Sorry its been so long! (What is it? Two weeks now?) I didn't forget, I just couldn't write, not that that is anything new, it just kind of bugs me... Anway, I don't know how many of you have read my new fic, but I really like it- you should go read it and review- it's called 'The Notebook'... I'd also like to point out real fast that this fic is pretty much 100 AU.. Not everything, but mostly everything.. Yeah, I know, I'm just blabbering now... so I guess I'll let you read!

Disclaimer: What can I say, I don't own anything... You all know the drill; I don't own it, you don't sue me and we are all just peachy.. right? This is where you nod and smile...

A Time for Us

Chapter Thirteen… Hogsmeade Trip

Lily:

On Hogsmeade visits, Vara and I used to try to be the first ones there… we always liked to be the first ones to see the new store or get the first new samples. We never grew tired of racing the other students down the hill, it was just part of the novelty of a Hogsmeade trip.

Today, I'm taking my time. Almost everyone else is already there, buying Zonko's newest pranks and shivering in front of the Shrieking Shack… but me? I just got done with breakfast and now I'm enjoying the silence.

Silence. I haven't had that in a while… ever since the fight James and I had, it seems like he wants to be sure I'm never alone. One of his friends is almost always near me, especially Peter. I usually have a pretty good tolerance for people, but I really cannot stand him. He drives me crazy- he's too… nervous. It makes me nervous that he's always nervous. Did that make sense? Not much I say makes sense anymore. Anyway…

The Christmas Hogsmeade visit has always been my favourite… Vara and I used to sneak out just for the Winter visits… good thing we didn't know that students who stay at Hogwarts for the Holidays get to go one day before everyone comes back.

I think I'll go to Honeydukes first… they're probably my favourite store in Hogsmeade.

I slip in long enough to buy a large amount of my favourite flavour of chocolate- cherry-vanilla, and make my way to Zonko's Joke Shop.

Zonko's is always worth a stop- there seems to never be an end to the supply of new pranks.

As not many students stayed at Hogwarts this year, the shop is unnaturally empty… except for one other person… Severus Snape.

I've never gotten along very well with Snape- whether it be because I'm a Gryffindor and he's a Slytherin, or because I'm not a pureblood, or if it's just that we've always been very competitive over the highest scores in most of our classes. It's not that we're downright rude to each other, it's just that… we have a lot of conflicting opinions.

"Evans-" I jump and twist around to see Snape above me. I don't know how he got so close to me- I guess I wasn't paying much attention. I was just watching him a few moments ago, filling a rather large sack with some nasty looking powder from a large barrel.

"Erm- yes?"

"I mean… Lily… I was wondering if you… if you would like- well, since you're not with anyone, I was just… erm… Would you go next d-door with me to get something to drink?" He stutters, eyes on anything but my face.

"Oh… um…"

Okay, what I want to say here is, 'Heck no! Are you crazy? You're a rude, sneaking Slytherin, and I'm still in love with your least favourite person ever- James Potter!' But there is no way in all of Merlin that I would ever say that. To anyone.

But… Snape always looks so lonely… I do feel sorry for him. He's very smart, and he's a Slytherin Prefect, but I guess that's all I really know about him. Well, that, and that he's the Marauder's worst enemy. They're always at it, trying to pull a better prank than the last. It isn't exactly fair, since there are four Marauders and only one of Snape. Then again, he is a Slytherin, so if he really wanted, I'm sure he could hold his own.

"Sure… I'd love to!" Except for the part where 'love' is a very strong word and I'm sure I don't mean it.

We walk out of the shop, and I can't help but notice that with every step, he just keeps getting closer… and closer…

So I speed up in the pretence of looking up into the sky to see the falling snow. "Isn't it beautiful?"

"Yes… Beautiful…" he mutters and for the second time today, I realize just how close he really is…

Chills run up and down my spine as he holds the door to the Three Broomsticks open for me… Out of all people imaginable, Severus Snape would not be on the top of my list of polite people… I can't see him as the type that ever holds doors open for girls… especially not after that incident in fifth year, when he called me a 'Mudblood'… Then again, I think he must have just been upset that day.

I only hope James isn't in here… if he is, I don't know-

Hmm… wait a minute… If he is in the Three Broomsticks, then he'll know how it feels to have your boyfriend (Or girlfriend in his case.) with another person… Even though I'm not his girlfriend. I know this is mean, but I'm going to get him back… He'll be sorry.

Even if it means that I have to get a drink with a Slytherin.

Not that I have a problem with all Slytherins, it's just that I have a bit of a problem with Snape. It's not everyday you get called a mudblood, but when you do, it's not very nice and I haven't forgotten fifth year.

I jump as Snape clears his throat. He's already lead me up to the bar… And he's ordering us both a butterbeer… One with cherry syrup and two cherries… How did he know that is my favourite?

A feeling of guilt creeps over me as he takes the butterbeers and leads me to the back of the room to find a table. I don't know a single thing about him except that he's a sixth year Slytherin Prefect… And he just ordered my favourite drink. There's no telling what else he knows about me!

"Oh… The chocolate flavour… I imagined you must like the flavour…" he mutters as I slip into a chair. He must've seen my look of surprise.

"Well… I should be getting back to the castle soon… I still haven't done that Potions homework and I have no doubt that it'll take me all afternoon…" I say sometime later as we stroll lazily down the slushy street.

"Oh, well, that Potions assignment was easier than some we have had lately, it only took me a few minutes to finish, it won't take you long at all." Snape says confidently, like he just wants me to stay out here longer with him.

Great, look what I've done now.

"I'm not too good at Potions- I barely got an A on my O.W.L.'s in Potions… the only letter that wasn't an O…"

"Well… I could tutor you some? I might be able to help you some…" he says quietly.

Hmm… Snape tutoring me in Potions… On one hand, he has been a lot nicer to me today and he isn't as bad as I thought he was… But on the other hand, he's still Severus Snape and I've always known him to be… somewhat… Well, it's suffice to say that he's still a Slytherin.

But I do need help on my Potions if I want to be a Mediwitch…

"That would be great!" I say happily.

"It's nothing…"

"Well… thank you for the drink- I had fun today." I say as we reach the steps to the castle.

"Thanks for going… with me… I'll let you know what nights I can tutor you sometime soon- it'll have to be around Prefect duties, of course." he says quietly.

"All right! Well… Goodnight!"

I watch as he nods to the ground and walks through a door to my left.

I really did have a good time with Snape; even if hardly anyone likes him. They just don't know him or take the time to.

But… What will James think when he finds out Snape is going to be tutoring me? Or that I was with him in Hogsmeade today?

I feel a horrible wrenching on my stomach… but I don't think it really had anything to do with the fact that I just fell over a step… I don't even try to move… I just flip over on my back and stare at the wall beside me.

James… Hard as I've tried, I don't think I can really ever be over him… I need him. Every time I see him in the corridor or during a meal, I feel sick to my stomach and I wish more than ever that we were still… us. But we're not and I don't think we ever can be.

I wipe angrily at the tear that slides down my cheek and get hurriedly to my feet. I'm not helping myself much by sitting in some random corridor and crying over something that can't be.

"Lion's Roar," I mutter to the Fat Lady in her portrait.

She frowns and narrows her eyes suspiciously at me before swinging the portrait open.

What is it with people?

I run up to my dorm to get my schoolbag with my books… But don't see it lying next to my table as it usually is…

Oh. One day after I heard a girl begging Sirius to ask James out for her, I ran up here and threw my bag… who knows where. Maybe it went under my bed?

I lower myself to the floor and crawl halfway under my four-poster. Usually, I'm the only one who bothers to keep my side of the room neat, I don't throw things under my bed to get them out of the way like everyone else… So the only thing I can see from where I'm laying is my bag… and a crumpled up piece of parchment on the other side, near the bed skirt.

I reach out carefully and pull the parchment towards me. I smooth it out flat on the floor…

To find a note that looks like it was written and tossed carelessly away… by Vara. All over the page, sentences are written, crossed out, then rewritten again. And everyone of them had the words 'I'm sorry…' One little paragraph stands out especially to me… And I even feel a pang of guilt as I read over it again…

'Lily… I just want to say that I'm sorry… I never meant any of this to happen and I want you to know that I miss you terribly. I think I know why you and James broke up- but I want you to know that it wasn't-'

Wasn't what? That it wasn't your fault? It wasn't his fault? It wasn't what I 'thought' it was? Curiosity seeps through me and I feel a burning desire to know what the rest of that sentence is… Maybe it's better that I don't know, but it still doesn't help that I don't.

James:

I couldn't be more happy now that classes have started again and everyone is back from their holidays. I don't know how much longer I could have put up with seeing Snape so often. If I even thought of leaving the Tower, I'd see him somewhere… Either him or Lily. Both ignored me.

And it wasn't fun. Especially now that I know why they have- neither of them want to face me after their little date… Lily and Snape… That slithering, sneaky, nasty, greasy bat with my sweet, beautiful Lily…

I walked into the Common Room Saturday after playing Quidditch all day with the Marauders and I saw her sitting in front of the fire, doing an essay… She was laying on her stomach, her red hair falling in waves over her shoulders, a large book propped up on a pillow in front of her. She glanced up when the portrait hole opened; her eyes locked onto mine, then she looked down again… But for that tiny instant, I felt like everything was all right between us… At least, I felt like she wasn't furious with me… I'm sure I was imagining things, though.

Things aren't all right with us- she wouldn't be letting Snape tutor her if they were. She knows I hate Snape and she wouldn't do that to me… Under normal circumstances, at least.

"Prongs? Hey- Prongs!"

"What?" I yelp.

"C'mon- bell rang…" Sirius says with a smirk.

"I know it did!" I say defensively.

"Yeah? I can see how watching Miss Evans all through class then staring at her while she gathers her books is more important than the fact that we're about to miss lunch, eh? Completely understandable, mate. But I do have a life and I'm hungry." Sirius says smugly. "Oh- you may be interested in knowing that you're drooling a bit…"

I give him a dirty look over the top of my Transfiguration book as I throw it haphazardly into my bag.

Sirius's grin only widens as he leads the way into the corridor, where Remus and Peter are standing together, looking at a sheet of parchment. "That-"

"Lily? Hey! Lily!"

The four of us look up instinctively to see who is yelling her name…

Then, as one, our jaws drop.

Snape of all people… and Lily doesn't even look mad.

Snivellus… Oh, he'll pay…

I pull Sirius and Remus forward, closer to the end of the corridor, just as Snape, who has his back to me, says, "… dinner, of course…"

I feel all the heat drain from my face and I just know my knees are about to give away. Sure, I know they went to Hogsmeade together, but I've rather hoped it was some sort of "chance" meeting that Snape had planned.

I lean over slowly so I can see Lily more clearly… In time to see her blush.

Sirius, Remus, Peter, and I all hold our breath as Lily grins and says, "Sure! That'd be great! But I have to go talk to Tina about some stuff- so I'll see you in a bit, okay? And thanks, Severus!" She wraps her arms around his chest then bounds happily away.

I groan and throw my bag to the ground at my feet. No way in all of bloody hell did Lily just hug Snape… Especially not after the way he's always calling her a mudblood. Does she really not care that she gets called names like that? Every time I've ever tried to stand up for her before a few times when Slytherins have called her that, and she always got mad…

And Snape is not the type of person to let a girl hug him… Let alone a Gryffindor who is better than him at all our classes. I thought Slytherins were all wily, underhanded little sneaks who only cared about themselves and getting revenge on people for-

Hmm… Revenge. Could he be getting close to Lily to hurt me? I don't exactly try to hide the fact that I want back with Lily… And Snape definitely hates me… Anybody with a brain knows that to get revenge on someone, you have to get them where it hurts the most. Lily is- without a doubt- my weakness.

Lily:

After Transfiguration, I was trying to be one of the first to lunch and I was already halfway down the corridor when I heard someone calling my name. It was Snape.

As he sprinted down the corridor to me, I noticed the Marauders were coming slowly towards us… Obviously, they were trying to catch my conversation with Snape.

"Yes?" I said brightly, turning my attention back to Snape.

"Oh- er- I was just wondering if tonight is good for your tutoring… After dinner, of course…" he said as my stomach growled. I hate it when my stomach growls, it makes me feel like a pig… So I blushed.

And I'm almost positive the Marauders thought I was blushing because I liked Snape. Um.. No.

I ignored them, even when I heard them gasp. "Sure! That'd be great! But I have to go talk to Tina about some stuff- so I'll see you in a bit, okay? And thanks, Severus!"

I started to run down to dinner, but before I could force myself to, I gave him a hug. What has gotten into me? I don't know what made me do it- I certainly didn't.

Was I trying to make James jealous?

All it did was manage to make me feel extremely sick. I've been sitting here at Gryffindor Table for some time now, I don't even know how long it's been since I saw Snape wander dreamily over to his table. I'm beginning to wish I had gone home for the holidays after all. That way, I could have gotten away from Hogwarts for a bit, I wouldn't have gone to Hogsmeade that day alone, I wouldn't have met Snape in Zonko's, and I most certainly would not be letting him tutor me.

But nooo, I chose to stay at Hogwarts.

Peter takes the seat in front of me, smiling meekly.

Clue Number One that he is up to something. I should have known.

"Hey, Lily! Mind if I sit here?" He pulls the nearest plate towards himself and starts piling it with food.

"Apparently not…" I say irritably. Not that I'm mad at Peter for any particular reason, I just don't really feel like being too happy right now.

"You doin' okay?"

"Mmm… I'm just great." I say, trying not to sound too grumpy. I might be in a bad mood, but I'm not going to jump down his throat- it isn't his fault the world hates me today.

"So I heard the Filstrom Fiddles won their game last Saturday…"

I've tried to listen to everything Peter said, I really have… It just hasn't worked. I don't understand a single bit of Quidditch- except for the part where I know they throw a big red ball around and if you catch the snitch, it gets you 150 points. So now that Peter has started off on cobbing and faking other players, all I can do is nod and smile as he drones on.

Thankfully, I see Snape get up from his place at the table, some five minutes into Peter's one-sided conversation.

"Um… Sorry, Pete, but I've really got to go, I-"

"Here! I'll walk you!" he says excitedly, jumping to his feet, leaving his untouched apple pie on his plate.

"Oh, um, alright…" I say reluctantly.

"So anyway, the only other time that has ever been allowed was in 1835, when Farian Noble…"

I quicken my pace, hoping that if I get out of here fast enough, he won't even notice I'm gone…

"Lily? Where are you going?" Peter asks suddenly. "Are you really getting tutored by Snape?" he whispers. Okay, now I know the Marauders sent him. "-I mean, do you really trust him? Lily, he's a Slytherin! Think of all the dark magic he must know- he's known more curses than anybody since we came here in first year-"

"Of course I trust him! I don't have a reason not to, do I? He's willing to help me- and I don't need you to follow me around and try to keep up with me, I can defend myself! All that matters is that he was nice enough to offer help! What do you know about him, eh?" I cry. I take a few steps toward the dungeons before turning back to Peter with a nasty glare. "And who cares what BLOODY HOUSE HE'S IN?!" I yell.

I know he is only trying to help and I know I hurt his feelings… But what was I supposed to do?

I shoot him one last glare before turning haughtily back to the dungeons, looking back in time to see him sneaking over to a broom closet across the hall.

I should storm over there and blow that door down- I'll show them… I'd bet everything I own that all the Marauders are presently crouched in that closet.

But that would only make things worse and I don't know how much more I can handle.