Note: This is my first real fanfic and my first one co-writing with a friend. I hope you like it and please review!
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or places in this story. Everything belongs to J.K. Rowling, but the story, of course, is mine. :)
As they lay in the grass, looking up at the stars, Lily asked Severus what he thought they were made of.
"Mum says they're giant balls of hot gas," young Lily said.
"Don't believe everything those Muggles tell you," Severus sneered. "My best mate at Hogwarts swears they're the Patronuses of all the wizards who've ever lived."
Lily looked puzzled. "You mean all of the wizards who've ever died?"
"Something like that."
"I hope that when we die, ours will be right next to each other."
"That would be nice." Snape blushed a deep scarlet, painfully obvious on his pale complexion, even by moonlight.
"Tell me about the Patronuses again." Lily asked.
"Well, they're a wizard's most powerful protection. They take the form of an animal and they protect you when you cast the Patronus charm. Love is probably the only thing more powerful; at least according to Dumbledore."
Severus slid his hand across the grass to find Lily's but she withdrew it to her fine red hair before he could touch it.
"Lily."
The word sounded so sweet on his lips but there was something wrong.
"Lily."
It wasn't his voice.
"Lily…"
Lily jolted awake with a start. It was James whispering her name.
"It's time to wake up, love. We need to go to that Order meeting today."
"Right," said Lily sitting up. "I almost forgot about that."
Lily gave James and quick peck and quickly jumped out of bed to go take a shower.
She turned on the water and hopped in; the dream weighed heavily on Lily's mind. She hadn't talked to Severus in months; he had stopped making contact with her after she and James had gotten married. Lily had sent a few letters to him but her owl always turned up empty handed.
Maybe I need to pay him a visit, thought Lily. He must miss me as dearly as I miss him. Perhaps there'll be time after the meeting.
Scrubbing shampoo into her hair, Lily started to formulate her plan for a visit but she needed an excuse to be out of the house; she knew James didn't like Snape or Lily's friendship with him. Suddenly an idea came to her.
"So I'm thinking of visiting Petunia this afternoon," Lily whispered to James during the Order meeting.
"Are you mad?" He whispered back. "The woman hates you and wouldn't even come to our wedding."
"Oh come on," Lily begged. "She's my sister and whether she likes me or not, we're family."
James gave her a hesitant look. McGonagall cleared her throat across the table, silencing the both of them.
"I need to see her." Lily continued on their way home. "Just a short afternoon visit. Tomorrow. You and Sirius could go see a Quidditch match."
"It almost sounds as if you're trying to get rid of me." James took Lily in his arms. "Is there another man I should be worried about?"
"Of course not!" said Lily, pecking him on the cheek. A feeling of guilt rushed through her. She loved James dearly but she also loved her childhood friend.
Lily saw James off in the morning as he and Sirius left to go watch the latest Quidditch match. As soon as she was sure that they were gone she quickly grabbed her jacket and wand and apparated on the spot.
Saying she was going to Petunia's was a perfect lie because Severus really didn't live that far from Petunia herself.
Lily appeared in front of the old playground she and her sister had played on years ago and where she had first met Severus.
"It's obvious, isn't it?"
"What's obvious?" asked Lily.
"You're… you're a witch," whispered Snape.
Lily closed her eyes, fighting back tears. Those reminiscent days had been so wonderful. Why did things have to go the way they did? Why couldn't James have just left Severus alone? Why did Severus have to choose the Death Eaters?
All these thoughts ran through Lily's mind as she walked down the road towards Spinner's End.
She finally reached his house and knocked on the door. A moment passed before she heard movement behind the door and suddenly a tall, lean face appeared before her.
"Sev."
