James, having regained most his senses, shot a dirty look as Slughorn helped Lily lean on Snape's arm for support. It was rather awkward, as the Slytherin boy was obviously struggling to put as much distance between Lily's body and his own while simultaneously having to prevent her from falling. Lily felt terribly self-conscious as well, keenly aware of Snape's aversion to her touch. As Lily and her wary companion began tottering towards the door, she was surprised at how much she could observe out of the corner of her eye. Sirius Black mimed puking into his cauldron, while a blond haired Slytherin boy and his partner exchanged bemused glances. Within an excruciatingly long moment, the classroom was left behind as the two began awkwardly climbing the dungeon stairwell. Lily could hear Slughorn's booming voice begin the lesson. Thankfully it was something about bezoars. She already knew what those were.
The trip to the top of the stairs was a long and painful one. Every time she had to use her injured leg to mount a stair Lily couldn't help but flinch. Trying to concentrate on something else, Lily listened intently to the echoes of their feet along the stone hall, the hollow resonance following the duo every step of the way.
Severus was probably the last practical choice for this errand. Observing his exceptionally thin build, Lily was surprised that he could support her weight at all. And yet, he stood strong. He lacked the physical build possessed by that Potter, but even if it was due to mere stubborn determination, Snape's strength sufficed. Nevertheless, Lily couldn't help but feel concerned when she happened to catch a look at his features. He looked like a dying person. His skin was sallow and white, the palest white she'd ever seen in a complexion. His eyes were deep and dark, pronounced even more than they would be if he didn't have such dark shadows beneath them.
Lily winced involuntarily as they hit another flight of stairs. Literally. She hadn't been watching where they were going, and she nearly tripped over the first step. Severus glanced at her then. After a moment of silence, he spoke.
"I assume that your fall did not greatly affect your vision?"
As much as Lily wished to retort, she held her tongue. Instead, she considered his remark. This boy was helping her greatly, whether he wanted to be a prat about it or not. Maybe he was trying to be humorous, in an odd sort of way, and so she decided to interpret it thus.
Lily laughed awkwardly. It was a forced laugh, it was true, but such a laugh is expected from a person in pain. Snape smirked slightly, but his expression had an air of confusion to it. Well, whether he had intended to be insultive or not, my reaction was certainly unexpected, Lily thought with satisfaction.
Ow.
Another agonizing pang traveled up her bones as she landed her foot in an awkward position. As they climbed what felt like the thousandth stairwell, Lily felt Snape adjust his stance to a less awkward position. Was it just her imagination, or was this climb not as painful as the last? She felt a wave of gratitude. It wasn't his fault that he'd been chosen to accompany her to the hospital wing, and yet he'd done so without too much complaint. Well, aside from his poorly concealed aversion to her.
"I'm sorry that you had to do this, Severus." Lily began as they reached the second to the last stairway. "I…I understand that you probably resent missing the first class. Not to mention how, um…well." She decided against mentioning the fact that she was a Gryffindor. " I…I'm really sorry, is all."
It was a long minute before he answered her. When he finally spoke, or rather, whispered, it was with an air of indifference. "It matters little. Suffice to say I have some familiarity with the subject already."
He gave her an odd glance. "I should think that you'd be more concerned with your own absence from class."
Lily raised an eyebrow. "I've read the texts as well, and although I haven't had the materials to actually practice brewing any of the potions, I believe I have a thorough enough understanding of the basics. Perhaps more than the basics."
They arrived at the hospital wing. Oddly, there was no one present.
"Maybe the nurse is…busy elsewhere." Lily said with a hint of disappointment. She was going to say at the bathroom, but for some odd reason Lily felt squeamish about voicing that particular thought to Severus. 'You're being ridiculous, Lily!' her thoughts admonished. Still, Severus was…unusual. She didn't feel at ease with him, despite his less hostile behavior at the conclusion of their trip.
"It's alright, Severus. Really. I'll just sit and wait until the nurse returns." Lily sat down on the nearest hospital bed, sighing with the relief it gave to her injury. The mattress felt like the softest material in the world at that moment.
Snape turned abruptly towards the door. Within moments, he'd swept out of the room without so much of a goodbye.
Lily felt awful, and it wasn't because of her leg. Of course, she shouldn't have expected any more of him. He had needed to return to class, whether he really knew everything Professor Slughorn would be teaching or not. Just the same, she couldn't help but feel horribly alone in the large, empty ward. It was rather drab in appearance, she thought. You would think they'd try to brighten the place up a bit with some faux flowers or something. She shivered. It was rather drafty, too. The fireplace had lost its roaring flames at least an hour ago. A few long minutes past.
Suddenly, the door opened again. A squat, red-faced woman bustled in hurriedly with a look of motherly concern on her face. Lily blinked. Following close behind her was Severus Snape. The woman's warm presence made Severus's dark and unhealthy appearance even more apparent than usual. Lily suppressed a smile. As distasteful he may have found her, he had felt obligated to help even further.
Severus spoke as if he knew her mind. "I doubt Professor Slughorn would have been pleased if I'd left you without medical attention available." he said coldly, almost with a sneer. "Am I dismissed?"
All amiable thoughts left Lily's mind as if he'd slapped her. Taking a shuddering breath, Lily nodded, throat tight with anxiety. Lily's eyes followed him to the door. She didn't even notice the reproachful stare that the kindly nurse threw after him.
Author's Note:
Pardon the Lily/Snape mood I am in. Yes, I admit, I'm a Lily/Snape shipper, but I promise you that James ends up with Lily in the end. Scouts honor. In the meantime, I hope that you all enjoy something a little off the beaten path. Actually, I believe its not necessarily a figment of my imagination. I think that the 7th book will reveal that Snape and Lily had a relationship. I mean, she was a "dab hand at potions", she disliked Potter's bullying habits, and she defended Snape often enough.
Perhaps my taste in couples has a trend. I love Wuthering Heights (as does J.K. Rowling). I also love Phantom of the Opera. Angst-filled relationships are fascinating to me. I promise I'll regain my sanity by...well...their seventh year. (Hahaha!) Hey, I can't help it.. According to Sirius, James and Lily finally started dating in their seventh year, once he'd "deflated his head a bit". What was Lily up to before that? Hmmm.
Thanks so much for reading, and I hope this chapter was well-written. I've been exaughsted lately. First week of school and all that. Maybe as my senior year progresses, my writing will gradually improve... Read and Review!