With a hush of anticipation in the air, intense eyes stare at a dark-haired teenager chewing something. A short time later, an answer sounded.

"Caramel," said Severus, amused.

"Dude, it's not possible! You must be cheating." Says Steve.

Cheating is not far from the truth, but Severus would never admit it. Smiling mysteriously he says, "Coincidence?"

Incredulous, Lily looked at him questioningly and said, "7 times?---In a row?"

True, he could have caught some bad-tasting beans, but where was the fun? Seeing his reactions were hilarious. "What can I do if I'm lucky?" Severus said with a shrug.

Mary wanted to congratulate Severus' bald-faced trick. She didn't know how the boy had cheated, but he'd done it under everyone's watchful eye and no one had figured out how.

Navi says annoyed: "It's not fair---"

Interrupting, Severus says amusedly: "No crying! Everyone watched me and found nothing wrong. I even handed over my wand."

"But..." starts to say, Steve.

"Rules are rules, as agreed you all will have to hear my challenge," said Severus.

A little reluctantly, the group nods and waits for what he has to say. "Let's see..." Severus says pretending to be making up his mind.

After some suspense, Severus points in the direction of an old house on top of the hill and says: "A test of courage, you must have heard about that house that is said to be haunted."

Turning around, the group observes the pointed direction. Rumors about that place have circulated in recent years and many students gossip about it. Residents of Hogsmead are said to have reported hearing screams some nights and they said there to be haunted. It is not known exactly when it started, but it was somewhere around 2-3 years ago.

Pale from the proposal, Navi starts to shake with fear and stammers: "yo-yo-you must be ki-kidding."

"Shrieking Shack?" question Lily with a raised eyebrow.

Shrieking Shack, the name that many call it. It is true that looking at an abandoned house, with boards that close its doors and windows, causes a certain fear. However, Severus was not afraid of that, many 5-7 year students do challenges and manage to get out without any problems. Without counting his skills to feel something dangerous, then everything would be fine.

"Exactly! We don't need to go in, just getting closer will be enough," explains Severus.

"I'm in!" said adventurous Lily.

"Er--- Well, I agree," says Mary in a hesitant voice. Even if she's a Gryffindor and wasn't a coward... Let's say she wouldn't actively look for danger.

Seeing the two girls agree, Steve and Navi's male pride coerced them into accepting.

"Fine, I will! But if I die in that place --- I'll come back to haunt you, okay?" Warns Steve pale.

"No problem, now let's increase the difficulties... It would be very easy if it were all together," begins to explain Severus. "I suggest we do pairs, it will be much scarier if it's in small groups."

Navi, not liking the idea, says, "Er --- Is this really necessary? I don't think it is."

"Of course it's necessary, what would be the fun if you don't have emotion? Where are your 'Gryffindor spirits'?" Says Severus mocking with the last part.

"Hey, I'm Hufflepuff and I'm proud of it," says Steve, jokingly.

"I'm a Ravenclaw and my obligations are the books," defends Navi.

Needless to say, Lily quickly agreed with the idea, a root Gryffindor indeed. But there was a small problem...

"We're in odd numbers here," points out Mary, looking at him, questioningly.

"That's the minus, one group will have 3 members," says Severus as he takes a stick and cuts it into 5 equal parts. "Among these five sticks, two of them I made a mark --- you chose one among them without knowing which is which."

After the draw, the groups were:

Navi, Steve, and Mary; Severus and Lily.

Little did they know the trick, the secret was that Severus had disguised and not made the marks at first. When he went to deliver them one by one, in Lily's turn he lightly marked the stick she had chosen with a light pressure of his hands and in his own, he used the same tactic. So, both of them as a duo.

Discussing the last details with each other, they come to a conclusion and decide to let Lily and Severus go first.

No one had realized the ulterior motives of the draw or even that challenge. Severus smiles for having everything under control and now it remains to be seen what happens...

...

Going up the hill, they both say nothing. Lily looked tense after she realized the implications of being alone with Severus. Although she had gotten better control of her emotions in recent weeks, this situation reminded her of that night in the astronomy tower.

"You look tense, Lily--- Ehh? And I thought I was the Slytherin," jokes Severus trying to break the ice.

With mild annoyance, she slapped him on the shoulder and then laughed.

"I'm not afraid of anything," she says obstinately.

"Oh? We'll see..." said Severus in a dubious tone.

Hearing that, Lily stared at him with a raised eyebrow. She is a brave and proud Lioness. And her look showed that she was not afraid and that she didn't like the previous comment.

But instead of apologizing, Severus just starts laughing.

Lily wanted to hit that rascal, how dare he laugh at her? Seeing that irritating look of his… Lily felt annoyed, but there was also another unfamiliar feeling.

"What's the fun?" Challenge her.

Wiping the tears from the corners of his eyes, Severus replies. "Nothing! --- I just think you look even more beautiful when you are obstinate."

Lily blushed all over, she hadn't expected that. The redhead looked torn between happy and angry, seeing that irritating look on Severus again awakened an urge to wipe it off his face. But the way she thought to shut him up… Lily blushed at the thought.

Looking at Severus' lips, Lily looked away and continued on her way to the Shrieking Shack. She chose not to comment on his praise, out of shame, but also in defiance of his smugness.

Severus can tell he's learned to enjoy teasing her. Of course, you need to know how to dose so you don't go overboard, but knowing the right amount seemed to work.

Lily has a strong temper, the only thing holding her back from moving forward with him is the inexperience and fears of a relationship. Getting her out of her shell was the first step, her shyness was now gone. Now there is only a hurricane of emotions that she feels. Doubt, desire, happiness, anger, and anticipation.

"Heyyy Lily, wait for me," says Severus as he chases her.

Walking side by side, they say nothing. Soon after, they arrive in front of the facade of the house and look around carefully. The windows and doors are sealed with boards.

"Should we peek a little?" asks Lily.

"Maybe a little," said Severus, approaching a window. "Inside of an abandoned house, but there doesn't seem to be anything wrong."

He could see a little of the interior through the slits in the wood. Lily approached and also watched curiously to see what was inside. Severus watches her from the right side and a decision is made.

Picking up a rock, he throws it in a corner to make a noise and says, "What was that?"

Lily looking through the cracks turned her attention back from where the noise came, only to find her lips pressed together.

"Mwauhh…" Lily struggled to get out of the kiss, but soon her struggles lessened and she began to immerse herself in the sensation. Everything was very unexpected, without warnings and her mind went blank... She wanted to protest at first, but Severus didn't leave an escape and held her tight around the waist.

Her arms went around his shoulders and with her eyes closed, she melted. Their first kiss hadn't been slow and controlled as she'd thought, no… it had been passionate and lusty. As if they were thousands of flames that came from her lips and hit her full force.

She hadn't dared make room for their tongues to meet, but no one could deny that it had been hot.

Pulling away, Lily and Severus breathed raggedly.

"Me-Merlin, what was that?" Lily asked breathlessly.

Still with his arms around her, Severus says with a smile: "Oh?? Don't tell me you didn't like it."

Lily shivered slightly but soon said defiantly, "Hmph, who said I liked it?"

Lily was a Lioness in defiance and it took all her strength not to give in to the taunts.

"Ohh? Well, but what if you do this..." Severus slowly brings his lips together.

The kiss now had been slow and controlled. Despite all of Lily's defiance, she seemed to only struggle at first to save her face and then actively participate.

An unusual event occurs, small amounts of snowflakes began to fall with his slow and lingering kiss.

Making room again, he asks, "Now what?"

"Yo---" before she answered...

Again his lips met hers, not letting her respond. Lily didn't want to let go of that feeling, it wasn't how she imagined it would be her first kiss... It was so much better and intense.

Parting their lips, they both say nothing. Lily just bury her head in Severus' chest as she hugged him. She is too embarrassed to face him and felt vulnerable for not being able to control the situation.

It's not as if Severus was forcing her to do something she didn't want to do, just that she was trying to be stubborn. You could say it's her pride of Gryffindor wanting to be in control of the situation and not give up easily.

"I hate you," said Lily, her voice muffled in her chest.

"You know that's not true," says Severus as he runs his right hand over her red hair, and his left hand pulling her around the waist. He kisses the top of her head lovingly.

Feeling his caress in her hair, the heat of his body, and his passion to grab her as if she were the thing he wanted most in the world. Lily didn't want to be anywhere but here... Shrieking Shack didn't matter anymore, in his arms was her safest place, she felt protected.

Severus knew the blunter approach was needed, Lily had been undecided since that night of astronomy. She didn't know how to proceed between them and the risk of her inventing some excuse to buy time was dangerous.

"You know, don't you?" Lily asks.

Not understanding, Severus says: "What?"

"You'll have to ask my dad if you want us to be together," said Lily proactively.

Severus liked her taking the initiative and saying that she wanted to be with him. They are still very young and he was in no hurry and therefore said:

"Of course I'm aware, Lily."

"That's nice..." she says as she continues to enjoy the hug and caress on her head. "On Christmas, we're having our family reunion --- we'll be close to 14 and you can try asking my dad for permission."

"No problem," he replies, unfazed.

"But---Er---Well" Lily started to fumble before saying, "Even though we're still just friends, we can keep going---You-know-what."

"Ohh?" Looking down at his chest, Severus saw that Lily had buried herself again in shame. Extended his right hand, he stands her chin and says, "And what would that be?"

"You know---" she mumbles with a red face and eyes trying to look away. Mortified with shame, she didn't risk letting their eyes meet.

"Is this by chance?" he says smiling as he approaches and kisses her tenderly.

Lily's mind just went, 'Merlin, why did this have to be so good?'

"Am I right?" Severus asks, smiling with happiness.

"Uh-huh," says Lily with her head on his chest again.

The day had been wonderful, that moment is not even talked about then. But they soon had to go back, the others were waiting for them and might be suspicious if they took any longer. They weren't going to admit their relationship in public before Christmas. Until Severus asked her father's permission, they would act as friends... Well, at least in public of course.