DISCLAIMER: I do not own any part of the Harry Potter series, or the song mentioned in the story below. I am not making any profit and no copyright infringement is intended.

A/N: Another short drabble! This is my first Severus/Lily fic. Please enjoy and review!

Can't Help Falling

September first always came a little too late for Severus' liking, but it was especially true this year. After spending nearly three months alone with his father, Severus couldn't wait to go back to Hogwarts for his fifth year. His mother had been ill all year, and she finally succumbed to her illness during Easter break of fourth year. Severus had come home to a wrecked house and a completely drunk and deranged father, who blamed his mother's death completely on the distraught fifteen year old. That summer had been his worst yet since he had started attending Hogwarts, and not even Lily could save him, as she spent the majority of the summer hols in Spain with her parents.

Severus felt a small smile tug at his lips as he watched Lily come through the barrier between platforms nine and ten. The Hogwarts Express was already billowing copious amounts of smoke as students loaded their heavy trunks up the steps and carried their various pets in cages and crates. Lily spotted him almost instantly and made her way directly over to him, pushing the trolley carrying her trunk and crate carrying her cat, Pixie.

"Severus! I missed you," she whispered as she pulled him into a tight hug, wrapping her arms securely around his neck. Her long hair tickled his nose and smelt of strawberries, and her slender waist fit perfectly in the circle of his arms.

"I missed you too," Severus whispered back before they released each other. Lily was smiling so brightly at him he could have sworn the sun was shining through her gorgeous, emerald green eyes.

"Come on, let's find a compartment so we can catch up," Lily said excitedly as he pulled her trunk and cat off of the trolley and hefted it up the steps of the Hogwarts Express. Severus followed her, carrying his own rather worn trunk, which used to be his mother's, and the cage which contained his owl, Shadow.

Once they had found an empty compartment, Lily launched into an elaborate story about how beautiful Spain had been, and all the Magical history that was there. She told him about the island of Ibiza and how the port looked like an old castle and reminded her of Hogwarts. By the time she was out of interesting things to say about her holiday, the train had already been moving for twenty minutes.

"How was your summer, Sev? I really wish I could have been back sooner than two days before school started up. I missed you so much, and international owls were really hard to find in Spain. You did get the one owl I sent, right? Only, I didn't get a response, so I wasn't sure..." she trailed off as she noticed the frown on Severus' face.

"My summer was...pretty horrible, actually. Dad went mental after mum died, I told you that after we came back from Easter break. He was even worse this summer. I did get your owl, actually, but the tosser flew off before I could reply, and I had sent Shadow away because my dad kept trying to shoot her with his blasted muggle shotgun. I'm glad you had so much fun on your trip, though," Severus said, offering her a smile that didn't exactly reach his eyes.

Lily, who was sitting across from Severus, looked like she had just seen somebody murdered. She quickly switched sides and sat beside Severus instead, pulling him into another hug that nearly cut off his air supply.

"Oh Severus, I feel like such an arse! I should have known your summer would be unpleasant after losing your mum. I'm so sorry I wasn't here. Did he hurt you?" Lily asked with wide eyes as she pulled away and cupped Severus' face in her hands, staring into his black eyes in earnest.

Severus' gaze dropped, trying to hide from the intensity of Lily's stare. His cheeks were already burning from being so close to the redhead, and he was hoping that Lily would take it as embarrassment due to the treatment he had received from his father.

"I...Yes, but it was nothing I couldn't fix, alright? Please don't feel guilty about not being there, Lily. There was no reason for you to give up your trip for me. I'm alive, and I'm going back to Hogwarts with you. That's all that matters, right?"

Lily's frown made her eyebrows scrunch up, and the film of moisture in her eyes nearly sent Severus' emotions over the edge. She brushed his lanky hair away from his eyes, not caring that it was slightly greasy and obviously uncared for. "I'm sorry, Sev. I promised you I'd always be there when you needed me, and I wasn't. Forgive me?"

Severus sighed heavily, pulling Lily into another hug, glad that she was there now, at least. "There's nothing to forgive Lily, but if it makes you feel better, then yes, I forgive you."

Lily smiled as she pulled away from the hug and kissed Severus gently on the cheek, her smile growing wider as he blushed quite magnificently. "Thank you," she whispered as she leaned her head on his shoulder, placing her small, delicate hand over his larger, callous-covered hand.

After a couple of silent minutes, Lily began to hum quietly, the dull hum of the train engines nearly drowning her out. Severus could hear her perfectly, however, as she was humming very near his ear. Severus smiled, comforted by the familiar tune. Since they had started attending Hogwarts, Severus had heard Lily hum the same song over and over again. It sounded like it should have lyrics, but every time Severus asked her what the title was, or what the words were, Lily would just smile and shake her head.

Severus closed his eyes, letting Lily's soft voice lull him almost to sleep. Just before he slipped into a light slumber, Lily's humming turned into soft singing. He listened carefully for the words, and felt his heart speed up in his chest.

"Wise Men say, only fools rush in, but I can't help falling in love with you. Shall I stay, would it be a sin, if I can't help falling in love with you..."

Severus fell asleep with a smile on his face as he gently squeezed the small hand grasping his own, completely at peace for the first time in a long time. Those softly sung words that he was sure Lily hadn't meant for him to hear would be imprinted in his mind until the day he died.

A/N: So was it ok, horrible, what?? Please review and let me know! Oh, the song Lily sings is 'Can't Help Falling In Love' by the King himself, Elvis Presley! If you haven't heard it, look it up and take a listen; it's a beautiful song!