A Sun Drenched Kiss

Lily was always bright Severus realized. From her auburn hair almost glowing in the uncommonly bright English sun to the neon flowered skirt that swung around her knees. She was spinning in the middle of the field, her face to the sun and her arms out to balance her. When she opened her mouth to laugh, he saw how bright her smile was.

Sitting cross legged in the sun drenched meadow he watched the girl he had fallen in love with. The book he'd brought with him lay dog-eared on his lap, unable to compete with the lure of Lily Evans.

In one sudden movement she stopped spinning and fairly fell onto the grass next to him. Dandelion seedlings were knocked free of the stems and floated away in the soft breeze. Severus found the whole thing almost cliché in its picturesque beauty.

"Dizzy?" He asked, grinning when it took her several moments to focus on his face.

"I wouldn't be if the world would stop spinning." She said. Her voice was warm and tinged with laughter. She sighed and stretched her arms above her head. Severus couldn't help but follow how the stretch drew his eye down her arm to her chest and waist. She closed her eyes and smiled serenely.

"It's so pretty out today. Too bad Tuney is with that Dursley boy." She wrinkled her nose. "I honestly can't understand what she sees in him... but if she's happy I guess."

Severus stayed silent. He happened to like Vernon Dursley on principle. If only because he kept Lily's annoying sister away and let him spend time with Lily alone.

"Well that doesn't mean I can't enjoy the sunshine." She opened her eyes and looked up at him with a grin. Her grin turned wry.
"What are you staring at Sev?"

Severus shook himself mentally and blinked at her. He had been staring at her face, her hair and now, her bright green eyes.

"You're beautiful." He murmured softly and turned bright red when he realized what he'd said. It was her turn to blink back at him. Then she giggled and swatted at his arm playfully.

"You are too sweet, Sev." She sat up in a swift movement and knelt next to him. "You know, you wouldn't be half bad if you didn't always cover up your face."

She leaned forward and for one terrifying moment he thought she was going to kiss him. Then she stopped and reached behind him. She moved his hair and used a neon pink hairband to put it into a horsetail at the nape of his neck.

"There." She said, in the tone of an artist revealing her work. She reached for a brightly colored bag and pulled a tiny mirror from its depths. Holding it out for him he looked at his reflection. A long pale face with a hooked nose, black eyes and thin lips curved in a wry smile looked back at him. The only difference was that his hair no longer covered half of it when he leaned forward.

He looked back up at her in bewilderment. She rolled her eyes and flounced onto her bum.

"Well, at least your wardrobe has improved since we met." He rolled his eyes back at her.

"Only because you dragged me into half the shops in town." He was currently wearing a pair of dark jeans, a dark gray tee shirt and a pair of black and gray shoes. He suddenly became aware of the contrast they made together in the field.

Lily noticed this as well and tapped a finger on her chin. She glanced around at the meadow strewn with wildflowers and an evil look came over her face.

Before Severus had realized what she had in mind, Lily had gathered handfuls of flowers and was now placing them strategically in his hair.

"Lily..." He tried to admonish her and get her to stop, but only tried halfheartedly. He wouldn't push Lily away. Finally, after setting one extremely large daisy behind his left ear, she leaned back to survey her creation.

Her smile widened dangerously before she thinned her lips to try and control herself.

"You look like Madam Pince when you do that." He said, his mouth crooked.

She lost all control then and fell backwards onto the grass, all but rolling with laughter.

"You.. Yo- oh god, you look like-." But whatever he looked like he would not know because she burst out laughing again.

He stared at her with raised eyebrows until she finally subsided enough to look at him with a straight face. She sat up and hiccuped.
"I sorry -hic- Sev." She struggled to keep her smile calm. Idly, he fisted a hand in the long grass next to him. Then he pulled a hunk up and threw it into her face.

She gasped and almost fell back in surprise. Severus chuckled at her and grabbed his book.

"Oh, it's war!" She cried and grabbed a handful of grass to throw at him. He dodged it, holding up the book to ward her off. She pulled up handful after handful and he had to roll away to deflect them. When he tossed some back at her, he got grass in his mouth. She sat up on her knees laughing and tried to stuff two fistfuls into his face. Instead he grabbed her arms and lost his balance. She fell on top of him and they laughed themselves silly. The laughter subsided and Lily looked down at him, her face inches from his. Severus opened his mouth to say something, closed it and flushed. Lily cocked her head to one side, her brow furrowing slightly and then she rolled off of him.

They stared up at the sky in silence. Severus not really seeing it at all. He loved Lily and he needed to tell her so, before some other boy came along and swept her away. The only problem was how to say so without making her uncomfortable. Was there a way of doing that?

Severus was startled out of his musings when he realized that Lily had spoken.
"Mmmmwhat Lil?"

"Have you ever been kissed?" That brought him back to the present.

"Wh-what?" He turned his head towards her and she propped herself on her side, her head leaning on her hand.

"Have you ever been kissed, Sev?" He opened his mouth. "By someone other than your mum." He closed his mouth.

She stared at him with those bright green eyes and he blushed furiously. He shook his head. She looked thoughtful.

"Have you?" He asked quietly.

"No." She said softly, shaking her head. He shouldn't ask, he knew that, but he couldn't resist.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why did you want to know if I've ever been kissed?" He stared at her. Green met black and she blushed and looked away.

"Petunia has a poetry book that she borrowed from her school for the holiday. It has love poems in it. It makes kissing out to be this wondrous thing but I don't see the appeal. It's just pressing your lips up against a boy's. I guess I wanted to ask you if it's all it's cracked up to be." She stared at a spot passed his head, her face tinged a bright pink.

Severus wished he could tell her that he wanted to kiss her, needed to kiss her. Just to feel her breath with his, her lips on his.
"Can I kiss you Severus?" He stared at her, startled. Did she say it or was he imagining it?

She stared right back at him, biting her lower lip as her face blazed furiously.
"Are you sure?" He asked. Her face fell and she looked like she was going to cry. Oh god...

"No. Of course you wouldn't want to kiss me. I'm-"

He sat bolt up right and grabbed her hand.

"No! Lily, of course I want to kiss you. It's just... are you sure you want to kiss me?" She gave him an incredulous look.

"I asked you didn't I?" Her brow furrowed. "Why wouldn't I want to kiss you Sev?"

He stared at her and his mouth fell open.

"I... well, I..." He looked away. "I'm not exactly James Potter in looks." He glanced back up at her in time to see her roll her eyes.

"Severus." She placed a hand on the side of his face and smiled kindly. "You are ten times the man that Potter is and you're beautiful to me."

Before he could answer her Lily leaned in and pressed her lips to his softly.

His eyes widened in surprise before narrowing slightly. Her lips were soft and warm against his, a light pressure that made his pace quicken just because she was so close to him. Her perfume, some flowery thing filled his nose and he breathed it in reverently.

Hours, days, years filled that kiss and yet it was over in moments.

Lily pulled back just as suddenly as she had leaned in. A blush covered her cheeks as she lifted fingers to her lips. She stared at Severus.

"Oh." Her voice was pitched a tiny bit higher than normal. Severus leaned towards her, his fingers fisting in the grass to keep from pulling her to him.

"Lily?" He asked softly.

"Fizzy."

Severus frowned and tilted his head to one side. She let out a tiny giggle.

"Kisses taste fizzy." Her tongue shot out to lick her lips in a pink flash. Severus unthinkingly took his fingers and stroked the side of her face, dropping until they rested on the back of her neck.

Then, without thought, he leaned in and kissed her again. Lily gasped, her mouth opening slightly beneath his but she didn't pull away. Instead she followed him when his mouth moved against hers, letting her eyes fall shut. They kissed for a long minute before Severus finally pulled back.

They both gasped for air, lips barely an inch apart.

Lily opened her eyes after a moment and green stared into black.

"Oh." She said again, breathlessly. Silence prevailed as they sat in the meadow, neither knowing what to say.

Severus finally opened his mouth.

"Lily. I need to tell you something." She nodded and red hair fell into her face. He smiled and pushed the locks back. He could do this. He could tell Lily that he loved her.

"Lily, I l-."

"LILY EVANS!" A shrill voice broke through the spell. Lily immediately pulled away from Severus and his hand fell into his lap. They turned towards the voice to see Petunia staring at them with wide eyes. Her hands were planted on her hips and her mouth was pressed into a thin line.

"Lily. Mother wants you home now."

Lily nodded and stood up hurriedly.
"Lily..." Severus started but Lily cut him off.

"Sev... umm. Thank you." She looked down at him, her eyes full of hesitation. Then she turned and ran out of the meadow, and away from him.

Severus watched her go and then slowly got to his feet. He walked towards Petunia, who still stood watching him. He ignored her and was just about to pass her when she spoke.

"She doesn't want you." She said, her voice full of venom.

He turned to her and her smile was triumphant.

"She'll never love you." She looked him up and down and snorted derisively. "You don't deserve her."

Severus stared at her for a long moment. Long enough that her smile began to fade. Then he smiled at her sadly, wanting to laugh.

"I know." He said simply and began to walk towards home. "I know."

a/n: I love Severus! So much so that I named my truck after him. :D He never gets his Lil. ^^;

A wondrous thank you to my wondrous beta, one Miss Tiffany-Hobo. :D And a thanks to Katie who, after much persuading and poking, finally read it. 3 to you both.