Hey guys, in the wake of Deathly Hallows I am just floored by "The Prince's Tale." So, I thought I would write a fic further exploring Snape's life and his relationship with Lily. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Pff, you think I own this cool stuff?

Summertime

Chapter One

Plans Come to Naught

Severus Snape stood alone by the swings of the old playground. He was looking down, hiding his angry tears under a curtain of filthy hair though no one was around to see him cry. Once again he had messed everything up. He scared her away. Severus had planned for days to reveal to the girl she was a witch and he was a wizard. He had worn his cleanest shirt and smoothed his greasy hair down as best as he could, but still, he dashed his hopes and still came across as the creepy, dirty little boy he was. It was all her stupid Muggle sister's--"Tuney's"--fault. She was the one who got Lily scared, who told her he was lying. Severus kicked the playground sand angrily.

He trudged toward the dilapidated house on the outskirts of Spinner's End. He was supposed to have been home an hour ago, but he had been too consumed with plucking up the courage to emerge from his hiding place in the bushes and speak to Lily. Severus climbed the rotting steps to his house and opened the squeaky screen door. He crept into the den, careful not to make too much noise. He noticed his mother sprawled on the torn, mildewy sofa, no doubt exhausted from another violent argument.

Mrs. Snape looked at her son rather blearily and said, "You've missed dinner."

Severus nodded but his stomach grumbled in protest. He climbed the stairs to his room, pausing only to glance into the cracked door of his parents' room. His father had passed out on the bed, a bare foot dangled off the side. Severus sighed with relief.

He went into the bathroom and turned the tap—nothing came out. He frowned, the water still had not been turned back on. There was always the option of washing in the stream, but the Winchells, who owned the property on which the stream flowed, had already caught him once. If they caught him again they would surely complain to his parents and he would have to face the painful consequences. He went back into the hallway, pulled the string that let down the stairs of the attic and climbed up to his room.

The attic was filled with boxes of old clothes and strange artifacts—treasures for a child, absolute necessities for a lonely child. Indeed, Severus had taken full advantage of the attic's garbage. The ridiculous flowered and floppy hats and oversized clothes offered ample opportunity to play dress up. A cane or a faded umbrella was the ideal sword to face an imaginary monster. His most treasured possessions were a stack of ratty looking books—his mother's old schoolbooks.

Severus soaked up everything from these books. He had never been to Diagon Alley, but could tell anyone anything they wanted to know about Ollivander's. He had never seen a Quidditch match, but could recite all the rules and regulations perfectly. There was very little magic in Severus Snape's life. What little he saw was done occasionally by his mother, and his own accidental bursts of power. He dreamed of Hogwarts, going to Hogwarts with the Evans girl. Those were his best dreams.

Tonight, he bypassed the playthings and the books. He flung off his giant, tan trenchcoat, which had become unbearable in the muggy attic. Without his coat it was revealed that he was wearing a stained, ridiculously frilly women's blouse and he looked more like he had fell into a secondhand clothing bin than ever.

He flopped on his grimy mattress, hardly noticing when one of the springs dug into his spine. Lily Evans surely hated him. He had watched her and planned forever to be her friend but it was no use. At least he could still go to Hogwarts, even without the beautiful red-haired girl by his side.

What do you guys think? Shall I continue? Reviews make me happy inside : )