Hullo, well aren't you lucky! An update and a one-shot all in one day! I was writing the next chapter for This is the Way we Love and this sort of grew off it and I just didn't think it belonged in the story so I cut it out but I saved it so you lovely people can still enjoy it! :)

I love Severus! :D

Lily stretched out and yawned lazily, she had just finished her last OWL- defence against the dark arts- and she was savouring the glorious sunshine that had appeared so suddenly, as if to congratulate the fifth years.

She lay facing the lake and was currently watching the rippling movements of the water as the giant squid slid by, just under the surface. If she looked to her right she would see the obnoxious face of James Potter watching her while pretending not to. To her left, hidden almost completely in the roots of a precariously placed willow tree, sat Severus.

As always his face was burried in a book, but if one looked close enough they would notice that through the curtains of greasy, black hair his eyes kept straying to the beautiful redhead reclining several metres away. Everytime he did so a hurt look filled his cold, pebble-like eyes and his gaze sank back to the book.

Alice was chatting constantly in Lily's ear and it was starting to get on her nerves. She loved her as much- possibly even more than he own sister but sometimes she needed a break and as she rolled over she caught sight of the sulky slytherin hunched under the sweeping boughs of the willow and saw an escape. She would go and talk to Sev, something she hadn't done in a while.

But just as she stood and shook the grass off of her robes someone else also spotted the boy.

'Hey! Snivellus!' James jeered from behind her.

Severus' eyes snapped up, this time filled with pure hatred, giving his normally handsome face an ugly, harsh look. Lily felt sick as she saw the amused smile James was wearing, and when Sev stood, throwing down his book her stomach lurched and she wanted to cry out.

Then Severus was in the air and Lily was running to him.

'Stop it!' Lily growled at James. 'Put him down now!'

'Oh but he deserved it,' James said, laughing. He loved the attention, most fifth years had been out enjoying the fine weather and had turned to watch.

'I said leave him!' she shreiked. But James having way too much fun, waving his wand and causing Sev to bounce and flip in mid air. Lily rushed forwards and hit him hard on his upper arm.

'Okay, okay,' he sighed and after dangling him upside down for another moment he muttered the counter curse.

Lily rushed to Sev's side to help him.

'Get off me' he yelled. Lily stepped back, shocked, he had never, ever, spoken to her like that before.

'Sev, I'm trying to help you!' she argued. His head snapped up immediately, an ugly sneer fixed in place.

'I don't need your help, you..' he stood shakily and staggered forwards his finger raised pointing at Lily's face. '- you filthy mudblood!'

She could feel the tears in her eyes, they stung and she couldn't breath. She turned looking for a place to run and blindly she tore up to the castle. She aimed for the common room, still running wildly, trying to make it before the tears broke loose.

She felt the burning in the back of her throat and knew she would not make it. Still only half way to her destination she collapsed in a little nook behind a suit of armour, as the great heaving sobs ripped thought her chest. She tucked her legs in so her knees touched her chin and let the tears fall. She lay there on the cold stone floor for god know how long and only began to move when she shivered so violently it literally made her teeth chatter. The only comfort she could draw was that Severus had probably been hexed into next year by now by James, and probably Sirius too.

Then she heard the steps, someone was walking this way. Holding her breath she pushed herself flush with the wall, hoping to disappear. Obviously, however, this did not work and the footsteps stopped when they reached her little nook. No-one spoke, Lily had shut her eyes and they were still shut tight, she was too ashamed to open them now so she just sat there on the floor, shivvering and weeping silently.

'Miss Evans, are you alright?' came a familiar voice from the open corridor, 'Oh, dear-me' he muttered. She heard him shuffle closer but was still too embarassed to open her eyes, 'Come now, we'll have a nice warm cup of tea in my office and you can tell me what happened' he said in a friendly, father-like way. She opened her eyes to a worried looking Professor Slughorn, 'How does that sound, eh?' he encouraged as he reached down to help her up.

As promised they arrived in Slughorn's dungeon office where he immediately set the kettle to boil and conjured a tea tray which he laid to rest on the low coffee table. He levitated the kettle over to where they were sat now on the fittingly green, leather sofa and poured the tea.

'So, what's the matter, my girl' he asked with a good natured smile.

Her tears had dried up but she could tell her face was still blotchy and red, she didn't know if she could repeat what had been said, what he had called her. She felt the tears well up again and wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed and stay there forever. But right now she couldn't so she sipped her tea and began to recount the events of the earlier afternoon.

Professor Slughorn was the perfect listener, he sat nodding intently always retaining eye contact, he interjected with 'No!'s and 'He did not!'s whenever it was appropriate, that made it easier to tell without bursting into tears again. When Lily was done she sighed and set down her cup.

'Sir, I really should go now, I've taken up too much of your time already,' she murmured apologetically as she stood to leave.

'Nonsense my dear girl' he grinned benignly, 'though you may want to head down to the great hall, dinner will soon cease to be served'

She smiled sadly and thanked him, Professor Slughorn assured her that Severus would be sorry for what he had said and that he was not worth her worries. She smiled sadly and left, ascending the narrow stone steps that led to the entrance hall, she stood for a moment and pondered whether or not to make an appearance in the great hall but decided she was not hungry so continued up the grand marble staircase all the way up to Gryffindor tower.

Severus stood in the shadows of the entrance hall waiting for her to show, waiting for her to see that the Potter boy was no good for her, waiting for her to see that he, Severus, was. He would apologise and it would all be okay. However, when he saw her trudging up the stairs, tear stained face and all he didn't have the guts, so he stayed hidden, in the shadows where he would be, forever waiting.