Remembering Lily

A/N: Hey people. A special thanks to Destiny and Oceandreamz for being my first reviwers. I started to write this story after I learned that if you rearranged Severus Snape, you get Pursues Evans. I knew this had to be Lily because when would Snape ever meet Petunia. Anyway, enough of my ramblings. On with the story.

Disclaimer: If I was J.K.R. I would be writing Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince!

Chapter 2: Potions with a Friend

It was on one cold, rainy day during his 5th year at Hogwarts that Severus found himself hurrying towards the dungeons. He cursed himself for sleeping in and was desperately trying to get to Potions on time. He vaguely wondered why any of his roommates did not wake him up. That's because they don't like you Severus, a voice in his head told him. You don't have any friends. You're just an ugly oddball no one likes. It's not as if you already don't know this. Remember what Black said? Severus of course remembered the day Black had told him no one cared for him. He tried to prove him wrong by hanging out with his fellow classmates, but what Black said had been true. No one liked him.

Severus was so deep in thought that he turned the next corner and collided with a girl he was not familiar with.

"Sorry," he mumbled, helping her up.

"That's quite all right," she replied. Severus took a minute to look the girl over. She had red, wavy hair that fell to her shoulders. It contrasted so well with her fair complexion. She looked at him through startling green, almond-shaped eyes. "Are you headed to Potions?" she asked.

Severus nodded and followed her into the classroom. They took their seats just as the bell rang. Professor Sils entered the classroom and quickly started teaching the day's lesson.

"Today, you shall all make a potion known as the Calming Draught. O.W.L.S. are this year and we need to stock up on this potion. Since I know how much you all love one another, I will assign you partners. Slytherins and Gryffindors together. You all must learn to work with people you dislike."

The word 'dislike' was an understatement. The two Houses glared at each other through eyes full of hatred. "Now let's see," the Potions Mistress said, "how about Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Longbottom and Ms. Parkinson, Ms. Evans and Mr. Snape..."

Severus did not know who Ms. Evans was, so he waited until the girl he crashed into earlier approached him.

"Err...Severus Snape?" she asked uncertainly. Severus nodded and she smiled. "Lily Evans," she said, while sticking out her hand, "pleased to make your acquaintance." Severus stared at her hand. It was the first time someone had actually offered to shake his hand. He slowly grasped her hand and she beamed at him. Severus felt his stomach do summersaults.

"Evans!" a voice from behind them shrieked. Severus turned around to find himself staring at a messy haired, chocolate-eyed boy. "Have you no House pride! Shaking hands with a Slytherin! And to make things worse, it's Snape! The greasy-haired oddball! Have you no shame?"

Severus was about to retaliate, but to his surprise, Lily got their first.

"You're such a prat, Potter!" she spat at him. Severus watched her in amazement. "You're so...ugh! I can't even find a word to describe how absolutely disgusted I am with you. Who cares if he's in Slytherin? This is exactly the kind of attitude I would expect from someone as arrogant as you! You...you....ugh...just get out of my sight!"

James grinned at her as if he enjoyed being yelled at. He turned and went back to his partner. Lily watched him go and turned to get the ingredients for the potion. Severus stood in shock. She basically just stood up to him. No one had ever defended him. No one passed him a second glance when he was being tormented by The Marauders. And now, just now, Lily Evans, a Gryffindor, stood up for him. He didn't understand it.

"Severus, are you all right?" Lily had returned with the ingredients. She was looking at him intently. "Is something wrong?"

Severus stared at her. He was contemplating whether or not he should tell her the truth. Would she laugh at him? Would she think badly of him? He decided he had nothing to lose.

"It's just that..."he began, uncertain of how to say it, "I've never had a friend before. I never had someone stand up for me...or not cringe when they looked at me...or helped me if I was being pranked. And then I know you for a few moments and you've...at the risk of sounding really dumb...done more for me than anyone else. And, well, I was shocked."

Lily just gawked at him. He knew he shouldn't have told her anything. Now she was going to laugh at him. Life wasn't fair. He had always been jealous of the Marauders. He hated to admit it, but he was. They had everything he wanted, and now, he just made a fool of himself in front of this beautiful girl. Beautiful girl? He just wasn't thinking straight. He never called anyone beautiful. He should hate her, but he didn't. She was in Gryffindor, but he didn't hate her. She hasn't done anything to me yet. I'm sure she will though But still, beautiful?. He was still shocked about what she had said. Yeah, that was it.

"Wow, I didn't expect that Severus," she said quietly. Then, even more quietly, "I'll be your friend."

Severus at first thought he hadn't heard correctly, but she repeated herself in a more confident voice.

"I'll be your friend. That is, as long as you don't mind being friends with a Gryffindor." She was teasing him and a faint smile touched Severus's lips.

"All right then. I'd like that. Friends."

Out of the corner of his eye, Severus saw James shaking with fury. He smiled inwardly and continued making the potion with his new friend.

A/N: Do you love it? Hate it? Tell me? Please.