'James Potter fancies you!" Severus Snape gabbled- the words died in his throat as if they physically hurt to say.
It was a cold autumn day; the trees in the grounds were flailing in the cold wind around them and Lily's hair whipped her face.
She brushed a deep rouge tendril out of her eyes and looked up into Snape's face, he was looking away staring forcibly at the lake. Heat was rising in his face and neck, clashing awfully with his pearly skin.
'So what if he does?' she replied defiantly.
'I…I…just don't want you to get hurt. He's Pathetic…Quidditch hero…arrogant…everyone thinks…' he mumbled, more to himself it seemed.
'I don't care what everyone thinks, and I don't care if he fancies me' for the first time lily seemed to falter in her speech, 'and anyway…I…I like someone else'
Severus looked at her quickly; it was Lily's turn to blush.
'What do you mean?' He lent towards her, his raven black hair fell into his face.
Lily sighed, her eyes dropped to the ground, which was carpeted with leaves and the reds, yellows, and oranges blew around their ankles and occasionally got caught on the hems of their black robes.
The bell for the end of lunch echoed through the grounds.
'What lesson do you have now Sev?' she said quickly to cover the awkward moment.
'Same as you, Defence against the Dark arts.'
Lily Slipped into a seat, blowing out her cheeks, she inwardly cringed to think what her friends would say if they ever caught wind that she had any feelings for Severus. Future Death Eaters were a no-no when it came to boys. She couldn't help remembering the dull ache that rose in her stomach and chest every time he touched her, butterflies fluttering painfully inside her when she knew she was going to see him…
She turned and opened her mouth to say something to Severus and found he was sat in the corner, next to Mulciber and Avery.
The three of them were huddled with their heads together, talking in low voices. She stared at the boys for a while, they were an odd trio. Severus was tall and willowy; his hair fell in dark curtains around his pale face and protruding nose. Mulciber was short and bulky with short tufts of blonde hair, Avery on the other hand was stocky, but with hair that fell to the top of his ears- he looked strangely out of proportion.
Lily felt uneasy, no matter how much she wanted to see the good in people, she detested Mulciber and Avery. She was sure they would join the ranks of the ever growing Death Eaters, and Severus would go that way too.
Their conference went on until Professor Verity strolled in. A portly woman, her leaf-green robes complimented her dark eyes and dirty - blonde hair.
Her steely voice rose above the chatter and laughter of her class.
'Settle down, settle down now, can everyone take their seats?'
Severus lowered himself into the chair next to Lily and smiled at her. She tried to return the smile, but it came into a sort of grimace.
'Can everyone take out their copies of Rising Evil: a Guide to self- defence, and start by reading the introduction, and the theory of the first spell then we will practice it' the professor said loudly over the general noise of people sitting down.
Lily stared down at her book, the words were like caterpillars moving and squirming under her gaze. She couldn't concentrate, she could hear his breath, the way he flicks his hair from his eyes, the way he clutches the end of the desk… She wanted him so badly, a balloon swelled in the pit of her stomach, her heart thumped against her ribcage.
She mentally shook herself, and looked down at the page in front of her, 'the incantation: "Protego!" creates a shield around the caster, protecting them from most spells. There is a specific wand movement, in figuration 3, you will see…'
Professor Verity called into the silence, 'Ok, divide up into partners and try the shield charm, I will allow the disarming spell ONLY, understood?' Most of the class nodded enthusiastically and the scraping of chairs was deafening.
Severus turned to Lily. 'Lets see how good you can do then eh?' he laughed.
Each pair moved into a space, and soon the class was filled with cries of 'Expelliarmus!' and 'Protego!'.
'So, what were you and Mulciber talking about?' Lily asked quizzically.
'Nothing…just the up coming Quidditch game' he said casually
This immediately raised Lily's suspicions 'But…you hate Quidditch'
She stopped, and stared at him, he flinched under her stare.
'I don't want you to go down that road, I don't want you to become a Death Eater Severus' she said urgently. This sudden proclamation startled him.
'We were talking about Quidditch' he said forcefully.
'Really?' Lily said sarcastically.
'Why don't you trust me?' Severus snapped. 'I'm tired of having to explain myself to you, I thought our friendship was worth more than that Lily'
'It won't be worth much when you go and join the Death Eaters and I never see you again' she retorted.
'It…it wont be like that…' Severus said, looking suddenly very sad.
'So you are going to join then?' Lily pressed.
Mulciber had been listening closely, and came up behind Snape.
'What's it to you, Mudblood?'
The affect of these words was instantaneous: most of the girls stopped and clapped their hands to their mouths. The Gryffindors pointed their wands in Mulciber's direction. Lily looked at Snape, who's face-hardened, and he looked away.
'I WILL NOT HAVE THAT OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE IN MY CLASS MULCIBER, COME HERE' Professor Verity boomed. Mulciber gave Lily a contemptuous look and slouched up to the teacher.
Lily was still staring at Snape who did nothing but determinedly glare at a solitary table. She picked up her things, turned on her heel, and headed straight for the common room.
The warm Gryffindor common room was mercifully empty. Lily threw herself into an armchair and buried her face in her hands. What if he does become a death eater? She may never see him again. This thought conjured feelings of utter hopelessness inside her, this train of thought continued until a few hours later her friend Mary was shaking her awake.
'Lily, are you all right? I'm going down for dinner, do you want to come?'
'Yeah…yes, I'll come'
The students were talking loudly amongst themselves, serving each other stake and kidney pie. As Lily shuffled in behind Mary and some other Gryffindor students, Severus grabbed her around the wrist, pulling her back. He stuffed a note into her hand and gave her a fleeting, pleading look and he melted into the passing crowd. Lily took a seat next to Mary who was deep in conversation with another Gryffindor. She looked at the note under the table.
The note was scrawled untidily and it was barely legible:
Lily,
I have never been so ashamed in all my life, I want to make this up to you, please, please don't hate me. Will you meet me tomorrow for the Hogsmeade trip? I have something I should have told you a while ago.
Please,
Severus.
Lily pondered the note for a while as she drew the curtains around her four-poster. She lay her head down and fell asleep almost immediately, the note still clutched in her hand.
It was a grey morning; the sky was white with overcast that gave it the look of an unfinished painting, snow had begun to fall lightly.
She moved tentatively into the entrance hall. Severus was waiting there, the black robes hung loosely on his shoulders. His black travelling cloak fell to his feet, and a long green scarf curled around his neck. The sight of him made Lily weak at the knees.
He hurried up to her, slightly breathless
'Hi…shall we go then?'
Lily nodded stonily in reply.
The pair walked down the street, snow was beginning to fall heavily and the air had a chilly bite to it. Severus glanced nervously at his companion, as if waiting for her to explode. Lily stopped in front of Honey Dukes and examined the products on display.
'Shall we get a butter beer…its quite cold' he said tentatively and gestured to the Three Broomsticks a short way down the road.
'I could do with a butter beer' she replied.
They made their way inside; the atmosphere was warm, as well as the surroundings. Lily slid into a table in the far corner, watching the snow fall gently outside.
Severus shuffled up to the counter and got two butter beers, and settled himself opposite Lily.
'I'm sorry Lily'
She sighed and stared into his black eyes; they bore into her like knives.
'Severus…' she stopped, and swallowed. 'I cant make you chose your path. But… I don't want you to do something you will regret, I don't want you to get hurt-'
Severus cut across her 'Do you fancy James Potter?' Snape's determined eyes met hers, and they stared at each other.
'No' she said finally.
He visibly sagged with relief.
'Lily, I…I've wanted to tell you this for so long, but…'
'All right there Evans?'
James Potter strolled up behind Lily, and leant against the wall. His hair was rumpled untidily. Tall and peaky, his hazel eyes travelled over the scene before him.
'Hey Evans, ditch Snivellus, and go out with me' he said laughingly.
Snape's hand twitched as he surveyed James' smug face split into a wide grin.
Lily turned to stare right at James.
'You arrogant toe rag, what gives you any idea I'd want anything to do with you. Leave us alone'
James paused for a fraction of a heartbeat.
'Only if you go out with me' he raised an eyebrow.
Snape drained his glass, and stood up, anger was emulating from every fiber in his body. James did not see at first, but he looked up in time to see hatred and disgust flow in every line on Severus' face.
'Furnunculus!' he screamed. Everyone in the bar turned to watch as James Potter was thrown back off his feet. He staggered up as his entourage of Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew hurried forward.
Sirius pulled out his wand, and Peter followed suit.
'You'll pay for that Snivellus!'
Remus hung back behind looking troubled as his prefects badge glittered.
Large Purple, pus filled boils began to creep up from James' neck, and all over his face. Madame Rosmerta hurried out from behind the bar.
'Out!' she shrieked, 'Out! Out of my Pub!'
James buried his face in his hands and ran out, yelling furiously as he left
'Watch your back Snivellus!'
The others followed him out. Snape was breathing heavily, as if he'd just been running. He looked down at Lily still sat solitary in her seat; she grabbed his arm, and pulled him down. After a few minutes the pub went back to its noisy atmosphere.
'Severus…what the hell was that?'
'I'm tired of being pushed around by Potter, I'm tired of watching him faun all over you like some dog on heat'
The waves of anger radiated off him, Lily could feel them escalating through her. She wanted to hold him, to touch him, to run her fingers through his hair, to comfort him. He looked away.
Lily inhaled deeply, and slowly curled her fingers around his. He looked at her, his eyes searching hers, and he squeezed her hand gently.
'Shall we go back up to school?'
Lily looked out the window; the snow had made a thick blanket over the street.
'We should go soon' Severus said. He stood up, and they held hands all the way back to school.
By the next day the sun was making an appearance and the snow had melted. The news that James Potter was in the hospital with purple pustules all over his face had spread like wildfire. In the Slytherin common room Severus was somewhat a hero. Lucius Malfoy clapped him on the back, and the rest congratulated him. Severus went down to breakfast feeling elated.
At the Gryffindor table, clumps of various Gryffindors had their heads together, talking in low voices. They scowled as he walked past, whispering hurriedly.
Severus scanned the table for Lily; he immediately spotted her bright red hair amongst the sea of black, browns and blondes.
He hovered by the Slytherin table, in hope she would look up.
She could feel someone staring at her, and she glanced up, doing a double take she saw Severus, who motioned for her to follow him.
It was a cold morning, despite the watery sunlight the poured over the grounds. Lily followed Severus out into the day. He had a stack of toast with him, which he shared with Lily as they strolled through the grounds.
'Lily, I was trying to tell you something yesterday before we were interrupted…' He said bitterly.
'Yes?'
'I…I…was…' Severus turned bright red. He took a deep breath 'We've been friends for a long time now… even before school…'
Lily looked at him quizzically.
'Uh-huh…Severus are you ok?'
'Well…the thing is Lily…. I'm uhh… in sort of…Love with you…'