Written for Hogwarts July Event: Summer Theme (being lonely during the summer), Variety of Prompts (Object: Playing Card)

-oOo-

It was his first summer without her for company. He still watched the hill in hopes that she would come running down it and pull him from the grey mess of his life. She never did though. Not that Snape blamed her. After their last encounter, Lily had made it painfully clear how she felt on their now ended friendship.

He flipped the playing card over, eyeing the smirking queen of hearts. Glancing down at the game a Solitary, he found a place for her among her matching king. This was his sixth game this day. He didn't flip the next card just yet.

Glancing out the living room window, the sixteen year old could only beg for summer to come to an end. He hadn't felt this alone since before his Hogwarts years.

His mother wasn't home. She was at work, at her second job. She would be gone until nine that night.

His father was passed out. Drunk. As usual. The beer bottles were littered along the floor surrounding his recliner. Drool was present on his chin. It wasn't even noon.

Placing the next playing card into the game, Snape tried to focus his attention on something else. There wasn't anything. Normally at this point, Lily would be calling him asking if he wanted to hang out. To watch a movie. To go to the park. To just get out of the house. She wasn't coming though.

He was alone this summer.

No one else had invited him over. He hadn't been expecting it. They might have accepted him into Slytherin, but he knew there was a difference between being friends with a half-blood, and bringing one home for dinner.

So he sat alone, flipping the next card and continuing his lonely came. He half wanted to click on the TV and see what was on. But one glance at the static filled picture, and the remote clenched in his father's hand removed that idea from his head.

Letting out a sigh, he continued to go through his stack of playing cards, slowly dwindling the deck in his hand. There was nothing to do. He considered getting a head start on the up and coming years homework, but that sounded very unappealing.

Flipping the last card into the game, he let out a deep groan. He was actually considering burning this deck of cards right then and there. It least that will give him something to do.

There was a deep groan of intoxication coming from the other side of the room. Snape tried to whip the glare from his face as his father awoke, spilling beer bottles that had piled on his lap. The man looked around in a drunken daze, whipping the drool from his chin and glaring at his son. It made Snape sick.

"What are you doing here?" His father spoke slowly, still hungover from his early morning chug.

Snape didn't answer, instead turned back to his game. Pushing the cards into a pile, he began to sort through and restack them. His father was grumbling behind him about disrespect and attitude. Snape really shouldn't have been surprised when his father chuckled the empty beer bottle at his back. It hit him square in the shoulder blades.

"Get me another beer," his father moaned, fighting to pull the remote from where it'd slid into his armchair.

Despite his desire to hit the man right then and there, Snape let out a heavy sigh. He was controlling himself, only because he knew that he wouldn't be able to control himself should he give into his rage.

"Get on with it," his father growled. "I'm thirsty. Be of some use for once."

With one last glance out the window, Snape stood. He made his way to the kitchen, accepting the fact that she wasn't coming to pull him from this lonely summer.