The truth is a beautiful and terrible thing...

"All I wanted was you!"

"Good way of showing it!" she snarled. Lily yanked the edge of her robe from his grasp and stood from the stone bench.

"Lily..."

"Don't, Snape. I'm not an object to be wanted, thank you very much." His face fell as she stormed away, wanting desperately to turn back and hex him to Azkaban. Then a hand reached out and grabbed her arm. Lily spun around and nearly punched James Potter.

"What's up, Evans?" he asked curiously. For once there was no hint of a joke in his tone.

"Nothing," she muttered angrily, wriggling out of his grasp. He dropped his arm to his side, which she was grateful for. Lily didn't feel like dealing with James in his 'touchy' mode, where he took every opportunity to hug her, try to kiss her, etcetera.

James raised one eyebrow and the light caught the hazel of his eyes. "Really?"

"Lily!" another voice yelled. Smooth, silky, but harsh. It was Severus again. James instantly changed tact, walls building behind his eyes again.

"How's it going, Snape?" he asked, the tease back. She could have hugged him, however, for saying 'Snape' and not 'Snivellus'.

"Oh, it's you," Snape sneered. "Leave Lily alone."

"No, you leave me alone, Severus," Lily said firmly. He stared at her, dark eyes clouded and she shook her head again. Snape stormed off, robes billowing. The duo returned to their stare off, the walls James had built still not collapsing. "So?"

James took her hand and tugged her away from the courtyard in silence. They spiraled up two flights of stairs then entered a second floor corridor. Lily, curious, made no effort to break away. James took a deep breath and dropped her hand again, making her miss the confidence the action conveyed, just slightly. "You know why I hate Snape, right?" he asked tentatively, before backpedaling. "I mean, I did hate him on principle until last year. But I changed."

"No," she said truthfully. James' voice quickened as he hastened to explain himself.

"I- well, I... I hate how he treats you," he said, his normal boisterous manner gone. Lily met his gaze again, sensing he wasn't quite as rigid now.

"So?"

"I don't know how to get him to stop! This is what I know best, Lils, I'm sorry!"

"Don't be. Although why you care is beyond me. I thought I was 'stuck-up' and a 'know-it-all'?"

The grin returned and he ran his hand through his hair, herself barely able to resist smacking it away. "Date me, mi'lady?" Then he turned and strode away, leaving her with her mouth open in shock as she stared after him.

"James Potter!" she cried, hurrying after him. He slowed, hands in his pockets, and walked backwards. Lily sighed deeply before responding. "All right."