Lily breathed out in relief as the front door closed sharply. When she heard the car pull away she sat back down on the chair and picked up her mug. The tea had gone stone cold. She swished it around, watching it oscillate with numb feeling fingers before looking around. The kitchen was stripped bare, all the cupboard doors flung open to reveal empty spaces. The house was thickly silent, Lily's breathing rhythmically breaking it. Her dad had died two months ago but now was the only time that she had found to clear out the place.

James would have come with her of course but he was needed in the Order and Lily was thankful to have a moment of peace, even if it was dogged with unhappiness. She placed her elbow on the table and rested the side of her face on her hand, looking out of the window, that was in need of a clean. Red bricks, mouldy black tiles and beyond that a slate grey sky filled her vision. Lily treasured the sight, it was her past and would be someone's future. She was proud to be a witch but that didn't mean that her muggle heritage should be pushed aside or ignored. She misses it, going out to the cinema or watching Coronation Street on the telly. Misses going to the chip shop and getting mushy peas.

Lily's head straightened up sharply as a dark shape passes the window. It couldn't be…

She hesitated for a moment, her stomach flip flopping but then she had the door latch in her hand and was tugging it open to the cold air.

"Sev?"

The man stopped in his tracks, back to her. Lily thought that he was going to continue walking and for a second Lily thought that maybe she had been mistaken. The man before her was dressed in jeans and a dark coat, hands buried in the pockets. He was a muggle. But she knew that walk, knew that pale face. He turned.

"Hello Lily." He looked intensely uncomfortable, keeping his eyes focused somewhere above her head so as not to draw attention down to himself. But he couldn't stop them from flickering over her face, soaking in her appearance.

Now that she had his attention Lily didn't know what to do. She hadn't spoke to Severus in almost three years and didn't think she was ever likely to again. Unless they were on the end of each others wand's. But she didn't want any fights, not now. "What are you doing here?" Lily had lost track of what he had been doing with his life, only imagining what it could be like. She had graduated from Hogwarts a few months ago but it seemed an age since then.

He shifted on his feet, hands still in his pockets. He shrugged. "Came to see my dad." He looked away, eyes darting to the houses across the street.

Suddenly the clothes made sense. Lily knew that Toby Snape didn't like anything to do with the wizarding world. He was a strict, practical man. He had worked, along with her father, in the textile mill before it closed down during the 50's. Her dad got work again but Toby never could, just living off the odd jobs he did around the village. Severus's mother had died some years before.

They remained standing in a tense silence, each waiting for the other to end it and walk away. Lily had come back to say goodbye to her old home, so she wasn't going to ignore such a big part of it standing before her. A small smile grew on her face and she looked down at her own jeans and parker coat. "Looks like we're both muggles today." Black eyes pinned her sharply for a moment and Lily felt her cheeks heating. Then he snorted, eyes rolling. Lily took a step closer. "Do you want to come in for a cup of tea?"

His eyebrows raised. "You're inviting me in? I didn't think you ever wanted to see me again." His voice was spiteful but his eyes looked at her with a hungry hope.

Lily raised her chin. "No Sev. I'd love to see you again, to talk like we used to. But you, and who you are connected to, make it an impossibility now." She could feel her temper rising and with it disappointment. Severus used to be her best friend and now they couldn't even look at each other with comfort. He didn't answer, just lowered his head with a shake, black hair obscuring his face.

Lily sighed. This would probably be the only time that her and Severus would meet without interference. James certainly wouldn't let him in the house. Lily almost laughed. She wasn't even sure why she wanted to be around him after what he had become. Might have become…"The house isn't very homely at the moment but I think there's some spare cups."

Severus looked up quickly, eyes going to her old house. When he looked back at her his eyes were softer. "I'm sorry to hear about your dad, he was a nice man." He drifted closer before stopping by her side. She watched as his hand moved to touch her arm and felt it squeeze gently. Lily smiled at him, nodding.

"He was always saying that he wasn't long for this world, after mum died. Silly beggar…" Her mother had died last year after getting sick. She parents were getting on in years but she never thought they would leave her so soon and one after the other. "It's been a hectic few years…" He was still looking down at her with that gentle look. "You're not going? Didn't think you'd want to be seen dead in clothes like that."

"I think I can handle it for a few hours." His lip curled.

"Well if you can then so can I...Lets just pretend for a few hours, just forget about all that. We can go back to the way things are later. But for now lets do what we used to do." Her voice shook slightly, her smile tight.

"Go on the swings?" He was smiling at her, voice sarcastic.

"Yeah! Why not? In fact lets go and get some fish and chips first, I'm starving." Lily zipped up her coat and closed the door on the house before walking up the street. She turned on the corner to see him following her.

*

The chips lay piled on a sheet of newspaper that warmed their thighs as they sat on the swings, feet dragging furrows in the grey gravel. Lily was blowing on her chips, steam drifting up into the air as she talked. Snape couldn't take his eyes off her. He hadn't seen her for so long, he felt like he was a man given water after spending years in the desert. He didn't know why she had suddenly decided to talk to him, like they were friends, and he didn't care. Not when she was looking at him and smiling. For the first time in months Snape felt himself relaxing.

"Down south you ask for mushy peas and they look at you like you're mad!" Lily laughed. "James won't try it…"

Snape felt his mouth thin and he bit his chip viciously. He knew they were together, they had been going out for a few months. Even the thought of his name made him feel sick. He slumped back and wrapped his chips up, appetite lost.

"Well that's a waste." She said disapprovingly. She was stuffing the chips into her mouth, her movements conveying nerves. Snape frowned but said nothing. Before long she had finished and disposed of the newspaper in a battered bin. Back on the swing she leaned backwards, stretching her legs out till she was up on tiptoes before letting go and swinging forward.

"You'll be sick." He warned.

"Nah, I'll be all right. You just missed Tuney by the way. She came around with her husband to help me pack stuff away." She snorted. "Snooping more like....We had a fight."

She sounded indifferent but Snape knew she was upset. Lily and her sister used to get on well. He couldn't stand Petunia personally, even as children she was insufferably nosey. "Shame."

"Ha ha." She pulled a face at him and swung higher, legs almost pointing up to the sky. She was acting like she did as a child, carefree and cheeky. Snape looked up at her face. "Lily?" She didn't answer, just kept swinging. "Lily?!" She started to slow and he reached a hand out to grasp her chain, dragging her to a stop. Her face was white and her eyes swimming.

"I almost died twice last year." Her voice was tiny. "I keep up face, for the Order and James. Everyone is so brave that I don't want them to know. Everything had happened so fast and it's making my head spin. The Order, they-" She suddenly stopped, looking at Snape sharply, suspiciously.

He didn't care about Orders or Death Eaters and he didn't want her to think about them either. It just ruins things. "Don't think about it now Lily, like you said all that will be waiting for us later, just not now." He reached down for her hand, taking her cold fingers in his.

She nodded, her eyes over bright. "I've missed you."

He exhaled slowly, carefully. "I've missed you to." She smiled and squeezed his hand.

"It would be nice to stay here, just live here in ignorance. I can't, I know, but I wish it sometimes…" She looked across the playground to the tall chimney on the horizon.

"I couldn't wait to leave this place."

She nodded, turning to him. "I know, you've never liked it here. But it would be easier wouldn't it? Safer." Her other hand disappeared into her coat pocket.

"Suppose so." They sat in silence, watching the clouds skid across the sky. The wind was picking up.

"Are you going to ask Dumbledore for a job?" Snape looked at her with narrowed eyes.

"I am, yes. How do you know?"

"I didn't." She said defensively. "You've always wanted to teach so I thought it was likely, that's all." She shrugged.

"Right. What about you?" He knew he was pushing his luck but he wanted to know.

She shifted uncomfortably on her swing, cheeks going red. "Well, I do work if that's what you're getting at. James inherited-"

His hand squeezed convulsively down on hers, making her wince. He let go immediately but before he did something caught his attention. She had a ring on. A gold band. He looked up appalled. She snatched her hand away and stuffed it into her pocket.

"You're married?" His voice sounded too strained and high to his ears.

She turned, face defiant. "I am."

"My god Lily. You've only been together a few months. You're only nineteen!"

"So what if I am!? I love him." Her face burnt, possibly from the juvenility of her voice.

He couldn't help the growl that sounded in his throat, or the derisive snort. Her eyes rounded in rage and she got up, ready to leave. He felt his stomach plummet and he quickly grabbed her hand, pulling her back. "I'm sorry! Please don't go."

She remand standing but she still looked angry. "Of course you wouldn't be happy for me."

"Can you blame me? Potter for Christ's sake!" The jealously was threatening to strangle him. He was controlling his agony with an iron fist, containing it away. She tried to pull away but he tighten his grip, trying to calm himself. "I'm sorry. I'm just shocked Lily. Why so fast, so soon?"

She looked down at their hands, trying to hide her face. She didn't speak for a few minutes, just rubbed his fingers with hers. Just when he thought she wasn't going to answer she spoke. "I'm pregnant. I found out a few weeks ago and we got married." She looked at him then, green eyes probing into his.

"Oh Lily. My poor Lily."

"I know it seems rushed and unplanned and if the situation had been different I probably wouldn't have done it. But everything happens so fast now Sev that it'll pass me by if I don't act. You don't know what will happen." His face was still sad and she smiled without humour. "Are you that disappointed in me Severus?"

He stood up, putting his arms around her. Thankfully she relaxed against him. "No Lily, I could never be disappointed in you, never. I'm sorry, I'm sorry that things aren't good for you Lil."

"Things are shit Sev." Her voice was muffled as she pressed her face into his chest. His heart was beating a hard excited rhythm. She felt right in his arms. His fingertips stroked down the waves of her hair. She sighed and looked up at him.

"Thank you Sev. I know things will be different when we leave here so I'm glad that we saw each other. I'm glad that I'm here." She stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. She would have stepped back but he was suddenly overtaken with need and he brushed his lips against hers before pressing down. And for a few wonderful seconds she was pressing back. Then she was pushing him away, face red and eyes hot. "Why did you do that?!"

"I'm sorry! I just-"

"Don't try to explain. It doesn't matter because it was just for now." She was breathing fast, looking guilty to Snape.

"And now doesn't mean anything?" His pulse was racing, breath hard to draw in.

"Of course it does." She looked at him with something like sympathy, her anger fading. "I'm with James, Sev." She sounded odd to Snape, voice forced.

"Like I could ever forget." He almost spat the words. She sighed wearily, stepping forward with her hand raised.

"I want us to part on good terms, if that's possible. Please Sev? We might never see each other again." Her hand was hanging in the air, her ring free one. He took it hesitantly and they shook. Her face brightened suddenly. "Is your patronus still a doe?" He nodded, pulling out his wand and performing the spell. Lily did the same. The playground was bathed in a blue-white light as they watched their respective protecting shields play around. "What's the word that means a pleasant surprise?"

"Serendipity." He said it softly.

"That's it!" She smiled at him happily before looking back to the two doe. "Your one, she's always so bright. It's almost hard to look at her."

"The more powerful the happiness the stronger the patronus." He said matter of factly.

"You must have a very happy memory then." She looked at him with curiosity.

He gazed at her, transfixed as she seemed to glow. "I love it."

Lily grinned. "You're lucky. I always have trouble choosing which one I should go with."

He watched her as she bent down and his patronus came to her. The doe nuzzled her and Lily laughed. Snape treasured the sight and stored it away. He had an abundance of memories to choose from.