The first day back after the Christmas holidays involved Lily feeling slightly insecure. She woke up and dressed before heading down to the Great Hall for breakfast where she sat next to James at the Gryffindor table. She thought it was because of her actually having a conversation with him when everyone knew that a few months ago, she had hated his guts. But after breakfast had ended and the bell rang for class, she and James walked hand in hand towards their Defence Against the Dark Arts class. She could hear the murmuring and whispering as she and James walked to the class and queued up outside, both surprised to see Marlene already there, snogging Sirius rather enthusiastically. Lily coughed and her best friend pulled away from Sirius blushing; evidently embarrassed that Lily had caught her. Lily didn't care who Marlene snogged, even Sirius; she was just surprised because the two had been rather snappy with each other lately.
It was as James quickly pecked her lips that she saw that Severus had joined the queue for the class. She saw that he was glaring at her, she knew why. James and Severus had never gotten along and now that she was dating him, she guessed that Severus felt betrayed somehow. She didn't understand why though, their friendship had ended two years ago nearly.
The Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson had them practicing the patronus charm, seeing if their patronuses took an actual form. As Lily looked around, she saw that many students could still only produce a vapour when they cast the spell. She caught James's gaze and smiled warmly when she saw that his had taken the form of a stag. James returned her smile and she thought of the night on top of the astronomy tower and how happy she was that night and saying the incantation in her head, she managed to produce a corporeal patronus. She watched in amazement how her doe ran around the room, taking a stand next to James's stag.
Once again she caught James's gaze and smiled affectionately at him as their patronuses circled each other, not caring that other students were staring at them. When their teacher coughed to get the classes attention, the patronuses faded. The class turned their attention to their teacher who dictated that they were to write an eleven inch essay on the patronus and it's effects on the wizarding world to be handed in at the next class. The bell ran for the next period and Lily waited behind for James, instantly linking her hand with his once he had packed his bag away.
"Interesting lesson." James mused as they walked slowly out of the classroom.
"Very interesting." Lily agreed with a smile.
"My favourite part was catching your eye and seeing your face light up when you cast a patronus in animal form." James whispered.
"Who knew you were such a softy Potter?" Lily teased.
"Only for you." James replied quietly.
They stopped when they reached the corridor that Lily needed to take for Arithmancy whilst James had to go to History of Magic. She kissed him briefly and departed, looking back to see him still standing there until she turned the corner. Her relationship with James was progressing rather nicely and although she found the staring from other students made her feel the centre of school gossip; she was at the happiest point in her life.
When she got to her Arithmancy classroom, she waited outside and saw that she was stood behind Severus. Her ex best friend was still glaring at her and she wanted to have it out with him.
"What's your problem Severus?" she asked.
Snape turned around to face her.
"I didn't realise that you had lowered yourself to Potter's fanclub." he sneered.
"I haven't." Lily hissed.
"I saw you at Christmas and this morning outside first lesson. You're dating Potter of all people?" said Severus.
"It's none of your business who I date, we're not friends anymore." Lily stated.
"I told you once before that Potter would just use you." Snape replied.
"At least I can say he's changed, you haven't." Lily hissed.
Snape blinked and moved closer to her, his black eyes almost threatening.
"I won't let you fall for him."
Lily backed away, glaring murderously at him and he instantly backed away.
"Even if you could stop me from doing so, you're too late." Lily confessed.
Snape looked like she had stabbed him in the back at her confession.
"You've fallen for Potter?"
It was then that Lily realised she had said too much but she couldn't take it back. She had just said out loud to Snape and herself that she had fallen for James Potter. The door to the classroom opened and the line of students began to disappear inside and Lily followed, her heart hammering away at the realisation of how deep her feelings for James ran. What she didn't know was that Snape was beginning to think of ways in which he could stop her from getting hurt by James Potter.