Saturday dawned, and from the looks of the thick, black clouds looming in the sky, rain was threatening to fall. Severus sighed as he looked out his window that morning. While he normally enjoyed rainy days, today was different. With the visit to Hogsmeade, he was hoping for a sunny day, the chilly type in late autumn when the crispness of the air smelled of dried leaves and smoky fires blazing in homes, the image of the interior being warm and comfortable, feeling like a fuzzy sweater or the embrace of a loved one.

The weather wouldn't dampen his spirit, though. Despite his mood at the end of the previous day, being reminded of his teaching days and how they had terminated, Severus was going to have a good day today. He had promised Lily a visit to Hogsmeade like they had never had before, and so, he left his bed and proceeded into his private bathroom to shower, making sure he washed his hair thoroughly.

After finishing in the bathroom with his other morning ablutions, he found his nicest robes and put them on. They weren't dress robes, and since all of Severus's Muggle clothes were secondhand from his father and were a few years old and therefore out of style, he didn't want to wear them, especially to a wizarding village. While Lily had nice Muggle clothing she sometimes wore on weekends, Severus chose to wear robes. It was convenient and easier, for as any man would contest, choosing what to wear was not usually very high on his list of priorities.

Severus stopped to examine himself one last time in the mirror before heading out. He didn't normally give so much attention to his physical appearance, but today was to be special. One of the things he was grateful for in his new life was to have his youth back, at least in the physical sense. Severus had been quite young, especially by wizarding standards, when he had died, but he thought he had looked prematurely older. The young face staring back at him had taken some getting used to, but to no longer have the lines wrought by worry and stress and the yellowish pallor that his skin and teeth had taken on as he had grown older was nice.

And his hair... well, he had made sure to keep it as clean as possible ever since returning to life. Like most teenagers, the amount of oil produced was more than it would be during other times in life, but the jokes about Severus being the "greasy git" had mostly stopped. Part of the reason Severus had always liked his hair long was so he could hide behind it, but he didn't let it hang in his face nowadays like he used to. Tucking it behind his ears was preferable, and as Lily would tease him, she wanted to see his face. Thinking of Lucius Malfoy's aristocratic ponytail at the base of his neck, Severus wondered how the style would look on him. He certainly didn't have a hair tie, but he found a single sock and transfigured it into a simple black tie and pulled his hair back. He gazed at himself, unsure of the look. Should he take the ponytail out? Did it just make his nose appear bigger?

No, it wasn't so terrible, Severus concluded. Satisfied, he left the room. He had what he considered the perfect plans for today with Lily... a whole day just with her! As he walked down the hall to breakfast, Severus allowed himself to smile slightly.

He didn't notice the group of Hufflepuff girls, who couldn't have been older than third years, staring at him with something akin to awe. A couple of them giggled, but it was a delightful laughter, and Severus immediately wiped the smile off his face. His dreamy expression had entertained the girls, and as he was now looked upon in a favorable light by some of the student body, thirteen-year-olds were going to be attracted to an older boy.

Severus thought of sending a glare in their direction for a minute, if only for amusement, but his mood was so good, he couldn't muster it. He simply nodded at them in passing and went on his way. He wasn't going to provoke them with a response in words.

When Severus finally reached the Great Hall, it was already quite full, as he had taken longer than usual to get ready. He found Lily sitting next to Mary Macdonald, and catching her eye, smiled at her. Lily returned the smile, her eyes roaming up and down his body, liking what she saw.

"Wow, Lily," Mary murmured to her friend. "Your boyfriend does clean up rather nicely."

"I like to think so," Lily replied, truly impressed by what she saw.

James glanced in Severus's direction as the girls spoke, his eyes following the Slytherin boy until he sat down at his table.

"Am I to assume he has something up his sleeve?" James asked Lily teasingly.

"Maybe," Lily said nonchalantly, not wanting to give away anything and enjoying the reaction she might get out of James. Honestly, she didn't know what Severus had planned for today, but she knew he had been looking forward to this day for a long time.

"Hmm, I suppose it's a good thing I'm no longer competing with him for your affection," James replied lazily, taking a bite of egg.

Lily watched the smug expression on his face, confused. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, Mary hasn't told you?"

"Told me what?" Lily inquired, turning to regard her friend.

Mary blushed and said quietly, "James and I are dating."

"Oh, well, congratulations," Lily said graciously, happy for her friend. "When did this start?"

"It's only been a week," Mary explained.

"'Only a week?!" James asked in mock shock.

Mary and Lily giggled, and James winked at Sirius, who was sitting next to him. Lily sobered when she noticed the sullen expression on Sirius's handsome face.

"What's wrong with you?" she questioned, perhaps not in the most sensitive voice.

"Nothing I want to share with you, Evans," Sirius muttered, turning away from James and the others.

Lily cast James a concerned, puzzled look, but James only shrugged, obviously not wanting to talk about it. Across from James and Sirius, Remus and Peter were in conversation, so Sirius was left to himself to eat in silence. As Lily watched the Marauders for a minute, she wondered if they were growing apart. A year ago, she probably wouldn't have cared, but working with Remus and Peter these past two weeks had made her grow closer to them. While she had been friends with Remus for years, they hadn't been particularly close, but now she felt she could call him a good friend. And James... well, James had matured a lot in the past year. He was rarely the prat he used to be, but Sirius didn't seem to like the changes in his friends. Lily frowned, knowing this was partly because of Severus's involvement in their lives, but Severus hadn't done anything wrong. He had been more willing to be civil with the group of boys who had bullied him for years than he ever had.

Lily finished her breakfast, suddenly eager to leave the discomfort and tension around her. She walked to the Slytherin table, receiving a few glowers, but most of the students simply ignored her. That was a vast improvement over the past, when she would have heard "Mudblood" and other such obscenities muttered amongst the students.

"Good morning, Sev," she greeted Severus when she came upon him.

Severus wiped his face with the napkin and pushed the plate away.

"Good morning, Lily," he returned. Standing, he added, "Good timing. I just finished."

They walked out of the Great Hall and into the Entrance Hall.

"We still have a half-hour before they will let us go," Severus observed.

"We need to get our cloaks, anyway," Lily said.

"Do you want to go to your room first?" he asked.

"Sure."

As they strolled down the corridor and stairs, Lily and Severus talked quietly. They retrieved Lily's cloak from her room, and then proceeded to Severus's room to get his.

Standing right outside his door, Lily said softly, "You look really... wow, Sev."

"Really wow?" Severus asked, chuckling.

"Mmm," Lily replied, kissing him. She reached behind his neck and gently grasped the ponytail, running her hand over his hair. "I like it."

"I thought I'd try something different," Severus replied, feeling warm all of a sudden.

"You didn't have to get so dressed up-"

"I wanted to... for you."

"But I didn't put on anything special. We still have time. Should I go back and change?" Lily asked, starting to fret a little.

Severus placed a long, thin finger delicately on her lips, silencing her. "You look lovely," he said. "You could go without wearing anything, and you'd look lovely." Severus said those words without realizing what he was uttering, and as soon as they escaped his lips, his pale cheeks turned red.

Lily blushed, too, and bit her bottom lip, her mouth slowly curling upward into a tantalizing smile. "Oh, Sev," she giggled.

"I'm sorry-"

"Shh, silly boy," Lily said sweetly, now silencing him with a gentle finger to the lips. "You've nothing to apologize for. You think I don't return the sentiment?"

"I, uh..." Severus was at a loss for words.

Realizing there was no need to elaborate further, Lily grabbed his hand and pulled him down the hall. "Come on, Sev; snap out of it!" she joked.

Dazed, and pleasantly so, Severus nodded mutely and allowed Lily to lead him down the hall and back toward the front doors. By the time they reached the Entrance Hall, students were leaving the castle, and they joined them, proceeding out the large oaken doors, down the steps, and on the gravel pathway leading to the gates. The walk to Hogsmeade took about fifteen minutes, but with the chatter of students all around them, the momentary silence they had enjoyed, awkwardness and all, dissipated. Caught in the thrill of an entire day together, Severus and Lily walked faster than many of the students around them. At one point, Lily tugged on Severus's hand, saying, "Your legs are longer than mine, Sev! I can't keep up if you insist on going that fast!"

"Right, sorry," Severus mumbled, eager to reach the village.

Once they were in Hogsmeade, Severus said, "Well, whatever you want to do, we can do, Lily. Where do you want to go first?"

Lily, thinking Severus still had something planned he was refusing to share, smiled knowingly. "All right," she said. "I think we're overdue for a visit to Honeydukes."

Severus didn't care much for sweets, but he obliged Lily and let her lead the way to the sweets shop. The place was already packed with students, and it was impossible to maneuver one's way through the milling crowd without bumping into someone else. Severus resigned himself to this fact and held fast to Lily's hand. She surveyed the new items, picking some of the more entertaining ones up and asking Severus for his opinion. He made a face of disgust at every sweet she held up.

"If you must purchase something that will make your teeth rot, why not just settle for Chocolate Frogs? At least they're harmless," Severus suggested.

"And we used to be so intent on collecting the Wizard Cards when we were kids," Lily laughed. "Okay, Sev, lead the way."

Severus found the Chocolate Frog display and asked, "How many do you want?"

"One for each of us?" she suggested. "We can find a quiet spot in The Three Broomsticks before it gets crowded and swap cards for old times' sake."

Nodding, Severus grabbed two Chocolate Frogs and paid for them. They exited the shop as quickly as possible, and Severus was relieved to be in the cold again. Honeydukes had been too hot and stuffy. They went to The Three Broomsticks next and found a table in the corner. Severus ordered two butterbeers, still wishing he could order something that wasn't so juvenile, but all seventeen-year-olds drank the sweet drink.

Once they were settled with their drinks, Lily raised her bottle.

"I say we toast," she said heartily.

"Okay, to what?" Severus asked, amused.

"To us, Sev; to us."

"I'll drink to that any day," Severus said, fully smiling.

They clinked their bottles together and took a long swig each.

"Now, open your Chocolate Frog, Sev!" Lily urged.

"And I suppose you'll want me to eat it, too?" Severus inquired, smirking.

"Well, of course."

"Lily, if this keeps up, my teeth are going to rot away by the end of the day," Severus said dryly.

"Just open the card," Lily insisted with an exaggerated roll of the eyes.

"All right, all right," Severus complied, surrendering. He ripped open the package, and the frog immediately tried to jump away. Severus grabbed the chocolate wonder before it could elicit one full jump and shoved it into his mouth. He chewed the enchanted life out of the thing and took another sip of butterbeer to wash the chocolate down. The sugar from the frog and the beer coated his teeth, and running his tongue over them, Severus winced. "Ugh, too much sweetness for me."

"Perhaps you're right," Lily said sarcastically. Then she kissed him fully on the lips, not caring who saw.

When Severus could breathe again, his eyes large with amazed shock, he remarked, "Maybe not too much sweetness after all."

Lily laughed and ate her frog. They looked at their cards, finding they had both gotten Dumbledore, but exchanged them anyway, shoving them into their pockets. They spent the next hour in the pub, exchanging stories from the years of visits to Hogsmeade. After another round of butterbeers, Severus paid, and they left. They walked down the street some, until coming to the book shop.

"Do you want to go in?" Severus asked.

"Definitely," Lily agreed.

The moment they stepped inside, a loud crack of thunder echoed across the sky, rattling the building. A couple of seconds later, the rain began to fall.

"We got inside just in time," Lily remarked.

Nodding, Severus led them to their favorite place near the back of the shop. They perused the shelves, each finding an interesting title, and sat down near one of the fireplaces to read through their books.

"Today has been perfect," Lily suddenly said, gazing up from her book.

Severus lifted his eyes from the text on the page and closed the book, setting it on his lap. He returned the gaze, watching as the firelight danced across her porcelain face, casting shadows here and there, making her vibrant hair redder, and the little flames in her green eyes beckoned him to come closer... so he did.

"And it's not over yet," Severus said softly. If they had been alone and in private, he would have picked her up and kissed her, but their moment was broken when a group of loud students came bustling past them.

Severus seemed a little irritated by the presence of the others, so Lily asked, "Did you want to go somewhere else?"

"It's still raining," Severus said in a strained voice.

Lily wanted to ask if something was the matter, but with too many people around, she stood and waited for Severus to do the same.

"Did you want that book?" he abruptly asked.

"No, that's okay," Lily lied. She knew he would insist on paying for it, just as he had for the Chocolate Frogs and the butterbeers. Those things weren't expensive, but knowing Severus didn't have much money, she didn't want to put him in that position.

"Let me get the book for you, Lily," Severus insisted. Just as she made to return the book to its original position on the shelf, his hand stilled hers, and he took the book. "I'm buying this one," he said, holding up the book he had been perusing.

"Sev, not to be intrusive, but-"

"I know what you're thinking," Severus said, "but I've got it covered."

Lily hoped he wasn't just saying that to be nice, and not wanting to argue over something trivial, she relented and let him purchase the book for her. They made their way to the front of the book shop and saw that the rain had eased up, only falling in a drizzle now. Severus muttered a charm to keep them dry, tapping Lily and then himself. He held the bag containing the books in one hand and took her hand with the other.

"So, where are we going now?" Lily asked, genuinely curious.

"That, my dear, is a surprise," Severus replied.

By the expression on his face, Lily knew he was up to something, and while she longed to probe further, she kept quiet, not wanting to spoil the surprise. Severus led her down the street far, and they were almost on the edge of town, but he stopped in front of a nondescript store front.

"Where are we?" Lily questioned, but then she read the little sign. "Gina's Jewelers?"

Severus nodded. "Come inside."

Lily had no words, but she let Severus lead the way through the door and into the shop. Once inside, her jaw nearly dropped open in amazement. From the outside, the place seemed like nothing special, but inside, it was larger and spectacularly decorated. Gold and silver jewelry, dressed with diamonds and precious stones, glittered all around her.

"Sev, what-?" Lily tried to ask, but her eyes were fixated on the sheer beauty of what she was experiencing.

Severus nodded to the lady behind the counter, and the woman stepped out of the room, warding the front door, so no one else would be able to enter. Once it was just the two of them, Severus placed the bag with the books on the floor and nervously swallowed. He got down on one knee, taking Lily's hand in both of his and kissing it reverently. His eyes locked with hers for the longest time, and he lost his words. Lily stared intensely back into his eyes, on the verge of tears, waiting with bated breath for what she knew was to come.

"Any ring," Severus finally croaked. He cleared his throat, wishing it would stop constricting, but his heart was thudding heavily in his chest, rebounding all the way up to his ears, and he felt like a thousand butterflies had just gotten loose in his stomach. He felt like he was floating in a drunken euphoric haze, and warmth was penetrating from all sides, adding to the indescribable feeling in his heart. His eyes continued to be locked to those enchanting green orbs, and he found himself lost in them, but then he found the courage to continue.

"Any ring in here is not nearly as beautiful as you, but for you and only you, Lily, I wish to give any ring you desire as a symbol of my heart, which I freely and completely give to you, you and only you, Lily, my heart's deepest desire. Lily, I- I love you beyond anything I could ever say with words, and I know..." he choked, feeling the hot wetness of tears threatening to fall. He blinked, and he felt a stray tear roam slowly down his cheek, but he was so happy, he didn't care. "I know I am not the perfect man by any means, but I swear to you, Lily, I give you everything I have. Lily, will you marry me?"

Lily's face burst into a smile, and the tears spilled over. "Yes, Sev, yes!" she exclaimed, her voice shrill with utter joy. She leapt forward and planted kiss after kiss on his face, and Severus was smiling and laughing, holding her close. They finally locked lips and kissed for a long, long while, embracing tightly, the passion of love such as theirs evident in every small move.

There was so much Severus wished to say, and just as the shop's owner came to the front to congratulate the happy couple, a chorus of voices rang outside. Severus heard a long bang, feeling the building shake. He thought for a fleeting second it had simply been the thunder, but he knew that was ridiculous. He cast an apologetic look at Lily as he rushed to the front door and opened it.

Outside, the rain was falling in earnest again, but there was a greenish glow in the clouded darkness. Gasps and cries echoed through the street, and with growing dread in the pit of his stomach, Severus's eyes turned heavenward, but he certainly didn't see anything resembling the heaven he had just left inside the shop. No, what he saw was a horrific vision from nightmares that still plagued him in this life.

The Dark Mark was in the sky, leering down over the village, and from an alley a short distance across the street, a girl screamed, "Someone's just been killed!"

Severus withdrew back into the jewelry shop and turned a heavy gaze to Lily. "The ring will have to wait," he said grimly.