A/N: New Story! As per usual, I own none of the characters nor Hogwarts. Okay, so this story I plan to make no more than three chapters. It is a short story, I realize. The next chapter will be much, much longer, however so fret not.

This story is set during Lily and Severus' second year. Enjoy

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"Sev! Sev! Hey, Sev!" Lily called running down the Hogwarts corridor after the pallid Slytherin.

"Sev, wait up!" She called again, panting as she reached him.

Severus looked up at her, startled. A smile blossomed on his face.

"Why didn't you wait for me?" She asked sparing an odd look at his oblivious expression.

Severus realized faintly that she had asked him a question. He wrinkled his brow, searching for the question his subconscious had surely heard. Finally after a moment of no luck he looked up, "Er… what?"

Lily laughed, pushing against his shoulder. Severus grimaced, massaging the assaulted spot on his arm. "Ah, Mr. Snape. Whatever shall we do with you?"

Severus smirked, "Well, Ms. Evans, you could write me over break."

Lily stopped walking. It was as if a flame had extinguished within her. "You're not staying at Hogwarts?"

She sounded so hurt, her eyes running over his face in search of an answer to her predicament.

"Of course I'm staying. Why would I go home? Certainly not to spend quality time with my loving father." He added bitterly.

Lily beamed at him. Without a moment's hesitation, she threw her arms around him, embracing him tightly. "Oh, Sev, I'm so excited. I'm staying too! Oh, I was so worried. I thought for a moment that you were going home and that I'd be all alone," She paused, pouting slightly at the idea before her smile came back, "But you will be after all. We're going to have such a holiday, Sev!"

"Well, well, well… Look what we have here: Snivellus Snape and a lovely princess. Hey, Evans, didn't McGonagall tell you that kissing frogs won't get you a prince?" James Potter said cockily, flicking his hair across his face as he and the rest of the marauders rounded the corridor.

Lily broke off the hug, leaving Severus very much angry at the boys.

"James Potter, you ignorant snot-cloth, leave us alone!"

James smirked, "Ooh, boys, hear that? She wants to be alone with Snivellus!" Sirius scoffed into his laughter and Peter squeaked excitedly. Remus, however, did not laugh.

"C'mon, James, let's go…" He started.

"No, Moony. I think we need t solve a problem here. Isn't he always telling me to solve my problems, Padfoot?"

"He sure is," grinned Sirius.

Severus stepped away from the Marauders, taking Lily with him. His eyes flicked over the group warily.

"No, no, no, not so fast, Snivellus!" James called. With a flick of his wand, Severus was lifted into the air.

"James Potter, you put him down!" Lily shrieked with such force that James lost the spell. Severus fell to the ground with a stifled moan.

"What is going on here?" Minerva McGonagall demanded as she exited her office just down the hall.

When she spotted the Marauders, Lily and Severus, she immediately knew what had come to pass. "Mr. Potter, a word. The rest of you return to your common rooms." She looked pointedly at the remaining Marauders and, with a last glace at the fallen Severus, she escorted James to her office.

Sirius led the rest off, shouting insults and comments at Severus as he left. Once the troupe was out of sight, Lily crouched by Severus, helping him up and dusting off parts of his robes.

"Sev, they're just being—"

"Forget it." He said his voice steely. Lily didn't push it. She knew he hated having her stand up for him. She knew he felt like a coward. And, despite his constant reassurances that he far preferred brilliance to brawn, she also knew he despised feeling like a coward.

They walked in silence for a few minutes more. It was the afternoon; they each had one more class until the holidays. "So… potions today, right?" Lily asked nonchalantly.

Severus glanced over at her. "Yes. With the Slytherins."

"My favorite kind!" She added, happily causing Severus to smile the tiniest bit.

No one else could make him admit things like her. No one else could melt his icy walls when he chose to put them up. It was lovely, she thought, to have such a good friend. She felt like a superhero rescuing him, only, she'd never admit that to him. She couldn't imagine how hurt he'd be to be seen as the damsel in distress in her eyes.

Shaking off the thoughts, Lily jumped up, ahead of Severus, humming happily. He watched her skip around, a smirk on his face. When she noticed him watching, she stopped. "What?"

Severus shook his head, still smiling, "C'mon, Evans, let's get you to class."

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A/N 2: James Potter is sort of a nasty piece of work... at least until his 7th year, he was. It was sort of hard to write this because most of the pieces where you see Lily interacting with others, she's mature and a genius and all that rot. I had to go over Snape's memories from book 7 to ensure I had her attitude right. If I didn't quite get it right, please do tell. I much prefer to have my characters in character than not. Review!