Although I love and respect all Rowling's decisions, I have to wonder what exactly drew Lily to James. This is my exploration of that, as well as a foray into the friendship she shared with Snape. Because I love Snape.

Disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter I would be too busy sailing the world in my yacht to write fanfiction.

Christmas

Severus stared over his hooked nose in dismay at the surly reflection that met his eye. It seemed that, no matter how frequently he washed it, his hair would insist on keeping that oily shine. Vainly he swiped his hand over it again and sniffed. Mercifully the sore throat that had plagued him yesterday was nearly gone. In its stead, however, was the sniffling that seemed less and less effective as he worked his way towards a fully stuffed up nose. He growled at himself, only serving to make his face more drawn and ugly. A sore throat at least could be hidden. Congestion was more difficult.

A part of him wanted to skip the whole thing. When Lily had suggested they sit together for Christmas dinner, his knee-jerk reaction was to refuse. Being seen with a Muggle-born, and a Gryffindor at that, was not nearly worth the mocking and jeering from both of their classmates. Even if Lily's hair did sparkle brilliantly when she tossed it defiantly over one shoulder and shot them a belligerent glare with her sharp, green eyes.

But then, in what Severus could only assume was a Christmas miracle, both Mulciber and Avery had decided to go home for the holiday, leaving only a handful of second year Slytherin girls to witness his companion. And who cared about them anyway? Maybe it was foolish, but Severus decided to make himself a Christmas gift of it and have dinner Lily Evans; Gryffindor, Muggle-born, and best friend.

He quickly checked his pockets for a clean handkerchief before heading up from the dungeons, to where she stood waiting in the Great Hall.

At first glance, Lily noticed something different in the way Severus approached her. His shuffling gait as he walked towards her without raising his eyes wasn't unusual, but his steps seemed, perhaps, a bit stiffer. And when he finally did look up and faintly smile she noticed a hazy pink covering the whites of his eyes, so subtle it was almost invisible. But she knew these eyes as well as her own and to her it was glaringly obvious.

"You look exhausted," she commented when he was close enough to hear.

"Thanks," he said sardonically. "You don't look too cheery yourself."

Lily groaned and ran a hand over her eyes which she imagined might be a similar shade of pink.

"James Potter ended up staying at Hogwarts for Christmas."

Severus held back a shudder at the mention of the name.

"Parents didn't want to take him on some fancy holiday somewhere?"

"They suggested Moscow," she said, now steering her friend towards the table. "It sounded brilliant to me, but apparently he'd prefer ruining my holiday to enjoying his own."

Severus barked a laugh. "He's been bugging you all day then?" he asked.

"If only it were just that," Lily answered, serving herself a portion of potatoes and then handing the bowl to her friend. "He's come down with the flu and so he's been lying on the couch in the common room all day, whining like a baby Mandrake."

"Can't you just hide out in your dorm room? Or the library?" Severus swallowed thickly past a lump of corned beef, the saltiness enflaming his throat once more.

Lily didn't answer, merely tucked aggressively into her food while her cheeks turned a deep pink.

Severus dropped his fork and stared at her.

"Tell me you're not there looking after him?" he asked, incredulous. "You know if you give him attention, he's just going to act out more."

"I just feel so bad for him," Lily pleaded. "I know it's mostly put on for my benefit, but he really does look miserable."

"Why don't you just send him to Madam Pomfrey?" Severus scowled, looking back to his plate.

"Oh come on, Sev. It's Christmas. Who wants to spend Christmas in the Hospital Wing?" When Severus continued to furrow his brow Lily's voice resumed its pleading tone. "Don't be mad at me."

"Lily, you know I'm not mad. I just don't like the idea of James taking advantage of you." Severus rushed through the end of the sentence and pulled himself away from the table to sneeze into his napkin.

"Bless you. I can look after myself you know."

"I know you can, normally. It's just Potter. The way girls act around him… it's absurd," he angrily wiped his nose, as though it were the offender.

Lily's eyes flared. "And you think I'm just like the rest of them, is that it? That I'm all ready to fall in line to worship at his feet? Thanks for the compliment."

Severus sniffled again as his dark eyes bore into hers.

"Don't be like that," he said quietly. "You know I think you've got ten times as much sense as the rest of the girls at the school. I just-"

His breath caught then and he pulled away to sneeze again.

"Bless," she said again. "You know it really wouldn't kill you to act like you trust me once in awhile."

"You're right," Severus conceded after clearing his throat. "If there's anyone here who hates Potter more than I do, it's you. Still, I think you're too tender-hearted for your own good. I'd say give him some Pepperup and be done with it."

"Do you know, I already gave him a double dose," Lily said, pacified. "He says it doesn't do him any good. He maintains he's still in agony." She let her voice waver on the last word in what Severus imagined was her impression of a whining Potter.

He grinned. "Well you know, no one can feel pain quite as acutely as James Potter," he responded, playing along.

"What he suffers, we mere mortals can hardly imagine," she added.

They both laughed until Severus, much to his embarrassment, broke into a bit of quiet coughing.

Instantly, Lily wrinkled her brow in concern. "Are you alright, Sev? You actually don't look so well, yourself."

"I'm fine," He answered, waving a hand dismissively at her. "Please don't worry about me, when you should be spending your concern on poor Mr. Potter. I hear he's on his deathbed, you know."

Still dubious, Lily smiled. Then her face lit up.

"I almost forgot your Christmas present," she exclaimed, turning to search through her bag.

"You didn't have to get me anything," Severus, his cheeks turning pink with shame. It never escaped him how unable he was to repay her kindness, not having any money to spend on her in return.

"Here it is," Lily declared, as though she hadn't heard him. "Sorry it isn't wrapped. I haven't had the chance, what with being in quarantine all day."

Snape held up a leather-bound copy of Unusual and Effective Potions.

"Thanks, Lily," he said, breaking into a grin as he leafed through the first pages.

"It's supposed to have all sorts of Potions you won't even hear about until you go for you Mastery. I think there's even a chapter on Wolfsbane. And in the back…" she stopped speaking as Severus tossed the book abruptly aside. After a moment of a pained look in his eyes he pulled away to sneeze thrice into his handkerchief.

"You are getting sick, aren't you?" Lily asked in dismay. She reached a hand up to feel his forehead but was rejected when Severus pulled quickly away.

"Lily, it's nothing. I'm fine," he said thickly. He cleared his throat and tried to look away from the concern in her eyes.

Guarding his face from her, he quickly decided on a distraction from his condition.

"I did get you a little something," he said, peering up at her through a curtain of hair.

Immediately the girl brightened. Her excited grin sent a warm flush of excitement down Severus' spine. He reached a hand into a pocket and withdrew it with an uncharacteristic flourish.

On the palm of his hand sat a small origami crane, folded delicately from a sheet of pure white parchment. The craft alone would have delighted Lily but when the tiny thing stood and stretched she gasped aloud. It opened its wings and began to preen itself; it's long, white neck simultaneously elegant and delicate.

"Did you charm it, yourself?" Lily asked, transfixed.

"I thought I'd put your teaching to good use," he answered.

"And here I hardly thought you were paying attention," she commented, referencing their weekly study sessions. She didn't take her eyes from the bird as it took off and flew from his hand to perch on her own. All the while Severus did not take his eyes off of her.

After a few more moments of watching it, she placed it on the table and turned towards her friend.

"Sev, I love it," she said quietly. As they watched the bird their faces had grown closer and now, as she thanked him, he was near enough to smell her shampoo.

Lily's gaze dropped slowly to his lips and Severus' heart began to race. His limbs felt numb and he wondered if this were the moment he had anticipated since meeting her. He gulped and became again aware of the searing pain in his throat.

In an impulsive decision he pulled back from her, disrupting the mood of the moment. Even though withdrawing from her was almost physically painful, he couldn't bear the thought of infecting her.

"I'm glad you like it," he said simply. He reached quickly for a glass of water and drank as if to drown the misery he felt.

Lily smiled as though she understood and said again how much she liked her gift. She watched the crane for a while longer all while studying Severus out of the corner of her eye. Although he strived to maintain an unreadable expression, his jaw line was taught and she imagined his to be struggling either not to sneeze or cough. And then Lily made the decision to allow him his coveted dignity.

"I'd better get back to James," she said.

Although the words stung Severus deeply, he forced a smile.

"Don't want to leave the invalid unattended too long," he agreed. "He might roll over and smother himself."

Lily's half-hearted smile matched his own.

"I'll see you tomorrow," she said as she rose. "And Severus, really, get some rest."

Her tone was weighty and Severus realized that she was nearly begging. He watched her departure with the memory of her sweet words echoing in his memory.