Lily carefully placed her book down next to her. She had spent the summer morning with Severus at the spot by the lake, under their tree. She had packed sandwiches and sweets and coffee for the day, they met Sev in front of her house. He had looked more tired than usual this morning. His eyes were watery and worn. His hair still wet from a shower. He was wearing an old fitted black sweater and faded blue jeans. Only Sev would be wearing a sweater in the summer. Lily could tell by Sev's tired appearance that he hadn't slept the night before, which usually meant his parents were fighting. From Lily's experience, this meant that Sev was probably anxiously waiting all night to make sure his mother was safe. And if it was a fight during the night, it meant his dad was drunk.

When Lily reached Sev in front of her house, she placed her bag on the ground and reached up on her tip toes to wrap her arms around him, he squeezed her small form picking her up off her feet for a moment. He breathed in her scent, taking in the feelings of warmth and safety that always accompanied Lily. Lily stepped back and took a good look at her Severus. The year had brought some changes to Sev. He had grown taller and broader. His shoulders seemed to fill out, she could remember the days when it looked like he was swimming in that sweater. And his face looked more angular…no, not exactly angular, but chiseled. These days starring into his dark obsidian eyes made her blush.

But this morning he looked solemn. She placed a hand on his face, and he covered it with his own, his eyes closed. They stood like that for a moment, Severus breathing slowly. Lily moved her hand down, and laced her fingers with his, Sev grabbed Lily's bag with his free hand, and they started toward the lake. The walk from their neighborhood to the lake was the wood between the worlds. It was half an hour to leave behind their lives; Lily leaving difficulties of being a witch in a muggle family, and Sev leaving behind everything that wasn't Lily. It was in these days by the lake with Lily where Severus would learn about who he was, and what he could be, it was here that his imagination and curiosities would flourish. It was here with Lily, that Severus could be somebody with dreams and desires.

When they arrived at their tree, Severus pulled the blanket out of Lily's bag and set it up, while Lily pulled out some muffins, and poured out two cups of coffee. They both had books, and set themselves up leaning against the big tree trunk. This morning Lily was reading her old copy of Jane Eyre. Within ten minutes of their morning, Sev had abandoned his book, he was lying with his face pressed onto Lily's sweater covered flat stomach, his arms wrapped around her waist, he was asleep, his fresh coffee abandoned only steps away. They were like that for hours, Sev's warm body fast asleep in the comfort of Lily, she read her book, occasionally running her fingers through his hair, or rubbing his back. Lily carefully placed her book down next to her. She could remember the first time Sev had fallen asleep with her.

They were nine years old. Lily had spent the day with her mom, running errands. Sev hadn't come 'round her house that afternoon which had become strange to her during the summer. So she had gone grocery shopping with her mum. She had picked out cookies with sprinkles in them because she knew that they were Sev's favorite. She stood on the edge of the shopping cart as her mum pushed it around the grocery store, she made a mental note to ask Sev if he knew how to steer a shopping cart like she did. Lily always had fun with her mum, and running errands always made her feel like a grown up. She was looking forward to the next day when she could tell Sev about how she had done all of these adult things.

On her way home Lily pressed her face up against the window, she wanted to make sure she could see Sev's house on her way home. As they drove by, Lily saw that Sev was sitting on the steps of his house, he didn't seem to be doing anything, he was just starring at his feet.

When she arrived home, she helped her mum put away the groceries. After helping her dad clean up after dinner, she made her way up to her room, feeling sleepy. She jumped onto her bed, feeling cozy, she started to drift to sleep.

After a few moments she heard something hitting her window. She jumped up and looked outside. She looked down to see Sev standing there. She held a finger up to her lips. She very quietly made her way downstairs, relieved to find that nobody was on the main floor. She opened the side door and let Sev in. He looked tired, his eyes were red, it was obvious that he had been crying.

"Follow me" Lily whispered. She made her way into the kitchen, and stealthily grabbed the box of cookies she had picked out, as well as a few juice boxes. She quietly led Sev up the stairs, onto the second floor, and into her room. Sev had never been in Lily's room before. It was nicer than he could have imagined. The walls were a mint green, and had hand painted pink, orange, and peach colored flowers on them. She had a wood bed that was painted white, with a trunk at the foot of the bed. Lily closed the door, jumped onto her bed, and sat cross legged. She patted the space next to her on the turquoise frilly comforter. Sev hesitated and slowly made his way onto the bed.

Lily opened the cookie box, and placed a few cookies in Sev's hands.

"What happened Sev?" Sev looked at his cookie filled hands. He wasn't sure what to say. He wasn't even sure he had done the right thing by coming to see her.

Sev took a big breath in, if he could trust anyone, it was Lily, and he knew it to be true.

"My dad has been drinking…and he didn't go to work today. He stayed home all day and fought with my mum. I think he broke her nose. And then my mum saw me, so she told me to go outside and play. But I ….I didn't want to leave. So I just stayed outside the door all day. He yelled a lot, and I think he broke some things. He finally left to go to the bar. I thought about going back inside the house…but I didn't want to.."

Lily watched as Sev spoke. He never made eye contact. He spoke down toward the bed. She didn't know what to say.

"I saw her face Lily, her nose was fixed…but her face was all purple and blue."

They sat in the silence. Severus's home life had been terrifying, but he had never said anything about it before.

"You can stay here until you feel like going home Sev."

Severus didn't say anything. He was scared. He never shared details about his home life with anyone.

"I promise I won't tell anyone". Sev felt the weight he didn't know he was carrying on his shoulders leave him. His shoulders started shaking and he started to sob. Lily carefully took the cookies out of his hands, placed them to the side, and held his hands between hers. They sat there together, in the middle of her bed. Eventually Sev calmed down. Lily handed him some tissues, and opened up a juice box for him. He accepted gratefully.

Lily hopped off the bed, and returned with her checkers set. The two played the game for an hour, they ate cookies while the played. Each winning a handful of games.

Hours later Lily awoke, she felt incredibly safe and warm. As her eyes adjusted she took in her surroundings. She and Sev had fallen asleep. They were tangled together. Her cheek on Sev's head. His face scrunched up into her neck. Sev's hands were crossed protectively over his chest, and Lily's arms were wrapped around him. The checker pieces strewn about on the bed. Lily stretched out her arms, snuggled in closer and fell asleep.

In the coming years Lily would find Sev outside her window after particularly hard days at home. On these days Sev's favorite position would be to fall asleep with his face pressed up against the middle of her chest, falling asleep to the sound of her heartbeat. The two grew to be in sync with one another. Sev usually liked to sleep with his petite Lily curled up within his larger frame, he enjoyed pushing her hair from her shoulder and counting and recounting her freckles. Except for those days when he was vulnerable, Lily would open her arms as a safety net, ready to catch him.

Lily looked down at the now stirring Sev. His eyes blinked as he awoke. He placed a kiss on Lily's tummy, and looked up at her.

"Hello love"

"You got a few hours of sleep", she smoothed down his hair. "How are you feeling?"

"mmm, so cozy…must keep sleeping". Lily laughed as Sev repositioned himself, he sat up, and placed a kiss on forehead. Lily instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck. She kissed him harder, he opened his mouth as she slipped her tongue inside.

Severus pulled Lily onto his lap. She wrapped her legs around his waist, and moved her hands to pull Sev's sweater up over his head. She moved her head back to look at him. Sev was so toned. His shoulders filled out. His arms muscular, lean, and strong. It was impossible that only a moment ago, he seemed so small and vulnerable to her, asleep with his head on her stomach.

Now he looked powerful. She ran her fingers down his chest and onto his toned stomach. Severus laced his long fingers through her hair, pulling her face forward, he kissed her again. Lily was warm and sweet. He could feel her clothed center over his jean clad hardness, he ran his hand up her bare freckled leg and under her flowy blue skirt. His hand rubbing over her bum, his fingers working their way around the fringe of her underwear. Lily was grinding herself against his hardness.
Severus moaned and moved them so Lily was sitting against the tree again. He moved himself in front of her, pulling her legs apart, he lay down on his stomach in front of her. He moved his hands up her legs, pushing up her skirt, and positioned himself so his face was right in front of her thinly clothed centre. Lily could feel his breath over her aching core. Severus wiped his thumb over and over her covered clit, he watched as her pink panties got darker with moisture. His large hands pulled her panties down her legs, and off past her feet. He slipped her wet panties into his jeans pocket. He heard Lily laugh, and she laced her fingers through his dark hair. Severus gently licked over her aching wet center. He ran two fingers over her core and sucked on his fingers, she tasted sweet and salty and distinctly like Lily. He placed and open mouthed kiss on her pink wetness, he licked repeatedly over her sensitive nub, paying special attention to the mews coming from Lily's lips. Lily bucked into his face. Severus inserted two long fingers into her slit, Lily opened her legs wider, giving room for Severus to slowly pump his fingers in and out of her slit. Severus tonged her nub over and over, as he increasingly pumped his fingers in and out. As Lily got louder, he inserted a third finger, hearing a low moan from Lily, Severus sucked on her nub, he could hear her orgasm coming. He licked her hard with the flat of his tongue, making a come hither motion with his fingers inside her, as Lily came, he heard a high pitched mew, followed by her breathing coming down rapidly.
Sev removed his long fingers from her aching slit, and sucked his fingers clean. He pulled Lily's skirt down, and sat up next to her. He looked at her beautiful face. Her red hair lightly messy. Emerald met Obsidian eyes. A dark blush across her face. He felt so privileged to be the one sharing these intimacies with her, that he could be the one to bring her pleasure. He pulled her into him, lacing their fingers together. Warmed by the sun's rays, and comforted by the light breeze, they feel asleep. Lily curled into Sev's chest, her head tucked under his chin.

Lily thought of how much confidence Sev had when they were together now. It had taken a while for them to get to know one another intimately. But now, Severus was one to take risks, he could be in control. She felt so safe with him always. Though she only ever saw his confidence when it was just the two of them. Sev, as tall and broad as he was, could easily disappear around anyone else. She thought to herself, if she was what he needed to stay bold and strong, she would never leave him.