DISCLAIMER: None of these characters are mine. Still. Though I really want to kidnap a few of them…

AUTHORS NOTE: Cairo, I'm so relieved that you loved it, now I won't have to feel as guilty about writing this when I should be practicing for Drama…

To those of you who've made it to this chapter, thank you! I'd love it if you let me know what you think of the story so far! This chapter is all about Snape and Lily's past… I know, for a story about Neville, I am getting side-tracked… please tell me if this annoys you, and I'll get back to Neville…

Snape looked across the gardens at Lily from where he sat with a few Slytherin friends, noticing the way her hair fell around her shoulders as she bent her head down to read her book, how in the dappled light shining through the leaves of the tree she sat under danced on her hair. She was beautiful, her hair red and orange like the autumn leaves that drifted in the cool breeze, her eyes as green as the soft grass that grew by her feet.

He regretted calling her a Mudblood – he'd been angry, he'd said things he didn't mean, and now he'd lost her.

Snape wished he could make things better, turn back time and take away those words he'd said, but he couldn't, and now Lily wouldn't talk to him, she'd turned her back. He'd screwed things up, and now nothing could be the same again.

Lily's anger towards him was stunning, she was radiant, like fire, her green eyes flashing with annoyance, flames dancing when she would turn abruptly and storm away. If Lily had been like a small, dainty nymph before, the quiet girl who would stop to watch a small blue butterfly flutter past, then she was now a goddess of fire, beautiful, yet terrifying.

Her anger had died though, no longer a raging fire, but smouldering. Lily was angry with the Potter boy too, Snape had noticed, she couldn't stand his arrogance, and hated it when Potter and his friends bullied him. Lily was still angry with Snape though, and he only made matters worse by picking fights with Potter and his friends. Snape didn't care though, because he knew he'd never get Lily back again, and now nothing mattered. He loathed himself for what he'd done, knew he didn't deserve her forgiveness.

So Snape would sit there, sometimes alone, sometimes surrounded by other Slytherins he barely knew, and he'd look over at Lily, who'd be sitting there by herself, every day, content to just read or write, and he'd feel an empty hole in his heart where he knew she belonged, and he'd know it was all his fault.

And then she'd look up, her green eyes meeting his across the gardens, catching him looking. Lily's eyes would narrow, and Snape would turn his head away, blushing, hoping that someday he'd see her smile at him again.

Lily looked up from her book with the feeling that someone was watching her, and noticed Severus looking at her from where he sat. He quickly looked away when she narrowed her eyes, and she found herself thinking about how cute he looked when he was ashamed. Lily pushed that thought aside, feeling guilty with herself. Sev had betrayed her, hurt her. He'd called her a Mudblood, and she'd ran, not listening when he called out her name, not stopping even when he tried to run after her. And then she'd hidden away, curled up in her bed and cried, feeling angry and hurt, like she could never trust anyone again. Lily had trusted Sev, he'd been her best friend, the one person who she told everything to, confided in, yet he'd been mean, yelled at her, tore her heart apart. Lily couldn't forgive him for this, she'd never forget that day, how betrayed she felt. And the next few days went past, and the pain in her heart was almost unbearable, she missed Sev so much. She closed herself off from everyone, hid away so that nobody could ever find her, wouldn't talk or try to make friends. Sev was her friend. Now she'd felt the pain of that betrayal, she didn't want friends anymore. The only person who could now get Lily to talk would be Remus – they'd talk about their frustration with James, help each other out with homework, yell at James and Sirius when they refused to do homework. Lily found herself beginning to talk to the Marauders more, she already knew them as they were all in Gryffindor with her, and now that she didn't have Sev to talk to she'd go to them when she needed a friend.

James irritated Lily though – if it wasn't for Remus, Sirius and Peter, she wouldn't even have talked to him. James was always pulling pranks on everyone, he'd even pulled a couple on Lily, but what really annoyed her was when he picked on Sev. Lily felt angry with herself whenever she felt defensive towards Sev – she hated him so much, yet part of her hated to see him so hurt.

Lily's life was becoming difficult, full of complex emotions she couldn't understand, and she wished she could go back to being the same, young carefree girl she used to be – the one who found the beauty in every single magical experience she had. She missed all those moments she shared with Sev…

"Sev! Look at this!"

Lily ran, pulling Snape along behind her, up the hill that was dotted with little white daisies and yellow buttercups, up to the top.

Up there they could see the entire town where they lived, people moving about appeared as small as ants. The top of the hill where they stood was dotted with trees, and wild flowers grew in patches around their feet. Snape picked a white one, gently tucking it above her ear.

"A lily… for my Lily," he said, and Lily smiled in return. She began picking some flowers, and Snape helped too, and soon they had a small bouquet of colourful wild flowers, in pinks, reds, purples, whites and blues. When they had finished, Snape pulled out his wand, casting a shimmery gold ribbon that wrapped itself around the flowers, and he handed the bouquet back to Lily.

"Who're the flowers for, Lils?"

"My mommy," she replied, then bent to pick a few pink petunias that grew at her feet.

"And these are for Tuney."

"How are things going with Petunia?" Snape asked as they began to walk back down the hill.

"Not so good… she thinks I'm a freak."

"She's just jealous. You're sisters; she still loves you, Lils."

"I hope so, Sev. I wish I could make things better between us again. I wish I had my sister back."

She sighed sadly, and Snape took her hand and squeezed it.

"It'll all be okay, Lils. And just think, soon we'll be going to Hogwarts. When you're gone she's sure to realize how much she misses you," he said comfortingly.

Lily smiled in response, and hugged him. "Thanks, Sev! You always know what to say," she said. "I've got to go home now, see you tomorrow!"

"Bye Lily," Snape replied, then he watched as she skipped off, then headed towards his own home. He soon could hear excited squeals behind him, and he knew that Petunia had liked her flowers, and things would be better in the Evans' house for now. He just wished that things could be okay for him in his own home …