Masquerade

"It's not like I had a choice," Snape whispered, almost on his knees as Lily shook her head stubbornly. Her eyes stared adamantly into his own. Betrayal carved deeply in her emerald eyes that held the same expression of hurt that had haunted him for months on end.

"That's exactly what this is!" She hissed.

She inhaled deeply, biting down on her lip hard. Snape remained still. Desperate to get through to her, he allowed himself to reach out and place a gentle hand on her shoulder.

Lily shrugged him off.

"I was you friend," she breathed, "for so long... And yet those... those assholes have more influence on you than I ever did!"

"No, Lily, I-"

"Just stop," she held up a hand, "I can't do this any more, Severus. You chose your path..." She took a shaky breath and held her head high. "And I've chosen mine."

His mouth snapped shut. There were no more words left to say. No apologies could get her back now. He knew that.

Snape looked truly hopeless. His body slumped in defeat, his eyes shining with tears ready to fall.

He reached out to grab her hand again. This time she let hers be taken, limply lying in his. Her eyes glanced down at the intertwined pair of pale skin. Both had been friends since children – before Hogwarts – and yet here they were... at the end.

Lily had made her feelings perfectly obvious by the lake last year. Now, during her sixth year of her Hogwarts career, Snape had finally cornered her outside Charms. For months she'd avoided him successfully. She'd even branched out and made new friends. It had been a long, lonely summer but – she'd bargained with herself – it was better to be lonely than be with someone who thought you were scum.

Lily could have sworn she felt a waft of air brush past her but decided to think better of it.

"This is goodbye, Sev."

Snape shook his head slowly, feeling tears prick the back of his eyes. "Lily, no... don't do this."

"This ended the day you made your true feelings clear. No matter how much you apologise, Sev,... I can't forget."

With one last lingering glance, she reluctantly tugged her hand out of his grasp, shouldered her bag and walked hastily down the corridor. She dared not look back.

No sooner had she rounded the corner did she hear:

"Wait. Lily!"

She thought it might be Snape; back to beg for forgiveness again. She whirled round ready to argue. But stopped short when she found James Potter.

He was slipping off the invisibility cloak as he stared at her; his face full of sympathy.

"Potter," she sighed. "I don't need this right now-"

"I heard you and Sniv-... Snape."

Lily frowned, her eyes narrowed. "Were you spying on me, Potter?"

"No no no. I was-"

He frantically raked a hand through his wild dark hair, trying to come up with an excuse.

"Forget it!" She shouted, already half-jogging away. First Snape, now Potter. She had too much to deal with right now.

"Lily, come back!" Potter was chasing after her. Once she'd reached the top of the stairs, she rested her palms on her knees; trying to get her breath back.

"I wasn't spying I just happened to be coming back from the hospital wing when I saw you and Snape fighting." He explained, breathing hard. Quidditch evidently came with an advantage to running after a girl because Lily found herself annoyed at how exhausted she was in comparison to the boy beside her.

"Then why did you have your damn cloak on?" She huffed. She hadn't realised the tears brimming her eyes until they hit her skin.

There was a pause. Lily looked up to find him staring back, concerned.

"Lily, are you okay?" He asked gently, resting a hand on her back comfortingly.

This only made things worse. She wanted to shout back at him. Yell at him to leave her alone for once but it was too late. The tears flowed like a waterfall down her face after waiting impatiently. She let out a broken sob, collapsing on the step, her back hunched over as she cried into her hands.

"I suppose you think this is all very funny." She spat. "Laugh all you want, why don't you?"

She bit her hands to stifle the sobs that racked her body violently. Lily thought she was over this. She'd done her crying last year. But now it was happening all over again.

"I would never laugh at you." He replied flatly.

Her sobs died in her chest and the tears halted.

She curled her knees back into herself, resting her chin on them. She wasn't crying any more but she wasn't done wallowing.

"I mean it, Potter," she whispered weakly. But she hesitated when she felt his body shuffle beside her. She glanced at him, he sat beside her, against the wall, his long legs sprawled out before him.

Lily sighed. Closing her eyes she willed him away. He would only make things worse. Just like he did at the lake.

"Lily..." He breathed, his eyes gazing back at hers. Hazel with flecks of green swirled in with brown. The earnest expression took her by surprise. She hadn't realised he might not actually be intent on teasing her. Maybe he did care.

Feeling heat rise in her cheeks, she whipped her head back. Lily was on civil terms with Potter since February when he seemed more mature (and had been proving to her since) but Lily didn't know what to think of him now. He was the same mischievous little boy she'd met in first year, but also more sensible. There was more to him than his pranks, she'd realised. She didn't know what to make of that. Lily was determined to dislike and disapprove of him. He just had to go ruin that.

"What do you want?" She asked, flatly, feeling exhausted enough as it was. "I didn't want anyone to see me like this... you just had to..." her voice trailed off, feeling embarrassed. James Potter had never seen her cry. Nor, actually, had anyone. Lily Evans was notoriously strong and professional. She never allowed anyone to witness her breakdowns. Only her room-mates heard the late night muffled sobs. And even they never brought that topic up.

"You can borrow the cloak if that's the case," he grinned mischievously. "I know you don't want to be seen with me."

She knew he was joking but there was something in the way he said it that made a knot in her stomach twist guiltily.

"I don't mind being seen with you." She said. She felt stupid for saying it immediately.

"You're really quite pretty when you blush, Lily." He bumped her shoulder with his own. She tried to hide her face.

"Is that a smile?" Potter tried to look at her but she refused to let him. He chuckled, his voice deep and bright. Lily felt butterflies flare up in her stomach at the sound.

"Potter, you don't have to try and cheer me up, you know"

"You offend me, Evans," Potter shook his head, that stupid grin still in place, "hears the cloak."

The fabric was silky, like water, and she let it slip through her fingertips lightly. Lily turned to gape at him. She felt powerful for having the invisibility cloak in her grasp. He noticed her awe and, if possible, his grin grew wider.

"I know what will cheer you up." His face lit up when I smiled back at him this time (although feebly against my own tears).

"Come on," he beamed.