The boys had just left, and Hermione was in her room sticking the photo strip the five of them had gotten at the fair in her book. She was laying on her tummy on her bed when Lily came into the room with Severus.

"Lily, Sev I trust you had a lovely time?" She asked politely, writing the date under the photo in purple ink.

"Oh yeah it was great. We went down to the lake and got icecream, then we swam a bit and chatted... You?"

"Oh we went to the fair" Hermione said vaguely. She knew Severus wouldn't approve of the day, so she left it unanswered.

"Oh with Beatrix and them lot?" Snape asked sitting down on the floor.

"No James, Sirius, Rem and Pete" Hermione answered in what she hoped was nonchalantly. "Here look" she passed the journal to Sev.

At the sight of them all with their tongues out, or grinning like Cheshire cats, Snape sneered and passed the book to Lily as if it was cursed. Lily smiled slightly and passed it back to Hermione.

"Looks like it was fun" Lily said looking for places on her side of the room to place her Christmas gifts.

"Well to me it sounds like it was a nightmare. A whole day with those four voluntarily?" Snape shuddered to emphasise his point.

"You know I take no place in your feud Sev. You don't have the same relationship I do with them and they don't have the same relationship I have with you. I'm Switzerland, you lot are the ones creating a war."

"Are you suggesting it's my fault?" Severus said standing up.

"Of course not. When did I say that?"

"Sev I'm sure Hermione just used the wrong wording, just calm down" Lily intervened. She seemed to be doing that a lot more recently.

"Wrong wording? I haven't said anything wrong. All I've said is that they're being unnecessarily childish when theirs no need. Both of you" Hermione said raising her eyebrows challengingly.

"Why should I apologise?" Severus crossed his arms defiantly.

"Stubbornness is not your most admirable quality Sev" Hermione said getting up and leaving the room and a shocked Lily and fuming Snape behind her.

When Severus left, Lily sought Hermione out and found her in Petunia's room. Lily pressed her ear to the door and listened quietly.

"Why did you drag me up here Tune?"

"I need to talk to you. I don't like that Snape boy! Lily won't listen to me and I know she will to you..."

Pause

"I can't. Sev is my friend. We aren't as close as Lily and him but still. And what do you care?"

"You're my sisters of course I care"

"You have a funny way of showing it! Those letters. The way you treat our friends. The way you treat us"

"Get out"

"Tune you can't run away from this topic!"

"Get. OUT"

Lily took this opportunity to scramble down the stairs in fear of being caught.

"So you heard what Petunia said?" Hermione asked Lily as they were packing their trunks a few days later.

"How did you know?" Lily replied nearly dropping an ink pot in shock.

"Well you were thundering down the stairs like an elephant" Hermione stated peering at a set of slightly fractured vials.

Lily looked sheepish, before remembering the true topic of the conversation. "Well what do you think of Sev? Truly?"

"I think that he is my friend, but I'm closer to the Marauders which is something he doesn't like so our friendship is on borrowed time I suspect."

"Borrowed time? What do you mean?"

"Well with their feud it is likely that we will be dragged into it soon enough. And one of them will do something extreme. However the Marauders will always show remorse and work back towards a friendship. Sev is too proud"

"So you mean you'll choose them over us?" Lily asked after a while.

"What do you have to do with the ultimatum Lils? Me and you will always be sisters. It's a bond we could never possibly lose. But Snape and I are civil and friendly. There's no real love there"

"Okay" was all Lily said and Hermione knew she'd given her a lot to think about.