Black Lake was beautiful this time of year. Nearly entirely frozen, but not enough that you could step out onto the ice. Every mountain that framed it was snow capped, and the trees of the forbidden forest were sprinkled with white so perfectly it seemed as though it was on purpose.

I wiggled my toes in my boots, despite the supposed water-proof quality, my feet were still cold and damp. Apparently I'd judged the weather wrong, my fall coat wasn't warm enough to keep the winter chill off my skin. I folded my arms and began to rub my arms up and down as my teeth began to chatter. At the same time, I glanced over my shoulder back to the castle and grinned when I saw the black figure walking towards me. As he got closer, I could see his black hair curtained over his face and speckled with snow. I couldn't help but smile bigger when I saw him return my smirk.

Without words, he grasped my hand and stared out into the valley in front of us.

"Beautiful, isn't it, Sev?" I said, my voice a bit hoarse.

He looked back at me and his ebony eyes met mine. They were like deep, dark pools of water, intriguing, stunning. The way he was looking at me sort of terrified me, but not in a bad way. He seemed to be searching my eyes, staring into them like they told a story.

"…yeah, beautiful, Lily," he grinned, turning back to the view.

I nodded, "So, Sev, want a snowball fight?" I grinned and picked up a handful of snow.

He smiled back, "Come on Lily, really? We're sixteen."

I threw the snow at him and darted behind the tree as it hit him in the chest, "So?"

He was laughing when I poked my head out, and he'd already began to roll his own snowball.

"You asked for it!" He chuckled and I hid back behind the tree.

Suddenly the ball hit the exposed part of my shoulder. I couldn't help but giggle. I picked up some more snow and began running down the shore. It was that feeling of adrenaline you got when you were a kid, where your dad or your friend was chasing you and you felt like you could run for ages. You didn't want to get caught even though you knew nothing would happen if you did.

I reached another few trees and hid behind one, my snowball cradled and melting in my gloves. It seemed like ages I was waiting there, and Sev wasn't coming. I nearly put the snowball down when he ran past me, turned around and hit me square in the stomach with snow.

I brushed it off, laughing like an idiot, and ran into him, rubbing the nearly melted ball of my own into his hair.

I had one hand on his collar and the other on his arm, I was still in stitches, giggling like a maniac when he wrapped his arms around me. He seemed hesitant and I could feel his heart racing through his coat. I stopped laughing, but my smile persisted as I nestled my head under his chin. He was so warm, during our short snowball fight I'd forgotten how cold I was. But now it seemed like I was wrapped with a warm blanket.

We stood like that for a few minutes, his heart beat never tiring. I pulled my head back and looked up at him.

"Hey, Sev?" my voice was nearly a whisper.

He gulped, "Yes?"

I wanted to say it. To say how I felt, how every time he held me it felt right. How I wanted nothing more than to grab him and kiss him right there. How I'd fallen for him, my best friend, my soul mate.

But despite being a Gryffindor, there was one area where I was a coward. And it was here.

"We'll…we'll be best friends, forever, right?" I smiled, but inside I scolded myself for not being bold enough to say what I wanted.

He nodded with a serious expression, as if I was crazy to even ask, "Forever," he said.

I pulled back, hating myself for not being to able to pluck up any courage, and sat down on the ground. The canopy of trees above sheltered the ground from snow. Sev followed my lead and sat next to me.

"Why do you ask Lily?" He didn't seem as nervous as he had before.

I arched my brow at him, grinning, then rested my head on his shoulder.

"I was just wondering…" I answered, idly twirling a brown, crunchy leaf.

I turned my head to face his, "Have you ever kissed anyone, Sev?"

He turned about 20 shades of red, "N-No."

I lifted my head, placed my hand on his heart, and slid it from his heart to shoulder, "Kiss me, then."

His eyes widened and his mouth opened a little, "I…what?"

I pulled back a little bit, afraid of rejection, "Well…only if you want. I've never kissed anyone either…"

Severus snorted, "A girl as perfect as you, never kissed anyone?"

I smiled and felt my cheeks get hot, "That hard to believe is it?"

"Yes, actually. You're beautiful, Lily."

I smiled, tipping my head to hide my reddening cheeks behind my hair.

I could feel his body shiver as he brushed a piece of hair out of my face, I looked at his eyes, I felt like they were pulling me closer.

"Then kiss me, Sev…"

Finally, without a word, he complied. He gently pressed his lips on mine. Letting one of his hands entangle itself in my hair, he placed the other on my back. I moved mine from his shoulder to the nape of his neck.

It was short and sweet, oh was it ever sweet. It felt like it lasted for ages though it only took a few seconds. But after pulling back, we were still only inches apart.

"Lily, I…"

I silenced him by placing my lips on his again, this time with full force. He parted his lips and let me explore. I pressed my hand against his chest and pushed him to the ground, letting my body fall onto his.

He pulled his head back only slightly, "Lily…what does this mean?"

He smelled like potion herbs, soap and parchment. "I love you, Sev." It didn't seem so scary to say anymore.

He smiled like I'd never seen him smile before, "Really?"

I nodded, "Do you…feel the same way?' If he said no, I didn't think I could take it.

"Of course, Always," with that, I let my smile sink back onto his lips.

The cold didn't matter anymore, nothing did. It felt like the entire world was in these trees, just me and him.