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Chapter Ten

Fire Lily

Severus and Lily were sitting at a cozy table outside Florean's ice cream parlor. It was a beautiful, sunny day, but not so hot to make things uncomfortable. Lily was tucking into a vat of chocolate ice cream with chocolate syrup, chocolate whipped cream, dark chocolate shavings, and chocolate chips. Severus decided to on a more modest small vanilla cone.

"Why can't you be a pig with me Sev?" Lily mocked a whine.

"I don't eat much."

"I know, you've always been bone thin," Lily looked him over, overcome with the motherly urge to shove a sandwich down his throat.

Lily turned her attention back at the chocolate concoction and laughed, "Remus would be absolutely green with envy."

Severus scoffed and Lily gave him a look.

"What? You and Remus were good friends first year. You still talk to him every now and then. So what's the matter?"

"He believes Potter and Black are decent human beings and cows to their every whim," Severus growled and took a bite of his ice cream, leaving a dab on his hooked nose, which made for an amusing rather than intimidating picture.

"He just wants friends," Lily said gently.

"Someone who bends over backwards for his 'friends' is not someone I want in my company," Severus growled again.

Lily frowned. You should look at yourself, Sev, she thought. She changed the subject.

"You have ice cream on your nose," Lily reached across the table and pinched the offending drop from his beak.

Severus wipe his nose again and blushed, "How long did I have that?"

"Long enough for me to be amused," Lily gave a wry smile.

" Your nose is wonderful, it reminds me of a hawk or maybe a parrot," Lily grinned.

"Polly want a cracker," quipped Severus, dry as a desert.

Lily snorted, "I bet you can smell fear with that thing too. Though I suppose it would be difficult to hang spoons off of it," she skillfully hung her spoon on her fine little nose.

"We're not at Hogwarts yet," said Severus a bit defensively, "That is usually where my appearance is mocked relentlessly. How about a critique of my hair? That's always a favorite."

Lily felt a pit in her stomach, she had not meant it all like that. Damn bullies. Petty people ruin everything and it would resume again in two weeks. She wasn't going to let any of them hurt Sev again, not Potter's gang, Sev's "friends", or any other miserable toerag.

"Your hair? Your hair is wonderful too," she leaned over to stroke it, "Like silk and night and those dark holes in trees people are afraid to look in," she laughed nervously, "That bit was more about your eyes though."

Severus reached out to touch her hair his heart thumping in his throat. It was cool and lush in the summer warmth, "Are you afraid? To look in I mean."

She locked his eyes in hers, "Me? Never," she smiled, "That's where I hid all my valuable things when were kids, remember?"

"Mmhm," Severus hummed. How could he begin to describe her eyes to her? They were too incredible. He could not find the words. He would someday, he vowed, and he would tell her…

Severus drifted out of his memory as he felt something slick slide down his forehead and heard quiet sniggers. He jerked his head up, his nose had swelled to five times its usual size.

"Excuse me Professor Slughorn," came a pompous voice from behind him.

Professor Slughorn turned distractedly from his lecture, "Yes, Mr. Potter?" he asked indulgently.

"I don't mean to be rude, but Snape's grease is dripping all over the floor, it's making me rather ill. May I be excused?" the class erupted in giggles.

Slughorn frowned. He was torn between punishing the Quidditch star and appeasing his Potions genius or merely diffusing the situation.

"Ten points from Gryffindor, James. You may be excused Severus," he said gruffly.

But Severus was not going to go quietly. He leapt from his chair, slipping a bit on the grease puddle which only intensified the laughter. Never had he been more tempted to use the Dark spells he read so much about. The bullying had only intensified this year. He was attacked and ridiculed on a constant basis. Tripped in the library, hexed in the hallway all for the savage enjoyment of his peers. Nothing had ever made him feel so trapped, so ugly. Not even living at Spinner's End.

James folded his arms, not even bothering to drop his wand. He knew his victim would cave to the embarrassment. They always did and it gave him such a rush.

"No girl to protect you this time Sev," James smirked, "Too busy pining for me in the hospital wing I expect."

"She's in the hospital wing because you were so preoccupied with stalking her on the Quidditch pitch," Severus snarled, but his voice was distorted be his hexed nose. He sounded like a honking goose.

"Oh Snivvy," James said sweetly, "How sweet. It's so adorable how you're so concerned about someone who is so obviously out of your league."

The class rumbled raucously.

"I never thought the adjective 'adorable' would be used in reference to Snivellus," Sirius crowed.

"Boys!" Slughorn said with as much menace as he was capable, "Severus, excuse yourself."

Severus, who's eyes had ignited into twin sparks of fury, grimaced and turned on his heel. As he left the classroom, Frank Longbottom stuck out his foot and Severus fell on his face. The class all but applauded, even the other Slytherins were quite amused with the whole ordeal.

Severus slid and slipped down the hallway, trying desperately to ignore the stares and Peeves, who was following him with a frying pan full of french fries, cackling evilly. When he entered the hospital wing, Madam Pomfrey sighed knowingly. She directed him to a bed, gave poured him a glass of foul smelling liquid, and drew the curtains over him.

The grease slowly began to evaporate and his nose shrunk back almost instantly. He shuddered and drew his long legs to his chest. His eyes stung but he bit his lip and ignored them. He saw a spider crawling across his sheet. He waited until it crawled in front of him before jabbing his wand at it. It ignited in black flames. He watched it twitch for a while.

When it stopped, he flicked it off the bed with his wand. He slid off his bed and sat in a seat by Lily. It was difficult to reach as he had to sift through all the gifts, flowers, candies and cards. To his disappointment, he did not see his present in thw massive piles. It was probably buried, unnoticed.

James's words rang in his head. The bastard was right, he had no chance. Lily would never want him as anything more than a sidekick. James fancied her he knew, and he would get her. It was the only thing the Boy Who Had Everything did not have. Severus felt sick. He shyly pulled back Lily's curtain, at least he could still look at her.

She was asleep. There was a great lump on her head and her arm was in a sling. She had plowed into the parading James as she caught the Snitch during a Quidditch match between Slytherin and Gryffindor. He had apparently shouted something quite provocative for it was not necessary for her to slam into him to catch the Snitch.

Severus's heart gave a great leap. Open over her chest was his gift, a book with an elaborate ebony cover. It was a rare collection of beautifully illustrated Chinese wizarding folktales. His card was loosely clutched in her uninjured hand. He looked down and noticed a bouquet of a dozen tiger lilies that had been burnt to a crisp. He picked them up and read the card.

From your beloved,

James

P.S. How about you and me go to the Yule Ball? You know you want to. I'll sweep you off your feet my Lily flower.

Severus smirked. He felt much better. Why did he care so much about what those petty assholes thought of him? He had something none of them would ever have.

Everybody now: Awwww. Next up, Sev and Lily learn to dance! Explosions! James Potter gets his due! Lots of fun.