It was well past midnight by the time that Lily descended the winding girl's dormitory staircase. She had spent many hours lying awake in her bed, deciding whether or not to go. She had bit her lip for hours, letting her mind wander around the possibilities. What would happen if she went? Was it just a trick? What if she got hurt? What if she was making a big mistake?

It had all begun with a note that she had received well walking along the lake. A simple piece of parchment written on in cramped, black letters.

She had been wandering barefoot along the lake's edge, letting her long red hair fly freely in the wind. Utterly alone and savoring the sunlight, she had been thinking about Severus and what he had once meant to her. She was pondering their broken friendship, devising ways to heal the wounds that had until now only festered. She had shed far too many tears for Snape, and missed his company more than she could ever admit. At one point, she had even thought that their friendship had been…something more.

Just as Lily resolved to meet Severus later that day under their once-favorite place of study-a large elm tree-and forgive him, the note fluttered out of nowhere and into her hands. It was a small thing, the note. The parchment was intricately folded into the shape of a flower (Lily suspected that its shape of the parchment was not coincidental) and dotted with tiny L.E.s at the tips. When she unfolded it, the air took around her fingers took on a slight shimmering quality. She admired the intricate spell that the writer must have cast on the parchment to make such a thing happen. She let her large, shimmering green eyes peruse the page. It read:

Lily-

I know that I've asked you a dozen times, but will you please go out with me? I like you a lot, you know. I think that (and Sirius would humiliate me to no end if he found out that I'd told you this) you're beautiful. But that's not the only reason that I like you. You're funny and smart and cast the best stunning spell that I've ever seen (and experienced). You've got spunk and aren't afraid to let everyone know what you think. I know that whoever you end up dating someday will be a very lucky guy (and maybe I'll be that lucky?). At this point, I'll only ask you out once more, meet me in the Common Room at Midnight.

-James

Another request for a date. From James. Lily had turned him down countless times, each time that he asked. But this was different. Whenever he had asked her out before, it had always been in front of his friends or when he was showing off. At these times, Lily felt that by accepting his offer, she would be accepting the role of a trophy. She thought that the only reason he had wanted her was so that he could show her off and brag.

His intentions had always seemed shallow and self-centered. Never had he, or any other boy for that matter, admitted that she was smart or that she could cast superb spells. And no one, no one, had ever truly called her beautiful. The closest that she had ever come to being deemed beautiful was the time in her fourth year when she had gone to Hogsmeade with Severus in early June, wearing a new blue sundress that her mother had sent her. The whole trip, all Severus did was stare at her and stutter. The whole day, he was only able to muster three concise words-"You look nice."

Lily had returned to her common room hurriedly, needing the privacy and solidity of her four poster bed. In the front of the portrait hole, she saw Severus. He seemed to be waiting for her. She walked towards him slowly, unsure whether he was there to apologize again, or to do battle.

She walked up to the portrait and leaned against the wall.

"What's up, Sev?" She made her voice level, betraying no emotions. She feared that if he had come only to slander her (as he had been doing so often lately), emotion and forgiveness would betray weakness. He would come and wait for her, ready to once again to attempt apology, and would then chicken out and say something blasphemous or rash. He had always been sort of nervous under pressure when it came to Lily.

"Lily I-" Severus began, his voice filled with sadness and remorse. Suddenly, something caught Lily's eye-it was a figure running hurriedly towards them.

"I…wanted to apologize-" But he was cut off by a loud voice calling, "HEY EVANS!"

"Oh, no!" Lily sighed fearfully.

"EVANS!" James had almost reached the portrait hole by the time that Lily had crawled through it, yelling "Sorry, Sev! We have to talk later!" over her shoulder. She ran up the girl's staircase as James tried to catch up with her.

"Lily! Did you get my-" His sentence was cut short by a cry f surprise as the staircase turned into a slide beneath him and shot him back to the common room floor. Lily could not help but giggle as James tried to pick himself up off the ground, running his hand through his messy hair absentmindedly. He opened his mouth and looked up to see her red hair and the tails of her cloak disappear as she turned into her dormitory from the landing. He was so in love with her at that moment that all he could do was sit, staring at the stairs, and replay her laughter over and over in his head.

A mere 100 yards away, however, a rather disgruntled Severus Snape had conjured a wooden chair out of thin air. He sat himself down next to the Fat Lady, who was indulging in some chocolates with her friend Violet.

"Ah, young love." The fat Lady said rather dreamily-or drunkenly. Snape couldn't decide which of the two words described the flightiness of the Lady's tone more appropriately. "You can fall in love in an instant. It's letting go that takes time." She looked rather blearily at Severus, who had by now decided that there was more than just milk and cocoa in the Fat Lady's chocolates.

In response to the Lady's proclamation, Severus crossed his arms and looked away. As the Fat Lady and her friend began to doze off, Severus conjured a mirror using his wand and was now trying to desperately fix his hair. He knew that Lily would come out for dinner soon, and he had to stage the perfect apology in order to win her friendship back. And-as he had begrudgingly learned from James Potter-images were sometimes everything.

He took a small vial out of his pocket. Inside it was some pink and sparkling potion. Snape had made it just for the occasion. It would render the drinker completely flawless in appearance. Make them completely handsome and dashing. But Severus knew that he could never use it in front of Lily. Lily, after all, was quite an accomplished potioneer, and would see through his façade immediately. Besides, hadn't Lily once told him that it was what was on the inside that counts? Screw James Potter and his stupid good-looking arse! Lily belonged to Severus. Or she was going to, anyway. After he confessed his true feelings and made sure she knew that his insides were nothing like his greasy hair and pale complexion…surely she would like him…? Maybe even…love him?

Severus pondered this as he slipped the vial back into his cloak. With a sudden stab of misgiving, he decided that he needed some reassurance-a bit of luck-to win Lily's heart. He removed a second vial-one that he had concocted several months ago and had since then carried on his person twenty-four hours a day seven days a week in case he should need it. The glass vial held a merrily bubbling, golden brew that shined in the sunlight of the corridor. He smiled slyly as he unstoppered the vial and took a tiny sip of the Felix Felicis, one of his best accomplishments to date. He knew that the dose he was taking would last him till about midnight, but that would have to be enough. He took another tiny drop. Instantly he felt warmth spread through his body and felt as if he could do nothing wrong. So what if James Potter was chasing after Lily like she was some trophy or goddess? SO what if he and Lily had not been on speaking terms for several months! He was going to fix this-fix everything! After he took a stroll through the castle…