Disclaimer: Harry Potter and its characters belong to J.K. Rowling, not me.

Summers End

A soft warm summer breeze blew through the willow tree, a couple sat beneath seeming to take a short snooze. Severus Snape was wide awake, with a snoring Lily sitting next to him. She had been leaning against the tree, until recently when she tilted to the side and rested her delicate head against his shoulder. They had gone for a long walk, Lily had acted a little tired and he offered to take a small rest under the tree. She took him up on that offer and it did not take long for his companion to drift into a peaceful slumber.

He had known her for six years now, and ever since he had met her he was captivated by her. He didn't have to put on a façade during this time of the year, with her. He cherished these moments they spent together during the summer. The only time he had Lily to himself, with no annoying Potter to get in the way. He knew this was the last chance to try and sway her to be with him…not just a friend of sorts, but more than a friend.

Last year, that Christmas Eve when he had kissed her underneath the mistletoe, and she had kissed him back…It gave him such high hopes that maybe, just maybe she would see him in a different light. Yet it seemed that it was a onetime thing, for things went back to how they normally were; them doing their own thing, without one another. It wasn't all her fault, he did have to put on a mask around his fellow Slytherin friends, insulting Griffindors and making fun of mudbloods.

If only she would let him love her secretly. No one would have to know. She was so strong willed though; he doubted she'd like being hidden from the world like that. Lilies were meant to shine in the sunlight, they wilted without it.

Snape felt the girl move and looked over to see her stretch and yawn. After yawning she smiled up at him, melting his heart even more for her.

"I didn't mean to take up our whole day sleeping." She apologized. Snape shook his head to show he hadn't minded. "Let's go make up some lost time, and go swimming!" She exclaimed, getting up and beginning to take off her blouse, making Snape blanch.

"Oh don't be such a baby!" She teased as her shirt came off and her purple bra was now visible. "It's not like you haven't seen this kind of thing before." She then began to unbutton her pants. Snape turned away from her changing form and put his hand over his eyes. This was too much! She was way too comfortable doing this around him; while he felt completely the opposite. It was only when he heard the splash that he turned to look. She was paddling away in the cool water, her peachy skin glistening in the reflection of it. Thank god not many people knew of their special spot, he'd hate for some cad to stumble upon her at this moment.

"Aren't you coming in?" She called, looking at him with those oh so convincing green eyes. "Or are you afraid to show some skin?" In truth, Snape was very self-conscious about his appearance, knowing his skin was incredibly pale and his muscular frame could never compare to someone like Potters…Yet with Lily, worrying about that type of thing out of school seemed silly. It was just her and him, no one else to laugh, to tease. Lily liked him the way he was, no matter what. At least he damn well hoped so, because he began to undress, until he was down to his black boxers. She had swum a bit upstream, leaving him to jump in the calming water without her eyes seeing him like this yet. He let out an ex hale of satisfaction; the temperature of the creek was really quite perfect. He floated on his back, looking up at the sky and silently thinking to himself about returning to Hogwarts. That's when he felt a hand touch his shoulder, his eyes shifted to see the beautiful red head smiling down at him.

"That wasn't so hard now was it?" She laughed as he rolled his eyes. She let go of his shoulder and floated in the water beside him.

"It's our last year together…" She began, Snape watched from the corner of her eye as her face turned troubled looking. "Where do you see yourself going after school?" She asked him.

All he could do was shrug, not really knowing what to say or tell her. "I think I want to be a teacher." She told him, "Hogwarts has always been so dear to me, imagine working there? Wouldn't it be brilliant?"

"What would you teach? Charms? You happen to be good at charming most the men there." He teased her, making her blush and frown at him.

"Actually, I think it would be fun to teach Potions. You and I have always had a great deal of joy out of that class." It was true; he enjoyed taking Potions with Lily, though any class with her was a blessing.

"What does Saint Potter think of this?" He asked, hoping that maybe her addiction to Potions would be enough for the slag to not want her anymore.

"I wouldn't know we haven't spoken since the end of school."

He hadn't tried to contact her during the summer? The fool, he had no idea what he was missing out on. Probably being a playboy during the summer and then back to hounding Lily when school started again. How he despised that four eyed toad.

She turned to him, Snape now seeing the hurt in her eyes. "Oh Snape, I wish he would!" Her tears slipped out of her lovely eyes and down her face. "Do you think I'm not pretty enough for him?" She asked, truly believing that something was wrong with her.

He couldn't stand to see her like this, he came close to her, taking his hand and cupping her face in it. "You are the most beautiful woman I've ever known, Lily Evans, and James Potter is a fool not to think so." Lily's eyes grew wide with surprise at his complete honesty, not to mention his closeness. "If I were him, I would never let you forget how much you mean to me. How every time I look into your eyes I see heaven, and when you smile the whole world is a better place for it." His other hand took the other side of her face, feeling just how soft her skin really is; his fingertips touching her rosy locks. "If he can't see just how precious you are, it's his loss Lily." With that he kissed her hard, letting his words sink into her tiny little skull. Letting her know, that she didn't need to worry about winning the approval of someone like Potter, she had and would always have Snapes. He waited for her to get angry; to push him off her and yell at him for kissing her. He was surprised, just like during Christmas, to have her kissing him back. Her hands were around his neck, the tips of her fingers digging into his wet black hair.

Her body pushed up against his, making him drop one of his hands and placing it on her lower back, holding her to him. Lily stopped kissing him and looked longingly into his eyes, "I never knew you felt this way Severus." She had used his first name, a sign that maybe, just maybe she might return some of his feelings. She kissed him softly, slowly, working her way from his lips to the curve of his jaw, to his neck. Snape kissing any part of her face he could reach, enjoying the intimacy they rarely shared.