He watched as she left her house, her hair neatly brushed and a nervous smile on her lips. He knew he should have stayed where he was and let her continue on her way, but he stepped out and walked over to her anyway.

"Lily," he called softly, effectively grabbing her attention. Her eyes widened as she saw him and then she frowned sadly, walking to meet him. "How are you?" he asked.

"Fine, thank you," she said quietly. "What about you, Sev?"

"I'm fine." he nodded, before falling quiet. He didn't know what to say, but he didn't want to allow her to leave. He knew where she had been headed.

"Look, I'm a bit busy... could we talk later?" she asked gently, her eyes showing that she felt bad about having to leave him.

"I need to talk to you." he said.

"Are you sure it can't wait?" Lily asked, glancing past him before looking back at him.

"It's important."

She contemplated his request for a moment and then nodded slowly. "Alright, but please try ad be quick. So what is it?"

He couldn't believe his ears. She was actually allowing him to speak to her even though she was meant to be meeting with James Potter for a date? Maybe there was still hope.

"It's about... well, us." Severus mumbled, ducking his head as he said that and feeling the blood rush to his face.

"Sev..." Lily murmured. "I've told you before I only see you as a friend."

Snapping his head up, he glared at her. "How can you go out with that creep, Potter? You deserve better! He doesn't love you like-"

Forcing himself to stop, he turned away again and clenched his fists angrily. He wasn't ready to say it yet. He wouldn't say it until he knew she could reciprocate the feeling.

"Sev, I'm so sorry. But he does love me and he treats me kindly." Lily said, wanting to defend her boyfriend.

"What about everyone else? I can't believe you're disregarding the way he acts around everyone else just because he's nice to you." Severus sneered and began walking away, anger almost bursting from him.

"Severus!" Lily called, walking after him and grabbing his arm. "Please, don't do this."

"It's not enough that you tell him to stop when he teases me! As soon as you turn your back he does it again." Severus exclaimed in frustration. "You'd think he would have matured as he got older, but he hasn't. He's still the same stupid, idiotic-"

"Lily!"

Lily let go of his arm to turn around and see who was calling her. She bit her lip seeing who it was and glanced back at Severus before walking over to James Potter, who had obviously become worried and decided to look for her.

"Did he do anything to you?" Severus heard Potter asked and rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"No, of course not. He's my friend. We were just talking." Lily replied firmly, sounding a bit shocked that he would even suggest that.

"Well are you ready?" Potter asked with a smile.

"I suppose..." she trailed off and glanced over her shoulder at Severus, who was standing still and watching in silence.

"Great," Potter took her hand and started walking away. "Come on then."

Lily reluctantly followed him, pain in her eyes as she turned back to face ahead of her, trying hard not to look back at the sad face of her best friend.

As they left, Potter turned back again. There was a smirk on his lips as he met Severus' eyes, boasting wordlessly about what he had and the other didn't.

It was painful.

And Severus had to live with that image in his head for the rest of his life.

Remember, Snivellus, he could almost hear Potter saying, she chose me.