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When I saw you, I fell in love, and you smiled because you knew. We were the same in that very first moment; feeling emotions neither of us had ever imagined before then.
-James Potter-
It all happened on a relatively normal Tuesday in November – a burning cold nipping at everyone’s toes and fingers. There wasn’t any snow on the ground just yet, but that didn’t stop the hazel eyed teen’s seasonal depression from hitting; it was only a matter of time until the white flakes fell from the sky after all.
He’d been walking through the chilly Hogwarts halls on his way towards the heated Gryffindor common room when a particular redhead grabbed him by the arm, steering him away.
She wasn’t a stranger to him, of course, as his friend group and hers had slowly gotten closer in the past year and a half. It had all started when Sirius and Marlene dated, but that was neither here nor there.
“Lily?” He questioned her, confused by her urgency. They didn’t know each other well, to be fair, yet this wasn't typically like her either.
“Don’t lag behind, James,” she demanded in lieu of answering him.
Rolling his eyes at the back of her head, he changed directions by asking, “Where are we going?”
“You’ll see.”
“Are you seriously not going to tell me anything–?”
“Just trust me,” her words were so earnest that he felt as if he needed to let her guide him wherever she wanted them to go without complaint. So, he did.
After several turned hallways and minutes later, they came upon an abandoned part of the school. There, hidden within an alcove, was the outline of a fellow student. One belonging to Slytherin house going by their robes peaking out.
Lily pulled him towards the other, nary missing a beat before introducing him, “Sev, this is James.”
As the other wizard heard his name, he turned around – black, or perhaps dark brown it was hard to tell in the poor light, met hazel and James’ breath caught in his throat at the sight. The world was suddenly still around them, unmoving besides the muffled, murky voice of Lily Evans continuing her introductions, “James, this is Severus Snape.”
“Hi,” the wild haired teen replied, lamely. If he had been more aware of himself, he would’ve been embarrassed by his lack of tact. As it was, his heart was stuck beating wildly in his chest and his hands were suddenly clammy.
“Hullo,” the other boy – Severus – greeted back, his accent washing over James like a refreshing waterfall. Dark eyes crinkled with his smile, it was sweet yet cheeky, and everything that the Gryffindor could ever want.
If he died in that moment, at least he would’ve died happy , wasn’t a thought he expected to pass through his mind but had nonetheless.
Neither of them noticed as Lily slipped away, a triumphant grin plastered on her face.
“Where have you been all my life?” The words just slipped right out James’ mouth, not under his say-so, but too quickly to take back afterwards.
“Passing by just out of the corner of your eye,” Severus’ retort was sarcastic, an amused lilt to it.
“You’ll never be stuck in such a place again,” the hazel eyed boy promised, and he meant every word. Never once before had he met someone whom he was drawn to as fiercely as the teen standing in front of him.
It could almost make one wonder if they’d been given a love potion, but then he wouldn’t have needed Lily to introduce them.
Yet all he knew in that moment was want .
Fin.