Happy birthday Neville! and Happy Early birthday Harry!

Hope ya'll enjoy the chapter!

Chapter 38:

Lily woke slowly, her head spun for a moment as she sat up. "This is why I never drink more then a half a glass of wine anymore." Lily muttered as she got off of the couch. The glass was empty and she grabbed it on her way into the kitchen. "Morning Mummy." Ariadne said from the kitchen table, she was eating a bowl of cereal and trying to read at the same time. Lily smiled and shook her head. Ariadne reminded her a lot of herself.

"Morning sweetie." Lily said. She set the glass in the sink and then got out her own cereal. She sat next to her daughter and noticed the calender had been pulled off of the wall. She pulled it towards her and looked at the next few weekends.

"What do you say we invite Uncle Sev over Saturday after next?" Lily said, noticing that it was the next Saturday they had available.

"Why can't we have him over this Saturday?" Ariadne asked. "You're not going out with Mark until dinner, that's a whole day we can brew potions in."

Lily shrugged, her daughter had a point, Mark usually came to get her in the early evening. Unless it was an extremely complicated potion, they really didn't need the whole day. "I'll send him the dates and see what works for him, he may have a detention scheduled already."

"Okay." Ariadne went back to her cereal and book.

Lily ate slowly, remembering what had happened the last time she'd eaten quickly after she'd had too much to drink. "Go start your school work." Lily told her daughter as Ariadne put her dishes in the dishwasher and grabbed her book again.

"Mummy, it's Sunday." Ariadne reminded her mother.

"Right." Lily said, glancing at the calendar again.

"I'll probably read further in my literature book later anyway." Ariadne said, "After I'm done with this book."

"What book are you reading?" Lily asked.

Ariadne didn't say anything, she simply moved the book so Lily could see the cover. "Magical theory? Wasn't that on the list of books for Harry this year? I didn't realize we had a copy. I would have sent it with him if I'd known."

"We didn't have it." Ariadne admitted, her eyes brightening with mirth and pride, "I had Uncle Remus make a copy of it when Harry brought his books home from Diagon Alley."

Lily chuckled, she had a feeling that Ariadne was going to be sorted into Ravenclaw when she went to Hogwarts. The day was slow, Lily sent off the letter to Sev and mainly puttered around the house not doing much of anything. Right before dinner time, Andromeda stepped through the floo, she looked around and after seeing that Ariadne wasn't in the room she spoke.

"I got your message." she raised an eyebrow in amusement.

"Oiiii." Lily said, shaking her head. "I need a sounding board and a stiff drink, but…." she glanced upstairs to where Ariadne was.

Andromeda nodded, walked to the stair well and called up. "Ariadne!"

"Yeah Aunt Andromeda?"

"Pack a bag, you're spending the night with Fantasia."

There was a cheer from upstairs and Andromeda turned to Lily. "Let's get Ariadne to my house and then we'll go to the Three Broomsticks."

Lily nodded in agreement. "Thank you." She got up too, she hadn't bothered to get dressed properly and even though it was just drinks with a friend, she wanted to wear more then sweat pants to the Three Broomsticks.

She finished getting dressed just as Ariadne came out of her room with a bag. "Why am I spending the night with Fantasia?" Ariadne asked.

"Long story." Lily said, "I'll explain when you're older."

"Are you spending the night with Mark?" Ariadne's question made Lily turn sharply.

"What?!" Lily asked. "No, I'm not. What makes you think that?"

"Well, you're getting ready to go somewhere right before dinner. That usually happens when you go on a date with Mark, and I'm spending the night with Fantasia." Ariadne bit her lip, worrying.

"No, I'm not. I'm going out for drinks with Aunt Andromeda at the Three Broomsticks and then coming home, alone."

Ariadne's shoulders dropped in relief. "Good." she said. "I don't like Mark enough for you to spend the night with him."

"You don't like Mark?" Lily asked, this was news to her.

"I like him." Ariadne hedged around the subject, "but he's not like Uncle Sev, Uncle Moony or Uncle Sirius." She shrugged. "He's okay."

That gave Lily another thing to think about in regards to Mark and Severus. On one hand, she wasn't going to let her children dictate her love life. But she also wasn't going to make her children spend time with someone they absolutely hated, even if that someone was her boyfriend. Her children came first, anyone she dated would have to understand that.

She looked into her daughter's eyes. "I may not ever spend the night with Mark, sweetie, I don't know if I like him that much either."

Ariadne smiled. "Good."

Both Potter women came downstairs, Andromeda was sitting on the couch reading. She looked up as they both came into the sitting room.

"Ready?" She asked.

"Yep." Ariadne went first through the floo and Andromeda stepped through.

Lily went directly to the Three Broomsticks and got a table and ordered a couple of butterbeers. Andromeda came in a few minutes later and slipped into the seat across from Lily.

"So…" she drew out the word, suddenly sounding like Sirius.

Lily groaned and shook her head. "I hardly know where to begin."

"Why don't you start at the beginning?" Andromeda asked.

"Well, Harry's first Quidditch game was yesterday."Andromeda nodded quietly. "And someone tried to curse Harry off of his broom when he was 200 feet up." Andromeda gasped in shock, but Lily kept talking. "Severus, my friend, and I were doing the counter curse but Ariadne figured out who was cursing Harry and tackled him."

"Good for her." Andromeda said. "I hope he's been charged with….." Lily shook her head and Andromeda stopped mid - sentence. "Why not?"

"I didn't hear him, and neither did any other adult. Who would believe the word of a 9 year old?"

"Madam Bones might." Andromeda said. "She's fair."

"But could we guarantee that she's the one who gets this case?" Lily asked. She and Sev had talked about this, when they'd been behind the greenhouses the day before.

"There has to be something you can do."

"My friend Severus said he's looking into things to see if there is anything that we can do." Lily said.

"And Severus is the friend who…." Andromeda trailed off.

"Yeah, he's the friend I might fancy." Lily said.

"Give me all the details."

"Yesterday, after Dumbledore banned Ariadne from attending the rest of the season, Severus and I were talking and…." Lily trailed off, sipping her butterbeer.

"Did you guys snog?" Andromeda asked eagerly, leaning forward.

Lily shook her head, "no, we didn't even kiss." She took in a breath. "But I reached out for a hug and…." She blushed now. "It felt so much better to be in his arms then it ever has with Mark. It felt wonderful. It's been years since Severus and I hugged, he's not normally a touchy feely guy, but being in his arms felt familiar. I saw him look Ariadne in the eyes and he apologized for the stupid grudge he's held all these years. To be honest, I think we'd have a real chance of making it, but I also wonder if I'm just thinking this because I'm not entirely happy with Mark." Lily took a gulp of buttterbeer, finishing off her glass. She got Rosmerta's attention and ordered a fire whiskey.

"I have a suggestion" Andromeda said. "It's a piece of advice I got from a friend while at Hogwarts."

Lily nodded "Yeah?"

"If you're really unhappy with Mark, break up with him." Lily nodded quietly. "Then wait a couple of months and re-evaluate if you want a relationship with Severus." Andromeda shrugged, "By giving yourself a couple of months after breaking things off with Mark, you give yourself a chance to be single for a while and really think about what you want in your next relationship. You mentioned you're not really happy with Mark, there's a reason you're unhappy." Madam Rosemerta put Lily's drink in front of her, Lily nodded silent thanks to the barkeeper as Andromeda kept talking.

"Figure out what you're unhappy with when it comes to you and Mark, so there's less of a chance of it becoming an issue with your next relationship, no matter who that relationship is with."

Lily nodded. "That's a good idea." She said, before taking a large swig of her Fire whiskey. "Plus, giving me a couple of months after Mark, will make sure that Severus isn't a rebound relationship."

Andromeda nodded and the 2 women clinked glasses before taking another large sip.

Severus entered the Three Broomsticks with only one thought in mind: to spend some time alone. But apparently fate had other plans, Lily stumbled out of the door just as he opened it. She fell into his arms and Severus's arms wrapped around her to keep her steady.

"Hi Severus." Lily said, looking up at him.

"Lily…." A woman who looked somewhat familiar came out right behind her.

"I'm sorry sir." The other woman said, she reached for Lily.

"It's all right, I actually know Lily." Severus said,

"It's Severus." Lily said, drawing out her S's. "It's my friend Ann -" she stopped, mid word. "Andromeda."

"I couldn't tell in the dark."

"You know Sev, I don't think I should Apperate." Lily informed him. "Or take the floo right now. I feel a tad dizzy."

No shit Sherlock. Severus thought. He made no disguise of his disgust at the smell of Lily's breath. How much had she had to drink?

Lily stepped closer. "But I have to get home." she informed Severus as if he thought she should spent the night in the bar.

"I'll get you home before I go home to our girls." Andromeda said, she took hold of Lily's shoulders and tried to guide her down the street.

"No!" Lily pulled away from Andromeda. "Ted can't handle that situation. He needs you there, Sev will get me home."

"I'll be happy to make sure Lily gets home." Severus said. "If you need to get home to your family."

"My husband is freaking out." Andromeda said. "He is in over his head right now."

"I'll take care of Lily." Severus said, "You go."

Andromeda nodded, looking relieved. "Thank you." She quickly walked away from them, going up the street in the direction of the apperation point.

Severus and Lily made their way in that direction much slower, Lily was stumbling in one direction then another as she walked and Severus finally put both hands on Lily's shoulders and guided her to the apperation point. Then, he put an arm around her and apperated to the kitchen of Lily's house. After they landed, they simply stood there for a moment, but then Lily darted to the trash can and retched into it. She bent over the trash for several minutes, emptying the contents of her stomach.

Severus turned the kitchen lights on and rummaged through the cupboards for a moment. He came upon some Sober-up potion and set it out. Lily finished at the trash can and went to one of the cupboards and grabbed a glass. After filling it with water, she rinsed her mouth out.

"Tonight was a bad idea." Lily said, staring at the sink.

20 years of friendship was the only thing that made Severus try not to scoff in agreement. Bad idea?

Lily turned and caught sight of the sober-up potion. "Thanks." She took a swig of it and then looked up at Severus. "I don't deserve you as a friend, Sev."

"That's the alcohol talking, Lily." Severus sighed, "Go to bed."

Lily took a couple of steps before staggering. "I'm just dizzy, I'm okay." Lily said. Severus shook his head. So much for a few hours alone. He guided Lily upstairs and into her bedroom. She took a couple more swigs of the sober-up potion on the way upstairs.

"Go to bed." Severus repeated, gentler this time as they entered Lily's bedroom.

"Thank you Sev, you really are such a good friend."

"You're welcome Lily." Severus said. He started to guide her towards the bed but she stumbled and he instinctively reached out and grabbed her so she wouldn't fall. Lily dropped the potion bottle and clutched at Severus to keep from falling.

Lily stared up at him, her green eyes shining in the moonlight. His mouth moved for a moment before he finally spoke.

"Are you all right?"

Lily didn't respond, her eyes flitted across his face. She seemed to be searching for something, but for what? Severus swallowed hard and opened his mouth to say something else but without warning, Lily's mouth closed over his. All thoughts vanished from his mind, all he could concentrate on was the feel of her lips on his and the way it felt to have Lily's hands moving over his arms.

He returned the kiss without thought. How many times had he lain awake at night wondering what it would feel like to hold Lily and kiss her? How many times had he imagined kissing her? Holding her? Touching her? Sweet Merlin, reality was better then his dreams. One of them moaned as he pulled her closer and then backed her against the door jam. His hands came up to cradle her face as she clutched at him. They broke apart, both gasping for breath and Lily moved towards the bed. She'd taken his hand and their arms stretched between them.

It was her movement that made Severus think. He didn't follow her and Lily turned as their hands started to come apart. "Sev…" Lily started but Severus shook his head and let go of Lily's hand.

"You're drunk, Lily." Severus said quietly. "You don't know what you're doing and I'm not going to take advantage of you like this. I shouldn't have even kissed you."

"Severus, you have no idea how much I want…" Lily started.

"You have a boyfriend, Lily," Severus interrupted shortly. "If this is such a smart idea, and you want me so badly; break up with him, and come see me when you're sober. Merlin knows I'll say yes."

Lily stepped forward but Severus put a hand up to stop her. "Goodnight Lily." And with that, he turned around and walked down the stairs. He could hear Lily enter the hallway but he didn't turn or stop. Once down in the kitchen he took a moment to catch his breath before he apperated. He noticed the open cupboard where he'd found the sober-up potion and saw a bottle of muggle pain relievers. He quietly took the bottle out and set it on the counter, Lily would need it in the morning. And with that, he apperated away.

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