A/N: Reposted. I just love Snape/Lily together, by the way. Even though it's a little weird.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Ashes

He walks slowly, partially because it's quite dark out—it's almost one in the morning and the only light that's illuminating Hogwarts' grounds are the moon and the stars—and because he must keep his footsteps light and quiet or else the couple ahead will hear him. He's quite sure that they wouldn't like it if they saw him following them, and they both hate him enough already.

He stops a few feet behind him and hides behind a bush. He spots a rock up ahead and is about to run for it when his cloak gets caught on the bush's thorns. Cursing himself again for forgetting his wand and not being able to use a bloody Dillusionment Charm, he tugs on his cloak, once, twice, three times, before the bush finally lets go.

He trips, but quickly gets up, pushing his greasy hair away from his eyes. He rushes to the rock and spots the couple underneath a tree. They aren't really doing anything, he decides, they're just looking up at the stars. Pathetic.

He sits on the grass and leans his back on the rock behind him. To his right is a pair of white lilies, irradiated by the moonlight. They are beautiful.

He checks up on them again and is just in time to see him push her hair back. He can feel the bile rising up in his throat.

"Lily?" he hears the boy, call out.

"Yes, James?"

Severus walks a little bit nearer and strains his ears to hear their conversation.

"I—I think I love you."

Severus shuts his eyes. He is going to be sick.

"You think?" He can clearly hear the smile in her voice. This can't be happening.

"No-I-I know. I love you, Lily."

"Well, we've got a bit of a problem then…"

Relief! Complete and utter relief floods through him. He takes a peek at Potter's face to see that he is absolutely shocked. A smug smile appears on Severus' lips. And Lily… Lily was smiling! His smile disappears from his face. What's going on?

"… Because I love you, too."

And Potter's cheer of victory is so loud that it could've woken up the whole castle. Potter is jumping up and down and Lily is laughing and when he finally calms down, he leans into Lily and gives her a kiss.

Severus is absolutely sick to the stomach. He curses under his breath and stands up and quickly runs back to the castle, half blinded by tears.

The lilies' ashes are blown by the wind, therefore missed by the happy couple that walks back to the castle soon after.

End.