It was silent and dark. Only his shadow accompanied him as he made his nightly patrol along the darkened hallways. When he was satisfied that everyone should be where they ought to be, he quietly made his way towards his own rooms.

Once inside the confines of his private space, Severus sat in his leather chair, directed his wand at the old fireplace and softly muttered, "Incendio." A small fire slowly glowed from the ancient hearth. Severus stared at the fire. His thoughts were miles away, to a lifetime ago. Oh Lily, how I still miss you so….

"Sev, you are being impossible about this!" Lily nearly shouted at him. She was raging mad at him...again. He almost smiled but he controlled it. Amused with her theatrics, he won't be swayed from his purpose.

"Potter is an arrogant toerag…you said it yourself. So why are you with him at the library?"

"It's a library! I do not control who enters it." Lily rolled her eyes. "And there is no need to half drag me out."

Severus started to walk. He didn't bother to wait for her. Knowing Lily, she'd follow him. He wasn't disappointed when he heard her call out. "Severus Snape! Will you wait?" The smile threatened once more but he kept his face straight as he turned around to watch her trudge towards him.

"Ok. I'll let this pass, but I swear if you do a scene like that again…I'll…I'll put a twitchy ears hex on you. Got that? Now what in Merlin's beard do you want from me?" Lily asked him. Her green eyes were still annoyed.

I want to give you something. A rare, tiny smile escaped his lips.

Lily was now looking at him with a curious expression.

"Did I just see Severus Snape smile?" she goaded with a smile of her own. "Come now, spill it. What caused my dear, but sometimes annoying, friend to smile?"

This is it. You waited quite a while to do this. You might not get a more ideal time and sadly, you might not have the courage the next time. Severus looked inside his robes. In it was a delicate little flower that changed colors as the sun touches it.

"Lily, I…."

"Oi, Lily! You've seemed to have left these." Severus deftly put the flower back in his pocket. Severus and Lily turned to see James Potter saunter towards them with a bouquet of flowers. Lily was flabbergasted. She tentatively smiled as she accepted Potter's gift.

As if remembering, she turned back to her friend and asked, "Was there something you wanted to say, Sev?"

Bitterness engulfed him, preventing him to speak. Severus just shook his head no and turned to go.

Severus sighed as he got up and walked towards his bookshelf. There he took something. He then slowly made his way back to his chair. By the fire's light, he slowly opened the weathered book and between its yellowed pages a small flower lay.

Lily.

AN: My first uploaded story in quite a while. Hope you guys like it.

P.S. I'll finish my other stories. Promise :D