They had been standing there for 20 minutes.
"I didn't mean to say it, Lily... It just..."
"Slipped?" Lily's eyebrows had risen high above her forehead once more, making her freckles the freckles near her eyes stand out. Even angry, Severus thought, her image was that of perfection. He could barely refrain himself from showering them in kisses.
"Save your breath, Severus. I've made excuses for you for far too long now. You've chosen your friends, and I've chosen mine. Just go, Severus, leave." Lily whispered, her voice trembling as if she'd been forcing these words out of herself, wounding his heart even more.
"I'll stay here, Lily." Severus whispered back. "I won't leave. You're different from everyone Lily, I l-" he tried to say. before Lily shut the door in his face and ran back inside.
"I love you" Severus whispered to the door, much to the surprise of the Fat Lady, who immediately shuffled out of her portrait to share the gossip with her friends.
Severus was unable to sleep that night, having spent it on the cold marble in front of the Gryffindor common room. He only moved when dawn struck, in order to avoid that Potter boy and his stupid friends and walked around dazedly the next day. Not even the prospect of a double Potions class, in which he was partnered with Lily cheered him up. It didn't help that they had to prepare Amortentia either. The girl whose hair he smelt from the cauldron hated his guts now, and he was sure she didn't, if she ever had, smell him in her own potion.
After the usual, booming praise from Professor Slughorn, and nasty looks from those horrible Gryffindor kids (he would never call them the Marauders, how stupid was that nickname?) he attempted to make conversation with Lily, who didn't even bother to respond in that cold, piercing tone she used when she was angry. Something had broken between them.
Severus spent the day, whenever they weren't in their seperate classes, jogging after her, pleading with her to please just listen to him to no avail. She'd made up her mind, and had taken to ignoring him whenever she saw him. Finally, at the end of the day, before she went back into the common room, he jumped in front of her and sank to his knees.
"Lily, PLEASE!" He practically yelled, making her jump and blush before she could check herself.
"Severus, I gave you my final word on this!" Lily responded, trying to sound stern but unable to hide the shade of quivering in her voice. It was this quaver that kept Severus going.
"I know. I know what you think about me, about my background and friends. I can let it go, Lily! For you, I can!" He pleaded quickly, the blush in his cheeks getting more intense as he spoke.
Lily's eyebrows didn't even rise.
"What do you mean, for me, Severus?" She asked coldly as her two friends sniggered next to her.
"Can't you see?" One asked, a tall, stately one with flowing blonde hair.
"He FANCIES you!" The other added, hooting with laughter.
Lily's cheeks flushed crimson, redder than her hair as she gazed down at the limp and ashen faced Severus at her feet.
"Is that true, Sev?" Lily whispered to him, causing her friends to immediately sober up.
"You aren't considering him, surely!" The blonde exclaimed.
"Shut up, Pandora!" Lily hissed behind her, and sent them jogging away into the common room.
She then got onto her knees and gently took hold of his hand.
"Is it, Sev?" she urged, staring down into his black eyes.
"It is" Severus choked, averting his gaze from her beautiful features. If he looked, there would be no end to the sappy nonsense he'd say to her.
Lily sighed and started "Sev, I-" before the door burst open and James Potter strode out with his wand drawn.
"Away from Lily, Snivellus. You're dirtying her skin. LEVICORPUS!"
As Snape hung from his leg in mid air, James took hold of Lily and marched her, as she thrashed around and yelled at him, into the common room, assisted by Sirius and Remus.
Severus sighed deeply and took his face in his hands after he muttered the counter-jinx and fell to the floor. Her eyes had said it all. He'd broken her heart, he was too late. Why hadn't he confessed earlier?
"What do YOU MEAN YOU FANCY SNIVELLUS!" James bellowed at a furious Lily, provoking whispers and sniggers from the onlooking Gryffindor crowd. She had had Potter but chose Snivellus. Pathetic.
"His name" Lily breathed, "is SEVERUS!"
"Whatever, but HOW COULD YOU! He's WALLOWING IN THE DARK ARTS. WHAT WOULD HE DO TO YOU!" James kept yelling, shaking Lily by her shoulders.
"Let GO of me, you arrogant toe rag!" Lily screamed and swiftly drew her wand, sending James zooming away from her.
"Lily! I'm only worried about you!" James whispered in a more subdued manner, staring up at her with a most peculiar expression on his face. Almost loving, Lily would say if she didn't know him.
"I don't need your worry, thank you very much!" Lily said loftily as she perched down on an armchair away from him.
"Lily, I won't LET YOU!" James bellowed from behind her.
"I never asked for your permission." Lily said, before tuning him out completely.
James stood up and left for his dormitory.
"That is true, Lily, but you never asked me for my disapproval either."