Snily 2nd year

"Charms in 5 minutes Evans, you're gonna be late." said a shout across the great hall at breakfast.

Lily turned to see James Potter waving at her from the Gryffendor table. She spared him barely a glance, just enough to see Remus giving her an apologetic smile before leaving the great hall with James and Sirius.

"Oh, he is so annoying?!" she burst out turning back to her best friend. He sat next her, black hair falling over his dark eyes as he scanned a book on potions in preparation for his next lesson. He looked so sad she thought as she looked at his slumped shoulders and grey rimmed eyes. Sadder, she thought, then he had been last year when they had first met. She resisted the urge to take his hand and try to reassure him that whatever was going on she could help. He looked up suddenly, catching her staring. He flicked a brief smile at her.

"James is right you know," he said softly "You're going to be late for charms."

"I don't care?!" she snapped. Severus raised an eyebrow at her but said nothing. Lily sighed. She hated snapping at Severus, especially since it wasn't his fault. "Sorry."She mumbled.

Severus smiled, Lily's heart loosened a bit, it was good to see him smile. He looked fully up from his book and put it in his bag.

"What's up?" he asked, getting up from the table and pulling Lily to her feet.

"Nothing," Severus raised another eyebrow at that. "Nothing," Lily repeated.

"Okay," said Severus hiding another smile as they exited the great hall and headed towards Charms. "What are you doing for Christmas break?"

"Going home to Mum and Dad," Lily said excitedly, she had been dying to see her parents since she had started school on the 1st of September. "I can't bear to be here over Christmas, it's been 5 months since I've seen them."She broke off, seeing her friends face fall. "Why, what are you doing?" she asked.

"Staying here," He muttered, "I don't want to go home till summer, more time away from there the better." He said bitterly as he walked up the first flight of stairs two at a time.

Lily ran to catch up, Out of breath and gasping slightly she grabbed the arm of his robes to slow him down.

"Why don't you come and stay with me?" she blurted out before her brain had time to stop her.

That stopped him short. He turned on his heal and stared at her in amazement. Lily felt herself blush.

"Only if you want to, if you'd rather stay here you can, it's just, I don't want you to be alone, no one should be alone and Christmas and my parents would love to meet you and it would be much easier to talk to you than it would be to talk to Petunia. I would love to have you stay, I'm sure it would be ok with Mum and Dad. Just give it some thought okay?" She finished in a rush before walking on ahead.

It was Severus' turn to catch up this time. He caught her just as she was going into charms, he grabbed her robe and she turned to face him, her face flushed, from embarrassment or exertion he didn't know.

"Yes." He said.

Lily turned uncertainly.

"You'll stay?"

Severus beamed and nodded, Lily jumped and pulled her friend into a tight hug.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She yelled at she broke away from the hug. Severus was grinning shyly at her through the hair that still fell in his eyes; she resisted the urge to push it away from his face.

"You're going to be late for charms." He said nodding at the classroom door. "Hurry up Evans."

Lily stuck her tongue out at him and turned to go into the classroom. James winked at her from across the room, but she ignored him, she wouldn't have to put up with him for the next 2 weeks.

She smiled, and way over the other side of the castle Severus smiled too. It was going to be a good Christmas.