Severus Snape wasn't someone to pry and prod, but he was someone with enough curiosity and wits to know nothing was as it seemed. Although Lily never talked to him anymore, he still felt like it was his responsibility to make sure she was alright. And tonight, she wasn't alright. At lunch, he didn't see her sitting with her Gryffindor friends. Instead, he heard talk about something that had happened in Charms. Potter was the first to produce a corporeal patronus charm, the show off, and it turned into a stag. Lily cast hers later in class, and it was a doe. A stag and a doe, two people who were meant to be together. But it was Potter! Potter, the arrogant, lazy, foolish, no good, Gryffindor who'd set his eyes on Lily from the moment he saw her. Snape wouldn't stand to see that happen. He then was purposely late to Care for Magical Creatures so he would see if she made it to her Transfiguration class. She wasn't there. Instead, sitting in her normal seat, was the Potter-look-alike. Harry, Snape had heard Black call him. Any Gryffindor set Snape's teeth on edge, but Harry made Snape's insides burn with hatred. The kid looked exactly like Potter, but his eyes were green, too much like Lily's for comfort. It was like he was the epitome of what Snape was trying to stop. But his thoughts weren't on Porter right now. They were worried about Lily. He had heard from passing students that she didn't show up for any of her afternoon classes. So, after midnight, Snape crept out of the dungeons and set out to find Lily. Being her former friend, Snape knew all her hideouts. He would start with the library first.

At the doors, he checked to make sure the librarian, Verlac, wasn't at his desk. He peeked around the corner, and to his relief, he didn't see anyone. The candles in the library had long since been extinguished, but Snape could navigate as well in the dark as he could during the day. Snape followed a path he knew by heart. He had wondered if the motion was etched into his brain forever. He slowed his pace as he came to the window seat Lily frequented in their early years at Hogwarts. He didn't have to see her to know she was there: he could hear her muffled sobbs as she cried into her hands.

He held himself back from approaching her for a few reasons. A few years ago, he had called Lily a Mudblood out of anger and humiliation. She had never forgiven him and refused to meet his eyes whenever he tried to apologize. She didn't trust him because of his friends, now death eaters like their parents. She was right to be angry at him, but he also had problems with her life. How dare she spend her time talking to them. They are nothing but trouble for her, and Snape was sure to see her realize this for herself. But right now, as she cried in the dark, he recognized all of these reasons, and still, he ignored them.

"Lily?" he whispered, so as not to alarm her.

He heard her suck in her breath in surprise. "Who's there?"

Snape muttered, "Lumos." The light from his wand filled the empty darkness, revealing a disheveled Lily with puffy eyes and a red nose.

Snape saw her eyes widen, probably shocked to find him standing in the library. "Sev?" she whispered. Then her eyes narrowed. "Come to mock?"

"No, I'm not. Where have you been?" Snape wanted Lily to hear the concern in his voice. Maybe that would stop her from hexing him.

She rubbed her red eyes with the back of her hand, then turned her back on him. "What d'you care?"

"Whether you like it or not, I still consider you to be my best friend," Snape mumbled.

Lily slowly turned to face him again, this time looking at him with teary eyes. "I'm still mad at you," she said.

He held his hands up in defense. "For the first time, I'm not asking you to forgive me. But can I talk to you again?"

She contemplated, which made Snape's hopes rise because she actually had to think about the decision. "Is now a good time to talk?"

On the inside, Snape was shouting and laughing and mostly celebrating on the return of Lily Evans. On the outside, though, he kept himself in-check and nodded before joining her on the seat. Once he sat down, she started sobbing.

"It shouldn't even make me feel this way, but I do. It kills me inside, you know. Six years he's been bugging me, and suddenly we're soul mates! It probably doesn't even mean that, but still, it feels like the universe is taking away my freedom to choose. Maybe I don't want to end up with James Potter. Maybe I want to move to Sweden and start up a cheese business. But this war, you can't just turn your back on it and pretend it isn't happening. I'll probably start fighting, and James will too…" She trailed off as a thought popped into her brain. "Oh, I didn't mean to bring it up," she said as she looked to Snape. She thinks I'm joining Voldemort's side, Snape thought.

"It's okay Lily," he reassured her.

She didn't seem entirely convinced, but she continued. "Now people are going to start talking and saying we should start dating, but that's the last thing I'd want to do. You must think I'm mad."

"Actually," Snape said, "I'm impressed you've thought it through this much. Strictly speaking, if I were you, I'd slap Potter and tell him it would never happen."

She laughed, wiping the tears off her pale cheeks. "Well, that's your plan, but I couldn't slap him! It seems too sudden. I should probably tell him I'd never date him, though I have yelled it at him in the past."

Snape thought for a moment. "Just avoid him then," he suggested.

Lily shook her head. "He's too persistent. It would never work. I'd need to do something to make sure he received the message."

"Get a boyfriend." Snape regretted his words instantly because he knew it was the best idea. She'd get a boyfriend and Potter would lay off her. But she would never, not for one moment, pick him.

She brightened at his words. "Great idea. Now, who to ask?" She furrowed her brow as she thought about all the guys willing to be her fake boyfriend.

"Are you serious?" Snape asked incredulously.

"Not for a second. I need a fake boyfriend just to mess with James," she reassured him. Well, thought Snape, that's better. "I know! I could ask Harry."

It took Snape a moment to pull himself from his thoughts and struggle to put the name Harry to a face. "Harry Porter?"

"It's perfect. He's practically an exact copy of James, which will make James even angrier. He could pretend to be my boyfriend long enough to get James uninterested in me. Problem solved." She stood then, the tears and sobbs replaced with renewed energy and joy. She planted a kiss on Snape's cheek. "Thanks, Sev. I've missed you."

Snape hoped Lily couldn't see color flooding his face as he blushed. "Can I walk you out?"

They left the library, sneaking out the doors, hand in hand. The people in the portraits were all asleep, save for a few. When they saw Lily and Snape, a smile formed on their faces. Nothing ever happens at Hogwarts that isn't seen by at least one portrait, so all of them knew of the split friendship between Snape and Lily. And all of them would know of the mending.

A/N: I know this was a short chapter, but I wanted to write one about Snape and Lily mending their friendship. I think they're super cute together, and if I didn't love James and Lily more, I'd ship them. I promise the story will take a turn for adventure, but I'm not sure how many more chapters that will take. I already wrote the plot for the story, but the exposition is taking a very long time. Updates will come soon, maybe in a week at most. Please remember to review so I know what I'm missing or doing well. I say be truthful, but that just means go easy on the constructive feedback so I don't burst out crying because I think I suck at writing. But I always welcome positive feedback:)