"He is absolutely INSUFFERABLE!" I complained to my best friend, Severus Snape.

"Yes, yes Lily, you've told me. Can we talk about something else now, please?" Snape drawled.

"Sure, Sev.I'm sorry. I know how much you hate talking about Potter. Just as much as me. He is such an insufferable, rude, egotis-

"Lily, PLEASE!" Severus yelled.

"Sorry!" I squeaked.

"It's fine, it's fine," he said, his face softening.

"Okay, so why don't we get started on the Potions essay!" I exclaimed, feigning excitement.

"Just how I wanted to spend my Friday afternoon…" he said sarcastically.

"Okay fine. How about we go for a walk?"

"Sounds great, Lily."

His tone of admiration was not lost on me.

Just as we were walking out of the library, I heard an obnoxious voice boasting about the latest Quidditch game.

"…. and I lurched forward, sure that I was going to fall off my broom. But lo and behold, I kept my balance! Looking back, it wasn't that surprising. Haven't lost a Quidditch match this season," said James Potter, with an air of haughtiness. It didn't help that there was a crowd of giggly, admiring girls surrounding him… plus his other adoring shadow, Peter Pettigrew.

"Ugh! Let's get OUT of here, Sev." I said in disgust, grabbing his hand.

"Oh well if it isn't Snivellus and his best friend, Evans." exclaimed Potter, his face gleeful.

The crowd grew silent.

"Leave us alone, Potter." Severus said shortly.

"Awww is Snivell-"

"If you call me Snivellus or any variation of that name again, I swear, I will hex you." Snape said menacingly, the menace was lost with a twitch of his face.

"Severus. Come on. Ignore him. He just wants attention." I said firmly.

"Yeah Snapey Poo, you wouldn't want to make your girlfriend mad! Go on, follow her like the lost puppy dog you are!" Potter called after us.

"Just ignore him." I said out of the corner of my mouth.

Snape shot me a grateful look that I saw out of the corner of my eyes.

As we made it out of the castle, I realized that we were still holding hands. I let him hold it. After all, we were best friends.

"So, Snapey Poo… where shall we walk to?" I asked with a giggle.

Snape finally smiled at me slightly and said, " I don't know. Wherever you like, I will follow. But only if you give me a treat and a nice pet on the head."

After he said that, we lost it. We collapsed on the ground in a heap of hysterical laughter. (Part of this was because Snape was still going through his awkward, gangly years.)

After we regained our composure, we simply looked at each other and exploded into another fit of giggles.

After we calmed ourselves down, we walked to the Black Lake. It was middle of October, so the weather was crisp. As we neared the lake we saw the Giant Squid splashing around the lake. Students were studying and snogging and enjoying the break before classes.

" Sev…" I started.

"I know, don't listen to anything Potter has to say."

"Yeah. That's what I was going to say." I said.

"I know. But honestly Lily, it's quite obvious. He does it because I'm a Slytherin, but also because he fancies you. He is jealous that we are such good friends and you loathe him."

That had never dawned on me before. How could the person that made me want to vomit everywhere fancy me? Add to that, the fact that he was jealous of Sev? I don't think anyone has ever been jealous of him before.

With this new knowledge, I said, '"Oh Sev, you know I would never date that arrogant toerag, don't you?"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. It's not hard to see why he would fancy you though." Snape said, looking sheepish.

"Oh…Severus…"

Just as I said this, trying to figure out what had happened, Snape's "friends" Mulciber and Avery came walking towards us. I gave them a shrewd look and saved a disapproving look for Snape and with that, I walked away from my best friend.

"