Chapter Two

Potter stood up, looking aggressive. "Professor, change it."

"James, honestly! Quit making such a fuss. You think I can't handle him?" Lily inquired, her green eyes flashing, her cherry hair rippling at her shoulders.

'You think I can't handle him?' Severus repeated in his mind, testing the words. '…think I can't handle him?' It didn't sound too inviting.

Slughorn strolled back to the front of the room. "Please get seated next to your partner, and begin working straight away!"

There is no way I'm getting out of this seat and sitting with that- that girl. No way, no how, Snape brooded nervously, bolted to his seat and staring ahead fixedly.

Almost too soon after this series of contemplation, "that girl" dropped into the seat next to him, dumping her books on the table.

"Hello Snape," she greeted plainly.

"'lo," Severus muttered so quietly and quickly that it was hard to tell if he'd actually uttered anything at all.

"Look," Lily began so sharply that he took the time to look at her. "Can we just call a truce, or something? I didn't pair us up, you didn't pair us up. Also, we're in seventh year and we should start being civil to each other, at least.'

"Tell that to your boyfriend."

She sighed. "I know it hasn't been easy. But, you have been downright rude to me in the past, and all I want to do is get this project over with, so what do you say?" She held out her hand.

"I say that, if there was ever a situation in which you were offended by me, it is apparent that I was set off by something or another, probably pertaining to your little Mara-whatever club and their tendency to anger me. And also, I want to get this project over as well, so a truce would be dearest," he replied factually, and turned away, not taking into perspective the action of her outstretched hand.

Lily snorted. "So, don't touch me then. I'm not diseased, you know, just because I'm a-"

"Fuck, it's not that," he snapped sullenly, realising what she was talking about and shaking her hand in a brisk fashion. It felt very soft. He bit his tongue, on purpose this time, and pretended he wasn't thinking about anything of the sort.

They were both quiet for a few minutes until Snape pointed to his potions book, which was quite tattered and covered page to page in his minute scrawl. A slight hint of haughtiness in his voice, he pointed to the notes he'd all ready written down. "So, I got an early start on the work, as usual. As you can see, there is Angelvine included in the last part of the recipe, see, 'third day, chop the angelvine…' Anyway, research has shown that if chopped to the finest degree, Angelvine can be added as the very first ingredient and it proves to make the final stages much more easy to concoct." He waited for her to either be impressed or argue his point of view.

"Well spotted," she said casually," and I suppose you also think that the middle instructions seem a bit drawn out? I mean, 'simmer the kappa hair for forty minutes?' Everyone knows that it is way better to get the ingredients that take a long time to boil down- kappa hair, for instance- into the cauldron at the second interval."

Amazed, Snape stared at her. "I hadn't… Mind if I..?" He gestured to his notebook.

Lily smiled slyly. "Not at all."

The lesson went on like this for the entire hour. It was the best hour of Severus' school life. No one ever spoke to him in class. Of course, when anyone tried, he ignored them, but still… And this was different. Lily wasn't asking for his cheats and using him. She was giving him her own tips, making this project the only one that Severus had ever viewed as fair.

With ten minutes to spare, the two had managed to get all the ingredients ready and half of them in the cauldron.

"Uh…" Severus began, by way of conversation.

Lily waited.

"Nobody's ever- uh- been close to the same way that I am about Potions class. I mean, meticulous, and all that. Nobody's ever even been close," he repeated uneasily.

"Same here! Everyone makes fun of me for it. They say it takes too long."

"Yes, well, everyone that you know would," Snape shrugged.

Lily shrugged. "They just don't think about things the same way. Anyway, I'm sorry for the beginning of class."

"You're sorry now, sure," Snape replied.

Lily sat up, enraged. "Maybe if you would stop talking to people the way you do you'd-"

Snape looked up lazily, his black pupils glassy again. "I'd what?" he challenged. "Have some friends? Have a life? Have a date with Twiggy? Shit, maybe I should start talking nicely to everyone who treats me like I'm nothing, then! Thanks, Evans!" he finished angrily, shoving his books into his old bag with a clatter.

Lily watched him, her green eyes sad. She opened her mouth and closed it again. Finally, she spoke with a quaver, flushing. "Sorry. I'm truly sorry. It's just that you can be a bit biting. That's all."

Severus looked at her. Really studied her, outside of himself. She looked apprehensive. Not afraid of him, but… Hurt by him. But why?

"I didn't mean to insult you," he explained quietly. "It's just the way I speak sometimes- I get it from… Someone." His insides sank again.

'I get it from… Someone.' You've certainly never said that aloud. If she asks who, just make up some stupid answer.

Luckily, Lily did not ask. She gave Snape a forced smile and read a book for the rest of class.

Finally, Slughorn came to the front of the room. "Now that most of you have your ingredients all ready-" his gaze paused sadly upon James being yelled at by Bianca-" you can put them in the back stations and we'll start immediately tomorrow."

After they were finished with Slughorn's instructions, Severus grabbed his book bag and turned to leave.

"Snape- wait," Lily said.

He faced her.

"It was fun working with you. And I'm sorry again for getting mad at you- sometimes I react too quickly."

"Don't worry," he said shortly.

Quickly, Lily inquired," You want to meet tonight?"

Suddenly, the room seemed pretty loud. Severus wasn't sure he had heard what Lily said. "What?"

"Never mind."

"NO!" Severus exclaimed suddenly, sounding a bit Potter-like. "I mean, yes, let's meet!"

"Oh!" Lily brushed her long hair out of her face. "The library, at six?"

"Sure, fine," Severus replied, feeling a bit disappointed, though he didn't know why. Like she'd meet you in the Gryffindor common room…

Lily's eyes widened, and for a second Snape was worried he might have something coming out of his nose. But then, he noticed that James was headed their way.

"So, bring your notes. I'll bring mine. We can prepare. Laters," she put in, and whipped around.

Severus stood there, as though lost. That's all it is? A study session? Or maybe,' he thought hopefully,' she just didn't want Potter to know.

GUESS WHAT, STUPID? She's DATING Potter. They are HAPPY together, and she thinks you are CRUEL. Get over her.

Of course, this pep talk did not stop his nerves. All day, he wondered and pondered about the hidden meaning (or lack of) in Lily's request to meet him. Did she want to be friends? Want to be more? Want to tell him she wasn't going to be his Potions buddy any more? Want to tell him to take a bath?

This last thought was the one which stuck with him, funnily enough, so after classes, he took a long soak in the Slytherin tub. It was nearly an hour when he got out of the boiling hot bathtub. He smelled qute nice- he'd scrubbed his hair and body with sweet smelling soaps and conditioners. He stared in the full- body mirror, feeling as though he'd made some sort of progress.

"Ooh, what's the occasion?" asked Lucius Malfoy boorishly, arm in arm with Narcissa when Snape emerged, wrapped in an emerald towel.

Snape had no reply. He merely walked off to dress, rolling his eyes hatefully.