Chapter 4 Part II

Two Ants

Time passed by

And the clouds grew dark

And it started pouring rain,

Washing the two ants together again.

The school days blurred together as they tend to do, and Lily and Severus did indeed see very little of each other. Lily was in all of the most advanced classes, while Severus was in the classes for the "slower" children, his boredom and contempt mistaken for stupidity.

He tried to at least stay close to Lily in the hallways, though he could not speak to her, but he stopped even this after he heard the exchange in the hallway before school one day.

"Is that Snape boy following us?" the brunette girl walking with Lily asked loudly.

"Yeah, I think he's stalking me," Lily raised her voice, "I used to feel sorry for him, y'know? But he is just too creepy."

The two girls laughed uproariously and quickened their pace.

After the incident in the hallway, the only times he ever saw her was when he was taking his routine beatings on the playground. She would come watch with the other children. She did not jeer, but watched coldly—it was in some ways worse than if she had been enjoying herself.

Severus had forgotten how horrible it was to get up on his own after the bullies had their fun with them. He had forgotten how horrible it was to have no one to ask how he was feeling. He had forgotten how horrible it was not to be cared about by a soul in the world. He had gotten a taste of what might have been love and the withdrawals were worse than having never been cared for at all. Now what could he think about when his father hit him? When his mother snapped at him? When everyone laughed him? The old shelters of revenge and hatred were no longer satisfying, but his love was gone too.

"So Brody is like so cute," said Michelle, playing with her blond hair, "Do you think I should tell him I like him? I mean like him like him?"

"Mmm," said Lily, picking at her cafeteria processed spaghetti.

"Lily! Are you listening?" Michelle asked haughtily, "This is serious!"

"Wha? I mean yeah, sure, tell him," said Lily.

"Really? Do you really think I should? I mean, I don't want rumors spread about me," Michelle continued.

Lily got up, "I'm going to get some more milk."

What happened to Michelle? She did not used to be so inane. School, for the first time was dull to her. Her friends, who she had been looking forward to seeing again, were not as she remembered them. Not as funny, or smart, or interesting. They did not seem to understand her. All they talked about were boys and how dumb their teachers were. It was springtime now, raining endlessly, and she just wanted the school year to be over.

She had not really laughed since summertime. She missed the tall glasses of lemonade, lazy days, secrets, running free, reading books in her hideout, picking flowers with Sev…

Lily shook her head and counted the change she needed for her milk.

On the first day of summer, Lily sat inside. It was raining, but not terribly. She had begged Petunia to go out and play with her, but the older girl had received a makeup kit for her birthday and could not be bothered. After a while of reading her summer homework book she decided to put on her raincoat and enjoy her first day of freedom.

"Don't play too hard," her mother called, "Wouldn't want to get mud on that adorable yellow raincoat."

"I won't, Mum," said Lily as she made her way down the porch steps.

She wandered aimlessly, trying to balance with her bulky boot on the curbs. She watched the little rivulets of water flow down the street. When she looked up she saw a figure in the misty rain. It was moving rather spastically and strangely. She approached it slowly until she could see it clearly.

It was Severus, he was dancing, alone, looking for all the world like a giant, water logged bat. His flip flops were flapping ridiculously and his arms were swinging like great windmill. Lily burst with laughter at the sight she could not control herself.

Severus jumped. His eyes widened when he saw her. He stopped dancing, his sopping hair fell like a curtain in front of his face.

"I- I'm sorry," Lily said between gasps for air, "It's just…"

Lily collapsed in another fit of giggles. When she recovered, she began hopping around, making an incredibly silly whooping sound. She grabbed Severus's arm and did the can-can, before releasing him and spinning haphazardly in circles. Severus hesitated at first, but joined her, and the two flapped and danced about to the rhythm of the summer rain.

Phew, sorry it's a bit short. My internet is shut off as of today as I am moving to New York. I won't have any updates for about a week, maybe more. So add this to your story alerts if you want to read more. I want to see loads of reviews when I get back on, and you guys have been awesome so far, so I know there will be : ) Thanks again. Next chap will explore the relationship between sev and his parents more deeply. Also, a lily and sev bonding moment : ) It will be a nice, long chapter.