A/N: Did you enjoy the last chapter? This chapter is pretty long, and I've introduced a new character. This chapter really focuses on the beginning of Lily's mutal feelings for Snape, I was laughing to myself as I wrote it becuase I've portrayed Snape as a little more upbeat and 'lovey-dovey' as you'd expect. Enjoy!

The wind was harsh as Lily made her way down from the Owlery, clutching a letter and a neatly wrapped package from her parents. She looked up at the dark grey sky and frowned. Was it full of rain, or snow? Oh, how she'd love for it to snow on her sixteenth birthday… Lily loved snowflakes; they were so simple, yet so complex, falling slowly and elegantly from the heavens…
Her daydream was interrupted as she suddenly bumped into another student. She braced herself for some form of abuse that was about to come her way for not paying attention to her surroundings.
"HEY! You should look where you're going, you clums- Oh! Hey Lily!"
Lily sighed with relief. She had expected some loud and rude seventh year, but instead it was her friend, and fellow Gryffindor, Samantha. "It's your birthday today, isn't it? Happy Birthday! Are you having a good day so far? What gifts did you get? I wonder if you'll get any birthday kisses…"
Samantha was Lily's other best friend, besides Sev, of course, and possibly one of the only girls in Gryffindor that she trusted and was comfortable to be around. She was quite tall, standing at 173cm, and she had long, red hair, although she'd transfigured it to look that way.
Like Lily, Samantha didn't have very many friends. However, Lily didn't have many friends because she was very particular about whom she trusted with her secrets; Samantha, on the other hand, didn't have many friends because not many students wanted to be friends with her. Yes, it was true that Samantha liked to talk a lot, was quite eccentric and had an interest in the abnormal and unknown, (for instance, she had transfigured one of her eyes to appear purple, and the previous week she had been investigating the effect that Shrinking Solution had on Pumpkin Pasties), but she was also very kind and caring, she was a great listener and was always thinking positively, which was one of the main reasons Lily enjoyed her company so much; listening to Sev moan about things all the time could get quite tedious.
"Haha, thank you! My day has been pretty average, I guess. You know I don't like people fussing over me on my birthday so I'm just trying to keep a low profile… and I think I'd bet three galleons that this parcel contains a knitted scarf and a box of chocolates" Lily indicated the package. She had suspected that her parents had given her something pretty basic for her birthday, but that was the way she liked it.
"Hey, Sam? I don't suppose you've seen Sev today, have you?"
"I think I saw him scuttling about on the seventh floor earlier but I haven't seen him this afternoon… I don't know what you see in him, Lil. I know you've been childhood friends since you were young but… I just get bad vibes from him, you know? I've got nothing against him though; I just don't think he's really my cup of tea… But anyway, I need to go 'cause I've got a letter to send. See you later, Lil!" Samantha waved as she ran up and out of sight.

Lily was used to people frowning upon and criticizing her friendship with Sev, she didn't care, though. She originally assumed that people didn't like it because they belonged to rival houses, but as Lily regularly said to Sev: If people are that disbelieving in each other because of a reason as pathetic as that, then they don't know true friendship.
That was the reason she wasn't going to break off her friendship with Sev. It was way too strong for something as stupid as that.

Snape flounced into the Great Hall later on that evening, scoured the room for Lily's vibrant red head, spotted her and strolled over, looking very pleased with himself. He took a seat next to Lily and began piling his plate with food.
"Evening!" He chirped happily before taking a sip from his goblet.
"Hello," Lily replied sourly, without looking at him. After exhausting herself all day from climbing up and down various staircases to look for him, she really couldn't be bothered to waste any more energy on him, especially since it seemed he'd not even bothered to wish her a happy birthday… Not that I care, she thought, but it would have been nice of him.
"Anything good happen today?" Snape asked her, picking up his goblet again.
"Well, you know that…" She turned around to face him.
"Hmm? Go on." Snape raised his eyebrows as he took another sip.
Lily fought the urge to scowl at Snape's ignorance. "Nothing. Never mind."
"Was it that arsehole Potter again? Has he been harassing you?" Lily shook her head. "Hmm, you're sure nothing's the matter?" Lily shook her head a little more vigorously.
Snape couldn't help himself but laugh. "Oh Lil, you're so modest, you really aren't going to… Oh dear," he wiped a tear from his eye and leant on his elbow, chuckling to himself. As Lily slammed her fork down on the table, Snape grinned wider as he realised that he'd finally received the reaction he'd wanted.
"How dare you! Why are you being so cocky and arrogant? I bet you haven't even remembered, have you?" She felt her face redden as Snape began laughing again. She hit him on the arm. "Stop it! You're beginning to remind me of Potter now! SEV!" Snape was almost in stitches now, gasping for air in between blows from Lily. "STOP – IT – NOW – YOU – ARSEHOLE -– OW! GET OFF!"
Snape had recovered from his fit of laughter and was now looking at Lily with a serious expression and very firmly gripping Lily's wrist to stop her from hitting him.
"I'm sorry for laughing, Lil. I'll forget your comment about my arrogance and resemblance to Potter just now, if you'll stop hitting me and listen." He felt her wrists become lest tense in his hands. "I haven't forgotten, Lil. Just shut up, pick up your things and follow me."

As he led her up the moving staircase, Snape smirked to himself and marvelled at the genius of his plan. His attempt to get Lily angry had worked; of course he hadn't forgotten her birthday, she was his best friend. He just wanted her to think he had forgotten. That way, he thought to himself, when I do reveal my surprise, it'll be even better.
"Sev," Lily said quietly, "Where are we going?" Snape chose to ignore this, feeling that it would ruin the surprise slightly if he told her.
As they approached the Astronomy Tower, Snape stopped and turned to face Lily.
"Sorry for all the dodgy silences and stuff, I just want this to work properly. Turn around." Lily did as she was told, still scowling slightly; she hated being told what to do. She jumped as Snape lowered a blindfold over her eyes.
"Snape, what the…?"
"It's alright, come here," he took her hand and guided her upwards towards the tower entrance. Snape positioned her in several spots around the room, trying to decide which would make his surprise look best, and when he was happy with his choice, took off Lily's blindfold.

"Oh…" Lily's eyes lit up. The small room in the tower had been decorated beautifully, floating candles that mirrored those in the Great Hall were dancing around the walls, silk rugs, cushions and fluffy blankets of every colour were spread across the floor, and in the middle of the room was a small blanket covered with desserts of every type, pastries, buns, pies, and cakes. In the corner was a small table with two goblets of Butterbeer sitting on top, and a bottle of Firewhisky sitting beneath. None of this, however, caught Lily's eye as much as what was above her head.
Thousands of tiny, beautiful snowflakes were falling above her, disappearing just as they reached her head. These too seemed similar to those that decorated the Hall during winter, but she'd never seen them look so pretty. She'd got what she'd wanted. It was snowing on her birthday.
"Oh, Sev… This is…" Lily was lost for words; she stood rooted to the spot gazing around the room, a look of wonder on her face.
"Happy birthday, Lily." Snape put his arm around her shoulder and gave her a slight squeeze and kissed her head, which she returned with a very tight hug. Snape then realised she was shaking… No, crying.
"Lily, Lil, what's the matter, aren't you happy?" Snape was worried now, had all of his hard work gone to waste?
"No, no Sev, this is amazing. I thought… I thought you'd forgotten my birthday but… Wow… really? You went through all this trouble just for me?"
"Hey, don't be stupid, you're my best friend, and it's your sixteenth, we had to celebrate it somehow! I know you wouldn't have done anything, because you hate the attention but I had to remedy that somehow." He winked at her and led her over to the food in the middle of the room. "Anyway, time for cake!"

After spending most of the evening laughing, eating, drinking and joking around, it occurred to Lily to ask how he'd managed to get hold of all of the stuff.
"Well, when you're as lonely and rejected as myself, you learn to get on and make friends with the House Elves, and of course they were delighted to help me! That's where I got the food, and, ah yes, the Firewhisky. I think a drink is in order, don't you?"
Lily laughed as she drank, but accidentally spilled it all down her front.
"Oh no…" She looked around the room for a box of tissues, spotted them and awkwardly stood up.
"Here, I'll get them," Snape muttered, getting up too. Lily stepped forward to take the tissues off of Snape but tripped over the corner of one of the blankets, and fell forwards onto Snape, causing Snape to fall backward towards the floor.

"Oh, sorry!" Lily flushed. Snape didn't, he just lay there silently, looking up at Lily.
"Lil…"
"Move, Sev, I need to get up and I don't want to hurt you…" She tried to roll off of his body, but he put his hand on her shoulder. "What?"
"Lily… You're so pretty, Lily. You know that, don't you?" She was slightly taken aback, but smiled all the same.
"Thank you, Sev, but really, move, so that I can get up." But Snape just continued looking at her.
"I mean it, Lil. You are pretty… and- and- you're so kind and everything too, you're the nicest person I know. No, you're amazing, Lily, and I really-"
Lily began to feel a little uncomfortable. "Sev, please, I think you've had a little too much to drink… let me up please, I'm getting cramp!"
"No, Lily, I… I love you Lily, I always have." Then without warning, and without thinking, he leant forward, cupped Lily's face in his hands, and kissed her gently on the mouth. When she didn't pull away, his kissed her a little deeper.
It was at this point that Lily realised what was happening, and broke away from him, shocked with what she'd just let him do.
What was with his sudden declaration of love for her? Was he joking? No, the look on his face told her that he was deadly serious.

Without saying anything, Lily staggered to her feet, and ran out of the Astronomy Tower room, her head buzzing with confusion and flashbacks of what had just happened.

A/N: What did you think? I think Snape's actions were pretty sudden, but I thought that if I changed it, it would have been a lot worse that what it is now, haha. Do you like Samantha? I kind of based her character on myself, and chose the name as it means 'good listener' :D
Please anticipate the next chapter!