, Severus’ admission of love touched her deeply.
Turning to face him, Lily traced his jaw line with her fingertips. Severus met her eyes as Lily reached up to kiss him softly. When she tried to pull away, he embraced her and held her close, the experimental potion temporarily forgotten.
Lily felt trapped between tender feelings for both wizards. How could she tell Severus how she felt without pushing him away? She cared for him and it would devastate her to lose that friendship. When she tensed in Severus’ arms, dreading what she would have to say, he saved her from needing to speak.
“I know, Lily,” he whispered softly. “I know you love him and not me.” He kissed her again.
He let her go and began to walk away, but Lily stopped him with a hand on his arm.
“I still need your help. The potion isn’t for me.”
Author's Notes: Thanks to ”redvelvetcanopy” for the beta.
Proof-reader: ”velvetcandy”