If Nice Guys Finish Last…
Snape's words echoed through his mind. Sometimes, he truly could not believe himself. Perhaps he truly was as despicable as Potter said… but that couldn't be true. After all, Snape had only spoken the truth. He didn't need her help, or the help of her kind, but she was different from the rest of the mudbloods. The only thing that bothered him truly about his statement was that she had been hurt by it.
"I don't need help from filthy little mudbloods like her!"
He loved her, that much he knew was true. He had spent all of their childhood years being nice to her, helping her, and doing what he could to be part of her life. When had he gone so wrong? It must have been second year, he thought. The year that Lucius had taught him the undying fact of love: nice guys are eternally in the friend zone. If you want a girl, you must be ruthless in getting her, using just enough affection to attract her attention, while showing her that you are tough and in control.
Fight, make up, and make out. That was what Lucius said was the way to a woman's heart. It appeared to work with his relationship with Narcissa Black, as well as with Bellatrix Black and her beau, Rodolphus Lestrange.
Perhaps Lucius had been right, or perhaps Lucius was just trying to get Severus away from his mudblood friend. Either way, Snape had made a mistake. If nice guys finish last, where did that leave him? He had to make it up to her, he just knew it.
"I don't need help from filthy little mudbloods like her!"
Lily hated him. With all her heart she hated Severus Snape. More than Potter, more than Malfoy, more than anyone. The boy who was once her best friend was completely gone, this much Lily knew was true. He had been slowly changing throughout their Hogwarts years, but this was the final straw.
She spent the rest of the afternoon and well into the evening in her dorm, sad and angry at the same time. Lily knew that Severus hung out with the bad crowd in his house, but she never realized just how deeply he had fallen into their ideology. Her dorm mates, Mary MacDougal and Hestia Jones tried for a while to keep her company, but eventually went back to the common room when her brooding became overwhelming.
His words echoed through her head. Any friendship they had was eternally lost once those words left his mouth. She had tried to help, and instead had lost the one who introduced her to magic and was her first magical friend. She could never forgive him.
"I don't need help from filthy little mudbloods like her!"
"Lily, Severus is at the portrait hole," said Mary, poking her head timidly into the dorm room. Lily's head snapped to look at the other girl, eyes wide in shock, fear, and anger.
"Tell him I'm not interested in speaking with him," Lily said, attempting to remain calm and burrowing further into her blankets. Mary sighed.
"I already tried that, Lils. He says he won't leave until he's spoken with you," she prodded calmly. Lily groaned, then, to Mary's great surprise, hoisted herself out of bed, dragging her quilt with her out of the dorm and down to the common room.
Flinging open the portrait hole, Lily found herself face to face with the last person she wanted to see on earth. She fixed him with a hard glare as he looked up, almost shocked to see her there.
"Lily… you came out… does this mean you're not mad at me?" Severus asked stupidly. Lily's glare hardened and Severus gulped. The portrait hole hung open behind her.
Behind Lily, Severus could see the marauders gathered inside the portrait hole (Remus holding a hand firmly over Sirius's mouth to quiet the other boy's laughter), while the rest of Lily's friends were hanging behind them. Even further back was almost every member of Gryffindor house, all leaning forward to try and hear what their "Gryffindor Golden Girl" was saying to her once-best-friend.
"I can explain, Lily, just hear me out!" continued Severus. "I wasn't thinking, you're different from the rest of the mud- er, muggle-borns. You're special, especially to me."
At his words, Lily scoffed. He had to be kidding. "I am no different from anyone else here, Snivillus. I don't want your petty, untrue apology. Go back to the dungeons, none of my kind will bother you there. After all, you shouldn't be hanging around 'filthy little mudbloods like me.' What ever will your friend think?" Lily retorted. Severus paled.
"I'm so done with you, Severus. Go away," Lily said, turning her back and noticing the marauders for the first time. Peter and James were standing in shock, while Remus had shifted to having Sirius in a severe chokehold, a quick muffliato spell cast on the boy to silence him. As she looked at them pleadingly, they parted for her so she could run to her friends beyond them, Sirius sobering immediately at the look from his favourite ginger. Before she could escape, Severus grabbed her arm.
"That's not the way I think Lily, I swear! I'm in love with you!" Severus shouted, a last ditch effort to get her back in any way possible. He could see the looks on the faces of the marauders hardening, but at this point didn't care. Lily whipped around to face him.
"Don't. Touch. Me," she hissed out, rage in her eyes. "You are a prejudiced, cold-hearted, lying, pig-headed excuse for a wizard. Should I mention that your father is a muggle himself, Snivellus? I hope one day you'll choose to stop being such a hypocrite, but even if that day comes, stay away from me!"
Hearing her words, Severus's grip on her arm loosened. She ripped her arm away and rushed angrily to her friends. Severus saw Hestia and Mary engulf her in a hug before his view was obscured by the marauders. He gulped quietly.
"You'd be wise to stay away from here, Snape," said Remus calmly.
"And even wiser to stay away from Lily," added Peter with a glare.
"That is, if you know what's good for you," said James, cracking his knuckles with a positively menacing look on his face.
Sirius stepped right up in front of Severus, and finished for the marauders, saying "Lily is a force to be reckoned with when she's mad, and with all of Gryffindor and most of the rest of the school on her side, I'd be scared shitless if I were you."
Severus took a step back, then another, then finally turned around and fled. The marauders reentered the common room once they saw him turn the corner.
Leaning against the wall after turning the corner, Severus sunk to the floor in tears. Much to his dismay, he was soon joined by Malfoy and Mulciber. He wiped them away as quickly as he could.
"I don't need your opinion right now, Malfoy," Severus said with a snap. Malfoy and Mulciber exchanged a glance.
"Just remember, Severus," said Mulciber judicially. "We don't need help from filthy little mudbloods like her. The Dark Lord has no room for her."
Steeling his face into the expressionless mask he typically wore, Severus turned to Mulciber coolly. "I'm well aware of that, Mulciber. There are more important matters to attend to at the moment than the ginger mudblood. Let's go," he said, getting off the floor and heading to the dungeons.
Behind him, Malfoy and Mulciber exchanged a glance. They both chose not to say anything, but their thoughts were clear. They would have to keep a close eye on Severus, lest he do something stupid for the sake of his precious ginger mudblood.