It was the end of the school year. The students were getting ready to board the Hogwarts Express and go home for the summer. Everyone was saying goodbye to their friends, and promising to owl each other, etc. It was a beautiful day outside, the sun was shining a lovely robin's egg blue. Everyone seemed to happy today. Except for one person. Young Severus Snape stood there, all alone, looking miserable. Not just because he was going home to parents who were constantly fighting, but because he had lost his best friend in the whole world. Not to mention the woman he loved.

Severus watched as Lily Evans was chatting and laughing with Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew, and James Potter. Oh, how he loathed the four of them. They made his stomach turn. Once they found out Severus was Slytherin, they had treated him like garbage. Lily, on the other hand, was friendly with everybody and didn't care what House you were in. Severus had been very disappointed that she wasn't in his house with him, but it didn't matter, really. They were still good friends. Granted, there were times Severus said a lot of things and did a lot of things to set Lily off, but she always got over it. Unfortunately, not this time. He had said something that would make her never forgive him. He had called her a filthy mudblood. Severus regretted those words the second they came out of his mouth. Yes, Lily was a Muggle-Born, and to call them a mudblood was a racist remark. He only said those words because he was embarrassed about what was happening to him at the time.

There Lily was, his best friend in the whole world, standing up for him against these bullies, and he insulted her. He had tried apologizing several times, but it was too late. He even tried sending her an owl with an apology letter, but she had returned it to him. Severus turned, so no one would see him. His shoulders started to shake, his lip began to quiver, and before he knew it, he was crying, silently.

It hurt him to see the woman he loved being friendly with his worst enemy. Lily had loathed James Potter, but after a while, he stopped bullying Severus, and Lily had become his friend. Granted, James would still make some remarks to him, but he never did these things in front of Lily.

Severus was startled by a hand gently touching his shoulder.

"Are you alright, Sev?"

Severus turned and was in shock to see Lily standing there, looking concerned.

"Why are you crying?"

Severus quickly wiped at his eyes. "'m not."

"Yes, you are. What is the matter?"

"Lily, I-I am so sorry. I didn't mean it. I was embarrassed, and I took it out on you. I have nothing against Muggle-Borns. I can't stand Potter and his friends, but you can understand that. Lily, I truly am sorry."

Lily gave Severus a small smile.

"Oh, Sev. Come here."

She gave him a friendly hug.

"I've been doing some thinking, and I realized that I was wrong to not forgive you. You've been a good friend to me, and I shouldn't have been so hard on you. While what you said was very hurtful, I forgive you."

"You-you do?"

"Yes."

"Are we- are we-"

"Yes, we're still friends."

"But what about Potter and the others?"

"I'm friends with them as well. But we have an agreement now. They will respect our friendship, and no longer make your life miserable."

Severus smiled at Lily. She truly was one of a kind.

"Owl me over the summer?"

"You've got it, Sev. Well, we better get on board."

Severus's eyes snapped open. He was on the Hogwarts Express, heading home. He had fallen asleep after about two hours on the train. It had all been a dream. A very good dream. He did see Lily hanging out with Potter and his friends, and he did turn and cry silently, but Lily did not come up and talk to him. She didn't forgive him. Their friendship really was over.

Severus closed his eyes again, hoping that if he couldn't have Lily in this world, maybe he could in the dream world.

THE END