AN: Written for QLC Season 5 Round one: Write a team mate's NOTP - Lily Evans/Severus Snape

It wasn't obvious to those who didn't know. The random, late night owls, the glances across the room. People would laugh at her.

Naïve.

Blind.

Stupid.

Why would a muggle-born Gryffindor want to be friends with a Slytherin?

People would glare at him.

Stupid.

Tratoir.

Obsessed.

Why would a Slytherin want to be friends with a mudblood?

Their friendship is doomed, they'd whisper. If only they knew - it wasn't just a friendship.

Lily could not believe it. She knew she was in shock and should probably go see Madam Pomfrey but all she could do was stare.

Alice was sitting on her own bed, facing her, looking concerned.

"Lily?"

Lily heard her friend calling her but she couldn't bring herself to respond.

"Lily I am going to go get Pomfrey if you won't answer me."

Lily took a deep breath, "I don't need Madam Pomfrey."

Alice clapped her hands together, "There we go! Now - want to to tell me what is upsetting you?" The redhead shook her head causing her door sigh.

"Is it Potter?"

"No."

"Black?"

"No."

"Your sister?"

"No."

"Lily give me something to work with here. I am trying to help you."

"He - I - he called me a mudblood."

Alice looked at her friend. Name calling had never put Lily in such a state before.

"Who did?"

Lily shook her head.

"Lily..."

"Severus."

"What?"

"It was Severus."

Lily buried her face in her pillow."

Alice could see her friend's shoulders start to shake. Alice scrunched her nose, this did not make any sense. Lily and Severus' relationship had always been odd, no one ever understood it, but this was something new. Lily never really cared about what people said about her. She would stop talking to them, or get mad. Lily did not get sad. There had to be something else.

"Lily," Alice hesitated, if she was right, this would change a lot.

Lily looked up from her pillow.

"Lily," Alice started again, "He is just a Slytherin."

Lily shook her head harshly, "No. He's not."

"Then what is he?"

Lily remained silent.

"Your friend? I've seen you cut people out when they crossed a line. Why - "

"My boyfriend."

The silence in the dorm room was deafening.

"Oh Lily." Alice wrapped her arms around her distressed friend. "Get some sleep. We will talk after you wake up."

The reassurance from her friend was apparently exactly what Lily needed and within seconds she was passed out.

Lily Evans woke up several hours later, alone in her dorm. She could not figure out what woke her up until the owl pecked at the window again. She extracted herself from the blankets that had been thrown over her, and let the school owl into the room. She carefully took the message and gave the owl a treat before it flew away. She immediately recognized the handwriting and had to force herself not to just throw it out. Lily sunk back onto her bed and held the letter in shaking hands. She had no idea what to expect. She slowly unfolded the letter.

-L,

I am sorry. Astronomy tower after dinner? If you don't show I will understand.

-S

Lily glanced at her clock and swore, dinner had ended 10 minutes ago. She grabbed her cloak and rushed down the stairs and out of the common room. Lily made it to the astronomy tower into what she was positive had to be record timing. She opened the door and silently slipped into the room just in time to hear a sigh followed by a muttered: "Such an Idiot."

"Sorry I am late," she said, stepping into the light.

"Lily." The relief in Severus' voice almost made her forgive him on the spot.

"Talk," she said as she stepped away from him.

Severus stared at her for a moment before he spoke.

"I am sorry," he whispered.

"Why?"

"Why?" Severus asked confused.

"Why are you sorry?"

Severus stared. He knew he had to give her an answer or she would walk away, but he couldn't think of what to say.

"I - I was out of line. I don't know what came over me. I - I'm sorry Lily."

He sounded so defeated that Lily was tempted to accept it at that.

"I believe you." She said "But what about next time? Will you be sorry then?"

"No," Severus said shaking his head. "There won't be a next time."

The two students let the silence settle around them for a moment before Lily interrupted it.

"Okay."

"What?"

"Okay I forgive you.

Severus started to smile.

"But Sev, if this ever happens again…" Lily trailed off.

"I understand." Severus stepped forward and brought Lily into a tight embrace.

They stood there for a moment, simply enjoying each other's company.

"It's nearly curfew." Lily muttered.

Severus sighed. He didn't want to let her go, but he knew that his Lily would never break the school rules willingly.

"Watch for my owl," he said.

She smiled, "I'll be waiting."

Then she was gone.

Two days later found Lily being woken up by an owl at the window yet again. She smiled as she slipped out of her bed.

-L,

Since I know you will not leave school without permission, I arranged something else. Meet me in the old potions lab at four?"

-S

Lily couldn't help but laugh, leave it to Severus to plan a date in a potions lab.

She went about her day, a small smile on her face, brushing off any questions from her friends. Just before four, Lily packed up her books and returned them to her trunk.

"Have fun."

Lily spun around to see Alice standing in the doorway, smirking.

Lily huffed and walked past her friend.

"I will."

The old potions lab was even darker than the current one, and covered in a thin layer of dust.

Lily smiled despite the dreariness of the room.

"Hey," she said.

Severus looked up from the book he was studying.

"Hey."

Lily walked over to the table where Severus was situated, a culdron sset up beside the open text.

"So," she asked, "What is the plan?"

Severus passed her the book.

Lily raised her eyebrows at him, "The Animagus potion?"

Severus shrugged and looked away.

"It won't be too difficult for us and I thought it would be something fun we could do."

Lily laughed, "Sounds like a great plan."

It took 45 minutes to complete the first stage, they worked in silence, simply enjoying each other's company. They titied their station and warded off the area containing their work.

They were starting to put the ingredients away when Lily flicked on of the extra frog legs at Severus' face. She proceeded to burst out laughing his affronted look.

Severus smiled slightly; he didn't appreciate potions ingredients being flicked at his face, but if it made Lily laugh he wasn't going to complain.

Lily was still smiling like a fool when she got back to the Gryffindor common room. She managed to get up the stairs and into her dorm room without running into anyone.

"So how was your date?"

Lily sighed - there was no escaping Alice.

People still laughed.

People still glared.

They still cursed the friendship

Lily and Severus however couldn't care less. Down in their potions lab, the rest of the world didn't matter

AN: Thanks for reading! Reviews are always nice. :)