November 28, 1977

Lily was in the library trying to finish a transfiguration essay. It was dark and there was no one else there. She had been in the library for quite awhile, and her eyes were beginning to get watery and unfocused.

"Shit." She muttered, she had just knocked over her books onto the floor.

Lily bent over to pick up her books, her chair creaking noisily.

When she straightened she saw something at the edge of the light from her candle.

"Who's there?" Lily called, narrowing her eyes.

"Lily." Severus said stepping into the light.

"Go away." Lily said returning to her essay.

"I just wanted to ask-"

"Go away."

"Lily, listen to me-"

"What part of 'Go away' do you not understand?" Lily said her voice rising.

"Lily please."

Lily looked up at him, he so rarely pleaded that it gave her pause.

"What?"

"I've just seen you around with Potter and I wanted to know-"

"What?"

"I...Are you dating him?"

"That's none of your business." Lily said curtly and looked back down at her work.

"Lily, he's bad news. He's not a good guy. He doesn't treat people right-"

"Oh that's rich coming from you!" Lily was so angry she had stood up

"I'm just trying to protect you!"

"Yeah from what? Your merry band of death eaters! That's who I need to be protected from, Severus! You! You and your muggle hating friends!"

"I tried to get you a spot! You just don't want to hear anything other than your way! You're a talented witch, Lily, you would be so helpful!"

"Helpful to people who want to kill me and my family?! Somehow I don't think I'll be joining your cult!"

"Just don't hang around with that prat! You used to be reasonable, you used to know what I know, that he's just a prick, a horrible twat! He will never change, and now you're going around with him! You should keep away from him-"

"You don't know him! He's twice the man you'll ever be! He changed for the better, all you've done is get more and more bitter and angry! You're the twat, Severus!"

Severus looked down. Lily breathed heavily, clenching and unclenching her fists. Lily was near tears and she would not cry in front of Severus.

"You love him, don't you?" Severus said quietly.

Lily opened and closed her mouth.

"Fucking twat." Severus muttered angrily.

"Yes, Severus, I love James Potter. I love him because he is a good man."

Severus stared at her. "You'll regret it. He'll hurt you, and you'll be miserable and I'll say I told you so." He said quietly.

"No, Severus, you are the one that hurt me." Lily said just as quietly. A lone tear escaped her eyes, Lily left it so as not to call attention to it. "Now go away." She said icily.

"Yeah." He said quietly and walked out of the library.

The door shut softly behind him and Lily slumped into the chair and laid her head on the table. She cried softly for a minute before wiping her eyes and packing up her books. She couldn't keep working it was very late now.

Lily left the library quickly, so quickly that she bumped into something.

"Sorry." She muttered and kept walking.

"Wait, Lily!" James called.

She turned at his voice and smiled.

"Hey." She said.

"I was just coming to keep you company in the library." He said merrily.

"Well, I'm going back to Gryffindor tower because I'm wiped."

"I'll walk with you?"

"Yeah. James, I…"

"Yes?"

"I…"

"It's okay Lils, you can tell me tomorrow." He smiled and put his arm on her shoulder and offered his hand to carry her books.