Bitterly Unrequited
Chapter 11 - Jumping to Conclusions
Severus wandered the corridors of the school aimlessly, desperately trying to collect his thoughts. Lily had kissed – on the cheek, yes, but she had kissed him nonetheless. I could have loved you...her voice rang through his ears as meandered around the castle, no matter that it was well past time the students were supposed to be in bed. He was a prefect, after all, so he could easily get away with it.
He heard raised voices in a corridor nearby and quietly lurked, eavesdropping in on the conversation.
"Well then, if I'm overreacting, Lily, why don't you just explain what you were doing with Snivellus in the middle of the forest at eleven o'clock at night?"
"What right do you have to accuse me, James Potter?" her voice rang angrily. "I did not cheat on you with Severus, nor with anyone else. Never speak to me that way ever again, Potter."
"Well, what was I supposed to think, Lil?" James asked desperately. "That you and Snape were working on a homework project in a secluded area in the middle of the night?"
"It doesn't matter what we were doing, James. What does matter is that you don't trust me."
"But it does matter what you were doing, Lily! You're my girlfriend, for God's sake! I have a right to know. If you're going to be with anybody in the middle of the night, shouldn't it be with me? Am I just supposed to drop it and let it be? I really...I really like you, Lily, and I don't want to see you go..."
"You 'really like' me?" she asked, her voice wavering. "Do you love me, James?"
"Do I...Lily, come on, stay on the subject..."
"Do you love me, James?"
He looked at her, a scared, confused look on his handsome face. He was silent for a moment, before he softly answered, "I believe I do, Lily. I love you."
She softly kissed him. "I love you too, James," she whispered back. "Now, do you trust me?"
He nodded, a soft smile on his lips as he embraced her. "I trust you, Lil...sorry I just jumped to conclusions about it...and besides, if you were to cheat on me with anyone, I should have known that it would never be Snape – God, anyone that's actually seen him would have known better." He laughed harshly.
Lily withdrew from his arms. "Don't talk about Severus like that, James...he's never done anything to you..."
James sighed, exasperated. "What is your fascination with the little git? Why do you always defend him?" She didn't answer, looking away. "So, now that I'm not jumping to any conclusions, Lily, would you please explain the reason you were in the woods in the middle of the night with Severus Snape?"
"I...I wanted to be alone, James. I needed to think about some things. And I happened to run into Severus out there, who was apparently trying to be alone and think, too. So we talked for a while, just chatting, and then I left. Is that so hard to believe, sweetheart?"
"No," said James slightly sulkily, "but Lil, be careful around him, all right? The boy is up to his big nose in the Dark Arts, to say the least, and he's always watching you, with that hungry look. I...I don't want him to try to do anything to you, Lily. He's absolutely obsessed with you, and if you encourage him...I just want you to be safe, all right?"
She smiled faintly. "Thanks for your concern, James, but I'll be fine. Don't worry about me..."
The two began walking away, towards the Gryffindor Common Room, hand in hand. Snape bitterly watched them as they walked, talking and laughing flirtatiously. One day, that pompous air-headed git will pay, Severus vowed, if it's the last thing I do.