CHAPTER ONE

"Hey Evans!"

Lily let the portrait hole bang shut behind her. Would Potter ever give up? In some ways Lily found it sweet that he never gave up, considering how many times she turned him down. She also thought it was sweet that someone so outgoing would look twice at her since she generally liked to keep to herself. But she also had no interest in James Potter. He was so arrogant, and she hated how he and his friends were constantly picking on her best friend, Severus Snape. "Poor Severus," thought Lilly. He was a good person just a little bit lacking in social graces.

Lily made her way down to the Great Hall where she grabbed a biscuit. She then proceeded out the door and onto the Hogwarts' grounds. She spied Severus by the lake reading. On warm days she almost always ate breakfast outside with Sev since they couldn't eat in the Great Hall together because they were in different houses. She thought it was such a shame that he was in Slytherin. Lily didn't like the kind of people he was starting to hang out with from his own house.

"Hey Sev. Whatcha reading?" Lily plopped down on the grass next to Severus. He immediately crammed the book he was reading back into his bag so he could direct his full attention to Lily.

"Hey Lils. Um … nothing just something for class."

"Really? We have every class together. What assignment did I miss?" Lily asked as she reached inside his bag. Snape made a twitching motion to possibly snatch the bag back but gave up as Lily pulled the book out. The cover of the book was covered in green swirling script that read Perfectly Horrible Curses. Below the script was a particularly gruesome picture of a writhing victim with steaming boils all over his face.

"Ugg! Why are you reading this? It's horrible! Wait, did Mulciber lend you this?"

"No! Okay, he did, but why does it matter what I read? It just looked interesting?"

"This is your idea of interesting? I bet this is where he learned the curse he used on that Hufflepuff first year last week."

"Lily, I swear. I'm only reading this book because I thought it looked interesting." Lily glared at him at this point. "I mean not interesting in the since that I want to ever use any of the curses. Just … I don't know what else to say. If it will make you feel better I'll return it to Mulciber tonight? Okay?"

"It's okay, Sev. I trust you. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to jump all over you. I just don't have a lot of patience for that sort of stuff."

"I know. So there's a Hogsmead trip coming up soon. I need to stop by somewhere that sells quills before we go for Butterbeers." Severus and Lilly continued discussing Hogsmead on their way back to the castle.

..........

"I just don't understand it. How is Lily so impervious to my obvious charm?" James asked his best mates, the Marauders at breakfast.

"Maybe she has trouble seeing it behind that big head of yours," Sirius suggested. James shot eggs at Sirius off his fork which Sirius dodged causing the eggs to land with a splat in Peter's face.

"I would venture the guess that she would probably like to be asked out in a way apart from being shouted at as she walks by, but that's just my guess," said Remus.

Sirius snorted, "Whatever, Mooney. Everyone knows girls love the attention." Remus just shrugged.

The boys gathered up their belongings and began to make their way out to the castle grounds. As they were about to exit the castle, Severus Snape and Lily Evens were just making their way inside.

James saw Lily first. "Hey there Evans. Do you want to on the next Hogsmead tr…" Snape had just entered the castle.

"No Potter, I'm already going with Sev," Lily grabbed Snape's arm as she answered. "Sorry."

Sirius burst out laughing and so did James. Peter soon followed not really understanding what was so funny. Snape recovered from his initial shock at Lily's touch and then glared at the Marauders.

"Oh wow. Good one Evans. You really had me going there for a second."

"I don't know what you mean Potter."

"Wait are you serious!?" Sirius asked in disbelief.

"No, you are." Lily smirked pointing at Sirius turning their own lame joke against them.

Remus returned Lily's half smirk finding her response very cutting. "Come on guys let's get going I don't want to stand in this door way until classes start." Remus attempted to usher his friends toward the door.

"Well have a good time Evens. Just don't let Snivellus get his grease on you." James replied. Both James and Sirius made sure to knock shoulders roughly with Snape on their way out. Peter tried but missed and half fell out the door. Remus waited until they passed then made his way through the door.

..........

Lily laughed heartily as she and Severus made their way through the corridors.

"Oh my goodness! Did you see his face? That was hilarious," Lily gasped as she continued to grasp Severus's arm.

"Yeah that was pretty funny. " Honestly, Severus didn't think it was that funny. Yes, seeing Potter gaping like an idiot was very enjoyable, but why was the idea of himself going on a date with Lily so funny to everyone, especially to her? They had always been best friends. Why was it so inconceivable that their friendship could turn into something more?

……….

"What the effing hell was that!?" James shouted once the castle door had closed behind them. "Is she actually going on a date with the loser?"

"Maybe she just felt sorry for the ole slimeball," Sirius suggested.

"You are so much better than him, James," piped in Peter.

"Uh thanks, Wormtail," James said.

"Ugg don't get all sappy on us Pete," groaned Sirius.

"Sorry."

Sirius slapped a hand to his forehead. "If you're going to go all mopey on us, at least do it with conviction!"

"I think she was just messing with you. They are just good friends," Remus said sensibly.

"Yeah, yeah good point. Thanks, Mooney."

"Or… maybe they're shagging all over the place!" yelled Sirius as he dodged a half-hearted swing from James and ran toward the lake.