Warning: This is not Snape/Lily, only slight, one-sided Snape/Lily. It is Lily/James all the way. This is not a one-shot, FYI, it will be a two-shot. Next chapter will be Lily's point of view.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

Severus Snape sat at the Slytherin table with a frown, nodding amiably to whatever Avery and Mulciber were telling Regulus. His eyes scanned the Great Hall, stopping more than once at the Gryffindor table. He was looking for that familiar flash of red, those knowing green eyes with small, dotted freckles. Severus Snape was looking for Lily Evans. But she was not there-that was what was worrisome, and even more so was that James Potter's group-The Marauders-was missing as well. In fact, the Gryffindor table was lacking most of its boisterous crowd. Not that Snape cared; really, they could all go die in a hole for all he liked. The one he really cared about was Lily Evans. He glanced out the window. It was still snowing.

"Isn't that right, Severus?"

Snape glanced over, distracted, at Avery, who appeared to have been telling him something. "Yes, yes," Snape muttered.

"Right," Avery nodded. Turning to Regulus he said, "See, Regulus? Snape agrees. We need to sniff out the Mudbloods, first, and then we can act on your plan."

Snape glanced over, trying to show mild interest, but inside he was panicking. Mudbloods? Lily Evans was a Mudblood…No, Snape thought angrily to himself, Muggle-born. She was a Muggle-born, not a Mudblood. …Right? But even so, every time Snape thought of her, he couldn't help that word. He had been using it a lot recently, so it only made sense that he came to that conclusion. But no…Lily Evans was Muggle-born, not Mudblood.

"Hey, look," said Mulciber sourly. "It's little Potty and his friends."

And so it was. The doors of the Great Hall burst open and a great portion of the Gryffindors drifted in. Snape squinted. They all were appeared to be covered in light flakes of snow. Snape snorted. They probably had a snow fight. He could make out Frank Longbottom and his girlfriend, Alice, Marlene McKinnon, and Mary McDonald…

Those last three are Lily's friends, Snape thought, so why isn't she with them?

More crowded in. Snape squinted…no, it couldn't be…

"Look, Regulus," Avery nudged the small Slytherin. "It's your brother. I guess we were wrong about Potty being here, weren't we?"

Snape gave a start. Yes, Avery was right…there they were…Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew. The only Marauder missing was James Potter…Snape narrowed his eyes. And the Lily wasn't there, either. If not for being Snape, and being a Slytherin, he would have gotten up and gone to look for her. But he didn't. So he stayed here. Besides, he wasn't sure how Lily would take it. At the beginning of seventh year, they had decided to give their friendship another go, but it was very weak. Lily still called him 'Snape' or, 'Severus'. Never 'Sev' anymore. Snape almost sighed. He knew their friendship wasn't going to last.

"Snape?" Mulciber said gruffly. "Are you going to eat that?"

Snape glanced down at his own plate, which had ham and mashed potatoes. "Now, you can have it," said Snape distantly. Snape surveyed the table. The meal had just gone, only to be replaced with desert. Snape glanced back over at the Gryffindor table. No Lily. No Potter.

Five more minutes passed before the doors of the Great Hall opened again, and in walked Lily, laughing and talking with Potter. The snow on them was a little thicker, as if they had stayed out longer and the snow had fallen a bit more.

Snape watched, silent with envy, as Lily and James made their way over to their table. They said their goodbyes, each walking back over to their respective groups. Snape saw Alice hand Lily a plate of food from the main meal, and Sirius do the same with James. Snape looked away.

"Foolish Gryffindors," Mulciber sneered. "One day we're going to have to teach them a lesson."

"Yeah," Regulus chorused, "They deserve everything they're going to get."

All but one, Snape thought. Finally, after two more minutes of listening to the three Slytherins surrounding him babble, Snape finally stood up. "I'm going to go," he said to questioning looks. "I need to check out the Gryffindor table, see if any more are absent that we can nab."

Avery nodded appreciatively. "Good idea, Snape. Check particularly on the group of idiots. Never know, we might get lucky."

Snape understood that 'the group of idiots' was James Potter and his friends. Snape nodded, and without wasting any more time, tried to discreetly make his way over to the Gryffindor table. He reached it without a fuss, and, managing to position himself so he wouldn't be in Potter's view, tapped Lily on the shoulder. Lily looked up.

Lily was positively radiant, her eyes positively aglow with glee. A big smile stretched her face, and she said, quite happily, might he add, "Hello, Sev."

Snape was caught off guard. Sev? She never called him that. But, he supposed, things changed. And right after her walk with Potter, a voice itched at him. Before everyone came down for the meal, she was moody, and called you, 'Snape'. He ignored it.

"Where were you?" Snape hissed. He noticed her friends glance at her and drift away to have their own conversations. Good. He'd rather not be interrupted.

"Nowhere," Lily replied cheerily. "Just out for a stroll with Potter. Treacle tart?"

Snape narrowed his eyes. He noticed the way she choked out 'Potter' like it was some foreign name to her. In fact, he had the slight distinction that she almost said 'James'.

"No thanks," Snape replied curtly. "Out will Potter? Really? What did that idiot do now?"

Lily visibly bristled. "He's not an idiot, Severus," Lily snapped. "He's really very kind. It's not his fault if you bring out the worst in him."

Snape stood there, slightly stunned. Wasn't that what she used to say to Potter after he finished a good round of teasing? That you started, might I add, the voice pricked. Snape shoved it away.

"Fine," Snape replied irritably, "He's not an idiot. So what did you do?"

"It's none of your business," Lily replied shortly, the gleam slowly leaving her eyes. "Now if you don't mind, I was talking to Marlene."

And Lily turned away, calling back her friends' attention. Fine, Snape thought bitterly as he stalked back over to the Gryffindor table, have it her way. Before he left, though, Snape made sure to cast a charm that would allow him to listen to their conversation.

"Well?" Avery said when Snape sat back down again, "Any missing?"

"No," Snape replied, trying his best to sound disheartened, "All there."

"Pity," Mulciber frowned, sounding sad. "I was hoping maybe we could catch a Mudblood."

Snape nodded mutely. He really hated that word. He did.

When Mulciber and Avery turned back to chatting it up with Regulus, Snape flicked his wand, activating the charm. Snape listened.

"So what did Snape want?" The voice of Marlene McKinnon floated into his ear.

"Nothing," Lily replied, and Snape felt slightly hurt that she was brushing him off. "So what were you saying?"

"What happened with you and Potter, Lily?"

Snape straightened, alert.

"Oh, you mean James?" Since when do you call him James, thought Snape sourly. "I don't-"

"Oh, come off it, Lily." That was Alice. "I'm sure he's already told the guys already."

There was a pause and then Lily sighed, "Alright." Snape could distinctly hear cheering before Lily continued. "What do you know, anyway?"

"Nothing, really." Said Alice. "All we know is that, after the little fight in the snow, James asked you to talk. That's it."

"Oh, okay. Well, after James asked me to talk, he wanted to know if I would like to go on a stroll. I obliged, saying yes." Snape was quiet, trying his hardest not to breathe. He needed to hear this. This was important. "We walked in silence for a while, and then James commented on the weather. We started this whole conversation-it was romantic, really, and James was rather cute."

"Can you tell us the conversation?" Asked Mary enthusiastically. Yes, thought Snape, do tell.

"I don't really remember," Answered Lily, but Snape could tell by a slight hike in her voice that she wasn't being completely honest. He guessed some personal things were said. "But I can tell you what happened after, if you like."

"Okay."

"Well, after we finished talking, we ended up by the lake. James and I stood there, and we were quiet for a moment. Then James said, 'Do you believe in love at first sight, Lily?'"

Since when did Potter call her Lily, growled Snape to himself.

"And then?" Alice prompted gently.

"And then," Lily took a deep breath. "And then we kissed. It was wonderful, really. And after that he asked me to Hogsmeade," Lily paused. "Of course I said yes."

"Oh, Lily!" cried Marlene, "That's great!"

No, it was not great, Snape growled to himself. Not great at all. As soon as Lily uttered the words, 'we kissed', Snape felt his heart fall and break. The pieces were scattered, with no hope of attaching them again. He knew it was all over for them, really. They were going to grow up and get married, he just knew it. The look of adoration and pure love in James Potters' eyes as he gazed at Lily, the love in her voice as she said his name…it was all over for him.

As the meal ended and people flowed out into the corridors, Snape spotted James Potter waiting by the door, nervously running a hand through his hair. His hazel eyes scoured the room, and Snape knew who he was looking for. And when Lily Potter-no, Evans, since when did he think Lily Potter?-walked into view, James Potter rushed over to her and pulled her into an embrace.

Severus Snape stood watching them for a moment. And then he turned away.

"Up for that attack on Mudbloods, Severus?" asked Avery.

"Yes," Snape said.

A little sad, I know. Not humorous, really, but I thought it was good. Review!

~D