Note: I'm glad that people are reading this! The previous chapter, as the title suggested, was a bit depressing but this chapter is slightly lighter and is focused on Lily's and Snape's friendship in their 5th year.

9th January 1976.

It was a cold, winter afternoon as Severus made his way out of the castle dungeons. He wore a thick, old grey muffler around his neck and his black, tattered robes swept the ground as he walked towards the staircase. It had been only a week since they had returned from Christmas break but the 5th year students had already received a pressurizing amount of homework assignments. Class schedules had never been so tense all owing to the demands of their O.W.L exams later in the year. They hardly had any free time between classes but Lily Evans insisted that they meet during midday before their Double Potions class.

He waited in the empty classroom that he and Lily use to often occupy to study, infrequently skip classes or just sit to have a chat. He sat on the rickety chair, in the corner, at the far end of the room. A ray of sunlight hit the classroom floor through a small creak in the wooden window but Severus made no attempt to open it. He was use to the cold, having spent most of his free time in the Dungeons of the castle.

Within moments, Lily hurriedly rushed into the classroom. Her eyes lingered around the room until she finally found Severus. Her face lit up at once.

'Glad to see you got my owl!' she said happily as he watched her sit on the chair opposite the desk in front of him.

'And what is so urgent – '

'Merlin! It's freezing in here'. And with a flick of her wand, the wooden windows opened. Warm rays of sunshine immediately flooded the dingy classroom, directly onto Lily's face. She squinted at the sudden appearance of the sunlight.

'Is this another attempt to skip a class?' he asked teasingly.

'I don't skip classes, you know that, Sev.' She replied with a mischievous grin and began to rummage through her bag.

'Actually … 'she started as she pulled out a neatly wrapped package. '… I wanted to wish you ... Happy Birthday, Sev!' she said with a large smile.

'Oh,' Said Severus. He had, as usual, forgotten that it was his birthday.

Lily folded her arms and looked at him with a mixture of mild disbelief and warmth. 'Honestly? I was expecting a more cheerful response. You don't turn 16 everyday, you know.'

'Thanks.' He mumbled as he sheepishly took the packet which was full of Honeyduke sweets. It was neatly wrapped in a transparent green covering, tied with a silver ribbon. He looked at the wrapping curiously.

'I enchanted the wrapper to make it look green.' She said as though she had read his mind. 'Quite like muggle cellophane sheets.'

'I see …' he said, rather impressed at her creativity. 'I thought you were planning to finish your assignment?' he asked recounting the night before. They had spent the entire evening in the library slogging over their essays. 5th year did not seem to allow them have any free time.

'Yes…But it's your birthday and I'd rather spend time with you.' She said affectionately.

Severus felt his heart jump in his chest as she reached out for his hand and gave it a warm squeeze. He always had a particularly rough relationship with Lily. Once they joined Hogwarts, there friendship wasn't as uncomplicated as it used to be. Prior to Hogwarts, he could engage her with his knowledge of the Wizarding World and she would watch him with a spark of wonder in her eyes, encouraging him to relay more.

"Severus?"

"Yeah?"

"Tell me about the dementors again."

"What d'you want to know about them for?"

"If I use magic outside school - "

"They wouldn't give you to the dementors for that! Dementors are for people who do really bad stuff. They guard the wizard prison, Azkaban. You're not going to end up in Azkaban, you're too - "

Innocent.

Lily was inherently innocent. Her innocence is what drew Severus to her in his childhood apart from her brilliant potential at magic. She was kind and nonjudgmental of his background, strange appearance and conspicuous oddity. He felt relatively at ease in her presence whereas he would normally never let his guard down. He had grown to being wary from a young age given his dysfunctional home life and constantly being the object of ridicule amongst many muggle children. But they could relate to each other – it was a give and take and above all, a bond. One of the first deep bonds he had ever experienced and that is why Lily was an indispensible part of his life.

Growing up he realized that Lily was also his weakness.

Over the years, their relationship wasn't as simple as it used to be. He was never sure if it was him, her or just an obvious consequence of growing up. They constantly argued over matters regarding their contrasting principles and his dark fascinations. In spite of everything, their bond was deeper than it had previously been in their childhood and today, she seemed to be in a cheery mood. This encouraged Severus.

'So…' she said as she crossed her legs. 'How does it feel … turning sixteen?' she asked with a childish eagerness.

Severus snorted. 'The same.'

Lily rolled her eyes at him and glanced at the pack of sweets. 'Well? Aren't you going to open it?' she asked keenly.

Severus opened the packaging and laid the sweets out on the table in front of them. He wasn't particularly fond of sweets but had not eaten breakfast and so started chewing on a Honey-colored toffee, while Lily munched on a Choco ball.

They took out their assignments that were to be handed in and went through them. Severus had already been through his assignment a few times whereas Lily still had her last few lines to complete. He noticed a speck of chocolate on her lips, possibly due to the Choco ball and immediately found it difficult to divert his gaze as he scrutinized her face.

Her lips were thin but somehow, temptingly full. Her green eyes ran from left to right as she skimmed through her paper, a crease appearing between her eyes. His eyes then followed the movement of her hand which went behind her neck and pulled her mane across her pale neck which was in stark contrast to her fiery red hair. His eyes then lingered to the end of her hair which rested on her chest. He suddenly felt hot and tore his eyes away with difficulty as she began to gather her parchments.

He felt himself flush. Much to his embarrassment, he often found it difficult to not stare when he was with Lily, constantly longing in the back of his mind that she would look at him in the same way.

What if she felt the same way? He would constantly ask himself on occasion and then shove the lingering question to the back of his mind as he would grow red in her presence.

'Snape!'

Severus quickly looked above Lily to see Mulciber leaning rather haughtily against the door. Lily turned around at once but he made no sign of acknowledging her presence.

'Tonight after dinner. Don't be late.' He said and with one last scowl at Lily, he left the classroom.

Lily looked at Severus and raised her eyebrow sharply.

'What was that about?' she asked.

'It's nothing,' Severus mumbled.

She looked at him quizzically. 'You know Sev, sometimes I wish you would confide in me more – '

'It's nothing of your concern!' He snapped.

Lily looked at him and blinked.

'Fine! There's no need to use that tone with me. ' She said coolly. 'And I would appreciate it if you'd tell your friend to not to look at me like I'm some –'

'What about your friend, McDonald? She doesn't seem to cease any opportunity to glare at me whenever I'm around!' he retorted harshly.

'Well, if your friends didn't play that dark little prank on her last year –'

'That was nothing … I told you! The mudblood just –'he muttered but quickly caught himself.

However, upon hearing the word 'mudblood' Lily tilted her head slowly as her eyes narrowed into green, angry slits. She bore into his black eyes.

'Mudblood? Mudblood?' she asked shocked.

He quickly avoided her gaze, scowling at the cupboard at his left.

'She happens to be my friend!' said Lily, her voice rising slightly.

She halted and then continued. 'And if you call her a mudblood, then what exactly does that make me?'

He looked at her alarmed. 'What are you saying?'

'You know exactly what I mean, Severus.'

He struggled on the verge of speech as Lily looked at him questioningly.

'Listen, it's not like that -' he said unconvincingly. Lily was unwilling to listen.

'Enjoy your birthday.' She said harshly as she picked up her bag and began to stow her items into it.

'No – wait!' He stood up but Lily had already begun to storm out of the room by then.

He let out a groan in frustration. Thoughts rushed through his brain angrily. The day had started out quite well; he had Lily all to himself and was enjoying her company. Why did it have to end like this? Why did she have to be so stubborn? And why did he have to let that blasted word slip! He heaved an aggravated sigh as he began to stow his belongings and the sweets into his bag, hair matting his face as he set off to his Potions Class grumpily.