[From Deathly Hallows Severus had gone out to the playground and hid behind a couple of bushes. As he watched Lily and her sister play on the swings, he saw her displaying some of her unique qualities. Petunia was getting upset and started to fuss at Lily. Severus came out from the bushes and came up to the two girls. They both became rather quiet around him. That is until Severus told Lily that she was a witch and revealed his own wizard status. Petunia, who was already in a mood, began to pull her sister away from the playground.

It was days later and Severus was sitting at home, alone in his room. He heard the doorbell ring.

"Severus!" His father yelled. "Come out of your room you lazy maggot and get the door!"

Severus obeyed. He quickly, but quietly ran down the stairs. He opened the front door, but only just enough to see who was outside. It was Lily.

"Hi Severus." Lily said quietly. Severus stepped outside.

"You shouldn't have come here." Severus said in a hushed voice.

"I had to. I had to say that I was sorry for how things happened the other day."

"Please, Lily. Go home."

"Severus? What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Severus said quickly. His lie was revealed almost instantly when a shatter came from inside.

"Severus! What's going on?" Lily asked franticly

From inside the house, several yells were hear from Severus's parents.

"Clean this house! Damn it Eileen! Can't you cook anything?! This junk is burned."

"It's not burned."

"Don't you dare talk back to me in that tone."

Severus looked down at the ground and shook his head.

"He doesn't treat my mum right." He got quiet. "You really should leave."

"Are you going to be okay?"

The front door creaked open. Severus's father was standing there ominously.

"Get inside." His father growled.

"Sev?" Lily peeped quietly.

"Go." Severus said in a serious voice.

Severus walked into his house. His father looked up and saw Lily standing there on the walkway. He shut the door hard. Lily stood there, listening to what was going on inside.

"Who was that?!" Tobias yelled.

"She's my friend." Severus said meekly.

"Don't you dare lie to me boy! You don't have friends! Who is she?!"

Lily heard a loud cry come from Severus, as well as what seemed to be a loud slap. Lily gasped. She was frozen in her stance. She felt her eyes tear up. She stood there for a while, but there was nothing but silence. Her breathing was panicked. She didn't know what to do. Eventually, she slowly began to walk away, stopping every once and a while to look back. What had happened at the Snape house had utterly frightened her. After supper, she went back out to the playground. To her relief, Severus was sitting out in the middle of the field. She ran up to him and sat next to him. He kept facing the ground.

"Sev! Is everything alright?"

"Yes." He didn't look up. Lily was perplexed.

"Look at me Severus." He kept his head still. Lily took her hand and gently placed it on his cheek. She tried to direct his face to face her, but he pulled against her. "Severus. Why won't you show me your face?"

Severus sighed heavily. He slowly looked up at her. As their eyes met, Lily saw something horrible. A large, swollen purple-ish bruise across his face. Lily gasped.

"Severus, oh my gosh. What did he do to you?"

"He was drunk again."

"That's no excuse. He should never hit you!"

"It always happens." Severus was looking down at the ground in shame. "Don't worry about it."

"I can't not worry about it. He hurt you Severus." He remained quiet. "It's all my fault."

"What are you talking about. No it's not."

"Yes it is. If I didn't come to your house, you wouldn't have come outside, and…"

"Lily, stop it! It's not your fault." Severus snapped. His voice softened. "Besides, if it wasn't today, it might have been tomorrow, or the day after."

"Severus, that's horrible. You shouldn't have to live like that."

"I can't do anything about it. That's why I can't wait until I go to Hogwarts. Then I can leave that horrible house."

"Hogwarts? What's that?"

"It's a wizarding school."

"Really? I've never heard of it? Can you tell me a bit about it?"

Severus didn't answer her immediately. "You know what Lily. I don't really feel much like talking right now." His voice broke and he started to cry.

Lily took Severus into her arms and held him. She rubbed his back comfortingly. Severus hugged her, and together they sat in the middle of the field in a tight embrace. They sat there for quite a while. Long enough for Severus to stop crying. Severus suddenly spoke.

"You should probably go home. Your mother will be upset with you again."

"Are you sure you don't need me?"

"Yeah. I'm fine now." Both of them stood up.

"Oh, Severus. How could you go back to that house?"

"I just do. I have nowhere else to go." Lily was about to say something, but he quickly stopped her. "I'll be okay. Stop worrying about me. Dad should be asleep by now. He works early, you know. I'll just go home and go back up to my room."

Lily hugged him again. She looked up at his face and gently kissed the bruise on his face. "You're a strong person. I really admire that." With that, Lily began to walk home. Severus was so taken aback by Lily giving him that kiss.

"Lily. Wait!" Severus said. She stopped and turned around. "Let me walk you home."

Lily smiled. "Okay."