Title: Christmas at Hogwarts - Chapter 7: Questions to be Answered

Background: (same old background) This is Christmas, 4th year, from Lily's Point of View. This is not related to some of my other fics. It's more of a 'what if 'rather than the way I actually see it. I guess it's the way I wish it was, but personally do not think happened.

Disclaimer: JKR's characters

Specific to this chapter: So let's see...i like this chapter better than the last one for a lot of reasons. I could have ended it here, but I didn't, I think I will go to the Yule Ball. I was very uncertain up until this point exactly what would happen...I write and I'm just as surprised as you what happens... I let my characters decide, and they want to go to the Yule Ball, apparently. I'm sad that I've run out of flashbacks, I really, really liked Flashbacky Snape. From last chapter: Thanks for all the reviews...glad to see no one was too upset that I knocked Sirius unconscious! There is a certain amount you can pity James, but I personally don't. Lupin and Pettigrew are just followers, butit irritates me that Lupin doesn't stand up to his friends more. Anyway, on with it.

Comments and suggestions are still appreciated, greatly. (But I do already know I use too many adverbs so...)

Chapter 7: Questions to be Answered

Lilyhad to talk to Severus.

Shehad never skipped a class before, butconsidering how today was going, she didn't see that it very well mattered. She could explain everything to Professor Binns later.

She walked steadfastly towards Professor McGonagall's office, ignoring nervous glances from passing students. When she reached the office, it was closed, and as she suspected, McGonagall and Severus were inside.

She was lecturing him very loudly. Lily could understand almost every word of it even through the massive wooden door. Occasionally she would stop, and then Lily could hear Severus murmur something, though she could never quite tell what. McGonagall went on berating him for the next ten minutes, while Lily waited patiently near her office entrance.

Severus came out looking sullen, and disagreeable. He didn't seem to notice Lily who walked over and touched his arm. He jumped, looked at her apprehensively, and continued walking down the hall. Lily followed next to him.

"What do you want?" he accused.

She ignored his rudeness, "Did she give you detention?"

"Two months…"

"Oh," Lily said. "I'm going to tell her what happened…I'm going to tell her the truth, and I'm sure she'll—"

"It won't make any difference."

"But it must…if I tell her that Black and Potter-"

He interrupted disdainfully, "She knows. She said rules are rules."

McGonagall could probably infer that Potter and Black had a hand in the mess, as they were always getting in trouble. Lily, however, highly doubted that Severus told McGonagall the whole story. With his short interjections, how could he have? Furthermore, Severus was not one to explain his actions.

"But if she knew you were protecting me…"

"I wasn't protecting you," Severus shot, and his cheeks went crimson. He put his head down and his hair fell over his face.

"Fine," Lily said irritably, she'd had enough of him, and his sourness for right now, "Whatever you say."

Snapekept silent, but walked faster. It was hard to match his strides, and she was half running to catch up. "Slow down, will you?"

He did, but not enough to be a casual pace like before. They headed up a flight of stairs. Lily started over, "I want to explain…"

"Actually, no. I would really prefer you didn't," Severus said, matching his tone to his rapid footfalls.

"No, I must…" Lily was serious about this. She did not feel she could continue to be friends with him without some sort of explanation. The humiliation she felt was immense. She had just experienced quite possibly the most embarrassing moment of her life. She needed someone to talk to. Or at least, she wanted to make sure Severus would still be her friend.

"Please don't. I understand." Severus hesitated, "I don't need to know more."

"I don't think you do understand…" Lily implored.

They walked on in silence for a moment, and Lily tried to explain again, "It wasn't my fault, Potter knocked all of my things down the stairs, and they found out–"

"I didn't think it was your fault," Severus said still angrily, "I've made it clear that I don't need – NOR WANT - an explanation."

Lily was stymied; she tried to figure out what to say next. She followed him quietly down dark snaking hallways, turning corners left and right, until she had no idea where she was. He didn't seem to be paying attention to where he was heading.

"Where are you going?" she asked finally, looking around at the unfamiliar corridor.

"I don't know!" Severus said severely, but weakly added, "to class...I suppose."

He stopped suddenly, and looked around also seeminglyunsure where they were. He looked frustrated. "I'm trying to get away from you."

Lily was severely cut by the remark, which must have been plain on her face, for Severus softened.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean that."

He faced her and looked like he had a lot more to tell her, but couldn't work up the nerve to say it. Finally, he illuminated her as to some of what he was thinking. "This morning I heard you are going to the Yule Ball with Potter." He paused, and glared at her, "I hope you are at leastreconsidering, now."

Lily was taken aback, out of all the things she expected him to say, that was the farthest thing from her mind. How many people did Potter tell? The nerve of him! Lily fumed.

Before she could answer, Severus continued, "He's quite the jealous sort, isn't he? Did he find out we study together?" He had put together more than she thought he would have, but had come to the wrong conclusion.

"No… No!" Lily said heatedly, fury that she wished she could take out on Potter, "I am not going to the Yule Ball with him. He's been telling people we are going together, before he even asked me. I said, 'no' to him."

Snape eyed her approvingly, "I had thought your judgment was better than the likes of him." He brightened slightly, unusual considering he still had two months of detentions to serve.

Lily continued, "He did find out we study together, but only because Black was snooping around in my things, and I don't care if he does know! I don't care if anyone knows! Severus…" His name hung in the air for a moment, but he let it fall.

"So are you going to the Yule Ball?" he asked suspiciously. Lily guessed that he was trying to rule out if she was going with someone other than Potter.

"I had hoped to…"

"Oh." Severus made a disapproving noise, and looked away from her.

Lily wanted to shake him. Why did he not see that she wanted to go with him? She wasn't sure if she should just flat out tell him. At this point, it seemed the most logical thing. She decided that it was the only thing that would work, and if he rejected her, she was no worse off.

"Severus?"

He looked at her, but said nothing, as was his usual habit. He seemed troubled by what she might say.

"Ask me," Lily said firmly.

"What?" Severus looked stunned, and looked directly in her eyes.

"Ask me!"

"Ask you what?"

Lily closed her eyes. Now he was going to be difficult, well, fine. She turned away from him without answering, irritated beyond belief, and strode back down the deserted hallway. She didn't expect him to follow her.

"Wait? Lily…" he pleaded as he ran up behind her, touching her arm softly to stop her.

This gave Lily two reasons to pause. The first is that she never remembered him saying her name - ever. The whole time they'dworked together he'd never called her Lily, or Evans, or anything. It sounded lovely to her. The second shock was that he touched her, even though he pulled his hand away instantly, he had meant to do it. By this she knew he was serious, so she stopped, and turned back toward him.

He kissed her, barely brushing his lips to hers. It was awkward - quick and sweet. The kiss left her dazed, as she hadn't been expected it. She blushed furiously. Severus looked down at the floor suddenly, and couldn't seem to meet her eyes again. "I'm sorry."

"Don't…" she said, and trailed off, feeling her face burning. She watched him sway nervously from foot to foot. She rarely saw him fidget like this, and she found it endearing, she could see a deep flush on his cheeks as well. He looked as if this kind of openness was painful to him.

"I would be honored if you would escort me to the Yule Ball," he said, and it sounded adorably rehearsed. He glanced at her surreptitiously before looking back at his feet, hair covering his eyes.

"Of course," Lily said, unable to suppress a smile, "I would love to."

He didn'tquite smile back, but seemed to relax ever so faintly. He gave a curt nod, still unable to really look at her. "Maybe we should go…back to class," he said quietly.

They walked back down the hall together, not talking. She reached for his hand, and he reflexively pulled away. "I'm sorry," he said again. He looked at her sadly now; she could tell that he was trying to trust her.

"Don't worry about it," Lily said, but she was secretly sad that he wouldn't take her hand. When they'd found their way out of the labyrinth of hallways, they went to their separate classes. She to the end of History of Magic, and he to…well she wasn't sure where he was going right now.

She thought about himthroughout the rest class, and marveled that the day hadn't turned out quite so bad after all. It didn't bother her that people whispered as she walked by them. She wished Potter knew that what he had done had pushed Severus and her closer together - a spiteful thought, really, which should have been below her.

She was in her own world for the rest of the evening. She went to study in the library, but had trouble concentrating. She hoped that Severus might come in, and glanced up every time a student entered the library, but he did not come.

Someone did come to the library looking for her though, Remus Lupin.

-End Chapter 7-