AN: Hi there – this is the first of my nice, Christmassy drabbles scrawled down in some free time. So this one is Snily, and to be honest, I don't think they should've ended up together (without Lily/James we would have no Harry) but I do love Snape and I appreciate Snape/Lily so much. Enjoy Disclaimer: JKR owns Harry Potter.
Snowflakes drifted past the dungeon windows, welcoming in a new December. The delicate flakes settled on the leafless tree skeletons and dusted the castle with an icy sugar coating. The potions master glared out of his office window. It was only a small window, but he could still see the thin layer of snow gathering on the stone ledge. With an agitated sigh, Professor Snape stood up from his desk, neglecting the essay he was marking on which his eyes would not focus. With one last glare at the white flurry, he drew a thick black curtain over the window, blocking out both the slowly building snowstorm and any low winter light that was filling his office. He was completely distracted by the snow. Not distracted like a child, eager for the snow to coat the ground enough to make snow angels and not eager like his many students, all desperate for an excuse to not do any Herbology work. As he searched for a candle to light up his office, Severus Snape tried to block out the memories like he had done the view. But there would be no thick black curtain to hide his mind from that day many years ago. Having found one, Severus lit the candle before sinking into his hard-backed chair, allowing her to fill his mind's eye.
"Severus, look! Look it's snowing!" Lily pointed excitedly out of the window, where indeed the first snow drift of the year could be seen. Severus smiled slightly at the child that had come to life in Lily's beautiful green eyes.
"You can't be that fascinated, Lily," he stepped over to join her at the library window, "I mean, it's not like you've never seen snow before. Aren't we a bit old to get excited about it?" Lily turned to him, put a hand on his shoulder and said rather solemnly "One is never too old for snow." Unable to hold her serious demeanour any longer, Lily dissolved into giggles. She grabbed Severus' hand and turned on her heel towards the library door. "Come on, let's go outside!" Severus marvelled at how warm her hand felt in his, and allowed himself to be dragged from the safety of his books.
"Isn't it beautiful?" Lily gushed as they stood by the lake. Severus could not have been paying less attention to the scenery: instead he was taking in the way the white flakes landed gracefully on her head, looking very pretty in contrast with the rich, dark red of her windswept hair.
"Oh, yeah," he said, snapping back to reality, "You do remember that you've seen Hogwarts in winter before, right? Last year, and the year before?" Lily dismissed this with a wave of her gloved hand.
"That was twelve months ago. And anyway," she smiled putting out her hand to catch the flakes "No two snowflakes are the same." Severus couldn't help but want to throw his arms around her and never let her go. She was so beautiful, and unique and kind. He longed for the day she would look at him and he would see love in her eyes instead of the brotherly affection they bore in the present. "I think I'll finish admiring this from the common room," she said, rubbing her arms, "I'm awfully cold and no matter how much it snows, I've still got History of Magic tomorrow and an essay that won't write itself!" She started back towards the castle, waving and smiling at him warmly as she left. Severus sighed, staring desperately after her retreating figure.