Disclaimer: HP is JKR's. The song is Josh Groban's.
Author's Notes: So, I don't actually know if this happens elsewhere, but at my school, the phrase "You know I love you" is treated as a sort of peacemaker amongst friends, like if you make a joke and it doesn't quite go down as well as it should have, you say that and all is well, sort of thing. So yeah. Hence why I got the idea for this while listening to Josh Groban this morning. I'm not entirely sure when this is set. Probably during their third or maybe fourth year. They're still close friends at this stage anyway.
When you say you love me,
do you know how I love you?
- Josh Groban, When You Say You Love Me
"Oh, God, I'm sorry, Sev! I lost count of how many times I stirred it, I… oh dear…"
Lily Evans watches, one hand over her mouth, her eyes wide, as her best friend's hair rapidly changes colour like some sort of crazy neon sign. Severus eyes the hair hanging near his chin warily, and wipes the remaining potion from his forehead with the sleeve of his robe, which immediately starts behaving the same way.
"Lily, Severus, it isn't at all like you two to mess up a potion." Professor Slughorn has joined them at their desks and is frowning at their now half-empty cauldron. Lily blushes.
"Sorry, Professor, it was my fault. I stirred it too many times."
"Well, just make sure you pay more attention next time, yes?"
"Yes, sir."
"Here, Severus, drink this. It'll put you right." Gratefully, Severus accepts the phial of antidote and drinks it. After a few moments, his hair returns to its usual ebony.
Lily watches, and he sees the corners of her mouth twitch. Finally, unable to contain herself, she lets out a small giggle.
"You were trying to kill me," Severus tells her matter-of-factly.
"Of course I wasn't! You know I love you, Sev." She casts an eyes over their workstation. "Come on, we'd better get this cleared up."
As he helps Lily dispose of the left over potion and return unused ingredients to the store cupboard, Severus can't help but play her words over in his head. You know I love you, Sev. He knows she only meant it in the "just friends" way, but it doesn't stop his heart from beating just that tiny bit faster.
At the end of the lesson, he files out after her, watching her and wishing he could bring himself to tell her all that he felt. When she gets to the door, she turns around to wait for him and catches him staring.
"Are you sure you're okay, Sev?" she asks, and he automatically brightens his expression, so as not to worry her, or worse, give himself away. She gins and says, "I really wasn't trying to kill you."
"I know," he replies and, grinning, adds as casually as he can, "I love you, too." She smiles, and they head back up to the Great Hall for lunch.
As they walk, though, he adds silently, You'll just never know how much.
