H is for HATE

"Snape is outside the common room again," Remus reported when he came in from dinner. "He's threatening to sleep out there if you don't go talk to him, Lily."

Lily, who was lying across the couch with her legs draped over James' lap, shook her head. "Tell him to go ahead. I have nothing to say to him."

"Oh, just do it," Peter Pettigrew said. "You know you'll have to face him eventually."

"I don't want his apology. I don't want him to try to win me back. I don't want a lecture. And I've avoided him for nearly two weeks, what makes you think I'll ever have to face him again?"

"Lily," Sirius moaned. "I can smell him from here. Just talk to him so he goes away."

Lily gritted her teeth and swung herself up into a sitting position. "You know I hate him."

"Two weeks ago he was your best friend."

"Two weeks ago I was in denial."

"Just go," Sirius whined, and Lily went.

"Lily?" Severus said when she stepped out of the portrait hole.

"I don't have anything to say to you, Severus, so please get off my doorstep."

"I just need to apologize. I didn't realize I was hurting your feelings."

"But you knew that word was an insult?"

"Yes."

"So you realized you were insulting me, you just thought I was too stupid to notice?"

He licked his lips. "Lily," he began. "I want to say - "

"Go away."

"I love you."

The words came tumbling out; one look at his face and Lily knew he hadn't meant to say them. "Excuse me?"

"I - you're my best friend."

"No, I believe you said you loved me."

"I - I do."

"Why is this only coming up now?"

"Because - we were friends, and I didn't want to ruin - "

"Well, you did ruin it!" Lily cried. "You ruined everything. I could forgive you if it was just a few things, just a slip of the tongue, but Sev! You legitimately believe I am less of a person than you because I have two muggle parents and you've only got one."

He flinched horribly.

"And you're ashamed of your father, aren't you? Because he's not magical? Merlin, Severus!" She shook her head. "You know what the Sorting Hat told me five years ago?"

"What?"

"It told me that everyone has traits from every House within them, and that it's the House itself that brings out certain characteristics over other ones. And it looks like Slytherin has brought out the prejudice in you." She shook her head. "If there's one thing I hate - if there's one thing I can't forgive - it's prejudice. Because in spite of everything you know about me, you still can't respect me."

He let out a sigh. "We are not the same people who got off that train in our first year, are we."

"No." And her tone was suddenly gentler. "Neither of us are."

She looked at him strangely, eyes flicking down from his gaze to his lips, and for justamoment he thought she was going to kiss him.

"Goodbye, Sev."

And she disappeared into the portrait hole.

"How'd it go?" James asked.

She shrugged. "Oh, you know. He confessed his love to me."

James was on his feet. "And you said?"

"I told him I'd marry him at first dawn." Lily collapsed back on the couch. "What do you think I said?"

"No, I hope," James muttered.

She reached up for him, and when he took her hands she pulled him down and kissed him. "I said no."

[So You Think You Know Your Character Competition: Lily Evans - what do you truly hate?]