Snarry One Shots

Lilac branches

Summary: Even smallest gift given with love and sincerity is priceless. After all, not all that glitters is gold.

Ships: SeverusSnapexHarryPotter

All credit goes to Lady_Lark on Ao3

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The first thing Lily saw that morning was a bright bouquet of lilacs. Bright violets and white mixed, reminding her of an evening sky just before the sun disappeared behind the horizon to let the moon shine. A soft breeze blew from the window, filling the room with the sweet scent of flowers.

"Your father brought them today," Severus explained and sipped his coffee, trying to hide his small smile in his mug. Lily beamed at the man, happily taking her seat by his side at the table. A large hand ruffled her hair gently. "Your brothers and Harnett are hiding in the labs today. Would you like to accompany me to the Malfoys?"

"Will Scorpius be there?" Lily asked softly, taking a mug of steaming tea from Kreacher.

"But of course. It is the Summer holidays, after all. Wherever else would he be than with his family?"

When they were leaving, Lily stopped by the table. A beautiful monarch butterfly was sitting on heavy branches of lilacs. It lazily flapped its colourful wings, occasionally moving through the flowers in search of sweet nectar and the warmth of the sun. Old Kreacher, who was tidying up the table, tried to brush it away. But the monarch stubbornly ignored the house elf, continuing its meal as if nothing at all had happened.

Following the girl's gaze, Severus slowed down.

"Take a couple of branches," the man suddenly said, his voice soft. Catching Lily's eyes, he added, as if an afterthought, "Lilac is a good ingredient for potions. I think Scorpius would appreciate such a gift."

Lily gasped; her eyes wide in surprise.

"How can you! They're too beautiful to be crumbled into a cauldron."

Her father smirked but didn't say anything. After a little hesitation, Lily took two branches, trying not to touch the largest and most beautiful ones, and joined the man. The two of them walked through the fireplace. A flash of green flame, and the magnificent Malfoy Menor spread out in front of them. A moment later, the owners appeared.

While the adults were chatting, Scorpius flew up to Lily. Slightly awkward and unsure, the girl handed a bouquet of flowers to her friend. She both wanted and did not want to see the reaction to the gift. She looked away.

"These are for you," Lily said quietly, a faint blush dusting her cheeks. "Please, don't put them into your cauldron or a potion."

Scorpius looked at her with wide eyes. The boy brought the flowers closer to his chest, subconsciously fearing someone snatching the gift away and destroying it for the potion's sake.

"Of course," he easily promised, grinning at the girl. To prove the point, he sniffed them loudly, making her laugh. "These are too nice to destroy anyway."

Together, the children disappeared into Scorpius' rooms. After placing the flowers into a vase, they settled on the balcony. They didn't do anything special, didn't try to find adventures like any other such visit. They simply talked to each other, not noticing as the time flew by them, soaking the other's presence. There would be more than enough time for games later.

They were disturbed by a gentle knock. On the other side of the door stood Narcissa, smiling at two children before her. Somehow, it was already time for dinner.

"What beautiful flowers you have there," the woman noted, chuckling as Scorpius puffed up with pride.

"Lily brought them to me," he replied, taking Lily's hand. "I want to keep them."

"Of course, dear. I would not dare do anything to them."

Dinner was comfortably quiet. Lily and Scorpius continued talking, both too happy and engrossed in their little world to notice adults observe them subtly. The three adults, too, smiled at the children. Even if Severus' looked more like his trademark smirk.

Back at home, Lily couldn't stop herself from smirking back.

"Scorpius promised not to do anything to the flowers," she told the man proudly. "He said they were too nice to put in a potion. And he is right!"

Severus only snorted, walking inside. Lily watched him go, her pride and happiness dimming slightly. Green eyes moved to the flowers. They still stood in their vase, glistening in the colourful flames of the setting sun.

She thought of telling everything to her papa. He had to know what Severus thought of his presents. Yet, when the girl appeared for dinner, she couldn't bring herself to do so.

Both men sat at the table. Papa Harnett was peeking at father Severus through the bouquet, a playful grin on his lips. Several flowers caught in his tussled black hair; green eyes glowed brightly in the candlelight as the man tried not to laugh at his husband's mock annoyed expression.

The evening, Lily said nothing to them, wowing to keep an eye on the flowers to save them the moment her father thought of getting rid of them. Severus only watched her indulgently, shaking his head at her antics. Those glances were dutifully ignored.

Every day the girl would come down, anxious the flowers would be gone. And every single morning she would find Severus sitting opposite them, sipping his morning coffee, with a small smile on his lips. Sometimes papa would join him. Rarer, even Charlie would be there with small Septimus, both boys also watching the flowers.

One day, the flowers would wilt. Lily would come downstairs to find Severus waving his wand, drawing runes in the air. Then, he would carefully remove the unflattering branches, leaving only those still colourful and bright in the vase.

He would catch her surprised glance.

"You still keep them," Lily exclaimed, blushing in embarrassment at the man's quirked eyebrow.

"But of course," Severus replied, chuckling. "It is your papa who has brought them, after all."

At the Malfoy manor, Scorpius asked his grandfather to cast a Stasis Charm on his own flowers. The blooms were still bright, reminding the boy of the bright evening sky coloured by sunsets the boy loved so dearly. Those were his first-ever lilacs...