Bittersweet

From amongst the literairy stacks few secrets were less obvious than those behind the shelves themselves.
But when the shelf opened... where there would an otherwise solid wall...
"Are you sure we should be doing this?" Wormtail asked, seemingly no one in particular. 
But then felt an impatient nudge at his back, he stepped aside.
"Its not like you were busy...
And besides -"
Lily Evans stepped out from behind him; readjusting her eyes to the full light.
"James would not have trusted just *anyone* with knowing of the hidden passageways..."
"But he didn't even tell you!"
The words hurt enough to silence any possible retort.
At first. 
"Maybe so but he went too far last time.  Southern, cypress bark is not easy to obtain and then he had to use Severus' scarce supply for - what'd he say??
Drying out his socks?!"
Peter cringed at the accusation.
"They'd been getting moldy -" He snapped, getting wound up again. "You'd know that if you kept up with the laundry."
Lily glared in response.
"When I became his girlfriend, I thought I had a few years of domestic free bliss until - anyway shut up!"
She consulted the map - in an odd balanced pose.
"If he wanted to hide it; he should have done a better job."
Pettigrew tried to think of something else clever to say.
"Only you would have thought the folding of a blank piece of parchment was a clue -"
Would he ever be quiet?
"And luckily you've a crush on me and told me the revealing spell ya mindless rodent."
When Peter bared his teeth in mute resonation, she turned away from him.
"Now while the others are at Quiddich practice, Severus usually retreats to the northwestern and thus alienated corner of the library -" 
The sweet scent of vanilla, golden crust and freshly picked berries...
"Couldn't I have, j- j-just a little?" 
Seriously?
"Really you ARE a RAT!" 
Sighing deeply to compose herself; then finally setting the precious delivery on the table.
"Come on, I'll make you a grilled cheese sandwhich for all your trouble."
As they left none too soon - a dark, melancholy figure discovered someone had left something in his solitary, scholastic, sanctuary!
It was... pulling back the tiny, ivory fabric - with the reveal of a Muggle gameshow hostess...
A custard tart!
Having the initialed handkerchief -that could have been planted too -
Real mature, Potter...
Suspicious, he was set to ignore the offering and put it out of his mind.
But -
A familiar ...collaborative  scent ...past the particular pastry ingredients...
Jasmine - aloe and sandalwood.
She had handled it?
Noticing the garnish just off center. The sugar dipped leaves did not quite catch the fresh blackberry juice. Unless it was intentional?
A misshaped violet heart had settled into the amber surface and Snape ate quickly and quietly; before the sarcastic, screaming suggestions resonated in his skull.
They had almost been loud enough to protest further.
Almost.
Exhaling, Severus wiped his mouth with the handkerchief and paused - looking at it carefully -
Her initial gilded with the delicate embroidery.
And...
It had caught some of her perfume.
Then - quickly as he destroyed the other evidence - a Cheshire grin appeared and dissolved, from his usually stoic face.
James Potter may thought had Lily but today Severus knew she had known the indirect way to his stomach.
Through his heart.