Severus Snape, a boy of sixteen, sat at the edge of the lake that lay beside Hogwarts. It was his favourite spot, relaxing under a favoured willow tree. His eyes travelled along the ripples of the icy lake. His dark eyes shining with the sunlight, he always looked so mysterious, nobody could ever read his thoughts, for his face remained blank, emotionless.

There was a high-pitched giggle from behind him which made a shiver run down Snape's back. That signature giggle, that giggle which made him want to beat that person until she couldn't giggle any longer. Then he heard her voice, that low husky voice that made him burn on the inside and the outside. The voice of Bellatrix Black.

Bellatrix Black was the "popular" girl of Hogwarts. Every Slytherin wanted to be her, every Gryffindor envied her. Some Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs admired her, whilst some hated her guts.

Without even looking at her, Snape could picture exactly what she was doing and what she looked like. She would obviously be lying down on a cloak she probably stole from a first year Hufflepuff just so that she had something to lie on. That twisted smirk playing upon her blood-red lips, her skin pale but reflecting a golden glow from the bright sun. Her eyes glittering darkly at everyone around her. The gaze that could make even the toughest of all witches and wizards cower before her.

She laughed once more, this time so loud and high pitched it caused Snape to whip his head around, the greasy hair trailing after him, to look at her. There she was, just as he pictured. Lying on the ground, that smug look plastered on her face, surrounded by fellow Slytherins. That stupid Rodolphus Lestrange kissing up to her, and her, as usual, ignoring him to her best ability.

Snape bit his lip hard as he looked at her. Something about her angered him so much. He didn't get why people treated her like royalty. Just because she had the all so famous "Black Family Good Looks" and came from one of the purest wizarding families of all time, it did not mean she was anything special, not to him anyway. She was nothing, just another student. Yet she was one that could make his insides clench with anger, she sometimes made him bite his tounge so hard that little beads of blood would leak from his mouth.

"Oh look, it's Snivelly!" Lucius Malfoy's arrogant voice reached Snape's ears.

Snape gritted his teeth so hard that small cracking noises could be heard coming from his mouth. Snape ignored Lucius and concentrated his energies on the lake instead.

"Looks like he can't hear us, Lucius." Rodolphus' rather idiotic sounding voice followed. Snape could hear footsteps coming closer and knew Rodolphus was approaching him. He came so close to Snape's head then yelled in his ear "WE'RE TALKING TO YOU, SNIVELLY!"

Snape ignored him yet again and merely shifted to the side, away from Rodolphus' stench.

"Don't ignore my friends when they talk to you, Snivellus." It was her who spoke this time. Bellatrix. He would recognise that voice anywhere. He clenched his fists and to his own surprise he got to his feet and turned to look at her. She was standing now, a smirk on her face and her wand gripped tightly in her right hand.

"Oh you've noticed we're here." Bellatrix's smirk grew wider. "Congratulations, Snivellus, you're not as dumb as you look."

Snape glared at her with pure hatred. "Decided to steal Potter's nickname for me, have you Trixie?" he licked his lips nervously. He could see the scowl on her face as he called her "Trixie". Bellatrix had specifically made sure NOBODY would call her that, unless they wanted to feel her wrath. "What's the matter? Not creative enough to come up with your own so you've decided to steep so low you reach the Gryffindors' standards?"

"DON'T YOU DARE!" Bellatrix suddenly bellowed, she was always this crazy, even on their first day at Hogwarts. The moment the sorting hat touched a hair on her head it had bellowed "SLYTHERIN!" and Bellatrix's face lit up with rather twisted delight. "I swear, Snape, you insult me once more I'll make sure you have no tongue to insult me with!"

Snape gave a small smile, only because he knew it would anger her, on the inside he was cowering like a small child. "Take it." Snape stuck his tongue out, mockingly, to tease Bellatrix.

She glared at him and her cheeks flushed a faint shade of a rather flattering pink, making her look uneasy and full of anger. "You dare, Snape, you dare!" She bit her lip, as though there was a small debate going on in her head, as to how to punish him. "Levicorpus!" Snape knew what would happen before the spell even hit him, he had created it himself, after all. He was immediately tugged into the air by his ankles and hung ridiculously, feeling the blood rush to his head.

"Let me down, Trixie!" he ordered, angrily.

Bellatrix let out a high-pitched laugh and rolled her eyes. "Why should I?"

Snape glared, crowds had now gathered around himself and Bellatrix. Most of them were laughing their heads off at his embarrassment. He felt himself flush a violently red.

"Because I-I- if you don't I-I'll-"

"You'll what!?" Bellatrix laughed, cutting across his words. "You'll run to your old pal, Dumbles, and tell on me?" she continued to laugh and the rest of the crowds laughed with her.

"That's enough, Miss Black!" Snape turned his head to the side and saw Professor Slughorn emerge out of the crowds. "I don't want a member of my Slug Club getting into little spats like this." He gave Bellatrix a bracing smile and Snape felt his insides squirm. Why was it that she could get her own way with everything? Even with the teachers? She was unbelievable!

Bellatrix sighed grumpily and with a lazy flick of her wand, she sent Snape crashing onto his head with a loud thump.

Snape got up onto his feet rubbing his head and growling to himself. He wanted to call Bellatrix a lot of names, but knew better not to in front of Slughorn.

"Nothing to see here! Get back to your…whatever you were doing!" Slughorn clicked his fingers and the crowds disappeared, leaving Bellatrix, Slughorn, Snape, Lucius and Rodolphus left with each other. "Miss Black, if you would please, just come back to my office so that I can award you a bottle of your Felix Felicis for your good work in class the other day."

Bellatrix beamed and nodded to Slughorn.

Snape rolled his eyes, feeling a bit sick. Everyone knew that Bellatrix would kiss up to the teachers to get what she wanted. She'd tell them what they wanted to hear, compliment them and she'd do well in class. She may be a bitch, but Snape had to admit, she was a very talented witch. Terrible, yes, but talented…and great. There was no doubt that Lord Voldemort, who was currently rising in power by the second, would want her in his ranks one day.

"You two!" Slughorn clicked his fingers at Lucius and Rodolphus. "Finish that homework or it'll be detention with me again. Or worse, I'll put you with Professor McGonnagall."

Lucius and Rodolphus immediately shook their heads. "We'll have it done, sir!" piped Lucius and in no time they both ran off in the opposite direction.

With a nod to Snape, Slughorn turned on his heels and headed for the castle with Bellatrix trailing at his feet, but not before she had the chance to kick Snape in the shins before going.

Snape glared after her, once more Bellatrix had managed to make a fool out of him. He wanted nothing more than to grab her head and smash it against a wall, or better, a knife.

With a grumble he slumped down onto the grass and glared at the lake, cluching his legs which ached in pain.

The next day, Snape had returned to his preferred spot, under the willow tree by the lake. However, to his disliking, the person he hated even more than Bellatrix sat at the edge of the lake with his usual friends. He glared at the four of them. "The Marauders". How he hated them. Arrogant was an understatement. They were jumped-up enough to award themselves the title "Marauders" and nickname each other Prongs, Padfoot, Moony and Wormtail. Snape wrinkled his nose in disgust at the four of them. James Potter was the worst of them all…or "Prongs" as his friends called him. Every now and then he'd brush back his hair arrogantly, especially when girls were nearby. He thought every girl would die to be with him. When truth be told, everyone knew he was an idiot, even Bellatrix knew this.

"Oi! Snivellus!" Snape rolled his eyes, hearing Sirius Black's voice. Sirius Black, the cousin of Bellatrix, perhaps even worse than her. He wasn't as evil as Bellatrix, perhaps, but he was annoying and stuck-up just like her. Even more so in fact.

"What do you want?!" Snape demanded as the four of them approached him.

"Ooh not very friendly." James smirked as Remus and Peter remained silent in the background.

"Bugger off!" Growled Snape.

The four of them laughed. "Oh we're just bored, Sniv." laughed Sirius. "Fancy having a laugh, is all."

"Yeah? Go look in a mirror then." Snape glared, but couldn't help smirk at his own comeback.

The four of them silenced immediately and Sirius and James glared angrily at him, as though he had no right defending himself.

"Hmm…" James crossed his arms whilst surveying Snape. "I don't think we'll torture the mirror with Sirius' face, thank you, Snivelly."

"Hey!" Sirius punched James playfully on the arm.

James laughed then turned back to Snape. "Now…what to do with you…fancy going for a spin?" James prodded his wand and yelled "Levicorpus!". Once again, Snape was jerked up into the air. James spun his wand around and Snape began spinning in mid-air. He felt himself get dizzy and his stomach was now doing backflips. "Stop!" Snape yelled, angrily.

"What was that, Padfoot?"

"Didn't hear anything, Prongs. Moony?"
"Nope. Nothing. Wormtail?"
"N-N-no…don't hear anything."

James smirked and kept spinning Snape in mid-air. "Hmm…" He moved his wand up and down and Snape began taking plunges in the air. His head smacking against the ground then lifted back into the air repeatedly.

"Leave him alone!"

This time, Snape didn't instantly recognise the voice, it wasn't exactly clear to him who it was, but he was glad they had come never the less.

"What? You came to help him?" It was Sirius who spoke.

"I'd prefer it if you didn't use the term help but yes, let him down before I hurt you."

No. It had hit Snape who it was. But it couldn't be…why would she come to help him. She hated him, just as he hated her. No, Bellatrix Black couldn't have come to his rescue. Snape chanced opening his eyes…it was! It was her. She was there, standing up for him, he could hardly believe it. She'd never shown any kindness towards him or anyone before.

"What is it to do with you, Bellatrix?"

"I'm warning you, Potter! Let him down or I'll seriously hurt you!" Bellatrix was looking angry and her wand was pointed straight at James' face.

"Why? Come to save your boyfriend?" Asked James, smirking.

"Actually…yes I have!"

Snape's eyes widened. Boyfriend?

James, Sirus, Remus and Peter's eyes all widened. It was obvious that that wasn't the answer they had all been expecting.

"What? You're going out with him? No way!" Sirius pushed in front of James and stared at her.

Bellatrix nodded. "Yes. I am. And if you have a problem with that I suggest you let him down, cousin."

What was she doing? Snape didn't understand. Why was she doing this? Why was she saying these things?

James shook his head. "No deal. Go out with who you want, Bellabitch!"

Bellatrix's eyes narrowed dangerously and her lips curled. "Incendio!" With a flick of her wand, she set James Potter's hair on fire.

James screamed like a girl, and Sirius, idiotically started blowing at his friend's head as if that'd do anything.

Bellatrix smirked and pointed her wand at each Marauder, setting each one's hair on fire.

"What do we do!?" Came Peter Pettigrew's squeaky voice.

"The lake!" Lupin's strong voice yelled loudly. They each dropped their wands and ran straight at the lake and jumped right into it.

Bellatrix laughed loudly at them as Snape crashed onto the floor. She stopped when she noticed him there as he got up onto his feet slowly,

"Er…thanks?" Snape spoke quietly.

Bellatrix nodded. "Yeah."

"Er…Bellatrix…no offence…I mean, I'm grateful and everything…but…why the hell did you do that?"

"Do what?"

"That. Help me. I mean, you hate me, just as I hate you." Snape looked at her, confusion spread across his face.

"Charming. Thanks a lot. Remind me not to save your sorry arse again." Bellatrix rolled her eyes. "No, Snape. I may hate you. But I hate Potter more. Plus, you're mine to pick on." She smirked.

"Oh thanks." Snape rolled his eyes.

"Welcome." They both exchanged smirks for a few moments whilst they stared at each other. Both seemed confused at Bellatrix's actions.

"So…I'm your boyfriend?" Snape asked out of the blue.

Bellatrix merely laughed and rolled her eyes. "In your dreams, Snivellus." She gave a small smile before pocketing her wand. "See you later, Sevvy." She winked before turning on her heels and marching back to the castle, no doubt to find one of her "boyfriends".

Snape watched her leave for a while and waited until she was a great distance away before saying "Yeah…see you later, Bella."

He knew what she would be up to, he knew she'd probably be spending time with her Slytherin friends, flirting with the other Slytherin boys and God knows what else. And for some reason, Snape felt a burst of gratitude towards her. And perhaps even jealousy. Maybe Bellatrix wasn't that bad afterall.

Snape shook his head, smirking slightly to himself he turned to look back at the lake, where he saw James, Sirius, Remus and Peter emerging out of the icy water, all soaking wet, shivering from the cold and looking bitter.