A/N: Two chapters! You heard me, two chapters! This is me, trying to move the plot along a little bit. If you haven't read Chapter Forty-Six, which I just uploaded, then go back and do that or this will not make sense. Enjoy!

Love Always,

Eliza x

Disclaimer: I do not own the works herein, all characters from the Harry Potter Universe belong to JK Rowling, and all characters, storylines, situations, plots and the like do not belong to me. I make no money from this work.

Warnings: Rated M for situations, swearing, violence, sexual scenes... The whole lot, basically. Dumbledore Bashing, too. Severus doesn't have the best time, bless him.

The Ghost of Grimmauld Place

Chapter Forty-Seven

Monday, 5th January 1976

Hogwarts Express, The Dales

Hermione found her way onto the Express in the company of her brother and his friends, having left Severus and Regulus with the Black's the first chance she got. Her parents had been delighted to see her, to say nothing of James' reaction; he'd picked her up and swung her around until she squealed with laughter, demanding freedom in a punch to his shoulder. Remus had tucked her into a warm, soft cuddle, rubbing his chin over her head in that queer way he had, and Peter had even dared to give her an awkward side-hug.

They settled in the boys' usual carriage, James shooing away a pair of nervous looking firsties before slouching in a corner, dragging her down next to him. "Go on, then," he ordered, resting his feet in Sirius's lap across the carriage. "Tell us; how was Yule in the snake-pit?"

"It wasn't so bad," she told him, rolling her eyes. "They had a lovely ball - I got to make some good connections, and not all of them were evil."

"'Connections'," James scoffed. "As if that's any replacement for a blazing Yule Log and mulled wine. Mum made the good stuff this year, with candied orange peel, just how you like it."

Her stomach pulsed with longing. Yule had always been her favourite time of the year. "How was the snow?"

"Crisp as anything. We all spent the week sledging down Garland Hill, up in Godric's Hollow. And, get this," he grinned, fumbling about in his pocket. Across the compartment, Sirius groaned.

"Not this again, Prongs. We've heard all about it already. Every day it's been-"

"Lily sent me a card!" her brother beamed, shoving a battered envelope into her hands. Without waiting for her to open it, he pulled it out himself, revealing an artistically rendered Rudolph pulling his sleigh, only the Santa inside had been replaced by James, only wrinkled and sporting a Dumbledorian beard. Hermione couldn't stifle a snort of laughter at the sight. "Isn't she talented?" James preened, as though he'd made it himself.

Opening it, Hermione evaded James' snatching fingers in order to read the inscription:

Potter,

You said that Yule beat Christmas by a mile, but you must be bluffing. What does Yule have that Christmas doesn't? Except you, and I don't mind saying that I'll pass on that.

I was going to buy you a present, but then I remembered that I don't like you. At all. Please leave me alone. In fact, I've attached the gift you so thoughtfully sent me - it was kind of you to think of me, but if you're going to give me anything, I'd really rather it was a few months of peace and quiet.

Consider it.

Never yours,

Lily Evans.

"Merlin," Hermione laughed, finally relinquishing the card. James snatched it and held it to his chest, a dreamy look on his face. "You realise that is the opposite of a love letter, right?"

"But she was thinking of me," gloated James, stroking a finger against the glitter of his beard. "That means something."

"Yeah, mate, it does," Sirius agreed solemnly, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "It means she's finally succumbing to Stockholm Syndrome. Congrats!"

Clearly mystified by Sirius's proclamation, James opted to ignore it, smiling dopily. "I'm growing on her," he sighed. "I just know it."

Unable to contain herself, and not knowing what would come out when she broke (gales of laughter or a rant about respecting someone's boundaries? Who was to know), Hermione excused herself, hopping over Remus and Peter where they played chess on the floor and hurrying down the carriage to the bathroom. She didn't really need it, but she did need time and space in which to think.

First, of her most pressing concern: Regulus.

Hermione washed her hands, shaking the excess water off over the sink and grabbing a paper towel. In the mirror, her expression was trepidatious, the result of her and Regulus' shaky truce. She knew that their argument over Yule had revealed a serious flaw in their relationship; his mother, her expectations and her impact on his life. She also knew that she had to do something about it. But not yet. It had taken them the week following their visit to his cousin to get back on level ground; he had been grateful, but resent of her keeping secrets when they'd left, and her rage hadn't lessened to see him with his cousins. They had spoken briefly that night, however, swearing to keep each other's secrets, but deciding to put things on hold while they attempted to rebuild some trust. Hermione was doubtful of how long the understanding would last, but she would enjoy the peace while it was available.

That said, the moment she opened the door and spotted the large, dark eyes on the other side, she knew that 'peace' was relative.

"It's been four months," Rida said, her tone sharp. "What did you find out?"

"Have you been waiting out here all that time?" Hermione asked incredulously, glancing up and down the carriage. "I didn't see you."

Rida used one hand to push her back into the bathroom, following after her and locking the door. The space, generous for one person, was immediately cramped. "Don't be stupid. I went to your compartment but your boyfriend says he hasn't seen you, so I found your idiot brother, and he told me you were here." She sneered meaningfully, though the meaning passed Hermione by. "Shafiqs do not loiter aimlessly outside of bathrooms."

"Right." Shrugging, she sat down on the toilet seat. "I don't know what to tell you, Rida. I've been looking around, but I can't find anything without a look at your contract. The loopholes will all be in there."

Rida closed her eyes for but a second, a pained look crossing her face. "That's no use. I have read the contracts; they are iron clad."

"Contracts? Surely yours…"

"My parents bound them together," Rida informed her in a brittle voice. "As Rue and I are bound, so are our prospects. If I break my engagement, not only do I suffer the humiliation, the pain, the… it matters not. Rue will suffer alongside me." She huffed, tossing her hair. "Messrs Patil and Zabini must have brides, else Rue and I will be ruined forever."

Hermione reached out a hand in sympathy, but Rida slapped it away, her expression thunderous at her presumption. "Get me a copy of the contracts," she said, quietly. "If you can do that, I'll see what I can do. It might not be much, but I know a few lawyers…"

"No lawyers!" Rida shrieked. With a deep breath, her face flattened again. "Do you know - never mind, Miss Potter. I should not have asked."

She disappeared before Hermione could respond, the door rattling as she stormed away.

Thursday, 8th January 1976

The Banks Of The Great Lake, Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft And Wizardry

Severus was supposed to be doing his Arithmancy homework. Vector, a relatively new professor in only her second year, had decided to kick off the term in style by assigning a six inch essay on the use of runic constants in arithmantic predictions, which usually Severus would appreciate, but…

His mind was reeling. Yule had been emotionally draining in many ways, and he found himself increasingly on edge as he tried to settle in at school. It didn't help that the Spring Term had brought so many changes: he was a full-time assistant for Slughorn, now, with papers to grade and ingredients to process. Rida Shafiq had decided they were friends, independent of Hermione or Regulus, so he had to deal with that. And Regulus was only speaking to him to ask suspicious questions, like, "what did you and Hermione talk about?" or "did you know Lucius had a thing for Hermione?". That did not help his guilt over the girl - those nauseating feelings of fondness he'd contracted over Yule refused to abate, and everytime he saw her he felt sick to his stomach.

In short, Severus was a mess. He was glad to be back here, under his tree, with Lily by his side, where the world felt solid and constant. Lily would never surprise him, he knew; their relationship had been steady since that summer before Hogwarts, so many years ago. She was an anchor in the raging sea of adolescence, even if she had been odd this week. He chalked it up to the holidays - the first holidays where he hadn't been in Cokeworth, having, up to now, made an effort to go home simply so that he could spend a precious few hours here and there with her.

As if she heard his thoughts, she glanced up at him, speculation in her eyes.

"I heard what you did for Regulus," Lily said, her voice odd. Severus glanced up from his book in surprise. She'd been acting strange since he'd met her on the train; shy glances in his direction, small smiles that sent butterflies fluttering in his stomach. He hadn't asked about it because he'd been too afraid to break the spell, and he'd needed her to just be Lily. Just for a while.

For some reason, that made his stomach twist.

"What I did?" he asked, genuinely confused. "What do you mean?" While a lot had happened over winter break; he was quite certain that none of it called for Lily's pleasure.

Lily dropped her book to the ground, taking a moment to position her marker carefully as she did so, a movement Severus couldn't help but follow, before turning to him, her eyes sparkling. Severus felt his breath catch in his throat at the sight, and for a moment his brain seemed to stutter. Should he do the same? His hands weren't cooperating, fingers ungainly and sliding over the vellum. "You took him to see his cousin, right? The one who married the Muggleborn. Even though his family disapproves - everyone knows that the Blacks were going to sponsor you, but you risked it anyway, for your friend."

Lily was grinning widely, as if she'd been vindicated somehow, and Severus remembered with a feeling like a rock lodged in his lower intestine how he'd argued against the plan, how sullen he'd been about that very risk.

"Lily-"

"It's just - Alice says, all the time, that I'm wasting my time with you and that you're Dark, like, really Dark. And James says that you faff about with blood magic and you're dangerous, and I'm just a mascot, like a pet or something, but I knew different. I always believed you were good, Sev. Always. And now you've proved it." Those eyes… Vibrant, stunning green, boring into his from mere inches away. The air seemed charged all of a sudden. Breathing was getting no easier, though his attempts to rid himself of the burden of his book became more frantic. Something was happening right now, he knew, and he couldn't bring himself to spoil it with the truth.

"And, I guess, I just wanted to thank you." She glanced away, a soft smile playing on her lips. "For doing that. For… Being the sort of person I hoped you were."

She kissed him. It was awkward, bumbling, and he accidentally stuck his nose in her eye, and she bit his lip, but he quite liked that. She tasted sweet, like rose water and sugar, a taste he would quite happily bear on his lips for the rest of his bloody life. The book dropped to the floor, pages fluttering, but he didn't notice because they'd found the right angle, now, and she had one soft, small hand on his shoulder, and his fingers were on her face, tracing the planes he'd admired for so long; cheeks, chin, cheekbones, jawline…

Her other hand gripped his hair and she made a soft, surprised noise into his mouth, then pulled back, a line forming between her brows. Severus went back in for more - more, more, more, all that she could give - but she stopped him with a frown.

"What have you done to your hair?" she demanded, her fingers slipping through the strands.

"Hm?" Severus shook his head, confused for a moment. "Oh, that. Mrs. Potter sent me some products for it, for Christmas. From Sleekeazys. Apparently, I have a thin, flat hair type." He said these last words mockingly, but Lily didn't seem to catch it. "It needs more care, or something," Severus continued, more quietly, as he waited for her verdict.

"You look like Regulus," she said, suspiciously, shaking her hand free as she pulled away. "Why would you want to look like Regulus?"

"I've looked the same since I came back, and you haven't seemed to notice," he replied, now feeling slightly petulant. What was she playing at, going around kissing him then complaining about his appearance?

"I thought there was something different about you," she sniffed. "Is this about her?"

"Her?"

Lily ripped her head, eyes slitting nastily. "Take your pick. Hermione Potter? Rida Shafiq? Marlene McKinnon? You've been spending a lot of time with them, after all. More than me."

"Marlene McKinnon?" Severus mouthed, nonplussed. "What are you on about?"

Leaning back, she picked up her book again, effectively shattering the mood. "Alice says that Frank says that his aunt saw you dancing with Rida at the Black Yule ball." This was thrown nonchalantly into the air between them.

"Doesn't everyone dance at balls?" he asked.

"Not boys who go around kissing other girls," she snapped tartly, looking up from her book with a scowl.

"But I haven't kissed anyone. Well, except from you. Just then." He wrinkled his nose, thoroughly confused. "That was my first kiss," he added mournfully.

Lily sat up like she'd been hit with a bolt of lightning. "Really?"

"Really," he admitted, picking up his book.

"That's brilliant!" She was grinning again, all of a sudden. "I did wonder. But - oh, Severus!"

And she was hugging him, for some reason. Thanks to recent practice, he was able to wrap his arms around her and squeeze, but it made him no less confused. Just what on earth was going on?

Women are mental, he decided, frowning at the book that had slipped from his fingers once more. Absolutely mental.