Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters are copyright of J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros., and they were used without permission. However, they were used with consideration and with no intention of making money. This story is simply an appreciative fan's attempt at writing something to contribute to the world of Harry Potter.

Email comments to sindie11(at)yahoo(dot)com.

Sindie Presents a Harry Potter Fanfic:

Best Friends, Always?

Year One

Severus was sulking. He had already made his way out of the Great Hall, having lost his appetite early on during the welcoming feast. He didn't care if Lucius Malfoy had greeted him with practically open arms, nor did he care that the other boys at the table seemed oddly impressed with his abilities – what with knowing a thing or two about Dark Magic at the tender age of eleven.

No, none of that mattered in the least, for he was separated from her. Of all the houses to be Sorted into, it had to be damned and blasted Gryffindor! Even Hufflepuff would have been better than that, even if they were losers and duffers. Or why not Ravenclaw if not Slytherin? Lily was smart and clever.

Severus had found a niche in the hallway and had stolen away in the shadows there fifteen minutes earlier. There he continued to sit on the cold stone floor, his arms crossed over his chest, trying to feel defiant, but knowing he was hurt and dejected.

He had been looking forward to coming to Hogwarts for years. Finally away from that bullying arsehole of a father and his wimpy mother who couldn't be bothered to stand up for her son, let alone herself, any longer, Severus had dreamed of being together with Lily for the next seven years, of growing up together, and even though he was still too young to fully understand what falling in love meant, he knew he wanted to be with her for the rest of his life.

Against his will, he found his eyes betraying him as hot tears leaked out. He angrily dashed them away and muttered, "Stupid… stupid… stupid…"

"Sev?" a sweet voice suddenly rang out.

Severus jumped and made sure all traces of crying were erased from his face. He held out an arm and waved.

"Over here," he called, his voice cracking.

Lily was at his side in an instant, sitting next to him. He could feel the warmth of her body touching his.

"What's wrong?" she asked. "Have you been crying?"

"Haven't been crying like some stupid baby," Severus immediately denied, but Lily wasn't fooled.

"I saw you leave a while ago and thought maybe you'd just gone to find the loo. This castle is huge, so I figured it might be some time, but when you didn't come back, I grew worried."

Severus glared at the granite wall in front of him, refusing to look at Lily.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she offered.

Severus sighed. Lily always wanted to talk about feelings and other such weaknesses.

"I'm fine," Severus stated.

Lily sighed, echoing Severus's earlier one. "You know," she finally said, "being in different houses doesn't mean we still can't be friends. It doesn't have to change anything."

Upon hearing Lily's naïve words, Severus groaned irritably. "You don't know what you're talking about," he muttered. "Slytherins and Gryffindors just aren't friends…"

"And why is that?" Lily challenged.

"Because… because that's the way it's always been," Severus spluttered miserably.

"Sounds pretty stupid to me," Lily stated matter-of-factly. "Severus, would you just look at me?"

Severus sighed again and turned his face toward Lily, his black eyes meeting her vibrant green ones. "What?" he huffed.

"We've been friends… best friends since before we came to Hogwarts. That's not going to change."

Severus wanted to believe her… oh, he did, but he was finding it hard to imagine the next few years ahead and the challenges that they would face simply because of their houses, not to mention the fact that Lily was beautiful and bound to be popular, and he… well, Severus could only hope his knowledge would give him some advantage.

"You promise?" he finally asked.

"Always," Lily replied, smiling.

Severus felt something warm inside and felt a smile alighting his lips for the first time that evening. He reached for her hand and took it.

"Always," he repeated.

Next up: Year Two