Hi everyone, I hope you like this story, I've been meaning to write a Petunia/Severus story for quite a while now. I have changed a few things from canon to serve the purpose of this story, the biggest change being that Severus moves in the same neighbourhood as Lily much later than in the books, somewhere around the age of 16, thus meeting Petunia much later (present time of this story). Also, Severus doesn't call Lily a mudblood and their relationship is much warmer. There might be other changes along the way and I'll let you know.

Enjoy and please review:)

1.

When he'd walked up to the front door that summer afternoon, he hadn't imagined he'd be welcomed by such a sight. In fact, he had expected Mr. or Mrs. Evans to open the door and greet him with a kind and gracious smile, or even Lily herself, in all her glory, dressed in her slacks, sporting another one of her unruly ponytails he loved so much.

Instead, he was subjected to the one and only, Petunia Evans.

Lily had told him about her last year. She fondly called her Tunie, and Tunie was, from what she had described, 'her adorable sister' with whom she spent endless hours chatting and braiding hair. Tunie liked reading poetry and painting her nails red and 'she was such a romantic'. Tunie also drove Lily around town and they ate ice cream or watched a movie every weekend. Tunie always helped her choose the right oufits too. Tunie was 'the best'.

These small odds and ends made one think she was a good sister and perhaps a friendly, outgoing person and all in all, not someone to be intimidated by.

It is why the surprise was even greater when the girl in question happened to be closer to the door that afternoon and decided to make his life a bit harder than usual.

Before him stood a tall, graceful young woman, dressed in a white blouse and a black miniskirt that barely covered her thighs, exposing a pair of long, slender legs covered in black stockings. Her blonde hair was cut very sharply up to her shoulders and trimmed as close as if someone was going to measure it with a ruler. No strand of hair was dishevelled or out of place. Her slightly unbuttoned blouse revealed a silver chain which ended in a golden crucifix. Her lips were a deep shade of red and she had a pair of white sunglasses crowning her head. She was wearing a silver watch and her nails were crimson.

She was the image of 'perverse propriety' if there ever was such a thing. Her thin eyebrows rose disdainfully as she inspected the boy in front of her. Interest could be read in her eyes.

'Whatever you are selling, we are not interested,' she replied in a crisp tone.

'That would make sense if I were selling you anything,' he replied haughtily although he couldn't help feel a bit miserable. 'I am here to see Lily, actually.'

'My sister? Is that so? Are you another stick-holder?' she asked mockingly.

'A what?'

'Do you carry a wand?' she asked sweetly.

'Yes.'

'I thought as much. Look, she already fancies that Potter boy. Sorry, you're too late,' she said, inspecting her nails.

Severus' cheeks turned an angry shade of red.

'I am not here to court her if that is your impression. Lily is only a good friend from school.'

'And you just wanted to say hi?' Petunia asked, faking surprise.

'She told me to drop by when the move was done,' he replied annoyed.

'The move?' she echoed.

'Clearly, you don't know anything about it otherwise you wouldn't be making silly assumptions.'

'Clearly, I don't know what you are talking about because my sister didn't think it important to mention it to me. Like I said, she fancies the Potter boy,' she repeated, sighing of boredom.

'Oh, Sev! Is that you? Come in, come in!' a voice erupted behind them.

Lily Evans, looking even better than he had imagined, was standing in front of him, wearing one of her most radiant smiles. He sighed with relief. Another backlash from the angry sister and he would have turned around and walked away.

'Tunie, I do hope you were nice to him. But why didn't you invite him inside? Honestly, now!' Lily exclaimed, taking Severus by his arm.

'Sev? Is that what you call him?' she asked, smirking at him.

'Oh, you remember, Tunie. I've told you about him before, you know, my Potions partner, my only friend from Slytherin?'

'Oh, right, how could I have forgotten?' Petunia remarked, shaking her head amused although Severus was quite sure she had no idea who he was.

'Is Lily your only Gryffindor friend, Sev?' Petunia asked.

'Severus and yes, pretty much. She is the only bearable one,' he said with a small smile aimed at Lily.

'Well, Sev, welcome to our humble abode,' she said, flashing him a cold smile.

'I'd prefer it if you called me Severus...'

'But I've grown so attached to Sev,' she said, walking past him into the living room.

Severus rolled his eyes and was about to retort something equally mean to her, but he saw Lily's questioning eyes and he decided it was not worth upsetting her.

'Sorry about that, Tunie can be a bit suspicious and antisocial when it comes to strangers, but deep down she's a sweetheart. She's just an overly protective big sister,' Lily explained apologetically.

'Right, she's just being protective,' he replied sarcastically, but Lily ignored the comment and nudged him playfully.

'Let's go say hi to my parents.'

Severus imagined that at least one of the Evanses must be as sour and spiteful as Petunia because she had to resemble someone from the family, but as it turns out, both Mr. and Mrs. Evans were very obliging, friendly people, who were more than happy to have him over. They offered him some tea and biscuits and asked him many questions about Hogwarts and his family. They were also very curious to know how he had befriended Lily and what it was like to be a Slytherin. Severus barely had time to answer one question before they asked another one.

'We must have your parents for dinner sometime,' Mrs. Evans said. 'They ought to be acquainted with everyone in the neighbourhood, because everyone here is so kind and helpful and I am sure they will settle in much easier when they know they have friends here.'

'Settle in? You've just moved here?' Petunia asked impolitely.

'Yes, we have,' he replied coldly. He wasn't about to take more insults from her.

'Yes, his family had been looking for a better home for ages and I told Sev that Mrs. Pembroke down the road was selling her house and I suggested his family take it because it's a lovely home and this neighbourhood is the greatest,' Lily explained happily.

'I see. So you moved here because Lily told you to,' Petunia concluded quietly, crossing her legs in a challenging way.

Severus clenched his fists, but said nothing.

Mr. and Mrs. Evans questioned him a bit further until all details of the house were quite exhausted and after promising them to tell his family about the dinner invitation, they let him join Lily in her room.

Petunia walked them to the stairs where she stopped him in his tracks and told him in a playful tone, which was meant to be serious:

'You'd better keep the door open. I wouldn't want to walk in on anything.'

Severus surmised that Petunia Evans really was the only bad seed of the family. She didn't resemble her parents or her sister, she was just a mean, cynical girl who liked to make fun of people.

And he would ignore and avoid her completely, if he could manage.