Loving Lily: A Snily Story

Chapter 44 - A Peaceful Summer

"Just think, El!" Harriet exclaimed one afternoon as they traipsed through the portion of the woods directly in front of the Snapes' cottage, "Not long until you'll be with me at Hogwarts! You, me, Ron, and Hermione will have so much fun together!"

Harriet's bright, hopeful smile faded when she saw the sad frown on her brother's pale face.

Ellery stumbled to a stop as his sister halted to ask, "El?.....What's the matter?"

"What.....What if your friends don't like me?" Ellery asked Harriet as he kept his frown.

Harriet scoffed, "Well......why would they not like you?"

"Because I'm more like Dad." Ellery said with a wisdom beyond his few years of life, "And you're more like Mum. It's easy for people to like you, sissy."

"People like Dad!" Harriet laughed.

"Not as many people as Mum." Ellery frowned.

"Come on, El." Harriet ordered as she resumed their walk, "You're being ridiculous, my friends will like you as much as they like me and that's final....I can't wait for you to come to Hogwarts! It'll be so much fun after you get sorted into Gryffindor! You can try out for the Quidditch team too! Won't that be exciting?!"

"Sure." Ellery quietly agreed, "......Of course."

As he and Harriet walked along, that same doubtful frown marred his face that seemed to be an exact replica of the one Severus usually wore.

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The Snape family often spent their evenings outside that summer, as they sat underneath the stars at Lily's urging while they all chatted and marveled at the constellations in the sky.

Harriet and Ellery listened quietly as Severus told them about each and every one.

Lily couldn't help but smile as her husband managed to turn their careless nights into opportunities for educational lessons.

Sometimes after the children had gone to bed, Severus and Lily would sit on the lawn of their cottage and take an extra moment to admire the night sky.

Lily would lay her head on Severus's chest and he would wrap his arms around her as they both enjoyed the silence, before going into the house and seeking out their own room.

"It feels too perfect to be real, doesn't it?" Lily asked as Severus closed their bedroom door behind them one night.

He furrowed his brow as he glanced over at her and spoke, "........My love?"

"This summer....This peace!" Lily laughed as she opened their bedroom window and let the fresh, evening breeze roll inside.

Severus frowned as he watched Lily sit down on the bed and enjoy the burst of cool air that blew over her face and rustled her crimson tresses, "It's too perfect to be believable, Severus. Harriet's been home these many weeks and we've been a proper, unhindered family with no meetings, no visits, no threats from......"

Lily sighed as Severus glided over, sat down beside her on the bed, and took her hand in his.

"My love, though we are going through a merciful pause of interruptions, the threat of the Dark Lord will remain real and present until the day comes that Harriet brings his defeat." Severus said as he kept his frown. Lily closed her eyes as Severus added, "Don't let it drag your spirits down......Harriet is strong.....growing stronger by the day.....I have little doubt in my mind that when the time comes, she'll-"

"-I know, Sev." Lily whispered as she squeezed her husband's hand and let out a weighty sigh, ".........I know."

Severus frowned, but she tapped her fingers against the back of his palm as she drew another deep breath and spoke, "I appreciate your confidence, it's not from a place of doubt.....It's only........Well, no mother wants to imagine her baby battling monsters. It's a rather unpleasant notion."

"I may not be her mother..." Severus began with an undertone of warm sympathy in his low voice, "Yet, I don't care to imagine it myself, Lily."

Lily sighed one last time as she gave Severus's hand another squeeze before she opened her sparkling, emerald eyes and breathed in the refreshing night air.

Severus's frown deepened as he paused to study the look of graceful anguish on his wife's fair face.

"Tell me what I can do, my love." Severus commanded his beautiful flower as his brow furrowed with the desire to alleviate his bride's inner turmoil, "Tell me what I can do to ease you, Lily, and it will be done.....immediately."

"Just be with me, Sev." Lily sighed as she gave him a wry smile before she closed her eyes again, "Just be with me."

The gentle sounds of the summer night quietly wafted through the open window as Severus sat beside Lily and dutifully held her hand.

As he studied her face, his contemplative examination brought him closer to her than he realized.

Her eyes popped open and widened slightly when she saw how near to her face his had become.

"Sev......." Lily whispered as her emerald eyes flickered down to his lips for a brief moment.

"Lily......" Severus breathed as his dark gaze bore into her, glimmering with longing and soft with love.

Lily's eyes closed again as Severus moved forward and boldly pressed his lips against his bride's.

The quiet sounds of a warm summer's evening continued to roll in from the open window as Severus and Lily's kiss deepened.

Lily's hands moved to his chest as he pulled her closer on the bed.

Their kiss continued until they eventually fell back on the pillows.

A wandless vanishing spell rid them of their pesky clothes.

After Severus cast a subtle Silencing Charm, he busied himself with consuming his bride for his and Lily's contentment......

He kissed all the way down, first her jawline, then her throat, sternum, across both of her breasts in painstaking detail, and over her belly.

Eventually, his mouth brushed her warm center.

Severus closed the window with another bit of wandless magic before he began to devour his precious flower.

He could not eliminate the threat of Voldemort, nor could he promise his wife that times of fear and doubt did not loom ahead.

Severus could, however, temporarily blind her with pleasure, if only to distract her from her pain for a moment.

As he held Lily's creamy thighs in his hands and dove forward, she knotted her fingers in the silky strands of his raven-black hair.

The cries of bliss that came from Mrs. Snape's open mouth that night sent shivers down Severus's spine.