A/N: Okay, one more little one-shot! This was originally meant to be a part of my Love in the Time of Death Eaters story, but it never made it into the cut because it precedes the start of that story. I hope you guys enjoy!
It was closing in on the end of yet another scorching summer day. Most of the residents of Cokeworth had remained indoors instead of braving the heat. Meaning that all was still as a small dark haired youth in shabby clothing walked up the street. He looked very out of place and appeared to know it. Doing his best to keep to the shadows as much as possible and the young man moved hurriedly towards his destination. Reaching the doorway of one of the nicer houses the boy looked around cautiously before knocking on the door. A pretty woman with red hair opened the door and greeted him warmly.
"Hey Severus! It's good to see you again," she exclaimed pulling him into a warm embrace before inviting him in. "Will you be staying for dinner? We'd love to have you," she added the last quickly noting the usual apprehension on the boy's face.
"I don't want to be a bother Mrs. Evans," Severus began, but he didn't get any further before Mrs. Evans cut him off.
"It's not a bother Severus. You're staying for dinner and that's the end of it," she insisted forcefully. "I'm just heading out to pick up some Chinese and Johnathan should be home before much longer.
"Thanks Mrs. Evans," Severus replied giving her a smile and wondering if the woman understood just how grateful he was for her presence in his life.
"Of course dear. Lily's upstairs in her room. I think she and Petunia have had a row so see if you can't cheer her up." Mrs. Evan's shook her head and mumbled something about silly teenage daughters under her breath, before giving him a pat on the arm and walking out the door.
Severus took the familiar path leading to Lily's room. He knocked lightly on the door before walking in. She looked up and gave him a forced smile, "Hey Sev," she said heavily.
He could see that she had been crying but was valiantly trying to cover her distress with a smile. Severus walked across her room and sank down onto Lily's bed. "Okay what's up," he said making no pretense that he believed her casualness.
"Nothing at all," his friend answered in a falsely cheerful tone.
"That may work with these other people you hang out with but it's not going to work with me," he said sternly.
"What are you talking about?" She asked.
"Lily Evans you are my best friend in the whole world-"
"I'm your only friend," Lily interrupted with a smirk.
"Thanks for that," he laughed. "Anyway, I'm your best friend and I know when you're upset. So tell me what's happened. Do I need to go beat someone up or something?'
Lily smiled in spite of herself, "You're going to beat someone up?"
"Are you doubting me?" Severus asked in an overly sarcastic hurt tone, "Look I may be small, but this is all pure steel," he continued indicating his skinny physique.
"Oh really?" her smile was widening slightly
He nodded seriously, "Really really." He shared her smile before continuing in a serious tone, "So really what's up?" When she didn't reply he tried again, "Look this is what best friends are for okay. I'm here so we can talk bad about people, to cheer you up, and to hate people that you hate."
Meeting his intense gaze, Lily remained quiet for a long moment before answering. "It's just Petunia again," she replied glumly all traces of humor leaving her face.
Severus hated seeing her sad, it enraged him, but he pushed that down for now. "So what should we do then?" He asked hopping up to pace the room. She looked at him bewildered. "She's been talking about trying a new hair color," he was saying, "let's put some hair dye in her shampoo. I'm thinking pink! That'll do nicely."
"Sev!" Lily exclaimed, but he was glad to note that she was smiling again.
"What? I'm just trying to help her take the leap." He gave her a wink before continuing, "so maybe not that then. Let's leave fake spiders in her cereal box. Better yet real spiders! Ooo or I have some cockroach clusters left from Hogsmeade, we could tell her they're just peanuts and let her eat several before telling her." Lily was laughing now as she watched him walk around the room turning towards her every time a new idea popped into his head. "No I know!" he exclaimed "I've seen this thing we're you take cream cookies and replace the cream with toothpaste. That's as evil as it comes that is."
She laughed and chunked a pillow at him. "You're ridiculous you know?" she asked. He was pleased to see her smiling again.
"In all seriousness though," Severus said seriously as he plopped back down on the bed, "she's just jealous of you. That's all."
"She said some awful things," Lily replied quietly. "Calling me a freak and telling me how it was good that they keep us separated from the normal people in the world. Then she told me she didn't understand why mum and dad are so..." she searched for the right word, "enchanted with it all, I guess. Am I awful for being so mad at her? I mean I know she's out of line and all, but if I was in her shoes I'd be jealous too…. But I don't think I'd act like that… I don't know maybe… maybe I'm just a horrible person," Lily admitted burying her face into a pillow.
"Hey, don't talk like that," Severus said grabbing her hand and scooting closer. "Lily Evans you look at me," he waited until she lifted her head and green earnest eyes met his. "You are the most selflessly wonderful person I have ever met. You're amazing okay?" He searched for the right words as she continued to look at him. "You see the best in everyone, even when they don't deserve it, or don't see it themselves. You are the furthest possible thing from a horrible person. So don't let her get to you. She's jealous and bitter and just trying to make herself feel better because she's not got half of the goodness you've got inside." He felt a slight blush reach his cheeks as he spoke honestly with her. But her eyes were so pleading and miserable, he couldn't help himself.
Her eyes shone a bit brighter as she replied, "You have to say that though Sev. You're my friend."
"Ah ah, best friend," he corrected with a smile. "That means I get to be brutally honest with you. So if you're being a complete toerag, I can tell you and you can't get mad. And when you're being too hard on yourself, I can tell you to lay off."
She smiled and hugged him. "Thanks," she said softly.
The two laid back on Lily's bed and allowed the comfortable silence to envelop them for several minutes before turning their attention to school work Lily had been avoiding over the summer.
"Sev, I have a question for you," Lily said thoughtfully several hours later as she pushed away her completed potions essay.
"Shoot," he replied from the floor barely listening as he poured over his own essay.
"Why haven't you had any girlfriends?" she asked.
Severus continued to look at his work, but his eyes were no longer moving and his brow was furrowed in thought. "Well," he said finally, "as you so kindly pointed out earlier, I don't have any friends. Makes it quite difficult."
She laughed and shook her head, turning backwards in her chair so that she faced him fully. "Seriously Sev! I mean you were amazing earlier, charming, quirky, and all that. Why aren't you like that around other people?"
"I don't really like other people," he answered in a flat tone, not meeting her eyes.
"Mmhmm," she smirked, "I've noticed. But I mean you would have no trouble making friends if you opened up a bit." He didn't answer and she dropped the subject, but she still considered it odd. He could be so kind and yet remained snarky towards everyone else. She resolved to talk to Marlene about it in her next letter. Marlene understood guys much better than Lily did, if she couldn't answer it then Lily was at a loss.
Somehow, Lily Evans resolved, she would find a way to bring Severus out of his shell. If anyone could force him into being social, it was her, and her best friend really could use a few more male friends. Now that they were about to be twelve, it was important that he have guy friends to talk about guy stuff with. She could hardly advise him on who to date or anything like that, it would be far too weird to set her best friend up on a date. Not to mention the odd clinching she felt in her stomach when she thought about Severus with another girl. Yes, he needed some guy friends. With her mind now made-up Lily Evans turned back to her potions essay as she worked through a list of people to introduce Severus to this coming year.
A/N: Thank you so much for reading! Let me know what you guys think in the comments below! As always, see you guys in the next chapter.